After 41 years as part of the Executive team at Marantz, parent company Sound United have announced that legendary designer Ken Ishiwata will leave the company in May 2019. The contract between Marantz and Ken Ishiwata had expired, with the statement reading "both parties have agreed that from now on everyone will go his own way". Mr Ishiwata started his career in the hi-fi industry at Pioneer in 1968, later went into business for himself as a fashion photographer and joined Marantz in 1978 as Technical Co-ordinator. Since 1996 he acted as the brand's embassador, whilst continuing to develop new models for the brand. The best of these products bear his initials in the type designation, such as the CD63mkII KI CD player, the PM66KI integrated amplifier and the "KI Ruby" series.
https://www.stereo.de/artikel/ken-ishiwata-verlaesst-marantz
https://www.stereo.de/artikel/ken-ishiwata-verlaesst-marantz
