Fender has followed Marshall and Orange into the consumer electronics space by unveiling a new flagship line of speakers and headphones.
With the launch of Fender Audio, the Big F becomes the latest guitar and amp specialist to enter the personal audio and lifestyle markets, and lays down a statement of intent for the continued diversification of the company’s product portfolio.
There is, of course, strong precedent for amp companies making strong waves in the home speaker and headphone industries. That is, naturally, less so the case for guitar brands – but with its own heritage in the amp space, Fender is clearly keen to leverage its audio prowess and capitalize on its expertise.
In the past, Marshall, one of the UK’s most historic amp makers, made its own entry into the space around 2010, when it initially partnered with (and was later bought out by) Zound Industries for a run of speakers and headphones that have since gone on to become major players in the market.
Likewise, Orange committed to the home audio market around 2016, and as recently as 2023 unveiled its first Bluetooth speaker.
There are more examples out there. Vox has its own Bluetooth speaker range, and Orange also brought out a line of headphones in 2022. Heck, even Fender kinda dabbled in the speaker space with the RIFF – a Bluetooth speaker that could also function as a guitar amp.
The RIFF was quietly launched under the Fender Audio banner in 2023, but has since seemingly been pulled from production – so this is very much a fresh start for the Big F in the home audio space.
The new Fender Audio venture – which is being operated under license by Singaporean company Riffsound – is an entirely new phenomenon, though, and has been unveiled with the ELIE portable speaker series and MIX headphones.
Short for ‘Extremely Loud Infinitely Expressive’, the speakers look to create “a new benchmark in portable sound” by delivering a “powerful, distortion-free sound across a wide dynamic range”. Two models are available – E6 and E12 – with both promising to reinvent how digital signal processors are utilized in a speaker.
The result is said to be greater volume, improved acoustic clarity and more power at a higher efficiency compared to the competition. And, since this is a Fender speaker, there's an appropriate guitar-y twist: there's a 1/4" jack – as well as an XLR input – for plugging in guitars.
The MIX headphones, meanwhile, have equally hyperbolic claims attached to them, with Fender Audio writing they “push the boundaries of modern music-lifestyle audio”. Notable specs include a whopping 100 hours of battery life and modular components that can be swapped and customized over time.
As mentioned, there’s a solid track record of guitar and amp firms entering the home audio space and making a success story of it. For Fender Audio, the early challenge will be going up against the might of Marshall, which is undoubtedly the most established guitar-related company currently in the mix.
Having said that, Fender has a prestige all of its own, and appropriately branded speakers and headphones – with reputational ties to some of the most celebrated albums and names in guitar music – offer a clear and enticing allure for fans.
Plus, a modular design that allows for customization? That’s pretty cool. And we can’t help but be intrigued by some of the lofty verbiage and specifications deployed here. Here, you have the makings of a home audio venture that has serious potential.
“Fender Audio represents our commitment to building products that bring exceptional sound and intelligent design to everyday life. It was built to carry Fender’s sonic legacy into the future of listening,” says Mah Chernwei, CEO of Riffsound.
“ELIE and MIX are built for how people listen today – portable, flexible, and deeply personal. With ELIE and MIX, we’re bringing that same craftsmanship and tonal excellence to personal and portable audio, making iconic sound more accessible than ever.”
Visit Fender Audio to find out more.
