| Industry | class-d audio electronics |
|---|---|
| Genre | R&D Company |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder(s) | Karsten Nielsen and Bang & Olufsen a/s |
| Key people | Peter Sommer, CEO Kristian Ougaard, CTO Tomas Schiønning, Director of Operations |
| Owner(s) | Bang & Olufsen a/s |
| Employees | 20+ (Q4 2010) [1] |
| Parent | Bang & Olufsen |
| Website | http://www.icepower.dk/ |
Bang & Olufsen ICEpower a/s (aka ICEpower) is a Danish development, production and sales company specialising in Class D amplifiers for audio applications. ICEpower develops business-to-business solutions for end producers.
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In 1994 Karsten Nielsen began to write a Ph.D. dissertation "Audio Power Amplifiers Techniques Based on Efficient Power Conversion"[2] at the Technical University of Denmark as part of a project in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen; his findings were applied in the Beolab 1 active loudspeakers in 1997, and he was awarded a Ph.D. in 1998. Bang & Olufsen subsequently hired Nielsen.[3]
In 1999 a new R&D company; a joint venture between Nielsen and Bang & Olufsen is formed, with the aim of designing integrated amplifiers components of powers up to 1000W as a discrete electronic device. The company was initially called Bang & Olufsen PowerHouse.[3]
In 2001 the company is renamed Bang & Olufsen ICEpower and the company's first commercial product is released - the A series. In 2002 the company enters collaboration with Sanyo Semiconductor; a major manufacturer of integrated amplifier chips. In 2003 the ICEpower ASP product range is launched, and the company begins a partnership with Samsung Telecommunications for the development of a dedicated amplifier for mobile phones.[3].
Between 2003 and 2008 the companies' product range extends to include audio amplifier components for mobile phones, home audio (active speakers and amplifiers), car audio and home theatre (multichannel audio).
In 2008 Bang & Olufsen bought out Nielsen's share in the company, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Bang & Olufsen. At the same time Nielsen left the company.[4]
As of 2011 ICEpower is a 20+ employee firm, involved in applications of class-D amplifiers. The company’s engineering development is carried out in its Danish headquarters in Kongens Lyngby.
Initially the companies products were only found in niche markets i.e. high end audio components. During the first decade of the 2000s the company entered the mass market of consumer electronics - with ~40% of Samsung mobile phones using its IP and over 100 million channels of amplification[5] shipped. Current customers seem to include Alpine, Aston Martin, Audi, Bowers & Wilkins, Eclipse by Fujitsu Ten, Jeff Rowland, MartinLogan, Pioneer, PS Audio, Rotel, Seymour AV, Vazari Audio, Samsung as well as Bang & Olufsen.[6]
The company produces a standard product range, as well as undertaking custom design work and licensing its intellectual property to mass market manufacturers.[7]