More than 50 sound engineers from across Europe joined the Sennheiser Sound Expert Seminar in Düsseldorf, Germany. The two-day event was packed with workshops, with a particular focus on professional digital wireless including the new WMAS wideband technology. A dedicated “Experience Room” provided the engineers with an opportunity to listen in to WMAS prototypes and create their own in-ear mixes with this new technology.

“The Sennheiser team was delighted to again welcome expert guests from across the EMEA region,” said Chris Kopp, project manager of the Sound Expert Seminar. “Offering a platform where engineers and producers can network, exchange ideas, and find out about the latest industry developments was a key ingredient of this seminar. However, what was decidedly more important was our guests, whose expertise and enthusiasm made the seminar into something very special.”

Wireless and psychoacoustics

Members of Sennheiser’s application engineering team were on site to run the wireless workshops, sharing the latest tips and tricks and offering hands-on sessions with WMAS development prototypes. Using the bidirectional prototypes as IEMs only, engineers could experience the clarity of a low-latency digital IEM and do multitrack recordings of their own in-ear mixes on digital consoles to directly compare them with analogue IEMs.

In hands-on sessions, the guests could compare analogue and digital wireless IEM sound

Immersive audio and captivating binaural audio samples were at the centre of Lasse Nipkow’s psychoacoustic workshop. Nipkow has been researching into applied psychoacoustics since 2010, and he has done both 3D recordings of classical music and dance music as well as sound design for animated movies.

The immersive audio and binaural session

A breeding ground for music

The roots of many national and international bands, in particular from the punk and electro scene, are in Düsseldorf. During a very special city tour (“The Sound of Düsseldorf”) participants learnt about “Die Toten Hosen”, “DAF” and “Kraftwerk”, and listened to audio samples by the bands.

Thomas Hofer, Monitor Engineer said: “I was particularly excited about the long-awaited new WMAS digital wireless system – I was finally able to listen to the bidirectional bodypacks and was impressed by their sound quality. A game changer in the in-ear sector! I can hardly wait to do my first jobs with it and finally be able to offer this sound quality to my customers.”

​Richard Brooker, Sound Designer/Engineer said: “The Sennheiser Sound Experts Seminar was excellent, this is exactly the kind of event that our industry needs. We are, essentially, a very small group of people in the professional audio world of Engineers and Designers. We should get together and talk, not only with manufacturers but with each other.”

Chris Parker, Patchwork London, said: “… very impressed and excited to experience the next generation of RF solutions for live production. As demand for spectrum expands, while usable spectrum shrinks, Sennheiser have developed something game changing in terms of deployment and quality that I’m really excited to see in action on the road.”

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Yasmine Riechers is to become the new CEO of Georg Neumann GmbH, a subsidiary of the Sennheiser Group. She takes over from Ralf Oehl with immediate effect, and will be responsible for further expanding Georg Neumann’s global business and driving forward the company’s strategic direction. Yasmine Riechers was previously Head of the Corporate Development Office of the Sennheiser Group.

“We are very pleased that Yasmine is taking over the management of Georg Neumann GmbH with immediate effect. Together with the Neumann management team, Yasmine will be responsible for the focus and further strategic direction of Neumann,” says Andreas Sennheiser, Co-CEO of Sennheiser.

“Yasmine brings a strong combination of strategic thinking and international experience that will help Neumann continue to grow and strengthen the global footprint of the world-renowned brand,” adds Daniel Sennheiser, Co-CEO of Sennheiser.

Most recently, as part of the Extended Executive Management Board of the Sennheiser Group, Riechers headed the family-owned company’s Corporate Development Office. Prior to that, she worked at Sennheiser Greater China as Director of Operations and subsequently as Country Manager. She started her career in Human Resources at Sennheiser in 2008, before laaving the company for other roles, and then returning to the Sennheiser Group in 2015.“Neumann has an excellent reputation in the professional audio industry. I am proud to lead a company with such an impressive history into the future,” emphasises Yasmine Riechers. “I am very much looking forward to my new role – especially to working with the entire Neumann team and our customers around the world.”

