Altec Lansing

Lore & Background

Altec Lansing's roots trace to 1930, when Western Electric established a division to install and service motion-picture sound equipment. This division became Electrical Research Products, Inc. (ERPI), which was purchased in 1937 by a group of ERPI executives and reincorporated as Altec Service Company. The name 'Altec' stood for 'all technical'. Despite a promise never to make or sell audio equipment, the company purchased the bankrupt Lansing Manufacturing Company on May 1, 1941, forming the Altec Lansing Corporation. James Bullough Lansing worked for Altec Lansing before leaving in 1946 to found JBL, a competitor.

The company produced horn-based loudspeaker systems originally developed for motion-picture theaters, prized for their fidelity, efficiency, and high sound-level capability. Notable products included 'biflex' speakers and the 604-series coaxial speakers, which used a compression driver mounted behind the low-frequency magnet. The Voice of the Theatre (VOTT) systems, resulting from a collaboration between John Hilliard and Jim Lansing, included models such as the A-1, A-2, A-4, A-5, A-7, and A-8. The A-4 measured 9 feet tall and many remained in use for decades. The A-7 was inducted into the TECnology Hall of Fame in 2004.

Altec Lansing underwent numerous ownership changes. James Ling purchased the corporation in 1958, and by 1974 it was saddled with debt. It reorganized under Chapter 11 as Altec Corporation, filed a second bankruptcy, and was purchased by Gulton Industries in 1984. Subsequent owners included Mark IV Audio, Sparkomatic, Telex, Plantronics (2005), Prophet Equity (2009), and the Infinity Group (2012). The professional division was closed by Telex in 1995, and the Altec Lansing Professional line was relaunched in 2002 but later dropped.

Reader's Guide

Altec Lansing's significance lies in its long-standing influence on professional and consumer audio, particularly through its horn loudspeaker designs. The Voice of the Theatre systems became a standard in movie theaters and concert venues, with the A-4 model still in use in many theaters years after its introduction. The company's 604-series coaxial speakers and studio monitors were widely used from the 1940s to the 1980s. The custom loudspeaker system built by Bill Hanley for the 1969 Woodstock Festival, which used Altec high-frequency drivers and horns, exemplifies the brand's role in live sound reinforcement during the rock concert era.

Despite financial instability and multiple ownership changes—including bankruptcies in the 1970s and 1980s—Altec Lansing continued to produce audio equipment. The company transitioned into multimedia and PC speakers in the 1990s and 2000s, launching its first headphone line in 2001. The reissue of the A7 Voice of the Theatre in 2004 demonstrated the enduring legacy of its classic designs. The brand's history reflects the broader consolidation and restructuring of the audio industry, with its professional products eventually folded into Electro-Voice under Telex ownership.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Altec' stands for 'all technical'.
• James Bullough Lansing, who worked for Altec Lansing, later founded JBL.
• The A-7 Voice of the Theatre system was inducted into the TECnology Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Altec Lansing launched its first headphone line, the AHP series, on April 30, 2001.