DSP Group Strengthens Its Position in Rapidly Growing Headset Market with Acquisition of SoundChip SA

DSP Group, Inc., a leading global provider of wireless chipset solutions for converged communications, has announced the acquisition of privately owned SoundChip SA, a leading supplier of active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, engineering services, design tools, and production-line test systems for headsets. The acquisition combines SoundChip’s proven capabilities in hybrid ANC with DSP Group’s SmartVoice advanced low-power voice processing platform, algorithms, and mixed-signal expertise to streamline the delivery of cutting-edge wireless and true wireless stereo (TWS) headsets, from concept through to manufacturing. DSP Group’s technologies have recently been adopted by Google, Panasonic, and Technics in their latest TWS headset models.

Listen Technologies Corporation, a leading provider of advanced wireless listening solutions for 22 years, has acquired ExXothermic, a company specializing in high-quality, low-latency Wi-Fi audio technology. ExXothermic has several patents for its Wi-Fi streaming technology and has delivered thousands of Wi-Fi audio channels for use in assistive listening, fitness centers, waiting areas, hospitality, and other applications and environments around the world.

CMA Audio acquired audio manufacturer Lake People Electronic. For 2020, CMA Audio plans to invest in the extension of research and development in the company's headquarters in Constance, in the South of Germany, to overhaul the entire product catalog, which includes Lake People, Violectric and Niimbus brands, and to establish a new cable manufacture operation in cooperation with Japanese manufacturer Mogami. Target markets continues to be professional audio, hi-fi and high end audio enthusiasts.

Emmis Communications Corporation announced the acquisition of the sound masking business of Lencore Acoustics Corporation, a leading manufacturer in high-quality sound masking solutions for offices and other commercial applications. Based in Long Island (Woodbury), New York, Lencore has 33 employees who will become Emmis employees, including the sound masking business' leadership team. The offices will remain in Long Island New York.

Denmark-Based GRAS Sound & Vibration (“GRAS”), the prestigious manufacturer of acoustic-measurement microphones, has reached an agreement with Battery Ventures, a global, technology-focused investment firm, to join its group of companies in the acoustic test and measurement market. GRAS will operate alongside U.S.-based Audio Precision, acquired by Battery Ventures in 2018. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

During ISE 2020, Biamp announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire another company with a product portfolio that expands significantly its offering for meeting rooms and collaboration applications. This time it was Huddle Room Technology (HRT), a company based in Modena, Italy, which adds an innovative family of Huddle Hub wireless USB and content sharing products to its extensive range of meeting room solutions.

Founded in 2011 and with a very promising trajectory of industry partnerships and growth, Chirp.io, the British data-over-sound company announced that it was acquired by Sonos, the wireless speaker company from Santa Barbara, California. With this new acquisition, that follows closely on other investments in voice- and edge-processing technologies, Sonos shows serious ambitions to expand its connected ecosystem of smart devices into the smart home and beyond.

The Canada-based IP video processing pioneer Embrionix is now a part of Riedel Communications. With this combination of two success stories in state-of-the-art signal transport and processing for the media and entertainment markets, Riedel strengthens its expertise in IP-enabled hardware and software and further broadens its extensive portfolio of video solutions, opening up new possibilities in signal transmission and processing.

GoldenEar Technology, the manufacturer of home audio loudspeakers, and The Quest Group, best known as the owner of the AudioQuest brand of cables, Niagara power products, and DragonFly DACs, have announced that GoldenEar has become part of The Quest Group, a California corporation wholly owned by AudioQuest founder and CEO Bill Low. In a letter sent to GoldenEar dealers and distributors, Sandy Gross justifies the decision based on what The Quest Group's resources and capabilities can do for the company.

Knowles Corporation, a market leader in advanced micro-acoustic, audio processing, and precision device solutions, announced it has acquired the MEMS microphone ASIC design business from Austrian company ams AG. The transaction includes intellectual property, rights to source ASIC wafers from multiple foundry partners, and the transfer of the ASIC design team, which will continue to be based in Switzerland.