Steinberg passes the baton to Yamaha and sets a new rhythm in the world of audio

Steinberg announced that, as part of a group-wide restructuring of its product development systems, it will now focus exclusively on software development and sales.

The first hardware products jointly developed by Yamaha and Steinberg appeared in 2008. The MR816 audio interfaces and the CC121 Cubase controller were extremely successful. As a result, Yamaha has since manufactured a wide range of Steinberg-branded audio interfaces and controllers, widely adopted by users around the world.

Steinberg reaffirms its commitment to offering the highest-quality products for all music and audio producers, from award-winning professional recording and post-production studios to beginners taking their first steps in the world of sound.

In recent years, the UR, UR-C, and UR-RT series have provided audio interfaces ranging from compact versions for mobile production to multichannel studio models with digital I/O. With the launch of the IXO series in 2024, Steinberg hardware reached a new level in ultra-portable audio interfaces for recording, streaming, and podcasting. This was a fitting milestone for Yamaha to take over the future development and commercialization of hardware products.

With Steinberg focusing on software development and sales, the new structure will allow both companies to concentrate on their respective areas of expertise and resources while continuing their collaboration within the group. This will provide users with an integrated and optimized product experience that combines software and hardware.

Additionally, as part of this transition, Steinberg’s IXO12, IXO22, UR22C, and UR44C audio interfaces will be reintroduced under the Yamaha brand as UR12MK3, UR22MK3, URX22C, and URX44C, respectively. Other Steinberg-branded interfaces will gradually be phased out.

To ensure a smooth transition and avoid any inconvenience for customers, Yamaha and Steinberg will continue providing technical support and drivers for the foreseeable future.

This transition represents a very positive evolution for our product line. By transferring our range of audio interfaces to Yamaha, we ensure they receive dedicated focus, allowing both companies to concentrate on their core strengths. It will also bring greater clarity for customers and the industry regarding each brand’s product lines. Steinberg’s reputation for innovative audio software is second to none, and it makes perfect sense for us to now give it our full attention, said Clyde Sendke, Managing Director at Steinberg.