Amar Bose, founder of high-end hi-fi maker, dies aged 83

Amar Bose, who founded the high-end hi-fi company that bore his name, has died aged 83.

Bose founded the audio company back in 1964, when he was still a professor of electrical engineering at the world-renowned MIT. His Alma Mater has posted an obituary, in which it says Bose received his bachelor's degree, master's degree and doctorate all from MIT. He joined the faculty in 1956, intending to only teach for a couple of years, but ended up staying until 2001.

After buying a hi-fi and finding it lacking, Bose set about designing concepts based on the idea of direct and reflecting sound. His aim? To recreate the sound of a live concert. A number of his patents are still used in Bose products today.

The Bose company is still privately owned, and will remain true to its founder's principles, according to its current president, Bob Maresca.

"Dr Bose founded Bose Corporation almost 50 years ago with a set of guiding principles that never changed, and never will," Maresca said in a statement. "Bose Corporation will remain privately held, and stay true to his ideals. We are as committed to this as he was to us. His vision is our history, and our future, and Bose Corporation will forever be his company.

"Dr. Bose was an incredible mentor and inspiration to Bose employees around the world."

Maresca wasn't the only one paying tribute.

"Amar Bose was an exceptional human being and an extraordinarily gifted leader," MIT president L. Rafael Reif said. "He made quality mentoring and a joyful pursuit of excellence, ideas and possibilities the hallmark of his career in teaching, research and business."

"Amar was personally creative, but unlike so many other creative people, he was also introspective," said Paul Penfield Jr, professor emeritus of electrical engineering, and a colleague of Dr Bose. "He could understand and explain his own thinking processes and offer them as guides to others. I've seen him do this for several engineering and management problems. At some deep level, that is what teaching is really all about. Perhaps that helps explain why he was such a beloved teacher."

Image credit: Bose