M-Audio
M-Audio makes computer music hardware for recording and performance.
M-Audio, which began as Midiman, is now part of inMusic Brands. The company creates and sells audio and MIDI interfaces, keyboards and MIDI controllers, synthesizers, loudspeakers, studio monitors, digital DJ gear, microphones, and music software. It has offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Japan.
The company was founded in the late 1990s by Tim Ryan, a Caltech graduate who had co-designed the Con Brio Advanced Digital Synthesizer and worked on MIDI software for Commodore and Apple computers, including the popular titles Studio One and Studio Two. Ryan initially named the company Music Soft, but changed it to Midiman after Yamaha claimed the Music Soft name. He started by making hardware that solved problems connecting MIDI, audio, and computer equipment for music production.
Midiman first became known for small, affordable MIDI devices like synchronizers and interfaces. Its first product was the "Midiman," a MIDI-to-tape recorder synchronizer, but the Syncman and Syncman Pro VITC-to-LTC/MTC converters were the first to find mainstream success. Later, the Midisport and Bi-Port MIDI interfaces outsold all earlier products and became a core category for the company. After those interfaces succeeded, Midiman released the Flying Cow and Flying Calf A/D and D/A converters, then entered the audio interface market with the 4-input, 20-bit DMAN 2044.
In 2000, alongside the Delta Series PCI audio interfaces, Midiman introduced "M-Audio" as a brand for its audio products. The company then grew by distributing products from Propellerhead Software, Ableton, ArKaos, and Groove Tubes microphones. This growth, combined with its own product sales, led to 128% growth in 2001 and 68% in 2002, making Midiman the fastest-growing music company in the US both years.
In 2002, Midiman entered the MIDI keyboard controller market with the portable 25-key Oxygen8. Although not the first 25-key controller or the first affordable one with many hardware controls, it helped define the portable keyboard controller category. That same year, M-Audio released its first studio monitor, the Studiophile SP5B. Later in 2002, the company fully rebranded as M-Audio, the name it had used for its audio division since 1999.
In 2003, Midiman bought Evolution Electronics LTD, a maker of MIDI controllers, and kept selling Evolution-branded products.
Quick Facts
- Hq Location City
- Cumberland, Rhode Island
- Hq Location Country
- United States
- Key People
- Jack O'Donnell, President and CEO
- Products
- Musical instruments, Audio/video, Electronics, Computer-related products, Pro audio, Music recording equipment
- Parent
- inMusic Brands
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
M-Audio was founded in the late 1990s by Tim Ryan, a Caltech graduate who co-designed the Con Brio Advanced Digital Synthesizer and helped develop MIDI software for Commodore and Apple computers. The company began as Music Soft but changed to Midiman after Yamaha owned the rights to the earlier name. Its first product was the Midiman, a MIDI-to-tape synchronizer, but mainstream success came with the Syncman and Syncman Pro converters, followed by the Midisport and Bi-Port MIDI interfaces.
In 2000, Midiman introduced 'M-Audio' as a brand for its audio products, coinciding with the Delta Series PCI audio interfaces. The company grew rapidly through distribution deals with Propellerhead Software, Ableton, ArKaos, and Groove Tubes, achieving 128% growth in 2001 and 68% in 2002. In 2002, the Oxygen8 portable 25-key MIDI controller helped establish a new product category, and the company entered the studio monitor market with the Studiophile SP5B. Midiman officially rebranded as M-Audio later that year.
Avid Technology acquired Midiman in 2004 for about $174 million. Under Avid, M-Audio collaborated with Digidesign to release Pro Tools M-Powered, compatible with M-Audio hardware. The company expanded into digital DJ systems with Torq, guitar processing with Black Box, and handheld recorders with the MicroTrack series. In 2012, Avid sold M-Audio to inMusic, which also acquired the AIR software group's IP and engineering team.
Reader's Guide
M-Audio's significance lies in its consistent focus on affordable, computer-centric music production tools that lowered the barrier to entry for home recording enthusiasts. The Oxygen8 keyboard controller, introduced in 2002, is widely credited with popularizing the portable USB MIDI controller category, while the Delta Series PCI interfaces set a standard for cost-effective multi-channel audio. The company's distribution partnerships with software developers like Ableton and Propellerhead helped integrate its hardware with popular music production platforms. Under Avid, the release of Pro Tools M-Powered extended the reach of that professional DAW to budget-conscious users. M-Audio's legacy includes a broad product ecosystem spanning MIDI controllers, audio interfaces, studio monitors, microphones, and DJ gear, used by artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Depeche Mode, Pharrell Williams, Skrillex, and The Crystal Method. The sale to inMusic in 2012 preserved the brand's focus on consumer music hardware, while Avid retained the Mbox range. M-Audio's timeline shows continuous product evolution through the 2010s, including the Oxygen MKIV series, Trigger Finger Pro, and Hammer 88, maintaining its position in the music technology market.
Did You Know?
- M-Audio was originally named Music Soft but changed to Midiman because Yamaha already owned the rights to the Music Soft name.
- The Oxygen8, released in 2002, helped establish the portable keyboard controller category.
- Avid acquired Midiman in 2004 for approximately $174 million, paid partly in cash and Avid stock.
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