Corey McNamara
Sony to Acquire Audio Tech and Headphone Specialist Audeze
Sony Interactive Entertainment, or SIE if you’re running late, is set to acquire Audeze, a company specializing in audio technology and headphones. The cost of the acquisition hasn’t been disclosed.
If you’re unfamiliar, Audeze manufactures several lines of high-end headphones, including gaming headsets. It also develops its own audio tech, such as its own planar magnetic technology. When the acquisition closes, Audeze will fall under the SIE umbrella, but it’ll continue to operate independently and make multi-platform devices while “benefiting from being a part of the PlayStation ecosystem”.
Sony’s Hideaki Nishino talks up the company in a statement on the deal: “Audeze is a premier brand for headphones, and this acquisition highlights Sony Interactive’s focus on innovation and providing the best audio experience to PlayStation players,” he says. “We’re excited to bring Audeze’s expertise into the PlayStation ecosystem, building on the great strides we’ve made with PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech and the Pulse 3D wireless headset.”
This news comes just after Sony announced two new wireless PlayStation audio devices: the over-ear headset Pulse Elite, and the Pulse Explore earbuds. These headphones also work in tandem with PlayStation Link, which is a new wireless audio solution that lets them connect to supported devices — including PlayStation Portal — and Bluetooth at the same time. It’s unknown if these headphones were developed in tandem with Audeze, but it would make a lot of sense given the timing.
It’s an interesting move from Sony, anyway. The platform holder has been putting more and more emphasis on top-notch audio for PlayStation, and this is a clear step to keep that going. What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings