The company Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is a high-end, Danish consumer electronics company that manufactures and designs electronics, specifically television sets, audio products, and radios. From their first revolutionary alternating current radio in 1925 to their recent Beoplay H95 headphones, B&O has paved the way to high-end electronics for almost 100 years.

1934 – Hyperbo 5 RG Steel

Designed to look like Peter Bang’s Marchel Breuer desk chain, the Hyperbo 5 RG Steel was expertly crafted and designed by Bang & Olufsen in 1934. Very few were produced, and only one original survives in the Norweigan museum. The Hyperbo 5 RG Steel is one of the first examples of sound products as furniture, which completely changed how people see radios.

1939 – Beolit 39

Beolit is B&O’s line of portable radio products that appeared in 1939. This naming scheme continues to this day to represent specific lines of products. The Beolit 39, in particular, was shaped with Bakelite, which was the first plastic made from synthetic components. Bakelite is nonconductive and heat-resistant, which makes radios capable of housing more equipment.

1959 – Beovision Capri TV

The 17” wood Beovision Capri TV sat on four fixed legs. The television’s elegant design helped expand the modern furniture movement and focused on form, material, and expression. At the time, televisions were still bulky and heavy, but the Beovision Capri TV was small, lighter, and minimalistic. You can thank B&O for downsizing televisions to fit in smaller spaces.

1972 – Beogram 4000 (Record Player)

Record players were all the rage in the ’70s, but B&O wanted to stand out from the rest. B&O invented a tone-arm that moved tangentially, not diagonally, which helped reproduce the sound originally recorded. Tangential arms also make the record player dance safe. In design, the Beogram 400 had an aluminum surface and wood side panels that mirrored futurism.

1976 – Beomaster 1900

One of the most successful B&O products, the Beomaster 1900, radically changed the design for receivers and amplifiers. The Beomaster 1900 has touch-sensitive controls that work reliably, don’t require pressure, and work even in direct sunlight. Functions were divided into primary and secondary, where secondary features handled tuning FM stations, bass, treble, and more.

1984 – Beovox CX 100

The iconic Beovox CX 100 stayed in production until 2003 because of its popularity, sleek design, and simple appearance. The woofers were mounted flat instead of on angled baffles, which was revolutionary for its time. The 3 blocked-design was especially popular in the 80s because it fused retro with modern. Beovox products also produced dynamic sound.

1985 – Beovision MX 2000

To say the Beovision MX was a different kind of TV is an understatement. In terms of color, design, and sound, it was revolutionary. The Beovision MX 200 had stereo sound, automatic search channels, and a contrast screen. It was so incredible that it won an ID award in 1986 for its impression of lightness and extended freedom of positioning because of its wheels.

1986 – Beocenter 9000

The Beocenter 9000 was a music center that contained a record player, cassette recorder, and radio, plus it had the option for connectivity with a compact disk player. It was one of the most compact music centers of the time and had a smooth, uncluttered appearance. Similar to other models, the Beocenter 9000 is touch-sensitive and features Dolby B and C recognition.

1996 and the Modern Era

Bang & Olufsen continued to revolutionize the electronic industry by introducing the BeoSound 9000, a 6-CD changer. The BeoCom 6000 in 1998 saw the invention of the curved phone, while 2003 introduced the BeoSound 3200, a CD and radio player with a vertical playback. The 2000s saw multiple inventions as well, like various incarnations of the round speaker.

The most modern inventions are the Beovision Harmony in 2019, a television, and the Beoplay H95 in 2020 headphones. It’s no doubt that B&O will continue to produce incredible electronics.