Output

What Output does

Output is a Los Angeles-based music creation software company founded in 2013 by ASCAP award-winning producer Gregg Lehrman. The company develops a portfolio of DAW plugins, a desktop application, and Kontakt-format virtual instruments designed for professional music producers, composers, and independent musicians. Its core products include Co-Producer (an AI-powered plugin that analyzes project harmony and rhythm to curate and generate royalty-free samples), Arcade (a cloud-connected sampler with a daily-updated content library), Portal, Thermal, and Movement (FX plugins for granular synthesis, distortion, and rhythm modulation), and seven Kontakt instruments (Exhale, Substance, Signal, Analog Strings, Analog Brass & Winds, Rev, Rev X-Loops). All samples and instruments are royalty-free for commercial release, and Output also offers a free AI-powered Pack Generator tool.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining a subscription offering (Output One at $14.99/month or $9.99/month billed annually, Creator at $9.99/month, Co-Producer standalone at $9.99/month) with one-time perpetual licenses ($149 per FX plugin, $199 per Kontakt instrument, $399-$849 for bundles, $35 per expansion pack). Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through output.com and shop.output.com via product-led growth with 7-day free trials, supplemented by a dealer network, an affiliate program (Impact.com), and as of March 2026 inclusion in the Yamaha Creator Pass subscription platform reaching 37 countries. Marketing relies on content (Output Mag blog), social media (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Facebook), industry events (SXSW, NAMM), and the Output CoLAB community program featuring mentorship with artists such as Nova Wav and Stargate.

Output's customer base spans professional producers whose work has appeared on records by Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Skrillex, Björk, and others, as well as film and TV scores including Stranger Things and Game of Thrones. The company is privately held, last raised a $45 million Series B led by Summit Partners in October 2020, employs 51-100 people, and has no public revenue disclosures. Strategic priorities visible in recent activity include AI-powered product expansion (Co-Producer, Re-imagine, Pack Generator), ecosystem partnerships (Yamaha, sound design content providers), and community-driven brand building.

Name

Output

Legal name

Output, Inc.

Website

https://output.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Output is a music creation software company developing AI-powered plugins, cloud-connected samplers, FX plugins, and Kontakt instruments for professional producers, composers, and independent musicians worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Production Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Plugins & Virtual Instruments (VST/AU/AAX) (MPAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Music Creation & Assistive Tools (Generation, Separation, Mastering) (MPAIAIAG), Music Production Workflow & Project Management Tools (Session management, asset/versioning) (MPAIAIAK)

Keywords

• Music production software
• Audio plugins
• Virtual instruments
• Sample library
• AI music tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription (Output One): Output One is the flagship all-access subscription plan providing unlimited access to all plugins, samples, instruments, and updates for a recurring monthly or annual fee. Subscriptions auto-renew and can be cancelled anytime without fees. Arcade owners can upgrade to Output One for $2 more per month.
2. One-Time Plugin License Sales: Individual FX plugins (Portal, Thermal, Movement) are sold as one-time perpetual licenses at $149 each. Kontakt instruments are sold at $199 each. Bundles offer savings: FX Bundle at $399, Instruments Bundle at $499, FX + Instruments Bundle at $849.
3. Expansion Packs: Individual expansion packs are available at $35 each, adding 100+ new presets for specific instruments or plugins (e.g., Ignition for Thermal, Chaos for Portal, Spacetime for Movement).
4. Creator Subscription: Output Creator desktop app is available as a standalone subscription starting at $9.99/month, or as part of Output One. Plans include unlimited access to all samples and one-click song sharing.
5. Pack Generator: Pack Generator is offered free of charge, allowing Output to drive user acquisition and brand engagement without direct revenue generation from the tool itself.
6. Merchandise (Output Drops): Output Drops sells limited edition merchandise (e.g., KEEP MUSIC HUMAN shirts), with net proceeds benefiting Notes for Notes music education programs. Generates ancillary revenue while supporting brand positioning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Output develops and sells music creation software including DAW plugins (FX engines, samplers, AI tools), cloud-connected sample platforms, Kontakt-format virtual instruments, and a standalone desktop app for music creation. All content is royalty-free and designed for musicians, producers, composers, and sound designers working in genres from pop and hip-hop to film and TV scoring.

Product overview

Output is a music creation software company offering a portfolio of creative plugins, desktop applications, and Kontakt instruments. The core products include Co-Producer (AI-powered sample discovery/creation plugin), Arcade (cloud-connected sampler), and three FX plugins (Portal granular synthesis, Thermal distortion, Movement rhythm engine). The company also offers seven Kontakt instruments (Exhale, Substance, Signal, Analog Strings, Analog Brass & Winds, Rev, Rev X-Loops) for Native Instruments Kontakt. Output One provides an all-access subscription bundling all plugins, samples, and instruments. Additional offerings include Pack Generator (AI-powered free sample pack builder), Output CoLAB community platform, and Output Drops merchandise. All samples and content are royalty-free. Products are available as individual purchases, themed bundles, or via Output One subscription.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Co-Producer: AI-powered plugin that analyzes a project's harmony and rhythm to curate royalty-free samples. Priced at $9.99/month.
• Arcade
• Portal FX
• Thermal FX
• Movement FX
• Creator
• Output Instruments Bundle
• Output CoLAB
• Output Drops

