2019-10-01 Robb Report

GUTTER CREDITS

ROBBREPORT.COM 107

in the late 1990s, Jonathan Weiss, an Ivy

League grad with a film under his belt, fell in love

with a Pennsylvania grain mill built around 1800

by a German or Swiss immigrant family named

Oswald. Their 10,000-square-foot, four-story stone

structure lay abandoned from 1900 until the time

Weiss acquired and renovated it and made it his

lab. With so much empty space and no neighbors,

Weiss developed a fascination with the big, natural

sound of the golden age of cinema, collecting

vintage loudspeakers and tube gear by companies

like RCA and Western Electric (c. 1925–45). Then

he decided to create his own ... only better.

Oswalds Mill Audio (oswaldsmillaudio.com)

hand-makes not only loudspeakers—which use

highly efficient drivers, with horns or open

baffles—but also tube amplifiers, LP turntables and

audio furniture. Digital need not apply. Weiss’s

goal is glorious sound, without limits in volume,

dynamic range or the ability to engage his listener.

And he doesn’t discount the significance of the

ritual—selecting and cueing up a record—that can

affect the way one really listens to music.

Each piece of gear combines Pennsylvania

hardwood, cast bronze, iron, aluminum or slate

from local quarries, and the products range in

price from $36,000 to $450,000, give or take.

Apart from the stone and foundry work,

everything is built to artisanal standards at the

company’s factory in Fleetwood, Penn. †

Genius at Work

Sound

Stage

With the help of iron

and sand, Jonathan

Weiss is reaching for

sonic nirvana.

BY ROBERT ROSS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CYNTHIA VAN ELK

Oswalds Mill Audio’s

Ironic loudspeaker

G2G_Oct_GAW.indd 107 8/30/19 5:51 PM

ROBBREPORT.COM 107

inthelate1990s,JonathanWeiss,anIvy

Leaguegradwithafilmunderhisbelt,fellinlove

withaPennsylvaniagrainmillbuiltaround 1800

byaGermanorSwissimmigrantfamilynamed

Oswald.Their10,000-square-foot,four-storystone

structurelayabandonedfrom 1900 untilthetime

Weissacquiredandrenovateditandmadeithis

lab.Withsomuchemptyspaceandnoneighbors,

Weissdevelopedafascinationwiththebig,natural

soundofthegoldenageofcinema,collecting

vintageloudspeakersandtubegearbycompanies

likeRCAandWesternElectric(c.1925–45).Then

hedecidedtocreatehisown...onlybetter.

OswaldsMillAudio(oswaldsmillaudio.com)

hand-makesnotonlyloudspeakers—whichuse

highlyefficientdrivers,withhornsoropen

baffles—butalsotubeamplifiers,LPturntablesand

audiofurniture.Digitalneednotapply.Weiss’s

goalisglorioussound,withoutlimitsinvolume,

dynamicrangeortheabilitytoengagehislistener.

Andhedoesn’tdiscountthesignificanceofthe

ritual—selectingandcueinguparecord—thatcan

affectthewayonereallylistenstomusic.

EachpieceofgearcombinesPennsylvania

hardwood,castbronze,iron,aluminumorslate

fromlocalquarries,andtheproductsrangein

pricefrom$36,000to$450,000,giveortake.

Apartfromthestoneandfoundrywork,

everythingisbuilttoartisanalstandardsatthe

company’sfactoryinFleetwood,Penn.†

Genius at Work

Sound

Stage

With the help of iron

and sand, Jonathan

Weiss is reaching for

sonic nirvana.

BY ROBERT ROSS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CYNTHIA VAN ELK

Oswalds Mill Audio’s
Ironic loudspeaker