What Akustiks, LLC does

Akustiks, LLC is a boutique acoustical and audio-video consulting firm headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, founded in 2001 by Paul Scarbrough after his departure from Jaffe Holden Scarbrough Acoustics. The firm provides specialized design services for performance venues — concert and recital halls, opera houses, theaters, multi-purpose halls, entertainment venues, museums, and academic performing arts centers — across North, Central, and South America. Core services encompass acoustical design for new construction, renovation, adaptive reuse, feasibility studies, and integrated audio-video systems design, with a flagship proprietary offering called the "Tuning Conductor" service in which principal Christopher Blair (a professional conductor with 50+ years of acoustic experience) works directly with orchestras and music directors to optimize venue acoustics during commissioning.

The firm's technical capabilities span room acoustics, sound isolation, and electro-acoustic system design, including a proprietary integrated technical communications platform that controls speakers, microphones, intercoms, assistive listening, and paging from a single source. The system architecture is engineered for remote modification, compatibility with touring/broadcast systems, and microprocessor-independent core operation to ensure reliability. Akustiks operates through six named principals/associates (Scarbrough, Todd, Blair, Brandt, Lytle, and Brazil-based Jose Nepomuceno) with affiliate presence in São Paulo via Acústica & Sônica.

Akustiks is a privately held, founder-operated professional services firm with no external funding, no disclosed financials, and no parent or subsidiary entities. Revenue is generated through project-based professional consulting fees that scale with venue size and project complexity, ranging from school auditoriums to flagship projects such as David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center ($550M construction value) and Belmont University's Fisher Center ($160M). The firm has accumulated an award-winning portfolio of 70+ documented projects and has been recognized by AIA, Thea Awards, Palladio Awards, ENR, and other industry bodies.

Name

Akustiks, LLC

Legal name

Akustiks LLC

Website

https://akustiks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Akustiks, LLC is a boutique acoustical and audio-video consulting firm founded in 2001 that designs room acoustics, sound isolation, and electro-acoustic systems for concert halls, theaters, museums, and universities across the Americas, with a proprietary Tuning Conductor commissioning service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Acoustical Consulting Services

akta.pro primary industry

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Acoustic & Soundproofing Works (IMAFANAL), Event Communications & Intercom (RF, Wireless, Comms) (MPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Acoustical consulting services
• Audio-video systems design
• Concert hall acoustics
• Performing arts acoustics
• Venue sound isolation

Headquarters

HQ city

Norwalk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Acoustical Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for acoustic design services on new construction and renovation projects for performing arts venues. Projects vary significantly in scope and cost, from smaller school auditoriums to major concert halls worth hundreds of millions.
2. Audio-Video System Design: Design and specification of sound, video, and production communication systems for performance venues, including installation oversight and commissioning.
3. Tuning and Commissioning Services: On-site tuning and commissioning services where Akustiks personnel work with orchestras and music directors to optimize venue acoustics and musician hearing conditions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Akustiks, LLC provides acoustical and audio-video consulting for performance venues, museums, and institutional spaces. The firm designs room acoustics, sound isolation, and electro-acoustic systems for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects across concert halls, opera houses, theaters, schools of music, and museums. A signature offering is the Tuning Conductor service, in which Principal Christopher Blair works directly with orchestras and music directors to fine-tune venue acoustics.