Products and services

• Co-Producer AI-powered plugin that analyzes a project's harmony and rhythm to find and create royalty-free samples that fit seamlessly; features Re-imagine technology for generating infinite sample variations from text prompts or existing tracks. Designed for music producers and composers working in any DAW.
• Arcade Cloud-connected sampler and instruments plugin providing a massive collection of royalty-free samples and instruments updated daily. Functions as a sample browser and performance tool within any DAW.
• Portal Granular synthesis FX plugin that transforms any audio input into musical granular textures with 250+ presets, circular XY control, tempo-synced grain delay, and scale-based pitch modulation.
• Thermal Interactive distortion plugin with multi-stage distortion engine offering 250+ presets, circular XY control, 15+ custom distortion types, and 9 built-in FX. Adds warmth, grit, and character through saturation and distortion.
• Movement Rhythm engine plugin that adds rhythmic motions and evolving grooves to any sound with 300+ presets, four synchronized rhythm engines (LFO, Step Sequencer, Sidechain, Macro), and proprietary Flux/Randomizer modulation.
• Creator Standalone music creation desktop app that allows users to record instruments or vocals, build original songs with a responsive sound palette, and share or export instantly. Does not support third-party plugins.
• Exhale Modern vocal engine in Kontakt format designed to capture the contemporary sound of today's records and creative scores; provides playable vocal elements for music production.
• Substance Powerful bass engine in Kontakt format combining heavily processed electric and acoustic basses, full live brass sections, polysynths, and analog synths into single patches.
• Signal Pulse engine Kontakt instrument combining fat analog synths and recorded live instruments in a single engine for music production.
• Analog Strings Kontakt-format virtual instrument enabling crafting and performing of unique, cutting-edge string sounds for modern music makers.
• Analog Brass & Winds Kontakt-format virtual instrument combining orchestral brass and winds with legendary synths; features 18-piece brass and 18-piece wind sections sampled at BMC Hall in Budapest.
• Rev Kontakt-format virtual instrument based on reverse elements, designed for sound design and composition beyond simple reverse functionality.
• Rev X-Loops Kontakt-format virtual instrument delivering the REV Loops Engine redefined with all new content, FX, and snapshots.
• Output One All-access subscription plan providing unlimited access to all plugins (Co-Producer, Arcade, Portal, Thermal, Movement), samples, instruments, and updates. Priced at $14.99/month or $9.99/month billed annually with a 7-day free trial.
• FX Bundle Bundle of 3 FX engines (Portal, Thermal, Movement) plus 5 expansions for a $399 one-time purchase.
• Instruments Bundle Bundle of 7 Kontakt instruments (Exhale, Substance, Signal, Analog Strings, Analog Brass & Winds, Rev, Rev X-Loops) plus 18 expansions for a $499 one-time purchase.
• FX + Instruments Bundle Complete bundle of 10 engines and 23 expansions combining all FX plugins and Kontakt instruments for an $849 one-time purchase.
• Pack Generator Free AI-powered custom sample pack builder that generates packs (30 royalty-free samples each) from text prompts describing moods, genres, instruments, key, and tempo. Samples can be dragged into any DAW.
• Output Drops Limited edition merchandise line with net proceeds benefiting the Notes for Notes music education program; reinforces brand positioning and supports music education initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Co-Producer achieves a 73% success rate in helping musicians discover samples they love
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yamaha Music Innovations (YMI)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 March 2026Yamaha Music Innovations (U.S. subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation) partnered with Output to include Output Creator in the Yamaha Creator Pass platform, a subscription service bundling 21 music and podcast creation tools. The platform was unveiled at SXSW 2026 (March 13-15) with tiered plans starting at $14.99/month. This marks YMI's strategic expansion beyond traditional audio hardware into software and subscription services, integrating Output alongside LANDR, Riverside, and Groover.
• LANDRcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 March 2026LANDR is included in Yamaha Creator Pass alongside Output and other tools, providing AI mastering and music production capabilities as part of the bundled platform.
• RiversidecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 March 2026Riverside is included in Yamaha Creator Pass alongside Output and other tools, providing podcast recording and production capabilities as part of the bundled platform.
• GrooverminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 March 2026Groover is included in Yamaha Creator Pass alongside Output and other tools, providing music promotion and feedback capabilities as part of the bundled platform.
• Nova WavminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 December 2024Production duo Nova Wav (composed of Denis 'Desi' Descoust and Brittany ' Byrd' Howard) partnered with Output to co-host the Output CoLAB mentorship program, offering a 2-day studio session with Nova Wav as a prize in a winter producer challenge. Nova Wav has produced for artists including Beyoncé, Travis Scott, and Ariana Grande.
• StargateminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 December 2024Production duo Stargate partnered with Output to co-host the Output CoLAB mentorship program. Stargate is known for producing hits for Rihanna, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, and The Weeknd.
• Notes for NotesminorOthersOutput Drops merchandise initiative (KEEP MUSIC HUMAN limited edition) directs net proceeds to Notes for Notes, a nonprofit organization providing music education and artist development programs. This is a charitable/community partnership rather than a commercial business relationship.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/output
• YouTubeyoutube.com/outputsounds
• Facebookfacebook.com/output
• Instagraminstagram.com/output
• TikToktiktok.com/@output
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/output-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Output