What Audio Imperia does

Audio Imperia LLC is a boutique developer of cinematic virtual instrument sample libraries for the Native Instruments Kontakt Player platform, founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Diego, California, with hardware manufacturing in Glasgow, UK and distribution out of Los Angeles. Its 25+ product catalog spans orchestral sections (Nucleus, Areia, Dolce, Solo), brass (Talos, Poseidon), choir (Chorus, Chorus FX), percussion (Cerberus), sound design (Constrictor, Photosynthesis, Legacy, Artifact Reanimate), keys and guitars (Klavier, Trailer Guitars 2, Kithara), and 'Fluid Series' shorts (Fluid Brass, Fluid Woods). The proprietary FVDE MIDI CC Controller — a four-fader aluminum controller custom-built in Scotland — and the Maestro education platform (anchored by 'Crafting The Score,' a 60-lesson orchestration course with Tristan Noon) extend the company beyond software into hardware and education.

The core technology consists of multi-microphone-position (Spot, Close, Decca Tree, Far, Ambient) sample libraries recorded with world-class session musicians at studios including Budapest Scoring's Rottenbiller stage and Capellen Music Production, with signature mixes by two-time Grammy-winning engineer Scott Michael Smith. All products ship NKS-compatible for seamless Komplete Kontrol integration and are distributed via direct e-commerce and the Native Instruments Native Access / Marketplace channels.

The business model is product-led growth: one-time perpetual licenses priced $99–$599 (with bundles up to $899), plus $379 hardware units and $399 courses. A free product (Glade) and Lite editions ($99) act as top-of-funnel entry points with upgrade paths into full SKUs and crossgrades between related products. Customer mix is highly diversified across professional film, TV, video game, and trailer composers — including named users such as Rupert Gregson-Williams, Germaine Franco, Blake Robinson, and Michał Cielecki — yielding a low-concentration, SMB/individual buyer base. The company operates without disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Audio Imperia

Legal name

Audio Imperia LLC

Website

https://audioimperia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Audio Imperia is a San Diego-based boutique developer of cinematic sample libraries and virtual instruments for Native Instruments Kontakt Player, serving professional film, TV, video game, and trailer composers with multi-microphone orchestral, choir, brass, percussion, and sound design products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Production Software

NAICS

Sound Recording Industries (5122), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (3343)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Programming & MIDI Production (MPAIAHAH), Pro Audio Equipment (Mics, Interfaces, Mixers, Studio Monitors) (MPAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Virtual instrument libraries
• Orchestral sample libraries
• Cinematic music production
• Kontakt sample instruments
• MIDI controller hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Virtual Instrument Licenses: One-time perpetual license purchases for Kontakt-based sample libraries. Products sold as digital downloads with pricing ranging from $0 (free products) to $1,446 (bundles). Crossgrade paths available between related products.
2. Hardware Sales: Sale of FVDE MIDI CC Controller hardware - custom-made in Scotland. Sold in limited production runs at $379 per unit.
3. Educational Courses: Crafting The Score orchestration course at $399, taught by Tristan Noon. Additional Maestro courses available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Audio Imperia develops and sells cinematic virtual instrument sample libraries for Native Instruments Kontakt Player, covering orchestral sections (strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, choir), hybrid sound design, guitars, and pianos, targeted at professional film, TV, video game, and trailer composers. The company also sells a proprietary MIDI hardware controller (FVDE) and orchestration education courses through its Maestro platform, all delivered via direct e-commerce and Native Instruments' Native Access.

Product overview

Audio Imperia is a company specializing in cinematic virtual instruments for Native Instruments Kontakt Player. Their product portfolio consists of sample-based virtual instruments (not cloud/API services) organized into several categories: (1) Orchestral Core - Nucleus serves as the flagship all-in-one orchestral library, complemented by specialized libraries Areia (modern ensemble strings), Dolce (romantic chamber strings), Solo (13 soloists), Chorus (48-piece choir), Chorus FX (choir effects), Chorus Lite, and Jaeger (modern hybrid orchestra); (2) Brass - Talos (epic brass ensembles) and Poseidon (brass odyssey); (3) Percussion - Cerberus (epic cinematic drums); (4) Sound Design - Legacy, Photosynthesis, Artifact Reanimate, Constrictor (tension strings); (5) Keys & Guitars - Klavier (hybrid pianos), Trailer Guitars 2, Kithara; (6) Fluids Series - Fluid Brass and Fluid Woods (shorts libraries); (7) Hardware - FVDE MIDI CC Controller; (8) Education - Crafting The Score course and Maestro learning platform; plus Bundles (Studio Collection) and Free products (Glade). All products are NKS-compatible Kontakt instruments requiring the free Kontakt Player.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Maestro: An education platform offering orchestration courses, including 'Crafting The Score' and 'The Modern Composer Blueprint' courses led by professional orchestrators

