Bose's Founder Dies, but He Leaves Behind More Than Speakers

Amar Bose, the founder and chief executive of the audio company that bears his last name, died last Friday at his home in Massachusetts at the age of 83.

Prior to Mr. Bose—or, more specifically, the Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speaker, his first major product—high-end audio was something obsessed over by finicky audiophiles: men and women (but let’s be honest here—mostly men) who were on a never-ending quest to recreate the absolute sound. Audiophilia, to that point, required deep technical knowledge, a monastic-like discipline in researching and assembling your rig, and lots of cash.