What 4ms Company does

4ms Company is a US-based designer and manufacturer of Eurorack-format modular synthesizer modules, power systems, portable enclosures, and DIY kits, founded in 1996. The company originated as 4ms Pedals in a small workshop near Chicago, producing hand-built effect pedals before transitioning into the Eurorack modular ecosystem. Today its product lineup spans DSP-based audio modules (Dual Looping Delay, Stereo Triggered Sampler, Spectral Multiband Resonator, Tapographic Delay, Spherical Wavetable Navigator, Ensemble Oscillator), utility modules (Pingable Envelope Generator, Quad Clock Distributor, VCA Matrix, Listen series mixers), the MetaModule platform that pairs hardware controls with virtual software modules, the Catalyst sequencer/controller line, and a comprehensive ecosystem of Row Power supplies, Pod enclosures, DIY kits, faceplates, cables, and accessories.

The company's technology base centers on proprietary DSP-based audio processing, low-noise analog circuit design, and firmware-updatable platforms that can be updated via audio file playback. Open-source firmware is published on GitHub, and an active community forum and documentation site support user engagement. Pricing is one-time perpetual across the catalog, with modules ranging from approximately $175 to $475, power solutions from $29 to $165, and enclosures from $99 to $245. The MetaModule sub-brand (virtual software modules with physical interfaces), Catalyst sequencer line, and DIY kit line targeting beginners each represent distinct axes of product evolution.

4ms monetizes exclusively through direct-to-consumer hardware sales via its own e-commerce storefront, supplemented by authorized dealer relationships for offline retail. Its primary customer segment is modular synthesizer musicians — electronic musicians, producers, and sound designers who use Eurorack systems for live performance and studio production. A secondary segment comprises collectors and hobbyists interested in the legacy pedal line and DIY assembly. The company remains privately owned (founder Dan Green), operates without external funding, and serves a global market through direct shipping. Distribution is intentionally lean, with no enterprise channels, no subscriptions, and no recurring revenue model.

Name

4ms Company

Legal name

4ms Company

Website

https://4mscompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

4ms Company designs and produces Eurorack modular synthesizer modules, power systems, portable enclosures, and DIY kits for electronic musicians, producers, and sound designers. Founded in 1996 and privately held, the company sells directly to a global customer base via its website and authorized dealers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instruments / Modular Synthesizers

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Production Hardware (Synthesizers, Drum Machines, Samplers, MIDI Controllers) (MPAIAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

DJ & Performance Gear (Controllers, Turntables, CDJs, Mixers) (MPAIAJAC), Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads) (MPAIAJAF), Embedded, Maker Platforms & Development Kits Retail (CRACAKAI)

Keywords

• Eurorack modules
• Modular synthesizer hardware
• Audio electronics manufacturing
• DIY synthesizer kits
• Eurorack power supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Eurorack Modules: Fully assembled Eurorack format synthesizer modules sold as finished products. Includes delay units, samplers, oscillators, envelopes, filters, clock distributors, VCAs, and utility modules.
2. DIY Kits: Through-hole kit versions of modules for self-assembly, targeting hobbyists and learners. All components provided except tools. DSP brain boards pre-soldered.
3. Power Solutions: Row Power modules and Pod enclosures providing power distribution for Eurorack systems. Includes power bricks and cables.
4. Faceplates and Accessories: Replacement and alternative faceplates for modules, blank panels, knob attachments, and connector cables.
5. Legacy Pedals: Discontinued effect pedals from the company's early history as 4ms Pedals (1996-early 2000s).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

4ms Company designs, manufactures, and sells Eurorack-format modular synthesizer modules, power distribution systems, portable aluminum enclosures (Pods), and through-hole DIY kits for musicians, producers, and sound designers. The company also offers accessories including cables, blank panels, and replacement faceplates, and maintains a community around open-source firmware for many products.