She had already participated in developing the further strategic direction of Neumann with her predecessor Ralf Oehl; in particular, both of them jointly drove the integration of Merging Technologies. “Developing Neumann towards a leading provider across the entire audio value chain, was an exciting task for me,” says Ralf Oehl. “The support of the Sennheiser family, the dedication of our employees, and the legendary Neumann community have brought great success to the company and many special moments to me over the past four years. I am very grateful to everyone involved and will keep Neumann close to my heart. I’m now looking forward to Yasmine taking over from here to build on this.”

The name Neumann is associated with over 90 years of success: the Berlin-based company, which is part of the Sennheiser Group, is regarded as a leading manufacturer of studio microphones. In addition to the multiple sound engineers who use Neumann microphones in their studio productions, its products are also used by world-famous musicians. In 2010, Neumann launched the first studio monitor and in 2019, the company expanded its range to include studio headphones. Since 2023, Neumann has also been developing audio interfaces together with the Sennheiser subsidiary, Merging Technologies, to support reference quality recording workflows.

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Anticipation is building for this year’s NAMM Show as the Sennheiser Group prepares to showcase its latest audio innovations in two demo spaces.

The Sennheiser Group Live Room and the Immersive Demo Room promise an unparalleled experience for show visitors, featuring the latest audio innovations from Sennheiser, Neumann, Dear Reality and Merging Technologies, as well as offering seminars and panel discussions with some of the industry’s leading experts.

The Sennheiser Group Live Room will offer visitors a chance to explore the rich histories of Sennheiser and Neumann by showcasing both companies’ timelines. A focal point within the space will be the unveiling of Sennheiser’s latest addition to its professional studio portfolio, with NAMM attendees having the unique opportunity to engage with the product for the very first time.

Additionally, a dedicated wireless station will feature the Evolution Wireless Digital family of wireless microphones, Digital 6000 wireless mics as well as XS Wireless IEM and evolution wireless G4 IEM systems.

An insulated “Whisper Room” will accommodate selected Neumann microphones for demo. Moreover, Neumann will announce three new products. The MT 48 audio interface will receive an eagerly anticipated feature update, which, among other things, will allow working in immersive audio formats. Another focus is live sound: Neumann will show an omni capsule for the Miniature Clip Microphone (MCM) system as well as goosenecks of various lengths. Also on display will be much-requested additions to Neumann’s renowned family of vocalist capsule heads for wireless systems.

Two workstations will offer a hands-on experience of accessible immersive workflows. Here, spatial audio expert Dear Reality will introduce the successor of its popular dearVR PRO immersive spatializer plugin, dearVR PRO 2. This plugin adds another layer of spatial experience to any professional audio production and puts the listener at the center of the sound.

Furthermore, visitors can experience solutions to control the DAW in VR with Dear Reality’s dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT as well as monitor spatial audio mixes through headphones with the dearVR MONITOR mix room plugin.

The second immersive workstation will showcase Merging Technologies audio interfaces. A highlight will be the company’s Venue Mission software for the Anubis audio interface, which is set to revolutionize workflows for live musicians and sound engineers, providing them with unprecedented control over the entire audio ecosystem via an intuitive user interface that has a full 16-channel mixer at its heart.

In addition to product demonstrations, the Sennheiser Group Live Room features a stage with daily seminars led by industry luminaries. Monitor engineer Salim Akram, Grammy & Emmy awarded broadcast audio producer-mixer Michael Abbott, mixing engineer Brandon Blackwell, Sennheiser’s Jimmy Landry as well as music producers Mark Needham and Daniel Rowl and will share insights on topics ranging from navigating a journey in live audio to the role of AI in music production. A panel discussion with top music industry creators including Sean Daniel (@sean_daniel_music), Steve Onotera (@samuraiguitarist), John Matos (@abioticjohn), Emily Harris (@GetOffset) and Larry Orsini (@larryohh), as well as a closing session with Blake Shelton’s drummer Tracy Broussard will further enrich the NAMM Show experience.

Meanwhile, the Immersive Demo Room (# 18808) will captivate audiences with immersive presentations utilizing Neumann KH monitors as well as Merging Technologies’ Anubis and Hapi MK II audio interfaces configured in a 9.1.6 and 360 RA immersive sound setup. The Neumann Soundstage will feature masterclasses by renowned music producers and engineers such as Ronald Prent, Eva Reistad, Matt Wallace, Will Kennedy, Elliot Scheiner, Gavin Lurssen, Reuben Cohen, Michael Romanowski, Jimmy Douglass, Chuck Ainlay, George Massenburg, Jim Anderson, Ulrike Schwarz, Eric Schilling, Herbert Waltl, Frank Filipetti, Sylvia Massey and Justin Gray.

