Posts in category: Press Release

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of highly-respected Atendi as its exclusive distributor in Norway.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

Founded in 2010 and based in Drammen, Atendi supplies audio, lighting, AV and staging equipment to the professional and commercial markets, and is firmly established as a major player in the industry. The company is an importer of leading brands, supplying a wide range of customers, including theatres, TV studios, concert and cultural venues, hotels, conference centres, rental companies, architects and contractors. Focused firmly on excellent service and support, and combining a high quality portfolio with extensive technical expertise, Atendi’s skilled team is equipped for any and every challenge.

Raf Willems, Head of Sales and Channel Marketing EMEA, Optimal Audio comments:

“We are delighted to welcome Atendi to the Optimal Audio family. With their proven track record of brand development in Norway, we are confident that they are a perfect fit for us. Øystein, Lorry and their team have built a strong network throughout Norway, and have a thorough understanding of the Norwegian market and its dynamics. Atendi is excellently placed to introduce Optimal Audio to the market, and I’m in no doubt that they will quickly establish the brand as a market leader in Norway.”

Øystein Wierli, Head of Sound at Atendi adds:

“It’s with great pleasure and high expectations that we represent Optimal Audio. The commercial audio market in Norway has great potential, and Optimal Audio, with a real clarity of purpose, has devised a range from which it is quick and easy to select the right products for your needs. Combining some really smart products with a very competitive price point is sure to be attractive to a host of hospitality, retail, education and house of worship projects.”

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Raf Willems as Head of Sales and Channel Marketing EMEA. 

Raf’s twenty year career in the industry began in residential audio sales in his native Belgium, before a move into the commercial audio sector with Apart Audio where he progressed through a variety of roles to become Sales and Marketing Director. Following Biamp’s acquisition of Apart, Raf became Head of Business Development for Europe with additional responsibility for managing Biamp’s Retail and Hospitality team.

When the opportunity to join Optimal Audio arose, Raf, seeking a fresh new challenge, did not hesitate:

“It’s so rare in our industry to get the chance to be involved in developing a new brand from its inception. I’m passionate about commercial audio so I honestly consider this to be something of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Everything I’ve seen and understood about the launch of Optimal Audio indicates that the company has got its approach to commercial audio right from day one by addressing exactly what the market needs. I’m looking forward to forging close relationships with our distributor network across the region, and I’m excited about helping to build Optimal Audio into a strong and progressive brand.”

Bradley Watson, Sales Director at Optimal Audio adds:

“We’re delighted to have secured Raf’s services. He joins us with a proven record of success and a clear enthusiasm for the task at hand. For an emerging brand like ours, Raf’s knowledge and experience of sales and management in the commercial audio sector is exactly what we need to help establish Optimal Audio as a market leader.”  

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Al McKinna as Head of Product.

A Sound Technology graduate of LIPA, Al joins after fifteen years at Avid, where he spent three years in Sales and twelve in Product Management. As Director of Product Management for Live Sound, Al led the business strategy and product development of Avid’s VENUE brand of digital live audio production systems, including VENUE | S3L, the VENUE | S6L unified platform, and the accompanying VENUE software, overseeing thirty major product releases and achieving two patents during this time. Most recently as Director of Audio Hardware at Avid, he led Product Management for Pro Tools systems, Control Surfaces and Live Sound.

Al will be responsible for creating a future product development strategy for Optimal Audio that aligns with, and remains true to, the brand’s original vision for removing the often unnecessarily complex nature of commercial audio.

Al McKinna looks forward to the challenge ahead:

“The first phase of launching the Optimal Audio ecosystem into the market is well under way. It’s a fantastic system, based on principles that address a clear demand in the market. My job will be to build a business strategy and create processes that develop and sustain the brand as the best commercial audio offering available in the small to medium install space. I’m really excited about the prospect of being an integral part of such a great team, and working with them to build a strong and progressive future for the Optimal Audio brand.”

Dom Harter, Managing Director of Optimal Audio adds:

“Al’s career speaks for itself, and we are delighted that he has chosen to join us. His product management work at Avid, in both Live Sound and Audio Hardware, mark him out as an exceptional audio industry professional. For a new brand like Optimal Audio, his mastery of business strategy allied to product development will be fundamental to successfully fulfilling our aims and ambitions.”

Recently launched UK manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Audiosure as its sole distributor for Southern Africa.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

Audiosure, part of the First Technology group of companies, has been a leading distributor in the South African market for more than twenty years, and represents a portfolio of top international audio, lighting and AV brands. The company is headquartered in Johannesburg, with branches in Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein which enable it to efficiently service the needs of its wide-ranging network of specialist dealers. As well as offering training, servicing and support to its dealers, Audiosure’s dedicated solutions team helps them to navigate integration projects with system design and even full project-management. Drawing from Audiosure’s extensive portfolio, its expert team looks after clients by ensuring that solutions are optimised for technical quality and best value for money.

