The music business, or pro audio market if you prefer, is no stranger to mergers and acquisitions, and we’ve certainly seen a lot of companies become bundled together (think companies like InMusic, Behringer, etc.), but it was a surprise today to see two of my favorite brands come together. Australian pro-audio company RODE Microphones today announced its acquisition of legendary audio technology manufacturer, U.S.-based Aphex.

Founded in the mid-1970s, Aphex (then known as Aphex Systems) has since become one of the music and broadcast industries’ most revered brands.

I’ve been a long-time customer of both companies, having used Aphex products since the late 1980s, and the Aural Exciter with “big bottom” has always been a go-to product for sweetening audio, but has also always brought a smile to my face (and grimace from my ex-wife). I own several RODE microphones and used RODE exclusively for my podcast back in the 2005 era of first-gen podcasting.

“Growing up in professional audio as I did, I have always had incredible respect for Aphex,” commented RØDE founder and Managing Director, Peter Freedman. “They’ve always been the best in the business at enhancing the recorded audio experience, and that is as true today as it was when the company was founded forty years ago.”

David Wiener, Chairman and CEO of DWV Entertainment, previous owner of Aphex, added: “Aphex is in the best shape ever in the company’s history. I look forward to seeing Peter’s exceptional passion and energy focused on growing Aphex with new products and programs. RODE is an incredible success story of the modern audio movement, and now with Aphex in its stable I am excited to see what will come next.”

RØDE Microphones (www.rode.com) designs and manufactures high-quality microphones and related accessories for studio, live and location use. Its products are designed and primarily manufactured in Sydney, Australia and exported to over 100 countries globally.

Founded in 1975, Aphex (www.aphex.com) has since become one of the music and broadcast industries’ most trusted brands. Today, Aphex products and technologies are used in a wide range of applications for music, film, video, theatre, gaming and communications. The company’s legendary “Exciter” technology was inducted into the TEC “TECnology” Hall of Fame in 2013, in recognition of its contribution to improving decades of music and voice for countless artists, albums, movies, TV and radio shows around the world.

 
NOTE: while the RØDE brand has a slash in the O, I have chosen to leave that out throughout the text for ease of readability :-).

Article is Copr. © 2015 by Christopher Simmons and first appeared on MuseWire.com.