AKG HISTORY
and these products rapidly became one of the mainstays of the company. AKG was also quick to introduce digital technology: the company made its debut at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow with the TDU 7000 time delay unit.
The turning point
1984 was a fateful year for AKG. The com- pany went public on the Vienna Stock Exchange as a “blue chip”, and performed outstandingly for many years. At the same time, the owners of the company started to change, resulting in several different majority shareholders – major banks and private finan- ce companies – in quick succession.
This went hand in hand with the company’s new policy of expansion. The acquisition of other firms with complementary products was intended to help AKG achieve its goal of beco- ming an
came with the great recession and the collap- se of various currency parities: the leading banks changed their strategies of maintaining industrial holdings. At the beginning of the 1990s, AKG reported a loss for the first time in its history. In 1993 Harman International Inc. acquired a 76 percent stake in the AKG Group, buying up the remaining 24 percent the following year.
This also obliged AKG to fall back on its tra- ditional strengths. Today microphones, head- phones, industrial and telecommunications products make up the company’s core busin- ess. The company’s success has proved that this was the right decision for AKG.
In 1996 AKG entered wireless technology, an entirely new segment, introducing first the WMS 300 UHF multichannel system, followed by the WMS 800 and WMS 900 models. This technology was entirely revolutionary at the
time, and was eagerly taken up for stationary applications such as conference centers and theaters. This encouraged AKG to start roun- ding out the range in the year 1999 by deve- loping a series of mobile UHF and VHF wire- less systems called WMS 60 VHF, WMS 80 UHF, WMS 61 VHF, WMS 81 UHF, as well as the IVM 1, AKG’s first
In 2004, AKG products are available and popular all over the world. AKG Acoustics has become a leading manufacturer of audio pro- ducts worldwide (more than 1,400 patents applied for). It is with good reason that count- less professional and amateur users around the world rely on proverbial AKG quality.
WMS 300
In 1996 AKG launched the WMS 300, its first UHF wireless microphone system. This UHF multichannel system convinced the experts not only with its sound, but also its innovative modular design with inter- changeable microphone elements and a wide selection of accessories.
CK 77
In 1995 AKG introduced the CK 77/C 577, the world’s smallest
New research center
In 2001 AKG opened a new acoustics research center with Europe’s largest anechoic chamber (18 m3) at the company’s headquarters in Vienna. This is where AKG continuously develops new patents, and manufactures most of its
1993 Introduction of the
The entire factory, storage facilities, and all production departments move to the new premises
Harman becomes new majority owner of AKG Ges.m.b.H. AKG Holding AG is delisted from the Vienna Stock Exchange Hendrik Homan becomes new Managing Director of AKG Vienna
1994 AKG founder Rudolf Görike dies
Harman purchases the remaining shares to make AKG a
AKG moves to new premises in
AKG Vienna assumes responsibility for Studer products in Austria Cell manufacturing established at AKG
AKG expands its activities in the wireless market
1995 Introduction of the Performer Series, a range of affordable microphones for Karaoke, home recording and upcoming musicians
Introduction of the CK77, the smallest
New infrared headphones in "eargonomic" shape (K 444 IR, K 333 IR) World's first surround sound headphones (K 290 Surround) Introduction of IHA 90 integrated headset for computer communication Endorsement by “Simply Red”
1996 Introduction of WMS 300 – a newly developed UHF wireless microphone system Endorsers Simply Red on worldwide tour with AKG WMS 900
Introduction of Mini Elf and City Elf, extremely lightweight headsets MicroMic Series II introduced
Invention of new VARIMOTION™ SYSTEM diaphragm technology New range of
AKG nominated for European Design Award
1997 50th anniversary of AKG
Introduction of the SolidTube which makes the legendary AKG tube technology available at an attractive price!
AKG IVM 1
1998 The year of the Hearo 777: IVA technology for optimum surround sound experience
AKG WMS -
1999 Introduction of the C 4000 B the world's first dual
WMS 80, WMS 61, WMS 81 wireless microphone systems bring new sounds for a wireless world
Hearo 999 Audiosphere for the optimum surround sound listening experience
2000 C 3000 B receives M.I.P.A. 2000 (Musikmesse International Press Award)
WMS 40: UHF system combining professional quality and exceptional cost efficiency
Launch of C 4500
2001 C 3000 B becomes reference for Roland COSM microphone modeling HEARO 777: world's first headphones using Logic7 technology
C451 B - new version of former C 451's WMS 40 PT
MicroMic Series III, comprising four new models
2002 Introduction of the CS 2 Conference System
C 900 available as gold version and winner of the TEC Awards Q 1000 Array Microphone für Mercedes
World Cup 2002 in Korea mit AKG
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