Premium sound systems DMPSS 130 Award-winning sound quality Meridian

PREMIUM SOUND SYSTEMS

With over 30 years experience as the preferred supplier of the highest quality sound systems for the automotive and consumer electronics markets, DMPSS has an unrivalled expertise in audio performance products. Industry Europe looks at how the company is building on its commercial advantage.

D&M Premium Sound Solutions, or DMPSS, was formerly part of the global giant Philips, in its Philips Speaker Systems division. The evolution of the company saw it become Philips Sound Solutions and then be taken over by Denon & Marantz Holdings, arriving at today’s recognised title, DMPSS.

Even though the administrative changes have seen different names for the organisation over the past 30 years, the focus on premium sound solutions for the automotive and consumer electronics markets has stayed constant throughout. The company has always been dedicated to the development, production and supply of loudspeakers and amplifiers in order to deliver a premium sound experience to its clients and their customers. It primarily operates in the business-to-business sector and, as such, it has a majority market share with the leading automotive and consumer electronics companies.

Leading automotive brands

DMPSS’s automotive division works directly with most of the world’s leading car brands, including Toyota, Volkswagen and BMW. Meanwhile its consumer electronics business of DMPSS enjoys solid, mutually-beneficial relationships with global clients such as Nokia.

With Denon & Marantz Holdings offering a number of brands for the consumer electronics market areas including receivers, blue ray players and CD systems, the automotive division is to some extent a separate area of the business but with the same specialism. A company spokesman clarified, “Our automotive business has developed as the automotive industry itself has evolved. When we were first part of the industry over 30 years ago, the stereo in a car was used quite simply. The demands and expectations of a car stereo then were generally limited to listening to the news or music on the radio, but now many consumers want a quality sound system in their vehicle that’s an extension of their character, one that enables them to listen to their favourite CDs or MP3s at a quality that’s comparable to their home sound system, with two, four, eight or even 16 speakers and Dolby Surround Sound. We’ve embraced this evolution as it allows us to really show the automotive market what we can do – it’s our expertise and it’s good for their business, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Indeed, providing a high quality sound system in recognised automotive brands is

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a core element in DMPSS’s expanding business operations. The company’s management believes its development potential can be best harnessed by increasing its alreadysuccessful joint-branding relationships with automotive manufacturing companies that complement its offer.

The automotive industry has long been comfortable with its brand associations in areas such as tyres, so the company is aiming to extend this value chain with DMPSS branded sound systems. With well-chosen auto brand partners, it can upsell the inclusion of one of its systems for the benefit of consumers. The spokesman explains: “We’re not just trying to sell a badge on a stereo – it’s so much more than that because we want to sell recognised performance quality in a way that enhances the consumer value perception. It’s got to be the right fit between brands, but we know that his co-branding focus will be an important element in our future marketing campaigns.”

Developing co-branding

DMPSS has state-of-the-art production facilities in various locations across Europe, the USA and Mexico, with the company head office and major facilities located in Belgium and with further operations in Ukraine and Hungary. The company also has a small production facility in India and two sites in China, where it also has a development centre. The DMPSS development centres in Belgium are integral to the continued success of the operation, particularly as it is near a well-respected university with sound electronics and sound systems courses, giving the company excellent access to the best graduates.

In order to maintain its reputation for premium sound systems, DMPSS works to the very strictest international quality standards for production, engineering and operations, with experts in acoustic engineering working alongside product designers to ensure the best possible overall product guarantees.

Although the global recession has impacted on DMPSS over the past few years, the fact that many countries adopted a number of incentives for the automotive industry meant that it was not too hard hit. The signs are good for continued recovery and our co-branding strategy has allowed it to continue its path of growth. n

AWARD-WINNING SOUND QUALITY

British high-performance audio equipment manufacturer Meridian Audio Ltd designs, engineers and builds a range of luxury quality sound and video products. Amongst other things, it is an award-winning supplier of the highest quality in-car audio systems.

Meridian Audio Ltd has a strong history of being ‘a specialist manufacturer of specialist things’, with a passion for creating sound and video products for people to enjoy in their homes. Although there are a number of producers in this field, Meridian consistently stands out as ‘best in class’ – a clear strategy that continues to exceed its customer expectations of added value entertainment systems.

The company sells into almost 70 countries worldwide, with strong sales in the UK, all supported by a distribution and retail network of premium partners, design consultants and a carefully picked selection of integrated service providers. The company sells predominately domestic systems to high net worth customers, although its prestigious commercial sales are steadily increasing, with Meridian systems integrated into the latest Jaguar Land Rover model, a new McLaren vehicle and also throughout the Savoy Hotel in central London.

