News

On Saturday, September 30, Ayre Acoustics founder and president Charlie Hansen sustained serious injuries while bicycling in the foothills near his Colorado home. Hansen is currently recovering in Boulder Community Hospital ICU, following surgery.

Hansen, a former top-rated amateur cyclist, was descending a steep grade when he encountered a motorcyclist passing traffic headed up the hill. There were apparently no witnesses at the scene.

Ayre's North American sales manager Steve Silberman told Stereophile that Hansen was in good spirits and had a poor opinion of the functionality of the medical devices he had encountered in the ICU. "That's not how I'd design that," Hansen repeatedly said, according to Silberman.

Ayre's COO Jeff Deese told Stereophile, "Our primary concern is helping Charlie's recovery in any way possible—and, since we're not medical specialists, the best way we can help him is to keep the company running the way Charlie planned it to work. We'll continue to build the best electronic components in the world and shipping them to the best dealer network in the world."

Stereophile's thoughts and best wishes go out to Hansen and his family.