Do you remember Unitra? The cult Polish audio brand is back. “This is not a nostalgic cash grab”

Unitra, i.e. the Union of the Electronic and Teletechnical Industry, in the times of the Polish People’s Republic united as many as 44 enterprises, which at the peak employed over 100,000 people. The Polish brand gained its reputation thanks to a series of iconic stereo amplifiers, radios and turntables, which are still present in many Polish homes.

Unitra’s golden age is in the 1970s. It was then that the premiere of Unitra WSH-205 amplifier. The success of the company at that time can be proved by the fact that – which was a kind of sensation – its devices were exported to the West, although under different brands (in France it was Thomson, and in the USA – Emerson).

Unitra is one of the few brands from before 1989 that survived the political changes and functioned in the new reality. The owner of the trademark, Unitra Towarzystwo Przemysłowo-Handlowe SA (Unitra SA), has undertaken many business and cultural initiatives related to the brand over the years, but has not been designing audio devices.

Unitra Bartosz Zabielski

Unitra returns to the Polish market

Now, a young team of engineers led by Adrian Krupowicz (head of the engineering department) and Daniel Kostrzewa (vice president for sales and marketing) want to restore the former glory of the cult audio brand.

Unitry’s vision is to popularize HI-FI audio devices as a response to the overstimulation of ubiquitous, insistent technology

– emphasizes Daniel Kostrzewa. – We believe that the modern world needs something more durable than a flood of rapidly deteriorating, irreparable electronics. That is why we direct our attention towards the high-quality audio devices that Unitra was famous for, in particular the golden era of sound and HI-FI devices from the 1970s, when we produced high-quality devices in Europe, often still operating today – he adds.

Daniel Kostrzewa Bartosz Zabielski

– Our main inspiration is the iconic Unitra ZM1006 audio set, produced in the late 1970s – says Adrian Krupowicz.

Then the equipment ‘came out of the wall unit’. The presented set no longer resembled a piece of furniture, but took on a rational technical form. In this case, the external technical aesthetics was an emanation of the heart of the device – electronics. In this approach, we see timeless beauty. We used new technologies wisely, taking into account the fact that almost 50 years have passed since the creation of the ZM1006

he adds.

Adrian Krupowicz Bartosz Zabielski

Both Krupowicz and Kostrzewa emphasize at the same time that the reactivation of the Unitra brand would not be possible without the support of Michał Kiciński, who is the main investor in the project.

It all started in 2020 in the office of the Mudita company owned by Kiciński. – Adrian showed me the prototype of the Unitry amplifier, and the passion with which he told me about it made me believe in this project almost immediately – recalls the co-founder of CD Projekt.

Unitra Bartosz Zabielski

“This is not a nostalgic cash grab”

– From the very beginning, we were sure of one thing: Unitry equipment must be made in Poland. There is no question of importing ready-made components from China and only sticking the brand logo on them – explains Krupowicz.

The Unitry team currently consists of about 20 engineers, and the devices – from the design phase, through production, to testing – are created at the company’s headquarters in Warsaw’s Ursus. So there is no question of mass production here, but – as the creators of the project emphasize – from the very beginning the main assumption was that the new Unitra would create refined audio equipment aimed at demanding customers.

– A shortcut and a quick jump to cash is something that simply will not work in the long run – emphasizes Kiciński and adds that production in Poland was also one of the key conditions for him to invest in this business. – This is not a nostalgic cash grab – convinces.

I try to ensure that the projects I am involved in are conducted in a well-thought-out manner and have a solid business foundation. I know that Adrian and Daniel have the same attitudes. We either do it right or we don’t do it at all

he adds.

Unitra Bartosz Zabielski

It won’t be cheap. Unitra is an audiophile “entry level”

Kiciński also points out that the ambitious approach presented by the new Unitra also has its downsides. In terms of price, the brand’s amplifiers, turntables and speakers will not compete with mass-produced devices from popular manufacturers.

Among the Unitry products that will go on sale this fall, we will find, among others: integrated amplifier WSH-805 (PLN 14,999), the GSH-630 turntable (PLN 10,999), CD player CSH801 (PLN 6,499), or a set of ZGZ-801 stereo floorstanders (PLN 19,999). It’s not cheap.

Unitra will therefore compete on the market mainly with audiophile brands that offer high-end equipment. Although, taking into account the fact that the prices of audiophile devices often reach tens or even hundreds of thousands of zlotys, we are still talking about the audiophile “entry level”.

Unitra WSH-805 Bartosz Zabielski

Adrian Krupowicz and Daniel Kostrzewa are convinced that the company is ready for this competition, and the sound quality justifies the price. – Whether we have succeeded will be ultimately judged by professional reviewers, of course, emphasizes Kostrzewa. Michał Kiciński, when asked who he addresses his products to, Unitra replies: – To all those who want to consume music a little slower and a little more carefully.

Closed pre-sale of the new Unitry series of devices will start on June 30 this year. In the first phase, the equipment is to be delivered to the biggest fans of the brand who have subscribed to a special newsletter. Fulfillment of orders will start at the end of October. Later this year, the product portfolio will consist of nine devices in five product lines. They will be available in audio stores and the official online store.