At ASG, we’re always excited to learn about the new possibilities that can happen when leading audio technology creators work together to develop new and exciting solutions. In the case of legendary German transducer manufacturer Neumann and highly respected Swiss digital audio workstation maker Merging Technologies, who announced their new partnership working together under the Sennheiser Group last month, we’re already putting together plans on how ASG customers will benefit from this incredible partnership.

For many years, ASG has been a leading integrator for the acclaimed, award-winning audio technologies from both Merging and Neumann, doing high-profile installations at some of the finest venues and recording facilities. Here’s some background on the storied histories pf both companies.

A Trip Down Audio History
It was in 1928 in Berlin, Germany that Georg Neumann GmbH was founded. Right from the start, Neumann introduced products that ended up changing the world of recording and live sound, beginning with the CMV 3, the world’s first commercially available condenser microphone. The capsule for this mic, the M 7, was repurposed in 1949 into the U 47, a microphone that featured switchable polar patterns, and became the de facto standard for professional recording worldwide. The U 47, with its sharp and present reproduction of sound, was heard in pop music that ranged from Frank Sinatra to the Beatles.

Neumann has always been at at the forefront of transducer technology. In the mid-1960s, they began adapting phantom powering to their mics, allowing tube microphones, solid-state microphones and dynamic microphones all to be connected to the same power supplies. Other Neumann mics over the subsequent decades, like the M 49, the KM 83, the TLM 170, the U 87, and others have been used on many of the world’s best-known and most beloved recordings in history, spanning all music genres and used for non-musical applications such as voiceover and broadcast as well. In 1991, Neumann was acquired by another globally-respected microphone company, Sennheiser. Neumann eventually expanded their offerings into other highly-regarded transducer products including studio monitor loudspeakers and headphones.

Meanwhile in Switzerland…
In 1990, an electronics expert and former Nagra employee named Claude Cellier founded Merging Technologies. Merging was created to take advantage of the rapidly growing world of digital signal processing in the early ‘90s, and their Pyramix Virtual Studio became adopted as the primary high resolution recording workstation by hundreds of recording facilities. Always a step ahead of the game, Merging was one of the earliest players in Audio over IP with their acclaimed RAVENNA interface in 2012. Other interface products, like the Anubis range of AoIP converters, have become essential tools for broadcasters with their ability to manage and control large audio networks.

Now in use for more than 25 years, Pyramix has continued to evolve, now offering Dolby Atmos workflow to its already impressive immersive audio feature set. Merging Technologies is a leader not only in recording and broadcast, but also in applications such as theme parks, museums, and transport hubs. For any situation where networked audio is crucial, Merging has solutions.

Come Together
Working together under the umbrella of the Sennheiser group, Neumann and Merging Technologies will offer a match made in audio heaven. The first joint product of the partnership between Neumann and Merging Technologies will be a Neumann audio interface that enables the perfect integration of Neumann products into a digital infrastructure.

“We plan to strengthen Neumann’s offering, particularly in the area of digital workstreams, in order to provide our customers with holistic audio solutions in studio quality. Merging Technologies’ products and solutions are an excellent complement to the Neumann product portfolio. We are therefore very much looking forward to working together with the Merging team,” says Ralf Oehl, CEO of Georg Neumann GmbH.

ASG, Neumann and Merging Technologies
While we all await the fruits of this partnership, there’s one thing we can tell you right away. With its 25-year background as a leader in broadcast and professional audio, ASG has been one of the most highly-regarded systems integrators in the United States for both Neumann and Merging Technologies. Especially considering our expertise in production, post production, and shared storage systems, ASG should be the top choice for media, broadcast, film, commercial audio recording, and corporate video creators who want to take advantage of the legendary power of both of these leading-edge audio technology brands. Contact us today!