Our History

How we became 'Slab':

In 1992, intrepid kiwi inventor Graeme Jones decided to build his own panel speakers. He searched for a sound to equal the openness of his electrostatic loudspeakers, with the promise of wider dispersion.

Like many New Zealand inventors, his motives were to reduce the price barrier, while retaining the desirable audio characteristic of a di-pole speaker and space saving design. Various panel materials were tried with promising results and it was soon realised that acoustically well behaved bi-polar and di-pole panel speakers could be produced.

Graeme derived the name SLAB from Sound Lab.

Slab History Highlights:

1992:
Graeme Jones begins initial investigations into flat panel speakers

1997:
Graeme Jones, Kelly Waterman and Chris Lock continued research and development of the Slab flat panel for consumer electronics application.

1998:
John Corey, Kelly Waterman, Graeme Jones and Chris Lock establish Slab Technology to introduce a revolutionary new audio technology to the world

1998:
Slab Technology licenses AGC Technologies Hong Kong to assist in bringing Slab panel speakers to the world computer multi media market

1998:
Slab Technology and AGC launch multi-media product at ComDex, Las Vegas

1999:
Slab begins worldwide shipment of multi-media products

2000:

• Slab Technology wins Innovative Business Award
• Slab DSP formed
• Slab Technology receives funding from AMP Henderson Private Capital and Caltech Capital Partners
• Slab International formed as head of the Slab Group of Companies
• Slab DSP join with Mascorp to promote digital noise cancelling headsets

2001:

• Acquisition of Audio Fusion Ltd. - a New Zealand based Hi-Fi company
• Acquisition of AGC Technologies Ltd, Slab Asia formed
• Slab Electronics (China factory) formed
• Slab Electronics (China factory) begins production

2002:

• The Slab group continues to enhance the listening experience and improve the cosmetic appeal of speaker systems through the use of its proprietary flat panel technologies.
• Slab joins forces with Eastech/ASI to develop a new range of home audio and home theatre flat panel speaker systems.
• Slab continues to explor new and exciting digital-signal-processing technologies for surround sound and noise cancellation.