Today, Bose Corporation announced its acquisition of McIntosh Group, the parent company of the high-end audio brands Sonus faber and McIntosh. With this move, Bose seeks to expand its reach into the high-performance and luxury audio markets.
"Over the last six decades, we've delivered the best premium audio experiences possible. Now, with McIntosh Group in our portfolio, we can unlock even more ways to bring music to life," said Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose Corporation. “We look forward to honouring the heritage of these brands, investing in their future and pushing the boundaries of audio innovation to bring customers experiences they’ve never heard before.”
The companies will maintain their focus on their respective product lines and market categories. Bose will continue producing headphones, speakers, and soundbars, while McIntosh and Sonus faber will concentrate on the high-end: receivers, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and turntables. The press release also suggests potential collaborations, noting that the acquisition "allows Bose to integrate its advanced audio research and technology into the high-performance and luxury market."
Daniel Pidgeon, chief executive officer of McIntosh Group, commented, "Gaining access to Bose's expertise as a pioneer in automotive audio will help us accelerate our presence and deliver solutions that match our reputation and performance standards."
The Companies
Industry heavyweight Bose is one of the best-known brands in audio. Its Model 901 speaker remains an iconic design, though the company is now best known as the market leader in noise-cancelling headphones. Founded in 1964, the company is based in Framingham, Massachusetts, and MIT—yes, the university—is the majority shareholder thanks to a donation by the company founder, Dr. Amar Bose. However MIT does not actively participate in the company's management. McIntosh Laboratory was founded in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1949 by Frank McIntosh, but later moved its main office to Binghamton, New York, where it remains today. Early on, McIntosh was praised for its innovative amplifier designs, such as the unity coupled transformer, which produces high power with low distortion. The company provided sound systems for the 1969 Woodstock music festival and several presidential inaugurations.
Sonus faber is famous for making high-end audio equipment by hand, especially loudspeakers. It was started in 1983 by Franco Serblin in Arcugnano, Italy and is renowned for its handcrafted designs that embody Italian craftsmanship.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed—an industry standard for acquisitions.
Industry heavyweight Bose is one of the best-known brands in audio. Its Model 901 speaker remains an iconic design, though the company is now best known as the market leader in noise-cancelling headphones. Founded in 1964, the company is based in Framingham, Massachusetts, and MIT—yes, the university—is the majority shareholder thanks to a donation by the company founder, Dr. Amar Bose. However MIT does not actively participate in the company's management. McIntosh Laboratory was founded in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1949 by Frank McIntosh, but later moved its main office to Binghamton, New York, where it remains today. Early on, McIntosh was praised for its innovative amplifier designs, such as the unity coupled transformer, which produces high power with low distortion. The company provided sound systems for the 1969 Woodstock music festival and several presidential inaugurations.
