2010: Vitaliy Belonozkho Establishes 1964 Ears, LLC

1964 Ears was founded by Vitaliy Belonozhko, a sound engineer who has been working with musicians and production companies in the Northwest for over a decade. Not long into his career, he discovered the advantages of IEMs over traditional floor “wedges.” After trying out a few brands, it was apparent that a better and a more affordable solution to in-ear monitoring was needed. 

October 2010: 1964 Ears Releases the Quad Model

The release of the Quad (4 driver) was one of our first product releases. This was also the first model for which the sound signature was later adjusted due to customer feedback.

February 2011: 1964 Ears Goes on the Move

Early in 2011, we made our first move to a new location. Due to the growth of the company, it was necessary to expand into a larger and more professional space. Prior to this move, the we were located in a spare bedroom.

September 2011: 1964 Ears Introduces Real Wood Faceplates 

Real wooden faceplates were introduced as an industry first. The new faceplates were individually hand-crafted from thin sheets of genuine wood to provide custom in-ears with a classy, vintage look. 

January 2012: 1964 Ears Brings Their First Major Artist On Board – The Newsboys

The Newsboys upgraded their in-ear monitors to the 1964 Ears Quad models. Vitaliy worked closely with Newsboys’ monitor engineer, Jeff Nolte, to tweak the sound of the Quads for more midrange, creating the Qi model. Due to its popularity, the special edition tuning became standard.

September 2012: 1964 Ears Moves Again

We needed room to grow, so we moved again! The new location on Lombard Street in Portland, Oregon was where we resided for 3 years. 

October 2012: 1964 Ears Attends its First Trade Show

Our team drove up to Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, a trade show that showcases high-end audio equipment. The portable audio section of this show, CanJam, sponsored by HeadFi.org, is where we first met representatives of other IEM companies that we looked up to. This was also our first opportunity to interface with the audio community and begin building relationships that would last for the years to come.

September 2013: 1964 Ears Launches the V6-Stage Model

We introduced the V6 Stage Model that would be sold alongside the V6 (released earlier that year). The V6 was tuned towards audiophiles while the warm sound signature of the V6-Stage quickly gained popularity among musicians. The V6-Stage soon became the most popular model in the V-Series product line.

October 2013: Grammy Winning Artist Earth Wind And Fire Joins the 1964 Ears Family

January 2014: 1964 Ears Attends its First California NAMM Show

NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants, hosts a large trade show for the music industry in Anaheim, CA. We were fortunate enough to share some space at the show with Truth Drums. This was a huge step in our integration into the music industry. The V8 Model was also introduced during the show. 

 November 2014: 1964 Ears Launches Kickstarter Campaign for A-Series and U-Series

Late in 2014, we launched a crowd-funding campaign to help with the development of the custom A-Series line and our first universal fit line, the U-Series. These new product lines would be characterized by a special pressure-relieving module that would offer a wider soundstage, a higher quality of sound, and a greater degree of hearing protection. Our A-Series line went on to eclipse the “vintage” V-Series.

March 2015: A-Series and U-Series Orders Ship

In the spring of 2015, the first of our A-Series and U-Series orders began to ship to Kickstarter supporters. The long-awaited arrival of the new lines marked a huge step for us. We were able to officially dedicate our efforts towards hearing preservation in the industry, a goal near and dear to our hearts.

July 2015: 1964 Ears Introduces 3-D Fit Technology & Artist Alessia Cara Joins the 1964 Ears Family 

One of the innovations that accompanied the release of the A-Series line was the development of our 3D Fit technology. We began the process of replacing former techniques with 3D printing our acrylic IEM shells. This allows for a more consistent shell thickness and a more precise custom fit. For customers, that translates to greater durability and a more accurate fit. 

August 2015: Grammy Winning Artists Beyoncé and Jay Z Join the 1964 Ears Family

September 2015: 1964 Ears Rebranded to 64 Audio, 64 Audio Moves to Washington & Artist Toby Mac Joins the 64 Audio Family

September was a big month for us. The name of the company was changed from 1964 Ears to 64 Audio. This name change was accompanied by the launch of a new website and a new graphic for the brand. We also upgraded to a larger facility which more appropriately suited our needs. This marked the move from Oregon to Washington state, just across the Columbia River.

January 2016: 64 Audio Uses its Very Own Booth at NAMM

For the 2016 NAMM show, our representatives were able to showcase our products from 64 Audio’s own custom-made booth. We have come a long way from our first appearance at CanJam and sharing booth space with Truth Drums. 

February 2016: Drummer Dennis Chambers Joins the 64 Audio Family & Beyoncé Performs with her 64 Audio In-Ears at the Super Bowl 

Beyoncé and her backup dancers wore their 64 Audio Custom In-Ears for the Super Bowl Half Time Show.

August 2016: Grammy Winning Artist Kanye West Joins the 64 Audio Family & 64 Audio Launches the apex Technology

We released our very own pressure-relieving technology that minimizes ear fatigue and improves the sound quality of our IEMs. This marked a switch from relying on a 3rd party company to developing and assembling our own modules. The first module to be released was the m20 and was followed by the m15. These two modules allow the user to select between two different isolation levels; the m20 isolates 20db and the m15 isolates 15db of external noise. 

September 2016: Grammy Winning Artist Seal Joins the 64 Audio Family

October 2016: 64 Audio Sponsors Travis Kvapil in the Nascar Camping World Truck Series

November 2016: 64 Audio Launches the tia Fourté the A18 / U18 Tzar, with the patented tia technology & Grammy Winning Artist Joss Stone Joins the 64 Audio Family

Our revolutionary proprietary tia technology was officially launched in the winter of 2016 in three models, the Fourté, the A18 Tzar, and the U18 Tzar. The tia technology completely changes how we create and deliver sound in an in-ear monitor. In these three new models, we use a proprietary tia open balanced armature driver (or two) as well as a single large bore to deliver amazingly clear and linear high and mid-range frequencies. Learn more about these new models here: Fourté, A18, U18. 

February 2017: A18 Tzar Orders Ship & Grammy Winning Bassist Nathan East Joins the 64 Audio Family

The highly-anticipated A18s began to ship. The new A-Series flagship model is the most advanced in-ear monitor on the market today.

April 2017: U18 Tzar and tia Fourté Orders Ship 

The tia Fourté and U18 Tzar, universal in-ear monitors have started shipping. Customers across the world are enjoying the benefits of the break-through tia (tubeless in-ear audio) technology. Learn more about tia here.