Sonarworks
Sonarworks is a Latvia-based audio technology company building SoundID ML-powered speaker/headphone calibration and personalization software for audio professionals and consumer-electronics OEMs, serving 300,000+ studios and licensing via 2,600+ resellers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersRiga, Latvia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Sonarworks does
Sonarworks is a Latvia-based audio technology company founded in 2012 that builds machine-learning-driven sound calibration and personalization software. Its core technology, SoundID, corrects the frequency response of speakers and headphones to deliver flat reference sound for audio professionals and applies personalized hearing profiles — derived from A/B preference tests and head/ear HRTF scanning — for consumer audio. The product portfolio spans SoundID Reference (speaker and headphone calibration for mixing/mastering), SoundID VM PRO (room-cloning/virtual monitoring), SoundID VoiceAI (AI vocal transformation plugin for DAWs), SoundID Personalization (consumer mobile app), and SoundID Tools (Dolby Atmos personalization app developed with Dolby). SoundID is also embedded at the firmware level in Universal Audio Apollo interfaces and ADAM Audio speakers, and licensed via OEM/SDK to consumer-electronics manufacturers including 1MORE, Monoprice, and Drop/THX.
The business operates a multi-stream revenue model: perpetual software licenses (e.g., $99 headphone-only, $299 with microphone), freemium-with-paid-packs for VoiceAI, hardware sales (calibrated microphones, pre-calibrated headphones), and OEM technology licensing. Go-to-market combines product-led growth (21-day SoundID Reference trial, freemium VoiceAI, educational discounts up to 50%), a global network of 2,600+ authorized resellers across 60+ countries, and direct OEM/enterprise sales for technology licensing. Sonarworks reports its technology is used by close to 100 Grammy-winning creators and more than 300,000 studios worldwide, with a calibration library covering 500+ headphone models and multichannel support up to 9.1.6 Atmos. The company is privately held, venture-backed (cumulative disclosed funding ~$13.8M across rounds led by Almaz Capital, Karma Ventures, and others), and headquartered in Riga, Latvia, with approximately 51–100 employees.
Sonarworks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sonarworks
- Legal name
- Sonarworks Inc.
- Website
- https://sonarworks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Sonarworks is a Latvia-based audio technology company building SoundID ML-powered speaker/headphone calibration and personalization software for audio professionals and consumer-electronics OEMs, serving 300,000+ studios and licensing via 2,600+ resellers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sonarworks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audio Production Software
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Sound Recording Studios (512240), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431)
- SIC
- Household Audio & Video Equipment (3651)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immersive/Spatial Audio Production (Dolby Atmos, 5.1/7.1, Binaural) (MPAHAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-Device Speech & Audio AI (wake word, ASR, enhancement) (HDAAAJAF), Studio / Pro Monitoring Headphones & Reference Speakers (CRACANAK), Microphones, Headsets & Audio Input Devices (HDACAFAH), Speech Enhancement & Noise Suppression (AEC/NR) (HDAAAFAG)
Keywords
Where Sonarworks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riga
- HQ country
- Latvia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sonarworks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Sonarworks sells software licenses for SoundID Reference (speaker and headphone calibration) and SoundID VoiceAI (AI vocal processing). Software is sold as perpetual licenses with optional upgrades, and educational discounts are available.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of calibrated measurement microphones, individually calibrated headphones, and audio interfaces with embedded SoundID technology through the Sonarworks store.
- Technology Licensing: Sonarworks licenses its SoundID technology to consumer electronics manufacturers (OEMs) for embedding in headphones, earbuds, tablets, and other audio devices. This includes access to the SoundID SDK for iOS and Android integration.
- Freemium/Voice Packs: SoundID VoiceAI operates with a freemium model offering unlimited access to basic features, with premium voice packs and expansion packs (e.g., Korean Voices Expansion Pack) available for purchase.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | SoundID Reference for Headphones |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | SoundID Reference for Speakers & Headphones |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | SoundID VoiceAI Freemium |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Individually Calibrated Headphones |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sonarworks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sonarworks develops and sells SoundID audio calibration and personalization software, primarily SoundID Reference for speaker and headphone calibration, SoundID VoiceAI as an AI vocal transformation plugin, SoundID VM PRO for virtual room monitoring, and SoundID Personalization/Tools mobile apps for consumers. It also licenses its SoundID SDK to OEMs for embedding in consumer audio devices and offers calibrated measurement microphones and individually calibrated headphones as hardware accessories.
Product overview
Sonarworks offers a unified platform of audio calibration and personalization products. The core product, SoundID Reference, provides speaker and headphone calibration for professional studios. This is complemented by SoundID VM PRO for room cloning/virtual monitoring, SoundID VoiceAI for AI-powered vocal transformation, and SoundID Tools for Dolby Atmos personalization. For consumers, SoundID Personalization app delivers personalized sound profiles to end users. The SoundID SDK enables hardware manufacturers to license the technology for integration into consumer devices. The portfolio spans professional audio production tools, AI-powered creative plugins, and OEM licensing for consumer electronics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SoundID Reference: Industry-leading speaker and headphone calibration software for audio professionals.
- SoundID VM PRO
- SoundID VoiceAI
- SoundID
- SoundID Tools
Products and services
- SoundID Reference Industry-leading speaker and headphone calibration software that delivers accurate studio reference sound by calibrating speakers through measurement and headphones using pre-made profiles for over 500 headphone models, ensuring mixes translate consistently across playback systems. Sold as a perpetual license ($99 headphones-only, $299 full studio with microphone) with educational discounts.
