A History of Audio-Technica Microphones

EXPERIENCE MORE: A History of Audio-Technica Microphones EXPERIENCE MORE: A History of Audio-Technica Microphones Table of Contents Chapter 1 Roots 2 Chapter 2 Installed Sound 10 Chapter 3 Studio Sound 24 Chapter 4 Live Sound 44 Chapter 5 Broadcast Sound 66 Chapter 6 Coda 80 CHAPTER 1 ((( ROOTS ))) For man cartridge embossed Audio-Te ence of th be compl ity and c Imagine the global culture of sound without the contributions of this sonic business, Audio-Technica. It is nearly impossible to fathom. For more than act that the digita 45 years Audio-Technica products have refined the audio quality of: international events like the broadcast of the Olympic Games On the 30 technolo and The Grammy® Awards; impeccable studio recordings and live has in m 46-year h music industry events by legendary producers like Phil Ramone for we hear t it. The co established and emerging artists; historical events in world affairs lines for and government; and the simple enjoyment of music, speech and Sound, L and Broa worship across the landscape. rich tradi EXPERIENCE MORE: A History of Audio-Technica Microphones “This is about more than just a company that sells microphones. It’s a great story!” Joel Singer, former Audio-Technica Marketing Manager and current Lead Engineer for XM Productions For many end users, the stereophonic research and innovation, collaborative cartridges, headphones and microphones problem solving with end users, engi- embossed with the circled triangles of the neering inspiration and imagination, plus Audio-Technica logo represent an experi- occasionally the pure serendipity of being ence of the world that simply would not in the marketplace at the right place and be complete without the consistent fi del- the right time with the right product. ity and critically acclaimed durability of ons of this sonic brand. In the parlance of show The Audio-Technica microphone history business, Audio-Technica is a world-class is a fascinating and storied tale inex- than act that spans both the analog era and tricably tied to the times in which we the digital age. have lived and the sounds that emanated uality from the many realms of entertainment, ames On the 30th anniversary of its microphone sports, governance, achievement and technology division, Audio-Technica shared experience. Audio-Technica prod- d live has in many ways come full circle in its ucts have always been considered to be 46-year history by further shaping how of “high quality, high performance and ne for we hear the world – and how we listen to a very good value, with excellent cus- it. The company’s celebrated microphone tomer service.” That’s because each of ffairs lines for its four key markets, Installed these signature components lies fi rmly h and Sound, Live Sound, Studio Recording, in the DNA of the company’s Japanese and Broadcast, belong to a proud and and American roots. rich tradition. That tradition is shaped by 3 CHAPTER 1: ROOTS SOUND VISION has descr in Tokyo At 42 years of age, the honorable Chairman of fi rst hom the Board of Directors and Audio-Technica aware of founder, Hideo Matsushita, left an estab- lay ahead lished position leading the Bridgestone bourgeon Museum of Art in Tokyo after staging a ways eve series of successful LP listening concerts. opment a The year was 1962. A revolution in markets sound technology products was about to and micro take place that would have made Thomas Edison proud and envious. In America, By 1965 the affordability of Hi-Fi systems for the opportun mass market was growing alongside the panies lik rise of rock-n-roll. Elvis had shocked and Japan and electrified The Ed Sullivan Show Hoso Kyo six years earlier in 1956 with his hip- integrate shaking gyrations. As the ’60s dawned, cartridges an entire generation of baby boomers in taking of North America, and many of their parents, invasion were beginning to tune in regularly to Beatles, t see the recording stars of radio and the trifi ed th bandstand on black and white television technolog sets. A sound system of some kind to play the U.S. a Left: Audio-Technica’s fi rst products, the AT-1 and AT-3, records would soon be as commonplace They bou became best-sellers in Japan as a telephone. on their s Right: Stereo cartridge production line, 1962 recorded When Mr. Matsushita first opened the and play doors of Audio-Technica in what he wherever 4 EXPERIENCE MORE: A History of Audio-Technica Microphones has described as a one-story “barracks” in Tokyo’s Shinjuku-ku, the company’s hairman of fi rst home, he may or may not have been -Technica aware of the mammoth opportunities that an estab- lay ahead in the United States. But this dgestone