AKG history

With the creation of the D12 microphone in 1953, AKG achieved international fame, setting the standard for voice transmissions.

1954: AKG Germany is founded.

1955: Hans Hass uses AKG products to shoot his first underwater sound movie “Adventures in the Red Sea” which won first prize at the “Biennale” biannual film festival in Venice, Italy.

In 1957, AKG expanded its Vienna facilities with the purchase of a larger building.

1960: The first professional-quality small-sized capacitor microphone, the C60, is introduced.

In 1963, the company introduced a unique if unsuccessful reverb-microphone combo, the DX11.

Many of the firm's sound products, notably its K58 lightweight headphones, were used at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

AKG made a major change in direction in 1965.

1966: The first two-way cardioid microphones, are introduced.

In 1968, a Swiss subsidiary was founded in Zurich; a year later, AKG London was established.

The company's annual sales topped ATS 199 million for the first time in 1970.

Carrying on the C12 lineage, AKG’s best-known microphone, the C414, evolved through several iterations since it was first introduced in 1971.

In 1972 a special stamp by the British Post Office commemorating the 50th anniversary of the BBC showed historical microphones along with models from the AKG catalog.

1974: AKG makes its 1,000th patent application.

Beginning in 1975, however, Philips Austria and the Oesterreichische Laenderbank took over a 75 percent share in the firm.

By 1976, AKG had 105 representatives throughout the world.

In 1977, the reorganized firm had 800 employees and could turn out 20,000 microphones every week.

1978: AKG launches the K340, the world's first dynamic/electrostatic headphones.

A Japanese affiliate began operations in 1979.

The company used the first units successfully at the Moscow Olympics (1980). After this, the company continued with digital innovations like the BX 25 ED digital/analog reverberation unit or the large diaphragm stereo condenser microphones with advanced solid-state electronics.

In 1984, AKG became a public company, listed on the Vienna stock exchange.

On the evening of January 22, 1985, a veritable who’s who of music luminaries converged on A&M Studios in Hollywood for the first of two sessions to record a charity single for African famine relief.

1988: AKG Acoustics (India) Ltd. is founded; Ernst Pless dies.

An affiliate in India, AKG Acoustics (India) Ltd. was established with its own factory and membership on the Indian Stock Exchange in 1989.

The company expanded further in 1990.

1991: AKG takes to the stars when the "Audimir" space project uses AKG products for room simulation in outer space (space station MIR).

By 1992, AKG production warehousing had outstripped its buildings.

The first wing of the new structure was completed in 1993.

In 1994 AKG became a part of Harman International Industries, Inc.

1995 brought the introduction of the world's smallest dual-diaphragm system in the world, the CK 77/C 577 - big in sound, smaller than a thumbnail in size, specifically designed for theater, TV and film uses.

History Report, Vienna: AKG International Press & Public Relations Office, 1997.

The C3000B received the Musikmesse International Press Award in 2000 as the best large-diaphragm microphone.

In October 2001, AKG's American subsidiary moved to a new, 60,000-square-foot facility in Nashville that doubled available warehousing and office space.

2002: AKG equipment is used at the World Cup soccer tournament in South Korea.

AKG received the Plasa and Mercur Awards in 2003.

2006: AKG provides quality sound for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

2007 will see the launch of many new and innovative AKG products.

2008: AKG is honored with Austrian Export Award 2008.

In 2017, a group of former AKG engineers based in Austria formed Austrian Audio, competing with AKG.