Dom-Harter-Tim-Carroll-and-Matt-Rowe optimal audio launch

Optimal Audio simplifies commercial audio with seamless new ecosystem

Optimal Audio, a new commercial audio brand promising a simplified ecosystem of products, has been launched by Focusrite Group.

In development for three years, the brand announced its arrival with an online event, during which Focusrite Group CEO, Tim Carroll declared Optimal Audio part of a long term strategy. Its mission is to “simplify the unnecessarily complex world of commercial audio,” said Carroll. “Now that the world is returning to some sort of normality, the timing couldn’t be better to launch.”

Optimal Audio is the Focusrite Group’s seventh brand.

The product mix comprises controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers, designed to work seamlessly together via a web app. “Optimal Audio provides a streamlined product offering working seamlessly together to deliver high quality sound that is easy to install and can be operated by anyone, not just engineers.”

The company is headed up by Martin Audio MD Dom Harter, who will look after both brands.

“We took a long considered look at the Commercial Audio market, and it increasingly felt traditional in approach with products that were overly complicated to understand, install and operate,” said Harter at the launch. “We felt there needed to be a fresh outlook. Commercial Audio is a model that’s overly complicated to control and understand.”  

Out of the gate, Optimal Audio will focus on solutions for small to medium-sized commercial installations. Its launch offering includes four and eight-zone, powered and non-powered Zone controllers.

I/O provision is generous. The Zone 8 controller boasts 30 inputs, including HDMI with ARC, and 16 outputs.

The Optimal Audio WebApp supports system set-up, and once configured, presents venue staff with a simplified UI for daily operation.

Optimal Audio is also shipping wall-mounted ZonePad controllers, in both one-zone or four-zone formats.

There will be three SmartAmps with DSP in the line-up, with half-rack and full-rack options available, as well as a collection of loudspeakers. A five-strong in-ceiling range, dubbed Up, comprises 3-, 4- and 6-inch driver models in a neutral white finish. These will be joined by four on-wall wooden speakers called Cuboid, and two subwoofers.

Optimal Audio has named Audio Technica as its first major distribution partner for key European territories.