bourgeoning youth culture would in many staging a ways eventually become key to the devel- concerts. opment and success of Audio-Technica ution in markets for its cartridges, headphones about to and microphones. e Thomas America, By 1965, Audio-Technica found early ms for the opportunities with giant recording com- gside the panies like Columbia Records in the States shocked and Japanese broadcasters such as Nippon an Show Hoso Kyokai. Both wanted the company’s h his hip- integrated tone arms and stereo phono dawned, cartridges. While A-T cartridge sales began oomers in taking off in Japan, in 1964, the British ir parents, invasion landed in America. Led by The ularly to Beatles, that pop culture watershed elec- o and the trifi ed the demand for supporting audio television technology accessories for young kids in nd to play the U.S. and U.K. smitten by rock music. monplace They bought millions of records to play Sales of high-end AT-5 MM cartridges and the on their stereos, formed their own bands, semi-integrated AT 1001 tone arm began in 1963 recorded for major and independent labels ened the and played live as often as they could, what he wherever they could. 5 CHAPTER 1: ROOTS The Br music This early assortment of Audio-Technica products represents the building blocks of later headphone and microphone product lines The British invasion essentially created In 1972, Audio-Technica’s desire to have but rough the music industry in the West as we its own distribution company in the The comp know it. And, in the ensuing years, it U.S. resulted in the formation of Audio- in Ohio d drove the demand for sustainable Audio- Technica U.S., Inc. The company was run sound acc Technica products in its four critical audio initially by Jon Kelly, an English major boomer d markets. An early advertising and public whose passion for the arts, design and the natio relations campaign in Japan characterized style was surpassed perhaps only by his Audio-Technica as “a miracle company” passion for the emerging music business, Back the that was also “just a little bit different.” specifi cally microphones and the musician- Audio-Te But other miracles were going to take consumer. One colleague fondly remembers what diff root in America that would make an even Kelly wanting to sell mics into the home had tran bigger difference. recording market, which was a great idea – Early on 6 EXPERIENCE MORE: A History of Audio-Technica Microphones The British invasion essentially created the music industry in the West as we know it. ophone e to have but roughly 30 years ahead of its time! y in the The company’s new American offspring of Audio- in Ohio did know that the appetite for y was run sound accessories was as huge as the baby ish major boomer demographics driving the rest of sign and the nation’s consumer culture. ly by his Left: 1974 marked the introduction of the AT700 Series business, Back then, Audio-Technica Japan and Right: Audio-Technica U.S. musician- Audio-Technica U.S. may have had some- emembers what differing views of things, but they the home had transducer technology in common. reat idea – Early on, the Japanese leadership and 7 CHAPTER 1: ROOTS An early advertising and public relations campaign in Japan characterized A-T as “a miracle company” that was also “just a little bit different.” its few engineers had seeded the makings of a global audio company by developing an expertise in transducers, the common technological building blocks for Audio- Technica’s stereo cartridges, the later headphone division and the U.S. microphone business. It was a logical, and almost Darwinesque product evolution, complete with adaptations to various market forces and an assortment of pow- erful movers and shakers. The fi rst series of Audio-Technica microphones was launched in 1978. The 800 The 800 Serie Series included the AT801, AT813 and others. A lower-cost line of microphones, it was targeted primarily to weekend war- rior musicians. As the line progressed (see honorabl the Live Sound chapter), the 800 Series competit quickly evolved with the times. corporate dedicated Never resting on the status quo, Audio- around t Technica has emerged today as a favorite animated of the many end users that you will read history. It about in this brief microphone history. and prod True to its bi-continental DNA and the More” th sound vision of its founders, A-T’s strug- Audio-Te gles, innovations and triumphs have made better qu it a leader in audio technology and an Early point-of-purchase display for the 800 Series 8 EXPERIENCE MORE: A History of Audio-Technica Microphones n ” e makings eveloping common or Audio- the later S.

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