AKG-This brand from the music capital of Vienna, in the 72 years of brand growth, has designed and produced more than 100 models of professional headphones with different uses, and many classics have been born. Because of its master-class industrial technology and deep music conservation, some people have acclaimed AKG as “Amani” in the headset industry.
1. Brand origin
In 1945, Dr. Rudolf Goerike and Ing. Ernst Pless founded a company in Vienna that produced film equipment and speakers, called “Photophot”, and in 1946 launched the first dynamic microphone series Dyn60. The following year, “Photophon” or “Phonophat” was founded with five employees and the “headquarters” was located in a basement on the outskirts of Vienna. At this time many companies had similar names, so the founders then chose the name “Akustische U Kino-Gerate” (Acoustic and Film Equipment), which is abbreviated as “AKG”, meaning sound and film equipment. As its name suggests, the company’s initial business was mainly to develop and manufacture sound effects equipment such as photographs and amplifiers for cinemas and other institutions. In the same year, the two also produced the company’s first microphone C1, but only six were produced throughout the year. Two years later, based on this product, the epoch-making C12 tube microphone was born. Its first users include the famous BBC radio station, which is still in production today because of its excellent performance.
2. Brand introduction
In 1949, the first AKG headset was introduced. Then in the early 1950s, AKG launched a series of breakthrough new products, introducing the world’s first high-quality condenser microphone, D 12 and its heart-shaped features, the world’s first remote multi-mode condenser microphone, C12 and D36, and many other new technologies, each technology has left a brilliant future in the audio industry. London’s BBC is one of the first customers of the famous C12 microphone.
While AKG continues to succeed, it has also taken the global expansion pace with the timing of setting up a branch in Germany in 1955. In the late 1950s, AKG’s global distribution network covered multiple markets in Europe and overseas. In the 1960s, AKG successfully entered the former Eastern European countries and Latin America.
After the 1960s, AKG gained more and more recognition for its excellent quality. Many AKG cinema audio equipment were used in the 1964 Winter Olympics. Due to the emergence and development of television sets, AKG decided to abandon cinema equipment in 1965 to produce audio facilities for personal use, and the company name changed to AKG Acoustics. The representative works of this period are like the world’s first two-channel heart-shaped microphones D202 and D224. In the late 1960s, AKG continued to expand in Europe. In 1968, the Swiss and British branches were established.
In terms of technical quality, AKG has always focused on its areas of expertise: high-quality audio transducers. This makes our products always ranked among the top quality products. In the next few years, AKG released the world’s first two-way heart linear microphone (D 202, D 224) and developed the CMS module condenser microphone system.
In the 1970s, AKG continued to introduce various reforms and innovations, continuing the glory of the 1960s.
In 1970 its income reached an unprecedented 200 million Austrian shillings.
In 1977, Prius, one of the founders of the company, left Love Technology and joined his father’s plastics company. After that, the organizational structure of Ai Technology has changed, and companies such as Philips have begun to invest in Love Technology. In the same year, the company had 800 employees and it produced 20,000 microphones a week.
In the early 1970s, the company introduced the BX 20, the world’s first truly portable studio reverb unit. In 1972, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BBC, the UK Post Office launched a special set of stamps showing a variety of historic microphones in which AKG products can be found. A year later, AKG successfully won the 1000th patent. At the same time, the company also launched the K 140 “integrated open” headset. Subsequently, the AKG Transverse Arm Suspension (TS) system, the world’s first two-way headset, and the real vocal microphone series were introduced, which further consolidated the high-quality international reputation of AKG products.
In the late 1970s, AKG signed the first batch of image endorsement contracts with Frank Sinatra, Roger Whittaker, and Falco. As a technology leader, AKG is the first to conduct research in digital technology. The company’s first set of equipment achieved satisfactory results at the Moscow Olympics (1980). Since then, the company continues to introduce a variety of digital technology innovations, such as the BX 25 ED digital/analog reverberation unit, large diaphragm stereo condenser microphones with advanced solid-state electronics.
In 1984, AKG went on the market and ushered in strong growth in the new phase. In 1985, AKG established its US subsidiary, followed by various expansions, such as the acquisition of dbx Professional Products in 1989. Until the early 1990s, AKG expanded through multiple acquisitions in the UK, Germany, and other countries.
In the early 1990s, the “Audimir” space program used AKG products to perform indoor simulations in space, transmitting AKG sounds into space. AKG continues its product expansion and successfully launched the new generation of headphones K series, ergonomic triangles Tri-Power series musician-specific dynamic microphones, AKG Blue Line series modular microphone systems, new C 547 border microphones, and Suitable for the stage and C 621, C 647 “slim” gooseneck microphone for fixed installation systems.
