BY: CODY HAMBLY

The History of Audio Timeline

1877

On December 4, 1877 Thomas Jefferson became the first person to record and play back voice.

1887

Emile Berliner filed and patented a talking machine which also recorded and played back sound.

It was called the gramophone.

1895

Marconi successfully with his wireless telegraphy system in Italy.

1898

Valdemar Poulsen patents his telegraphone.

1901

The Victor Talking Machine company was founded by Emile Berliner and Eldridge Johnson.

1906

Lee Deforest invents the triode vacuum tube.

1910

Enrico Caruso is heard in the first live broadcast from Metropolitan Opera, NYC.

1913

The first talking movie is demonstrated by Edison.

1916

A patent is issued to Armstrong for the superhederodyne.

1919

The Radio Corporation of America is founded.

1921

The first AM radio broadcast is made.

1925

RCA works on the development of ribbon microphones.

1927

The Columbia Broadcasting System was formed.

1930

The Blattnerphone is developed for use as a magnetic recorder using steel tape.

1931

Alan Blumlein patents stereo.

1932

The first cardioid ribon microphone is patent by Dr. Harry Olsen.

1933

Magnetic recording on a steel wire is developed commercially.

1935

BASF prepared the first plastic based magnetic tapes.

1936

BASF makes the first recording of a symphony concert.

1938

RCA develops the first column loud speaker array.

1939

The first to many attempts is made to define a standard for the VU meter.

1940

Walt Disney's, “Fantasia” is released with eight-track stereophonic sound.

1941

FM radio broadcasting began in the US.

1942

The first stereo tape recordings are made in Berlin.

1943

Altec develops there model 604 coaxial loud speaker.

1947

The Williamson high-fidelity power amplifier circuit is published.

1948

The Audio Engineering Society is formed in New York.

1949

Ampex introduces its Model 300 professional studio recorder.

1950

IBM develops a commercial magnetic drum memory.

1951

The "hot stylus" technique is introduced to disk recording.

1952

Emory Cook presses experimental dual-band left-right "binaural" disks.

1953

Ampex introduces the first high speed reel to reel duplicator as its Model 3200.

1954

Sony produces the first pocket transistor radios.

1955

Ampex develops "Sel-Sync" (Selective Synchronous Recording), making audio overdubbing practical.

1956

Les Paul makes the first 8-track recordings using the "Sel-Sync" method.