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| Crown Audio | |
|---|---|
| Name | Crown Audio |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Audio equipment |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Dale Fettig |
| Headquarters | Elkhart, Indiana, United States |
| Key people | Henry L. Crown (former), John Odom (former), Arno Heller (former) |
| Products | Power amplifiers, mixing consoles, signal processors |
| Parent | Harman International |
Crown Audio Crown Audio is an American manufacturer of professional audio electronics known for power amplifiers, mixing consoles, and signal processing equipment. Founded in 1947, the company developed products used in cinema, broadcasting, live sound, and installed sound systems for venues such as arenas, theaters, and houses of worship. Crown has contributed to audio engineering developments alongside companies like Bose Corporation, Yamaha Corporation, Shure Incorporated, Sennheiser, and Electro-Voice.
Crown Audio was established by Dale Fettig in 1947 in Elkhart, Indiana and grew during the postwar boom alongside firms such as RCA, Magnavox, Philips, General Electric and Tektronix. In the 1950s and 1960s Crown competed with McIntosh Laboratory, Altec Lansing, Klipsch, JBL, and Harman International-associated brands in amplifier and loudspeaker markets. During the 1970s Crown released notable amplifier series as audio technology advanced with contributions from engineers formerly at Bell Labs and Western Electric. The company later navigated consolidation trends that included mergers and acquisitions seen across the Consumer electronics industry by firms like Sony Corporation, Panasonic, and Hitachi. In the 1990s and 2000s Crown expanded into digital signal processing amid the rise of companies such as Dolby Laboratories, AT&T Bell Labs, Texas Instruments, and Intel Corporation. Crown became part of Harman International in the 2000s, connecting it to brands including AKG, JBL Professional, Lexicon, and Studer.
Crown’s product range includes professional power amplifiers, live sound amplifiers, touring amplifiers, installation amplifiers, mixing consoles, and networked audio processors used by entities like Broadcasting Board of Governors, National Basketball Association, Madison Square Garden, and Carnegie Hall. Signature product lines have been compared to offerings from QSC Audio Products, Powersoft, Crest Audio, Lab Gruppen, and Crown International-era contemporaries. Crown introduced rack-mount amplifiers, bridgeable stereo units, and multi-channel models serving applications for Universal Studios, Disneyland, Metropolitan Opera, Royal Albert Hall, and major touring acts associated with Live Nation and AEG Presents. Accessories include rack kits, cooling modules, and remote control systems interoperable with protocols from Audinate and Dante Virtual Soundcard ecosystems.
Crown advanced amplifier topology with designs influenced by research at Bell Labs and semiconductor developments from National Semiconductor and Analog Devices. Innovations include Class H and Class D amplifier implementations, switching power supplies, and protected output stages collaborating with designers from IEEE-associated conferences. Crown integrated digital signal processing architectures compatible with protocols from AES67, AVB, Dante, and networked audio initiatives promoted by Avid Technology and Steinberg Media Technologies. The company’s thermal management and reliability testing practices draw on standards from Underwriters Laboratories and International Electrotechnical Commission. Crown’s work intersected with loudspeaker manufacturers like JBL, Electro-Voice, and Community Professional for system optimization and crossover integration.
Crown products are deployed in arenas, stadiums, houses of worship, recording studios, broadcast facilities, and corporate AV installations for clients such as BBC, NBCUniversal, CBS, FOX Broadcasting Company, Netflix, and venue operators like SMG and Oak View Group. Touring engineers for acts on Live Nation circuits often specify Crown amplifiers alongside consoles from Yamaha, Allen & Heath, Avid, and monitor systems from Sennheiser. Installed sound applications in airports, transportation hubs, and convention centers align Crown with integrators such as AVI-SPL, Diversified, and PSAV and with standards organizations including TIA and ANSI.
Manufacturing has historically been centered in Elkhart, Indiana with supply chains sourcing components from semiconductor fabs like Texas Instruments and passive suppliers in regions such as Asia and Europe. Corporate governance shifted as Crown joined Harman International, which is itself a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics. Management and engineering teams have rotated through executives with experience at Bose Corporation, Harman, JBL, and Shure. Distribution networks include professional dealers such as Guitar Center, Sweetwater Sound, and regional distributors in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.
Crown amplifiers have received acclaim in professional audio reviews from publications like Sound on Sound, Mixmag, Pro Sound News, Audio Media International, and Resolution and have been awarded by institutions such as NAMM-associated showcases. Notable installations include use in Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and film postproduction facilities serving studios like Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures. Crown equipment has been chosen for touring rigs supporting artists managed by William Morris Endeavor and CAA and featured in systems designed by firms such as JaffeHolden and Renkus-Heinz.
Category:Audio equipment manufacturers Category:Companies based in Indiana