Magnavox

Origins of Magnavox

The origins of Magnavox as an audio company date back to 1911 when it was founded by Edwin Pridham and Peter L. Jensen. They established their lab in Napa, California, where they invented the moving-coil loudspeaker, which was patented in 1913 under United States Patent number 1,105,924 for telephone receivers. This invention marked a significant milestone in audio technology.

In 1917, the Magnavox Company was officially formed after a merger with The Sonora Phonograph Distributor Company. The name “Magnavox” is derived from Latin, meaning “great voice,” reflecting the impact of their invention. Frank Morgan Steers was chosen as the company’s first President, and Jensen went on to found the Jensen Radio Manufacturing Company in Chicago in the late 1920s.

Magnavox began manufacturing radios, TVs, and phonographs, and by the 1960s, they were producing the first plasma displays for military and computer applications. The company also ventured into manufacturing turntables and record changers, becoming one of the largest manufacturers of record changers in the United Kingdom after acquiring Collaro Ltd in 1960. Collaro, founded in 1920 by Christopher Collaro, was known for its high-quality spring motors for gramophones and later for record changers and record players.

Magnavox’s involvement with turntables and record players continued to grow, and they were known for their high-quality audio equipment. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Magnavox was part of the Philips group, which further expanded their reach in audio technology.