AUDIO-TECHNICA

Audio-Technica Story

Inspired by the depth of emotion he witnessed at vinyl listening sessions organised during his tenure at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts in Tokyo, Hideo Matsushita was determined to enable more people to experience the warmth of analogue listening. In a small Shinjuku apartment, he established Audio-Technica and began developing cartridges. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3, achieved success and enabled Hideo to expand his business. He opened a larger headquarters in Machida, where the company still operates today.
Building on our passion for listening we have grown to design critically acclaimed headphones, turntables and microphones, remaining a family business and retaining the belief that high-quality audio should be accessible to all. We still produce some of the world’s most popular cartridges and we will always retain our passion for analogue.
We believe that sound should be natural and we strive to reproduce true, accurate, representations of audio. We start every product with the pure vibration created when we capture sound, using this analogue transducer technology to create products that transcend everyday sensory experiences; heightening our sensibilities. Our quest to create pure, natural, audio is perpetual - it never stops, never ends.
Audio-Technica headphones, turntables and microphone systems are used across the globe in a wide variety of applications, from live concert tours and recording studios to theatres, educational facilities, and houses of worship. There are also millions of music enthusiasts, gamers and content creators who use our products every day.

The History of Audio-Technica from 1962 to Today

Founded in 1962 in Tokyo, Japan, Audio-Technica has become a globally recognized name in the audio technology world. It was established by Hideo Matsushita in a small apartment where he began manufacturing phonograph cartridges. He soon extended his passion for high-quality sound reproduction to creating entire phonographic systems.
In the 1970s, Audio-Technica experienced its first major breakthrough with the introduction of the AT-700 series of phono cartridges, which gained high acclaim among music enthusiasts worldwide. This success allowed the company to expand its offerings to include microphones and other audio equipment.
By the 1980s, Audio-Technica had firmly established itself as a leading manufacturer of high-quality microphones, headphones, and other audio products. The company was known for innovations, such as introducing some of the first wireless microphone systems.
In the 1990s and into the new millennium, Audio-Technica continued to expand its innovations with a wide range of products used by both professional musicians and audiophiles. The company gained international recognition with multiple awards for its products.
Today, Audio-Technica is not only a leading manufacturer of audio equipment but is also synonymous with quality and innovation in the audio industry. The company's commitment to excellence is reflected in its ongoing development and introduction of technological advancements that exceed the expectations of audio enthusiasts worldwide.