Bladelius, a renowned name in the world of high-performance audio and video equipment, has a fascinating origin story.

The company’s founder, Mike Bladelius, was always passionate about electronics and music. His journey into the audio industry began at the young age of thirteen when he designed and built his first working amplifier. However, his life took a significant turn when he visited friends in Sacramento, California, just before starting technical university. During his stay, he took a bold step and reached out to Nelson Pass, a well-known and respected audio designer.

In 1988, Nelson Pass was working at THRESHOLD, a company he had founded. Pass was already a prominent figure in the audio world, alongside other legends like Mark Levinson and Dan D’Agostino. Pass saw potential in the young Swede and invited him for an interview. Shortly after, Bladelius accepted Pass’s job offer and moved to California. He even put his education on hold, finishing it in the USA with the support of the Swedish consulate.

Bladelius had to navigate the complexities of obtaining a green card, which required proving that he hadn’t taken up any work in the USA. With the help of Threshold’s lawyer, he managed the situation successfully. His path to staying in the US was smoothed by the doctorate he earned for his paper on audio amplifiers.

During his time at Threshold, the company underwent changes in ownership, and Pass left in 1991. Bladelius took over as the head of the design office. Under his leadership, the company developed the T2 preamplifier and the T-200 amplifier, both highly recommended components by “Stereophile” magazine.

In 1994, Bladelius embarked on self-employment and worked as a consultant for various companies. He designed devices for Classé Audio and Ultra Analog, which was known for designing equipment for high-end giants like Threshold, Classé, and Mark Levinson.

His journey to establishing his own company also involved collaborations. While working at Threshold, he received a proposal from Werner Barden, a German distributor of high-end brands. Together, they designed a prototype of a CD player, which led to the creation of a company called ADVANTAGE.

In 1997, Bladelius founded his eponymous company, focusing on audio amplifiers and other audio devices like the Gondul multi-format player and the Embla audio file player with a CD transport. Some of the brand’s most significant products include the Grendel power amplifier, Beowulf monoblocks, and the Ymer amplifier. Bladelius products are distributed by Olle Mårtensson, the owner of a chain of audio stores in Sweden.

Throughout his career, Bladelius has been driven by his passion for music and electronics, and his favorite tune is Bruce Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad.”