In 1994, AKG became a brand of Harman International Industries, Inc. In the next few years, the company has reorganized and adjusted the product line to strengthen the distribution strategy. The wireless microphone series has been expanded, and its fist products have been selected for the tour of Rod Stewart, Peter Gabriel, and Simply Red. In 1995, AKG introduced the world’s smallest dual diaphragm system CK 77/C 577, which is a loud sound, but its shape is only the size of the thumb, especially suitable for theater, TV, and movies. AKG has also developed the new Performer series, a cost-effective microphone for karaoke, home recording, and musical performances.
This successful development path runs through AKG’s 1990s, and AKG continues to introduce innovative products such as the WMS 60 multichannel wireless microphone system, the AKG Hearo series and the world’s first dual large-diaphragm electret microphone C 4000 B. In the millennium, AKG pays more attention to its core products. The R&D headquarters in Viana has implemented a new production strategy to strengthen AKG’s leading position in the world of professional audio.
In 2007, AKG celebrated its 60th anniversary. AKG has no love for the past but has set its sights on a brighter future. In addition to developing new markets, AKG also focuses on strategic positioning in existing and emerging markets. To achieve these goals, AKG has launched a new corporate logo and brand image. In 2007, we saw AKG launching many new creative products.
AKG microphones and headphones have long been used in touring and recording studios, by Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Anastasia, Eros Ramazzotti, Kayne West and Simply Red. Waiting for the favor of international superstars. In addition to being highly regarded internationally, AKG is also a must-have for many domestic celebrities. Austria’s most famous pop star Falco and the new Australian star Stuermer are AKG users.
3. Brand achievements
1955: The first Salzburg Festival (Austria) after the war used AKG microphones. A one-way microphone was specially designed for Herbert von Karajan.
1955: Hans Hass uses his AKG product to film his first underwater sound film, “Adventures in the Red Sea,” which won the first prize at the Biennale Film Festival twice a year in Venice, Italy.
1972: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BBC, the UK Post Office has launched a special stamp showing a variety of historic microphones, of course, AKG products. 1991: The “Audimir” space program uses AKG products for indoor simulations in space (Mir Space Station) to transmit AKG sounds into space.
1997: Austrian Broadcasting Company uses AKG wireless microphones in the “Arctic Northeast” program to deliver superior quality and reliability in the ultra-low temperature extremes of the Arctic. 1999: Complete the sound mixing of Caruso with the Hearo 777. 2003: The famous novelist Dan Brown mentions the AKG headphones in his two best-selling novels: Da Vinci Code and The Scam.
2006: AKG provides quality sound for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
2007: AKG celebrates its 60th anniversary and begins a new round of global expansion.
2008: AKG won the 2008 Austrian Export Trade Award.
4. Its products
Listed below are all AKG classic products.
K8xx, K7xx series: high-end flagship headset
K701, K712, K812
K5xx series: portable big wear
K550
K4xx series: portable direct push small headband
K420, K450
K3xx series: earplugs
K3003
K2xx series: monitor positioning
K420
Y series: main face value and color
Y20, Y50
N series:
N5005, N25
Q Series: Quincy Jones Tuning
Q701, Q460
KxxIR: Infrared Wireless Series
KxxUHF: Ultra High-Frequency Wireless Series
HEAROxxx: Cinema surround sound unlimited series
KxxTV: TV sound series
5. The current situation of the brand
1993 was a turning point for AKG, not only in the new factory in Vienna but also in the hands of Harman International. In 1994, Dr. Rudolf Görike, one of the founders, passed away. Then, AKG was acquired by Harman Kardon and fully integrated into Harman International in 2007.
On November 14, 2016, Samsung (SAMSUNG) acquired Harman for $8 billion (Harman owned JBL, Infinity, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Harman Kardon, AKG and other world-class audio manufacturers), AKG has since again Lord, so there have been a lot of remarks about the AKG has been declining. From the facts, the removal of the Vienna audio department does cause people to worry about where AKG will go.
Fortunately, the incident happened soon, maybe Samsung realized the problem, so recalled AKG’s acoustic team in Austria, but so far, it seems that AKG did not give you a satisfactory answer, K701, K1000, K3003, K240 The classics still represent the reputation of the AKG brand.
As a long-established audio manufacturer, there is a reason to believe that it will bring us more classic products in the future!
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