Klotz Digital

Lore & Background

Klotz Digital AG was a Munich-based manufacturer of audio media equipment, operating in the Public Address and Radio & TV Broadcast sectors. Founded in 1990 by Thomas Klotz, the company initially supplied products for live sound setups before expanding into broadcast facilities later that decade. In 2002, it introduced Varizone, a digital public address product line, marking its entry into that market. Live sound, broadcast, and public address remained its core areas.

At the close of 2009, United Screens Media AG acquired Klotz Digital AG. Thomas Klotz stepped down, and Dr. Andreas Gruettner, United Screens Media’s CEO, took over as Klotz Digital’s new CEO. The company was renamed QPhonics AG, and after filing for insolvency in 2013, it became Qphonics GmbH, which itself went insolvent in 2015.

Subsequently, Thomas Klotz and partner Andre Sauer formed Klotz Communications GmbH, which bought the assets of the former Qphonics GmbH from the insolvency administrators. Klotz Communications now holds all intellectual property—both hardware and software—and manages licensing, maintenance, and upgrades.

Reader's Guide

Klotz Digital's significance lies in its role as a manufacturer bridging live sound, broadcast, and public address markets with digital systems. Its broadcast products ranged from stand-alone on-air mixing consoles for radio and TV stations to suites enabling efficient workflows in large broadcast facilities and production studios. The company's entry into the public address market with the Varizone digital line in 2002 marked a strategic expansion. After acquisition and subsequent insolvencies, the intellectual property was preserved by Klotz Communications GmbH, ensuring continued licensing, maintenance, and upgrades for existing systems. The company's legacy is tied to its digital audio solutions for professional environments, particularly in radio and television broadcast, where its consoles and workflow tools were deployed in facilities including outside broadcasts such as Virgin Radio's at the V Festival 2007.

Did You Know?

• Klotz Digital was founded in 1990 by Thomas Klotz.
• The company introduced a digital public address product line named Varizone in 2002.
• After acquisition in 2009, the company was renamed QPhonics AG.
• Klotz Communications GmbH, formed by Thomas Klotz and Andre Sauer, now owns all intellectual property of the former company.