LAS VEGAS — The governing body of the Parnelli Awards announces that pro audio designer Mark Engebretson will be the 2013 Parnelli Audio Innovator Award recipient. “The name Mark Engebretson is one that may not be immediately recognized by the rank-and-file of the audio community,” states FOH editor George Petersen. “However, during his distinguished 40-plus year career, he developed and created products for Altec Lansing and Paramount Pictures and later with JBL Professional, QSC and a slew of others.”
With 12 patents and several pending, author of many technical papers and articles, Engebretson’s creative efforts and leadership over the years have led to highly successful professional audio products and major advancements in sound system architecture. Along the way, he’s worked with many of the giants in the pro audio business.
“Mark is one of the most amazing guys, because he visualizes sound,” says Parnelli board member Michael MacDonald of ATK. “He understands what a speaker should sound like when few really do. He knows how to measure the sound. It’s amazing to watch him work.”
Engebretson was born in Minneapolis and worked in the local hi-fi shop. A few years after that he was at Altec Lansing. From there he worked for Paramount Pictures where his audio innovations would eventually earn him a technical Academy Award. From 1983 to 1999, he worked with Stan Miller on a horn for Stanal Sound’s Stanley Screamer. With A-1 Audio, he worked on the HF horn project. With Delicate, he created subwoofer systems. He collaborated with Sound Image’s team on the G2, the very wide-angle 1250 and upgrades to their PhasLoc system. With MacDonald at Yamaha, Engebretson developed the Club Series of speakers, and at JBL he headed the team that developed the Concert Series and the VerTec line array system. More recently he led QSC’s loudspeaker division and later went to do engineering consulting with VUE Audiotechnik.
“One of the challenges in this business is that a lot of guys who can do this kind of work can’t communicate — you know, the ‘mad scientist types!’” Miller laughs. “He’s able to communicate what is going on to a lay person. He delves deep into the science, but can put whatever the information is into whatever form that is appropriate. He’s bright and articulate — and I think that’s a big reason for his success.”
“This is a thrilling thing for me,” Engebretson says of receiving this Parnelli. “I am indeed honored.”
This year, the Parnelli Awards will be held at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 23, 2013. For more info about Parnelli Awards, go to parnelliawards.com.
