News

Siegfried Linkwitz RIP

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 12, 2018

Sad to report the passing of legendary loudspeaker designer/innovator Siefried Linkwitz. Mr. Linkwitz had been suffering with prostate cancer for some time and had been receiving home hospice care.

I'm glad I conducted the interview last spring when a friend and business associate of Mr. Linkwitz offered the opportunity while in the Bay area to speak to the San Francisco Audiophile Society under what were challenging circumstances.

The video was to only be used to assist fund raising for the hospice organization helping Mr. Linkwitz. If Linkwitz and his wife felt the results were good enough they said they'd give permission for the audio to be posted here, but after watching it they thought it was worth sharing on video.

Please watch it and read the backgrounder above the embedded YouTube video.

COMMENTS
Wimbo's picture
Submitted by Wimbo on Thu, 2018-09-13 19:02

I use this for my signature.

"What is important to the eye, is not necessarily important to the ear".  Siegfried Linkwitz.

mittehifi's picture
Submitted by mittehifi on Fri, 2018-09-14 22:24

Thank you very much for introducing me to Linkwitz' and his work. I was deeply touched by that video. Frankly I was only then pointed to the man's work, I had not heard of him before. I love it that you visited him at the hospital honoring your friendship and paying respect. I felt instantly connected to Linkwitz' ”philosophy“. It fits another quote that I keep thinking about a lot these days: ”Focus more on what you need instead of what you want.”

bdbender4's picture
Submitted by bdbender4 on Wed, 2018-09-26 17:32

As a long-time DIY speaker builder, Linkwitz was one of my long-time heroes.

I was not aware of his illness until I watched your video interview with him a month or two back. Thank you very much for doing that.

SLS's picture
Submitted by SLS on Thu, 2018-09-27 10:44

and could not be more happy with how the interview was conducted and that he and his family allowed it to take place. He surely was a man who followed his passions and was committed to providing us with great value products. I hope more will discover his life's work.

Omnivor's picture
Submitted by Omnivor on Fri, 2018-10-12 10:40

In the late 60s and early 70s, Siegfried and I worked in the same HP R&D lab and in a couple cases, on the same project. He was a delightful co-worker and a gentle advisor when I first started there.  It was only a few years later that I discovered his "other life" with his speaker company.  Russ Riley worked just two cubicles over and, of course, the two of them made major contributions to the industry. It's a tribute to both's modesty and thoughtfulness that the subject never came up during work and something of a tribute to HP that they never discouraged that outside work. Since then, I've regularly followed Siegfried's webpage, dropped into his booth to say hi at the SF Stereophile show and cherished all those wonderful memories. Ruhe in Frieden.

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