Ø Audio of Norway
It’s pronounced “urr.”
A single letter, deliberately hard to pin down. The name starts a conversation. So do the speakers.
Ø Audio is a high-end loudspeaker company based in Drammen, Norway. Independent by design: sound and innovation come first, without chasing mass-market convention. We would rather make you feel something than win a spec sheet — though the spec sheet holds up too.
The Icon
We started with a horn. Over a decade ago our debut model, the Ø Audio Icon, won multiple awards, including Product of the Year. It set the standard we still build to — no compromise, from the development and tuning down to the high-quality caps in the crossover. Nothing at its price sounded like it.
More than speakers
Ø Audio is as much a movement as a manufacturer. We gather musicians and take them somewhere new. We bring outsiders into a closed world and let them meet the people who shaped it. We push the industry to think again — and we are loud enough that even our competitors share what we do.
We don't follow the household-brand playbook. We shake the room.
How we build
Every Ø Audio speaker is engineered to work in real rooms, not just to measure well in a lab. We develop drivers with Norwegian specialist SEAS, design our own crossovers, and build resonance-free enclosures by hand. Classic craft, modern engineering, no shortcuts.
Where we are now
In 2021 we decided to grow. Since then we've invested in production, infrastructure, and people, headhunting experienced hands to match the ambition. Munich High End 2024 opened new ground across Europe and Asia, with a growing presence in the United States. Today the range spans Ymir, Verdande, Frigg 02, and Icon 12 — each carrying the same DNA.
Ø Audio means strong audio.
FOUNDERS
Ø Audio is led by co-founders Sveinung Mala and Jonathan Magnus Cook. Their responsibilities are distinct but connected, and both participate in shaping the products and direction of the company.
SVEINUNG MALA
Co-Founder
Sveinung has been building loudspeakers since the age of twelve. With more than fifteen years in high-end audio — as a designer, retailer and entrepreneur — he brings together acoustic engineering, product development, deep industry knowledge and business perspective. At Ø Audio, he leads acoustic development and carries forward the experience behind the original Icon, working with Jonathan on voicing, product decisions and the broader direction of the company. His drive is to challenge convention and bring listeners closer to the energy and emotion of live music — creating loudspeakers that combine technical integrity with musical engagement.
Sveinung Mala on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sveinungmala
JONATHAN MAGNUS COOK
Co-Founder
Jonathan combines experience from building and scaling international companies with a deep commitment to music and high-end audio. At Ø Audio, his role spans product direction, voicing and structured listening, alongside strategy, brand and international development. He helps define product objectives and assess how engineering decisions translate into complete loudspeakers through focused comparisons, real-room listening and evaluation of the finished experience. Working closely with Sveinung, he helps turn ambitious ideas into coherent products and lasting experiences — expanding Ø Audio internationally without compromising the engineering, musical engagement or independent character at the heart of the company.
Jonathan Magnus Cook on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-magnus-cook-196710b6/