A heartfelt endeavour.
A diligent duo turns global community
It was 1981 and a totally ordinary 18th April. But in Korb, a small village not far from Stuttgart in Germany, history was in the making. For it happened that two casual young men, Jürgen Daubert being one and Rolf Belz being the other, securely locked their garage (which had for some time been used for a completely different purpose than intended) and set out for the nearby town of Waiblingen. There they resolutely strode into the town office where they succeeded in registering their ‘trade’ which they aptly named d & b Audiotechnik. Curiously enough, it wasn’t long before the young brand, with its fondness for consistency, returned to lose the spaces between the d and the b and see the entire name set to lower case.
Nevertheless, what isn’t known about that auspicious April day, is whether these two fledgling entrepreneurs returned eagerly to their garage or digressed to empty the odd glass or two. No matter, they say history isn’t history without a little mystery.
Before the eighties were out d&b HQ had settled into an old spinning mill in the nearby town of Backnang. Today, it is home to more than five hundred co-workers whose determination, know how and good humour bring d&b quality to life. While the products are conceived, handmade and dispatched globally from here, partners in almost one hundred countries, ensure human shaped support is never far away.
Two beliefs, one simple mission
Since those early garage days the world has seen some of the greatest technological and social changes. But for d&b two ideas have stood the test of time, supporting and uniting a generation of audio enthusiasts, for whom sound is about more than volume: it is something shared, wanted, and experienced. Just like any art.
First, is the belief that everyone should experience the same impeccable quality of sound, regardless of their position in the audience. This fair minded preoccupation embedded in the company its mission:
known simply as Democracy for listeners.
Second, is the idea that loudspeakers and electronics should be built systematically, that is, to work in total unity. As a result, d&b loudspeakers can only be driven by d&b amplifiers; it’s an exclusive, but technically beneficial union, maximizing efficiency, consistency and ease of use. A fully integrated way of working that sets d&b out from the crowd.
What began with the integration of amplifier and loudspeaker now manifests as a company fundamental, from the way business networks operate to the way new technologies fit into existing practices. This holistic way of working, emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts has a name: the d&b System reality.
Transporting knowledge and experience
Beyond the technical components, System reality manifests as a service and support structure in orbit around every d&b solution. Delivered by expert, sometimes quirky professionals, this practical setup includes education and training (renowned for its aha moments), service, application assistance, technical information, custom solutions and financing, not to mention a knowledgeable sales and distribution network. All carefully and thoughtfully conceived by a dedicated team, to carry out its vision:
In other words, to continuously elevate the quality of sound systems, not just for listeners, but for users, owners and business. For better life, art, society and enterprise: today and tomorrow.
Roll the film to shed more light on this dark horse of the pro audio establishment.