inMusic Acquires Moog, Adding to Akai and Alesis Brands
Moog, the renowned producer of synthesizers, has been purchased by inMusic, a massive conglomerate that has also acquired other well-known brands such as Alesis, Akai, and M-Audio. Moog’s president, Joe Richardson, has stated that the acquisition may assist the company in overcoming “persistent obstacles,” including concerns about global distribution supply chains.
To that end, chip shortages and various supply chain issues have plagued the company since the start of Covid, leading to steep price hikes for some of its flagship instruments, as Synth Anatomy and others initially reported. Moog has managed to remain an independent brand for decades, since the 1960s, so this is a shock to the synthesizer world.
Moog says it continues to develop the synthesizers at its headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina, but does not specify the manufacturing process. To this day, many of the iconic instruments under the company’s umbrella are made in the USA, so we’ll be keeping an eye out to see if that changes. Alesis, also owned by inMusic, designs its products in America, but manufactures them in China.
There’s also the idea of brand cross-pollination. In the announcement letter, Richardson says the acquisition will allow Moog to “enhance the capabilities of inMusic and its exclusive brands.” Does this recommend an upcoming Moog synth with real Akai MPC pads, or a budget-friendly Alesis synth that utilizes Moog’s sound design expertise? We will see. Meanwhile, Moog just celebrated its 70th anniversary with a Model D-inspired web app and recently released the Moog One, its most ambitious (and expensive) instrument ever.
