Fostex

Fostex is a subsidiary of Foster Electric Co., Ltd., a world-leading OEM (original equipment manufacturer). Foster has been manufacturing speakers, loudspeakers, and components since 1948, and in 1973, they created the Fostex brand to independently market their premier products. The company has offices in nine countries and employs 50,000 people. Foster Electric Co., Ltd. is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

In 1978, Fostex began developing speakers for professional use, becoming well-known in both the hi-fi and professional markets. The Fostex 6301B was the company's most compact professional monitor.

In 1981, together with a group of new engineers, Fostex decided to enter the world of professional recording, which was then at the height of the decline of "home recording." The company began with three reel-to-reel tape recorders, the A-2, A-4, and, undoubtedly the most innovative and popular model, the A-8, which was the first machine capable of recording eight tracks on a tape measuring just 1/4-inch. Along with the Model 350 mixer and the Model 250 four-track cassette portastudio, Fostex became a true pioneer of home recording.

That same year, Fostex began its international expansion with the opening of its first subsidiary, Fostex Corporation of America, in Los Angeles.

Over time, Fostex expanded its Hi-Fi product range, releasing high-end headphones (TH series), digital audio converters (HP series), and portable listening devices. The Fostex T50RP isodynamic studio headphones have become perhaps the most popular headphone model for modification.

In addition to headphones, Fostex manufactures professional recording and consumer equipment: recorders, audio interfaces, home speaker systems, headphone amplifiers, as well as microphones and studio monitors.