Bernard Kardon

Bernard Peterson Kardon (January 8, 1914 – April 14, 1993) was an American audio pioneer who founded the Harman/Kardon audio equipment company with partner Sidney Harman in 1953.

Bernard Kardon
Born
Bernard Peterson Kardon

(1914-01-08)January 8, 1914
New York City, New York
DiedApril 14, 1993(1993-04-14) (aged 79)
New Rochelle, New York U.S.
NationalityAmerican
EducationCooper Union, City College of New York (B.A., 1973),
Fairleigh Dickinson University (M.S., 1976)
Occupation(s)Engineer, business, entrepreneur
Spouse
Anna Jaffee
​
(m. 1933)​

Early life and education

Kardon was born in New York City the third of Peter and Sarah (née Friedland) Kardon's five children.[1]

As a child Kardon showed an interest in science at an early age. By the age of nine in 1922, both he and his brother Nathan would travel to their father's radio factory and assemble parts. Afterward they would go to a restaurant with their father for dinner.[2]

Kardon graduated from Stuyvesant High School and studied engineering at Cooper Union, but quit there before earning a degree.[1]

Kardon returned to school later in life. In his fifties, he received a BA in engineering from City College of New York in 1973 and a master's degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University.[3]

US military service

During World War II, Kardon designed underwater sound equipment for the US Armed Forces while still working at Bogen.

He designed intercoms that allowed maximum intelligibility under the acoustic and psychological conditions of combat as well as systems that allowed direct voice communications from landing crafts a mile out to personnel on the shore. Kardon also designed sound equipment that fooled the enemy, causing them to waste reserves attacking non-existent threats. He also worked on sonar and voice communication equipment that allowed ships and convoy units to communicate while under radio silence.[2]

Kardon also helped his father's Premier Instrument Corp. develop the Kardon cold weather 35mm camera for the US Army Signal Corps. The camera was designed and built to be fully operational at temperatures as low as 67 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

Consumer electronics career

Bogen Company

In 1937 Kardon was hired by the David Bogen Company, manufacturers of audio and intercom equipment. While working at Bogen, Kardon also served as Chief Engineer for his father's company, the Premier Instrument Corp.[2]

Kardon moved up at Bogen, from Design Engineer to Chief Engineer and was finally named Executive Vice-president. While working at Bogen, Kardon met Sidney Harman, also a Bogen employee. During his 14-year tenure at Bogen, Harman moved from engineer to sales manager. He was later named general manager of the firm.[4][5]

Precursors of high fidelity equipment

In the late 1930s, Kardon often helped recording engineers and professional musicians modify available public address amplifiers and speakers to better reproduce radio programs and recorded music.

Recognizing a nascent high-fidelity industry, Harman lobbied the Bogen company to develop an improved audio system for American consumers. Bogen wasn't interested so Harman left in 1953,[6] taking Kardon with him. Naming their new company Harman/Kardon Inc.,[7] each invested $5,000 (equivalent to $54,689 in 2022) in capital.

Harman Kardon

Naming their new company Harman/Kardon Inc.,[7] each invested $5,000 (equivalent to $54,689 in 2022) in capital. Harman handled sales, merchandising, and advertising, while Kardon was Chief Engineer, Designer and Production Manager.

In 1954 their first product was the Festival D-1000 receiver, the world's first integrated hi-fi receiver. The unit included a wide bandwidth FM radio tuner, a pre-amplifier and 30-watt amplifier all in a complete chassis.[4][8][9]

By 1956 Harman/Kardon was worth $600,000 (equivalent to $6,458,262 in 2022). Kardon left the firm in 1959 to become an independent consultant.[1]

Later career

In 1961 Kardon was named Director of Engineering at Ultrasound Industries, Inc., a dental equipment manufacturer in Plainview, Long Island, New York.[10]

Family life

Kardon married Anna Jafee on December 8, 1933, and had two children.[1]

References
  1. "Bernard Peterson Kardon: engineer of Harman Kardon hi-fi". The Daily Item. Port Chester, New York. April 15, 1993. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  2. "Bernard Kardon" (PDF). December 26, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  3. "A.R.C. - THE NATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS OF OLD RADIOS AND RELATED ITEMS - PUBLISHED MONTHLY". 1994. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  4. "Sidney Harman, 1918-2011", Bloomberg Businessweek, Obituary April 14, 2011, April 18–24 edition, page 24.
  5. Nominations, Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary, Department of Commerce. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1977.
  6. "Sidney Harman: Businessman who created the first integrated hi-fi system and later bought 'Newsweek' magazine". www.independent.co.uk. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  7. "Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2010". articles.latimes.com. August 3, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. "The Evolution of Home Audio Systems". Complex. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  9. "Festival D-1000". Radiomuseum. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  10. Dental Industry News, Volume 44. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Dental Survey Publications, Inc. 1961.
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