Product overview

4ms Company is a manufacturer of Eurorack modular synthesizer modules and accessories, founded in 1996. The company offers a comprehensive ecosystem of hardware products organized into several categories: Eurorack modules (including the MetaModule, Catalyst Sequencer/Controller, Dual Looping Delay, Stereo Triggered Sampler, Spectral Multiband Resonator, Tapographic Delay, and numerous utility modules); power solutions (Row Power 25/35/45 power supply modules); portable enclosure pods (Powered and Unpowered versions ranging from 20HP to 104HP with various depths); DIY kits for Looping Delay and Sampler; replacement faceplates; and accessories including cables, bus distributors, and blank panels. The company also maintains a legacy line of discontinued effect pedals and modules. 4ms products are known for low-noise, high-fidelity audio design with firmware update capabilities via WAV files.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MetaModule: A platform that puts real knobs and jacks on virtual software modules, allowing musicians to make music with hardware while keeping software flexibility.
• Catalyst
• Pods
• Row Power
• Legacy Pedals

Products and services

• MetaModule
• Catalyst Sequencer 8-channel Eurorack module for phase-based CV sequencing with advanced macro control capabilities.
• Catalyst Controller 8-channel Eurorack controller module for advanced macro control and phase-based CV sequencing.
• Dual Looping Delay (DLD) Advanced digital delay/looper combining delay, looping, and sample-tight synchronization for live performance and studio production. 20HP Eurorack module designed by 4ms and Gary Hall.
• Stereo Triggered Sampler (STS) High-fidelity two-channel stereo sample recorder and playback module supporting up to 600 samples from microSD card, with CV control over pitch, sample selection, length, and start position.
• Spectral Multiband Resonator (SMR) Innovative 26HP resonant filter with six frequency band-pass filters capable of processing audio like a classic filter bank, ringing like a marimba when struck, vocoding, re-mixing tracks, and quantizing audio to scales.
• Tapographic Delay Complex multi-tap delay with unique velocity-sensitive interface for live performance. Allows interactive definition of delay rhythms and tapography patterns. 18HP Eurorack module.
• WAV Recorder High-fidelity two-channel stereo audio recorder storing WAV files onto microSD card up to 96kHz/24-bit, with trigger jack for capturing rhythmic loops and basic playback features. 6HP Eurorack module.
• Pingable Envelope Generator (PEG) Dual envelope generator with envelope lengths set by incoming clocks or pings, featuring CV control of envelope shape, skew, and clock division/multiplication.
• Quad Clock Distributor (QCD) Four-channel voltage-controlled clock divider/multiplier with master tap tempo for creating complex rhythmic patterns. 10HP Eurorack module.
• QCD Expander Expansion module for the Quad Clock Distributor adding CV trigger delay, pulse width control, additional output modes (delayed trigger, inverted gate, shuffle), and attenuverters. 12HP Eurorack module.
• Quad Pingable LFO (QPLFO) Compact four-channel tap-tempo, clock-syncable LFO with variable skew and reset, producing waveshapes from pluck to ramp-down, triangle, and ramp-up. 12HP Eurorack module (kit version available after built version discontinued).
• VCA Matrix Playable 4x4 matrix of 16 VCAs that routes four CV or audio inputs to four outputs using 16 CV control jacks, level knobs, and mute buttons. Connectable to form larger matrices. 26HP Eurorack module.
• Listen IO Signal conversion module that converts external signals to modular levels (up to 30x gain) and modular signals to line/headphone levels, compatible with guitars, synths, pedals, keyboards, and microphones.
• Listen Four Quarters Four-channel stereo mixer with 1/4 inch TRS balanced outputs and 1/8 inch headphone output, featuring two mono channels with pan knobs and two stereo channels. 12HP Eurorack module.
