Stereophonic reproduction is a technique in which separate microphones are used to record sound, and then separate speakers are also used to playback the sound recorded; this creates spatiality within the audio produced. The history of this technique is storied and goes back to 1881 when Clement Ader came up with the earliest version of this technique through using a two channel audio system with telephone transmitters which ran between the stage at the Paris Opera and a suite located at the Paris Electrical Exhibition, this set up allowed listeners to hear a live transmission by holding a telephone receiver to each ear. Stereophonic reproduction really started to gain traction as a prominent technique in 1933 when Alan Blumlein invented stereo records and surround sound. It became especially popular during the 1950’s, this was because during this period of time the two track stereophonic tape along with the stereophonic phonograph record became more widely available to musicians. There were however certain issues which hindered the development of stereophonic reproduction as we know it today; from the 1940’s to 1970’s it was hard to market the stereo system as it cost twice as much as the monophonic system, it also meant that consumers would have to buy new record plays, speakers and so on. All of these factors meant that manufacturers did not feel confident that the improvement of sound quality would matter to consumers. However once stereophonic reproduction was beset upon a mass market major record labels all started to emphatically push stereo sound systems as an incredible, must-have technological advancement that would allow consumers to create sophisticated sound recreation within their own homes; from this the stereo demonstration was originated. This was a series of adverts, records and promotional videos which were created to showcase the technology and improvement it had made upon monophonic sound to a mass market. This marketing tactic worked well and so stereophonic reproduction became the industry standard as we know it today.

Rapoport, B. (2014) Essence reveals history of Stereophonic Sound, Essence for High Res Audio. Available at: https://www.essenceelectrostatic.com/essence-reveals-history-stereophonic-sound/ (Accessed: 08 May 2023)

J.K.Hilliard, ‘The History of Stereophonic Sound Reproduction’, in Proceedings of the IRE, vol. 50, no. 5, pp. 776-780, May 1962, doi: 10.1109/JRPROC.1962.288290