David Bogen Company

David Bogen founded David Bogen & Company in New York in 1932. Its first products were intercom systems and sound amplifiers, and by the early 1950s it was best known for amplifiers and public-address systems for schools. That market explains the Bogen character: heavy, conservatively run amplifiers with features hi-fi buyers never asked for, such as several microphone inputs, mixing controls and taps for constant-voltage speaker lines.

Bogen also trained two of the best-known names in American audio. Bernard Kardon joined in 1937 and rose to executive vice-president; Sidney Harman designed public-address systems there and became general manager. In 1953 Harman left after Bogen declined to build better consumer equipment, took Kardon with him, and founded Harman/Kardon.

In 1956 Unitronics bought Bogen together with Presto Recording and ran them as the Bogen-Presto division in Paramus, New Jersey. Siegler bought Unitronics in 1957, and after the 1962 merger that formed Lear Siegler, Bogen became its Bogen Communications division. The Challenger amplifiers, well represented in this archive, were the company's best-known line through that period.

David Bogen Company: quick answers

When was the David Bogen Company founded?

In 1932, in New York, by David Bogen. The first products were intercom systems and sound amplifiers.

Why do Bogen amplifiers have so many microphone inputs?

Most were built for schools and public-address work, so they carry mixing controls, several microphone inputs and taps for constant-voltage speaker lines that a home listener never needed.

What connects Bogen with Harman Kardon?

Bernard Kardon joined Bogen in 1937 and Sidney Harman became its general manager. Harman left in 1953, took Kardon with him and founded Harman/Kardon.

Who owned Bogen in the Challenger years?

Unitronics bought it in 1956 and ran it with Presto as Bogen-Presto; Siegler bought Unitronics in 1957, and after the 1962 merger Bogen became a division of Lear Siegler.