DPA Microphones, originally Danish Professional Audio, was spun off from Bruel & Kjaer when the recording community started to adopt the company’s measurement microphones for studio and live recording applications. When the company launched the famous DPA 4060 and 4061 miniature condenser microphones, the brand quickly expanded globally as a manufacturer of high-quality products, praised for their exceptional clarity and transparency, and reliability.
In 2018, DPA Microphones was acquired by RCF Group, the Italian conglomerate with companies and subsidiaries located in the USA and Europe. For this and other acquisitions, and to support its ambitious growth plans, RCF Group received investments from two prominent European private equity players, Palladio Finanziaria Holding and Amundi Private Equity Funds. In 2023, Palladio Holding took over control of DPA Microphones, enabling the Danish company to envisage its own expansion plans and opening of new headquarters in Kokkedal, Denmark, a convenient suburb of Copenhagen, relocating from the original building in Allerød.
DPA now acquiring Austrian Audio is one of the most unexpected industry moves - but so was the previous acquisition of the Danish company by an Italian company, given the cultural differences and accounting requirements from those countries. And yet, Kalle Hvidt Nielsen, DPA’s CEO since 2016 and the mastermind behind these corporate moves, says that the new acquisition enhances both companies’ product portfolios and provides new opportunities for growth and innovation. One of the immediately recognizable gains is that Nielsen will now have the experience and sales acumen of Martin A. Seidl, Austrian Audio’s founder, CEO, and shareholder.
The combined engineering experience of the two companies is also a potential gain, given that Austrian Audio was able to build a very unique and differentiated product catalog in a highly competitive and saturated market, thanks in great part to the skills of its engineering team. Austrian Audio developed innovative microphones, headphones, and audio tools that have nearly no overlap with the DPA microphone portfolio.
DPA is a leading manufacturer of miniature microphones, while Austrian Audio specializes in large-diaphragm microphones, which are hand-assembled in Austria using its own specialized tools. And while DPA is positioned to serve the most demanding professional applications, from classical music recording to broadcasting and news gathering, Austrian Audio offers a wider span in its product range, serving predominantly the home studio market. Contrasting the two companies’ offerings, we will find overlap in handheld vocalist microphones, where DPA made a very strong and successful entrance more than 10 years ago with premium condenser microphones, while Austrian Audio just recently targeted essentially the musician market.
Together, the brands provide a broader product range for discerning sound engineers in industries like broadcast, musical, theater, live events, and recording studios. The big question will be how to join forces, since the two companies have unique cultures that will be highly unlikely to be combined and also have recognized brands that are more valuable separately. According to the announcement, the two companies will continue to operate independently. What they can do together is to jointly design and develop new professional audio solutions that meet the constantly evolving market demands.
“Austrian Audio is a rising star for high-end audio solutions, and I am excited to join forces with such a strong team of audio professionals,” says Kalle Hvidt Nielsen. “I know that together we can deliver increasingly innovative products and further enhance the service for our customers, which will elevate both brands to new heights. It is impressive to see what Austrian Audio has already achieved in its short lifetime, and we are thrilled to welcome such a competent partner into the family.”
For Martin A. Seidl and Austrian Audio, this acquisition is described as “an important step towards the dream of introducing the brand’s high-quality solutions to even more sound engineers worldwide.”
“Kalle first approached me at an industry event where both our brands were participating, and I was thrilled,” says Martin Seidl, founder and CEO of Austrian Audio. “To be recognized as a strong and influential brand after only four years in the market was such a great honor for Austrian Audio, and me personally. It is fantastic to have been selected to join forces with such an experienced and globally renowned partner. I very much look forward to what lies ahead for both brands, which are now in a great position to serve the professional audio industry with passionate innovations.”
Representatives from both companies will be available during the 2025 NAMM Show to discuss this partnership, with DPA Microphones located at Booth 18206 and Austrian Audio at Booth 16102.
www.austrian.audio
www.dpamicrophones.com
