Audio-Technica

ATH-M50 headphones

Audio-Technica was established in 1962 in Shinjuku, 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. The headquarters and factory moved in 1965 to the current address in Naruse, Machida, Tokyo.[1] In 1969, the company began exporting phono cartridges worldwide and launched the first microcassette recorders.[2]

In 1972, Audio-Technica established its US arm in Fairlawn, Ohio, and started shipping VM phono cartridges to European manufacturers. In 1974, the company developed its first headphones, the AT-700 series, launched the same year. The AT-800 series of microphones were introduced in 1978 and in the same year the UK establishment in Leeds began operation.[1]

In 1986, the company developed RCA cables with high-purity copper produced from the continuous metal casting process (PCOCC), invented and developed between 1982 and 1985 by Atsumi Ohno.[3] In the same year, the company launched the AT33ML/OCC phono cartridge, the first made with PCOCC materials. In 1988, another Audio-Technica subsidiary is founded in Taiwan.[1]

In 1990s, Audio-Technica introduced several large-diaphragm condenser microphones for studio use: the AT4033 cardioid microphone in 1991,[1] the AT4050 multi-pattern in 1995,[4] and the AT4060 vacuum tube cardioid microphone in 1998;[5] the AT895, a DSP-controlled five-element microphone array providing adaptive directional audio acquisition, was introduced in 1999.[1] In 1996, the Southeast Asian establishment began operation in Singapore.[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[6] and ATH-CKS55i.[7]

In 2017, Audio-Technica Pure Digital Drive Wireless Headphone ATH-DSR9BT received CES Innovation Honoree Awards[8] by using Trigence Dnote Technology.[9]

Since the late 1990s, Audio-Technica supplied microphones and headphones for US television shows such as the Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions and several international events:

An Audio-Technica AT815a shotgun microphone

An Audio-Technica AT-95e MM phono cartridge

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.[13][14][15]

AT3035 microphone

• Audio-Technica AT770 (Mister Disc) - a 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 (53 mm 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
• Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT - On-Ear Wireless High-Resolution Audio Headphones
• Air Dynamic Series - circumaural audiophile open air headphones
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD500 - 40 mm drivers
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 - 53 mm drivers, angled
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD900 - 53 mm drivers, reduced bass roll off
• Audio-Technica ATH-R70x - 45 mm drivers
• Audio-Technica ATH-CKS55 - Consumer Solid Bass in-ear buds
• Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB - 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
• Audio-Technica ATH-DSR9BT - Pure Digital Drive Wireless Headphones

• Lirik (gamer) - American Twitch streamer
• TimTheTatman - American Twitch streamer, esports athlete and internet personality
• Elizabeth Rose (musician) - Australian electronica DJ, record producer and singer-songwriter.
• ATEBIT - Australian podcast network [16]
• Brooke Evers - Australian model and TV personality
• summit1g - American Twitch streamer and retired esports athlete

• List of microphone manufacturers
• List of phonograph manufacturers

• Media related to Audio-Technica at Wikimedia Commons