Bose Corp acquires McIntosh Group in surprise move

Bose Corporation has acquired McIntosh Group, home of luxury audio brands McIntosh and Sonus faber. Bose is a market leader in personal audio products, while McIntosh Group manufactures the premium amplifiers, speakers, and turntables. The acquisition gives Bose a valuable foothold into the world of high-performance and luxury audio.

The combined might of Bose and McIntosh Group also opens new opportunities in the automotive sector, says the group. By leveraging Bose’s 40-plus years of experience in automotive audio, and McIntosh Group’s legacy of performance and design, the brands will work together to expand their research and continue to engineer authentic in-car experiences that redefine automotive sound.

“Over the last six decades we’ve delivered the best premium audio experiences possible; now, with McIntosh Group in our portfolio, we can unlock even more ways to bring music to life in the home, on-the-go and in the car,” said Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose Corporation. “We look forward to honouring the heritage of these brands, investing in their future and pushing the boundaries of audio innovation to bring customers experiences they’ve never heard before.”

“Bose’s dedication to research and singular focus on audio provides a tremendous opportunity to complement and enable our own pursuit of delivering inimitable, ultimate-quality audio experiences,” said Daniel Pidgeon, CEO of McIntosh Group. “Gaining access to their expertise as a pioneer in automotive audio will also help us accelerate our presence and enable us to deliver solutions that are commensurate with our reputation and performance standards.”

Bose says it will continue to develop headphones, speakers, soundbars, and car audio while advancing critical technologies such as noise cancellation, hearing augmentation and immersive audio. McIntosh and Sonus faber will also maintain its focus on amplifiers, loudspeakers, turntables, and other high-end products.

Bose acquired McIntosh Group from Highlander Partners, L.P., a Dallas-based private investment firm. All other details remain confidential.

McIntosh and Sonus faber are distributed in the UK by Fine Sounds UK