After the end of the Second World War, a radio became standard equipment in German living rooms. Anyone who was anyone owned a tape recorder, which allowed them to record radio broadcasts and the music they contained. In the mid-fifties, during the economic boom, radios were increasingly replaced by radio-record player combinations. Klaus Wunderlich was in the right place at the right time as the record began its triumphal march. Stereo technology, in particular, enabled him to distribute effects never before heard in the left and right channels. The organ was ideal for this. For the first time, music lovers could acquire high-quality stereo music in the form of records and start building up a record collection. In these collections, the productions of Klaus Wunderlich (Teldec) were the first choice.
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By 1960, stereo LPs already accounted for 25 percent of total record sales. From 1967 onward, EMI produced all new releases exclusively in stereo. In 1963, stereo technology was introduced in radio broadcasting in Germany. For all music enthusiasts at the time, this was a compelling reason to buy one of these new stereo systems. So, everything fell into place: the incredible talent of Klaus Wunderlich, the record, and the stereo system. By the time of his death, the record industry had made nearly half a billion in sales from Klaus Wunderlich’s productions alone—simply unbelievable. It was a hype, and all of this occurred without the internet or today’s common platforms.
Here is a small stereo example from Klaus Wunderlich:
A stereo cabinet by Grundig, such as those that more affluent households might have
placed in their living rooms in the early 1960s.