7th Annual George and Carolyn Counnas Innovation Award
Andrew Jones — Legendary Loudspeaker Designer
The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society announces the 7th Annual George and Carolyn Counnas Innovation Award goes to Andrew Jones, a legendary loudspeaker designer and technology innovator.
Andrew Jones is widely regarded as one of the most respected and influential loudspeaker designers of his generation, a visionary whose work has shaped the art and science of modern audio reproduction. Since the early 1970s, Jones has combined deep technical expertise with an intuitive understanding of how loudspeakers interact with listeners and their rooms—an approach rooted in what he describes as “innovative engineering in the service of great musical reproduction.”
Jones’s passion for audio began early, leading him to study physics with a focus on acoustics and to conduct postgraduate research in crossover design and active noise cancellation. His professional career started at KEF, where he became Chief Engineer and helped advance concentric driver technology, contributing to several landmark loudspeaker designs.
At the invitation of renowned acoustician Floyd Toole, Jones moved to the United States to join Infinity before taking on a leadership role at Pioneer. There, he played a pivotal part in bringing TAD Laboratories into the home‑audio market and spearheaded the development of what is described as the first—and still only—beryllium concentric driver. This breakthrough became the centerpiece of the acclaimed TAD Reference One, demonstrating how far advanced driver engineering could elevate high‑end performance.
Jones’s influence extends far beyond flagship loudspeakers. In 2015, as Vice President of Engineering for ELAC’s North American division, he introduced the Debut, Uni‑Fi, and Adante series—products that proved exceptional sound quality could be achieved without exceptional price tags. As Andrew says, “exceptional loudspeaker performance did not have to be reserved for products costing tens of thousands of dollars.”
In 2021, Jones joined MoFi Electronics to develop a new generation of innovative coaxial loudspeakers, continuing his pursuit of high performance, efficiency, and elegant design. In 2024, still a respected employee of MoFi, Andrew fulfilled a lifelong dream: to start his own speaker company, co-founding Jones & Cerreta with Jamie and Bill Cerreta and uniting decades of engineering experience with a shared commitment to musical authenticity.
The 7th Annual George and Carolyn Counnas Innovation Award honors Andrew Jones not only for the remarkable loudspeakers he has created, but for the lasting impact his work has had on the audio industry. From pioneering concentric and beryllium driver technologies to redefining what listeners can expect from affordable loudspeakers, Jones’s career reflects a rare blend of imagination, precision, and intelligent design. For more than forty years, he has demonstrated that great sound is not a matter of price, but of passion, curiosity, and uncompromising engineering.
Innovation Award Winners
This award represents innovation in the design and engineering in the reproduction of music.
The 2019 First Annual Innovation Award went to George and Carolyn Counnas, owners of Zesto Audio
The 2021 Second Annual Innovation Award went to Dragoslav Colich, chief design engineer at Audeze Headphones
The 2022 Third Annual Innovation Award went to Holger Stein, owner of Stein Music
The 2023 Fourth Annual Innovation Award went to John Curl, a legendary electronic designer.
The 2024 Fifth Annual Innovation Award went to Bill Schnee, Multi Grammy-winning engineer-producer.
The 2025 Sixth Annual Innovation Award went to Bernie Grundman, Legendary mastering engineer.
