Graeme Huon graduated from Monash University in 1974 with a B.Elec.Eng, a thirst for knowledge and a strong leaning towards solving problems.
He followed this with a Post-Grad. DipEd from Rusden SCV and worked as a mathematics, electronics & physics teacher at Dandenong Middle-Level College & TAFE on innovative education programs.
Two years later he joined Telecom/Telstra.
Having previous experience as a Tech Assistant Grade 2 at Telecom Research Labs during his University days, he returned to Telecom in Metro Operations as an Engineer Class 1– supporting telephone exchanges and ultimately responsible for Plant record and Operation support systems as senior Engineer.
After 18 years at Telstra Graeme joined Siemens; working in Australia and overseas on business development for telephony network technology and IP Networks. During his time at Telstra and Siemens, Graeme had identified separate audio opportunities and pursued these, having cleared his extra-curricular activities with his employers.
After leaving Siemens around 2001, Graeme was able to concentrate on audio work, forming several start-up companies including Huonlabs Pty Ltd. Graeme and one of his former University lecturers, Greg Cambrell had developed a new acoustic and wave modelling process and tools applicable to waves from within speaker boxes out to audio and acoustics generally.
Graeme had the privilege of support for his technologies from Tomlinson Holman in the United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomlinson_Holman) who actually coined the name Parametric Acoustic Modelling or PAM. The work was published through the AES in 1994, and later also through SMPTE. (https://aesmelbourne.org.au/meeting-report-aug2017/).
Designs using PAM have been successful around the world.
Leading on from this work, Graeme developed new formats replacing surround sound and dubbed them Vector Wave Front – VWF (https://aesmelbourne.org.au/vector-wavefront-demo/), even approaching Fraunhofer Institute amongst other organisations in Germany for cooperation between their Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) team and his alternate Vector Wave Front concept.
Graeme also collaborated in this work with renowned audio design engineer/loudspeaker designer Neville Thiele, during this time publishing and giving talks together and continuing the collaboration right up to Neville’s death in 2012.
Graeme holds several patents, won the Pearcey Award for innovations, continues research and development and assists various committees in technical and related fields.
Recently Graeme shared his thoughts with AES Committee member Dr Rodney Staples in a wide-ranging video interview.
In this 11 minute snippet from the full interview (link at the end of this document), Graeme discusses his thoughts and experiences with audio-acoustic design.
You can view this video directly on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7sGIVOH8qs
In the full version of this video, Graeme describes in his own words growing up in post-Second World War Melbourne and Sydney, his early disjointed education, professional training at university, and his journey into work.
His life journey covered several disciplines and career segments. These career changes included: teaching in what became TAFE; working as an engineer in telecommunications; and later in his own consulting and manufacturing businesses in the broad fields of audio, acoustics and human perception. Graeme has also served as Chairman of the AES Melbourne Section for over 10 years.
Graeme describes the process of product and business development. He worked with valves right through to the latest digital technology, in industries related to audio and acoustics throughout a very long career.
Graeme’s story offers a unique perspective of the audio industry as it has changed over more than fifty years.
Thanks to Graeme for the generous gift of his time and information in compiling this brief history of one of audio’s quiet achievers.
This summary draws on the long-form interview by Dr Rodney Staples, supplemented by personal research and conversations with the subject.
Rodney’s full video (56min) is a more extensive view of Graeme’s journey that can be viewed on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/wZyDpLz37Fs
Graeme Huon – one of audio engineering’s Quiet Achievers.
Peter Smerdon
October 2024