Amy's Blog

While I'm on the topic of weird objects lurking around the office, I thought I'd throw in this guy who is perched on a nearby filing cabinet. 

It's reminiscent of the great movie Amélie.  If you haven't seen it, go get it.  Right now.  It will make you smile.

This Friday marks the first day of May - the beginning of what is my favorite month of the year.  I love the emerging flowers, baby geese (even though they grow up), festivities leading up to The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, and sense of a new beginning in the not-yet-too-hot air.  Hopefully it will be a new beginning for a lot of people who have seen rough times this past year.

Klipsch is kicking off the month with a launch party for the Image S4 headphones, which are the most affordable of our in-ear headphones with the uber comfortable patent-pending ear gels.  Because the day falls close to Cinco de Mayo, we'll be adopting that theme with chips and salsa, margaritas, and this piñata.  The darn thing has been looming over the marketing area for a few days now.  It's a little creepy the way it stares, so it will be fun taking some whacks at it.

Another retrieval from Hunter's Hope excursion is this old....old....old crate full of PWK papers. 

I would love to go through them one by one, but they are in pretty fragile condition.  I was able to take a quick snap as Jim flipped through the contents...revealing this collection of Cornet Solos, of all things, by 19th century composer John Hartmann (among others). 

I tried to find some information on Mr. Hartmann and/or this particular piece, but didn't have too much luck.  Just this.  And this. 

Even though I already knew it, it has been confirmed:  Paul Klipsch loved music.  More so than anyone could possibly love it.  I mean, who else would have sheet music compilations of cornet solos?

Hunter brought back dozens of unusually sized LPs that look like this one - big, red, semi-transparent, and a bit weathered - which are 1950s sound effects records by the World Broadcast System.  Paul apparently had a stack of them a few feet high.  They are cool looking, but what would be even cooler is to actually have something to play them on.  Although I'm thinking they would make really funky wall decor somewhere in this building.  Hmmm.....

I mentioned a while back that we are planning to auction a few pieces of history - we would love to see these items restored and put to good use in the hands of enthusiastic PWK fans!

This Linn Sondek LP-12 turntable is another offering, which was in use during the mid-70’s and early 80’s at Klipsch & Associates for critical listening.  Paul Klipsch (and everyone else there at the time) used it regularly.  The cartridge is a Klipsch Boron cantilever.  This has been in storage for over 25 years, but after a brief “warm up”, it came up to speed and performed well.  

More information, as well as detailed photos, to be availble soon!

Our resident historian Jim Hunter just got back from a week long excursion to Hope and brought back some truly fascinating PWK memorabilia.  This gem is Paul's old-fashioned magnetically-based question answer machine. I can just picture him bringing it along to company meetings.

Every Friday is cause for celebration - the marketing department at Klipsch recognizes this.  Therefore, someone is tasked to bring in a treat at the end of every work week.  Last Friday was no exception.  Instead of the usual donut or nacho chip faire, we were treated to this refreshment after hours - a pitcher of Mojitos.  Because we had enough to spare (limit one, please), we invited what few engineers were left on that first truly gorgeous day of spring to join us.  Friendship ensues.

For those of you interested in broadening your speaker horizons, be aware one of our other brands, Energy Speakers, will be launching an online store this week with a select portfolio of kick ass products available direct to consumers. 

But you might want to head over there for the racy photography alone.

You can't get much more direct than Paul Klipsch's motto, no matter how frilly you present it.

If I swivel my chair 180 degrees, this is my view.  Although Professor Thump isn't always standing there chanting.  Only occasionally.  

I love this picture of Phil.  Like he's saying, "Dude, seriously?"

Since marketing moved in with the engineers, we have wasted no time making the space our own.  It already has that "lived in" look, as you can see in this view of my cube.  

What usually isn't sitting there is the giant bright blue box, which houses the tiny, but surprisingly loud Jamo A 102 HCS 5 surround sound system.  When we celebrate something here at Klipsch, it typically involves some kind of product giveaway to a lucky winner...and yes, yours truly was the recipient from last Thursday's festivities. 

It sure helped that marketing hosted the drawing, and the only name in the bucket was mine.  

(not really)

I would never describe myself as the U2 fan that my cube-neighbor Don is - not even remotely.  He reaches psychotic levels.  But I do love select tunes from their expansive portfolio.  This is my favorite from the album the band cleverly described as being the sound of "four men chopping down The Joshua Tree"  - 1991's Achtung Baby.  I'm not even sure why I like it so much.  It's a sad and borderline pathetic tale about an indifferent woman being obsessed over by a man who is "only hanging on to watch you go down. My love."  Yikes.

But the tune is catchy and the beat is funky.  And perhaps, like all women, I can relate to that cruel streak.  But only ever so slightly.

I found this image in our archives today.  I have no idea what the story is behind it, but I can only imagine what it must have sounded like to be there live with those massive pro-speakers.  For some reason, Black Water keeps running through my head.  It just looks that doobie-fabulous.

But the title of my blog has a dual meaning today.  I happened to catch the Julie Andrews musical over the weekend (you know you did too, but won't admit it), and I remembered how I loved watching it every year as a kid around Christmas time.  I'm not sure if this was just a coincidence, but when I arrived at work today, there was an email from my mom waiting in my inbox with link to this video.  And it made my day.

Today we are taking a break from work to celebrate the successes of our Jamo brand, including the launch of 18 new install products, a new website, and 40 years of audio history.  Ice cream, fun and games are on the agenda starting at 3:30, then we are off until Monday (I love that this company observes Good Friday).  Of course I will be there with camera in hand, something that I'm not frequently without these days. I love the reactions I get as I walk around these functions - it's either strike a goofy pose or run and hide.  Most run and hide, so I'm forced to be as inconspicuous as possible.

I'm beginning to get the same reactions at home.  I either get Steven with a ridiculous look on his face, or completely (and blissfully) unaware.  I long for days like the one below, taken in the fall of 2007, when he didn't seem to understand what a camera was for, and therefore paid absolutely no attention to what I was doing.  I know those of you with kids and cameras know exactly what I'm talking about.

I love how this one shows him in mid-action, and the shadow gives it a "little boy, grown boy" feel.  But I'm being a bit analytical now.  Suffice it to say, I really enjoy my new hobby, and envy people who are talented enough and able to do it for a living.  I find it endlessly fascinating to capture one specific second for all time.

Be sure to check our Flickr page next week for pictures of the fun later today.  I might even be able to get some really interesting shots of employees playing the Wii.

In the meantime, Happy Easter, everyone!

Boy, did time get away from me today.  It seems as the days get longer, the time for work gets shorter.  I've got exactly 10 minutes to dedicate to my blog....

PWK, May 14, 1974, California!

Note the inside of his jacket!

Phew, just under the wire.