Recording and film engineer David Manley began designing high fidelity vacuum tube amplifiers in South Africa in 1980.

David, joined by his son Luke introduced the amplifiers to the US market at the 1986 Consumer Electronics Show, where the positive reception convinced them to expand their distribution to the US.

[4][5] EveAnna worked her way through every segment of the company: testing, prototyping, engineering, purchasing, sales, service, and production management.

David and EveAnna divorced, and on June 10, 1999, EveAnna Dauray Manley officially assumed the duties of President, CEO and sole owner of Manley Laboratories, Inc. when David resigned as President and assigned his share of the company to her.

[3] In 2010, the first Manley-branded plug-ins, based on the Massive Passive EQ, were released by Universal Audio,[7][8] with plug-in versions of Manley's Variable Mu limiter compressor, VOXBOX channel strip, and Microphone Preamplifier later released.