Qualiton

Qualiton was the official Hungarian state record label, established on June 1, 1951 under the company Magyar Hanglemezgyártó Vállalat (MHV) after the nationalization of earlier private firms such as Tonalit. The label’s main office was located at Vörösmarty tér 1, Budapest, with its record pressing plant in Dorog, Esztergomi út 47.

During the 1950s, Qualiton became the dominant producer of 78 rpm records in Hungary, releasing classical, folk, and popular music. As technology advanced, the company also started producing LP records. In the mid-1960s, the company name changed from MHV/Qualiton to Hungaroton, which became the main national record company. However, Qualiton continued as a sub-label for traditional, folk, and operetta recordings for several more decades.

The Qualiton brand was most active during the 1950s–1960s, and although it ceased to exist as an independent company, it lived on under Hungaroton until later years. Hungaroton, its successor, still operates today as Hungary’s historic record label.