“At Sennheiser, we’re excited to collaborate with some of the brightest stars in the industry and invite them to share their knowledge at this year’s NAMM Show,” says Ed Capp, Sales Director Americas. “This promises to be an exciting event, featuring the unveiling of a brand-new studio product and showcasing a selection of top solutions from the Sennheiser Group, all available for demos and testing by show visitors. Be sure to stop by demo rooms 18806 and 18808 for an unforgettable audio experience!”

NAMM attendees can visit the Sennheiser Group at NAMM in the Sennheiser Group Live Room (18806) and the Immersive Demo Room (18808).

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Sennheiser Group (Demo Room 3D03) will be hosting an exclusive series of immersive presentations from Grammy-award winning audio engineers and producers during the 155th AES NY Convention, taking place from October 25th-27th at the Javits Center in New York City.

The demo room will also feature a comprehensive lineup of end-to-end immersive recording and mixing solutions, with hands-on microphone testing available to visitors. Highlights on display from Neumann.Berlin will include the KH line of monitors, including the recently released KH 120 II, the NDH 30 open-back headphones, and the company’s groundbreaking MT 48 Interface. With this, Merging Technologies will exhibit the Hapi and Anubis interfaces and Dear Reality its suite of spatial audio production plugins including dearVR PRO, dearVR MONITOR and dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT to enable monitoring, mixing and automating spatial audio in various environments.

The Neumann demo room will be outfitted with a full 9.1.6 immersive system, including two pairs of stereo monitors that will showcase AMBEO 2-Channel Spatial Audio functionality. Here, Neumann will host 11 different presentations featuring Grammy award-winning engineers and producers discussing and demonstrating their most recent immersive mixes on the Neumann immersive system. Additionally, the demo room will celebrate Neumann’s nearly 95-year history with a timeline displaying decades of the brand’s legendary products. The timeline will include beloved modern and classic mics, monitors and more, including but not limited to the U 87, M 149 and KU 80.

Presentation Series: Hear from industry-leading audio experts

Attendees will be treated to exclusive immersive demos and intimate question-and-answer sessions with decorated audio engineers and producers. The lineup of Grammy-winning presenters includes Justin Gray, Andrew Scheps, Ulrike Schwarz and Jim Anderson, George Massenburg, Chuck Ainlay, Jimmy Douglass, Michael Romanowski, Jeff Balding, Fab Dupont, and Morten Linberg. This stacked lineup has collectively worked with music icons ranging from Adele, Alicia Keys, George Strait, The Rolling Stones, Snoop Dogg and more.

Presentations are open to all AES attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Session dates and times are subject to change.

Up close and personal with Neumann’s microphone locker

The demo room will feature an isolation booth to allow visitors to test out a selection of classic and modern Neumann microphones. Microphones available to try include, but are not limited to the TLM family, U 87, U 67, M 49 V, KMS series stage mics, and the new Miniature Clip Microphone (MCM) system for close-miking instruments. An acoustic guitar will be provided.

With this, Neumann will be showcasing a variety of new products including the KH 120 II monitors, the NDH 30 open-back headphones, and the brand’s first-ever audio interface, the MT 48, developed in close cooperation with Merging Technologies. Boasting an expansive dynamic range, top-tier converters, preamps, and headphone amplifiers, the recently released MT 48 establishes cutting-edge benchmarks in sound fidelity. Its integrated DSP power enables the creation of monitor mixes enriched with advanced EQ and dynamic processing, all effortlessly managed through an intuitive touchscreen interface.

WMAS: Experience the future of wireless transmission today

In a separate, closed-to-the-public experience space next door (Demo Room 3D04), VIP customers will have the opportunity to participate in educational sessions about WMAS, the game-changing broadband wireless technology currently in development by Sennheiser. For more information or to request information or VIP access to the WMAS sessions, reach out here.