• Looping Delay Simplified version of the DLD offering crystal-clear clock-synced delay for looping up to 87 seconds with echo, sound-on-sound, and Karplus-Strong synthesis capabilities. 48kHz/24-bit low-noise audio. 16HP Eurorack module.
• Sampler (12HP) Simplified version of the Stereo Triggered Sampler playing stereo or mono WAV files from SD card with CV control over sample selection, start position, length, and pitch. Available in 12HP (2025) or 16HP versions.
• Row Power 45 Clean, regulated power supply module for Eurorack systems providing +12V @ 2.0A, -12V @ 1.4A, +5V @ 1.5A, powering 2-3 typical rows (up to ~312HP). Daisy-chainable. 4HP Eurorack module.
• Row Power 35 35W power supply module for typical Eurorack rows (+12V @ 1.4A, -12V @ 1.25A, +5V @ 1.0A), suited for 84HP to 168HP rows. 4HP Eurorack module.
• Row Power 25 Compact 25W power supply module for Eurorack modules (+12V @ 1.4A, -12V @ 0.8A, +5V @ 1.0A), typically powering 4-10 modules. Skiff-friendly at 25.6mm depth. 4HP Eurorack module.
• DIY Looping Delay Kit Do-it-yourself through-hole kit version of the Looping Delay module. DSP chips pre-soldered on plug-in board, designed for beginners learning electronics and soldering. 16HP Eurorack format.
• DIY Sampler Kit Do-it-yourself kit version of the Sampler module with all components for assembly and a 16GB microSD card included. Simplified version of STS for beginners.
• Pod104X (Powered Enclosure) Powered anodized aluminum Eurorack enclosure with 104HP and 55mm module depth. Built-in power supply with 13 power connectors, daisy-chainable.
• Pod64X (Powered Enclosure) Powered anodized aluminum Eurorack enclosure with 64HP and 55mm module depth. Built-in power supply with 8 power headers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48kHz/24-bit audio quality across product line
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Tiptop Audio: Tiptop Audio produces Eurorack modules and the 'uZeus' / 'Z-Dok' powered ecosystem plus the Mantis case, directly comparable to 4ms's powered Pod enclosures and Row Power supply line.
• Make Noise: Make Noise is a leading boutique manufacturer of Eurorack modular synthesizer modules, sharing 4ms's core customer (modular musicians), product format (Eurorack), and go-to-market through direct and dealer channels.
• Befaco: Befaco designs Eurorack modules and DIY kits with an open-source ethos, mirroring 4ms's DIY-kit strategy and community-firmware orientation for modular musicians.
• Mutable Instruments: Mutable Instruments is a respected Eurorack module designer known for open-source firmware and DSP-driven modules (e.g., Clouds, Plaits), directly overlapping 4ms's DSP innovation and open-source community approach.
• Qu-Bit Electronix: Qu-Bit builds Eurorack modules emphasizing digital/DSP processing (synthesis, sampling, reverb), comparable to 4ms's DSP-heavy modules like DLD and STS.
• Intellijel Designs: Intellijel designs and manufactures Eurorack modules and powered performance cases, directly comparable to 4ms's module-plus-enclosure-plus-power ecosystem targeting the same modular synthesizer musicians.
• Erica Synths: Erica Synths designs Eurorack modules, DIY kits, and accessories, overlapping directly with 4ms's module catalog and kit-based go-to-market for hobbyist learners.
• Doepfer Musikelektronik: Doepfer is the original Eurorack format pioneer and continues to manufacture modules, cases, and power supplies; comparable to 4ms across all three product layers.

Broad incumbents

• Behringer: Behringer is a broad incumbent in music hardware that has aggressively cloned and undercut Eurorack designs; comparable as a competing supplier to the same modular customer base, though at very different price and brand positioning.
• Moog Music: Moog is a long-established synthesizer incumbent with a much broader product portfolio; it overlaps with 4ms as a premium hardware synthesizer brand but does not specialize in the Eurorack format niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/4ms
• Facebookfacebook.com/4mscompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/4ms-company

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 4ms Company