Audio Test Kitchen

What Audio Test Kitchen does

Audio Test Kitchen operates a web-based audio product comparison platform that enables users to audition and compare 300+ microphones online under standardized, scientifically controlled recording conditions. The platform records each microphone through an identical signal chain — Grace Designs M108 microphone preamplifiers and AD/DA converters, with matched levels and consistent mic placement — and captures samples across 11 acoustic environments, including the EastWest Studios in Hollywood and the Harman Labs anechoic chamber, using 46 instrument and vocal sources. Core product features include an ATK Player interface with instant mic switching, a Blind Taste Test mode that hides brand and price, a Stacked Effect that combines all song elements through a single microphone to amplify the mic's personality, and standardized cross-comparable frequency response graphs developed with Harman International Labs.

The platform is positioned as a free, ad-supported, product-led B2C media property. Users register to save favorites, take notes, create and share comparison sessions, and consume educational content through The Kitchen Blog. Revenue is generated from curated advertising and paid manufacturer partnerships, with the 65 partnered brands (Neumann, Sennheiser, Shure, AKG, Telefunken, Schoeps, and others) providing physical microphones, engineering support, and co-marketing. The company has no disclosed institutional funding, no enterprise SaaS contracts, and no app store distribution; it operates as a self-serve desktop web platform accessible globally but with primary focus on the US market. Distribution is driven by content marketing, SEO, and influencer partnerships with high-reach YouTube audio educators (Graham Cochrane of Recording Revolution, Warren Huart of Produce Like a Pro), supplemented by integrations with Sonarworks, Universal Audio, and Spotify that deepen platform utility.

The company is headquartered in Culver City, California, was founded by Alex Oana and Ian Hlatky, and operates with a 1–10 person team. Its primary customer segments are audio engineers, musicians and home studio owners, microphone enthusiasts, audio education institutions, and beginners entering recording. Strategic technical partners include Harman Labs for scientific validation, Grace Designs for the standardized signal chain, ADAM Audio and ATC for reamplification monitors, and DPA, Schoeps, and LEWITT for reference microphones, with Grammy-winning engineers Chris Lord-Alge and Jesse Ray Ernster contributing to recording sessions. The stated product roadmap extends beyond microphones into guitars, pedals, outboard gear, drums, and cymbals.

Name

Audio Test Kitchen

Legal name

Audio Test Kitchen

Website

https://audiotestkitchen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Audio Test Kitchen is a free, web-based platform that enables audio engineers, musicians, educators, and beginners to audition and compare 300+ microphones recorded under standardized scientific conditions, monetized through advertising and manufacturer partnerships with 65 pro audio brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audio Equipment Comparison Software

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (512240), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Pro Audio Equipment (Mics, Interfaces, Mixers, Studio Monitors) (MPAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Audio product comparison
• Microphone comparison platform
• Online audio auditioning
• Music production tools
• Audio gear evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Culver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Platform is free to users, monetized through curated advertising from manufacturer partners. Ads are intentionally low-noise and high-value to maintain user experience quality.
2. Manufacturer Partnerships: Microphone manufacturers pay to have their products featured on the platform, providing exposure to potential customers through standardized comparison environment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Audio Test Kitchen operates a web-based audio product comparison platform that enables users to audition and compare 300+ microphones online under standardized, scientifically controlled recording conditions. The platform uses a proprietary methodology in which all microphones are recorded using the same signal chain, mic position, levels, and source to eliminate variables. Key capabilities include the ATK Player, Blind Taste Test mode, Stacked Effect comparison, and cross-comparable frequency response graphs developed with Harman Labs.

