Second City Sound and Communications
Second City Sound and Communications is a Chicago-based, founder-owned retailer founded in 2012 that sells, rents, and repairs professional audio and communications equipment from 60+ brands for film/TV production crews, sound mixers, and content creators through a showroom at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and an e-commerce webstore.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Second City Sound and Communications does
Second City Sound and Communications is a Chicago-based, privately held retailer founded in 2012 by Gerry Formicola that sells, rents, and services professional audio and communications equipment. The company operates a single bricks-and-mortar showroom at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios at 2558 West 16th Street, supplemented by a Shopify-based e-commerce webstore with free shipping on orders over $100 and appointment-based curbside pickup. Its catalog spans more than 60 professional audio brands, including Sound Devices, Sennheiser, DPA, Lectrosonics, Shure, Rycote, Clearcom, Comtek, Schoeps, Sanken, Neumann, Ambient, and K-Tek, covering wireless systems, microphones, mixer-recorders, boom poles, timecode equipment, intercom systems, cables, and accessories. The company does not appear to offer any proprietary product line; all offerings are third-party branded gear distributed through its sales, rental, and repair services.
The business runs three revenue streams: one-time equipment sales (new and used/B-stock, with item prices ranging from roughly $10 to over $17,000), recurring equipment rentals billed at daily, weekly, and monthly rates, and professional repair services for pro-audio gear. GTM is sales-led and physically anchored — direct showroom sales, phone sales at 773.277.9320, email inquiries, and online orders — with marketing support from a website, email newsletter, Facebook and Instagram presence, and customer testimonials. Target customers are location sound mixers, audio engineers, and film/TV production companies concentrated in the Chicago production market, with a secondary push into podcasters, content creators, and other audio professionals. Founder Gerry Formicola's 30+ year audio engineering background, including technical production roles on The Oprah Winfrey Show and two Daytime Emmy Awards, is the company's central credential and a primary reason production crews patronize the business.
The firm is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with no disclosed outside investment, no subsidiaries, no patents or trademarks, no mobile app, no public API, and a headcount in the 1-10 range. Geographic reach is regional — primarily Chicago and the broader Midwest — although e-commerce shipping extends U.S. coverage. The operational footprint is intentionally small and specialized, with the strategic logic of leveraging the founder's industry relationships and the Cinespace co-location rather than scaling through capital or multi-site expansion.
Second City Sound and Communications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Second City Sound and Communications
- Legal name
- Second City Sound & Communications
- Website
- https://secondcitysound.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Second City Sound and Communications is a Chicago-based, founder-owned retailer founded in 2012 that sells, rents, and repairs professional audio and communications equipment from 60+ brands for film/TV production crews, sound mixers, and content creators through a showroom at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and an e-commerce webstore.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Second City Sound and Communications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Audio Equipment Retail
- SIC
- Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores (5731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Audio & Communications Equipment Rental (MPADAFAC)
Keywords
Where Second City Sound and Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Second City Sound and Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales: Sales of new and used professional audio equipment including wireless systems, microphones, mixers, recorders, boom poles, cables, and accessories. Both in-stock items and special orders available through the webstore and physical showroom.
- Equipment Rentals: Rental services offering daily, weekly, and monthly rates for professional audio equipment to film and television production professionals.
- Repair Services: Expert repair services for professional audio equipment to help customers maximize the life and performance of their gear.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product pricing with wide range |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Second City Sound and Communications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Second City Sound & Communications sells, rents, and services professional location sound and communications equipment for the film and television production industry. Offerings span 60+ professional audio brands including wireless systems, mixer-recorders, microphones, boom poles, timecode equipment, and intercom systems, delivered through a physical showroom at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and an online Shopify-based webstore with rentals available at daily, weekly, and monthly rates.
Product overview
Second City Sound and Communications operates as a brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailer specializing in professional audio equipment for the film and television industry. The company offers three core services: equipment sales (new and used gear), equipment rentals (daily/weekly/monthly rates), and expert repair services. Their physical showroom is located at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios in Chicago, IL. The product portfolio spans over 60 professional audio brands including microphones (DPA, Sennheiser, Neumann, Schoeps, Sanken), wireless systems (Lectrosonics, Shure, Wisycom), mixer-recorders (Sound Devices), boom poles (Ambient, K-Tek), time code equipment (Ambient, Denecke, Tentacle), communication systems (Clearcom, Comtek), cables, cases, and power solutions. The company does not appear to offer a proprietary product line; all offerings are third-party branded equipment sold through their Shopify-based webstore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Professional Audio Equipment Sales Sale of new and used professional location sound and communications equipment for film and television production, including wireless systems, microphones, mixer-recorders, boom poles, cables, cases, and accessories from over 60 brands (Shure, Sennheiser, Sound Devices, DPA, Lectrosonics, Rycote, Clearcom, Comtek, K-Tek, Ambient, and others). Available through the physical showroom and e-commerce webstore, with both in-stock and special-order items.