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This year’s leading event for live entertainment technology in the UK, the PLASA Show (September 3rd to 5th), will feature global audio specialist Sennheiser showcasing an array of exciting solutions that are extensively employed across the live events, film, and broadcast industries.

Sennheiser’s team of experts will be readily available to guide show visitors through their impressive line-up, including the renowned Digital 6000 series and the fifth generation of Evolution Wireless Systems: EW-D, EW-DX, and the newly released EW-DP. Additionally, a plethora of live sound products from Neumann will be available, featuring the latest in live microphones such as the Miniature Clip Mic System (MCM), KMS 104, and KMS 105. Showcased alongside these will be Neumann’s brand-new audio interface, the MT 48, along with the newest addition to the KH speaker range, KH 120 II. Each of these offerings delivers unparalleled sound quality, reliability and flexibility.

Visitors to the booth can expect first-hand experience with Sennheiser’s premium Digital 6000 Series, which has firmly established itself as a favoured choice within the realm of live events and theatre productions. Furthermore, the complete suite of Evolution Wireless Digital products – Sennheiser’s UHF digital system with increased bandwidth, the highest input dynamic range and lowest latency of any digital wireless system currently available – will be on display, including the EW-D, EW-DX, and the latest EW-DP wireless microphone systems.

The Neumann booth area will undoubtedly leave PLASA Show visitors impressed. On display will be the MT 48, Neumann’s first-ever audio interface. Based on Merging Technologies acclaimed Anubis audio interface, this innovative product marks a significant milestone in the company’s nearly 100-year history, showcasing Neumann’s expansion beyond microphones, loudspeakers, and headphones into the realm of digital interaction.

Among other innovations from Neumann is the latest addition to the KH speaker range, KH 120 II studio monitor. Building upon the success of its predecessor, KH 120 II offers improvements in all acoustic parameters for deeper bass, higher SPL capability, and increased resolution.

Other highlights of Sennheiser and Neumann’s PLASA offering include an expansive selection of microphones and microphone capsules available for show attendees to view and test, offering a great opportunity to understand various usage scenarios for achieving optimal sound quality.

Last but not least, Sennheiser will also showcase Li.LAC’s microphone hygiene system which provides low impact, contactless cleaning and disinfection through ultraviolet light (UV-C). Entered into this year’s PLASA Awards for Innovation, the Li.Lac Microphone Disinfector® achieves disinfection level of 99.99%* for surface disinfection and has been approved by the independent, accredited laboratory Opsytec Dr. Gröbel GmbH.

The complete suite of Evolution Wireless Digital products – Sennheiser’s UHF digital system with increased bandwidth, the highest input dynamic range and lowest latency of any digital wireless system currently available – will be on display at PLASA Show 2023, including the EW-D, EW-DX, and the latest EW-DP wireless microphone systems.

“Whether you’re a sound engineer, musician or live event professional, we look forward to engaging with fellow industry experts at our booth D6 and sharing our latest array of products and technologies with you,” says Kevin Gwyther-Brown, Business Development Manager – UK Pro Audio at Sennheiser.

“From Sennheiser’s latest Evolution Wireless Systems to Neumann’s MT 48 audio interface and highly-anticipated KH 120 II, we have something in store for every user!”

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(Poster courtesy of Netflix)

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Family businesses can be a hotbed of sibling rivalry and a battlefield of arguments and egos. On the plus side, family businesses can be agile and quick to respond to rapidly changing markets. You can also say things to a family member that you may not necessarily be able to say to a colleague. There’s much to be said for a well-run family business writes Mark Sparrow…

I suspect brothers Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser – the joint CEOs of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG – are nearly always in tune with each other because they appear to speak with one voice when it comes to the future of one of the world’s best-known audio brands. The German company that was founded back in 1945 by Prof Dr. Fritz Sennheiser is still an independent family business and the brothers are the third generation of the family to run the company.

Daniel is the elder by a year and has a background in design and marketing. His career has involved working for a variety of agencies and blue-chip FMCG concerns including Procter & Gamble. In 2008, Daniel joined Sennheiser and set up the company’s strategic innovation department.

Younger brother Andreas studied Management and Production at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) in Zurich, with a focus on Electrical Engineering and Logistics. Andreas gained his doctorate in 2004, four years after graduating before going on to work for Hilti AG before joining Sennheiser in 2010 where he was responsible for the company’s lean management and strategic supply chain design.

