Bernard Kardon

Bernard Peterson Kardon (January 8, 1914 – April 14, 1993) was an American audio pioneer who founded the Harman/Kardon audio equipment company with partner Sidney Harman in 1953.

Early life and education

Kardon was born in New York City the third of Peter and Sarah (née Friedland) Kardon's five children.

As a child Kardon showed an interest in science at an early age. By the age of nine in 1922, both he and his brother Nathan would travel to their father's radio factory and assemble parts. Afterward they would go to a restaurant with their father for dinner.

Kardon graduated from Stuyvesant High School and studied engineering at Cooper Union, but quit there before earning a degree.

US military service During World War II, Kardon designed underwater sound equipment for the US Armed Forces while still working at Bogen.

He designed intercoms that allowed maximum intelligibility under the acoustic and psychological conditions of combat as well as systems that allowed direct voice communications from landing crafts a mile out to personnel on the shore. Kardon also designed sound equipment that fooled the enemy, causing them to waste reserves attacking non-existent threats. He also worked on sonar and voice communication equipment that allowed ships and convoy units to communicate while under radio silence.

Precursors of high fidelity equipment In the late 1930s, Kardon often helped recording engineers and professional musicians modify available public address amplifiers and speakers to better reproduce radio programs and recorded music.

Recognizing a nascent high-fidelity industry, Harman lobbied the Bogen company to develop an improved audio system for American consumers. Bogen wasn't interested so Harman left in 1953, taking Kardon with him. Naming their new company Harman/Kardon Inc., each invested $5,000 in capital.

Harman Kardon Naming their new company Harman/Kardon Inc.,

By 1956 Harman/Kardon was worth $600,000 . Kardon left the firm in 1959 to become an independent consultant.

Later career In 1961 Kardon was named Director of Engineering at Ultrasound Industries, Inc., a dental equipment manufacturer in Plainview, Long Island, New York.

Family life Kardon married Anna Jaffe on December 8, 1933, and had two children. Born as Bernard Kardon (no middle name), he added a middle name of Peterson (Peter's son, in honor of his father, Peter Kardon), which appeared in his obituary.