Founded in 1981 by Yves Bernard André, a professor of electronics, YBA quickly gained recognition for its unusual products. Unusual in that they were so quintessentially French and created by a man who had such passion and belief in how things should be done that many journalists and consumers working in the hi-fi industry considered them to be completely distinctive and unique qualities, which gave them great appeal.
YBA company logo
The growing success of the brand in the 80s, 90s and even into the 2000s confirmed Yves’ philosophy of reproducing the absolute truest sound as accurately as possible. In order to achieve this success, the production of all products bearing the YBA name was based on discipline, precision and patience. While developing and producing such a large number of models, Yves-Bernard never abandoned his philosophy that the owners of his products essentially forgot about the product and heard only the music. Each product, regardless of its technical capabilities, was developed with simple but key goals in mind.
Each piece had to be durable and, importantly, have clarity and purity of sound, resulting in extraordinary musicality. YBA has received numerous awards not only in the French market, but also from many respected international organizations. Demand for YBA products continued to grow over the years, and so Yves-Bernard began to consider the benefits of having a large manufacturing company involved in securing the future. Such an alliance will provide the best of both worlds – financial strength coupled with the production capabilities to produce in large quantities to meet ever-increasing demand, while always maintaining French heritage and design parameters.
In 2009, one of China’s leading high-end audio equipment manufacturers acquired a significant stake in YBA. Already manufacturing some of the most iconic and respected companies in the UK and Europe, Shanling has built an enviable reputation for the quality of its products. When the sale was completed, Yves-Bernard André retained a stake in the company and continues to develop products. After spending time researching the products, the current needs of the global market and, importantly, understanding what it was that made YBA such a sought-after brand for three decades, Shanling took time before relaunching it internationally.
They believed that YBA would benefit from appointing a new CEO to lead the sales and marketing capabilities, and so they turned to someone who had years of experience in the audio industry’s major markets to lead the company forward. The appointment took place at the end of 2011. Australian native Jackie Pugh is working closely with Yves-Bernard André, using his extensive experience to help YBA rightfully reclaim its position as the market leader in the world of Hi-Fi. The international market has warmed to the reintroduction of the brand and new distributors continue to come on board year after year.
After a short absence from the market, YBA products were relaunched internationally in May 2012. At that time, four lines were announced: DESIGN, HERITAGE, PASSION and SIGNATURE. Each one is highly innovative, taking advantage of the best that today’s technology has to offer, but never losing any of the magic. At the end of 2013, four new products and one update were introduced, complementing the existing lines. GENESIS was introduced, a completely new line of amplifiers whose main attraction was the inclusion of Bluetooth throughout the line. In early 2015, additional new products were added to the Genesis (CD player) and Heritage (DAC) line.
Two exceptional phono stages were added in 2016 – one from the Passion series and one from the Genesis model. Further updates to existing products were also announced at the Munich High End Show. YBA products are beautiful to look at and unusual to hear. These are products that do not change every year and are therefore designed to last a long time. Indeed, a product that plays music today will play it tomorrow and 20 years from now. Owning some of the most sought-after and consistent products on the market… there’s nothing better.