A major change over the past decade or so has been the involvement of investment group, the Richmond Group. The company was approached by luxury goods investor Richmond in order to add Meridian to a portfolio that included Chloe, Mont Blanc and Cartier. This close cooperation with Richmond and its stable of luxury brands has allowed Meridian to cement its image as a high-end manufacturer.

Meridian Audio products are primarily available as whole systems, which are created with the exact needs of the client in mind. Rather like buying a car as a complete system, Meridian excels in delivering sound and video systems that are perfectly calibrated as one unit. This has long been the Meridian product development approach, particularly as consumer electronics thrives on change. The portfolio includes the range of loudspeakers that have been a part of the Meridian offer since 1977, as well as systems that incorporate loudspeakers, which has been a consistent success story for the company.

Introducing Explorer

An exciting addition to the Meridian range recently is its Explorer, a pocket-sized highresolution USB DAC that delivers the best-

in-class sound from any computer. It features a range of connectivity and can be used in a variety of applications from private headphone listening to full system playback.

Explorer replaces a computer’s sound card with a USB-powered DAC featuring Meridian’s award-winning resolution enhancement technologies, and makes any audio file, from MP3 to high resolution, sound its very best. From its best-in-class audio performance to the elegant presentation packaging, Explorer is the perfect introduction to the ‘Meridian Experience’.

A tailored approach

In order to ensure that its products appeal to audiophiles of all tastes, Meridian manufactures systems in 210 different colours and finishes, allowing consumers to pick high-quality audio equipment that is as striking or discreet as they wish. The broad appeal continues with the compact ‘all in one’ system called the M80 that is already gaining fans as it fits the market niche of a space-conscious system that still provides incredible audio quality.

The company acquired the well-known American media server company Sooloos, adding its Sooloos brand music storage appliance to its portfolio. The Sooloos is famed for its ‘interoperability’ functionality which allows consumers to have one location for all their music, to be listened to at high quality throughout the house.

The audio video competency at Meridian sees it able to provide full home theatre systems at five times the resolution quality of Blu-Ray, as well as complete control over the ‘movie experience’ in the home.

Key automotive supplier

In addition to its home audio solutions, a major part of Meridian’s activities are focused on the automotive sector where, as already mentioned, it serves a number of major clients including Jaguar Land Rover and McLaren with its unique and innovative solutions.

The company has, for example, introduced the world’s first 3D in-car surround system. Its exclusive Trifield 3D technology adds another dimension to in-car audio. With precision-positioned speakers, it allows users to experience sound that transforms the car into a ‘personal and immersive musical performance’.

One of Meridian’s major clients, Jaguar, chose the 2012 Beijing Motor Show to unveil its new XJ Ultimate, which is fitted with an innovative Meridian Surround Sound System offering unrivalled music reproduction in a luxury designed saloon.

At the time, Ian Callum, director of design at Jaguar, said: “Given the XJ Ultimate’s exclusive specification we wanted to equip it with the very best audio system available; Meridian’s exceptional quality and expertise made it the perfect partner to enable us to deliver this ambition. The result will be a truly stunning listening experience for our customers.”

Expanding worldwide

Meridian is continuing to broaden its global outreach with the setting up of its exclusive outlets, or ‘boutiques’, in some key loca-

tions. It recently opened its first outlet in the USA, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This will be a dedicated showcase for the company’s products, offering the full Meridian experience including a state-of-the-art home theatre setting. Here it will display its awardwinning products, including Digital Active Loudspeakers, Meridian Reference Series and Digital Media Systems.

Elsewhere, Meridian Auto has announced the official opening of its first exclusive boutique in Kuwait. Opened in partnership with the company’s distributor for Kuwait, Electronic Technologies Co., it is Meridian’s first dedicated showroom in the Middle East and provides the flagship location for Kuwaiti customers to experience its range of award-winning luxury home entertainment systems. n

E Johnson & Sons

E Johnson & Sons are proud to supply Meridian, with the precision end of the sheet metal market being our niche, we are at the moment very busy providing work for the high class audio sector.

As a small, family business (only two of the 8 employees are not family members), E Johnson & Sons can engender a spirit of close association with its customers. Able to provide the full plethora of sheet metalworking processes, from profiling and forming, to welding and finishing, this progressive manufacturing company is continuing to build a reputation for excellence acquired over its 38year history.

Established 1973.

Specialist in Precision Sheet Metalwork for Electronics Scientific Telecommunications and High Class Audio Equipment.

Pleased to be associated with Meridan for the last 20 years.

Processes: • CNC punching/folding • Graining • MIG/TIG/Spot welding • Wet paint • Powder coating • Alocrom 1000 • Laser • Kan ban/JIT storage with barcoding

Unit 5, The Grip Industrial Estate, Hadstock Road, Linton, Cambridge CB21 4XN Tel: (01223) 891149 Fax: (01223) 893667 Email: ejohnsonandsons@hotmail.com