Audio-Technica, a Japanese transducer manufacturer, is marking the 60th anniversary since Hideo Matsushita established the business, starting with his AT-1 cartridge.
Matsushita started the company after being inspired by the depth of emotion he witnessed at vinyl listening sessions organised during his tenure at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts in Tokyo. He wanted to enable more people to experience the warmth of analogue audio.
On 17 April 1962 in his small Shinjuku apartment, Matsushita established Audio-Technica and began developing cartridges. The AT-1 and AT-3 were his first two products and they both achieved success which enabled Matsushita to expand the business. He opened a larger headquarters in Machida, where the company still operates today.
Sixty years on, Audio-Technica is marking the occasion by reaffirming its commitment to analogue. Focusing on a human-centred approach to the process of generating sound, the company sees analogue as an enjoyment and appreciation for audio that doesn’t alter, despite the rapid changes throughout history.
As well as cartridges, Audio-Technica began producing headphones in 1974 and microphones in 1978, beginning every process with a transducer and aiming to deliver a pure, natural sound. At the core of every product is the art of analogue, as a delicate vibration is transformed into sound, both in the listening and recording processes.
Matsushita’s son, Kazuo Matsushita became the company president in 1993 and the business continued to expand, opening offices across the world and developing iconic products such as the modern VM series of cartridges, the ATH-M50x headphones and the AT2020 microphone.
Today, Audio-Technica continues to be an integral player in the audio industry, with products used at global events, on screen, in studios and in homes.
The company’s 60th anniversary celebrations will consist of a series of events across the world on the theme of analogue living. Kazuo Matsushita commented: “It is an honour to provide a quality audio experience to millions of people throughout the world. What begins as a simple vibration, a subtle movement, results in an emotional connection, whether that be when listening deeply to an album or sharing your voice with the world.”