Cerwin-Vega

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message.
This article has been tagged since September 2006.

Cerwin-Vega is a manufacturing company that produces multiple types of audio applications. It is part of the Stanton Group, along with Stanton Magnetics and KRK, (a professional audio division focused on quality studio/recording speakers). Cerwin-Vega! serves North America from a location in Hollywood, FL, and Europe from a location in Brussels, Belgium, while manufacturing their products in California.

The company was founded by aerospace engineer Gene Czerwinski in 1954, and became noted for producing an 18" speaker capable of producing 130dB in SPL at 30Hz, an astonishing level during its time. Another breakthrough product, the world's first solid state amplifier, was released in 1957. In addition to these innovations, the company became well known for supplying speakers for electric musical instrument companies such as Fender, as well as movie theatres all through the 1970s.

Cerwin-Vega! is also famous for their role in Sensurround technology, developed in conjunction with Universal Studios in the 1970s. Sensurround was a movie theater special effects speaker system which used multiple Cerwin-Vega! folded horn subwoofers in conjunction with an optical soundtrack system to create low frequency effects which simulated vibrations felt during an earthquake or a battle scene. Sensurround was premiered in the 1974 movie Earthquake, and was a great success, but most units were later dismantled due to structural damage caused by the vibrations.

Today, Cerwin-Vega! is mostly known for its woofers and subwoofers capable of handling extremely loud volumes with comparatively low wattage and rating very high sensitivity. Their pro audio line is popular among musicians and djs for high power handling at affordable price levels. In addition to home audio and pro audio speakers, Cerwin-Vega! has a full range of automobile component speakers and subwoofers. The Stroker series of subwoofer has been a favourite of high SPL DB Drag competition for its noted efficiency, winning awards as early as 1997.

Cerwin Vega continues to produce lines of home audio speakers, mobile audio speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers, and pro audio speakers & subwoofers for live performance reinforcenment.