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The Evolution of Headphones

The document outlines the evolution of headphones from their inception in 1881, highlighting key developments such as the first successful headphones by Nathaniel Baldwin in 1910 and the introduction of stereo headphones by John C. Koss in 1958. It details significant advancements in design and technology, including the portable Sony Walkman in 1979 and the popularization of brands like Beats by Dr. Dre in 2008. The timeline showcases how headphones have transformed from bulky devices to fashionable and customizable audio accessories.

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103 views6 pages

The Evolution of Headphones

The document outlines the evolution of headphones from their inception in 1881, highlighting key developments such as the first successful headphones by Nathaniel Baldwin in 1910 and the introduction of stereo headphones by John C. Koss in 1958. It details significant advancements in design and technology, including the portable Sony Walkman in 1979 and the popularization of brands like Beats by Dr. Dre in 2008. The timeline showcases how headphones have transformed from bulky devices to fashionable and customizable audio accessories.

Uploaded by

lexig369
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The evolution of

headphones
In 1881, the first pair of headphones that have
ever been seen were made and they were used
by female telephone operators. These
headphones were unable to be used in homes as
they were not an electrical device. They were a
one piece machine that tested on the shoulder,
weighing over 10 lbs.

1895
14 years later, headphones were changed with
the idea that they could be used commercially or
for personal use. The headphones now looked
like stethoscopes, but many people did not have
them as they were not affordable

In 1910 Nathaniel Baldwin created the first pair


of successful headphones in his kitchen and were
then sold for military uses
After this it took nearly 30 years before the next
pair was made. In 1937, Beyerdynamic made
headphones called DT-48s. They instantly
became the first widespread type of headphones
available to the public. What made them better
than any previous pairs was that no other
equipment was needed for them to work.

In 1949, the next AKG created their first pair of


headphones (the K120's). As they were so
popular, it made it possible for AKG to leave the
film industry and pursue audio instead.

In 1958, the first pair of stereo headphones was


created by John C. Koss the Koss SP - 3 were
focused on two key points for the headphones.
The first once was that it had to be a new style
(being the first ever stereo headphones). The
second requirement was that they would put all
of the sound straight into the ear canals and the
use of his invention was for college students.

It was then only the year after when the next


headphones were released in a show in Tokyo by
Stan. They displayed the new headphones which
were the worlds very first pay of electrostatic
headphones (the SR-1’s)

The new record for the lightest headphones was


set in 1968 with headphones that were 2lbs.
They were also the first electrostatic headphones
in the US (ESP-6’s) made by Koss

1979 was a large advancement in headphones as


the first portable pair were made. The Sony
Walkman were an instant hit with people aged
between 7-19. These were the first modern pair.
In 1980 modification were made. For example
the band on top was made thinner than
previously based on ‘headphone hair’. Along with
this, they became earbuds instead of ear pads.

Then, in 1997, Sony came up with a solution to


resolve the problem of headphone hair, but as
the earbuds didn’t have the same effects as
previously, they changed this too. They created
neckband headphones.

3 years after, BOSE released their new line called


QuietComfort. This was designed to achieve the
best noise cancelling technology.
Then in 2001, the first in a power house legacy of
headphones was released. These were made by
apple/ Steve jobs

In 2008, they were becoming more and more


fashionable. A very famous example is beats by
Dr.Dre. These became the most popular on the
market due to their noise cancelling and sound
quality, but the most popular reason was
because they were made by Dr.Dre and Steve
Jobs. There were millions being sold every month
and they are still popular now.

Finally, in 2012 as technology started to advance


even more it the want was customisation to
make them look more glamorous. As shown in Lil
Wayne’s one million dollar customer design
beats.

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