Lectrosonics is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Founded in March, 1971 in Albuquerque, NM, Lectrosonics products are used in countless broadcast, television, theater, film, live performance, and music productions worldwide.
At its founding, Lectrosonics’ first product was the Voice Projector series of portable P.A. systems and lecterns. In 1975, the company’s first wireless microphone was added to the product line. Shortly thereafter, these products were marketed under the Freedomike trademark.
By the 1980s, Lectrosonics found success in the broadcast market with its plug-on transmitter and compact receiver for electronic newsgathering and documentary production. Around this same time, the company’s engineering team had begun working on audio processing equipment targeted at the installed sound market. The first product was the MAP (Modular Audio Processor) system, which consisted of a card cage design with a variety of automatic mixing, signal processing and logic control modules. Derived from this technology, the current ASPEN Series audio processors have been installed all over the world in courtrooms, boardrooms, and other AV installations.
Lectrosonics' wireless IFB (interruptible foldback) system was introduced in the late 1990s and became a workhorse product in broadcast and film production. In 2020, after 19 years on the market, the legacy IFBR1a was replaced with the smaller and more modern IFBR1b, offering dock charging, 10 presets and “talent friendly” size and weight.
By 2002, the company’s Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless technology was introduced and Lectrosonics grew dramatically. In 2017, the company received the Academy Award for Technical Achievement for this technology.
In 2016, the company introduced the SSM micro-bodypack transmitter specifically for the professional theatrical market. This product has been used on numerous Broadway shows and tours, including The Lion King, Pretty Woman, Beetlejuice, King Kong and Frozen.
In 2017, the Duet digital IEM/IFB system was introduced—the first one with Dante connectivity and the option for AES256 encryption. 2016 marked the introduction of Lectrosonics PDR (Portable Digital Recorder), followed in 2018 by the SPDR (Stereo Portable Digital Recorder), and in 2020 by the MTCR (Miniature Time Code Recorder) the micro-sized digital recorders.
Recently introduced digital wireless microphone products include the D Squared line, DCR822, and the Digital Camera Hop units.
“From wooden lecterns in 1971 to Academy Award-winning wireless microphones today, the past 50 years at Lectrosonics have brought amazing technological changes both in the products we make and in the markets we serve,” said Gordon Moore, Lectrosonics president and a 33-year company employee. “We advanced from through-hole components with hand assembly to surface mount technology and CNC machining. Our employees have had free reign to imagine, challenge, and invent with the reward of their innovations becoming an integral part of television and movie sound recording, news gathering, broadcast, theatre, and installed sound. Thank you to all our amazing partners and customers. What a fun ride!”
Lectrosonics says that its products—still 100 percent made in its U.S. factory in Rio Rancho, NM—are essential tools for the broadcast and film production communities, and are regularly found throughout the music industry, as well as live sound reinforcement for the pro touring, installed sound, theater, and house of worship markets.
