Audience
Audience is a privately held, hand-crafted high-performance audio components manufacturer founded in 1997, producing premium cables, powerChords, power conditioners, and ClairAudient loudspeakers under proprietary MORRE technology for audiophiles, professional audio users, and custom installers via authorized dealers and direct sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSan Marcos, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Audience does
Audience is a privately held, hand-crafted high-performance audio components manufacturer founded in November 1997 by John McDonald and the late Richard Smith in San Marcos, California. The company designs and produces premium audio cables, powerChords, power conditioners, ClairAudient loudspeakers, accessories, and OEM/DIY parts, organized across product tiers from entry-level (OHNO cables, forte f3 powerChord at $249) through mid-tier (Studio TWO/ONE) to flagship (frontRow at $3,300/meter pair, Au24 SX, Bellare loudspeakers at $36,000/pair). The technical foundation rests on the proprietary MORRE platform (Musically Optimized Reduction of Resistive Energies), incorporating EHVP (Extreme High-Voltage Process), Deep Cryo II cryogenic treatment, Ohno Continuous Cast copper at 99.9999% purity, and XLPE dielectric materials across multiple custom cable geometries. Audience sells through a global network of authorized dealers and direct-to-consumer via phone and email, with marketing primarily driven by industry press reviews, trade show demonstrations at T.H.E. Show, CES, AXPONA, and Capital Audiofest, plus social media and newsletter outreach. The customer base spans audiophiles and high-end audio enthusiasts (primary), professional audio users such as recording and mastering engineers, and custom installers specifying luxury residential systems. All Audience cables carry an unconditional lifetime warranty; power conditioners carry a ten-year warranty, reflecting the engineering confidence underpinning the brand. The company is operating actively with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and 101-250 employees.
Audience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Audience
- Legal name
- Audience
- Website
- https://audience-av.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Audience is a privately held, hand-crafted high-performance audio components manufacturer founded in 1997, producing premium cables, powerChords, power conditioners, and ClairAudient loudspeakers under proprietary MORRE technology for audiophiles, professional audio users, and custom installers via authorized dealers and direct sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Audience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- High-End Consumer Audio Electronics
- NAICS
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (334310), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (3343)
- SIC
- Household Audio & Video Equipment (3651), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670), Electronic Components, Nec (3679)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hi‑Fi / Audiophile Components (DACs, Amps, Turntables, Streamers) (CRACANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Accessories (Ear Tips, Cables, Stands, Cases, Transmitters) (CRACANAM), Home Theater Audio Systems (AV Receivers, Speaker Packages) (CRACANAH), Live Sound & Stage Equipment (PA Systems, Amplification, Monitoring) (MPAIAJAD)
Keywords
Where Audience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Marcos
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Audience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Audio Cable Sales: Hand-crafted audio cables sold directly to audiophiles through dealers and direct phone/email orders. Products include interconnects, speaker cables, digital cables, USB cables, phono cables, and headphone cables at various price points from entry to ultra-high-end.
- Power Cable/Chord Sales: Power cables and powerChords for audio components sold as one-time purchases with lifetime warranty on cables.
- Power Conditioner Sales: AdeptResponse power conditioners (aR1p through aR12) and Forte V8 Power strips sold as premium audio components with 10-year warranty.
- Loudspeaker Sales: High-end ClairAudient loudspeakers including Bellare and 1+1 models sold through authorized dealers.
- OEM/DIY Parts: AIT1 Transformers, Auricap XO capacitors, and Audience drivers sold to OEM manufacturers and DIY enthusiasts.
