TANNOY CELEBRATES 75 YEARS

This year marks the 75th anniversary of loudspeaker pioneer Tannoy. After opening the company to serve the needs of broadcasters in 1926, Guy R. Fountain, founder of Tannoy, produced his first discrete, two-way loudspeaker system in 1933. One year later, the company had developed a complete range of high-quality mics, loudspeakers, amplifiers and measuring equipment. The widespread use of Tannoy equipment in Britain, particularly at RAF airfields during WWII, resulted in the word “Tannoy” becoming synonymous with P.A. systems in general. By the 1950s, Tannoy studio monitors were installed in both Decca and EMI recording studios, and Tannoy’s Red and Gold dual-concentric loudspeakers became standard recording equipment throughout the ’60s Beat Boom and beyond. Fountain sold the company to Harman International in the early ’70s, and the Beatrice Food Company purchased Harman International in 1977. Tannoy was purchased back from Beatrice Foods by the company’s working directors in 1981, and in 1987, Tannoy merged with Goodmans Loudspeakers Ltd. to form TGI plc.