What Ehmann & Partner does

Ehmann & Partner GmbH is a German electroacoustic manufacturer founded in 1969-1971 and headquartered in Gundelsheim-Höchstberg, Baden-Württemberg. The company develops, designs, and produces loudspeakers, microphones, and actuators for three business divisions: OEM automotive (hands-free microphones and loudspeaker systems supplied to automakers), HiFi systems (home and car audio components sold under the SOaudio brand and as OEM drivers to high-end audio brands), and medical technology (the M A T R A 1 intelligent mattress for decubitus prevention and athlete regeneration). It sells to a broad enterprise customer base that includes Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Lamborghini, MAN Truck & Bus, Volvo, London Electric Vehicle Company, AGCO/Fendt, Lufthansa Technik, and home audio brands such as Sonus faber and Dali, with consumer car HiFi products distributed through a dealer network under the SOaudio sub-brand.

The firm's underlying technology is electroacoustic transducer design and manufacturing, supported by an in-house anechoic measurement chamber for characterizing transducer behavior in a reflection-free environment, 3D construction services for design space investigation, and IATF 16949:2016-certified processes maintained for 22 consecutive years. The M A T R A 1 product represents a deliberate extension of vibration actuator technology into a regulated medical application. The company has received the Stifterverband's "Innovativ durch Forschung" seal twice in succession (2022 and 2023).

Ehmann & Partner makes money primarily through B2B OEM hardware sales of custom-engineered electroacoustic components, with a secondary consumer hardware channel via the SOaudio dealer network. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held, founder-owned, and led by CEO Markus Schneider and CTO Klaus Harbarth, with no external institutional investment, no recorded M&A, and no public revenue disclosure. Geographic reach is global via OEM customer integration, though all production is consolidated at the single German headquarters.

Name

Ehmann & Partner

Legal name

Ehmann & Partner GmbH

Website

https://ehmann-partner.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ehmann & Partner GmbH is a German electroacoustic manufacturer founded in 1969 that develops and produces loudspeakers, microphones, and actuators for automotive OEMs, home and car audio brands, and medical technology applications. The company is privately held and serves global enterprise customers from its Baden-Württemberg headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electroacoustic Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (334310), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Household Audio & Video Equipment (3651), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Hi‑Fi / Audiophile Components (DACs, Amps, Turntables, Streamers) (CRACANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microphones, Headsets & Audio Input Devices (HDACAFAH), Studio / Pro Monitoring Headphones & Reference Speakers (CRACANAK)

Keywords

• Electroacoustic components
• Automotive OEM microphones
• Car audio loudspeakers
• Hands-free microphone systems
• Medical vibration mattresses

Headquarters

HQ city

Gundelsheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. OEM Automotive Components: Development, production and logistics of hands-free microphones and loudspeaker systems supplied directly to automotive manufacturers.
2. Car HiFi Consumer Products (SOaudio Brand): Sale of high-end car audio components through dealer network to automotive enthusiasts and car audio installers.
3. Home HiFi OEM Components: Custom development and production of loudspeakers and electroacoustic solutions for home audio manufacturers.
4. Medical Technology R&D: Research and development of medical technology products including the M A T R A 1 intelligent mattress for healthcare applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ehmann & Partner designs, develops, and produces customized electroacoustic solutions including loudspeakers, hands-free microphones, and actuators for automotive OEMs and premium HiFi manufacturers. Under the SOaudio sub-brand it sells high-end car audio speaker components through a dealer network, and in Medical Technology it offers the M A T R A 1 intelligent mattress using selective vibration stimulation for decubitus prevention and athlete recovery.

Product overview

Ehmann & Partner is a German electroacoustic company with 55 years of experience that develops and manufactures electroacoustic solutions. The portfolio is organized into three main business divisions: (1) HiFi Systems for home and car audio, (2) Original Equipment for the automotive industry (hands-free microphones and speaker systems), and (3) Medical Technology. Under the SOaudio sub-brand, the company offers a comprehensive line of high-end car HiFi speaker components including subwoofers (SO250 2×2), midbass drivers (SO165 X, SO165/38, SO165-2.8), midrange speakers (SO55 NEO, SO29 X, SO29 NEO, SO26 NEO), and tweeters (SO19 V, SO19 NEO). The company also develops the M A T R A 1 intelligent mattress for medical applications including decubitus prevention and athlete regeneration. Services include project management, product development, 3D construction, and acoustic measurement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOaudio: High-end car audio product line including subwoofers, midbass speakers, tweeters, and complete speaker systems
• DEGO

