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Amar Bose: A Dedicated Audiophile

March 27, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

By Phineas Upham

If you’ve ever heard the sound of a Bose speaker and nodded in appreciation, you can thank Amar Bose. Bose had always been fascinated by electronics, even as a young boy. He would disassemble and reassemble all manner of radios and other gadgets from around the house.

This talent would pay dividends when America went to the Second World War His father’s business was facing hard times, so young Amar would fix radios for locals after school. The extra money kept the household afloat and gave his father a realization. His son had a talent, and he was determined to put that talent to use.

Amar was sent to MIT, where he took to academic life swimmingly. He graduated and became a teacher there, holding a faculty position for 45 years of his life. He also continued his research into mechanics, especially with regards to sound.

When he attempted to purchase an expensive sound system that promised quality audio. Being something of an audiophile for classical music, Bose was eager to give it a try. But he was disappointed to find that the sound was inferior to others at a lower price range. This got him thinking about what makes a stereo good quality.

After some study, he produced a speaker that utilized several small speakers to produce better sound. His mentor encouraged him to pursue his research into audio equipment and acoustics, which pushed him to incorporate Bose in 1964. His inventions were wildly successful, and his work has helped audio engineers create amazing displays. Bose pioneered software that could simulate sound from any seat in an auditorium, technology the Staples Center uses to arrange its shows.


About the Author: Phineas Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or Facebook page.