Sales Director of Audiosure, Greg Payne comments:

“We are pleased and proud to have been appointed as Optimal Audio’s sole distributor in Southern Africa. We’ve been seeking a commercial audio brand for some time that combines ease of installation and operation without compromising on quality. In our view Optimal Audio represents exactly that, and will occupy a very important space in our brand portfolio. Audiosure is excited by the prospect of introducing such a brilliantly conceived package at such an affordable price. We’re confident that Optimal Audio will gain market-share quickly.”

Dom Harter, Managing Director, Optimal Audio comments:

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Audiosure in South Africa. Greg, Alison and their team have built a strong reputation based upon a thorough understanding of the products they represent, as well as vast experience of the South African market. The company’s dealer network includes audio integrators who have confidence in Audiosure’s system design and product selection, something which we believe will quickly help to establish Optimal Audio as a leading player in South Africa’s growing commercial audio sector.”

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Guangzhou Guidance as distributor for China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

Newly established Guangzhou Guidance will distribute the brand in China. With team members who have vast experience of the Chinese audio industry, the Guangzhou-based company has quickly established a dealer network across the country, and anticipates great success promoting Optimal Audio across the full commercial audio spectrum. 

General Manager of Guangzhou Guidance, Xu (Rico) Ruixian comments:

“As the pandemic situation in China stabilises, the government is increasing its investment in education and conference infrastructure. With a complete product infrastructure of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers, we can see big potential in promoting Optimal Audio to these markets, as well as to the broader markets of hospitality and retail.”

David McKinney, Sales & Support, APAC, Optimal Audio adds:

“The expertise and experience of the Guangzhou Guidance team is of the highest order. They have a thorough understanding of the commercial audio sector in China and we’re confident that combining our fresh and innovative approach with their experience and excellent networks, will quickly establish a high profile for Optimal Audio in China. We look forward to working with them to deliver the best and most relevant solutions to dealers, integrators and end-users across this important market.”

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Bangkok-based ProPlugin as its distributor for Thailand.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

ProPlugin is highly regarded throughout Thailand as a distributor of leading brands. Its experienced and highly dynamic team has a strongly established dealer channel network, supported by a variety of online and retail stores. The timing of Optimal Audio’s launch was perfect according to Tadsikam Supat of ProPlugin:

“We were seeking a quality brand to expand our entertainment and commercial audio portfolio and  saw straight away that Optimal Audio’s products would perfectly meet the needs of our customers, both in terms of its function and fresh-looking style. We’re looking forward to introducing the brand to our customers who we know will be impressed by the sound quality and intuitive operation.”

David McKinney, Sales & Support, APAC, Optimal Audio adds:

“ProPlugin is a well-structured and highly respected distributor of leading brands in Thailand. The company offers a very high level of customer service and support, and also offers advice and consultancy on a wide variety of projects. We believe ProPlugin is perfectly placed to introduce the many benefits of the Optimal Audio ecosystem to dealers, integrators and end-users across the country.”

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of ALVO Technology Pte. as distributor for Singapore.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

ALVO’s experienced and dedicated team serves an extensive dealer network as well as the online platform across Singapore. Jason Ng of ALVO Technology feels that the Optimal Audio offer is very much in tune with the needs of integrators and end-users for easy to install, easy to operate commercial audio:

“We’re very excited to be chosen as Optimal Audio’s dealer in Singapore. Their turnkey, end-to-end systems offer integrators premium quality solutions which are very cost-effective, and end-users will value the ease of operation delivered by the intuitive ZonePad and WebApp. The systems are sure to have a very wide appeal across a variety of commercial applications.”

 David McKinney, Sales & Support, APAC, Optimal Audio adds:

“ALVO was very quick to recognise the advantages that Optimal Audio can bring to its customers, and we’re very pleased to be partnering with what is a very experienced and committed team. There is a ripe market in Singapore for our brand of fresh, streamlined solutions, and we’re confident that ALVO will quickly establish us as a leading brand in the territory.” 

Recently launched U.K. manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Ho Chi Minh-based Duc Proaudio as its distributor for Vietnam.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

Duc Proaudio is a familiar name in the professional audio world in Vietnam. As well as acting as a distributor, the company is also involved in the design and installation of audio systems across the commercial and entertainment audio sectors, so has a thorough understanding of the needs of integrators and end-users. Pham Duy Quang of Duc Proaudio comments:

“We are delighted to represent Optimal Audio, believing that the products perfectly match the requirements of the commercial audio market in Vietnam for sleek and easy to operate systems that deliver high quality performance. We especially like the Zone Controllers and ZonePad, which have a fresh look in comparison to other commercial audio products – coupling them with the intuitive WebApp makes for very easy end-user operation.”

David McKinney, Sales & Support, APAC, Optimal Audio adds:

“Duc Proaudio has built a strong reputation based upon proven success. The company’s strong dealer network and wealth of hands-on experience gives us full confidence that it is ideally placed to help its customers maximise the benefits of the simple-to-install, high quality Optimal Audio ecosystem.”