This book reveals the remarkable history of a company that for 100 years has always been in the business of acoustics. Indeed, for that timespan, Denmark itself, has been recognised as the land of acoustics, with many companies designing innovative products. The country retains that reputation today.
Ortofon has played a significant role in creating a rich heritage for Danish acoustics. We believe that enviable legacy is best protected and continued by the development of exciting new products and keeping Ortofon viable for the future. As you will discover in the book, the list of Ortofon’s famous and groundbreaking products is a long one.
Music historian Kevin Howlett has written this history of 100 years of Ortofon based on a firm foundation of exhaustive research in various archives and in-depth interviews with past and present employees from the 1970s until now. We are indebted to all the many friends and colleagues who gave so generously of their time to contribute to this book.
ELECTRICAL SOUND
• PETERSEN AND POULSEN
• PATENT CASES
MICROGROOVE, HI-FI AND STEREO
• FROM CINEMA TO GRAMOPHONE
• HIGH FIDELITY
• LIVING STEREO
• MAKING THE CUT
• GOLDEN EAR RECORDS
ADVENTURES IN SOUND
• TARGETING A NEW MARKET
• THE MOVE TO NAKSKOV
• MORE MAGNETIC DEVELOPMENT
• SPEAKERS AND CUTTERHEADS
• THE MC 30 AND THE DIRECT CUT TEST RECORD
• THE GOLDEN EAR CLUB
• A CLASSIC AMONG THE MOVING COILS
• A DELUXE VERSION OF THE SPU
• THE CONCORDE ARRIVES
• PREPARING ORTOFON FOR THE 1980s
• GOLDEN EAR RECORDS
TURBULENT TIMES
• THE ARRIVAL OF DIGITAL SOUND
• ANALOGUE VS DIGITAL
• THE BATTLE FOR THE HIGH END
• IMPROVING ON PERFECTION
• HANG IN THERE!
• DEVELOPING THE COMPANY INTO TWO BUSINESSES
• A FACTORY IN THE USSR AND PROBLEMS IN THE USA
• GROWTH IN THE SCAN MICRO BUSINESS
• LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE
• GOLDEN EAR RECORDS
THE VINYL PRESERVATION ACADEMY
• VINYL SURVIVAL
• THE PRO-JECT CONNECTION
• THE MOVING COIL ANNIVERSARY CARTRIDGES
• OK COMPUTER
• A CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP
• GOLDEN EAR RECORDS
STATE OF THE ART
• A NEW CHAPTER
• THE VINYL REVIVAL
• THE SPU ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS
• ORTOFON MICROTECH
• A CENTURY OF DOING BUSINESS
• GOLDEN EAR RECORDS