Mitsubishi Diatone

Mitsubishi Diatone Origins

Mitsubishi Diatone was a Japanese subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric that specialized in manufacturing audio equipment, including loudspeakers and radios. The origins of Diatone can be traced back to the 1940s when Mitsubishi Electric developed innovative technologies for loudspeakers and radio components.

In 1945, the first Diatone loudspeaker was developed at Mitsubishi Electric’s Ofuna factory. This was a significant achievement as it utilized a special paper for the cone made from Japanese washi paper, which was pressed into a conical shape. This design provided superior performance compared to the plain paper cones used by other manufacturers at the time.

The Diatone brand trademark was registered in September 1946, and the product was known as the Mitsubishi Diatone Speaker from 1947 onwards. Diatone gained international recognition for its loudspeaker technology and was used by the Japanese public radio station NHK-Radio as monitor speakers.

Diatone also manufactured turntables and other audio equipment. One notable model is the Diatone Z-10, a “Computer Controlled Audio System” that included a radio receiver, two tape decks, and a vertical turntable record player. This system could be controlled using the Roboty interface with the ML-8000 MSX1 computer.

The Diatone brand ceased production around 1999 when the factory in Itami was closed. Today, Diatone products can still be found on second-hand markets, reflecting their enduring legacy in the audio industry.