- SoundID VM PRO Room cloning technology that creates realistic binaural simulations of calibrated studio environments on headphones, using personalized HRTF measurement to replicate speaker sound through headphones, allowing producers to take their reference environment anywhere. Sold as an add-on to SoundID Reference for professional audio creators.
- SoundID VoiceAI Studio-grade AI vocal transformation plugin for digital audio workstations that enables professional vocal transformation including voice changing, gender modification, emotional shifting, vocal cleanup, and real-time harmonization with over 50 voice presets. Operates on a freemium model with paid voice packs and expansion packs.
- SoundID Personalization App Mobile app for consumers that creates personalized sound profiles based on individual hearing preferences through A/B testing, optimizing audio output on headphones and devices for personalized listening. Available on iOS App Store and Google Play.
- SoundID Tools Mobile app developed with Dolby that enables personalized Dolby Atmos headphone monitoring for creators, using phone camera to capture head and ear geometry for HRTF-based personalized spatial audio profiles. Free to download and use on iOS App Store and Google Play.
- SoundID SDK Cloud-based software development kit for iOS and Android that enables hardware manufacturers to integrate Sonarworks' personalized sound technology into consumer audio products such as headphones, earbuds, tablets, and speakers. Sold via direct B2B technology licensing to OEMs including 1MORE, Monoprice, and Drop/THX.
- Individually Calibrated Headphones Pre-calibrated headphones sold through the Sonarworks online store, bundled with SoundID calibration profiles so creators can achieve accurate monitoring without separate configuration.
- Calibrated Measurement Microphones Calibrated measurement microphones sold separately or bundled with SoundID Reference Studio Edition, used to measure room and speaker frequency response for applying calibration curves.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trusted by close to 100 Grammy-winning creators and more than 300,000 studios worldwide
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sonarworks
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Sonarworks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
AI capability9 records
Feature5 records
Sonarworks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sonarworks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- iZotope: US-based audio software company producing RX (audio repair), Ozone (mastering), and Neutron plugins used by the same music producer and audio engineer segments as SoundID Reference. Closest competitor in the professional audio plugin DAW market.
- Dirac Research: Swedish audio optimization company providing digital room and headphone correction technology licensed to OEMs in automotive, consumer audio, and pro audio. Most direct competitor to Sonarworks in the audio calibration/personalization OEM licensing space.
- IK Multimedia: Italian audio software and hardware company offering ARC (Advanced Room Correction) system and AmpliTube/T-RackS plugins. Direct competitor in room and speaker calibration for studios, sharing the same pro-audio and home-studio customer base.
- Waves Audio: Israel-based audio plugin manufacturer widely used in professional and home studios. Overlaps with Sonarworks in DAW-integrated audio processing, though Waves focuses on effects/EQ/compression rather than calibration.
Broad incumbents
- Audyssey: Acquired by Masimo, Audyssey provides room/speaker calibration technology embedded in AV receivers and consumer audio products. Larger incumbent in the speaker calibration category with broader consumer audio reach.
- Sonos: US consumer audio company offering Trueplay room calibration technology for its speakers. Broad incumbent providing calibration as part of an integrated consumer audio product ecosystem rather than as a licensable technology.
- HARMAN International: Samsung-owned audio conglomerate offering audio solutions including ARENA calibration for automotive and consumer audio OEM partnerships. Comparable as a broad incumbent in audio OEM licensing and personalization.
- Universal Audio: US audio hardware/software company (UAD Apollo interfaces, UAD plugins) that is both a Sonarworks OEM partner (Apollo Monitor Correction) and a broader competitor in the pro-audio interface and plugin market.
- Apple (Personalized Spatial Audio): Apple's Personalized Spatial Audio on AirPods uses ear-scanning for individualized HRTF profiles, functionally competing with Sonarworks' consumer personalization. Massive incumbent with vertically integrated hardware/software distribution.
Emerging players
- Embody: US startup focused on spatial audio and HRTF-based personalization for headphones and AR/VR. Overlaps with Sonarworks' personalized audio roadmap and competes in on-device spatial audio for consumer OEMs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sonarworks social profiles
Digital presenceSonarworks compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Sonarworks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sonarworks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Sonarworks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sonarworks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sonarworks
What does Sonarworks do?
Sonarworks develops and sells SoundID audio calibration and personalization software, primarily SoundID Reference for speaker and headphone calibration, SoundID VoiceAI as an AI vocal transformation plugin, SoundID VM PRO for virtual room monitoring, and SoundID Personalization/Tools mobile apps for consumers. It also licenses its SoundID SDK to OEMs for embedding in consumer audio devices and offers calibrated measurement microphones and individually calibrated headphones as hardware accessories.
Is Sonarworks a public or private company?
Sonarworks is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sonarworks founded?
Sonarworks was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Sonarworks based?
Sonarworks is headquartered in Riga, Latvia, in the Europe region.
How does Sonarworks make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales, technology Licensing and freemium/Voice Packs.
Who are Sonarworks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are iZotope, Dirac Research, IK Multimedia and Waves Audio. Broad incumbents are Audyssey, Sonos, HARMAN International, Universal Audio and Apple (Personalized Spatial Audio). Embody is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sonarworks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sonarworks.
What industry is Sonarworks in?
Sonarworks's product category is Audio Production Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHAEAJ, Immersive/Spatial Audio Production (Dolby Atmos, 5.1/7.1, Binaural), with a secondary code of HDAAAJAF, On-Device Speech & Audio AI (wake word, ASR, enhancement). Its NAICS code is 5122 and its SIC code is 3651.