Idea

Vivid Audio is the brilliant union of Laurence Dickie’s and Philip Guttentag’s expertise and ideas. The company was founded in the early 2000s when Laurence Dickie, the acoustical engineer and inventor of the famous Nautilus speaker, partnered with Bowers and Wilkins distributor Philip Guttentag. Together, they brought Vivid Audio to life. 

The idea behind their unique loudspeakers is combining a modern and stylish design with innovative engineering. In this way, the sound can be perfectly transparent and natural. The sound quality is also what dictates the elegant form of the loudspeakers.

Manufacturing

The loudspeakers are produced in South Africa, where 90% of the production occurs. More recently, an additional small factory was opened in the UK to support the company's rapid growth. The manufacturing process of these speakers is very high-tech. By way of comparison, it can be described as that of Formula One cars and high-speed racing boats. 

While Vivid Audio designs the speakers and their transportation crates, some parts need to be sourced from outside manufacturers. Around 40-50 suppliers are involved, each providing a specific part. Moreover, in the factory, about 30 employees work on average 120 hours to assemble one loudspeaker, test it and ensure that everything is delivered according to the high standards and specifications.

Each loudspeaker has its own specially measured and designed crate to prevent freight damage during transportation. In this process, the Cargosnap app helps to document all the steps and make everything more transparent through pictures and checklists. Before the crates are closed and shipped, everyone in the chain has cargo visual proof of what is being shipped. So the receiver can confirm if the model and color of the speaker are the ones they are expecting. 

The crates then go to the loading bay, where they are picked up by an outside contractor who transports them to the airport or port. Here, depending on the means of transport used, a transportation firm ships the product to the receiving airport or port. Next, the crates are taken to a local shop, and finally, the loudspeakers reach the customer’s living room. 

Customer experience

Imagine a loudspeaker that needs to travel 10,000 kilometers from South Africa to Europe. Regardless of the length of the journey, there is always a risk the speaker gets damaged during transit. When this happens, Vivid Audio uses Cargosnap to identify the time and place of the types of cargo damage so that appropriate action can be taken. In most cases, the product is shipped back to the factory, where it can be repaired and returned to the customer. 

Vivid Audio customers seek a perfectly transparent and natural sound, free from resonance and reflection. Once the loudspeaker reaches the end destination in perfect condition, its journey ends from a logistics perspective. However, a new listening journey is about to begin for its owner.🎶

Want to know in depth how Vivid Audio creates transparent cargo inspections?