The history of Bang & Olufsen
Iconic quality since 1925
Since 1925 Bang & Olufsen has created iconic audio and home entertainment products to the highest standards of sound, craft and design.
The spirit of innovation
Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen
In 1925, working out of a Danish farmhouse, Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen reinvented the radio, developing The Eliminator, the first mass-produced radio that could be plugged into the wall, without the need for a battery. A century later, that entrepreneurial spirit of innovation lives on in everything we do. It’s what drives us: to change how we all hear, see and feel the world.
Take a fun look at our innovation journey from 1925 to today. Watch video on youtube.
“A never-failing will to create only the best … persistently to find new ways.”
The Original Vision, 1925 Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen
A century of firsts
Shaping history
From the beginning we have not just predicted, but also shaped home design trends. Our century of firsts includes reinventing the turntable and introducing touch-sensitive controls that defined the look of an era. We pioneered the creation of universal remote controls, as well as connected home speaker setups. Our latest speaker technology leads the electronics industry in longevity and upgradeability. And the list goes on.
Sound Power
We’re still based in the Danish countryside, but we’ve come a long way from the farmhouse. Our headquarters house a world-renowned R&D team conducting cutting-edge research into acoustics and perception.
Geoff Martin
Pitch perfect
Our renowned tonmeisters spend months fine-tuning each product, ensuring you’ll hear the music you love with precision clarity and power.
Neo Kaplanis
Sound design
Our one-of-a-kind Virtual Reality lab tests product performance in every possible environment – continuously perfecting the listening experience.
The original Think Different
Always improving
Our 1960s brand slogan, ‘We think differently’, remains inspiring – rooting us in an approach to design that embraces risk and experimentation. This spirit of innovation has led to many of our products being celebrated and collected by leading art and design museums, including MoMA’s permanent collection. But these aren’t museum pieces: we constantly strive to improve.
A commitment to sustainability
True longevity
Creating long lasting products and enduring magical experiences are part of our fundamental beliefs. We embrace the principles of a circular economy and promoting responsible consumption. We work towards the ultimate goal of making all components that impact the product lifetime replaceable, customizable and upgradeable, ensuring we extend the life of our products indefinitely. It is an integral part of our journey.
The power of collaboration
Since Peter and Svend joined forces in 1925, we have continued to value a strong spirit of collaboration and mutual respect born of shared vision and passion. We work with the best talents in the world in order to create iconic designs for the future.
Jacob Jensen
Designing the future
Collaborating with Jacob Jensen, we defined the spirit of an era, affirming our reputation as a world leader in sound and design.
David Lewis
Expressive minimalism
David Lewis expanded and developed the brand’s vision with a series of 20th century classics.
Øyvind Alexander Slaatto
Never the same
Øyvind Alexander Slaatto was inspired by the nature of sound and Bang & Olufsen to revolutionise speaker design.
Cecilie Manz
Finding new paths
Cecilie Manz worked with us to reshape our products and the very way we listen today.
The History of Bang & Olufsen
Beolab History
When Hi-Fi was born
Initially, the term Beolab was used for amplifiers. In the 60ies and 70ies, an amplifier was a separate unit – a highly sophisticated part of the setup with radio and connected speakers.
What is Beolink?
The connection between your speakers
'You only first fully understand what the true benefits of Beolink are - when you have had it for a while, and someone takes it away from you' (Quote by Bang & Olufsen custom installer)
Beosound History
What is Beosound?
Beosound was introduced in Bang & Olufsen products in 1992. The first was Beosound Ouverture, a name underlining the end of an era of black boxes and technical products, numbers and technical terms.
Always exploring
Echoes from the Future
Our story continues to evolve, but it is always led by the same spirit of innovation, and a determination to make our products the best they can possibly be. There’s a lot more to come – and we want you to join us on the journey: sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media to become part of our future...
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