Eighteen Sound: The Younger Face of Italian Speaker Tradition

In October 2015, audioXpress visited pro audio loudspeaker manufacturer Eighteen Sound in Italy, and we shared the details of its modern factory in Reggio Emilia. The article was intended to illustrate the ongoing company's expansion, combined with a bit of its history. A lot has changed in the company's structure since then, Eighteen Sound (and Ciare) was acquired by B&C Speakers, and the faces at Reggio Emilia also changed. This article was originally published in audioXpress, February 2016.

Prolight+Sound 2019 was a reassuring show for all companies working with Eighteen Sound drivers. The company is now, together with Ciare, part of the B&C Speakers SpA Group of companies. At the Frankfurt show, Eighteen Sound and Ciare had their own separate booth (side by side with B&C), showing lots of new products in all areas of the portfolio. Of course, Eighteen Sound is renowned for its low frequency drivers, and during Prolight+Sound the company impressed with the new 18NTLW500 next generation high performance subwoofer using Tetracoil technology.

As anticipated back in October 2017, B&C Speakers SpA confirmed that the acquisition of Eighteen Sound was completed on Monday December 11, 2017. The acquisition of 100% of Eighteen Sound from the Landi Renzo Group represents a formidable expansion of B&C's business, entering new loudspeaker market segments, and creating a powerful portfolio of products for all types of speaker applications, all from its existing and newly-acquired Italy-based operations.

B&C Speakers formalized a binding offer for the acquisition of 100% of share capital of Eighteen Sound from Landi Renzo Group. The announcement confirms an operation anticipated by the Landi Renzo Group of focusing on its core automotive business, divesting from non-strategic assets and "return to profitability" in 2018. For B&C Speakers this represents a formidable expansion of its business to new loudspeaker market segments.

Following the acquisition by Italian driver manufacturer 18 Sound, announced in November 2015, the new Ciare brand identity has been presented at the Prolight+Sound 2016 show, in preparation for the company’s relaunch. The Senigallia, Italy brand already shared the booth with 18 Sound at the Frankfurt show and introduced three new drivers, including an improved coaxial design, a new 1” exit high-frequency driver and a midrange 6.5” driver.

Eighteen Sound of Reggio Emilia, Italy, has revealed the acquisition of the Ciare brand, of Senigallia, Italy. The announcement follows a previous strategic agreement with Ciare, announced in June 2015, which allowed Eighteen Sound to control worldwide sales of Ciare’s catalog. The confirmed acquisition broadens the scope of Eighteen Sound’s product line offering, as well as expanding the two brand’s access to new global markets.

Following the expansion of sales efforts in Asia and North America, Eighteen Sound announced a strategic agreement to control the worldwide sales of Ciare products. Both Eighteen Sound and Ciare have manufacturing facilities and offices in Italy and their product ranges are highly complimentary.