It was in 2013 that the two brothers were appointed joint CEOs of Sennheiser and began planning the long-term strategy for the company. During our interview, Daniel and Andreas set out the rationale behind their recent decision to sell the consumer business and license the brand to the giant Swiss hearing-aid and audio company Sonova AG.

The announcement that Sennheiser was selling off its most visible division came as something of a shock to the consumer audio industry when it was announced last year. Why was the company pulling out of a market that has annual sales of $50bn? Would Sennheiser even be able to find a buyer without running the risk that the brand would be taken downmarket, ruining the family’s hard-won reputation for audio excellence?

The deal took around 24 months to complete from the original strategic decision to find a partner for the consumer business to the signing on the dotted line with Sonova. I wondered whether the idea of hiving off the consumer business was an emotional wrench for the two brothers after so many years in the market as a household name under their control.

Andreas was first to answer: “We concluded that we needed to focus on the pro divisions of the company. We reviewed our business strategy 24 months ago and found that there was growth potential for all four, but at the same time they were following different paths in different markets. Increasingly there was less cross-fertilization of technology between the consumer business and pro divisions.

“Our teams were becoming more specialized and the consumer business had different market dynamics. We looked at the opportunities for all four units and concluded that the independent family business was best placed to fund and develop the three pro divisions most effectively. Those are the divisions that have all the differentiation needed to bring on superior technology, deliver remarkable audio experiences and Sennheiser’s reputation for rock-solid reliability.”

The brothers found an interesting hybrid solution to their conundrum by finding a partner that was willing to work with them by licensing the brand for the consumer business rather than buying it outright. The deal required a lot of trust. If Sennheiser had sold out the consumer business to a consumer audio rival, it’s doubtful that such an arrangement would have worked. I wondered if that was because Sennheiser is a family-owned business and that’s what enabled the two brothers to weave such an artful and elegant solution?

Daniel responded first: “Yes. That’s exactly the point. We were not necessarily looking for the highest bidder but the best strategic and cultural match. And we believe that’s what we found with Sonova. In the end, time will tell whether it was the right decision for us. We didn’t take it lightly. We looked at this move very carefully with consideration for the brand, the heritage and our family name. We believe it will be a very successful move and the exciting part is that we can now focus on the pro side of the business which is where we believe we can make a bigger impact with the competencies we have on board.

Andreas added: “We knew the consumer business had high-growth opportunities in a multibillion-euro market. However, we thought it would be better if it were attached to a larger company. It was purely from a business development perspective that we thought our consumer child would be better off under a new roof where it could grow and flourish. We decided that the three remaining pro areas of the business would be better off if we held onto them and put all our efforts into a strong growth strategy for them.”

Daniel then chipped in: “I think the consumer division is in good hands now. It was a risk but a good risk. It’s mostly run by the same team because we transferred more than 600 of our employees to Sonova AG. We trust those people will continue the business successfully, because we have worked with them for many years and know how passionate they are in what they do.

“When we were seeking a partner, we looked at several companies, but with Sonova we believe we chose the perfect company to work with. It’s not only what Sonova can get from us, but also how we can jointly strengthen the brand. Our two companies will jointly discuss the development of the Sennheiser brand while we will still own it. We licensed the name to Sonova and we will work as a true partnership. Both companies can win if we play it right. I believe that we have similar cultures with the same intention of cherishing the Sennheiser brand. Sonova also has a great track record for excellent audio quality and good brand building.”

Daniel and Andreas are now turning their considerable energies and talents to nurturing the remainder of the Sennheiser business which consists of the three divisions. The professional audio division produces equipment for touring, broadcasting and theatre use like wireless and wired microphones. Then there’s the business communications division which is increasingly important in the world of hybrid working and teleconferencing. Finally, there’s the Neumann microphones business in Berlin, perhaps the brightest jewel in Sennheiser’s corporate crown

Sennheiser acquired Neumann back in 1991 when it was probably the most high-profile brand acquisition the company had ever made. Neumann is the last word in high-end studio microphones and its products have a legendary reputation with sound engineers all over the world. Countless platinum-selling albums have been created in some of the world’s best recording studios using Neumann microphones. The brand is the Rolls-Royce of studio microphones and the brothers have now taken the business further by producing specialist instrument microphones and speakers for recording studios. Currently, Neumann makes up around 20% of Sennheiser’s turnover but this should increase with the ambitious plans the brothers have for the brand.

