Early this morning I learned that my mentor, one of my best friends and the most brilliant, generous and coolest guys I've ever met, David Graebener passed.

He got me into this business (He founded Speakerlab), then did several projects for a few other companies (Bohlender Graebener & recently was the chief speaker guru for Wisdom Audio).

He pioneered and perfected ribbon speaker technology. He was never satisfied, always striving to make his stuff "a little better".

We shared some amazing experiences over the years. The audio world lost a true genius, and one of the most amazing individuals out there.

He was a true free spirit, and a true hippy to the very end. He never gave in to being a three piece suit kind of guy. He was always just David... A cool long hair who held onto a lot of values and qualities he developed back in the sixties, growing up.

May he rest in peace.

Sorry for your and industry's loss.

Indeed a loss. Nice words Stanley, it is always nice to read your thoughts and feelings on friends and loved ones. From your writings, it is easy to see you are a good friend to have to those you hold dear. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks man. Still trying to process it all. I idolized the guy. He was like a rock star to me growing up.

I can say he was like a mentor to me, but can't really (that would even go beyond my usual arrogance, egotism and narcissism). I cannot even begin to compare myself to him in any stretch of the imagination. Just very glad to have crossed paths and had the opportunity to have known, worked with and been a pal. He was a couple of years older than I. The type of guy who would do anything for a friend.

I would occasionally get these amazing "care packages" in the mail... Once it was (7) - six foot ribbon tweeters and a Danley Sub-woofer (for the "hell" of it)... as a surprise gift when I was kind of down and out, and all this as a surprise.
A couple years ago an amazing desktop set of ribbons and a killer mini sub woofer he made in his garage - which is now my TV audio system! He was generous even in times when he was beyond broke, and always aked how my son was doing --- not in a fake way---he was very sincere and there was not a molecule of B.S. in that guy.

My son and I will have a few Tequila toasts (David loved Tequila!!!) tonight. I'm hoping he is at peace.

Sorry about the loss, my friends. I didn't know him, but knew the name. I'll get it up on CEPro.com. Stanley, do you mind if I use your words in your original post? Here is his bio on Wisdom Audio:

David Graebener
Executive Vice President
David has been involved with the design and development of transducers and systems for more than 30 years and is an authority on planar-magnetic design. David began his audio career in the late 1970s as co-founder of Speakerlab, a Seattle-based loudspeaker design and manufacturing company. As a pioneer in the development and application of planar-magnetic transducers, David joined Tom Bohlender to found the Bohlender-Graebener company in the early 1990s. David has been sought after as a consultant for transducer development, with a focus on planar-magnetic applications. David is owner of Advanced Transducer Engineering and co-founder of Solution Matrix and has completed design work for Boeing, American Technology Corporation, NCT, Pacific Car and Foundry, Carver, Toshiba, Onkyo and Eastern Asia Technology Company. David has been involved in the authoring of several patents granted or pending related to planar-magnetic transducer design and is associated with the development of more than 130 electro-acoustic designs.

...

If I can make Jeremy Burkhardt sound articulate, I can do it for you, too. Seriously, that was a lovely tribute from you. Makes me wish I knew him.

do you have a picture of him, Bruce? Maybe you and him together?

I found an image
[Link: cepro.com]

A few... Let me get someone under 50 to show me how to send it to you! LOL