Throughout the history of audio there have been many talented and skilled people working quietly to advance the art and science of audio engineering.
Away from the spotlight, these people have made significant contributions to the industry.
This section will feature some of these more low-profile achievers.
Our first Quiet Achiever to be featured is:
Michail Barabasz – Plessey/Rola Loudspeakers & Lorantz Audio
Available at https://aesmelbourne.org.au/barabasz-quiet-achiever/
Content is currently in progress for …
Graeme Huon – Huon Labs
Graham Haynes – AES Melb Section stalwart & Pro Audio Equipment Supplier
Each of these people has experienced the development of an industry as it has evolved. Their observations offer a model for what to expect as a novice begins a career in the industry, and a description of what it takes to succeed.
Each of these stories is unique, but there are similarities and significant differences. Taken together, they begin to build a picture of an industry as it has evolved from the 1950s until now.
Michail Barabasz (Plessey/Rola Loudspeakers & Lorantz Audio)
Michail begins by describing his family’s arrival in Australia as migrants after the Second World War, and his experience of growing up in a foreign country.
An ability to adapt to meet new challenges is characteristic of Michail’s experience, studying first Electrical Engineering and then his preferred Electronics Engineering before beginning work at Plessey at a time of rapid electronic development. From early experience building data terminal consoles and amplifiers, he took a position as the “loudspeaker engineer” at Plessey. This experience covered all aspects from design to large-scale production of loudspeakes in the largest manufacturer in Australia of loudspeakers for use in cars.
When Plessey closed their loudspeaker division, Michail started his own loudspeaker manufacturing business, which continues to today. This business is the only business in Australia to manufacture loudspeaker drivers from voice coils, magnets, and cones, to complete speaker systems. Michail describes in some detail the problems involved in design, manufacture and marketing his loudspeaker products, and the solutions that he has found for these problems.
Michail offers a unique window into how the loudspeaker manufacturing in Australia has changed over fifty years, what it takes to manufacture loudspeaker components, and to survive in this part of the audio industry.
Michail’s story is available at:
https://aesmelbourne.org.au/barabasz-quiet-achiever/
and the full-length (1hr) Oral History video can be viewed on YouTube at:
https://youtu.be/oEJtt8RD9hg
Graeme Huon (Huon Labs)
Graeme’s story, with Oral History video extract, and link to the full history video is at: https://aesmelbourne.org.au/huon-quiet-achiever/
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 and acoustics. He worked with many who influenced his career, including Cherry, Campbrell, Lampard, and Thiele
Graeme describes the process of product and business development. He worked with valves 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 changed over more than fifty years.
Graeme’s story can be seen at:
https://aesmelbourne.org.au/huon-quiet-achiever/
and his full-length (1hr) Oral History video can be viewed on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZyDpLz37Fs
Paul Messick
Paul’s story, with Oral History video extract, and link to the full history video is at: https://aesmelbourne.org.au/messick-quiet-achiever/
After working in the disciplined environment of a defence organisation, he decided to follow his interest and start the first of his many businesses designing a diverse range of products including RF systems, MIDI interfaces and other analogue and digital devices.
Following another of his interests, he entered the film industry where he worked in development and production, and learned the process of starting, operating and closing an entrepreneurial business.
His last foray into working in large organisations was to restart the engineering department for M-Audio, eventually adding Digidesign’s hardware team to the mix, ultimately under the Avid umbrella.
After leaving Avid, Paul started a business manufacturing audio test equipment, followed by several other businesses generally in the field of mixed-mode electronics, often for high-performance recording studio audio products.
Since moving to Melbourne, Australia several years ago, Paul has continued to design bespoke high-end professional audio equipment with his company Glassworks Audio.
Paul’s story can be seen at:
https://aesmelbourne.org.au/messick-quiet-achiever/
and his full-length Oral History video can be viewed on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94CvLKp0DYc
Graham Haynes
Graham’s story, with Oral History video extract, and link to the full history video is at: https://aesmelbourne.org.au/graham-haynes
In the current times of the Internet and Social Media, information about new products and developments is available instantaneously. In the pre-Internet days, audio professionals relied on the audio importers and distributors to update them about new products coming onto the market that could help them in their work. Key players in this space were the sales reps who visited their customers with a briefcase full of brochures on the latest and greatest products to hit the market, maybe a demo unit, and an open order book.
One such sales representative was Graham Haynes, who represented several distributors over the years. He always exhibited good cheer and integrity – regardless of whether the customer was in a buying mood or not.
Graham’s story can be seen at:
https://aesmelbourne.org.au/graham-haynes
and his full-length (1hr) Oral History video can be viewed on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jP_SUjItzo