History

Company

Product

2022 - New turntable and tonearm
EMT introduces a new precision turntable with battery power supply (EMT 928 II), as well as new a tonearm product line (EMT 909 & 912). These tonearms replace the discontiued models (EMT 929 & 997). All new products combine the long EMT tradition in building turntables with modern engineering and manufacturing.

2021 - EMT 128
Following a long tradition of the brand in building professional phonostages, EMT introduces the Model 128 with unique micro-tube design for most musical listening experience.

2021 - EMT Novel Technology
EMT introduces a new multi-layer core transducer with titanium/sapphire cantilever. Incredible realistic performance is achieved, while at the same time the tried and trusted EMT typical specs are respected. The new technology is available for Tondose and JSD cartridges.

2021 - EMT Development Transfer
HiFiction AG takes over EMT development and research. Since 2010, Micha Huber has been involved in these projects related to turntable, tonearm and amplification.

2020 - Silver Coil
EMT offers a pure silver coil option for the entire portfolio. This is also available as an upgrade for refurbishment service.

2019 - HiFiction moves to Turbenthal
To gain more space for the production of both, EMT and THALES products, HiFiction AG has moved to a new location. Turbenthal is a village close to Winterthur and Zurich airport. We are settled in former spinning mill which was built in 1833 and has been carefully refurbished.

2018 - HSD 006 & HMD 025
The new entry-level cartridges are released to follow the long tradition of the TSD 15N. It is available as stereo (HSD 006) and mono (HMD 025) version.

2018 - HiFiction takes over EMT cartridges
HiFiction AG takes over all EMT cartridge business incl. development, production, repair service and international sales.

2017 - JSD VM
The JSD VM (variable mass) is introduced and offers the possibility to adjust the effective mass and the resonance behaviour of the cartridge with different tonearms.

2016 - TSD 75 Grammy Version
The Grammy Award is celebrated with the TSD 75 Grammy special limited edition.

2016 - Grammy Award
EMT is honoured with the technical Grammy award. (GRAMMY®, GRAMMY Awards® and the gramophone logo are registered trademarks of The Recording Academy®).

2015 - TSD 75 & JSD S75
To celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary, the TSD75 is introduced being the latest addition to the legendary EMT Stereo cart line. The JSD S75 complements the reference line with a light cartridge body.

2014 - Cart manufactory transfer to Switzerland
After working up to 45 years for EMT continuously, the production team in Mahlberg gets retired. The manufactory of the EMT cartridges is moved step by step to Micha Huber’s company HiFiction AG in Winterthur. In a long-lasting process, all know-how, equipment and tooling is carefully transferred to the young team in Switzerland.

2009 - Micha Huber
Micha Huber (inventor of the Thales Tonearm) meets Jules Limon and supports EMT for high-precision-mechanics development projects.

2008 - JSD Gold
The JSD line is extended with the «Gold» versions. A customized high-density alloy is used for the golden coated cartridge body.

2008 - EMT international founded
Jules Limon founds the company «EMT International GmbH» in Switzerland, which takes over the EMT trademarks and manages sales and production in Germany.

2007 - EMT continued by Jules Limon
Walter Derrer passes away in an airplane crash. The company is now headed by Jules Limon (Switzerland).

2006 - JSD 5 & JSD 6
EMT enters the high-end market with the new «Jubilee-Series». The MC-cartridges JSD 5 and JSD 6 feature an aluminium-body, golden magnet parts and a highly polished stylus in either Gyger S (5) or Super Fine Line (6) shape.

2005 - TSD 15N
EMT offers the TSD 15 N, which offers the possibility to use the Tondose generator in a standard hi-fi tonearm with 1/2" connection.

2005 - Jules Limon
Jules Limon joins EMT, heading product-development, product-management, international sales and marketing.

2003 - EMT taken over by Walter Derrer
Barco sells EMT including trademarks to Walter Derrer. The company is continued as «EMT Studiotechnik GmbH» in Mahlberg.

1989 - EMT Barco
EMT is sold to the Belgian Barco group. The cartridge manufactory remains in the Black Forest (Mahlberg, Germany).

1984 - SFL diamond shape
EMT introduces the Super-Fine-Line diamond shape for the Tondose. Even if the stylus radius is 6 microns now, the name TSD 15 is maintained as it is well accepted in the market. Together with the change of the VTA to 23° (according to DIN IEC 98), high-frequency distortion is reduced significantly. The SFL version is labelled with a golden type plate.

1977 - vdH diamond shape
EMT offers the XSD cartridge with van den Hul diamond shape.

1974 - XSD 15
The XSD 15 is introduced. It offers the possibility to use the Tondose together with any tonearm according to the SME standard.

1971 - Wilhelm Franz passes away
Wilhelm Franz passes away and the company is continued in Kippenheim (Lahr) by his wife Hildegard Franz and director Erich Vogl.

1970 - Magnesium housing
The original Bakelite shell is replaced by a new magnesium housing with white front panel. Later on, the O-Series is delivered with the new housing as well.

1966 - Thorens production
The «Gerätewerk Lahr» takes over the production of the Swiss Thorens turntables.

1965 - TSD 15 launch
EMT launches the famous TSD 15 (Tondose Stereo Diamant, 15microns). This cartridge is produced in many ten-thousand pieces and used in broadcast studios all over the world. The T-Series is available in various mono versions: best known the TMD 25 and TND 65.

1960 - Development of Stereo cartridge
EMT invests into development of MC-cartridges: Basic research in the field of mono and stereo pickups is realized.

1959 - O-Series
EMT produces Ortofon mono cartridges in licence (EMT O-Series).

1959 - Cartridges for EMT turntables
The EMT turntables 927 & 930 became famous and were used in broadcast studios all over the world. To cover the demand for cartridges of this market, EMT builds up their own cartridge manufactory.

1956 - Gerätewerk Lahr
The «Gerätewerk Lahr» is founded and directed by Wilhelm Franz’s brother Walter Franz. They produce all EMT products.

1950 - Ortofon collaboration
EMT sells Ortofon MC cartridges together with their turntables.

1945 - EMT in Lahr
After World War II, EMT moves back to Lahr in the Black Forest.

1943 - EMT moves
Because of the war, the company moves to Schuttertal (Lahr) and then to Dingelsdorf at the Lake Constance.

1940 - EMT is founded
Wilhelm Franz founds the company «Elektromesstechnik (EMT) Wilhelm Franz» in Berlin. The company produces measurement equipment for broadcast technology.