“Octave” – 90 years with sound: how the Tula plant became the voice of the country

On May 7, Radio Day, it’s worth remembering those who literally created the voice of the country. One of such heroes is the Tula factory “Octava”, which has passed the way from an amateur radio workshop to a world-class exporter. Today, Octave products are used not only by domestic radio stations, but also by international stars like U2, Radiohead and Marilyn Manson.

The first steps were taken back in 1924, when the first amateur radio receiver was registered in Tula. A few years later, a Society of Radio Friends and a workshop for the production of parts appeared in the city. In 1931 it grew into Radio Plant No. 7 of the NKPiT, which supplied the country with radio components and loudspeakers.

The real breakthrough came in 1936, when the plant produced the first dynamic microphone in the USSR. Since then, Octave has become the flagship of studio sound. It was with its microphones that the announcers of Victory went on the air, and Yuri Gagarin said “Let’s go!”

Today, the company, part of Rostec State Corporation, produces more than 20 models of audio products, including the OWS digital system and the new ZhUK wireless petticoat – the first of its kind in Russia. And the flagship MK-115 microphone with its recognizable “bottle” design remains a favorite among podcasters and announcers.

Octave’s history is not just an evolution of technology, but a chronicle of the sound with which the country grew and changed. And even in the age of podcasts and streaming, Tula’s Octave continues to sound – literally and symbolically.

And even in the age of podcasts and streaming, Tula’s Octave continues to sound.

The Oktava – 90 Years with Sound: How the Tula factory became the voice of the country was first published at ITZine.ru.