I find Hawaiian words being used for company names all over the place. Yet another is a Paia Electronics , located in far off Edmond, Okalahoma. I'm not a musician so I've never heard of them but they apparently sell build it yourself electronic kits that feature analog circuits. For a segment of the public with golden ears, the sounds that come from digital electronics is not as pleasing nor, according to them, as accurate as those that flows through analog circuits. Hence, there is a small minority of the buying public that is willing to spend almost any amount to have amps, pre-amps, and other electronics with analog components.
Well, Paia has analog circuit-based components but they sell them at very reasonable prices. For example, their Vocoder , something even I have heard of, sells for $139USD, (not including a power supply or front panel). Other devices are similarly priced. The bottom line is buying similar products from other vendors would cost you several times what you pay here. YMMV. I have not bought anything from these folks. Insert disclaimer here.
The Hawaiian connection is the middle name of John Paia Simonton, from which the company apparently got its name. Although the site says it's not related to the small Maui town with the same name, it doesn't say how John got such a middle name. In any case, the English translation of the name can have several connotations (depending on if and where the 'okina and/or kahako are placed). The one I kind of like the most roughly translates to garbled sound. As in not being able to clearly make out what music is being played...
Aloha!