Daniel describes the company’s remaining divisions as being like a string of pearls in an audio necklace. The company has a reputation for producing products of the very highest audio standards. I can see why Daniel and Andreas felt the need to concentrate on undertaking advanced research into emerging audio applications. Perhaps the consumer division had become a distraction and was taking up too much of the brothers’ time; time that could be better spent focusing on the company’s core DNA of advanced audio research and development.

Andreas explained: “In our Business Communications division we make microphones for meetings and they are also used widely in higher education. We want to be present in the world’s meeting rooms. For example, our Team Connect Ceiling 2 microphone can be installed in ceilings and will follow a speaker around a room using beamforming. Sennheiser microphones are used in many lecture theaters around the world. With the development of dynamic classrooms and virtual and hybrid teaching, microphones must deliver the clearest possible sound to students studying remotely. We also have microphones that provide assistive listening for people with hearing difficulties in live environments, products such as our Mobile Connect system.

“Our microphones offer a different level of quality compared to the all-in-one teleconferencing products like video bars. That’s the real difference that we bring to the table. We can integrate our products by working with integrators so they can create and design the best meeting rooms possible. This requires a different skillset and we are truly agnostic when it comes to different systems. Sennheiser works with many different manufacturers and we have developed APIs that can connect our equipment to Crestron systems as well as Team and Zoom-certified solutions. We can play with everyone because we only really care about the quality of the audio experience.”

When it comes to Pro Audio, Sennheiser has held on to a few of its classic headphone models like the iconic HD 25 beloved by many DJs. The company also continues to make the very best wired, wireless and instrument microphones for entertainment and broadcasting applications. Sennheiser plans to consolidate its strong position in the global market by continuing to win over customers in the Live and Broadcasting business with reliable audio solutions and first-class sound quality. In addition, the audio specialist aims to develop corresponding software solutions for optimal workflows for these applications.

The company has also invested heavily in AMBEO 3D Audio, a spatial sound technology aimed at VR applications. Sennheiser has been recording 9.1 music since 2010 and has developed an algorithm that can create 9.1 music from conventional stereo recordings. Spatial sound is a rapidly developing market with plenty of competition from the likes of Dolby Atmos which is now available on Apple Music with spatial music mixes. The first AMBEO product, the AMBEO VR Mic for professional VR/AR/XR sound recording was introduced in 2016 and Sennheiser also created the first augmented audio listening accessory for Magic Leap’s AR/VR goggles, the AMBEO AR One.

I began my interview with Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser thinking that I would be talking to two brothers who had been forced to sell off the family silver in what is an incredibly competitive market. It turns out that nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, I encountered two brothers who had put an incredible amount of careful thought into developing a strategy that would deliver their consumer division into the care of a bigger partner that could develop great products for consumers in an incredibly fast-moving and fickle market. And they have done this while still protecting the reputation of the brand going forward.

I’m in no doubt that the brothers made the right decision and now they can direct their energies into the professional side of the business with its greater research needs and its higher financial returns which can fund more advanced research into the cutting-edge audio technologies that Sennheiser has always been known for.

I ended the interview by asking Andreas and Daniel where they thought Sennheiser would be in five years. Their answer was unequivocal: “There are a couple of streams that will matter in the next five years. One is immersive audio experiences, whether for conferencing or live productions. The 3D immersive experience is becoming increasingly important in live performances but it’s also important in hybrid situations using virtual reality. Another stream will be the integration of our meeting-room systems and microphones that we discussed earlier.

“The products that we bring to the market must be the pearls in any system. We want to make the best possible microphones with seamless integration with other systems. We want to focus on offering the best possible ingredients for the overall audio experience. With Neumann, we have a very clear strategy for producing more products for our professional customers. Neumann has already started producing specialist instrument microphones and studio monitors. We will be releasing more microphones for live performances soon.

“In the next five years, we will cover significantly more of the whole production stream for both live and studio productions. Sennheiser and Neumann brands will continue to stand for reliability, innovation and remarkable sound. That’s what Sennheiser stands for and in the next five years that will become even more important. We will do lots more development and continue to ‘over-invest’ in our development.”

