View source for Fostex

{{Short description|Japanese manufacturer of audio equipment}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Fostex
| logo = Logo Fostex.svg
| logo_size = 150px
| caption =
| native_name = フォスター電機株式会社
| former_name =
| type =
| traded_as = {{TYO|6794}}
| genre =
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1948|06|01}} (as Foster Electric Company, Ltd.)<br>1973 (as Fostex)
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Shigeaki Nishimura|Hiroaki Hagiwara}}
| defunct =
| location =
| location_city = [[Akishima, Tokyo|Akishima City]], [[Tokyo]]
| location_country = Japan
| locations =
| area_served =
| key_people = Hirozo Yoshizawa {{Small|([[President (corporate title)|President]] and [[CEO]])}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ullet.com/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E9%9B%BB%E6%A9%9F/%E5%BD%B9%E5%93%A1|title=フォスター電機[6794] - 役員 {{!}} Ullet（ユーレット）|last=|first=|date=|website=www.ullet.com|language=Japanese|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-10-22}}</ref>
| industry = [[Electrical equipment]]
| products = {{Unbulleted list
|[[Tape recorder|Multitrack tape recorders]]
|[[Digital recording|Digital multitrack recorders]]
|[[Loudspeaker|Loudspeakers]]
|Speaker components}}
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| aum =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees = 50,000 (2019)
| parent = Foster Electric Company
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = [http://www.fostexinternational.com/ fostexinternational.com]
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Foster Denki KK'''|フォスター電機株式会社|Fosutā Denki [[kabushiki kaisha]]}} is an electronics company that manufactures [[Loudspeaker|loudspeakers]] and audio equipment for other companies or sells them under the trade name '''Fostex'''. It is traded on the [[Tokyo Stock Exchange]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/about/company.shtml|title=Fostex Company History|website=Fostex International|access-date=2019-08-10}}</ref>
== Overview ==
Foster Denki supplies audio equipment as an [[OEM]]:
*[[Loudspeaker|speakers]] and [[headphones]] for [[Sennheiser]], [[Sony]], [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]], [[Denon]], [[Nokia]] and [[Beats Electronics|Beats]]
*[[earphones]] for [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[iPod]] and [[iPhone]]
* television speakers for the [[Toshiba]] [[Regza|REGZA]] television brand
*[[Vehicle audio|in-vehicle speakers]] for [[Clarion (company)|Clarion]], [[Mitsubishi Motors]], [[Honda]], [[General Motors|GM]], [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], [[Mercedes-Benz]] and others
==History==
Foster Denki was founded in 1948 and became one of the largest OEM manufacturer of loudspeakers and [[transducer]] products worldwide. Fostex was then established in June 1973 to brand components manufactured by Foster Electric.
In 1978, Fostex [https://www.teamprisoners.com/fostex-th-909/Fostex] started to develop speakers for professional use, becoming very well known in both consumer [[High fidelity|hi-fi]] and professional fields. Fostex 6301B was the company's most small powered monitor speaker for broadcast and professional use.<ref name=":0" />
=== 1980s: Analog multitrack recorders ===
[[File:Fostex B-16 tape recorder.jpg|thumb|Fostex B-16 recorder]]
From 1981, Fostex and [[TASCAM]] pioneered affordable [[multitrack recording]] equipment producing the A-2 and the A-4 [[Reel-to-reel audio tape recording|reel-to-reel]] recorders; the A-8 was the first eight-track recorder that used affordable [[Inch|¼ inch]] tape, becoming a popular choice in the freelance and home recording field.
Another popular product was the Fostex 250 four-track cassette multitracker: it used standard cassettes running at double speed (3¾ [[Inch per second|ips]]), which improved high frequency [[Frequency response|response]] and [[dynamic range]]. To obtain four tracks from a standard cassette, all the four tracks available were used in one direction (normally, two tracks are used in each direction). [[Dolby C]] noise reduction was used.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/fostex-250-multitracker/2867|title=Fostex 250 Multitracker (HSR May 84)|journal=Home & Studio Recording|date=May 1984 |issue=May 1984 |pages=10–13 |access-date=2019-08-10|last1=Lockwood |first1=Dave }}</ref>
In 1983, Fostex released the X-15, a portable, battery-powered, cassette-based four track recorder and the B-16, a very compact recorder which fitted 16 tracks onto ½ inch tape running at 15 ips speed. Dolby C was built into the machine as an option to overcome the technical limitations due to the narrow track format.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/fostex-b16-tape-recorder/2799|title=Fostex B16 Tape Recorder (HSR Jan 84)|journal=Home & Studio Recording|date=January 1984 |issue=Jan 1984 |pages=28–31 |access-date=2019-08-10|last1=Gilby |first1=Ian }}</ref>
The B-16 was followed by the E-16 in 1986 and the G-16S in 1990, being the first recorder implementing the [[Dolby S]] noise reduction system. The G-24S was the last analogue multitrack machine, which fitted 24 tracks onto 1 inch tape and included built-in [[SMPTE timecode|SMPTE]]/[[MIDI]] synchronization and a removable front panel remote control and meter bridge.
