In a way, 45 years sounds long, but it’s just gone by in a flash. And here we are, able to celebrate with the Grateful Dead and Francis Ford Coppola, and it feels really wonderful.”
Helen MeyerExecutive Vice President, Meyer Sound
As Meyer Sound wraps up its 45th anniversary, the company celebrates a landmark year marked by product successes, expanded global partnerships, and audio innovations across sectors. From concert touring and festivals to cinema and immersive sound, Meyer Sound’s dedication to superior sound continues to position the company as a leader worldwide.
ULTRA‑X80, PANTHER, and 2100‑LFC in the wild
2024 saw the introduction of the ULTRA-X80 versatile point source loudspeaker, which brings new clarity and power to compact point source loudspeakers. Designed to meet the needs of diverse applications from intimate venues to expansive outdoor stages, ULTRA-X80 exemplifies Meyer Sound’s commitment to high-performance, versatile solutions.
Meyer Sound’s PANTHER large-format linear line array and 2100-LFC low-frequency control element powered some of the world’s most high-profile tours and festivals in 2024.
This “perfect pairing” delivered stunning clarity and impact for Metallica’s “M72 World Tour,” creating a studio-quality in-the-round audio experience for stadium audiences across North America. Ed Sheeran’s “+ – = ÷ x” (“Mathematics”) Tour also showcased PANTHER’s adaptability, supporting his one-man show in stadiums across Asia and the Middle East.
Iconic Installs
In 2024, Meyer Sound elevated the sonic legacy of two historic music venues. At the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, N.Y., a new Meyer Sound system revitalized the venue’s acoustics, ensuring an intimate, immersive experience for both artists and audiences. The Bitter End, New York City’s oldest rock club, also underwent a transformative audio upgrade with Meyer Sound technology.
Partnering to elevate festival sound
The company continues to partner with iconic festivals around the world, including Roskilde Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival, and the Montreux Jazz Festival, where PANTHER and 2100-LFC met the acoustical challenges of large-scale outdoor venues; and the Telluride Film Festival, which showcases Meyer Sound’s cutting-edge cinema offerings. Far beyond simple sponsorships, these enduring partnerships provide year-round opportunities to collaborate and innovate in real-world environments.
Advancements in immersive audio
Meyer Sound leads the way in immersive audio, having pioneered spatial technologies for more than three decades. Meyer Sound’s immersive tools, from the free Spacemap Go spatial sound design and mixing tool to the Constellation acoustic system, empower creatives to create immersive environments of any scale, pushing boundaries across theater, live performance, and fixed installations. Projects like Nordic experimental collective Heilung’s immersive Roskilde performance highlight Meyer Sound technologies’ ability to turn imagination into reality.
Installations of Meyer Sound’s Constellation acoustic system brought unprecedented flexibility to venues offering everything from cinema to live music performances to fine dining. Constellation systems at institutions like the University of California, San Diego are advancing immersive audio education, offering students and researchers state-of-the-art tools for creative exploration and innovation.
To further strengthen its leadership in this field, Meyer Sound welcomed John Owens as Business Development Manager for Constellation. With decades of experience in theater consulting and sound design for iconic venues and productions, Owens brings a holistic understanding of how to transform spaces with adaptive acoustics, further expanding Constellation’s impact in both traditional and emerging markets.
Innovating cinema technologies
As part of its ongoing investment in cinema technology, the company welcomed industry veteran Mark Mayfield to lead the cinema division, supporting both post-production studios and exhibitors with solutions that are robust, dynamic, and faithful to the vision of content creators. “We’re on the verge of something truly transformative in cinema sound,” says Mayfield. “This is about delivering an experience where every detail is heard with stunning clarity, every moment is felt as much as it is seen. For filmmakers, it means having tools that faithfully translate their creative vision from the studio to the cinema. We’re excited to unveil a groundbreaking new solution at CinemaCon 2025 that will elevate the cinematic experience for creators and audiences alike.”
Global expansion
Meyer Sound made significant inroads in Asia, with founders John and Helen Meyer visiting key markets to foster relationships and strengthen partnerships. Their journey culminated in Jakarta with the launch of a new distribution partnership with PT Promedia Sejahtera Raya.
“The market in Asia is very sophisticated, with demands that at times exceed the rest of the world in terms of the scale and type of productions they’re putting forward,” says John McMahon, Senior Vice President. “It’s another market that pushes us to be our best. We’re now recognized as an industry leader in Asia, and we want to make sure that our customers there know how important they are to us as our growth continues.”
Education initiatives
Education remains a cornerstone of Meyer Sound’s mission, with a focus on empowering the next generation of audio professionals through comprehensive, science-driven programs. In 2024, the company expanded its in-person training and online education platform, broadening access to knowledge across all disciplines and experience levels. Dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusivity, Meyer Sound continues to champion women, gender-expansive individuals, and underrepresented communities in audio through ongoing collaborations with Women’s Audio Mission, Sound Girls, and other organizations.
Expanded software ecosystems
In line with Meyer Sound’s commitment to integrated solutions, the company expanded its global software teams to support enhancements in platforms like Nebra and Spacemap Go, which provide powerful tools for both live and fixed installations. These investments reflect Meyer Sound’s drive to offer a technology ecosystem that optimizes audio performance and simplifies complex installations.
Celebrating creative collaborations: Grateful Dead and Francis Ford Coppola
In 2024, Meyer Sound joined in celebrating two long-time collaborators being recognized on the world’s biggest stages. The Grateful Dead were recognized in December with the Kennedy Center Honors and will be honored during GRAMMY Week as MusiCares® Persons of the Year for their 60-year legacy of music, philanthropy, and community-building. Meyer Sound’s roots with the band go back to 1972, when John Meyer worked with Owsley “Bear” Stanley to develop the band’s iconic “Wall of Sound.”
At the same time, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, another longtime Meyer Sound collaborator, was honored at the Kennedy Center. Beginning with John Meyer’s early work building cinema subwoofers that delivered the groundbreaking low-end effects for Apocalypse Now, Meyer Sound’s partnership with Coppola exemplifies the intersection of sound innovation and storytelling.
“In a way, 45 years sounds long, but it’s just gone by in a flash,” says Meyer Sound Executive Vice President Helen Meyer. “And here we are, able to celebrate with the Grateful Dead and Francis Ford Coppola, and it feels really wonderful.”