Dual (brand)
 |
|
| Type | Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronics |
| Founded | Germany (1927) |
| Headquarters | Heathrow, Florida |
| Products | Audio, visual |
| Website | Dual Electronics |
Dual (pronounced do-AL) is a brand name of audio and video electronics.
[edit] History
In 1927, Gebrüder Steidinger, a German gramophone power supply manufacturer, adopted the name Dual in reference to the dual-mode power supplies it pioneered. The power supplies allowed gramophones to be powered from mains electricity or with a wind-up mechanism. Soon thereafter, Dual began producing turntables of its own.
Throughout 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Dual introduced audio cassette players, VCRs, CD players, and other consumer electronics.
In 1993, rights to the Dual line of turntables were acquired by the German firm Fehrenbacher who have continued to produce them in the Black Forest town of St. Georgen.
In 2001, Schneider Rundfunkwerke AG then owner of the Dual franchise—declared insolvency. TCL Holdings, a Chinese company, purchased the Dual assets and brand, and it began marketing its own products under the name. In 2002, Namsung Electronics, a Korean-American company, bought the rights to use the name in the Americas and began selling lower-priced (but generally well-reviewed) consumer electronics under the Dual marque. The main product lines are home audio, mobile audio, and marine audio.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Dual Electronics Corp., the U.S.-based subsidiary of Namsung Corp.
- Fehrenbacher, manufacturers of the Dual turntable line
- Unofficial Dual website with history and reference sections
- Vintage Cassette Decks' collection of Dual vintage cassette decks
