SquareSound
SquareSound is an Australian audiobook and podcast production studio operating as a specialist division of Soundfirm, serving major publishing houses (Penguin Random House, Hachette, Allen & Unwin) and individual authors from facilities in Melbourne and Sydney.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersPort Melbourne, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SquareSound does
SquareSound is an Australian professional services studio that produces audiobooks and podcasts on a project basis for publishing houses and authors. It was established as the specialist audiobook and podcast division of Soundfirm (Australia's broader post-production company) and operates from state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne (headquarters, Port Melbourne) and Sydney, with a remote editing presence in Adelaide. The company lists approximately 9 named professionals spanning co-founder/creative producer, directors, engineers, sound designers, and proof editors, with multiple senior staff holding 20-30 years of audiobook, audio-drama, and post-production experience.
The core offering is end-to-end audiobook and podcast production, integrating casting (drawn from a "vast database" of voice artists), voice direction, recording, editing, sound design, and mastering into a single workflow. Differentiated capabilities include multi-voice drama production, multi-language and multi-accent productions, ADR for film and TV (Sydney), and support for authors who choose to self-narrate. Thought leadership is delivered through "The Audiobook Podcast," hosted by Senior Director Justine Sloane-Lees, and a SoundCloud showcase of completed titles.
The business model is sales-led B2B professional services: revenue is generated per project from publishing clients including Penguin Random House Australia, Hachette Australia, Allen & Unwin, Hay House Australia, John Wiley, and Recorded Books USA, plus direct-to-author engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Geographic reach spans Australia as the primary market and the United States for select international publishers (Recorded Books USA). The company is private, headquartered in Port Melbourne, with no external funding rounds disclosed.
SquareSound firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SquareSound
- Legal name
- SquareSound
- Website
- https://squaresound.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SquareSound is an Australian audiobook and podcast production studio operating as a specialist division of Soundfirm, serving major publishing houses (Penguin Random House, Hachette, Allen & Unwin) and individual authors from facilities in Melbourne and Sydney.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SquareSound industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audiobook and Podcast Production Services
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Studios (512240), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Other Sound Recording Industries (51229)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Audiobook Self-Publishing & Production Services (Narration, Studio, ACX-style) (MPAJAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC), Dubbing & Voiceover Production (Casting, Recording, Lip-Sync) (MPAHAFAB), Audio Mastering & Deliverables (Loudness/Compliance, Printmasters, Stems) (MPAHAEAL), Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE)
Keywords
Where SquareSound is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Port Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
SquareSound business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Audiobook Production Services: Professional audiobook production services including casting, voice direction, recording, editing, and sound design for publishing houses and authors. Project-based engagements typically commissioned by publishers or authors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
SquareSound product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SquareSound is an audio post-production studio that delivers end-to-end audiobook and podcast production services, including casting from a large voice artist database, voice direction, multi-language and multi-accent recording, editing, sound design, and mastering. It serves publishing houses (Penguin Random House, Hachette, Allen & Unwin, Recorded Books USA, Hay House, John Wiley) and individual authors, operating state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne and Sydney as a specialist division of Soundfirm.
Product overview
SquareSound is an award-winning audiobook and podcast production studio operating as a specialist division of Soundfirm, with state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne and Sydney. The company offers a unified suite of production services centered on two core offerings: audiobook production and podcast production. These core services are supported by integrated offerings including casting, voice direction, language adaptation, sound design, and audio editing. SquareSound also operates The Audiobook Podcast as a content and thought leadership sub-brand. The company's strength lies in its end-to-end production capability, managing projects from commissioning through final delivery, with expertise in handling diverse formats including novellas, children's books, fiction, non-fiction, political essays, and multi-voice dramas across multiple languages and accents.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Audiobook Production End-to-end audiobook production services including casting, voice direction, recording, editing, sound design, and mastering for fiction, non-fiction, children's books, political essays, and multi-voice dramas. Delivered for publishing houses (Penguin Random House, Hachette, Allen & Unwin, Hay House, John Wiley, Recorded Books USA) and individual authors.
