1898
Telegraphone Wire Recorder

Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen (1869-1942) invents a magnetic recorder

1928
Western Electric 618A Electrodynamic Transmitter

Bell Labs engineers E. C. Wente and Albert Thuras develop the first commercial (omni) dynamic mic

1940
Shure Unidyne Model 55

The first low-cost unidirectional (cardioid) dynamic microphone

1947
JBL D130 Loudspeaker

James B. Lansing's speaker design helps define the modern woofer

1968
Universal Audio/UREI 1176 Peak Limiter

Bill Putnam uses FETs as voltage-variable resistors in a gain-control device

1976
dbx 160 (VU) Compressor/Limiter

David Blackmer's level detection circuits change the world of pro audio

1977
Yamaha NS-10M Speaker

The most common studio reference monitor of the '80s and '90s

1983
Kurzweil Music Systems K250

Ray Kurzweil's ROM-based sampler has an 88-note, Velocity-sensitive keyboard

For more Hall of Fame innovations, visit mixfoundation.org/hof/08techof.html.