BUENA PARK, Calif. — Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. announces the January 2007 retirement of legendary speaker designer Akira Nakamura. Since 1965, Mr. Nakamura has led the development of a wide variety of innovative commercial audio speakers, the most famous being the industry standard Yamaha NS-10M studio reference monitors which he developed in 1987. Hailed for their consistent sound quality and "reality-based monitoring," the NS-10Ms have evolved into an industry standard for professional engineers, producers, recording studios and post production facilities worldwide.

NS-10M Studio Reference Monitor Designer

"The recording industry is losing the man responsible for designing the NS-10M monitors which for over the past 20 years, most engineers have used, and many of us still use today," states engineer/producer, Elliot Scheiner. "Nakamura-san's design truly taught me how to create a great mix. I wish him well in his retirement."

Nakamura placed great emphasis on designing speakers with excellent fundamental physical characteristics – an even acoustic pressure frequency response and good distortion. His highest priorities have always been to ensure faithful sound reproduction, achieve sufficient mid-range clarity, and to provide good sound separation, a sense of three-dimensional depth, and focus.

"We will be forever grateful to Nakamura-san for his dedication and passion for superior design," states Larry Italia, Vice President/General Manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. "He has always been very responsive to the needs of engineers worldwide, both in recording and sound reinforcement, having been most recently responsible for co-developing our Installation Series speakers."

Nakamura leaves behind a brilliant legacy for a new generation of passionate Yamaha speaker designers who have had the good fortune to be in his tutelage. 

"During our time working together, I found Mr. Nakamura's dedication was surpassed only by his attention to detail," states Michael C. Adams, acoustic engineer, Audio Composite Engineering (ACE) and co-developer of the Yamaha Installation Series. "His sense of sonic balance is remarkable and it was a pleasure and honor to have had the opportunity to work closely with him; I wish him all the best."

A celebration will be held in his honor mid-January in Hamamatsu, Japan.

For more information, write Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc., 6600 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamahaca.com.