CELEBRATING THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY DANISH LOUDSPEAKERS 100 years 1915 − 2015 THE HISTORY OF THE DANISH LOUDSPEAKER INVENTION AND INDUSTRY FOREWORD Hearing is often considered as one of the most important of the traditional five human senses that allows us to communicate, understand, and navigate the world. The invention of the loudspeaker by the Dane Peter Laurits Jensen and Edwin S. Pridham in 1915 was groundbreaking. This enabled humans to communicate and experience sound from a distance, and further sparked the development of the 20th century’s most important technology products such as radios, telephones, and public address systems. 100 years later, the loudspeaker is still a ubiquitous element of sound reproduction systems and used in almost all sound technology products. Denmark was an early adapter of this new technology with the start-up of many companies as well as the introduction of university programs to support the technological development and constant flow of talented people. The present book covers important inventions, contributions, and amusing anecdotes from the 100 years of loudspeaker history, and not least, the flourishing of the Danish loudspeaker industry. Understanding the history is essential in order to prepare for the future, but it also helps us to form a strong identity. It is a fact that the Danish sound sector has been, and still is, very healthy and has a strong identity and excellent reputation worldwide. In a way, the anniversary of the loudspeaker is also the anniversary for everyone who works hard every day to keep-on transforming the sector and maintaining competitiveness. This is of course not an easy task. The fact that we live in the digital age, where data is one of the core assets, also have consequences for the sound sector: The loudspeaker has become a commodity and should be integrated in smart and unique products and services ready for the digital economy and customizable to individual user’s needs. I believe that Denmark has the positions of strength to take up that challenge in a multi-disciplinary collaboration. In 100 years from now, the loudspeaker will surely be radically different. However, I am convinced that there is still a need for people to perceive and interact with sound from all over the universe. It is my hope that the Danish sound sector is taking part in fulfilling this need. Enjoy the reading! Jan Larsen Director of the Danish Sound Innovation Network 2 — The Danish loudspeaker 100 year anniversary CONTENT The history Danish loudspeaker companys — — The Invention of the loudspeaker Artcoustics Cornered Audio Podspeakers 4 — 13 32 — 37 60 — 65 70 — 95 The history of the loudspeaker from 1915 Audio Technology DALI PointSource Acoustics 14 — 29 38 — 41 66 — 71 96 — 101 Audiovector Dynaudio Quali-Fi 42 — 47 72 — 77 102 — 107 Bang & Olufsen Jabra Scan-Speak 48 — 53 78 — 83 108 — 113 Clint Libratone System Audio 54 — 59 87 — 89 114 — 119 Danish loudspeakers 100 years — Editor Editorial Photos Published by DELTA Henriette S. Høyrup Thank you to Audiovector, Danish Sound Innovation Venlighedsvej 4 Nanna Bastved Bang & Olufsen, DALI, DELTA, Network, DTU Compute 2970 Hørsholm Søren Vase Legarth Scan-Speak and SEAS for Richard Petersens Plads Denmark providing image material for Building 324 madebydelta.com Contribution the history and cover. 2800 Lyngby Birger Schneider Denmark Claus Futtrup Phone +45 4525 3411 danishsound.org The Danish loudspeaker 100 year anniversary — 3 THE HISTORY OF The Invention of the loudspeaker By Birger Schneider — 4 — The Danish loudspeaker 100 year anniversary Peter Laurits Jensen, the charismatic inventor who changed the world of sound 100 years ago – and our lives today. During the first two decades of the engineers, and neither earned a degree L. Jensen, the later to-be-inventor of the twentieth century, the world saw major but operated through practical engineering loudspeaker, arrived on January 1, 1903. breakthroughs in communication tech- experience. Valdemar Poulsen, son of an nologies, spearheaded by not least two assessor in the Danish High Court, had Learning shop culture Danish inventors, Valdemar Poulsen and despite an early interest in science failed Peter Laurits Jensen. In late 1903 Valdemar the entrance examination in mathematics at engineering Poulsen (1869-1941) together with his the Danish College of Advanced Technology — assistant Peder Oluf Pedersen (1874-1941) (now Danish Technical University). After Inspiring years at the Valdemar Poulsen had invented the ‘Arc Generator’, also trying a university education in medicine, Laboratory known as ‘Arc Transmitter’, the solution but lacking interest in the topic, he finally From 1903 until 1907 Peter Jensen served that facilitated wireless transmission of chose to become an apprentice as mechan- as an apprentice at the Poulsen Laboratory, telegraphy, and later on radio transmission ics at the Frichs train factories