Sontronics' Lisa & Trevor Coley received the MIA (Music Industries Association) Award for Best Microphone Brand for two years running.
UK-based microphone manufacturer Sontronics have announced that they have recently been acquired by 2B Heard Limited, an audio solutions company renowned for their premium installation services.
The brand was founded in 2004 by Trevor and Lisa Coley to pursue Trevor’s dream of creating a range of microphones that could deliver professional-quality results at truly affordable prices. They officially launched the following year at the NAMM Show in Los Angeles, showcasing a selection of capacitor mic designs including the Orpheus, STC-1 and STC-2 — models which went on to become best-sellers and remain part of the company’s current range.
The line-up has now grown to include over 20 capacitor, ribbon and dynamic models, all designed and developed by Trevor whilst being extensively tested by a selection of top British engineers, producers and studios. The final production models have been incredibly well-received, winning award after award and finding their way into some of the world’s best studios and sound stages, as well as being a popular choice amongst podcasters, home studio users and educational facilities.
“Following years of amazing growth and exciting achievements, Lisa and I felt the time was right for Sontronics to fulfil its potential through the fresh vision of new owners. After 30 years in the music industry and 20 years building the brand and team to where they are today, I wanted to find the right people who would show Sontronics the same love that we have at the same time as pushing it forward and expanding its reach. The team at 2B Heard are hugely respectful of what we’ve achieved and also understand what the brand represents to its loyal users, and I’m confident that through their skills and knowledge they will reach new markets and carry the brand into the future.” - Trevor Coley, Founder & Designer, Sontronics
“We are delighted to take over the helm at Sontronics, and we’re looking forward to building upon the firm foundations that Trevor and Lisa have established. I have admired Sontronics from afar for many years and I’m very proud to be welcoming this incredibly well respected brand, its beautifully designed microphones and its skilful team into our fold. Thanks to its solid range of products and plenty of new ideas in the pipeline, the future is looking very bright for Sontronics!” - Sam Nankivell, Director, 2B Heard
Sontronics will continue to operate from their UK headquarters in Poole, Dorset, where their team hand-build hundreds of microphones each month. Lisa and Trevor will also remain closely linked to the company, representing the brand at events, working on new product development and nurturing key relationships with international distributors and VIP user events.
Additional Quotes from Trevor & Lisa
Sontronics have kindly provided SOS with the following exclusive quotes from Trevor and Lisa:
Creating a brand from nothing is a huge feat, so do you have any specific reflection on your two decades of Sontronics?
Trevor: “We are so proud of what we’ve achieved creating Sontronics out of nothing, and for it to be the microphone of choice for so many thousands of users all round the world. To know that microphones that I’ve designed and created are used on Grammy-winning albums, Oscar-winning soundtracks and on chart-topping hits is just mind-blowing, and it’s difficult to imagine life beyond Sontronics.”
You must have had some amazing experiences through your Sontronics life, but is there any particular standout moment?
Trevor: “Through Sontronics, Lisa and I have had some incredible moments, not least at NAMM last April (2023) when Stevie Wonder visited our booth, stood and spoke to me for 15 minutes and then sang into the prototype Saturn 2 microphone for another 10 minutes. I can still feel the spine-tingle from those precious minutes, and it’s no surprise that when Stevie left the booth, both Lisa and I burst into tears. My other most memorable moments come from recording sessions, such as listening to Ben Folds recording at Nashville’s RCA Victor studio, with 22 of my mics set up in the room where Elvis, Roy Orbison, the Everly Brothers and more had recorded. Or the Abbey Road session where the prototype of my Aria and several Sontronics ribbon mics were set up for an orchestral arrangement of The Beatles’ ‘Something'... breathtakingly beautiful, and even more special when some of the engineers in the room cautiously whispered that they preferred my Aria to the vintage U67! And also when Lisa and I were at Paul Epworth’s studio in Beethoven Street, and he played us a track that he’d used my Apollo stereo ribbon mic and the Aria prototype on. From the first piano chord, it was unmistakably a Bond theme, and even now when listening to 'Skyfall', I feel so proud that it is essentially the sound of my mics.”
How important is this handover of Sontronics to new owners, when it has been your life for so long?
Lisa: “We have lived and breathed Sontronics for two decades, and we have loved what we do for so long, but there was an element of feeling as if we were holding it back from the potential it could realise. When Trevor first started sketching out his mic designs and creating the brand, he wanted to create a legacy brand, and part of that journey with a legacy is handing it on to new custodians who also have the responsibility of carrying it forward to the future. We are looking forward to seeing Sontronics evolve over the coming years, knowing that we played a part in establishing and nurturing it during the time we had the privilege to have it in our hands.”
What’s next for you?
Lisa: “We are continuing to consult to the new owners, sharing insight and knowledge in terms of marketing and business strategy, and we are proud to be able to continue acting as Sontronics ambassadors at shows, events and client visits, so you’ll see us on the Sontronics booth (#15311) at the forthcoming NAMM Show. Through our new venture — Minerva Creative Consulting — we’ll be doing more work in education, offering training and workshops not only in microphones and music technology, but also in careers, employability and life skills. Over time, we look forward to easing off from working as intensely as we have been and be able to indulge in much more travel. We’ll also be finding time to play more music and go to more gigs and classical concerts — something that’s ironically taken a back seat while we’ve spent all these years guiding Sontronics (and our children) to adulthood!”
