Since 1945, the name Sennheiser has stood for pioneering audio technology and passionate engineering. This year, the company is celebrating its 80th anniversary. ​ At the same time as looking back on its history, Sennheiser revealed why this celebration is not about the number of years and more about what you learn for the future. The family-owned business is telling the stories behind its legendary products, bold decisions and the vision of building the future of audio.

For 80 years, the independent family-owned business of Sennheiser has been building the future of audio. In June 1945, Dr. Fritz Sennheiser founded the Wennebostel laboratory in Wedemark near Hanover. What started out as an idea is now one of the world’s leading audio technology companies.

“We live and breathe audio in everything we do. That’s what defines us. We are driven by a passion for creating unique sound experiences for our customers. Genuine, pure sound that you can not only hear, but also feel. This is why we have been building the future of audio for 80 years,” said Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO of the Sennheiser Group.

“When we look back on our company history, it’s less about the number of years and more about what we have learned from the past for our future,” added Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, co-CEO of the Sennheiser Group. “Every product, every milestone, every challenge has shown us how we can build the future of audio – with new ideas that change the audio world.“

Sennheiser’s wireless technology is an impressive example of this. In 1957, the company, together with a German broadcasting partner, developed the first wireless microphone system for professional stage and TV use, and it was a sensation. Since then, wireless microphones have become an integral part of radio and television, and music stars all over the world use products from Sennheiser at their concerts.

In 2024 the next milestone in wireless technology for the company was achieved when Sennheiser launched Spectera, a new bidirectional, digital, wireless broadband ecosystem. Fritz Sennheiser once outlined the creativity of this company in a nutshell; engineers need room for crazy ideas. This spirit still characterises Sennheiser today, because true innovation is not created in the laboratory alone; it unfolds where there is room for the unconventional, on stages and in recording studios around the world. “Through our passion and creative dissatisfaction, we have repeatedly brought groundbreaking products to the market and redefined milestones in the audio world,” said Andreas Sennheiser.

In 1947 the Wennebostel laboratory presented its first microphone, the DM 2. This was followed by milestones such as the MD 421 (1960), which is still used in studios around the world today, and the HD 414 (1968), the first open headphones to revolutionise the listening experience. The HD 25 (1988) became an icon for professional monitoring and in clubs, the HD 800 (2009) set new standards for audiophile sound and the HE 1 (2015) reinterpreted the legendary Orpheus headphones. During this time, Sennheiser became an internationally successful brand and under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser, and the company opened numerous sales subsidiaries worldwide.

“Our products tell stories of people from all over the world – of DJs who went on tour with the HD 25, of journalists who captured voices with the MD 421, or of music lovers who discovered new worlds of sound with the HD 800,” explained Daniel Sennheiser. Sennheiser products have also been present at important historical moments and have captured words that have moved people around the world. “These stories are what bring our technology to life – because they show how sound can touch people.”

The products of the past are an important inspiration for the future, but also their toughest competitors, the company says. The balance between preserving legendary products and developing innovative technologies and solutions is the key to success, it claims, and it is this balance that has made Sennheiser relevant for more than 80 years.

Research and development is and remains one of the most important strategic priorities of the Sennheiser Group. Every year more than 8% of turnover is invested in expanding the product portfolio, in new software solutions and in the intelligent combination of hardware and services.

“The path to the future is never straightforward,” said Daniel Sennheiser. “That’s why this year we’re not only celebrating our successes, but also products that didn’t become milestones, that didn’t make it onto the market or were simply ahead of their time.”

“These products were often the starting point for our boldest developments. They show that innovation is not a destination, but a path. And on this path, each of our products contains 80 years of experience, curiosity – and the will to constantly question the status quo,” concluded Andreas Sennheiser.

To mark this special anniversary, customers worldwide can also look forward to attractive anniversary offers and products.