Minuendo
Minuendo designs and sells patented passive acoustic-membrane earplugs that preserve flat frequency response while reducing volume, targeting musicians, DJs, live music enthusiasts, and professionals in loud environments via DTC, Amazon, and international retail.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Minuendo does
Minuendo AS is a privately held Norwegian hardware company founded in 2018 in Oslo that designs, manufactures, and sells lossless hearing protection earplugs. The company's flagship technology is a patented corrugated acoustic membrane (6 microns thin) that acts as a "second eardrum" to provide flat frequency response across the audio spectrum — preserving natural sound while reducing volume — in contrast to traditional vented earplugs that act as low-pass filters and muffle high frequencies. The membrane and stepless adjustability mechanism were developed at SINTEF, one of Europe's largest independent research institutions, beginning in 2015 and funded by the Research Council of Norway, with the technology protected by 11 patent families.
The product line consists of two core SKUs — Adjustable Earplugs with stepless 7-25dB attenuation ($179-$189) and LIVE 17dB Earplugs with fixed attenuation ($109-$129) — plus accessories including a carry case and an 11-pair ear tip variety pack. Both products use a fully passive mechanical design requiring no electronics or batteries. Minuendo distributes through its own Shopify storefront, Amazon US, and an international network of dozens of retail partners, targeting professional and amateur musicians, DJs, live music enthusiasts, and workers in loud environments. The company has reported protecting 79,000+ ears cumulatively and has been featured in publications including Rolling Stone, Forbes, and Guitar World. In 2025, the noise monitoring division was spun off as Noise Smart, allowing Minuendo to focus exclusively on its core earplugs business. Total disclosed funding is approximately $2.69M raised in 2019 from the European Innovation Council, SINTEF Venture AS, Startuplab, Stratel, and Construct Venture.
Minuendo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Minuendo
- Legal name
- Minuendo AS
- Website
- https://minuendo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Minuendo designs and sells patented passive acoustic-membrane earplugs that preserve flat frequency response while reducing volume, targeting musicians, DJs, live music enthusiasts, and professionals in loud environments via DTC, Amazon, and international retail.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Minuendo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hearing Protection Earplugs
- SIC
- Household Audio & Video Equipment (3651)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hearing Enhancement / Assistive Listening Audio Devices (CRACANAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Accessories (Ear Tips, Cables, Stands, Cases, Transmitters) (CRACANAM), Eye, Ear & Nasal Care OTC (Eye Drops, Ear Drops/Wax Removal, Saline Sprays) (CRADAMAG)
Keywords
Where Minuendo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Minuendo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Earplugs: Primary revenue from selling lossless earplugs directly to consumers and through retail partners. Products include Adjustable earplugs ($179-$189) and LIVE 17dB earplugs ($109-$129).
- Accessories Sales: Secondary revenue from accessory products including Earplug Carry Case with Lanyard & Cleaning Brush ($19) and Premium Ear Tip Variety Pack – 11 Pairs ($25).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Adjustable Earplugs - Flagship product with variable 7-25dB attenuation |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | LIVE 17dB Earplugs - Fixed attenuation for wider audience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Earplug Carry Case with Lanyard & Cleaning Brush |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Ear Tip Variety Pack - 11 Pairs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Minuendo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Minuendo designs, manufactures, and sells passive "lossless" earplugs for musicians, live-music audiences, and workers exposed to loud environments. Its core products — the Adjustable Earplugs (stepless 7–25 dB attenuation) and the LIVE 17dB Earplugs (fixed 17 dB attenuation) — use a patented 6-micron acoustic membrane developed at SINTEF to deliver flat frequency response and natural sound without electronics. Supporting accessories include a carry case and an 11-pair premium ear-tip variety pack.
Product overview
Minuendo offers lossless hearing protection earplugs developed from acoustic research at SINTEF in Norway. The product portfolio consists of two main earplug products: Adjustable Earplugs (variable 7-25dB stepless attenuation with patented membrane technology, Red Dot Design Award winner) and LIVE 17dB Earplugs (fixed 17dB attenuation for wider audience). Both core products feature the proprietary acoustic membrane that provides flat frequency response for natural sound. Supporting accessories include an Earplug Carry Case with Lanyard & Cleaning Brush and a Premium Ear Tip Variety Pack with 11 pairs in foam and silicone materials. All products are designed and manufactured with hand-assembly and individual testing, emphasizing no electronics/battery-free fully acoustic design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Minuendo Adjustable Earplugs Lossless, variable passive earplugs with stepless 7–25 dB attenuation adjustable in-ear via a patented mechanical lever, using a 6-micron acoustic membrane for flat frequency response. Shipped with 11 ear-tip pairs (foam and silicone, XXS–XXL), require no batteries, and target musicians, sound engineers and discerning listeners. Priced at $179–$189.
