time. Headsets like the GN Netcom Profile took advantage of this, and the result was a stable design with good sound quality and wearing comfort. This type of acoustic design has been carried on in the generations of headsets to follow. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, GN Netcom continued the development of headsets and communication devices aimed mainly at the professional markets; typically call-centers and offices. The hands-free communication offered by using a headset enabled users to freely use their hands during a telephone conversation and type on a computer during a call. As the market grew, the range of products was further diversified due to specific customer needs and the environments they were used in: monaural or binaural style (for listening with only one or both ears), open and acoustically transparent headsets (for awareness to the surrounding environment), or closed headsets (for shielding out noise and privacy). Wearing styles would also vary from the classic headbands to small ear hooks that would not interfere with the hairstyles of the user. Dynamic loudspeakers of different sizes and properties served them all. Going wireless In 1987 GN Netcom made an announcement to its shareholders. GN Netcom would invest in a development project called “Cordless Headsets”. With the use of wireless technologies such as DECT, the wireless headsets would eventually become a reality with products like GN 9020 or GN 9120, but it would take some time. The first products were launched in the beginning of the 21st century. “Cutting the cord” extended the hands-free convenience and allowed the user to leave their desk and move around the office without interrupting the conversation. The announcement of Bluetooth technology in the summer of 1998 triggered a new era for GN Netcom. Already in September 2000, GN Netcom presented the world’s first Bluetooth headset approved to the Bluetooth standard – the GN Netcom 9010. It was launched approx. two months ahead of its competition. Headsets for the increasingly popular mobile phone market opened a new potential for consumers, and in 2000 GN Netcom acquired one of the largest suppliers of hands-free devices for mobile phones in the US: Jabra Corporation. The introduction of consumer products with the Jabra brand formed a fast growing range of products: headsets for mobile phones. First corded, and later cordless using Bluetooth. As mobile phones became more and more capable and started
to incorporate music players, the boundary between the consumer headset for communication and a music headphone started to disappear. It led to products that supported both communication and music listening, and even consumer products primarily focused towards music. The professional office headset has also been through a transformation in recent years. New ways of working in the office have changed the needs of the professional user, and what a headset should support. An office headset today will of course still need to support communication but also various other functions such as: listening to music, active noise cancellation, interfacing to an array of different devices; laptops, telephones and mobile devices. Some products are also used ‘on the go’ or when working from home. After the acquisition of Jabra, consumer products were marketed using the Jabra brand, with professional headsets still branded as GN Netcom. As the overlap between the products offered to consumers and professionals increased, and in order to simplify market communication, the decision to market all products under the Jabra brand was made in 2009.
munication device for conference calls. As it only supported USB, it was designed for use with the various IP telephony platforms that emerged during the 00’s. The follow-up version Jabra Speak 510 included a battery as well as Bluetooth connectivity, making it possible to connect the speakerphone to mobile devices as well. Even though this was the first attempt from Jabra at making an office speakerphone, it became a very successful product. Within the personal speakerphone category, the Jabra Speak 410/510 have managed to hold a firm position in the global market, and more than one million units have been sold so far. It is a good example of a solution where premium sound quality, form, portability, functionality, and an intuitive user interface are united in a product.
Iconic products —
GN Profile Speaker Design: Low Acoustic Output Impedance, 23mm Speaker. The GN Profile was launched in 1988, and was the first headset from GN Netcom designed with low acoustic output impedance. This acoustic design had many advantages. It was leak tolerant, which means that the inevitable variation in the leak in the coupling between the ear and the cushion of the headset would have limited impact on the frequency response. As this leak typically varies from person to person, due to different ear shapes, a leak tolerant design will assure a consistent frequency response across different ears. The GN Profile was the product that would establish GN Netcom as a headset brand known globally, and was deployed in many call centers around the world. Jabra Speak 410 Speaker Design: Closed Back, 2” Speaker. The Jabra Speak 410 was in many ways unique. It was the first time Jabra produced a loudspeaker for the office environment. Given the context it would probably be correct to refer to it with the term used in the telecom industry, ‘speakerphone’, rather than a loudspeaker. Although the product supported music playback over USB, it was primarily intended for use as a com-
80 — The Danish loudspeaker 100 year anniversary
Jabra Solemate Speaker Design: Two 3/4” Soft Dome Tweeters, One 2” mid/woofer with passive radiator, 9 w amplifier. The Jabra Solemate was introduced in 2012, and was a wireless speaker mainly aimed for playing music. It was the first time Jabra released a portable music speaker aimed at the consumer market. Compared to many earlier Jabra products, the Jabra Solemate sported an array of colorful variants and was mainly targeted at a younger audience. This is also apparent in the playful nature of the industrial design, inspired by something truly rugged and portable; the sneaker. It is truly a portable speaker in the sense that it features a robust rubber