Arnold Wolf
Arnold Wolf | |
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Industrial designer | |
Children | 3 |
Arnold Wolf (April 30, 1927 – April 23, 2013) was an American industrial designer and principal of Arnold Wolf Associates who was responsible for a number of loudspeaker designs for his client, audio manufacturers
Biography
Wolf was born on April 30, 1927, in San Francisco. His father, who was a photographer, took up employment with
After his discharge, he enrolled at
Career
After graduation, he became an instructor in theatrical arts at
Industrial designer
He set up his own industrial-design practice in Berkeley in 1957. After initially running it out of his own home for three years, he moved it to premises in downtown Berkeley.
When JBL decided to enter into production of audio electronics to complement its speaker range, Wolf was commissioned to work on the new products. In 1968 Wolf redesigned the JBL company logo, which continues to be in use forty years on.[3]
In 1969, JBL was acquired by the Jervis Corporation (later renamed Harman International), who designated Wolf JBL's new head. Wolf then disengaged from his industrial design practice and moved his family to Hollywood.[3]
JBL
Amongst the many milestones achieved under his presidency at JBL was the launch of the JBL L100 (nicknamed "Century") loudspeaker with its distinctive grille in 1970. The product, notable for its innovatively coloured and "waffle-pattern" moulded grilles and white-coloured woofers, became the best-selling speaker of the 1970s.[3] Wolf left JBL in 1980, after which he resumed his industrial design practice. In 1984/85 he was professor of design at California State University, Long Beach. He retired from his design practice 1987.[2][3]
Death
Wolf died on April 23, 2013, in his home in Pacific Grove. He is survived by his two sons and one daughter.[2]
References
- ^ a b c "Beginnings", Lansing Heritage
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Arnold Wolf, former head of JBL audio, dies". Monterey Herald, 26 April 2013
- ^ a b c d e f g h Everard, Andrew (30 April 2013). "Arnold Wolf, 1927–2013: from JBL's monster Paragon to the best selling speaker of the 1970s", What Hi-Fi?
- ^ "JBL Consultancy", Lansing Heritage