- Accessories: Auric Illuminator optical disc treatment system, JEWEL CableLifters, and Hidden Treasure AC solutions (wall receptacles, in-wall cables) sold as accessories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level forte powerChords |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Studio TWO cables - successor to Conductor SE |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Studio ONE cables - replaces previous Au24SE line |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | frontRow cables - top of the line with MORRE technology |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Au24 SX powerChord - flagship power cord |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Au24 SX cables - flagship interconnect/speaker cables |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Power conditioners - aR series |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | forte V8 Power strip |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bellare loudspeakers |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hidden Treasure accessories |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Auric Illuminator |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Audience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Audience designs, manufactures, and sells hand-crafted high-performance audio components — including speaker cables, interconnects, power cables, power conditioners, loudspeakers, and accessories — built in San Marcos, California using proprietary conductor and treatment technologies (MORRE, EHVP, Deep Cryo II, OCC copper). The company sells direct to consumers via its website and through an authorized dealer network, and also supplies OEM/DIY parts to other audio manufacturers and hobbyists.
Product overview
Audience is a hand-crafted, high-performance audio and video components manufacturer founded in November 1997. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio of premium audio equipment organized across several product categories: cables (including Au24 SX, frontRow, frontRow Reserve, Studio ONE, Studio TWO, OHNO, and Hidden Treasure lines in various configurations), power cords (powerChords across all cable tiers), power conditioners (aR series including aR12, aR6, aR2, aR2p, and forte V8), ClairAudient loudspeakers (Bellare and 1+1 models), accessories (Auric Illuminator, JEWEL CableLifter, Hidden Treasure receptacles), and OEM/DIY parts. The frontRow series represents the flagship tier incorporating MORRE (Musically Optimized Reduction of Resistive Energies) technologies, while the product line spans from entry-level OHNO and forte products through mid-tier Studio lines to premium frontRow and Au24 SX offerings. All Audience cables carry a lifetime warranty and power conditioners have a ten-year warranty. The company is headquartered in San Marcos, California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ClairAudient: Loudspeaker brand including Bellare and 1+1 models
- AdeptResponse
- MORRE
Products and services
- Au24 SX cables Audience's flagship line of high-end speaker cables, interconnects, and power cables built with OCC copper conductors and Audience's proprietary MORRE geometry and EHVP/Deep Cryo II treatments; sold with a lifetime warranty to audiophiles via direct and authorized dealer channels.
- frontRow cables Premium cable line from Audience positioned within the high-end audio cable family alongside Au24 SX, using the company's proprietary conductor and treatment processes.
- Studio ONE and Studio TWO cables Studio-series audio cables (speaker and/or interconnect) offered as part of Audience's tiered high-end cable lineup, manufactured using the same hand-built processes and proprietary treatments as the Au24 SX line.
- OHNO cables Audience audio cable product family built around Ohno Continuous Cast (OCC) copper conductors and the company's proprietary processing, targeting audiophile systems.
- aR series power conditioners Audience's line of high-end power conditioners designed to filter AC line noise and provide clean power to audiophile components, built around the company's proprietary power-treatment technology.
- forte V8 power conditioner Audience's flagship/multi-outlet power conditioner offering within the forte family, engineered to deliver clean, low-noise AC power to high-end audio systems.
- ClairAudient loudspeakers (including Bellare and 1+1) Audience's house brand of high-end loudspeakers under the ClairAudient line, including the Bellare and 1+1 models, designed and hand-built in San Marcos, California, and offered to audiophile buyers.
- Audio accessories Supporting Audience-branded accessories (e.g., connectors, adaptors, and complementary audio accessories) that round out the company's product ecosystem for audiophile systems.
- OEM and DIY parts Audience's OEM/DIY product line providing raw drivers, components, and parts to other audio equipment manufacturers and to DIY loudspeaker builders/hobbyists.
Quantifiable outcome
- Au24 SX received TAS Product of the Year Award 2017 and multiple Editors' Choice Awards
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Audience
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Audience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Audience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Wolf Audio SystemsminorWolf Audio Systems used Audience frontRow cable looms and powerChords at AXPONA audio show to demonstrate their systems. This partnership showcases Audience products in high-end system configurations at major trade events.
