PRESS RELEASE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUDIO-TECHNICA CELEBRATES 45 YEARS OF AUDIO EXCELLENCE
— A historical look back - with a view toward the future -
at one of the leading innovators in transducer technology —
123rd AES CONVENTION, NEW YORK, NY, October 5, 2007 —
From its early beginnings as a manufacturer of phonograph cartridges,
Audio-Technica has expanded over the years to become a leading innovator
in the design of microphones, wireless microphones, headphones, mixers
and electronic products. To this day, Audio-Technica continues to advance
the art and technology of electro-acoustic design with the manufacturing
of products for the professional recording, broadcast, live sound, consumer
audio and fixed installation audio markets.
The company began in 1962 when Mr. Hideo Matsushita founded
Audio-Technica Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, and introduced a moving-magnet-type
stereo phonograph cartridge that was sold to major audio manufacturers
in Japan. During the 1960’s, A-T gained a reputation producing
high-quality phono cartridges for some of Japan’s leading companies,
including the legendary NHK broadcast organization. It was during that
period that A-T received an award from the Director of the National
Industrial Research Institute, part of the Ministry of International
Trade and Industry (MITI) in Japan, for their AT1001 tone arm. The company
continued to grow and became a major producer of phono cartridges, with
its MM (moving magnet), proprietary VM (dual magnet), and MC (moving
coil) types, becoming the cartridges of choice for leading HiFi/consumer
turntable manufacturers. To meet the market demand, Audio-Technica built
a new headquarters and factory in Machida, Tokyo — a facility
that remains in operation today.
During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the company
continued to develop critically acclaimed phono cartridges, stereo headphones,
and microphones that received rave reviews and awards from leading industry
organizations, journalists, and audiophiles worldwide. In 1993, Mr.
Hideo Matsushita assumed the position of Chairman and Mr. Kazuo Matsushita
became President of Audio-Technica Corporation, a title he holds to
this day.
Audio-Technica changed the landscape of the recording
industry in 1992 with the launch of its groundbreaking AT4033 Condenser
Microphone. The AT4033 received numerous awards and accolades from the
industry and is credited as being the first high-quality, studio-grade
microphone available at a price within the reach of the growing home
and project studio market. The AT4033 was the cornerstone of what was
to become A-T’s renowned 40 Series line of microphone and headphone
products. Today, the 40 Series represents the benchmark in studio microphones
for leading producers and engineers, as well as high-profile artists
in all genres of music.
During the 1990’s, wireless systems became a significant
product category for Audio-Technica in the MI, live sound, and fixed
installation markets. The company’s current wireless systems are
the first choice for a variety of major artists and broadcast events,
including the U.S. presidential debates, GRAMMY® Awards, Dove™
Awards, MTV Movie Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, VH1 Divas, Saturday
Night Live, and the Olympics.
Throughout the history of Audio-Technica, the company
has become a leader in transducer technology by listening and responding
to the needs of the audio community. A direct result of this philosophy
is the most significant development in the audio industry in recent
years — Audio-Technica’s SpectraPulse™ Ultra Wideband
(UWB) wireless microphone system. At InfoComm 2007, Audio-Technica rocked
the audio industry by introducing SpectraPulse, the first commercial
sound implementation of UWB technology, which was recently licensed
for commercial use by the U.S. Federal Communication Commission (FCC).
SpectraPulse bypasses the increasingly congested RF environment to deliver
clear, intelligible audio, without the performance and set-up issues
associated with conventional wireless microphones. SpectraPulse offers
14 simultaneous channels that operate flawlessly without RF competition,
frequency hunting/coordination, “white space” issues, or
interference.
In the live market segment, Audio-Technica introduced
the groundbreaking Artist Elite line of high-performance microphones
and wireless systems in 2002. One of the standouts of the line has become
an industry classic—the AE2500. Featuring a revolutionary dual-element
design, this kick drum mic offers both condenser and dynamic elements
to capture the aggressive attack of the beater and the round tonalities
of the shell. Recently, Audio-Technica expanded its live-sound offerings
with the re-engineered Artist Series — adding innovative microphones
to the line, while upgrading classic models for a comprehensive selection
of vocal, instrument and drum mics. The new Artist Series was inspired
by extensive market research and consultations with leading touring
artists and FOH engineers. Satisfying their foremost concerns, these
rugged all-metal microphones are engineered for consistently flawless
performance, featuring response and low-distortion characteristics to
faithfully reproduce the details of virtually any sound source.
For artists who are on the road performing night after
night, Audio-Technica remains the microphone choice in all genres. Leading
artists like Kenny Chesney, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake and Metallica
are just a few examples of some of the top performers who choose Audio-Technica
wired and wireless microphones for the best possible sound with consistent
reliability.
In 2007, Audio-Technica introduced its flagship ATH-M50
professional studio monitor headphones to the pro audio/home recording
market. Embodying the company’s latest transducer technology,
the ATH-M50’s feature a closed-back design and proprietary 45
mm large-aperture drivers with neodymium magnet systems. The ATH-M50
professional monitor headphones provide superior audio quality with
maximum comfort and are ideal for critical listening applications. The
ATH-M50’s have been embraced by such GRAMMY®-winning engineers/producers
as George Massenburg, Frank Filipetti, Al Schmitt and Ed Cherney.
For the sound contracting/fixed installation market, with
the proliferation of cell phones, wireless handheld communication devices,
PDA’s, computers and other technology, the annoyance of Radio
Frequency Interference (RFI) in sound systems is more prevalent than
ever before. Audio-Technica addressed this issue by developing its proprietary
UniGuard® RFI-shielding technology that is currently employed in
their UniPoint® and contractor-exclusive Engineered Sound® microphone
lines. UniGuard provides unsurpassed RFI protection with outstanding
immunity to RF interference.
At the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, Audio-Technica
introduced its first active noise-cancelling headphones, to great critical
acclaim. The new ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint™ active noise-cancelling
headphones are engineered to deliver truly superior quality audio while
reducing distracting background noise by up to 85%. Miniature microphones
in each earpiece monitor ambient noise (such as airplane cabin or traffic
noise), while the headphones’ electronics create a noise-cancelling
wave that is 180° out of phase with the surrounding noise. Receiving
significant acclaim from journalists within the industry and mainstream
media—including enthusiastic reviews from WIRED Magazine and David
Pogue from the New York Times—ATH-ANC7 is another example of the
Audio-Technica focus on innovation, a continuing source of groundbreaking
products in all market segments.
Commenting on the company’s rich history, A.T.U.S.
President/CEO Phil Cajka stated, “Over the past 45 years, Audio-Technica
has grown and become a dominant force and a leader in transducer technology.
We appreciate the dedication of our worldwide staff and the support
we have received from our loyal dealers and customers throughout the
years.”
...ends 1080 words
Celebrating over 45 years of audio excellence worldwide,
Audio-Technica is a leading innovator in transducer technology, renowned
for the design and manufacture of microphones, wireless microphones,
headphones, mixers, and electronics for the audio industry.
—For more information on the complete range of Audio-Technica
products, contact Karen Emerson, Audio-Technica U.S., Inc., 1221 Commerce
Drive, Stow, OH 44224. Tel: (330) 686-2600; Fax: (330) 688-3752; Web:
www.audio-technica.com
— For further information regarding
product availability and pricing in Europe, please contact Denise Burnage,
marketing, Audio-Technica Ltd., Old Lane, Leeds LS11 8AG England. Tel:
+44 (0) 113 277 1441,
Fax: +44 (0) 113 270 4836