From sound input to sound output - this is the story of how Pioneer, which started out as a specialist producer of speakers, gambled on transforming itself from a component manufacturer into an all-round producer of audio equipment.
The world of audio is constantly changing as new media appear on the market. About the time when SP monaural records were being replaced by LP stereo records, manufacturers were desperately competing to develop the best stereo reproduction equipment. Japan' s first locally produced stereo was marketed in 1958. The country was about to enter the age of the console stereo system, in which the player, speakers and receiver were housed in a single unit.
Slow out of the blocks, Pioneer knew that it couldn' t become an industry leader by producing the same thing as its rivals. It decided to produce a stereo the likes of which had never been seen before, one that lived up to the Pioneer reputation for producing equipment designed for people looking for real quality. Pioneer' s pride in its achievements as a specialist producer of audio equipment helped it get through this period. The result was the "separate stereo system," in which the speakers were housed in separate cabinets to the left and right of the main unit housing the amplifier, turntable, and other equipment. Pioneer staked its future on this radical new design, which caused a sensation in an audio world in which console stereo systems were all the rage.
Following this, Pioneer' s rivals all came up with their own designs for separate stereo systems, which in no time were outselling the traditional console units. Although Pioneer had been slow to enter the stereo system market, it had successfully established itself as a top brand and one of the leading manufacturers in the field.
Don' t enter a market crowded with competitors, but create your own market by making the most of your strengths. Then grow the market by offering customers unprecedented value and other benefits. There can be little doubt that Pioneer owes its existence to this pathfinding and creative approach.
Pioneer thus emerged as a world-renowned manufacturer of stereo equipment, but one that has always remained true to its ideals as a specialist audio manufacturer.
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| The PSC-5A, by which Pioneer sought to establish itself as an all-round manufacturer of sound equipment |
Console stereo system
Player, speakers, and receiver are all housed in a single stereo system unit |
Separate stereo system
The separate stereo system was created by dividing the console stereo system into three separate parts: two speaker cabinets and one control unit including player and receiver. Dividing the stereo system in this way lets users eliminate the feedback noise generated by resonance between the speakers and the player by separating and placing the speakers anywhere in a room. Audiophiles enjoy all the benefits of a stereo system. |
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