As part of a group-wide restructuring of product development, Yamaha is taking over Steinberg’s hardware business, with Steinberg hardware products now rebranded as Yamaha. The move means that Steinberg will focus exclusively on software development and sales with the aim of provide users with ‘a refined, integrated product experience’.
Steinberg joined the Yamaha Group in 2005, with the first hardware products jointly developed by the companies launched in 2008. Since then, Steinberg has consistently delivered reliable, high-quality hardware solutions for all types of user, from first-time creators through to professional studios. These have included the UR, UR-C, UR-RT and ultra-portable IXO series audio interfaces.
Yamaha will now carry the development and sales of these hardware products forward, enabling both companies to concentrate on their respective strengths: Yamaha on the design, manufacture and global distribution of high-quality hardware, and Steinberg on the creation of world-class music and audio software. This division of roles will ensure that each company can maximise its expertise and resources, while continuing to collaborate closely as part of the same group.
Following the reorganisation, the Steinberg-branded IXO12, IXO22, UR22C, and UR44C audio interfaces will be reintroduced under the Yamaha brand as the UR12MK3, UR22MK3, URX22C and URX44C respectively. Other Steinberg-branded audio interfaces will progressively be phased out.
To ensure a smooth transition and avoid inconveniencing customers, Yamaha and Steinberg will both continue to provide product support and drivers for the foreseeable future.
‘Steinberg-branded hardware products have long been developed and manufactured by Yamaha. This brand transition marks a new stage in which both companies can focus on their strengths to deliver dependable, seamlessly connected solutions tailored to today’s creators,’ says Yamaha Corporation Creator & Consumer Audio Division Senior General Manager, Takatsuna Maeda.