Altec Lansing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Audio electronics |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Professional, residential, automotive, and multimedia audio sectors |
| Products | Loudspeakers, audio solutions for professional, residential, automotive, and multimedia use |
| Owner | Infinity Lifestyle Brands |
Altec Lansing, Inc. is a United States-based audio electronics manufacturer established in 1927, focusing on loudspeakers and related audio solutions for professional, residential, automotive, and multimedia sectors. The company operates out of New York City and is currently owned by Infinity Lifestyle Brands.
The company's roots trace back to engineers at Western Electric who pioneered sound technology for motion pictures, first showcased with The Jazz Singer in 1927. Initially known as Altec Services Company, it provided maintenance for theater sound systems. In 1941, after acquiring the struggling Lansing Manufacturing Company, the two entities merged to create Altec Lansing Corporation, broadening their scope to include horn loudspeaker production.
James Ling purchased Altec Lansing in 1958 under the umbrella of LTV Ling Altec. Financial challenges resulted in Chapter 11 restructurings during the 1970s and 1980s. The brand experienced several ownership transitions: Gulton Industries (1984), Mark IV Audio, Sparkomatic (1986), Plantronics (2005), Prophet Equity (2009), and since 2012 has been under the Infinity Group, recognized for acquiring and revitalizing distressed companies.
Among Altec Lansing’s distinguished offerings are the Duplex 600-series coaxial loudspeakers, mid-century studio monitors, and the "Voice of the Theatre" collection widely utilized in cinemas, concert venues, and landmark events like Woodstock. These products have played a crucial role in establishing the company’s prominence and enduring reputation within the professional audio industry.
Origins and initial developments
In 1930, Western Electric’s division AT&T initiated Electrical Research Products, Inc. (ERPI) to install and maintain loudspeaker systems and electronic equipment tailored for motion picture applications. Following an antitrust ruling, Western Electric divested its audio operations by 1936. The following year, ERPI was acquired by executives including George Carrington Sr., Leon Whitney "Mike" Conrow, Bert Sanford Jr., and Alvis A. Ward with financial support from Wall Street investors. This acquisition led to the formation of Altec Service Company, where "Altec" signified "all technical." Initially, the firm refrained from manufacturing or marketing audio hardware.
After purchasing the bankrupt Lansing Manufacturing Company in 1941, Altec Service Company rebranded as Altec Lansing Corporation. That same year saw the release of their first power amplifier model, the 142B. James Bullough Lansing was employed there before departing in 1946 to establish JBL, a direct competitor specializing in professional loudspeakers. Altec Lansing concentrated on developing professional-grade and high-fidelity audio equipment, particularly horn-loaded loudspeaker systems designed for cinema use that prioritized sound accuracy, efficiency, and high output levels. Noteworthy products included "biflex" speakers featuring flexible cones and the 604-series coaxial speakers that integrated high-efficiency compression drivers within multicellular horns.
The company also introduced the influential Voice of the Theatre (VOTT) speaker systems—a project led by John Hilliard and Jim Lansing with approval from Douglas Shearer who provided an unrestricted budget. The collaboration involved Lansing Manufacturing and MGM draftsman Robert Stephens. The initial design was known as the Shearer horn; later iterations such as the VOTT A-7 combined metal horns for high frequencies with hybrid bass enclosures. The most prevalent model became the A-4, which remained operational in theaters as recently as 2018. The original VOTT lineup included models A-1 through A-5 plus smaller variants A-7 and A-8 intended for confined spaces. In recognition of its enduring influence on audio technology, the A-7 system was inducted into the TECnology Hall of Fame in 2004.
Significantly, sound engineer Bill Hanley incorporated Altec’s high-frequency drivers and horns alongside JBL bass drivers within his custom sound system for the iconic Woodstock Festival in 1969. Several professional-grade products from Altec Lansing continued to be regarded as industry standards well into the 1990s.
Altec Service Co. and Altec Lansing Professional Audio Equipment
In 1958, James Ling purchased Altec Lansing Corporation from George Carrington Sr. By 1974, Ling divested Altec Lansing due to significant financial difficulties within his conglomerate, LTV-Ling-Altec. During Altec Lansing's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 1984, Gulton Industries acquired the Altec Sound Products Division, including its manufacturing tools, inventory, patents, and distribution channels. Meanwhile, the division responsible for motion picture theater sound installation and maintenance, known as Altec Service Co., was sold to J. Bruce Waddell and Robert V. Gandolfi, who subsequently established A.S.C. Technical Services in Richardson, Texas.
Following the acquisition, Gulton Industries relocated Altec Lansing Corporation's headquarters from Yorba Linda, California to Oklahoma City to lower operational expenses. The company continued producing professional audio equipment until 1995. Subsequently, after Telex Communications acquired parent firm EVI Audio, Inc. in 1997, manufacturing operations were consolidated in Minnesota.
Developments After 1996
In 1996, Altec Lansing Technologies Multimedia inaugurated a research and development facility in Kfar Saba, Israel, collaborating with STMicroelectronics on cutting-edge multimedia innovations such as USB audio and wireless sound solutions. This facility was closed in 2001 when R&D activities were transferred to the Milford headquarters. In May 2000, Telex discontinued the Altec Lansing Professional division; the brand was sold to Sparkomatic and rebranded as Altec Lansing Technologies.
April 2002 marked the relaunch of the professional product line by Altec Lansing Technologies, integrating both professional and consumer audio products under a single entity for the first time since 1986. Despite this effort, professional audio offerings were eventually phased out, and by late 2006, the Oklahoma City offices were shut down as operations were centralized in Milford, Pennsylvania.
On April 30, 2001, Altec Lansing Technologies introduced its inaugural headphone series—the AHP line—featuring multiple designs and pricing tiers. In February 2004, the company reissued select loudspeaker models including the A7 Voice of the Theatre as well as models 510, 508, and 305 with redesigned enclosures; however, these were produced in limited quantities.
Plantronics acquired Altec Lansing Technologies on July 11, 2005 for approximately $166 million. The company underwent rebranding on September 10, 2008 as Altec Lansing LLC, unveiling a new logo that represented a multi-cellular horn design.
On October 1, 2009, Prophet Equity purchased Altec Lansing LLC for roughly $18 million. In July 2011, a West Coast headquarters was established in San Diego with Brendon Stead appointed Vice President of Product Management and Engineering; Stead brought prior experience from Harman International and Labtec. Subsequently, on October 18, 2012, The Infinity Group acquired Altec Lansing for $17.5 million at auction to rescue it from bankruptcy; Infinity specializes in acquiring and revitalizing distressed consumer brands.