11 QUESTIONS With Dr. Andreas Sennheiser
Co-CEO, Sennheiser Electronics
Andreas Sennheiser, Co-CEO, Sennheiser Electronics
Dr. Andreas Sennheiser is eponymous with one
of the most pioneering pro audio brands around
the world - Sennheiser. Being trusted by scores of
pro audio rental companies, studios, broadcasters,
engineers, and artists in India for precise, excellent
audio clarity and delivery, the audio giant has
today carved a niche for itself in the country's
acoustic landscape. Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, Co-CEO,
Sennheiser sits down for an in-depth conversation
with Smita Rai, Deputy Project Director, PALM +
AV-ICN Expo and Editor, PALM Expo Magazine
and AV-ICN Expo Magazine, to field 11 Questions
and expounds on the unexpected growth of a
particular pro audio segment, the market for
wireless microphones in India in the next five
years, his takeaway from interactions with the
clients in India, and more.
1. From a business development perspective,
after selling the consumer division business
to Sonova, how has things changed for
Sennheiser? Is the brand doing anything
differently now?
After 50 years of operating in both
consumer and professional segments, we are
proud to return to our roots as a fully prodedicated
business. This shift has allowed us
to focus all of our attention on meeting the
needs of our professional customers, from
management to field operations and spending.
With this renewed focus, we have invested
heavily in research and development, allocating
nearly 10% of our revenue to developing
cutting-edge technologies. Our global
salesforce and business developers are now
solely dedicated to serving our pro customers,
ensuring that we provide the best possible
business communication solutions for audio
environments. This more targeted approach has
allowed us to better understand and meet the
unique needs of our professional clients, and
we look forward to continuing to innovate and
exceed their expectations for many years to
come.
2. In which segment of the pro audio industry
do you see most growth?
As the world continues to adapt to the
new normal brought by the pandemic, it's
no surprise that the hybrid working model has become the norm. This shift has resulted
in a surge in demand for our Business
Communication solutions, which includes ceiling
microphones, streaming solutions like mobile
connect for in-house streaming. Universities
have also embraced this change, making it clear
that this trend is here to stay. But what's even
more surprising is the unexpected growth we've
seen in the Live segment. After being cooped
up for two years, artists are eager to get back
on stage, and fans are equally excited to attend
concerts once again. In fact, ticket sales for live events in the US alone have increased by over
35%. However, it's not just the entertainment
industry that's experiencing growth. The digital
government sector, particularly in India, is far
more advanced than in many other areas.
With seamless technology, collaboration across
states and borders has become easier than
ever before.
3. Can you elaborate a little on how the
demand and supply chain for Sennheiser
was impacted due to the post pandemic
disruption?
Fortunately, we had a highly efficient
integrated supply chain that allowed us to
fulfill most of the demand throughout the
pandemic. In fact, we were the only audio
industry player capable of doing so. This was
made possible by our vertically integrated
supply chain, which included our own
production plants. Additionally, our strong
relationships with key chip suppliers enabled
us to secure demand and supply even during
the most challenging times. Our goal is to
be the most reliable partner in the audio
industry, and we have proved this during the
pandemic.
4. Sennheiser has invested heavily on
AMBEO 3D. How has that evolved for the
brand and what are the applications of
the same?
The demand for spatial audio or AMBEO
has been on the rise among consumers. Our
team has been working on 3D audio for over
25 years, driven by our passion for creating
immersive audio experiences. While we have
always been excited about this technology,
it is only in recent years that the public has
become more receptive to VR, AR, and other
such technologies in 3D audio. We are thrilled
to see great success on the consumer side
with our 3D soundbars, which have set a
benchmark in the industry. Moreover, Netflix
productions have also started using our
spatial audio algorithm, and we are proud to
announce that our 3D audio algorithms will be
featured in cars launching in January next year.
As a result, we have seen a significant increase
in demand for our competencies in spatial
audio across various industries.
5. You mentioned AR and VR. What about
AI - do you anticipate Artificial Intelligence
and Machine Learning to play a significant
role in pro audio?
Absolutely, there are multiple benefits that
AI can bring to our products. Firstly, it can
significantly improve the efficiency of our
internal development and processes. However,
more importantly, AI can help us make our
parts more intelligent. For instance, we are
working on developing microphones that can
detect the type of noise they record - whether
it is speech or background music. This will
enable us to create smarter devices that can
selectively listen to wanted noise or speech
while filtering out unwanted noise. We are
leveraging AI not just for the microphone side
but also for the processing side. AI algorithms
can be instrumental in cleaning audio streams,
especially in situations where different users
have varying audio environments. For example,
in meetings with different participants, one
user may be in an environment with a higher
reverb, while another user may have a different
acoustic environment. AI can help even out
these differences and deliver a consistent audio
stream, regardless of where it was recorded.
