50th Anniversary of Audio-Technica Headphones
2024 marks 50 years since Audio-Technica released its first series of headphones, the AT-700 series in 1974. Since then, we have released hundreds of different headphones that have been enjoyed by millions of customers around the world.
PERSONAL LISTENING EXPERIENCES
Product shown in above image — AT-701
Product shown in above image – AT-702
Product shown in above image – AT-703
The journey began with the rise of portable listening in the 1970s and the new desire for personal audio experiences. To meet this growing demand, Audio-Technica employed its expertise in capturing accurate audio reproduction in cartridges to develop transducer technology for headphone drivers. Shortly afterwards, in 1977, we released the ATH (Audio-Technica Headphones) series, including the ATH-5. These innovative dynamic headphones laid the foundation for the acclaimed ATH-M50x.
In 1982, with the launch of our pop culture icon the Sound Burger, we produced our first in-ear headphones, the ATH-mini3, which were packaged with the portable turntable for the ultimate 80s on-the-go listening experience.
TRANSDUCERS: THE HEART OF ALL HEADPHONES
Featuring the ATH-ADX5000 Drivers
As the audio market expanded, so did our pursuit of pure, quality, audio and we still start every new product with one core component - the transducer. The transducer transforms audio vibrations into sound, a true analogue process that enables us to fine tune every headphone to suit the needs of the end user - from broadcast professionals to everyday listening - we embrace our core philosophy of quality audio for all.
EXPERIMENTING WITH MATERIALS
Product shown in above image – ATH-W10VTG
This process has also led to us experimenting with different materials for headphone housing and in 1996 we launched our first ever wooden headphones, the ATH-W10VTG. The beautiful appearance of natural wood, plus the authentic sound quality from the acoustic wooden housing, firmly established our wooden headphones as a winner for both critics and consumers and we have since launched 17 wooden headphones.
The ART monitor series, including the ATH-A2000Z, employs materials such as titanium housing, and features hand-assembled drivers and a pure iron yoke, ensuring precise diaphragm movement and superior transient response.
LAUNCH OF AN ICON
Product shown in above image – ATH-M50x
In 2007, the ATH-M50 launched at the NAMM show in California, these studio monitoring headphones quickly earned a reputation for their balanced audio and robust construction. After listening to fan feedback, in 2014 we expanded our offering and launched the Mx series. The ATH-M50x became our best-selling headphones globally thanks to rave reviews from popular YouTube channels and Reddit posts, the M50x still has a cult following from creators looking for authentic gear for their setup.
NUMBER #1 HEADPHONE BRAND IN JAPAN
In addition to professionals, we expanded our offerings for consumers, developing our own Quiet Point noise-cancelling technology and Solid Bass sound experience. The expansion of our in-ear headphones, such as the ATH-CKS50 and ATH-CKS70, led to us obtaining the title of the #1 headphone brand in Japan.
THE RISE OF BLUETOOTH®
Product shown in above image – ATH-SQ1TW
With the rapid adoption of smartphones, and the removal of the iPhone headphone jack in 2016, we experienced a huge demand for wireless, Bluetooth®, headphones. In 2018, we launched our first truly wireless earbuds and the wireless ATH-M50xBT, to enable fans to enjoy music on the move. The award-winning M50xBT was praised for retaining the signature sound of the wired M50x via a wireless connection.
Since then, we have expanded our wireless offerings to include the popular ATH-SQ1TW and ATH-CKS50TW earbuds, although the sound experience remains the core focus of our brand, we have worked hard to ensure the driver technology can be utilized in a compact design with features such as a long battery life and enhanced noise-cancelling technology.
ALWAYS LISTENING, ALWAYS ANALOG
Product shown in above image – ATH-ADX3000
Despite the growing popularity of wireless headphones, we remain focused on analog technology and have continued to expand our range of wired headphones. Our ATH-ADX5000 and ATH-ADX3000 open-back headphones produce a natural sound, utilizing the airflow from the exposed mesh housing, rather than relying on the acoustic structure of traditional closed-back models. This results in a pure, balanced listening experience.
As we look to the future, we are excited by the developments in our industry and the opportunities to bring audio experiences to more people globally. We are especially interested in the rise of analog culture, as we see the growth of vinyl and home listening setups. We are also proud that we continue to work with content creators throughout the world to expand our range of products for streamers, musicians, and gamers, ensuring they deliver the best audio performance for their fans.