Products and services

• SOaudio SO250 2×2 10-inch subwoofer of the SOaudio high-end car HiFi line featuring a dual 2×2 Ω voice coil for flexible amplifier matching and a perfectly tuned drive system for fast, dynamic deep bass from small closed or vented enclosures. Sold to automotive audio enthusiasts and car audio installers through the SOaudio dealer network.
• SOaudio SO165 X Newly developed midbass speaker for 2- and 3-way car audio systems with a 2.8 Ω voice coil that compensates for level differences caused by door or footwell installation positions. Sold through the SOaudio dealer network.
• SOaudio SO165 / 38 Midbass speaker component for 2- and 3-way car audio systems in the SOaudio product line.
• SOaudio SO165 – 2.8 Midbass speaker variant with a 2.8 Ω voice coil for enhanced level output in vehicle installations.
• SOaudio SO75 X Speaker component for car audio systems in the SOaudio product line.
• SOaudio SO55 NEO Mid-range speaker with a very low mounting depth of 19 mm and 55 mm installation diameter, positioned as the heart of the SOaudio speaker line for car audio installations.
• SOaudio SO29 X Speaker component for car audio systems in the SOaudio product line.
• SOaudio SO29 NEO Speaker component for car audio systems in the SOaudio product line.
• SOaudio SO26 NEO Speaker component for car audio systems in the SOaudio product line.
• SOaudio SO19 V 19 mm compact high-end tweeter with extra volume and a hand-coated fabric dome delivering soft, round sound reproduction and excellent spatial representation for car audio systems.
• SOaudio SO19 NEO Compact high-end tweeter with just 34 mm diameter and 6.7 mm depth, developed as a tweeter for high-quality 3-way systems and as an optimal partner for the SO55 NEO.
• M A T R A 1 Intelligent mattress for decubitus prevention and regeneration that uses selective vibration stimulation to increase blood circulation, prevent pressure ulcers through micro-repositioning, and accelerate muscle recovery in athletes. Targeted at healthcare and sports recovery applications.
• Original Equipment for Automotive Industry Custom development, production, and logistics of hands-free microphones and loudspeaker systems supplied as OEM components to major automotive manufacturers under IATF 16949:2016 certified processes.
• HiFi Systems Custom development, design, and production of loudspeakers and electroacoustic system solutions for the home and car HiFi sector, including loudspeaker components supplied to premium HiFi manufacturers.
• Medical Technology Research and development activities in medical technology, including intelligent mattress solutions using selective vibration stimulation for decubitus prevention and regeneration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22 years of continuous IATF 16949:2016 certification demonstrating sustained automotive quality standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Universities and Research Institutions NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research network developing future electroacoustic and medical technology solutions. Research focuses include new solutions for electroacoustics and medical technology applications.
• Partner Companies NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership network for joint product development in electroacoustics and medical technology sectors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ETON Car-Audio GmbH: German manufacturer of high-end car audio loudspeakers and components. Closely comparable to Ehmann & Partner in product category, customer overlap (European car audio brands), and German Mittelstand operating model.
• Audiotec Fischer GmbH: German car audio specialist (Heli, Match, Brax brands) producing amplifiers, speakers, and DSP components. Comparable in size, German specialty positioning, and overlap with Ehmann & Partner's SOaudio-targeted car audio channel.
• Rainbow Audio GmbH: German car audio speaker and component manufacturer. Comparable in product scope (car audio speakers and subwoofers), German Mittelstand profile, and dealer-driven distribution model.
• Gladen Europe GmbH: German manufacturer of premium car audio speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers. Directly comparable in geography, end-market (aftermarket car HiFi), and component-level product focus.
• Ground Zero GmbH: German car audio manufacturer producing subwoofers, speakers, and amplifiers. Directly competes with Ehmann & Partner's SOaudio subwoofers and speakers in the European car HiFi aftermarket.

Broad incumbents

• Sennheiser electronic SE & Co. KG: German audio manufacturer with broad product portfolio spanning professional, consumer, and automotive audio. Comparable as a German audio hardware company with deep electroacoustic engineering heritage, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Bang & Olufsen: Premium Danish audio brand supplying automotive audio systems (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG). Broad incumbent in the premium automotive audio space that overlaps with Ehmann & Partner's automotive OEM customer base.
• Harman International: Samsung-owned Tier 1 automotive audio supplier offering branded audio systems (Harman Kardon, JBL, Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen) for OEM integration. A much larger incumbent competing for the same automotive OEM audio sockets that Ehmann & Partner serves.
• Bose Automotive: Division of Bose Corporation supplying automotive audio systems to global OEMs. A broad incumbent that competes for the same automotive audio system sockets within premium and mass-market vehicle programmes.
• Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH: German premium audio manufacturer supplying in-car sound systems to Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Comparable in premium automotive OEM positioning and German manufacturing heritage, but at significantly larger brand and revenue scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

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 Ehmann & Partner