WEGA was a German audio and video manufacturer, manufacturing some of Germany's earliest radio receivers.[2]

WEGA
Native name
Wuerttembergische Radio-Gesellschaft mbh
IndustryElectronics
Founded1923; 101 years ago (1923)
Stuttgart, Germany
Defunct2005; 19 years ago (2005)
FateRebranded as BRAVIA
SuccessorSony BRAVIA
Area served
International
ProductsRadio and LED television receivers
ParentSony (1975-present)
Wegavision 2000, TV-prototype 1962, Pinakothek der Moderne
Wega tapedeck for Sony Elcaset, 1976–1980[1]

History

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WEGA, pronounced "Vega", was founded as Wuerttembergische Radio-Gesellschaft mbh in Stuttgart, Germany in the year 1923. In 1975, it was acquired by Sony Corporation.[2] They were then known throughout Europe for stylish and high-quality stereo equipment, designed by Verner Panton[3] and Hartmut Esslinger.[4] Sony continued to use the WEGA brand until 2005, when liquid-crystal displays superseded the company's Trinitron aperture grille-based CRT models.[5]

Starting in 1998, Sony released a television line called FD Trinitron/WEGA, a flat-screen television with side-mounted speakers and a silver-coloured cabinet.

Sony says that the FD Trinitron WEGA was named after a star ("Vega" in English) in the Lyra constellation, and made no reference to the original WEGA firm.[6]

Sony has also used WEGA as a name for flat-screen televisions with newer technologies than CRT. Their flat-panel LCD televisions were branded LCD WEGA until summer 2005[7][8][9] when they were rebranded BRAVIA. There are early promotional photos of the first BRAVIA televisions still bearing the WEGA label.[citation needed] Introduced in 2002, Sony's plasma display televisions were also branded as Plasma WEGA until being superseded by the BRAVIA LCD line. Sony's rear-projection televisions, either Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) or LCD-based, were branded as Grand WEGA until Sony discontinued production of rear-projection receivers.[citation needed]

Importance

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The quality of the design by Esslinger was highly appreciated, to the extent that the Museum of Modern Art in New York[10] exhibits one example, the Concept 51k sound-system, for which a special stand was an available option.[11]

In 1980 Sony used half of the production in Stuttgart for its Trinitron televisions.[12][13]

 
WEGA Studio 3214 HiFi with record player Dual 1218 and loudspeakers Telefunken L 250, 1972

References

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  1. ^ Dahl, Axel. "Sony EL-7 on thevintageknob.org". www.thevintageknob.org.
  2. ^ a b "Wega, Württembergische Radio-Ges. mbH; Stuttgart manufacture". www.radiomuseum.org.
  3. ^ "Design is fine. History is mine. (Stereo Bar 3300)". 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  4. ^ "Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Hartmut Esslinger". EUIPO. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  5. ^ "Sony TV-Serie: Aus "WEGA" wird "BRAVIA"". Areadvd.de.
  6. ^ Forums (2001-07-24). "Is it sony Vega or Wega?". Home Theater Forum.
  7. ^ "Sony KLV-S19A10 WEGA - 19" LCD TV Specs - CNET". CNET. 2003-01-03.
  8. ^ "Overview of the TV buttons and indicators - Sony Wega KE-V42A10E anleitung". www.bedienungsanleitu.ng.
  9. ^ "WEGA 26" LCD TV – Product overview – What Hi-Fi?". Whathifi. 4 October 2021.
  10. ^ "WEGA Concept 51K sound system". SFMOMA.
  11. ^ "Concept 51K Radio Wega, Württembergische Radio-Ges. mbH; Stu". www.radiomuseum.org.
  12. ^ "Eines Tages überflüssig". Der Spiegel (Online) (in German). 1980-07-27.
  13. ^ Unda Maris (2009-03-10). "WEGA & SONY: what's the story?". Audiokarma.org, Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums.
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