Inside Sound Devices: CEO Matt Anderson on Building the Best in Pro Audio

YourTechReport

How do you build the audio gear that powers the Super Bowl, blockbuster films, and YouTube studios alike? In this episode, Marc Aflalo sits down with Matt Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Sound Devices, to uncover the origin story, innovations, and engineering principles behind one of the most trusted names in professional audio.

From a basement startup in 1998 to an industry-defining powerhouse, Sound Devices has built a reputation for rock-solid audio gear used on film sets, sports broadcasts, and stages worldwide. CEO Matt Anderson shares the company’s humble beginnings, the development of iconic products like the 442 mixer and USBPre, and the leap into wireless with the powerful A20 SuperNexus system.

Marc and Matt dive into the secrets behind Sound Devices’ engineering mindset, their refusal to compromise on audio quality, and how customer feedback has shaped every product. Whether it’s 32-bit float recording, Dante integration, or software-defined audio platforms, Sound Devices continues to innovate without sacrificing reliability.

Plus, learn how the company’s partnership with Digico is changing the live production landscape, and why Matt still sketches schematics by hand.

[Chapters]

0:00 – Introduction & Sound Devices overview

2:00 – Origin story: from a basement to broadcast fame

4:20 – First products: MP-1, analog mixers, USBPre

7:40 – USB audio in the early 2000s

10:00 – 32-bit float recording: why Sound Devices led the way

11:15 – First recorder used in a major film

13:00 – Building the 744T: technical challenges

17:00 – Software vs hardware development realities

18:10 – Entering the wireless market

22:00 – Philosophy of listening to customers

25:30 – Compact, multi-channel wireless for reality TV

28:30 – Rise of independent creators and the MixPre line

31:00 – A20 SuperNexus and global frequency tuning

34:00 – Integration with Digico and the Audiotonix ecosystem

37:30 – Real-world use case: from Metallica to live broadcast

39:00 – Product ideation, design, and beta testing

43:30 – Matt’s favorite Sound Devices products

45:00 – Closing thoughts

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#SoundDevices #ProAudio #WirelessAudio #BroadcastGear #FieldRecording

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