Product overview

Akustiks, LLC is an acoustical consulting firm providing specialized design services for performance venues. The company offers a portfolio of consulting services centered around acoustic design for concert halls, opera houses, theaters, museums, and entertainment venues. Core services include New Facilities design, Audio Video Systems Design, Renovation, Adaptive Reuse, Feasibility Studies, and the unique Tuning Conductor service. The company operates globally with affiliate offices in Brazil, serving institutional, educational and professional performing arts organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Facilities Acoustic Design Acoustical design services for new performance venue construction, working with clients, architects and design professionals to develop acoustic goals and ensure proper integration of architecture, structure and building systems for concert halls, opera houses, theaters, and similar spaces.
• Audio Video Systems Design Design of sound, video and production communication systems for performance venues, integrating systems into building design and ensuring support for future expansion, including oversight of installation and commissioning.
• Renovation Consulting Consulting on renovation of existing facilities, including restoration strategies, system updates, and integration of new elements while preserving acoustic character of performance venues.
• Adaptive Reuse Consulting Transformation of older buildings into performance venues, museums and arts spaces, leveraging existing construction quality for acoustic performance.
• Feasibility Studies Early-stage consulting to guide decision-making on new facilities, determining facility types, budget parameters and funding strategies for performing arts projects.
• Tuning Conductor Services Unique acoustician-conductor service for fine-tuning performance spaces during commissioning, involving musicians in the optimization process and adjusting orchestra playing techniques to fit new environments. Christopher Blair exchanges conducting/listening roles with the Music Director to optimize hearing conditions for musicians and audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Daniel Barenboim described Teatro Mayor as 'one of the best acoustics of a new-built theater in the world'
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Acústica & Sônica (São Paulo, Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJose Nepomuceno's firm serves as Akustiks' affiliate office in Brazil, collaborating on projects throughout South America. The partnership enables Akustiks to serve clients across the Americas with local expertise. Nepomuceno has worked with Akustiks principals since the company's founding in 2001 on projects including Cleveland Museum of Art, Schermerhorn Symphony Hall, and Teatro de San Luis Potosi.
• Local Architectural Teams (Mexico, Colombia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkustiks works collaboratively with local teams on international projects, including Auditorium Telmex in Guadalajara, Teatro del Bicentenario in León, and Teatro Mayor in Bogotá. The firm emphasizes holistic collaborative approaches with local architects and design teams.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jaffe Holden Acoustics: Direct acoustical consulting peer for performing arts venues; notably the firm where Akustiks founder Paul Scarbrough was previously a principal for 17 years. Competes for the same concert hall, opera house, and theater projects across North America.
• Acentech: Independent acoustical consulting and AV design firm serving performing arts centers, museums, and cultural facilities across the US. Direct competitor for institutional cultural infrastructure projects like Akustiks' David Geffen Hall and Fisher Center work.
• Threshold Acoustics: Boutique acoustical consulting firm specializing in concert halls, opera houses, and performance venues. Comparable scale and specialization to Akustiks, with overlapping target clients including symphony orchestras and universities.
• Kirkegaard Associates: Acoustical consulting firm with deep performing arts credentials, notably the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Symphony Center. Comparable specialization in concert hall acoustics and AV systems design for cultural institutions.
• Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG): Acoustical design and AV systems consultancy with strong performing arts and recording studio credentials. Overlaps with Akustiks in concert hall and cultural venue acoustics, though with more emphasis on recording/music production facilities.
• Pelton Marsh Kinsella: Acoustical and AV design firm serving performing arts centers, civic venues, and houses of worship across the western US. Direct competitor for Akustiks' California and western market projects.
• Artie Sound Vision Design (ARTEC): Acoustical, theatrical, and AV systems consultancy with performing arts venue expertise. Comparable boutique scale and overlapping client base in concert halls and theaters.
• Scharrenbroich Associates: Independent acoustical design firm serving performing arts, education, and worship markets in North America. Direct peer in scale and service offering for concert hall and theater acoustics.

Broad incumbents

• Arup Acoustics: Global multi-disciplinary engineering giant with a substantial dedicated acoustics practice serving concert halls, opera houses, and museums worldwide. Larger-scale competitor that can staff mega-projects Akustiks cannot, though less boutique-specialized.
• Theatre Projects Consultants: Theater planning and design consultancy that often collaborates with (and sometimes competes against) acoustical consultants on performing arts venue projects. Complementary scope on theater planning and sightlines, adjacent on acoustics.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akustiks-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Akustiks, LLC