Products and services

• Nucleus The Orchestral Core - a comprehensive all-in-one cinematic orchestral library encapsulating strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, choirs, and sound design within a single Kontakt plugin, featuring 8 soloists, performance patches, and a four-layer designer interface.
• Studio Collection Modern Cinematic Toolkit bundle containing Chorus, Nucleus, Solo, and Photosynthesis at a discounted price of $899 (originally $1,446).
• Glade Free orchestral instrument library described as 'The Unearthed Orchestra', providing access to select orchestral sounds at no cost to lower the barrier to entry.
• Areia The Definitive Modern Cinematic Ensemble Strings - a serenely intelligent string instrument with a modern Hollywood sound, wide range of articulations including True Legato, and measured tremolo capabilities.
• Areia Lite Edition Entry-level cinematic string essentials containing carefully selected content from Areia Full Edition at a lower price point with upgrade path to full version.
• Dolce Romantic Chamber Strings - a definitive romantic chamber strings library featuring 7 1st Violins, 5 2nd Violins, 4 Violas, 3 Celli, and 3 Double Basses with 4 mic positions and multiple mixes.
• Dolce Lite Edition Romantic String Selections - a condensed version of Dolce containing selected articulations at 25% of the full download size (20GB), providing an accessible entry point.
• Chorus Modern Cinematic and Symphonic Choir - a comprehensive 48-piece choir library (24 Women, 24 Men) with traditional articulations, Choir FX, and multiple microphone mixes including Scott Michael Smith signature mix.
• Chorus Lite Edition Entry-level cinematic choir library containing the same emotional dexterity of Chorus in a smaller, more concise package ideal for beginning choral composition.
• Chorus FX Cinematic Choir Effects - an extensive set of Male, Female, and Full Ensemble effects including loops, risers, shorts, and sustained effects. Recorded with the same 48-piece choir as Chorus.
• Jaeger The Ultimate Modern Hybrid Orchestra - a brawny and agile hybrid orchestral instrument combining orchestral power with hybrid sound design intensity, featuring epic orchestra, angelic solo vocals, and cutting edge sound design.
• Solo A vast collection of 13 newly recorded, lyrical and expressive orchestral soloists including Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello), Brass (Trumpet, French Horn, Descant Horn), Winds (Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon), and Voice (Soprano Angelic and Operatic).
• Talos

Quantifiable outcome

• Glade free product available to lower barrier to entry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, key and support.

• Native InstrumentscoreTechnology or IntegrationProducts are built on Native Instruments Kontakt platform with full NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) compatibility. Requires Kontakt Player (free) or Kontakt full version for operation. Products delivered via Native Access 2.
• Performance SamplesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with Jasper Blunk from Performance Samples for chamber string libraries including Dolce, Fluid Woods, Fluid Brass, and Dolce Lite Edition. Combines Performance Samples' repetition sampling methodology with Audio Imperia's product design.
• Capellen Music ProductionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecording partnership for orchestral libraries Jaeger, Cerberus, and Talos. Capellen is described as an industry-recognized Film and Pop Symphony Expert with credits including Warner Music, Disney/Pixar, Two Steps From Hell.
• Budapest ScoringflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecording studio partnership at Rottenbiller recording stage for Chorus, Chorus FX, and Constrictor libraries. Budapest Scoring has worked with renowned composers including Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, and Alan Silvestri.
• Scott Michael SmithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo-time Grammy Award-winning Hollywood mixing and recording engineer who created signature mixes for Chorus and Chorus FX. Credits include The Revenant, Mank, The Handmaid's Tale, and Star Wars Ahsoka.
• Merethe SoltvedtkeyOthersAward-winning vocalist featured in Jaeger library. Has performed for Jeff Broadbent, Henry Lai, Tom Salta, Ivan Torrent, and companies like Two Steps From Hell and Ghostwriter Music.
• Tristan NoonkeyOthersAcclaimed orchestrator and instructor for Crafting The Score course. Credits include The Crown, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Loki, and The Matrix Resurrections. Has worked at Abbey Road and AIR Studios.
• AffirmsupportGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment partnership offering interest-free installment plans for major products, allowing customers to pay in 3 monthly installments.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heavyocity: Heavyocity specializes in cinematic hybrid and orchestral Kontakt instruments with a strong trailer/game-scoring customer base. Closely comparable in product mix (hybrid orchestral, sound design) and target segments.
• Spitfire Audio: Spitfire Audio is a leading boutique developer of cinematic and orchestral sample libraries for Kontakt, with strong roots in film and TV scoring. Audio Imperia competes head-to-head in the same composer customer base and product category.
• Cinesamples: Cinesamples develops boutique cinematic orchestral and percussion sample libraries for film composers, including Tina Guo Acoustic Cello and CineBrass. Directly comparable boutique positioning serving the same scoring market.
• Sonokinetic: Sonokinetic produces orchestral, choir, and trailer-style Kontakt libraries with a comparable boutique-cinematic positioning. Direct competitor in the same composer customer base and product category.
• EastWest Sounds: EastWest produces high-end orchestral and cinematic sample libraries (Hollywood Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra) and operates its own PLAY engine. Directly comparable in product category, price point, and target customer of professional film/TV composers.
• Orchestral Tools: Orchestral Tools builds premium orchestral sample libraries for Berlin Orchestra and other collections, targeting the same high-end film/TV composer segment. Comparable in product category, customer profile, and Kontakt-based delivery.
• 8Dio: 8Dio produces deep-sampled orchestral, hybrid, and boutique instrument libraries for Kontakt, with notable offerings in the trailer and cinematic space. Comparable product mix, pricing tiers, and customer base.

Emerging players

• Output: Output develops Kontakt-based virtual instruments and arcade-style plugins targeting modern composers and producers. Adjacent positioning with some overlap in cinematic and hybrid genres.

Broad incumbents

• Spectrasonics: Spectrasonics produces flagship virtual instruments such as Omnisphere and Keyscape used across film/TV, game, and electronic music. Broader incumbent in the virtual instrument space with overlapping composer customers.
• Native Instruments: Native Instruments is the platform vendor whose Kontakt Player and NKS standard Audio Imperia's entire catalog depends on. Functions both as a critical infrastructure partner and as a broad incumbent offering its own first-party sample libraries (e.g., Symphony Series).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRk4L5A0b9iQ5Q4H2YcluDA
• Facebookfacebook.com/audioimperia
• Instagraminstagram.com/audioimperia/?hl=en
• Xx.com/audioimperia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/audioimperia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Audio Imperia