in Aarhus, and was subsequently employed as a well- of voice and music. Denmark. paid assistant until he entered his service as A few years later in 1915, Peter Laurits Later on he worked as a laboratory wireless operator in the Danish Navy in 1909 Jensen (1886-1961), a student of Valdemar manager at the Copenhagen Telephone from March until October. Poulsen, invented the electronically Company where he in 1898 invented the The salary was poor during the early amplified sound through his discovery, ‘telegraphone’, the world’s first magnetic period, 9 Danish Kroner per week. Jensen the loudspeaker. While the invention of sound recorder. Following his success, was poor and had to wear the clothes of his the vacuum tube in a few years had made Poulsen resigned from the Copenhagen late father, although they did not fit him well. Valdemar Poulsen’s great invention, the arc Telephone Company to concentrate on his He often could not afford food, but friendly transmitter, obsolete and put an end to an inventions and to improve his telegraphone people now and then helped him. From a industrial adventure that had lasted two for which he had registered patents in technical point of view, the job was highly decades, the vacuum tube in contrast was many countries. Poulsen handled his lack inspiring. At the time it was referred to as a decisive technology for rolling out the of mathematical knowledge by partnering a “shop culture” approach to engineering loudspeaker. It enabled a fast penetration of with Peder Oluf Pedersen, P.O. Pedersen, a education. new sound technology to the entire world. highly skilled engineer and physicist. The activity in the lab was to work The vacuum tube in turn would be P.O. Pedersen is notable for his work with and refine Poulsen inventions, e.g. made redundant by another new techno- on electro technology. In 1912 he became a the ‘telegraphone’. Late in 1903 Poulsen, logical achievement, the transistor after professor of telegraphy, telephony and radio with assistance of P.O. Pedersen, had even its invention in 1947. In contrast, Jensen’s at the College of Advanced Technology invented the ‘Arc Transmitter’ which would contribution to the world, electronically (now Danish Technical University) where he revolutionize wireless communications a amplified sound through the use of a loud- in 1922 advanced to become Principal until few years later. In 1904 it was decided to speaker, has basically not changed to this his death in 1941. P.O. Pedersen should split the laboratory in two to obtain suffi- day. Its widespread use is such an inherent become a key person in developing and cient focus on the new development. That part of our daily lives that we cannot fully inspiring Danish audio industry in its infancy proved a great opportunity for Peter Jensen. grasp its full potential. An ordinary home through his significant influence, e.g. He was transferred to the arc laboratory, of today possible has more than 50 loud- through inspiring and educating young engi- i.e. wireless communication lab, which was speakers in use in radios, TVs, cellphones, neers. He also took the initiative to establish set up in new facilities across the street. headsets, computers, bussers, audio the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences The reason for including him, still only an systems in cars, warning systems, etc. in 1937. On January 1, 1941 he had initiated apprentice, to the team of engineers at the However, until the end of 1915 this was still to set up the Acoustical Laboratory as an time was that “he always knew were things a completely unknown device to the public. independent, foundation based institute were put”. Its invention was not predicted, as many under the auspices of the Danish Academy Later on, he also proved valuable, inventions otherwise often are. In principle, of Technical Sciences (ATV). It was the since he was formidable in tuning the it was a classic example of serendipity, i.e. first of several such ATV institutes to be transmission circuits of the arc transmitter. the art of finding things unintentionally or by established in the years to follow. Today Even keeping the arc alive required careful diversion. the Acoustical Laboratory is part of DELTA, tuning, and Jensen mastered that to the When Peter L. Jensen and his Danish Electronics, Light and Acoustics. full. He taught himself Morse code, and was colleague, Edwin Pridham (1881-1963), It has been said that Valdemar Poulsen the only one among the employees that invented the loudspeaker, they had a was the genius, and P.O. Pedersen was the could read and send Morse signals. The different focus, that of developing an electro bright mind. Together they complemented arc transmitter was superior to the Marconi dynamically receiver to substitute the mem- each other extremely well and “reached to transmitter since it featured tuning to spe- brane receiver in use in telephone earpieces the stars” of their time.