A short history of Sennheiser

In 1953, Sennheiser launched the MD21 microphone, which is still in its product range today. It is one of the longest serving reporter’s microphones. Image credit: [[xref:http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/00292_speakers_broadcast_equipment|Sennheiser]]
In 1991, Sennheiser introduced the electrostatic Orpheus HE90. The Orpheus system was Sennheiser’s attempt to show that they could produce a true audiophile headphone system that was able to compete with the best. Sennheiser positioned this system as "the ultimate in reference sound reproduction". The Orpheus HE90 remains one of Sennheiser's most highly praised headphone models. Image credit: [[xref:http://wiki.faust3d.com/wiki//index.php?title=Image:Ortheus1.jpg|Faust3D.com]]
The company was established in 1945 in this old craftsmen’s workshop at the Institute for Radio Frequency Technology and Electroacoustics in Hanover, where Sennheiser spent part of WWII decoding radio messages. Initially called “Laboratorium Wennebostel” or “Labor W” for short, the company was renamed to Sennheiser Electronics in 1958. Image credit: [[xref:http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/press_archive_2-2005_60years|Sennheiser]]
Professor Fritz Sennheiser founded [[xref:http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/tag/sennheiser|Sennheiser]] electronic GmbH & Co. KG in 1945. Throughout his life, he was considered by many to be an audio pioneer — Sennheiser's products have always carried a formidable reputation. On 17 May 2010, only a few days after his 98th birthday, [[artnid: 347243 |Professor Sennheiser]] passed away. We take a look at some of his achievements during his lifetime. Image credit: [[xref:http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/press_archive_2-2005_60years|Sennheiser]]
In 1982, at the age of 70, Professor Fritz Sennheiser retired from the company, handing the management over to his son, Professor Jörg Sennheiser. “I had prepared myself for retirement — although I must admit that I would have been happy to have carried on even longer, simply because I enjoyed it, and of course because we had always been successful. After all, it took me two and a half years to get used to not being able to make the decisions any longer.” However, Sennheiser still had an active role in the company he created. Image credit: [[xref:http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/press_archive_2-2005_60years|Sennheiser]]
Sennheiser created the world’s first open headphones, the HD 414. “Our engineers have always been given a lot of freedom. They are allowed to give free rein to their creative ideas, no matter how crazy they might seem. Often, it is these very ideas that result in the best developments and the best products. Any reservations expressed by financial managers who first of all had an eye on profit were thus reliably dispersed. After all, a company doesn’t only sell products but primarily sells ideas.” — Prof. Fritz Sennheiser Image credit: [[xref:http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/press_archive_2-2005_60years|Sennheiser]]
Sennheiser is still based near Hanover, in the town of Wedemark in Germany's north. The company generated sales revenue of almost $6 million 2008, with a workforce of more than 2100 employees. Image credit: [[xref:http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/press_archive_2-2005_60years|Sennheiser]]

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