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Aug 16, 2018 · Matthew Polk, Sandy Gross, and George Klopfer were the three audio nerds at Johns Hopkins, and Polk Audio was the company they founded. The other co-founder, Sandy Gross, later went on to found both Definitive Technology and Golden Ear.
- Please Stay in Touch
- What Does He Mean by ‘The World Has Changed’?
- Was Covid-19 The Reason?
- Retirement? ‘It’s Hard to Say’
- Not Working on Another Speaker Brand
- ‘I Haven’T Sat on That Deck For Five Years’
- How It All Got Started
- A Detour to Lala Land & Hollywood – The Road to Definitive Technology
- Short Stint as A Movie Producer
- A Satisfying Reflection on A Long Career
In a letter addressed: “To all my friends and colleagues,” Gross announced his decision, saying that his career of almost 50-years “has been a blessing and a blast.” The short, three paragraph letter did not specifically say why he had come to this decision – but it did seek to dispel any rumors of an issue with the new owner, Bill Low. Closing wit...
The abruptness of his exit suggested, to my mind at least, that there might be something more behind it. What exactly did Gross mean by “the world has changed?” Was that a reference to the coronavirus pandemic? Was there some darker issue – such as an illness, or conflict, or some other factor? I reached out to Sandy Gross to see if he would be wil...
Was his comment that “the world has changed” a reference to COVID-19? Was that the reason he decided to take this step at this time? “No, it’s just…I guess…a life’s decision,” Gross said. “I mean Anne (his wife) and I are fine.” Later in our discussion, we would revisit COVID-19, or rather, this new world of self-isolation or quarantining and the w...
But when I came right out and asked him directly if this was his official “retirement,” Sandy hesitated. “It’s hard to say. I don’t have any specific plans. At this point, I kind of just wanted to kick back.” While he went on to say that his wife Anne had recently retired, he’s not entirely sure that the word “retirement” is the best description fo...
One thing Gross assured me is that he is NOT preparing to launch yet another speaker brand. Although he has been accused many times of being a serial entrepreneur, at this point in his life, he is interested in pursuing more personal, non-business projects. For example, he pointed to his love of art, as expressed in a significant art collection, th...
Furthermore, the audio guru went on to note that the constant business travel, has kept him away from his home, a beautiful house on a large, multi-acre wooded property. And attached to his home is a large deck with a gorgeous view overlooking the woods and pool, “And I haven’t sat on that deck for five years,” he said.
Not only has he always had a deep love of music, but he also was, as he put it, “a crazed audiophile.” Reflecting back on his college days at Johns Hopkins University, Gross said that in his room where he was living at the time (“It really was a people pile”), he had assembled a significant audio system with a pair of Tannoy 15″ Gold speakers in gi...
Sandy’s career, like many of ours, was not a linear path. Telling me – with a chuckle – that when he left Polk Audio in 1988, “That was my mid-life crisis.” He decided, he said, that he wanted to go to Hollywood and make movies. Wait…what?!? Not so strange, maybe – after all, he loved music, theater, movies…in other words, entertainment. Also, Film...
He ultimately met two guys involved with 21st Century Film Corp. and worked with them on a couple of films that were “in development.” One of those, titled “Deep in the Heart,”with actors Jason Patric, Robin Wright, and Juliette Binoche signed on to appear, showed a lot of promise. And who was the executive producer of that film? Our very own Sandy...
In reflecting on the last fifty years, Sandy said he takes great satisfaction in being directly involved in creating speaker products that are being enjoyed by many thousands of consumers today. Not only that, but he tells me how good it feels to hear how the fruits of his labor have been otherwise meaningful and even inspirational to people throug...
May 31, 2016 · The young Sanford Gross moved there to attend Johns Hopkins University, and subsequently, in one of the city's Civil War–era houses, got Polk Audio rolling with fellow alumni Matthew Polk and George Klopfer. The company flourished, but Gross, who had minored in film at Hopkins, had an itch for Hollywood.
Polk Audio was founded by Matthew Polk, George Klopfer and Sandy Gross in 1972. The three first met one another while attending classes at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore . After graduating in 1971, the team collaborated on producing a sound system for a local bluegrass music convention.
- 1972; 51 years ago
- DEI Holdings
Matthew Polk, George Klopfer, Sandy Gross Polk® Audio Back in 1972, Matthew Polk, George Klopfer, and Sandy Gross, a maverick team of big dreamers with $200 to their names, embarked on a wildly ambitious adventure to bring engaging, immersive sound experiences within reach for everyone.
Aug 17, 2018 · The company is Polk Audio and it was founded in 1972 by Sandy Gross of Definitive Technology and GoldenEar Technology fame, Matthew Polk, and George Klopfer (left to right in foreground of photo). The opening photo shows the founders in a 1986 Polk corporate photo along with a fourth partner, Craig Georgi, standing in the background.
