Domestic Waters – ESAudio Ltd.

An Interview with a Hungarian Audio Innovator

We are launching a new series titled “Domestic Waters,” in which we aim to introduce Hungarian instrument makers, amplifier designers, pickup manufacturers, loudspeaker builders, sound system developers, and innovators who are actively working in Hungary today. In this edition, we speak with ESAudio Ltd., a Hungarian company specializing in professional sound system design and manufacturing.

How long have you been designing and building sound systems?

Our first design concepts began about six years ago. From the very beginning, our goal was to develop a sound system capable of meeting the highly specialized requirements of theatres. This includes eliminating feedback when using bodypack microphones, boundary microphones, and ambient microphones on stage, while also creating a sound character that can reproduce symphonic music with maximum clarity and minimal distortion.

Are you only manufacturers, or do you also engage in distribution?

In Hungary, we currently handle distribution ourselves, as there is no official distributor. Internationally, we already have distributors in certain regions, and we are continuously looking for new resellers in specific countries.

Is there any unique feature that distinguishes your sound systems?

Yes, there are three main elements that define the uniqueness of our products. The most important is the radiation pattern, which closely approximates a planar wavefront. This is achieved through our specially designed drivers and proprietary ribbon tweeters.

The second key feature is the cardioid attenuation created with a single loudspeaker per unit, a solution that is currently unique on the market. The third is our E-Flexibility system, which allows for a wide range of line-array configurations. This flexibility enables multiple smaller companies to work together as a team and install the sound system in the most optimal way for any given sound reinforcement task.

Do you have endorsers or well-known artists using your products?

(Or reference venues where your systems are installed?)

We must definitely mention Péter Szendőfi and Matthew Michael, who have contributed greatly to promoting our products. Our systems can be heard at the Szeged Open-Air Festival, the Jókai Theatre in Békéscsaba, as well as venues in Debrecen, Budapest’s Játékszín Theatre, Mátészalka, and the theatre in Eger, among many others. It is a great feeling to see that a Hungarian product can serve as a competitive alternative alongside major global brands.

How would you position your products in terms of quality on a global scale?

Since our sound systems serve very specific professional needs, there are certain segments where only this type of equipment can fully meet the requirements. That said, it is a difficult question. In terms of sound pressure level, performance, and system complexity, we strive to match and continuously approach the standards set by leading global brands.

What is your opinion on the recognition of Hungarian-made music-related products and public awareness?

Unfortunately, the situation is not ideal. Many people are influenced by brand perception and often attribute qualities to a logo or brand name that are not necessarily justified. Sometimes all it takes is a screwdriver and a closer look inside the equipment to reveal the truth. The quality of any product ultimately depends on the materials and engineering behind it.

One thing is certain: physics has not been reinvented—we simply apply it. No one should believe the illusion that professional tools can be obtained without proper investment. We offer a 3+2 year warranty on our products, while others may offer only one year. There is a reason for that.

How do you see the domestic economic environment? Does it support or hinder your growth?

Government initiatives appear encouraging, but the real question is how much of that support remains when entering competitive tenders. It would be beneficial to establish a system that provides genuine advantages to domestic manufacturers over foreign competitors. Competing with mass-produced goods from the Far East, often manufactured with low-cost labor, is extremely challenging when using high-quality materials and skilled local workforce. This is a serious issue.

Where do you think the Hungarian music industry is heading?

The world has become increasingly diverse. High-quality audio products are entering our homes, yet we often listen to heavily compressed MP3 files. In our opinion, the culture of music listening has declined in recent years. This is not beneficial for manufacturers or musicians alike.

People are gradually moving away from the authentic sound of acoustic instruments. The more processing an audio signal undergoes, the more information is lost. Consider the process: a performer sings into a high-end microphone, the signal is digitally compressed, processed with effects, equalized multiple times, and eventually reduced to a compressed format such as MP3 or AIFF. In many cases, it is then played back on low-quality speakers, laptop outputs, or earbuds.

This may partly explain the rise of electronic music, where a wider spectral range often survives the playback chain. Interestingly, when visitors listen to music in our showroom, they sometimes discover details in their own recordings that they had never noticed before. That is the result of accurate sound reproduction.

What positive and negative trends do you observe?

The growing popularity of folk music is, in our view, a positive trend. However, the audience for classical music is steadily shrinking and aging, which is concerning. Another negative trend is the decreasing number of live bands at music festivals, where the same performers often appear repeatedly across multiple events.

We believe that support systems should be more closely tied to talent development. If there are no musicians to perform in the future, what will audiences listen to? Machines alone? That would be an absurd vision.

What could most significantly boost the Hungarian popular music scene?

A comprehensive education and training system starting from early childhood would make a major difference. This should include structured support programs that provide students with mandatory performance opportunities at community events when public funding is involved.

Additionally, we believe that achieving basic proficiency on a musical instrument by the time of graduation should be a fundamental educational goal.

Attila Bajusz (ESAudio Ltd.)