Journey of headphone from telephone operator tool to sophisticated audio equipment
By: Brajesh Kumar
Tags: Over Ear Headphones, Headphones, Earphone Industry, Earphones, In Ear Headphones

Headphone are perhaps the most desired electronic gadget after smartphone among youngster.

There used to be a time when this device with audio driver used to be attached with other heavy equipment. If you are feeling need of using these you have to move yourself in their service.

And Now, how the things have changed drastically. Not only headphones have got wings but also headphone have embraced intelligence.

Tracking the usage of headphone in the chapters of history, its first mention is found around 1880s.

Back then, it was just a telephone receiver earpiece. Converting electrical signal to sound.

Let’s see History of telephone communication

The earlier used telephone had emerged from the making and successive improvements of the electrical telegraph. In early 1800s, Electrical telegraph was in predominant usage whose working was based on coding electrical signals to convey information via dedicated electrical wiring.

In 1843 then an Italian inventor Innocenzo Manzetti first coined the idea of a “speaking telegraph”, or telephone.

Manzetti transmits directly the word by means of the ordinary telegraphic wire. Manzetti is reported to have invented his speaking telegraph but he did not patent his device.

Between 1843 and 1876 there were many technician and investor who proposed theory, published paper and some even developed prototype enabling communication across wire.

Most notable among these was Antonio Meucci. In 1871, Meucci set up a form of voice-communication link in his Staten Island, New York, home that connected the second-floor bedroom to his laboratory.

This paved way for patent of Alexander G Bell in 1976 and he was granted a patent for the electromagnetic transmission of vocal sound by undulatory electric current.

Use of telephone receiver took a rapid hit with the commercialisation of telephone.

This was the first time when people were listening voice directly to their ear through some device.

In 1895, world saw first time wide usage of headphone, thanks to the Electrophone system.

Electrophone system 1895

The Electrophone system was a distributed audio system which operated in the UK between 1895 and 1926. This system relayed live theatre and music hall shows and, on Sundays, live sermons from churches.

This was a subscription service and users would firstly ask the operator, by using their normal phone line, to connect them to Electrophone. They would then use the supplied receivers to listen to the service.

By 1908 Electrophone had around 600 subscribers and carried performances from 30 theatres and churches.

Electrophone receivers on a stand

There are two of these receiver to each person, and they are conveniently arranged on a light semi-circular metal frame and of a convenient width to fit over the ears.

The receivers are attached to the frame by the medium of a swivel joint behind, which allows of a certain lateral motion in order that they may be comfortably adjusted to the ears.

A metal rod attached to the frame connect with leather-covered handle which is used to handle instrument while in use.

Later in 1910, Nathaniel Baldwin invented improved telephonic earphone and that was being used by US Navy.

Nathaniel Baldwin headphone

Baldwin made this headphone in his kitchen and then he couriered this to US Navy in an old baking powder tin.

It was about 1 pound (0.5 Kg) in weight and very hard around head, making these very uncomfortable for practical usage.

Yet, this was far better on various parameter in the test conducted by US Navy.

Headphone for personal usage 1937

Two decade later, in 1937, German hi-fi stalwarts Beyerdynamic built the first headphone for personal listening. It was a on-ear type headphone with a thin metal headband with two cables to connect individually. This invention allows people to use headphone for personal usage to listening recordings and broadcast at home.

Launched in 1937, the DT-48 remained in production (in one form or another) until 2012.

In 1958, an audiophile and jazz musician from Milwaukee, John Koss reset the wheel when he created the first stereo headphones, the Koss SP-3. Early models were nothing more than mini speakers covered in cardboard and sofa foam, but their impact was immense. Rather than make do with radio communication equipment and aviation hardware, Jazz lover Koss came up with something purely for music — and he helped fuel a revolution in the way people listened to it.

The Walkman 1979

The headphone industry witnesses big change in 1979 when Sony introduced the Walkman, a portable stereo player.

All of sudden for headphone portability becomes most sought out feature. Walkman revolutionized the music as well as headphone industry. With walkman, Sony brought first portable headphone, the MDR 3L2 in market. The popularity of 3.5 mm radio and phone connector, rose to high fame with Walkman.

Not long after that, other consumer electronic brands like Philips, Onkyo and Sennheiser got into the headphone market and started bringing customer centric products.

Behind the neck band design

Later, Sony introduced a behind the neck band design with on-ear headphones. This was different from over head design which was troublesome for some people. These behind the neck band design headphone wouldn’t bother with your hair and looked cool with a minimalist design.

Noise cancellation technology 1989

The headphone industry witness one of the biggest technological enhancement with the technology of Noise cancelling headphone. Credit goes to MIT engineer and professor Dr. Amar Bose.

In 1978, Bose was on a flight from Zurich to Boston. Bose was excited to try the new lightweight headsets that was introduced in market recently on the long flight.

But his pleasure and excitement soon turned into disappointment as the cabin noise on the aircraft was so loud that it was difficult to hear the music clearly over the new headsets.

Bose took off the headphones and got out a notepad. There has to be better way and he started drawing design for cancelling out noise. The design he made on that flight before he arrived in Boston became the foundation for a breakthrough in headphone design.

After a decade of research and burning $50million+, first noise cancelling headset was launched in 1989. It was named as “Bose Aviation Headset”. It was the first commercially available noise reduction headset in the world.

Noise Cancelling was most beneficial for those taking flights and travelling frequently in trains. In 2000, Bose made the Quiet Comfort series QC1 available for everyone.

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