Ernie Ball has acquired Source Audio in an effort to expand into premium effects
Industry-leading guitar string maker Ernie Ball has entered into a “definitive agreement” to acquire Massachusetts-based effects pedal company Source Audio.
Financial terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed, but the acquisition has been pursued in order to give Ernie Ball an “immediate and credible presence in the premium effects category”, while giving Source Audio access to Ernie Ball’s vast global distribution network, artist relationships, manufacturing discipline and more.
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Founded in 2006 – by engineers who had previously worked with Analog Devices and Kurzweil – Source Audio has become a big player in the premium effects market, with top-level players including David Gilmour, U2, David Bowie, John Mayer, King Crimson and loads more incorporating its pedals on their ‘boards.
We were lucky enough to get our hands on one of the brand’s latest units, the Encounter delay/reverb pedal, earlier this year, and couldn’t help but give it a 9/10 in our review for its stellar build quality and brilliant sounds.
Despite the acquisition, Source Audio will continue to operate as its own brand, with existing products “expected to remain available”, and immediate focus on “continuity for customers, dealers, distributors, artists and partners”.
“Source Audio has built one of the most creative and respected effects platforms in our industry,” says Ernie Ball CEO Brian Ball. “What excites me isn’t just the technology; it’s the way their pedals inspire musicians to find sounds they didn’t know they were looking for. Ernie Ball has always existed to help artists create, and Source Audio gives us a powerful new way to do exactly that.”
“We’re not acquiring Source Audio to change what makes it special,” Ball continued. “We’re acquiring Source Audio because we believe in what it already is, and because we believe Ernie Ball can put that innovation in the hands of more players than ever before.”
“Source Audio has always been driven by innovation and the desire to give musicians new ways to create,” says Roger Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Source Audio. “From the beginning, our goal has been to combine world-class sound design with powerful technology in a way that inspires players. Ernie Ball understands musicians, artists, and the culture of guitar in a way very few companies do, and that alignment is what makes this such an exciting next chapter.”
“Ernie Ball gives Source Audio the scale, support, and reach to keep growing while preserving the spirit of what we built,” Smith added. “I am confident this is the right home for the brand, the products, the technology, and the community of musicians who have supported us from the start.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
