Dolby Laboratories Inc.
333 Avenue of the Americas New York N.Y.10014 (1969)
1275 Market, San Francisco, California 94103 (2025)

In 1967, Ray Dolby established a New York office for U.S. distribution, marking the beginning of Dolby Laboratories' presence in the United States, which grew into a global audio and visual technology leader headquartered in San Francisco by 1976, continuously innovating and shaping the entertainment industry with technologies like Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Atmos through 2025

For a detailed history of Roy Dolby see Dolby Laboratories UK.

Dolby Laboratories Inc. in the USA (1967 onwards)

In 1967, Ray Dolby established a New York office for U.S. distribution of professional Dolby equipment, marking the beginning of Dolby Laboratories' presence in the United States. This move was crucial for expanding the company's reach in the American market.

During 1967-68, Dolby developed the B-type noise reduction system and established an international network for distributing professional equipment in Europe, Japan, and Australia. In June 1968, the first consumer product equipped with Dolby B-type, the KLH Model Forty open-reel tape recorder, was released in the U.S. under the first license agreement.

The company's growth accelerated in the late 1960s and early 1970s:

1. By 1969, most London pop music studios were equipped with Dolby noise reduction.
2. In October 1969, Dolby demonstrated the high-performance cassette concept at the Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention in New York.
3. By 1972, 42 16-track recorders in London alone were equipped with Dolby noise reduction on all tracks.

A significant milestone came in January 1976 when Dolby Laboratories opened its new headquarters in San Francisco while closing the original New York facility. This move centralized the company's operations, with San Francisco handling administration, research and development, new market development, licensing, and North American sales.

In the following years, Dolby Laboratories continued to innovate and expand its influence in the audio and film industries:

1. In the Spring of 1976, the company commissioned the second 35 mm stereo optical recorder in Hollywood.
2. The first 35 mm Dolby Stereo optical film with encoded surround effects, "A Star Is Born," was released.
3. The company introduced the first Dolby Stereo cinema processor, the CP100.
4. Dolby introduced the AC-3 (Dolby Digital) digital signal processor in 1991, pioneering 5.1-channel surround sound technology for cinema and home theater systems. The Digital HDTV Grand Alliance selected the technology in October 1993 to provide digital surround sound for the U.S. HDTV system. [1]

As of January 20, 2025, Dolby Laboratories continues to be a leader in audio and visual technology innovation, focusing on immersive experiences, automotive applications, cloud-based video products, and supporting content creators through initiatives like the Dolby Creator Lab

[1] Dolby Laboratories Inc. – Chronology 1990 to Present (May 1999)