The beginning of the story with the continuation
The history of Bang & Olufsen begins long before its official registration in 1925. Just two boys were born in the age of technological "boom". Maybe it was this fact that influenced the choice of their future profession. Already in the middle classes, both were passionate about experiments with electronic devices, and it is likely that this passion led two young people to a technology college after graduation.
I want to note that Peter Bang and Sweden Olufsen were completely different people who would probably never have converged if they had not been united by common plans and ideas. Peter is an engineer who was ready day and night to sit at the creation of a new invention, or to try to improve the old one. But on the contrary, he was a dreamy businessman looking far ahead.
In 1924, after graduating from a technology college, Peter Bang went to America to continue his studies. In the United States at that time, technology development was in full swing, there were about 600 commercial radio stations alone. A year later, having returned back to Denmark, Peter is already thinking about creating his own radio receiver.
At the same time, Sweden Olufsen is returning to his home, in Quistrup, located near Struer in the Northern part of Denmark, and continues to experiment on the radio, begun in his school years, while trying to find a companion in his endeavors. Hearing about the journey of a young engineer unfamiliar to him, Peter Bang, to America, Sweden invited him to his Quistrup. The two quickly find a common language and decide to start work on the idea of Peter. The idea was to create a radio that could work from an electrical outlet.
On November 17, 1925, Peter and Sweden officially registered their own company, Bang & Olufsen, with their established capital of 10,000 Danish kroner. The first two years were very difficult, not only for the children, but also for the mother of Sweden Olufsen. In the 1920s, when jazz became the most popular musical style, when radio was created and the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean was made on an airplane, and Mickey Mouse became a movie character for the first time, no one would have thought that an elderly woman, Anna Olufsen, who earned money by that she was selling products from her farm, would believe in the crazy ideas of her son and his friend, and would finance them ...
Behind closed doors, in the attic of the Olufsen estate, two young men tried to improve the world's first radio receiver. The idea came about due to problems with the radio's power source - the battery. You would think that this is stupid, because the battery is much more convenient: the radio can be transported, the batteries are accessible material, and in general, it is much easier. But, unfortunately, at the beginning of the 20th century, batteries were a luxury; they had to be either charged at special stations or bought new ones. The first time they failed to improve the radio, but in 1927 they created the “Eliminator”. This device allowed the receivers to work on electricity, which was much more profitable and convenient. By this year, B&O already had about 30 employees involved in the production of a new invention every day.
“Eliminator” became more and more popular, and the attic in the Olufsen house is no longer enough for further development. Peter and Sweden decide to build a new factory in Struer. According to the idea of the partners, it was designed so that it could be used as a school or converted into another production, if the company suddenly goes bankrupt. But instead, by 1928, B&O was calling itself the largest Scandinavian device manufacturer, Eliminator.
However, the real fame of the company was brought about by the invention of tube receivers: a three-lamp “3 lamper”, and after 2 years, a five-lamp “5 lamper”. What was the main advantage of the new invention? Of course, the sound quality has improved, but most importantly, this receiver could already work on electricity. There was another innovation. Until 1929, no one paid attention to the design of the created radio; everyone was amazed at the possibilities that it gives, but Peter Bang and Sweden Olufsen for the first time combined a beautiful appearance with modern technology. Now, radio has become not just a means of transmitting audio information, but also an important piece of furniture.
However, the team of Peter and Svend did not even think to stop there, there were still many peaks ahead that had to be conquered. Since both sound quality and device design have always been important to the company, B&O creates a loudspeaker called “Singing Vehicles” in the shape of a car of the time (Vans). Such an avant-garde style attracted the attention of the circus, and later the Danish army and many other organizations became its consumers.
Cinema and “Bang & Olufsen”
In 1925, in New York, Peter Bang saw the first dubbed film that made a huge impression on him. And a few years later, the owners of popular cinemas who wanted to switch from silent to sound cinema found out about the reputation of the best B&O audio systems. The company had a new goal. Peter considered that the production of loudspeakers alone was not enough; he wanted to create a single sound system, which he had already invented by 1935. By the way, this was the first invention of B&O, which received the award for best sound performance.
For the next ten years, the company became more and more popular, and production only grew. In 1938, for example, Bang & Olufsen managed to develop a new design for the radio: now instead of wood, plastic was chosen as the material for the case, and button functions and fixed settings for several radio stations appeared in the functions. At the same time, the company was actively engaged in the organization of sales, all the stores in which the company's products were sold were decorated in the same style.
World War II and the era of television
Oddly enough, the beginning of World War II and the occupation of Denmark by German troops had little effect on the affairs of the company. “Bang & Olufsen” continued to develop fun news, although they had to start producing walkie-talkies and telephones for the military. But on January 14, 1945, a factory in the small town of Struer was destroyed to the ground. A month later, 300 workers who worked for B&O began rebuilding the factory in the same place. By 1946, the company was ready for work again. While the recovery was in full swing, the engineers also did not sit idle. Immediately after the war, the first reel-to-reel tape recorder Beocord-84 in Europe was launched, based on the inventions of the famous Danish engineer Voldemar Paulsen.
When the first television appeared in the world, it was as big as a refrigerator, and as heavy as an elephant. Even if a person really wanted to turn the TV in one or the other direction, he simply could not physically do this, not to mention the transfer of the device from one room to another.
Of course, the image quality left much to be desired. That is why in the 1950s, the “television” page began in the life of B&O. The company presented its first TV portotype at an exhibition in Copenhagen in 1950. Their simple device, showing a black and white picture, was very popular, especially in the south of Denmark, because there was the opportunity to receive a signal from Germany.
