Kraus

Kraus System Elektronik GmbH & Co was a German electronics company founded in 1955 and based in Frankfurt am Main (Wächtersbacher Strasse 90), specializing in high-quality Hi-Fi audio equipment and communication devices during the 1970s and early 1980s. Operating primarily as an importer and distributor rather than a manufacturer, the company commissioned products from Cybernet, a division of Japanese electronics giant Kyocera (known for ceramic materials, photocopiers, and camera brands Yashica and Contax). Under the 'Kraus' brand name, they marketed premium mini Hi-Fi component systems that were identical to products sold as Cybernet, Lenco, and Realistic in other markets, distinguished by their characteristic brown color scheme (while Cybernet devices were typically silver). The company's product lineup included two main series: the 100 series featuring the KTL100 FM/MW/LW stereo tuner, KPA100 stereo power amplifier, KCD100 stereo cassette tape deck, and KPR100 stereo preamplifier; and the advanced 200 series that pioneered system remote control and electronic volume control in compact Hi-Fi systems. Kraus components were renowned for their exceptional build quality, rivaling brands like Rotel with very airy, resolved sound and enormous impulse power, making them highly regarded among vintage audio enthusiasts. The company also manufactured CB radio equipment including the Topfunk CBR-5000 and various vehicle radio communication devices. By the early 1980s, as the mini Hi-Fi market evolved, Kraus System Elektronik's operations appear to have ceased, leaving behind a legacy of well-engineered German-distributed Japanese audio equipment that remains sought after by collectors today.