Listen Up: Logitech Buys Ultimate Ears
The $34 million cash purchase lets Logitech expand its portfolio of digital audio products and provide more options for portable music listening. Switzerland-based Logitech already offers a line of digital music speaker systems and is the leading worldwide provider of speakers and headphones for PCs. Logitech also recently launched a portable wireless speaker product for listening to music stored on Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones.
Adding Ultimate Ears to the mix lets Logitech attack portable music enthusiasts that use Apple iPhones, Apple iPods and other portable MP3 players.
"Ultimate Ears is a perfect fit for Logitech and our audio business," said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech's president and CEO, in a statement. "Since its inception, Ultimate Ears has been driven by innovation, close ties to its customers, and the desire to enable an immersive audio experience. Logitech's success has been built on using a deep understanding of our customers to create innovative products that let people immerse themselves in their pursuitsand#8212;whether they are listening to music, gaming, watching a video or otherwise enjoying their digital lifestyle. We look forward to using our worldwide distribution network and operational efficiencies to help more people discover this superior listening experience."
Irvine, Calif.-based Ultimate Ears has already won over a loyal following of touring musicians, sound engineers and mainstream music lovers since its launch in 1995. Originally established to address the sound-monitoring needs of on-stage rockers, Ultimate Ears developed the first high-performance two-way, custom in-ear stage monitors. Now, an estimated 75 percent of top touring rock musicians use Ultimate Ears custom-fit in-ear monitors while on stage. A decade later, Ultimate Ears expanded its product line with universal-fit earphones for audiophiles and mainstream music listeners, offering high-quality, comfort-fit earphones that start at $40 and range up to $1,200 for custom products.
"The iPod and iPhone have made it possible for each of us to have a portable and personal music-listening experience," said Junien Labrousse, executive vice president of Logitech's Products Group, said in a statement. "But for a truly immersive listening experience, you need an earphone with a comfortable fit that keeps out the background noise and lets you hear music as the artists intended, which is precisely what Ultimate Ears has mastered."
