Audio-Technica
 | |
| Private KK | |
| Industry | Audio equipment manufacturing |
| Founded | Shinjuku, Tokyo (1962) |
| Founder | Hideo Matsushita |
| Headquarters | Machida, Tokyo, Japan |
Key people | Kazuo Matsushita (President) |
| Website |
audio-technica |
Audio-Technica Corporation (株式会社オーディオテクニカ Kabushiki-gaisha Ōdio Tekunika) is a Japanese company that designs and manufactures professional microphones, headphones, phonographic magnetic cartridges, and other audio equipment.
Company history
Audio-Technica was established in 1962 in Tokyo, Japan by Hideo Matsushita as a phonograph cartridge manufacturer. Its first products were the AT-1 and the AT-3 MM stereo phono cartridges. Business rapidly developed and Audio-Technica expanded into other fields.[1]
In 2008, the company celebrated the 20th anniversary of supplying microphones for US Presidential Debates. For their 50th anniversary, Audio-Technica celebrated at Consumer Electronics Show 2012, debuting their AT-LP1240-USB USB DJ Turntable[2] and ATH-CKS55i.[3] Their booth also featured a dubstep dance video, "Audio 911",[4] by dancer Marquese "Nonstop" Scott produced by video production company The DVI Group.[5]
Awards and notable uses
- In 1965, the company received an award from the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology for its AT-1001 tone arm package.
- In 1969, the company began exporting phono cartridges worldwide and launched the first microcassette recorders.[6]
- In 1972, Audio-Technica established its US arm in Stow, Ohio and started shipping VM phono cartridges to European manufacturers.
- In 1974, the company's first headphones are launched, the AT-700 series.
- Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Audio-Technica microphones and cartridges received numerous awards.
- In 1992, the AT4033 condenser microphone is chosen the best microphone of 1991 at the Audio Engineering Society convention.
- Audio-Technica was one of the earliest manufacturers of headset microphones for stage use, starting in 1990.
- Audio-Technica has been supplying all the microphones for the Grammy Awards for the last 10 years[7] as well as providing audio solutions for television shows, for example, the American version of Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, as well as the Olympic and Winter Olympic Games in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2012.[8]
Technology
One of their most famous products was a battery-operated, portable record player called Mister Disc that was sold in the U.S. in the early 1980s.
In 2005, Audio-Technica developed "Uniguard", a method for making microphones resistant to radio frequency interference from cell phones, Bluetooth devices, wireless computer networks and walkie-talkies. 13 patents were involved in bringing the feature to fruition, as company engineers modified many different elements of microphone construction and operation. Over 50 existing Audio-Technica microphone models have been upgraded with the new RFI-resistant technology.[9][10][11]
Notable products
- Audio-Technica AT770 (Mister Disc) - a unique portable vinyl record player
- Audio-Technica AT2020 - a medium-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone
- Audio-Technica ATH-WS55 - over-ear consumer Solid Bass headphones
- Audio-Technica ATH-WS99BT - over-ear consumer Solid Bass headphones (53mm drivers, Bluetooth 3, Class 2)
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50 - over-ear professional studio monitor headphones
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x - over-ear professional studio monitor headphones (Successor to the ATH-M50)
- Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 - over-ear headphones and first in its class to offer high fidelity sound
- Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BTBK - On-Ear Wireless High-Resolution Audio Headphones
- Air Dynamic Series - circumaural audiophile open air headphones
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD500 - 40mm drivers
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 - 53mm drivers, angled
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD900 - 53mm drivers, reduced bass roll off
- Audio-Technica ATH-R70x - 45mm drivers
- Audio-Technica ATH-CKS55 - Consumer Solid Bass in-ear buds
- Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB - Popular mid-range turntable
- Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USB - USB DJ Turntable
- Audio-Technica AT-95e - Turntable cartridge for Hi-Fi setups
- Audio-Technica AT11E - Turntable cartridge for Hi-Fi setups
See also
References
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2009-11-25. Retrieved April 3, 2014
- ↑ Fenlon, Wesley (2012-01-12). "Article about Audio-Technica's 2012 CES presence". Tested.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ↑ "Audio Technica 2012 CES Press Release about ATH-CKS55i Headphones". Audio-technica.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ↑ ""Audio 911": Audio-Technica's Consumer Headphones Release Video. Marquese 'Nonstop' Scott". Youtube.com. 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ↑ "Press Release of Audio-Technica debuting 'Audio 911'". Audio-technica.com. 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ↑ "Audio-Technica". www.gearogs.com. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
- ↑ http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/news/047d03074d1474f3/index.html Retrieved April 3, 2014
- ↑ "Audio-Technica - About". Audio-Technica. Archived from the original on 3 November 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
- ↑ "Sound & Video Contractor, January 1, 2006. John McJunkin. ''Audio-Technica UniPoint Line'': New improvements to a solid and reliable line of microphones". Svconline.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ↑ Audio Courses dot com. Audio-Technica Provides UniGuard RFI Protection for New Engineered Sound Integ Archived September 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Audio Technica. ''Audio-Technica’s UniGuard technology'': Protection from Radio Frequency Interference". Audio-technica.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Audio-Technica. |
- Official Audio-Technica Links
- Audio-Technica Reviews & News
- Article: Audio-Technica Noise Cancelling Headphones - ANC3 & ANC7 comparison
- Article: Audio-Technica ATH-ANC23 QuietPoint in-ear headphones review
- NAMM Oral History Interview with Kazuo Matsushita November 20, 2014 (in Japanese, no subtitles)