=== 1990s: Digital multitrack recorders ===
[[File:Fostex mr8hd.jpg|thumb|MR8 multitrack hard disk recorder (2003)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/fostex-mr8|title=Fostex MR8|website=www.soundonsound.com|access-date=2019-10-22}}</ref>]]
As digital technology progressed in the audio field, Fostex moved from analogue tape-based recorders to digital, drive-based recorders.
The Fostex DMT-8, released in 1995, was the first portable and affordable digital recorder. It provided eight tracks of [[16-bit audio|16-bit]], [[44,100 Hz|44.1kHz]] audio recorded to hard disk, [[Non-linear editing system|non-destructive editing]] capabilities, a built-in metronome and MIDI clock output for synchronization with other machines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sweetwater.com/publications/sweetnotes/sn-summer96/SumSN_16.html|title=The Fostex DMT-8 Digital Hard Disk Recorder/Editor|website=Sweetwater|access-date=2019-08-10}}</ref> The FD-4 and FD-8 were variants which added support for [[Zip drive|Zip]] and [[SyQuest Technology|SyQuest]] removable drives.
=== Present ===
[[File:Fostex D2424LV (24tr Hard Disk digital recorder), DV824 (8tr DVD multitrack recorder), CR500 (CD-R&RW master recorder), RM-2 (Stereo rack monitor) - IBC 2008.jpg|thumb|D2424LV 24-track hard disk recorder (2001),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tapeop.com/reviews/gear/24/d2424-hard-drive-recorder/|title=D2424 Hard Drive Recorder|website=tapeop.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-22}}</ref> DV824 8-track DVD recorder (2004),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prosoundnetwork.com/archives/fostex-launches-dv824-digital-recorder|title=Fostex Launches DV824 Digital Recorder|last=Staff|first=ProSoundNetwork Editorial|website=ProSoundNetwork.com|language=en-us|access-date=2019-10-22}}</ref> CR500 CD-R/RW master recorder, RM-2 stereo rack monitor]]
Fostex's current product range includes digital [[multitrack recording]] equipment, [[loudspeaker]] drivers, [[studio monitor]]s, [[microphone]]s, and [[headphones]].
Some [[production sound mixer]]s for [[motion pictures]] use the Fostex Field Memory Recorder (FR-series and PD-series), which records audio and stores recordings as [[WAV]] files, as their recording device for [[sync sound]].
Fostex has expanded its offering of hi-fi based products to include high-end headphones (TH-series), digital audio converters (HP series) and devices for portable listing. Fostex's T50RP model has become popular in headphone modification circles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/07/how-to-mod-the-fostex-t50rp-mk3/|title=How to Mod the Fostex T50RP MK3|date=2019-07-08|website=Headphonesty|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-10}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
Top Headset Reviews and buying guides: [https://headsetreviews.org/ Headset Reviews].
==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine|title=Fostex D-90|page=45|magazine=[[Future Music]]|issue=59|date=August 1997|publisher=Future Publishing|issn=0967-0378|oclc=1032779031}}
==External links ==
* [http://www.fostexinternational.com Official international website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063814/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/dec97/fostexd160.html Fostex D-160 Sound On Sound review] (archive.org)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150609081516/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/aug97/fostexd90.html Fostex D-90 Sound On Sound review] (archive.org)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150607080142/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan98/articles/fostexcdr.htm Fostex CDR200 Sound On Sound review] (archive.org)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150606082649/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan99/articles/fostexfd8.256.htm Fostex FD8 Sound On Sound review] (archive.org)
{{Japanese Electronics Industry}}
[[Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of Japan]]
[[Category:Loudspeaker manufacturers]]
[[Category:Headphones manufacturers]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Japanese brands]]
[[Category:Electronics companies established in 1973]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Japan]]