FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 January 2006
WOODBURY, NY — In 2006, JBL celebrates its 60th anniversary as the foremost manufacturer of professional and consumer loudspeakers worldwide. Founded in 1946, no other company has consistently contributed more than JBL to the evolution of audio reproduction in professional, home, automotive and multimedia applications.
As part of its 60th anniversary celebration, JBL will introduce a number of commemorative products in the United States and internationally in 2006. Details will be announced throughout the year. In addition, an exhibition of milestone historic and contemporary JBL products will be installed at the company’s Northridge, California, facility.
At CES 2006, JBL and its Audioaccess division are showcasing a selection of current products in suites at the Las Vegas Hilton (January 5 — 8, 2006). Other 60th anniversary activities will be announced in 2006.
Paul Bente, president of JBL Consumer Products, stated: “Our 60th anniversary is not just an acknowledgement that our company has enjoyed an unequaled history of achievement in the audio industry — it’s a celebration of the fact that JBL is ’60 years young’ and more vital and creative than ever.”
Bente continued, “We truly feel that our entire history has been building toward this moment. Our recent large-scale exhibit at IFA 2005 was an extraordinary success, and CES 2006 will build on that momentum. At CES, we are celebrating our 60th anniversary in suites at the Las Vegas Hilton, showcasing a selection of our latest products and innovative technologies in a more intimate setting.”
Concluded Bente, “Today, JBL’s scope of operations is unparalleled among loudspeaker companies, and we continue to introduce products and systems that define the state of the art in every category where reproduced sound is heard. For JBL, the most exciting times are here now — and still to come.”
JBL’s home entertainment and multimedia products set the benchmarks in their respective categories, from the remarkably popular JBL On Stage* portable iPod speaker system to its latest, ultrahigh-end Synthesis systems and Project Array loudspeakers, which achieve astonishing sonic realism. In Pro audio, JBL’s VerTec loudspeakers have established themselves as an industry standard for professional concert sound reinforcement, LSR Series monitors are an essential tool in recording studios, and JBL loudspeakers are installed in the majority of cinemas worldwide. JBL’s automotive systems are equally exceptional, delivering superlative clarity and sonic accuracy.
JBL was founded by James B. Lansing, a brilliantly talented engineer who maintained an unswerving dedication to improving the state of the art in professional and consumer audio. Lansing began his career in the 1920s, and was instrumental in the development of sound systems for the very first talking pictures in 1926. In 1946, he founded Lansing Sound, Inc., which became James B. Lansing Sound, Inc., in the 1950s. From that point on, its products were identified as “JBL,” and used the familiar “exclamation point” logo that became known throughout the world.
The high-fidelity market entered a golden age in the 1950s, with JBL a major contributor. The products designed and marketed by the company during this time, such as the Hartsfield and the Paragon, are now legendary. In the 1960s, JBL continued to create a series of remarkable loudspeaker designs, including the renowned 4310 Studio Monitor, which was adapted for consumer use as the famous Century L100 in the 1970s — and the direct descendants of which exist today as the JBL Studio L Series. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the company saw the birth of acclaimed models such as the L250Ti; the L212, one of the first satellite/powered subwoofer designs; the Everest; and the JBL Synthesis ultimate-performance complete home theater audio systems.
In the current decade, JBL loudspeaker designs continue to embody the company’s 60-year heritage of excellence, from high-performance/high-value models to the company’s new Studio L Series to statement products such as the K2 S9800 and Project Array loudspeakers. In Pro audio, JBL’s VerTec loudspeakers have revolutionized the concert sound industry with their modular installation flexibility and extraordinary sound quality.
Today, the majority of recording studios, concert halls and movie theaters use JBL loudspeakers and, thanks to JBL’s “Pro Sound Comes Home” design philosophy, consumers can enjoy the same clear, accurate and dynamic sound heard by the pros. JBL’s consumer loudspeakers utilize technologies and engineering directly derived from the company’s professional models to deliver spectacular music and movie soundtrack reproduction. From compact, exceptional-value home and car speakers to ultrahigh-end custom installations and the largest scale concert touring systems, JBL truly sets the standards in music and cinema sound.
The Harman Consumer Group (HCG) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a wide range of high-fidelity loudspeakers, audio and video components, and multimedia systems for use in homes and automobiles, and with computers. The group’s brands include JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Revel, Audioaccess and Lexicon.
HCG is a division of Harman International Industries, Incorporated. Harman International (www.harman.com) is a leading manufacturer of high-quality, high-fidelity audio products and electronic systems for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. The company’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HAR.”
# # #
For additional information, contact:
Frank Doris
FM Group Public Relations
631-385-1304 ext. 402
frank.doris@fm-group.net
JBL, Audioaccess, Synthesis, JBL Synthesis, VerTec, K2 and Harman International are registered trademarks, and Project Array, Studio and Pro Sound Comes Home are trademarks, of Harman International Industries, Incorporated.
*The trademark On Stage is used with permission of OSA International, Inc.
iPod is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