- Professional Audio Equipment Rentals Rental of professional audio equipment to film and television production professionals at daily, weekly, and monthly rates, providing flexible access to location sound gear for short-term productions without requiring capital purchase.
- Professional Audio Equipment Repair Services Expert repair and servicing of professional audio equipment to help customers maximize the lifespan and performance of their gear, supporting the equipment sold and rented by the company as well as third-party gear.
Companies that use Second City Sound and Communications
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Second City Sound and Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Second City Sound and Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Cinespace Chicago Film StudioscoreSecond City Sound operates within Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, providing equipment sales, rentals, and services to production companies working at the studio. This strategic location positions the company as a key resource for the Chicago film community.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Second City Sound and Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pro Audio LA: Pro Audio LA is a professional audio equipment retailer and rental house serving film and television production in the Los Angeles market. Their combination of retail, rental, and product expertise aligns closely with Second City Sound's integrated business model.
- Coffey Sound: Coffey Sound is a Los Angeles-based professional audio retailer specializing in location sound equipment for film and television production. They share Second City Sound's focus on wireless systems, mixer-recorders, and accessories with hands-on expertise serving location sound mixers.
- Location Sound Corporation: Location Sound Corporation is a long-established retailer, rental provider, and service center for professional audio equipment serving film, broadcast, and recording industries in Southern California. Their integrated sales/rentals/service model closely mirrors Second City Sound's offering across the same product categories.
- Trew Audio: Trew Audio is a professional location sound equipment retailer and rental house serving film and television production in Los Angeles and other major US production hubs. Like Second City Sound, Trew specializes in wireless systems, mixers, boom poles, and accessories, with deep practitioner relationships to film sound mixers.
- Gotham Sound: Gotham Sound is a New York-based professional audio equipment retailer and rental provider specializing in location sound for film and television production. They share Second City Sound's integrated model of sales, rentals, and service for film sound mixers in a different geographic market.
Broad incumbents
- Full Compass Systems: Full Compass Systems is a long-established professional audio, video, and lighting retailer serving production, broadcast, and live sound customers across the US. They compete with Second City Sound on pro audio equipment sales with a much broader portfolio and national reach.
- Adorama: Adorama is a major US electronics and pro audio retailer with a broad catalog including the same professional audio brands carried by Second City Sound. They offer national reach and competitive pricing that compete with Second City Sound's retail business.
- Sweetwater Sound: Sweetwater Sound is the largest US retailer of music and pro audio equipment, offering deep catalogs of microphones, wireless systems, and recording gear. While their core focus is music production rather than film location sound, they compete directly with Second City Sound on professional audio equipment sales.
- B&H Photo Video: B&H Photo Video is one of the largest electronics and pro audio retailers in the US, offering extensive catalogs of professional audio equipment from the same major brands Second City Sound carries. While much broader in scope and serving consumers and professionals nationally, B&H is a major competitor in the same product categories.
Emerging players
- K-Tek: K-Tek is a manufacturer of professional boom poles, microphone shock mounts, and accessories specifically designed for location sound in film and television production. They are one of the brands carried by Second City Sound, making them both a vendor and a partial ecosystem peer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Second City Sound and Communications social profiles
Digital presenceSecond City Sound and Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Second City Sound and Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Second City Sound and Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Second City Sound and Communications 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 Second City Sound and Communications
What does Second City Sound and Communications do?
Second City Sound & Communications sells, rents, and services professional location sound and communications equipment for the film and television production industry. Offerings span 60+ professional audio brands including wireless systems, mixer-recorders, microphones, boom poles, timecode equipment, and intercom systems, delivered through a physical showroom at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and an online Shopify-based webstore with rentals available at daily, weekly, and monthly rates.
Is Second City Sound and Communications a public or private company?
Second City Sound and Communications is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Second City Sound and Communications founded?
Second City Sound and Communications was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Second City Sound and Communications based?
Second City Sound and Communications is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Second City Sound and Communications make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rentals and repair Services.
Who are Second City Sound and Communications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pro Audio LA, Coffey Sound, Location Sound Corporation, Trew Audio and Gotham Sound. Broad incumbents are Full Compass Systems, Adorama, Sweetwater Sound and B&H Photo Video. K-Tek is listed as an emerging player.
Does Second City Sound and Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for Second City Sound and Communications.
What industry is Second City Sound and Communications in?
Second City Sound and Communications's product category is Professional Audio Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAC, Audio & Communications Equipment Rental. Its SIC code is 5731.