Product overview

Audio Test Kitchen operates as a unified web-based platform for comparing professional audio equipment, centered on its core comparison application. The main product is the Audio Test Kitchen Platform (accessible at app.audiotestkitchen.com), featuring the ATK Player as the primary interface for auditioning and comparing 300+ microphones. Key features include the Blind Taste Test mode for unbiased comparison, Stacked Effect for hearing combined sources through a single mic, and Standardized Frequency Response Graphs developed with Harman Labs. The platform is complemented by The Kitchen Blog for educational content. ATK 2.0 represents a major version update with performance improvements and new features. Future expansion plans include additional gear categories such as guitars, pedals, outboard gear, drums, and cymbals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audio Test Kitchen Platform A free, web-based audio product comparison platform that lets audio engineers, producers, musicians, and home studio owners audition and compare 300+ microphones online under identical, scientifically standardized recording conditions. Includes the ATK Player interface, Blind Taste Test mode, Stacked Effect, and standardized frequency response graphs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ microphones available for comparison
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Harman International (Harman Labs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020Harman Labs, world-renowned audio research facility, provided anechoic chamber testing, scientific validation of recording methodology, and impulse response correction filters. Researchers including Dr. Sean Olive, Todd Welti, and Chris Hagen helped perfect ATK's reamplification system to achieve 100% realism matching live acoustic sources. Also provided controlled acoustic environments for standardized frequency response measurements.
• Grace DesignscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2019Grace Designs provided M108 microphone preamplifiers and analog-to-digital converters as the standardized signal chain for recording all 250+ microphones. The M108 was chosen for its sonic and 'political' neutrality - described as 'the Switzerland of mic preamps' - ensuring microphone recordings maintained integrity without preamp coloration. Dante-enabled connectivity allowed remote control and digital signal routing.
• 65 Microphone ManufacturerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with 65 professional audio manufacturers (including Neumann, Schoeps, AKG, Shure, Sennheiser, Telefunken, and others) to create the standardized comparison platform. Manufacturers provided physical microphones for recording and support for the unbiased comparison initiative.
• EastWest StudiosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-renowned recording studio in Hollywood, California where the majority of microphone recordings were captured. Provided studio facilities, engineers (Don Setaro), and the Yamaha Disklavier self-playing piano for consistent source material.
• Chris Lord-Alge / Can-Am StudiosmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner5x Grammy-winning mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge provided Can-Am Studios for additional microphone recording sessions. Featured in platform videos demonstrating microphone comparisons and Blind Taste Tests.
• ADAM AudiosupportingTechnology or IntegrationADAM Audio S3H studio monitors were chosen as the vocal reproducer (reamp speaker) for the microphone recording system based on their accuracy and natural sound reproduction through microphones.
• DPA MicrophonessupportingTechnology or IntegrationDPA reference microphones used as 'bottling' microphones to capture acoustic sources for the reamplification system, ensuring consistent, artifact-free source capture.
• Schoeps MicrophonessupportingTechnology or IntegrationSchoeps microphones selected as reference mics for the reamplification system after extensive testing. CMC6 MK2 preamps paired with the capsule for accurate source capture.
• LEWITT AudiosupportingTechnology or IntegrationLEWITT LCT 440 Pure used as the reference microphone for locating the 'sweet spot' position for piano recordings. LCT 940 featured for tube vs. solid-state comparison demonstrations.
• ATC (Acoustic Technology Company)supportingTechnology or IntegrationATC SCM45A studio monitors used as alternative reamplification speakers for vocal content, selected for their accurate reproduction characteristics.
• Gold-Diggers LAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecording studio location used for additional microphone recording sessions, providing controlled acoustic environment for the platform's source material library.
• SonarworkssupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership announced September 2020 for 'Try Before You Buy' initiative, enabling users to hear how microphones would sound with Sonarworks room correction applied.
• Universal Audio (UAD)supportingTechnology or IntegrationUAD plugins used for creating 'Stacked Effect' and 'Dry Mix' comparison features, allowing users to hear before/after plugin processing on all 300+ microphones.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reverb: Reverb is the largest online music gear marketplace with audio demo capabilities for each listed instrument, microphone, and effect. It serves the same pro audio buyer intent (compare before you buy) and is frequented by the same audio engineer and home studio audience that ATK targets with its microphone comparison platform.
• Plugin Boutique: Plugin Boutique is a music software and plugin marketplace with trial/demo versions for nearly every product. Its try-before-you-buy comparison model and producer-audience target closely mirror ATK's approach to microphones, making it a directly comparable online comparison platform for pro audio creators.

Emerging players

• Sonarworks: Sonarworks develops sound reference and room correction technology that, like Audio Test Kitchen, addresses how creators perceive audio gear accuracy. Their 'Try Before You Buy' integration partnership with ATK confirms direct collaboration, and their shared focus on standardizing subjective audio evaluation makes Sonarworks a directly comparable peer.
• Splice: Splice operates a marketplace and content platform for music creators including samples, presets, and tools, with a subscription model and creator community. While focused more on samples than gear, it serves the same prosumer audio creator audience and demonstrates an alternative monetization approach for pro audio content platforms.

Broad incumbents

• Sweetwater: Sweetwater is one of the largest pro audio and musical instrument retailers in the US with deep manufacturer relationships across the 65+ brands that ATK partners with. Their educational content and gear recommendation videos target the same at-home creator audience and represent the dominant incumbent in the pro audio commerce funnel.
• iZotope: iZotope is an established pro audio software manufacturer (RX, Ozone, Neutron) used widely in music production and post-production. They occupy a broad pro audio position intersecting with ATK's audience of audio engineers and producers, and they represent a potential integrator or partner for audio comparison and quality assessment features.
• B&H Photo Video: B&H is a major pro audio and electronics retailer carrying all the major microphone brands ATK partners with, with deep product descriptions, comparison tools, and review content. They represent the large incumbent pro audio retail channel for the same audience that ATK serves as a comparison reference.
• Universal Audio: Universal Audio manufactures pro audio interfaces, microphones, and plugins and is an existing ATK partner (UAD plugins are integrated into the platform's Stacked Effect). UA's combined hardware/software portfolio and presence across microphones, audio gear, and processing parallels ATK's positioning at the intersection of all three.
• IK Multimedia: IK Multimedia manufactures a wide range of pro audio hardware and software (microphones, audio interfaces, amp sims) and operates its own demo and trial infrastructure for buyers. Their scope across microphones, outboard gear, and software places them in overlapping product territory with ATK's planned expansion roadmap.

Others

• Mix Magazine: Mix Magazine is a long-running pro audio industry publication that frequently covers the same microphone manufacturers and gear categories featured on ATK. Their editorial reviews and gear coverage address the same audience-side need for unbiased pro audio evaluation, positioning Mix as an adjacent media peer rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/audiotestkitchen
• Xx.com/kitchenaudio
• Facebookfacebook.com/audiotestkitchen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/audio-test-kitchen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Test Kitchen