In a move that unites two longstanding names in American audio, Victrola has announced its acquisition of KLH Audio. The deal brings together Victrola’s century-plus heritage in music playback and KLH’s legacy of loudspeaker innovation—two brands with deep roots and complementary strengths in the audio landscape.
Founded in 1906, Victrola holds the distinction of being America’s longest-standing record player brand. The company has evolved from the early phonograph era into a maker of modern turntables and home audio systems, maintaining relevance across multiple generations of music formats. KLH, on the other hand, was established in 1957 by audio pioneers Henry Kloss, Malcolm S. Low, and Josef Anton Hofmann. It quickly earned respect for its acoustic engineering and speaker design, including the early use of acoustic suspension—a design element that helped shape the modern loudspeaker.
“KLH has maintained a legacy of being one of the most influential names in audio,” said Scott Hagen, CEO of Victrola. “For nearly 100 years, both KLH and Victrola have repeatedly delivered innovation through beautifully and thoughtfully designed products. Bringing these two brands and teams together merges uncompromising performance with rapid innovation and design, enabling us to deliver the best music playback solutions in the most relevant formats for music lovers today and in the future.”
While both brands will retain their individual identities, the merger is expected to create opportunities for more integrated development and expanded product portfolios. Victrola, with its wide appeal—from casual listeners to hi-fi enthusiasts—brings volume, distribution, and design agility. KLH, by contrast, serves a more focused segment of the market with premium loudspeakers, emphasizing acoustic performance.
“This acquisition marks a significant milestone for KLH,” said David Kelley, now Brand President of KLH under the Victrola umbrella. “With the additional resources and support from Victrola, we are poised to elevate our research and development efforts, expand our global market presence, and continue creating groundbreaking audio solutions for our dealers and distributors around the world.”
Kelley, who previously held senior leadership roles at Klipsch and KLH, brings decades of industry experience to his new role. He’ll be responsible for guiding KLH’s next chapter—preserving the brand’s roots while exploring new opportunities under Victrola’s expanding portfolio.
The timing of the acquisition comes as the audio sector undergoes significant change, with some legacy brands being absorbed or downsized amid shifting market dynamics. Not long ago, we watched as McIntosh and Sonus faber were purchased by Bose, and a Sound United acquisition is predicted to happen soon.
More details on KLH's plans under its new residency are expected in the coming months, but both companies appear poised to lean into their respective legacies while aiming to shape the future of music playback.
For more information, visit www.victrola.com.
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