Neumann, the microphone maker, is now applying its electroacoustic expertise to speakers — the opposite end of the audio chain. Neumann will manufacture high-end speakers originally designed by the Klein + Hummel company, a firm acquired by Neumann-owner Sennheiser Electronics in 2005. Most of the former Klein + Hummel engineers will continue to work for the new Neumann speaker division. The speakers will be incorporated into Neumann’s product portfolio as the KH line. Over the decades, in addition to microphones, Neumann has also produced record-cutting equipment and studio consoles. Its expertise is in transformer design — for the microphone —as well as in signal processing and digital audio technology. At the beginning of 2010, it was decided that Klein + Hummel’s studio products business would be further developed by Neumann. The firm’s installed sound business was integrated into Sennheiser.
