Meyer Sound

Meyer Sound
MatthewAlanKane · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Meyer Sound Laboratories
Type	Private
Industry	Audio equipment manufacturing
Founded	1979
Founder	John Meyer
Headquarters	Berkeley, California, United States
Products	Loudspeakers, sound reinforcement systems, digital audio processors, acoustic measurement tools
Key people	John Meyer, Park Meyers

Meyer Sound is an American manufacturer of professional loudspeakers, sound reinforcement systems, and acoustic measurement tools founded in 1979. The company is known for pioneering self-powered loudspeaker designs, measurement-driven system tuning, and innovations in electroacoustic transducer technology. Meyer Sound products and techniques are widely used across live touring, performing arts centers, film mixing, broadcast events, and fixed installation markets.

History

Meyer Sound was founded by John Meyer, an acoustical engineer who previously worked with organizations such as A.S. Audio and collaborated with designers associated with the San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Opera. Early work focused on loudspeaker research influenced by developments at institutions like the Audio Engineering Society and laboratories connected to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The company gained recognition through projects for venues including the Mansion at Turtle Creek and productions with touring artists represented by agencies such as William Morris Agency. In the 1980s and 1990s Meyer Sound expanded from custom designs for houses of worship and regional theaters to larger-scale concert tours and Broadway productions linked to producers affiliated with The Shubert Organization and Nederlander Organization.

Throughout the 1990s the company introduced integrated amplification and processing, aligning with trends established by firms like Crown International and Yamaha Corporation. Collaborations with audio professionals associated with the Royal Albert Hall and the Metropolitan Opera informed product refinement. In the 2000s and 2010s Meyer Sound supported festivals and tours promoted by organizations such as Live Nation and AEG Presents, while engaging with research institutions including Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for acoustic modeling.

Products and Technologies

Meyer Sound’s product line includes self-powered point-source loudspeakers, line arrays, subwoofers, stage monitors, and digital processors. Flagship series and models have paralleled work from manufacturers like d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics, JBL, and Electro-Voice in professional applications. The company developed proprietary systems for loudspeaker management, integrating technologies comparable to those from Symetrix and XTA Electronics, and adopted networking protocols used by Dante and AES67-enabled manufacturers.

Key technologies include active amplification with integrated DSP, directivity control influenced by research at IRCAM and Bose Corporation innovations, and measurement-driven tuning using tools resembling those from Smaart developers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Meyer Sound advanced approaches to line array acoustics, wavefront synthesis, and time-aligned crossover design, contributing to practices shared with institutions like the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and production teams associated with Cirque du Soleil.

Notable Installations and Projects

Meyer Sound systems have been installed in performing arts centers, stadiums, and broadcast facilities worldwide. Notable venues and projects include collaborations with the Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Helsinki Music Centre, and major touring productions organized by promoters such as Jam Productions. The company supplied systems for film post-production stages connected to companies like Skywalker Sound and broadcast events produced by networks such as BBC and NBC. Concert tours by artists managed by CAA and WME have used Meyer Sound arrays alongside productions staffed by technicians from unions such as IATSE.

The company’s solutions have been selected for cultural institutions funded by bodies including the National Endowment for the Arts and municipal projects in cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and London. Installations in museums and houses of worship have aligned with architects and firms like Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects on acoustical integration.

Research and Development

Meyer Sound maintains in-house R&D laboratories focusing on transducer development, nonlinear distortion characterization, and room acoustics measurement. The company’s measurement systems build on methodologies advanced at conferences hosted by the Audio Engineering Society and acoustic modeling techniques referenced by researchers at CERN and NASA for vibration and signal analysis. R&D collaborations and publishing have connected Meyer Sound engineers with academic contributors from University of California, Berkeley, McGill University, and Technische Universität Berlin.

The firm has invested in anechoic and reverberation facilities to validate frequency response, phase coherence, and directivity, engaging with standards promulgated by organizations like the International Electrotechnical Commission and ISO. Work on loudspeaker protection, thermal management, and long-term reliability draws on materials science research comparable to studies from MIT and Imperial College London.

Corporate Structure and Operations

Meyer Sound is privately held and headquartered in Berkeley, California, operating global offices and manufacturing facilities that service markets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company’s operational model includes product engineering, custom installation services, rental partnerships, and training programs similar to initiatives run by Shure Incorporated and Sennheiser. Distribution networks link Meyer Sound with dealers and integrators associated with trade events like NAMM and PLASA.

Personnel include engineers, acousticians, product managers, and field service teams who liaise with consultants and designers from firms such as Arup and AECOM on large-scale projects. Corporate governance involves private ownership with family and management leadership, maintaining partnerships with professional organizations including the Theatre Communications Group and the Association of British Theatre Technicians.

Awards and Recognition

Meyer Sound has received technical and industry awards recognizing innovation in loudspeaker design, system integration, and acoustic measurement. Honors and commendations have come from professional bodies and trade associations such as the Audio Engineering Society, the Live Design Excellence Awards, and recognition at international trade shows like InfoComm and Prolight + Sound. The company's technologies and installations have been cited in case studies and honored by cultural institutions including the Kennedy Center Honors-associated programs and regional design awards granted by organizations like the American Institute of Architects.

Category:Audio equipment manufacturers