Audio Video News

Last week, Rockford Corporation announced that it has re-established its relationship with Jim Fosgate and has folded his development and engineering company, Fosgate Audionics, into the Rockford corporate family. Other companies in the Rockford group include Hafler, as well as autosound companies Rockford Fosgate, Lightning Audio, and Install Edge. Fosgate Audionics has primarily focused its attention on the surround sound processor market, and Rockford says that the new range of planned products will continue in the home theater vein.

Rockford's Gary Suttle says that "Jim Fosgate is viewed by many in the industry as the developer of surround sound technology as far back as the early 70s. We are excited to bring his vision and engineering talents back to Rockford."  The company says it expects that Jim Fosgate will work with Rockford in an engineering consultant's role for Fosgate Audionics.

Jim Fosgate founded Fosgate Electronics in 1973 and sold the company to Rockford Corporation in 1980 to "concentrate his efforts on the coming avalanche of surround sound." About the new arrangement, Fosgate said, "It's exciting to be taking my best circuit designs back to Rockford, especially my 'tube' surround processor. This is like a homecoming to me and should be a perfect match. I'm very happy to see that the Fosgate Audionics name will live on well into the 21st century and continue to create new and innovative surround products."

Fosgate Audionics' Charlie Wood adds, "I'm looking forward once again to working directly with Jim Fosgate and the Rockford staff in re-establishing Fosgate Audionics as a pre-eminent brand in the multi-channel audio category."

Fosgate Audionics also announced last week that it expects its new speakers and electronics lines will be distributed through conventional retail channels via a nationwide manufacturer's representative network. Additionally, Fosgate Audionics says it will focus strongly on targeting the home theater custom installation market. According to the company, it will use distribution firms to reach smaller custom installers, and through its representative network, Fosgate Audionics will set up larger custom installation concerns as direct factory accounts.