The Headphones
Invented in 1910
The 19th Century
The first ancestors to the headphones were invented. These headphones were very large and were only used by telephone operators.
1888
More ancestors of the headphones were created. They weighed about 10 pounds almost like having a boombox on your shoulder.
1895
The Electrophone was created, giving upperclassmen to listen to audio from the local opera house to the comfort of their own home. The electrophone was wired from the opera house all the way to the resident's house.
Inventor
Nathaniel Baldwin was the inventor of the first pair of audio headphones. He created them on his kitchen table in 1910 and sold over 100 sets of headphones to the U.S. Navy, making him a rich man. He later became bankrupt because he sent all of his money supporting the Mormon Polygamous Movement.
Patent
Immediate Impact
Later Innovations
The DT-48's from Beyerdynamic became the first dynamic headphones to hit the market. They instantly became the most popular type of headphones in the market.
1949
AKG produced their first pair of headphones, the K120's. If the were produced today, theorists say they would sell rapidly in Urban Outfitters.
1959
In a show in Tokyo, Stax debuted the world's first electrostatic pair of headphones. The SR-1's would start being manufactured in about the next year.
1979
2000
2008
Overall Impact
Citations
"The History of Headphones." Cool Material The History of Headphones Comments. N.p., 03 July 2012. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
"Headphones: The Complete History." Headphones: The Complete History. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
"What Year Were Headphones Invented? Early History of Headphones." Bright Hub. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
"The History of Headphones." Cool Material The History of Headphones Comments. N.p., 03 July 2012. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
"How Headphones Have Evolved Since the 19th Century - Tested.com." Tested RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
"Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio." Engadget. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
"The History of Headphones." Cool Material The History of Headphones Comments. N.p., 03 July 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.