Heritage
JBL's founder helped motion pictures speak. From then on, we've been continuously advancing the science of high-fidelity sound reproduction, right on up to and including Synthesis Ultra. As the Jazz Singer put it back in 1928, "You ain't heard nothin' yet."
1943
Flat-wire milling and high-speed winding of ribbon-wire voice coils developed.
1944
Lansing and Hilliard redefine the state of the art for motion picture theaters with the A-4, dubbed the "Voice of the Theatre."
1946
James B. Lansing Sound, Inc. is formed.
1947
JBL produces the D-130 15" loudspeaker, which was the first known use of a 4" flat-wire coil in a cone transducer.
1954
JBL introduces the model 375 high-frequency compression driver. This is the first commercially available 4" diaphragm driver, producing flat response to 9kHz. JBL manufactures a family of acoustic lenses. The 075 high-efficiency, high-frequency ring radiator is developed. This incredible device is still used in JBL product lines today.
1958
The cylindrical reflecting principle is present in the Paragon stereophonic loudspeaker system.
1962
JBL produces the first two-way studio monitor to use a high-frequency compression driver with acoustic lens.
1969
Harman International acquires JBL from William Thomas, and JBL embarks on a period of accelerated international growth through the Harman distribution companies. JBL is the loudspeaker powering the historic Woodstock music festival.
The L-100, a consumer version of the popular 4310 studio monitor, is released. During the 70s, sales volume of this product reaches in excess of 125,000 pairs.
1973
JBL unveils the first four-way studio monitor series, the 4300s.
1976
JBL monitors are ranked number one in the U.S. recording industry, in a survey conducted by Billboard.
1982
Titanium is first used as a diaphragm material in compression drivers. JBL 4675 direct-radiator systems, with constant directivity, set the performance standard for cinema loudspeakers.
1983
JBL is selected by Lucasfilm to develop the first commercial THX®-licensed cinema speaker system.
1984
Titanium-dome tweeters are introduced into consumer products, providing superlative response to 27kHz. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selects JBL components for the new sound system in the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
1985
Harman International continues to take JBL's growth to greater heights and new markets.
1989
The Directors Guild of America chooses JBL components for its headquarters building.
1990
JBL develops Vented Gap Cooling™ for raising the thermal power limits of low-frequency transducers.
1991
JBL introduces the first Pro Audio neodymium woofer, debuting in the JBL Array Series.
1992
The K2 loudspeaker system is chosen by Japan's Stereo Sound as Product of the Year.
JBL Synthesis® is released - the industry's first completely equalized, processed, powered THX Home Media System.
JBL introduces its new lower-midrange compression driver with matching horns.
1993
JBL SoundEffects™ provides CD-quality wireless solutions for home media applications. JBL develops new "rapid flare" low-distortion compression drivers and a matching family of horns.
1994
The JBL S2600 receives the highly coveted Golden Award and Stereo Sound COTY Award for its advanced technological execution and superior sonic performance.
JBL powers the Woodstock music festival again.
1996
JBL's Synthesis SDEC-1000 brings digital technology to its highest level for the benefit of the consumer.
1999
JBL systems are installed for the third Woodstock music festival.
2001
The JBL VerTec system is used for the presidential inauguration in Washington D.C., for a crowd of 300,000 people.
JBL releases the K2 S9800, employing the 435Be and 045Be pure-cast beryllium compression drivers. Germany, Sweden, Great Britain and Japan bestow their top awards on this, the latest in the K2 series of advanced loudspeakers.
2002
The JBL Synthesis S4A is the world's first THX Ultra2™ in-wall, flush-mount, multipole loudspeaker. JBL sponsors The Who world tour.
2002
(Academy Award) JBL's John Eargle, Mark Engebretsen and Don Keele receive a Scientific/Technical Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science honoring their development of cinema loudspeaker systems using constant-directivity horns and vented-box low frequency enclosures, first embodied in the JBL 4675.
2004
JBL sponsors the Eric Clapton world tour.
S4A is awarded the International CES Innovations Award.
2005
(Grammy Award) JBL's Bernard Werner and William Gelow receive a Technical Achievement Award for "the engineering and design of filtered line arrays and screen spreading compensation as applied to motion picture speaker systems" as employed in JBL ScreenArray © cinema loudspeaker.
2007
CES Best of Innovations Award: JBL Project Everest DD66000 Loudspeaker
2008
CES Innovations Award Honoree: JBL SDEC-4000 Digital Equalizer
2009
CEDIA Product Hall of Fame: JBL Synthesis® One Multichannel Audio System The JBL Synthesis® One was the world’s first complete, integrated multi-channel audio system designed specifically for custom installation home theater. The Synthesis One was created to deliver extraordinary performance and sonic realism, and was the first system that enabled custom calibration to deliver optimum performance in any room.
