Sennheiser Group Invests in Professional Audio as Sonova Completes Acquisition of the Sennheiser Consumer Division

Sonova Holding AG, the Swiss hearing care solutions company, has successfully closed the previously announced acquisition of the Consumer Division from Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG, creating a new Consumer Hearing business unit. Sennheiser will now focus exclusively on professional audio solutions, keeping Neumann.Berlin as the only separate brand, while the Sennheiser Group aims to achieve sustainable growth.

Humanity rejoice! Neumann.Berlin announced a new microphone. And not only one, but a whole range. In a surprising sign of life, the German microphone specialists announced their first product range designed especially for close miking musical instruments. The new modular range is based on a new electret capsule that Neumann’s developers spent six years researching, together with the production processes that would be necessary to make this a reality.

German studio specialist Neumann.Berlin introduced the MA 1, an integrated hard/software tool for monitor alignment, acoustic calibration and room correction, tailor-made for Neumann studio monitors. Calibration algorithms, jointly developed with Fraunhofer IIS, the world’s leading institute for audio signal processing, ensure best possible monitoring quality in any environment – from acoustically untreated bedroom studios to professional control rooms.

German studio specialist Neumann.Berlin unveiled the V 402, a state-of-the-art dual-channel microphone preamplifier with integrated headphone monitoring and DI inputs with high impedance. Designed to be a center piece for recording stages in any current studio environment, the V 402 translates the best possible result out of any microphone, in fully transparent manner, without unwanted colorations.

Neumann Berlin introduced the KH 750 DSP compact subwoofer. The new model is the ideal choice for smaller rooms and the perfect complement to the, also compact, Neumann KH 80 DSP studio monitors, the brand's first with digital signal processing. Together, Neumann is now able to offer a studio solution with analog and digital inputs and outputs, routing modes and adaptable acoustical controls, with the Neumann.Control app for iPad providing room calibration and configurable alignment.

Wolfgang Fraissinet, the most recognizable face of Georg Neumann GmbH, and the company’s Marketing and Finance President, will leave the studio specialist to pursue new career opportunities in the audio and music industry, Sennheiser announced. “We thank Wolfgang for his huge contribution to the success of Georg Neumann GmbH for almost three decades,” said Peter Claussen, COO of Sennheiser.