April the 18th is a very special day for d&b. 40 years ago today, in Korb, a small village not far from Stuttgart in Germany, professional audio history was being made. Two young men, Jürgen Daubert and Rolf Belz, registered their new company, d&b audiotechnik.
Daubert and Belz believed that sound had the power to transform an otherwise ordinary space into something special. And now 40 years later, this belief is still intrinsic to everything we do at d&b.
For d&b, two beliefs have stood the test of time that have supported and united a generation of audio enthusiasts for whom sound is about more than just volume but instead something shared, wanted, and experienced — just like any art.
The first founding belief is that everyone should experience the same impeccable quality of sound, regardless of their position in the audience. This fair-minded preoccupation is embedded in our company's mission and has become known simply as Democracy for Listeners. It is this belief that inspires us to listen more than we talk; to adapt to the market’s challenges and innovations, and to respond to and guide customer expectations with our own innovations and ideas. For 40 years, d&b has worked to bring creative visions to life and to accurately transfer the passions of artists, sound designers and creatives around the world into amazing sound for all.
The second belief is the concept that loudspeakers and electronics should be built systematically, that is, to work in total unity. It’s an exclusive but technically-beneficial union that maximizes efficiency, consistency, and ease of use — a fully-integrated way of working that sets d&b apart from the crowd — all within a comprehensive, harmonious whole, known as the d&b System Reality.
When I think of this concept, I don’t just see it in terms of our audio technology offering to customers, I see it in our global community. The story of d&b is not one based on one person or two, d&b is a global powerhouse in innovative audio technology and complementary solutions because of the collective energy of its supporters who worked and continue to work in unity.
Today is not only a day to recognize the achievement of our founders, but a moment to thank our supporters, those of whom contributed to building d&b into the pro audio leader it is today. To our employees both past and present, our partners, customers and fans around the world, your continued passion, loyalty and hard work bring the quality and ideals of d&b to life every day.
There has been significant technological and social change in the past four decades, and I’m sure more change is to come, but this change should not be feared but instead seen as a prospect to evolve and grow. At d&b I’m confident that by continuing to anchor our decisions in our founding beliefs, and harness our collective conviction, strength and passion we will continue to not only succeed, but to inspire those around us. This week we take time to reflect and reminisce on our considerable achievements over the last 40 years, but it is what we do in the next 40 years that counts!
While I wish we could celebrate in-person today, I know it won’t be too much longer before our global community is reunited and we can continue together to deliver ever-evolving audio solutions and “More art. Less noise” to the world.
All the best, Amnon Harman