Sony Acquires High-End Headphone Maker Audeze

This is a developing story and we will update the article as more details become available.

The highly regarded headphone manufacturer Audeze is set to be acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment. This is huge news for the headphone and audio world as Audeze has long been a major player in the high end headphone market. In particular, Audeze is well-known for their planar magnetic driver technology and has many fans of their products around the world.

It remains to be seen how this is going to affect the Audeze headphones enthusiasts know and love, but it’s stated that Audeze will “continue to develop multi-platform products”, and the acquisition is intended to help scale the company.

Of course, the news raises a number of questions when it comes to future integrations between the two companies. It should be mentioned that the acquisition is specifically from Sony Interactive Entertainment, which also oversees their Playstation division. This means this relationship will likely center around gaming products. Audeze’s tech has already been used in a number of gaming headsets and products that fit well with the Sony Playstation ecosystem, and this acquisition serves to strengthen that connection.

It may be that we start seeing more of Audeze’s unique driver and acoustic technology being used in Playstation or other gaming products. This news comes on the heels of Sony announcing a series of products that use planar magnetic technology called Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore, and it would not come as a surprise if Audeze had a hand in their development.

Audeze has also been the manufacturer for products sold by other brands in the past, like the HyperX Orbit and Stax/Edifier Spirit S3, so they have a history of headphone and audio development outside of their own company brand.

On the Audeze side of things, one can only speculate as to what the kind of scaling Sony’s resources can provide. But, with recent successes like the Audeze Maxwell headset, this acquisition should come as exciting news to both gamers and headphone enthusiasts alike.

It’s also worth noting that this is the second major high end headphone company in recent years to have an acquisition. Sennheiser’s consumer division was recently acquired by Sonova, a hearing aid company. Many were left to speculate as to the impact this would have on such a beloved audio brand, and today’s news about Audeze is likely to spark similar curiosity. The audio community has yet to fully see the effects of Sonova’s acquisition, but so far when it comes to headphones, Sennheiser has continued to release well-received products since then.

Check out headphone reviewer FC-Construct’s take on what to expect for the upcoming Sony gaming headsets Pulse Elite & Explore.

Read the full press release below

Sony Interactive Entertainment to Acquire Audeze, a Leader in Audio Technology and Developer of Award-winning Headphones for Gaming

Acquisition bolsters SIE’s continued focus on innovation in the PlayStation audio experience and brings Audeze into the PlayStation ecosystem

SAN MATEO, Calif., Aug. 24, 2023 – Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (“SIE”) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Audeze, a leading audio technology brand and pioneer of high-end gaming headphones. The acquisition will strengthen SIE’s efforts to continue innovating when it comes to the audio experience of PlayStation games. Audeze will continue to operate independently and develop multi-platform products, while benefiting from being a part of the PlayStation ecosystem.

Based in Santa Ana, Calif., Audeze develops award-winning headphones for the professional audio, audiophile, and gaming markets. These headphones use Audeze’s patented technologies and unique planar magnetic drivers to deliver an outstanding sound experience for consumers as well as recording professionals, including sound engineers at many game development studios. Audeze designs and manufactures its planar magnetic drivers and professional headphones in its California facility.

“Audeze is a premier brand for headphones, and this acquisition highlights Sony Interactive’s focus on innovation and providing the best audio experience to PlayStation players,” said Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President, Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We’re excited to bring Audeze’s expertise into the PlayStation ecosystem, building on the great strides we’ve made with PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech and the Pulse 3D wireless headset.”

“Sony Interactive provides Audeze with a unique opportunity to scale our business, as we continue with our mission to deliver best-in-class headphones to recording professionals, audiophiles, and gamers,” said Sankar Thiagasamudram, CEO at Audeze. “We’re also looking forward to contributing to Sony Interactive’s efforts to take PlayStation audio experiences to the next level.”

Terms of this transaction, including the acquisition cost, are not disclosed due to contractual commitments.

About Sony Interactive Entertainment

Sony Interactive Entertainment pushes the boundaries of entertainment and innovation, starting from the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan in 1994. Today, we continue to deliver innovative and thrilling experiences to a global audience through our PlayStation line of products and services that include generation-defining hardware, pioneering network services, and award-winning games. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, with global functions in California, London, and Tokyo, and game development studios around the world as part of PlayStation Studios, we believe that the power of play is borderless. Sony Interactive Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. For more information about our company, please visit SonyInteractive.com. For more information about PlayStation products, please visit PlayStation.com.

About Audeze

Audeze LLC is the California-based high-end audio manufacturer delivering the most accurate sound reproduction available today. Audeze products, engineered with the latest innovations in materials science and technology, are built with precision craftsmanship. Audeze's commitment to research, development, and uncompromised audio is reflected in every facet of their leading-edge products. This has earned Audeze the distinction of being the world's best-reviewed headphone brand.

“PlayStation” and “PS5” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.