Melco

Melco, standing for Maki Engineering Laboratory Company, traces its origins to 1975 in Nagoya, Japan, where audiophile Makoto Maki founded the brand amid the vibrant audio scene. Starting with a retail outpost called the Mel Shop in the Ame-Yoko Radio Center, Maki overcame early financial hurdles by fostering a community for enthusiasts, blending commerce with innovation. This heritage of passion and perseverance propelled Melco from modest audio manufacturing into a powerhouse, eventually evolving into the Buffalo group while retaining its audiophile roots.

The brand's early focus centered on high-fidelity components, most notably turntables that redefined music reproduction standards upon their 1980 UK debut. After pivoting to computer peripherals, Melco revived its hi-fi legacy around 2014, now specializing in audiophile-grade networked audio solutions. These include music servers, NAS drives, Ethernet switches, and digital streamers, engineered for seamless hi-res playback without the pitfalls of standard computing gear.

Positioned firmly in the high-end niche, Melco commands respect among discerning buyers for its rigorous R&D and uncompromised digital source performance. Revived products echo the excellence of its vintage forebears, earning accolades from hi-fi press and solidifying its role as a boutique leader in streaming and storage. Collectors and modern streamers alike value its Japanese precision, now under DELA Inc. for its 50th milestone.