I came away from my interview with the impression that these two thoughtful brothers had taken the right and difficult decision for their business. They are no longer bogged down with the short production cycles of the consumer audio market and can now turn their attention to developing the advanced audio technology of the future without the distraction of a consumer marketplace that’s as much about fashion as it is about audio technology. The future is looking bright right now for Sennheiser.

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Swiss-based medical hearing solutions provider Sonova Holding AG has acquired Sennheiser’s consumer electronics business. 

Subject to regulatory approval, the plan is to complete the transfer of the business to Sonova by the end of 2021. Sennheiser announced in February that it planned to focus on its professional business divisions while seeking a partner for its CE arm.

The takeover allows Sonova to add headphones and soundbars to its portfolio, which currently comprises hearing aids and cochlear implants. 

The move will allow Sennheiser to concentrate its resources on the Pro Audio, Business Communications and Neumann business areas. In these three business units, the company says it plans to continue to grow ‘at an above-average rate under its own power and to expand its already strong position in the global market.’

Sennheiser co-CEOs Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser spoke to Audio Media International about the division of the company’s professional and consumer business units and what the restructure means for its customers and staff here.

Both companies will work together under the Sennheiser brand in the future, although Sonova will take over the development and production areas of Sennheiser Consumer Electronics.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better partner than Sonova for our Consumer Electronics business,” said Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO at Sennheiser. “Sonova is a strong, well-positioned company. Not only do we share a passion for unique audio experiences, we also share very similar corporate values. This gives us an excellent foundation for a successful future together.” 

Co-CEO Dr. Andreas Sennheiser said: “The combination of our strengths provides an very good starting point for future growth. We are convinced that Sonova will strengthen the Sennheiser Consumer Business in the long term and capture the major growth opportunities.” Both partners see great potential in particular in the market for speech-enhanced hearables and for true wireless and audiophile headphones.

As part of the partnership, a complete transfer of operations of the consumer business to Sonova is planned. Currently, a total of around 600 Sennheiser employees work in the CE division.

Arnd Kaldowski, CEO of Sonova, said: “I am very pleased that Sennheiser has chosen Sonova to further develop the well-renowned Consumer Division. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues and to building on the combined strengths of both organizations to successfully shape our joint future. The fast-growing market for personal audio devices is rapidly evolving.

“Combining our audiological expertise with Sennheiser’s know-how in sound delivery, their great reputation as well as their high-quality products will allow us to expand our offering and to create important touchpoints with consumers earlier in their hearing journey. Combining our market-leading technology with the strong brand and well-established distribution network of Sennheiser creates a strong foundation for future growth.”

Commenting on the acquisition, analyst Luke Pearce of Futuresource Consulting, said: “A smart and logical move for both parties, with Hearing Aid brands needing to leverage the audio reputation of a well-recognized consumer brand, particularly among the target demographic, for the next generation of Smart OTC Hearing Aids and Hearables.”

Pearce notes that Sennheiser too has been under pressure from the rapid rise of smartphone brands in the personal audio category. “The move will enable them to keep its reputable brand in this space whilst expanding its other business units in Pro Audio and Business Communications.”

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Sennheiser is aiming to revolutionise in-car listening with its suite of AMBEO Mobility audio solutions – and now the technology its own dedicated website.

First announced at CES 2020, Sennheiser AMBEO Mobility is the maker’s take on immersive in-car 3D sound.

Going head to head with Dolby’s Atmos in-car offering, AMBEO Mobility makes use of individual sound zones and includes noise management to enable meeting room-quality communication for both the driver and passengers. 

According to the maker, AMBEO Mobility “aims at enveloping the driver and all passengers into a breathtaking, immersive soundscape that will take them to the middle of the live concert experience.”

The game-changing in-car audio system comprises a number of features including AMBEO Concerto, an algorithm that enables any audio format to be played with 3D depth. The system also features AMBEO Calmo, which reduces noise, and AMBEO Sonata which creates around an immersive sound zone around each headrest. 

The technology suite also includes AMBEO Contrabass which boosts bass without the need for a large subwoofer, and AMBEO Solo which is designed to create individual sound zones around each passenger by acoustically separating different seats. 

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