OWINGS MILLS, MD. — Sandy Gross,
a co-founder of speaker companies
Polk Audio and Definitive Technology,
is launching his third homespeaker
company despite what
he called a challenging home
audio industry.
Gross will launch the new
company, GoldenEar Technology,
with Don Givogue,
one of three co-founders of
Definitive.
Definitive was sold in 2004 to Directed
Electronics, which also owns Polk
Audio.
The first products, a limited selection
of in-room speakers, will be unveiled at
September’s CEDIA Expo.
Although starting a new speaker
company is “a challenging proposition,”
Gross said, the company sees
an “opening” for a company that will
“bring back the combination of entrepreneurial
spirit and passion for incredible
sound, which has always driven this
business and helped to create great
companies like Polk and Definitive.”
“I love the business and product,” he
told TWICE. “I don’t think I’m
ready to retire.”
“We’ll create an exciting product
that will distinguish itself
with its sonic performance, styling
and value,” Gross said.
“We will be very limited in
terms of SKUs in order to make
it as easy as possible for dealers
to bring in GoldenEar and begin what is
certain to become a very profitable and
enjoyable relationship.”
Although Definitive was purchased
in 2004, Gross stayed with the company
until he left in March 2009. “I hope
to be a friendly competitor [with Definitive],”
he said.
In 1972, Gross teamed with Matthew
Polk, George Klopfer and Craig Georgi
to create Polk Audio. Gross started
Definitive in 1990.