- Tenacious SoundminorTenacious Sound featured Audience frontRow cables and power conditioning in their room at AXPONA show, allowing show attendees to experience Audience products in a complete system context.
- Bluebird MusicminorBluebird Music partnered with Audience at AXPONA to demonstrate frontRow cables in their system room, providing hands-on demonstration opportunities for potential customers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Audience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AudioQuest: AudioQuest is a major direct competitor in premium audio and HDMI cables, power conditioners, and audio accessories, with broader product breadth and retail distribution that overlaps significantly with Audience's cable and powerChord offerings.
- Shunyata Research: Shunyata Research is a direct competitor in premium power conditioners and audio cables, with patented power delivery technologies and a similar audiophile-targeted product philosophy and dealer distribution model.
- TARA Labs: TARA Labs is a smaller specialty manufacturer of high-end audio cables and interconnects using proprietary conductor technologies, serving the same audiophile market segment as Audience with hand-crafted products.
- Nordost: Nordost is a direct competitor in the high-end audio cable and power cord category, manufacturing hand-built interconnects, speaker cables, and power products aimed at the same audiophile customer base as Audience, with similar premium pricing and dealer distribution.
- Cardas Audio: Cardas Audio is a closely comparable specialty manufacturer of premium audio cables, power cords, and connectors, serving the same high-end audiophile segment with hand-crafted, made-in-USA products distributed through specialty dealers.
- Synergistic Research: Synergistic Research manufactures high-end audio cables, power cords, and power conditioners with proprietary technologies (e.g., Tesla-based shielding), competing head-to-head with Audience in the same specialty dealer channel.
- Wireworld Cable: Wireworld manufactures a broad range of high-end audio, video, and digital cables using proprietary conductor geometries, competing with Audience across multiple cable tiers at comparable price points.
- Transparent Cable: Transparent Cable is a long-established specialty manufacturer of high-end audio cables and power conditioners, serving the same audiophile customer base as Audience through custom dealer installations.
Broad incumbents
- PS Audio: PS Audio is a broader high-end audio brand offering power conditioners, amplifiers, DACs, and music servers, overlapping with Audience's power conditioner and cable categories while operating as a more diversified incumbent.
Emerging players
- WyWires: WyWires is a niche specialty manufacturer of high-end audio cables with proprietary winding and shielding approaches, competing in the same audiophile tier as Audience but with a smaller catalog and emerging brand presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Audience social profiles
Digital presenceAudience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Audience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Audience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Audience 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 Audience
What does Audience do?
Audience designs, manufactures, and sells hand-crafted high-performance audio components — including speaker cables, interconnects, power cables, power conditioners, loudspeakers, and accessories — built in San Marcos, California using proprietary conductor and treatment technologies (MORRE, EHVP, Deep Cryo II, OCC copper). The company sells direct to consumers via its website and through an authorized dealer network, and also supplies OEM/DIY parts to other audio manufacturers and hobbyists.
Is Audience a public or private company?
Audience is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Audience founded?
Audience was founded in 1997. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Audience based?
Audience is headquartered in San Marcos, United States, in the North America region.
How does Audience make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Audio Cable Sales are the primary driver. The others are power Cable/Chord Sales, power Conditioner Sales, loudspeaker Sales, OEM/DIY Parts and accessories.
Who are Audience's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AudioQuest, Shunyata Research, TARA Labs, Nordost, Cardas Audio, Synergistic Research, Wireworld Cable and Transparent Cable. PS Audio is listed as a broad incumbent. WyWires is listed as an emerging player.
Does Audience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Audience.
What industry is Audience in?
Audience's product category is High-End Consumer Audio Electronics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACANAI, Hi‑Fi / Audiophile Components (DACs, Amps, Turntables, Streamers), with a secondary code of CRACANAM, Audio Accessories (Ear Tips, Cables, Stands, Cases, Transmitters). Its NAICS code is 33431 and its SIC code is 3651.