“B&O” without Peter and Mix
In the early 1960s, the company lost its “fathers” and lost its unusual style. Therefore, for further successful promotion of the company, a radical review of the approach to equipment design was required. B&O wanted to maintain its own special style: the new products were intended for those who, above all, look at design and quality, and not at price. In the mid-1960s, designer David Lewis was involved in the company. He defined the current corporate identity “B&O”, which brought the company international fame.
In 1986, the company created the unique BeoLink technology (“smart home”), which can provide complete control of all Bang & Olufsen products with the click of a button.
The economic downturn of the early 1990s brought losses to the company: customers still liked the original Bang & Olufsen product design, but they did not want to invest too much money in home appliances. The company began a very serious reform called “Butterfly”, which implied not only changes in its organizational structure, but also a new approach to product development. Surveys have shown that the market no longer requires such technologically sophisticated products that Bang & Olufsen sometimes abused. The company decided, retaining all the advantages of corporate design, to supplement its product lines with some technically simplified, and therefore less expensive, models.
Stylish gadgets from B&O
If, after reading this article, you are thinking about purchasing “Bang & Olufsen” devices, then I will tell you about the latest technologies and inventions.
BeoVision 10 - the world through the eyes of “B&O”. BeoVision 10 is the new 46-inch version of a flat-screen TV. Following the overwhelming success of BeoVision 10-40, a slim 40-inch flat-screen TV released by Bang & Olufsen in October 2009, the company is expanding its product range with the new 46-inch representative of the BeoVision 10 series. BeoVision 10 has several innovations compared to its predecessor. Besides the fact that its screen area is 32% larger, the appearance of the 46-inch TV is slightly different from its smaller brother. The black back cover has been replaced with a white one, which visually facilitates the product and supports the conceptual idea of a TV that merges with the wall. The BeoVision 10-46 is a Full HD TV with an impressive new LED panel that delivers astounding picture quality. In addition to the fantastic image, this subtle masterpiece also impressively reproduces sound. Under the BeoVision 10-46 screen behind the fabric panel, a stereo speaker is integrated. You can also change the color of the removable panel in accordance with the interior of your living room or bedroom, as the panel is mounted on the front wall of the housing with magnets.
A new 46-inch version of BeoVision 10 has been available at Bang & Olufsen stores since April 2010.
BeoSound 5 - sound in perfect quality. BeoSound 5 is the latest development of the company, as well as a benchmark in the process of development and offering high-quality digital music at home. A symbol of elegance and thoughtfulness, BeoSound 5 allows you to immediately plunge into the world of music. A reasonable combination of graphics and a mechanical component allows you to provide a convenient way to view and navigate a large amount of information. Focusing only on the elements you need and providing their elegant presentation on the screen, “Bang & Olufsen” offers only those functions that you need, combining ease of use with amazing emotional sensations.
If you have already managed to purchase BeoSound 5, I advise you to pay attention to the new device - BeoLab 11. This is a new elegant subwoofer that combines excellent low-frequency reproduction, unusual design and original placement possibilities. This development of the company completely changed the idea of subwoofers, giving the speaker a completely new shape - it consists of two identical speaker enclosures with deflectors located opposite each other. The exterior panels are made of silver or white aluminum.
Thanks to the unique acoustic design of BeoLab 11, it can be installed on the floor, in the corner or mounted on the wall.
And due to its minimal vibration, this is one of the very few subwoofers in the world that can be mounted on the wall. Integrating BeoLab 11 into your existing speaker system will greatly enhance your overall listening experience. You will feel in a recording studio with an orchestra or in a jazz club in Manhattan. You will enjoy realistic sound as intended, and as if the performer is right in front of you.
BeoLink is your interactive home. A few words have already been said about the BeoLink system ("smart home"). This system will help you manage your home, just press a few buttons on the remote control or touch screen, and you can control the light in another room, send an SMS command to your refrigerator or fill the bath with hot water. But the most valuable thing is that if you don’t remember whether the iron is turned off, the front door is closed, you don’t have to go home, just click on the button. The "smart home" system has more and more customers, because it is easy to use and makes life easier. You can manage your home from anywhere in the world. For example, if on the way from the airport you want to come to a house where the light is already turned on and the TV is working, coffee is made and air conditioning works, all this can be controlled from one remote control or through a special application on the iPhone.
The company still pays much attention to details. For example, the latest BeoVision 7 TV will not pose a danger to your child if he suddenly uses it as support to take his first steps. You can not be afraid that he will overturn the TV on himself, since the maximum weight that BeoVision can withstand is 7-28 kilograms. “Bang & Olufsen” offers you a huge selection of colors. New equipment for your interior can be matched to the tone of the sofa or curtains. And, of course, the Bang & Olufsen signature design always impresses customers and guests of your home, adding something special to the interior.
Instead of an afterword
B&O does not produce its products in China-India-Malaysia-Singapore, but in the small Danish town of Struer. The Danes, like 75 years ago, follow the same production traditions, because the plant stands in the same place where once was the farm of the unforgettable Anna Olufsen, who believed in the success of her son and his companion. 1,250 branded stores in more than 100 countries form an extensive Bang & Olufsen consumer goods network.
B&O works in harmony with nature, preserves its unique style and introduces new high technologies into our lives - does this not mean good quality of Bang & Olufsen products? By the way, the B&O factory is not scattered with materials. There is a lot of unused metal and plastic left in the production, from which branded bottle openers are then made. Employees say that there is no such house in Denmark where there are no beer openers from B&O.
The editors express their deep gratitude to Bang & Olufsen for the opportunity to visit Denmark.