- Minuendo LIVE 17dB Earplugs Lossless earplugs with fixed 17 dB attenuation using the same patented acoustic membrane technology as the Adjustable model, for natural sound at concerts, festivals, clubs and DJ sets. Available in Black and White, priced at $109–$129, EU MDR Declaration of Conformity documented.
- Earplug Carry Case with Lanyard & Cleaning Brush Compact zippered protective carry case with detachable lanyard and built-in cleaning brush, sized for Minuendo earplugs and most universal IEMs/earbuds; sold as an accessory at $19.
- Premium Ear Tip Variety Pack — 11 Pairs 11 pairs of replacement ear tips in memory foam and medical-grade silicone, sizes XXS to XXL with single, double and triple-flange options; compatible with Minuendo Lossless Earplugs and most universal in-ear monitors, priced at $25.
Quantifiable outcome
- 79,000+ ears protected worldwide
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Minuendo
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Minuendo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Minuendo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Noise SmartminorIn 2025, the noise monitoring solution part of Minuendo's business was rebranded and moved to Noise Smart, allowing Minuendo to focus on its core earplugs mission.
- International Retail PartnerscoreDozens of retailers worldwide have successfully sold Minuendo earplugs since 2021. These resellers serve musicians, audio professionals, venues, and live music-lovers. Minuendo supports partners with counter displays, demo kits, staff training, and co-marketing assets.
- SINTEFcoreScientists at SINTEF - one of Europe's largest independent research institutions - began developing the membrane-based hearing protection technology in 2015, funded by the Research Council of Norway. This research partnership led directly to Minuendo's founding in 2018 and the patented acoustic membrane technology.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Minuendo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Etymotic Research: Long-established US manufacturer of high-fidelity musician earplugs (e.g., ER20XS) and in-ear monitors. Direct competitor in the lossless earplug category with similar target audience of musicians and concertgoers.
- ACS Custom: UK-based manufacturer of custom-molded and universal-fit musician earplugs with flat attenuation. Competes head-to-head with Minuendo in delivering natural sound for performing musicians and audio professionals.
- Elacin: Dutch manufacturer of musician and industrial hearing protection earplugs with flat frequency response filters. Closely comparable product offering and customer base, with broader European retail distribution.
- Vic Firth: Iconic drumstick brand that has expanded into hearing protection earplugs for percussionists and musicians. Overlapping customer base of professional and amateur musicians seeking in-ear protection.
- Eargasm: US DTC brand selling high-fidelity earplugs for concerts, musicians, and noise sensitivity. Competes directly with Minuendo's LIVE 17dB product in the consumer musician earplug category.
- Alpine Hearing Protection: Dutch hearing protection specialist offering musician earplugs and earplugs for sleep, swimming, and motorsports. Competes in the same consumer earplug categories with broad European retail presence.
Emerging players
- Loop Earplugs: Fast-growing Belgian DTC earplug brand positioned at the intersection of fashion, sleep, and event use cases. Competes for the same consumer occasions (concerts, festivals, clubs, sleep) with strong branding and viral DTC growth.
- Decibullz: US-based maker of thermo-fit custom molded earplugs targeting shooters, musicians, and industrial users. Comparable niche positioning with custom-fit technology that overlaps with Minuendo's guaranteed-fit approach.
Broad incumbents
- Shure: Major pro-audio incumbent offering Sound Isolating earphones and in-ear monitors widely used by musicians on stage. While not a hearing-protection-only brand, it competes for the same professional musician wallet share and channel.
- Westone: Established US maker of custom and universal-fit in-ear monitors and musician hearing protection. Competes with Minuendo's musician-focused positioning through professional audio dealers and custom-mold services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Minuendo social profiles
Digital presenceMinuendo compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Minuendo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Minuendo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Minuendo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Minuendo 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 Minuendo
What does Minuendo do?
Minuendo designs, manufactures, and sells passive "lossless" earplugs for musicians, live-music audiences, and workers exposed to loud environments. Its core products — the Adjustable Earplugs (stepless 7–25 dB attenuation) and the LIVE 17dB Earplugs (fixed 17 dB attenuation) — use a patented 6-micron acoustic membrane developed at SINTEF to deliver flat frequency response and natural sound without electronics. Supporting accessories include a carry case and an 11-pair premium ear-tip variety pack.
Is Minuendo a public or private company?
Minuendo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Minuendo founded?
Minuendo was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Minuendo based?
Minuendo is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Minuendo make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Earplugs are the primary driver. The others are accessories Sales.
Who are Minuendo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Etymotic Research, ACS Custom, Elacin, Vic Firth, Eargasm and Alpine Hearing Protection. Emerging players are Loop Earplugs and Decibullz. Broad incumbents are Shure and Westone.
Does Minuendo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Minuendo.
What industry is Minuendo in?
Minuendo's product category is Hearing Protection Earplugs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACANAL, Hearing Enhancement / Assistive Listening Audio Devices, with a secondary code of CRACANAM, Audio Accessories (Ear Tips, Cables, Stands, Cases, Transmitters). Its SIC code is 3651.