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| Lab Gruppen | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lab Gruppen |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Audio equipment |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Dan Bävholm, Anders Eriksson |
| Headquarters | Kungsbacka, Sweden |
| Products | Power amplifiers, signal processors, networked audio |
| Parent | Music Group (former), Gibson, amp division |
Lab Gruppen
Lab Gruppen is a Swedish manufacturer of professional loudspeaker power amplifiers and audio processing equipment with a strong presence in live sound, touring, fixed install, and broadcast sectors. Founded by engineers in the late 1970s, the company built a reputation for rugged amplifiers and circuit innovations that attracted clients among touring productions, performing arts venues, and broadcast studios. Lab Gruppen products have been used alongside equipment from manufacturers such as Midas, Yamaha Corporation, Shure, Neumann (company), and Sennheiser at events including tours by artists managed by Live Nation Entertainment and festivals organized by SFX Entertainment.
Lab Gruppen was established in Sweden in 1979 by engineers who sought to produce high-reliability audio power amplifiers for touring and installation markets. Early growth saw interaction with companies such as Avid Technology and Soundcraft as the digital audio revolution reshaped live mixing and console design. During the 1990s and 2000s the company engaged with regional distributors and integrators including Electro-Voice, JBL Professional, and D&B Audiotechnik while contributing to projects for institutions such as Royal Albert Hall and broadcasters like BBC and Norddeutscher Rundfunk. Corporate milestones include partnerships and acquisitions that linked Lab Gruppen with conglomerates such as Gibson Brands and later the Music Tribe family alongside brands like TC Electronic, Behringer, and Fender Musical Instruments Corporation affiliates.
Lab Gruppen's product line spans class-D and switch-mode power amplifiers, digital signal processors, and networked audio interfaces. Notable technologies incorporate proprietary protection schemes and cooling systems developed alongside component suppliers such as Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, and Infineon Technologies. Integration with network protocols has involved interoperability with systems by Dante (audio networking), AVB, and products from Cisco Systems for managed network infrastructure. The company has produced series designed for touring, including multi-channel amplifiers compatible with loudspeaker manufacturers like L-Acoustics, Meyer Sound Laboratories, and Electro-Voice. Processor features enable crossover management, limiting and FIR filtering used by houses of worship such as Saddleback Church and performing arts centers like Sydney Opera House.
Lab Gruppen amplifiers and processors are installed in concert tours, fixed venue systems, broadcast studios, and cinema sound systems. Installations have been specified in venues operated by organizations such as Nederlander Organization, AEG Presents, and municipal theaters like Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro). Broadcast applications include signal chains alongside equipment from Studer and Solid State Logic in facilities for networks such as PBS and ZDF. Cinema and immersive audio projects have paired the company’s amplification hardware with loudspeaker arrays by Dolby Laboratories and cinema integrators such as Deluxe Entertainment Services Group.
Over its corporate lifetime the company experienced changes in ownership and structure through sales and group consolidations. Lab Gruppen was acquired and operated under corporate umbrellas that included entities linked to Gibson Brands and later to the multinational family of companies associated with Music Tribe leadership. Corporate relationships connected Lab Gruppen with brands and divisions involved in professional audio manufacturing, distribution partners such as Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG affiliates, and investment groups from regions including North America and Europe. Executive leadership and board membership have featured industry figures who previously served at companies like Mackie, QSC Audio Products, and Yamaha Corporation.
Manufacturing has combined in-house assembly in Sweden with outsourced component sourcing from suppliers such as Foxconn-style contract manufacturers and specialist PCB houses in Germany, China, and Taiwan. Quality assurance processes reference standards used by audio manufacturers and incorporate compliance testing similar to protocols from Underwriters Laboratories and TÜV SÜD. Environmental and safety considerations align products with directives adopted across regions including testing regimes applied by CE marking authorities and electromagnetic compatibility standards informed by agencies such as FCC.
Lab Gruppen equipment has been used on tours and installations for a wide array of artists, companies, and institutions. Touring engineers for acts associated with management firms like CAA (creative artists agency), William Morris Endeavor, and promoters such as Live Nation have specified Lab Gruppen amplifiers in systems for artists ranging from stadium headliners to orchestras appearing at venues like Carnegie Hall. Corporate events run by brands such as Apple Inc. and Google have featured Lab Gruppen-backed sound systems alongside video rigs from Christie Digital Systems and lighting by MA Lighting International.
The company and its products have received professional recognition from trade organizations and publications including accolades in Pro Sound News, Sound on Sound, and industry trade shows such as NAMM Show and Integrated Systems Europe (ISE). Product awards acknowledged engineering advances in amplifier efficiency, thermal management, and networked audio capabilities, noted by juries that included representatives from firms like AES and trade associations including COMPASS.
Category:Audio equipment manufacturers