6. At present, is there any solution or product
for pro audio which Sennheiser is pushing
aggressively in the market?
Currently, we are witnessing a significant
surge in demand for our bread-and-butter
products such as the D-6000 System on the
wireless side, particularly in India. We are
thrilled to see that many top artists in India
are using it, and it has almost become an
industry standard here. While we are not
deliberately pushing this product, its success
speaks for itself. Looking ahead, we have
something truly innovative in store for next
year. We are developing a new transmission
scheme for wireless microphones and in-ear
monitors based on a white band transmission
technology. While we haven't revealed much
about this yet, we believe that it will be a
game changer in the industry.
7. Are there any new innovations from
Neumann that consumers can look forward
to, and do you have any personal favorites
from Neumann?
Neumann has been actively acquiring new
technologies, and one of our recent acquisitions
has allowed us to enter the interface business
with a strong AES67 technology. This has given
us an important role in the production stream
of broadcasters and live mixers, which is a
new area for us. Additionally, we are excited
to announce that we will be bringing back the
legendary U47 microphone next year. We were
able to secure a supplier for tubes, and this will
be akin to the resurrection of a legend. While
I don't have a personal favorite product from
Neumann, I do have a preferred home setup for
doing broadcasts and using Teams for meetings.
I use the KH 150 as my speaker and the TLM
104 microphone along with the MT 48 as the
interface. When it comes to listening to loud
music and enjoying it, I prefer using the KH 420
with a subwoofer.
8. Where do you see the market for wireless
microphones in the next five years,
specifically in India?
The wireless microphone industry is facing
increasing challenges in terms of frequency
allocations, and it is likely that the World
Radiocommunication Conference will decide
on another reduction in available frequencies.
This is because some of the frequencies will be
allocated to the telecom industry. Despite these
challenges, we are working hard to ensure that
our customers still have reliable transmissions.
We are optimizing our existing technologies
while also developing alternative transmission
schemes such as the white band transmission.
In addition, we see standard technologies like
5G as a potential option in the future, although
there are currently latency issues that need
to be addressed. In India, we are seeing a
growing trend of using wireless microphones on
stage, particularly for larger productions. Artists
prefer the freedom of movement that wireless
microphones provide, without the restrictions
of wires on their gear. As a result, wireless
microphones have become the standard for
many productions.
9. India is always known as a price-sensitive
market. Do you feel that this has changed
a bit?
While India has traditionally been known as
a price-sensitive market, we have observed a
shift towards more value for higher technology.
Customers are now seeking products that offer
higher quality and better workflows, rather
than simply being affordable. In our Business
Communication segment, we have seen that
our products may not always be the cheapest
on the tender, but we are still winning many
tenders due to the value that we provide.
Our products work seamlessly, require minimal
maintenance, and can be remotely controlled,
making them highly efficient for managing audio in classrooms or other settings from
a centralized location. In such cases, the
efficiency gained from using our products far
outweighs any cost savings from choosing a
cheaper alternative. Therefore, while there is
still a strong demand for high value for money
products in India, customers are increasingly
looking for solutions that provide superior
performance and efficiency. As a result, our
focus remains on providing value for money by
offering products that meet these needs, rather
than simply being the most affordable option.
10. What is perception of the global market
for the pro audio products and where does
India fit into this whole scheme of things?
In my opinion, the global market for pro
audio products is here to stay. As humans, we
have always enjoyed making and listening to
music together, and this need has only grown
stronger with time. Today, we are using digital
technologies to create a more immersive and
global experience for music lovers around
the world. India, in particular, has emerged
as one of the most tech-savvy countries
when it comes to adopting new ideas and
technologies. As a result, I believe that India
will continue to play an important role in
the global market for pro audio products.
With its large and growing population of
music enthusiasts, India presents a significant
opportunity for companies like ours to offer
innovative and high-quality products that meet
the needs of this market.
11. You have interacted with clients - rental
companies, studios, broadcasters, artists,
and engineers in India. What takeaways
did you receive from these interactions and
how have they shaped your engagement
with the Indian market?
During our interactions with rental
companies, studios, broadcasters, artists, and
engineers in India, we gained valuable insights
into the market and its challenges. As a
company, we believe that staying connected
with our clients is crucial to understanding
what's happening in the field. One of the most
striking takeaways from our visit was how
rapidly India is evolving. The government's
digital agenda has unlocked tremendous
potential for virtual collaboration in the public
sector, while higher education and corporate
headquarters have also embraced virtual
meetings and remote working. This progress
is a testament to what can be achieved when
there is a strong will and financial support
for infrastructure development. Our visit to
India was truly an eye-opening and insightful
experience that has shaped our engagement
with the Indian market. We are committed
to providing innovative solutions that meet
the evolving needs of our clients in India and
around the world. By leveraging the lessons we
learned during our visit, we aim to continue
building strong relationships with our clients
and delivering value-added services that help
them succeed.