Falcon was founded in 1972 as Falcon Electronics by the first employee (1961) at KEF Electronics Ltd., Malcolm Jones. As Senior Development Engineer Malcolm did most of the design and development of the legendary KEF drive units – the B139, B200, B110, T15, T27 and the systems in which they were incorporated. He left KEF in 1974 having just completed the famous Reference Series 104 system and work on an active professional monitor to work full time at Falcon Acoustics Ltd.
Although initially formed to supply the retail DIY market with a range of components and items needed for building a speaker system, the main advance was the production of Self-bonded Ferrite Cored Inductors to customers requirements. This technical break-through and a comprehensive range of capacitors made it possible for the first time for designers outside the main companies to design systems using units from differing manufacturers. This led to a spate of Hi-Fi Magazine speaker designs in the 70’s (available as reference documents in the Falcon Acoustics Archive).
One of the most popular systems to be designed by Falcon was the Tabor, and many thousands were supplied over the years. Falcon also took over Nightingale Acoustics in 1978 and whilst keeping production of the NM1 for a while, brought out a new range:- NM3, NM pt.5, Llyric and Enigma. These went on to be produced as MkII models.
During the 1980’s and 1990’s Falcon wound hundreds of thousands of inductors each year for UK and International customers. Many of Europe’s well known speaker systems used Falcon Inductors. At one time over 2/3rds of UK manufacturers used Falcon inductors.
The DIY retail/mail-order side supplied and continues to supply through the Falcon Acoustics website almost everything needed to build a range of high quality loudspeaker.
Falcon was started as a small family business with Valerie and Malcolm Jones as directors. Starting like many on a kitchen table, it moved from Bexhill in Sussex to Mulbarton in 1976, although Falcon’s retail shop was still kept going until Wilf Harms (Falcon’s manager there) retired in 1980. Falcon moved again in 2003 to Acle, a small town halfway between Norwich and Gt. Yarmouth.
Valerie became very ill after retiring in 2006 and sadly died in 2008. After trading as Falcon Acoustics for some time Malcolm finally fully retired in 2009 and transferred Falcon to Jerry Bloomfield near Oxford.
Falcon Acoustics is now the largest UK supplier of drive units and is UK Distributor for most major brands, as well as manufacturing the Falcon Acoustics range of drive units all designed by Malcolm Jones. In 2014/2015, Falcon Acoustics also started making the now famous Falcon Acoustics Classic BBC LS3/5a, and has expanded the number of systems that is now made to include the R.A.M range, and now the technologically advanced Reference range.
We’re delighted to report to his many friends in the business that Malcolm carries on his long association with Falcon as Technical Consultant and grower of lethally hot chilli peppers.
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