- Podcast Production Full-service podcast production covering casting, direction, recording, editing, sound design, and distribution support for podcast series, delivered at SquareSound's Melbourne and Sydney studios.
- Casting Services Casting services that draw on a vast database of voice artists with experience in audiobook narration, including support for authors who prefer to narrate their own work.
- ADR (Additional Dialogue Recording)
Quantifiable outcome
- Produced hundreds of books and podcasts across various genres
Companies that use SquareSound
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SquareSound technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
SquareSound partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SoundfirmcoreSquareSound is a specialist division of Soundfirm, Australia's leading post-production company. This parent company relationship provides infrastructure and expertise for state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne and Sydney.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SquareSound competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hachette Audio: In-house audiobook imprint of Hachette Book Group and a disclosed SquareSound customer; directly comparable audiobook production activity but operating as part of a major publisher's broader portfolio rather than as an independent specialist studio.
- Soundfirm: Parent company of SquareSound and Australia's leading film/TV post-production house; broader audio post-production incumbent whose film ADR, sound design and mixing services overlap with SquareSound's ADR offering, and which provides studio infrastructure.
- Penguin Random House Audio: In-house audiobook division of the world's largest trade publisher and a disclosed SquareSound customer; comparable audiobook production capability but embedded within a much larger publisher, competing with SquareSound for premium title work as both a buyer and a potential in-houser.
Direct peers
- Recorded Books: Long-standing US audiobook publisher and producer with in-house production studios; comparable audiobook production capability and is also a disclosed SquareSound customer, making it a simultaneous peer and channel partner.
- Blackstone Publishing: Audiobook-focused publisher with integrated recording studios producing across fiction, non-fiction and children's; comparable as a studio-led audiobook production operation competing for the same publisher commissioning budgets.
- HighBridge Audio: Audiobook publisher and producer with in-house studio capability serving trade and library markets; directly comparable as an audiobook production specialist targeting the same publisher customer base.
- Podium Audio: Independent audiobook publisher and producer focused on high-volume catalog production; comparable audiobook production capability with a contrasting volume-driven, technology-augmented model to SquareSound's director-led approach.
- Tantor Audio: Audiobook publisher and producer operating dedicated recording studios for trade and library titles; directly comparable as a studio-based audiobook production competitor serving major publisher catalogs.
- ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange): Audible's marketplace connecting authors and publishers with audiobook producers, narrators and studios; competes for the same publisher and self-published author audiobook production work that SquareSound targets.
- Audible Studios: In-house and partner audiobook production arm of Audible/Amazon; directly comparable as a professional audiobook recording and direction studio serving major publishers and authors, operating at significantly greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SquareSound social profiles
Digital presenceSquareSound financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SquareSound leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
SquareSound funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SquareSound 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 SquareSound
What does SquareSound do?
SquareSound is an audio post-production studio that delivers end-to-end audiobook and podcast production services, including casting from a large voice artist database, voice direction, multi-language and multi-accent recording, editing, sound design, and mastering. It serves publishing houses (Penguin Random House, Hachette, Allen & Unwin, Recorded Books USA, Hay House, John Wiley) and individual authors, operating state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne and Sydney as a specialist division of Soundfirm.
Is SquareSound a public or private company?
SquareSound is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SquareSound founded?
SquareSound was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SquareSound based?
SquareSound is headquartered in Port Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does SquareSound make money?
One revenue line is on record: audiobook Production Services.
Who are SquareSound's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hachette Audio, Soundfirm and Penguin Random House Audio. Direct peers are Recorded Books, Blackstone Publishing, HighBridge Audio, Podium Audio, Tantor Audio, ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) and Audible Studios.
Does SquareSound have an API?
No public API is recorded for SquareSound.
What industry is SquareSound in?
SquareSound's product category is Audiobook and Podcast Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAJAJ, Audiobook Self-Publishing & Production Services (Narration, Studio, ACX-style), with a secondary code of MPAIADAC, Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms. Its NAICS code is 512240.