Peter L. Jensen
Engineer and Magnavox co-developer
Major contribution
Jensen and Pridham developed the Magnavox moving-coil loudspeaker and demonstrated its usefulness for amplified public gatherings.
Peter L. Jensen and Edwin S. Pridham established a research laboratory in California in 1911. Their experiments with coils, magnets and a diaphragm led to a horn-loaded loudspeaker called Magnavox, meaning “great voice.”
The partners developed the device for public address and demonstrated amplified speech and music in San Francisco in 1915. Their work connected loudspeaker engineering to the practical problem of reaching outdoor crowds, and the Magnavox Company was formed in 1917.
Key work
- Magnavox moving-coil loudspeaker (1915)
- San Francisco public-address demonstrations (1915)
- Magnavox Company formation (1917)
In the chronology
Selected sources
- Timeline · The History of Magnavox
- The Loudspeaker Celebrates 100 Years of Use and Influence · COMSOL
- The History of Live Sound – Part 1 · HARMAN Professional Solutions