Formerly called
|
Vega Laboratories |
---|---|
Industry | Electronics |
Founded | 1954 |
Founder | Gene Czerwinski |
Headquarters | Chatsworth, California, United States |
Area served
|
Worldwide |
Products | Loudspeakers, amplifiers, home theaters |
Website | cerwinvega.com |
Cerwin-Vega is a manufacturing company that produces professional audio components, such as home audio speakers, and car audio components. On December 5, 2011 it was announced that the Stanton Group had been purchased by the famous Gibson Guitar Company. This purchase, and others, spawned the beginning of the "Gibson Pro Audio Division". Before then, and as a result of its bankruptcy as a private company, C-V was sold and became part of the Stanton Group, along with Stanton Magnetics and KRK, (a professional audio division focused on quality studio/recording speakers). Cerwin-Vega sells internationally from two main locations; one in Deerfield Beach, FL, and the other location in Brussels, Belgium, while manufacturing their pro products primarily in Malaysia and home products primarily in China.
Cerwin-Vega was founded as Vega Laboratories (with later name changes to Vega Associates and then Cerwin-Vega) by aerospace engineer Gene Czerwinski (1927–2010) in 1954, and became noted for producing an 18" speaker capable of producing 130 dB in SPL at 30 Hz, an astonishing level during its time. Another breakthrough product, the world's first solid-state amplifier, was released in 1957. In addition to these innovations, the company became well known for supplying speakers for electric musical instrument companies such as Fender, as well as for movie theaters all through the 1970s.
Cerwin-Vega participated in Sensurround technology which was developed in conjunction with MCA and Universal Studios in the 1970s. Sensurround was a movie theater special effects speaker system which used multiple Cerwin-Vega folded horn subwoofers triggered by an optical soundtrack system to create low frequency effects which simulated vibrations felt during an earthquake or a battle scene. Sensurround was premiered in the 1974 movie Earthquake, and was a great success, but most Sensurround units were later dismantled due to structural damage caused by the vibrations.