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RIP Bruce Edgar


ClaudeJ1

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I think Dr. Edgar eventually changed the course of the horn enthusiast world with his Speaker Builder articles on the tractrix horn, and also preserved the memory of P.G.A.H. Voight's work just before his passing in 1981.  If you look at figure 9 of that linked article, you will see a representation of the K-402 and K-510 cross-sectional profile, among others Klipsch produces.  That says a lot, especially with the appearance of new full-range compression drivers such as the Celestion Axi2050 that can take advantage of wider range horns.  Voight's work from over 80 years ago lives on because of Dr. Edgar.  Although Dr. Edgar's own horn work is hard to find nowadays (I've never heard one of his many variations of the "Edgar horn"), I think his work still provides a link to what we see today in virtually all of Klipsch's loudspeakers.

 

By all accounts, Dr. Edgar was a good guy and very supportive mentor of his many acolytes.  No one in this life gets out alive...but some are remembered.  I remember Bruce Edgar.

 

Chris

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I believe his "real" profession was as an RF engineer for The Aerospace Corporation ("Circle-A")--the spinoff of the Ramo-Wooldridge (later TRW--itself started by the top two engineers that made Hughes Aircraft into a technical powerhouse of the 40s and early 50s) corporation, as an FFRDC...a research center for the federal government.  Like so many others, I believe he got caught in massive layoffs after Shuttle development ended, and other projects, and thereafter did consulting work over the years. 

 

The mathematics and physics of acoustic horns is actually a bit simplified from RF antenna theory (part of RF theory) in that you don't have to worry about both the E-fields and B-fields at the same time like you do with RF horns and waveguides.

 

Chris

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28 minutes ago, Chris A said:

The mathematics and physics of acoustic horns is actually a bit simplified from RF antenna theory (part of RF theory) in that you don't have to worry about both the E-fields and B-fields at the same time like you do with RF horns and waveguides.

 

I once got into a discussion about loudspeaker design with an antenna design engineer. He noted the similarity, but commented that, "Everything you do is extremely low-Q!" (Quality factor)

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12 hours ago, Chief bonehead said:

Oh no. Dr Bruce Edgar was a mentor of mine. I am so sad to hear of his passing. Rest In Peace Dr Bruce......

I would have mentioned your name as an influence in the OP because I was aware that you knew him, but I didn't realize you considered him a Mentor! I think he was a bigger promoter of Tractrix Horns, as well as a designer, than Voigt himself. But I'm not sure about that.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Sad news.  I saw Bruce Edgar and his loudspeakers at the Midwest Audiofest many years ago.  Subsequently, when I lived in Southern California, I created a "SoCal Hornhead" Yahoo Group which Bruce joined.  I recall one time I was looking for advice on repairing an Audio Research tube amplifier locally so I asked the Yahoo group and Bruce replied recommending Cy Brenneman.  So that's who I took it to.  Condolences out to Bruce's family.

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