Blue Microphones
Blue Microphones (Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics, LLC) is an American audio production company owned by Logitech that designs and produces microphones, headphones, recording tools, signal processors, and music accessories for audio professionals, musicians and consumers.
Type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Genre | Musical Equipment |
Founded | 1995 |
Founders | Skipper Wise, Martins Saulespurens |
Headquarters | , U.S. |
Products | Recording equipment such as Microphones and Headphones. |
Parent | Logitech |
Website | www |
History
BLUE Microphones was founded in 1995 by American session musician Skipper Wise and Latvian recording engineer Mārtiņš Saulespurēns.[1] The company's name is a backronym for Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics. The company is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, United States.
With a nudge from Apple Inc., the Westlake Village company created a low-cost condenser microphone called the Snowball for use with music recording software. That microphone became popular with aspiring pro musicians and dedicated hobbyists as an alternative to renting time in a recording studio.[2]
In 2008, Skipper and Martins sold BLUE Microphones to Transom Capital, a private Equity firm from Southern California.[3]
In 2013, The Riverside Company acquired BLUE Microphones from Transom Capital. Intrepid Investment Bankers advised BLUE Microphones in the transaction.[4]
In July 2018, Logitech announced plans to acquire Blue Microphones for $117 million USD.[5]
Products
Blue Microphones designs and manufactures condenser microphones, ribbon microphones, dynamic microphones, USB microphones, microphone preamplifiers, microphone accessories and headphones. Some famous models include the Blue Yeti USB microphone and the Snowball iCE condenser microphone.
Following Logitech's acquisition of the company, Blue Microphones has partnered with Logitech to release several products such as 'streamer bundles' which include a Blue USB microphone and a Logitech webcam.
The company has also created products such as the Blue Yeticaster, which combines a Blue Yeti microphone with a desk-mounted microphone arm to create a swiveling microphone consumers can attach to their desks for higher-level content creation.
Studio
The company makes the Bottle Rocket Stage two, Bottle Rocket Stage one and The Application Specific Series each with a proprietary sonic signature.
Awards
- Electronic Musician 2000 Editor’s Choice Microphone of the Year - Blueberry condenser microphone
- RetailVision 2009 Best Hardware peripheral - Mikey and Eyeball 2.0[6]
- BeatWeek (formerly iProng) Best in Show 2009, 2010[7]
See also
- C-Media - supplier of chips for USB microphones
- List of microphone manufacturers
References
- Nathan Olivarez-Giles (July 21, 2009). "Blue Microphones turns up the volume". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
- "Blue Microphones turns up the volume". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
- "Transom Capital Acquires Blue Microphones". Music Inc Magazine. October 20, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
- "Transom Capital Group Completes Sale of Blue Microphones". www.prnewswire.com.
- Lawler, Richard (July 30, 2018). "Blue Microphones sells to Logitech for $117 million". Engadget. Oath Inc. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- "RetailVision Europe 2009". RetailVision. May 26, 2009. Archived from the original on January 23, 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
- "Best of Show CES: Blue Mikey 2". BeatWeek. January 9, 2009. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
External links
- Media related to Blue Microphones at Wikimedia Commons
- BLUE Designs Website BLUE Website
- Interview with Skipper Wise NAMM Oral History Library (2011)
- Interview with Martin Saulespurens NAMM Oral History Library