Sanch Electronix was incorporated on March 13, 1979 with an initial mandate to manufacture and distribute loudspeaker systems. The company imported drivers from Philips in Holland, Motorola and Bozak, USA; capacitors and inductors for crossover networks from Sprague, USA and Wellwound, India respectively. Cabinets were hand-crafted in-house. Our products were supplemented by an exotic array of audiophile components from prestigious companies Oracle,
Mc Intosh, Nakamichi, Philips, Revox, Monster Cable, Perreaux and Carver.

With the economic downturn during the mid-eighties, the Trinidad and Tobago dollar was inevitably subjected to four successive devaluations. Sanch reverted to recording and production of local acoustic music, mainly from the Steelpan. Our distribution medium quickly evolved from The Panyard Series of real-time cassettes to The Caribbean Carnival Series of digital compact discs produced by Delos International. In 1995, Sanch initiated its own CD label, producing almost 100 titles to date, using the acclaimed HDCD® encoding process.

In its quest for standardisation, opmisation of sound quality and delivery of high-resolution content, the audio industry is now undergoing much iteration. DVD-audio, DXD, SACD and HRx are among many formats competing fiercely for market share. Further, the availability of digital downloads is commonplace and piracy is more rampant than ever before. With the resulting turmoil, global sales have dropped dramatically and businesses are disappearing. Hence the time has become nigh for changing the Sanch business paradigm yet again.

Since 2003, I have been working steadfastly on creation of ICT-derived educational software. My vision is to enable the development, nurturing and sustenance of a Caribbean Music Industry emanating from the classroom. Consequently, after seven years of substantial human resource and financial investment, The Pan in Education Business Model and the interactive PETE the Panstick are both finally ready for commercial exploitation.

The way forward has been treacherous, superimposed with myriad challenges and obstacles similar to playing hopscotch on minefield-laden terrain. However there is now an exciting opportunity to delivery content from a cyber-platform, possibly in Second Life.

Just imagine using One Caribbean Voice® to globalise the region’s irrepressible cultural rhythms, so that our art, cuisine, fashion, folklore, literature, and music hit mainstream.

My new ultraaudio feature on The Recording Engineer is now online. Happy New Year!

Simeon L. Sandiford
Managing Director