AKG Acoustics WMS 4000 manual Breakthrough, Expansion course, Peter Wolf, Rock me Amadeus

AKG HISTORY

AKG - A LEGENDARY BRAND

A PIONEER IN ACOUSTICS FOR OVER 50 YEARS

The breakthrough

At the beginning of the 1950s, the two ambitious founders of AKG achieved a break- through with completely revolutionary techno- logies. They applied for patents for their moving coil technology and the principle of the mass loaded diaphragm. For the first time, they were successful in extending the frequen- cy response to the bass range. Whereas pre- vious microphones had given a strange shrill, hollow sound similar to that in old talking motion pictures, AKG technology now added warmth and volume to the sound.

In 1953 the first dynamic microphone star- ted its conquest of world markets: the D 12 took studios, broadcasting stations, movies, theaters, public speaking places, etc. by storm. It was followed by two successors, and for more than a decade set the standards for voice miking.

The first notable successes in the field of condenser microphones were achieved soon afterwards. The C 12 tube microphone set new standards in the professional sector.

AKG engineers used the CK 12 microphone capsule for the equally successful C 12A and the C 24, a stereo version. Even in the 21st century, the capsule is one of the foremost

innovations from AKG. The newest version – the C 12 VR – also won the Tec Award for the year 1995.

The K 10 set a new milestone in the head- phone market. This AKG product is still on the market today, and is used at the European Parliament, for instance.

Expansion course

Dynamic microphones for tape recorders formed the cornerstone of AKG’s German sub- sidiary, founded in 1955. Leading manufactu- rers of tape recorders such as Philips, Grundig, Uher, Loewe Opta, Nordmende, Telefunken and others all purchased their microphones from AKG. Since most of these customers were located in Germany, and it was difficult for AKG to supply them from an occupied Austria, some of the production facilities and the sales division were relocated, initially to Munich.

In the early years, AKG did not have its own sales network, using Siemens and other large companies as distribution partners. By the end of the 1950s, however, the company already had distribution partners in Europe and over- seas. Thanks to Austria’s neutrality, the com- pany was also able to establish links with the

countries of the former East Bloc. It was only during the 1960s that AKG also started to build up contacts in the Far East and Latin America.

During the years that followed, AKG concen- trated on studio products, and opened up a new market with portable reverb equipment.

By 1965 television had reduced the attrac- tion of the big movie theaters so significantly that motion picture equipment was dropped from the production range entirely. From this time on, AKG engineers focused on their origi- nal strength: audio transducer technology.

Top products soon followed in all areas, like the dynamic two-way microphone, the modu- lar condenser microphone system (CMS) and the K 141, which was ideally suited for both studio use and for hifi equipment. The C 414 set yet another standard in studio recording.

At the beginning of the 1970s, pickups were added to the consumer product line, where AKG achieved success with a series of top quality models until the advent of the com- pact disc superseded the record player. AKG subsequently withdrew from this market seg- ment.

A new and exciting product line was found in transistorized telephone handset capsules,

Peter Wolf

With eight number one hits to his credit, Peter Wolf is one of the most successful Austrian composers and pro- ducers. Top acts he worked for include Jefferson Starship, The Commodores, Santana, The Scorpions, Frank Zappa, and many others.

Rock me Amadeus

Falco, Austria’s most successful pop star to date – was a convinced and enthusiastic AKG user right from the beginning of his career. 1983 saw the relaunch of the legendary C 12 large-dia- phragm tube microphone using the original 6072 tube – the “AKG Tube”.

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