How in Russia create microphones that use American stars

Tula company Soyuz, which produces hand-built microphones, is unique in many ways. Its main market is the USA, and the company's products are used by both aspiring musicians and world rock stars - Radiohead, Coldplay, etc. This is not surprising, because one of the founders is the leader of the Brazzaville group David Brown, who ensures the project's fame in among musicians.

Photo: Instagram / soyuzmicrophones

Pavel Bazdyrev, co-founder of Soyuz, told how microphones created using Russian technology find markets in the United States. biz360.ru.

Bazdyrev 32, he graduated from the Russian State University of Trade and Economics with a degree in global economics. Before launching the 9 project, he worked for Mars at various positions. In 2013, they are together with their partner - American musician and Brazzaville band leader David Brown. — founded the company Soyuz. Microphones are made in Tula, and are sold mainly in the United States. Prior to this, Pavel had never professionally studied music or sound engineering.

How it all began

In 2013, a native of Tula and Mars’s purchasing manager Pavel Bazdyrev attended a Brazzaville group concert in Krasnodar. There he met the leader of the group, David Brown, and suggested that he organize a concert in his native Tula. It turned out that David knew Tula as a city where the famous Octave microphones were produced.

“While preparing for the concert in Tula, which ended up being very cool, we had the idea that we could do something together. Russia and America are two different and unique countries in their own way. When combining their efforts, they can teach each other a lot,” says Pavel.

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After discussing this idea, Pavel and David remembered microphones and went on an excursion to the Tula Oktava plant. There they found out that Tula-made microphones are not sold in the USA. And the partners got excited about the idea of ​​bringing Octave’s products to the American market. But as we studied the issue, it became clear that these microphones at that time were no longer so competitive. There are many reasons - high competition in the microphone niche, a shaky reputation due to a long absence from the market, and an outdated design at that time.

Then the partners decided to found their own brand of studio microphones. It was called Soyuz, since this word is well known to both Europeans and Americans. In 2013, a legal entity was registered in Russia, and in 2016, the company’s trading office was registered in the USA. According to Pavel, there were no difficulties with opening in the USA - he used the services of one of the many companies involved in creating a turnkey legal entity. There are also no problems with paying American taxes - they are a fixed amount that must be paid annually.

Photo: Instagram / soyuzmicrophones

They were going to manufacture microphones at the same Octava plant in Tula. It was assumed that David and Pavel will provide the design models, and the plant staff - to collect them. But when negotiations with the company entered a crucial phase, his director changed. The new management was not interested in this project. The only way out was to create our own production. But this required serious investments, which the founders of Soyuz did not have at that time.

Long road to its production

Pavel Bazdyrev began to search for investors in Russia. He came to them with a business plan and the idea of ​​"manual" production of high-quality studio microphones at an affordable price. But this project did not arouse much interest among investors. The market of professional microphones in the USA is small and rather saturated, the product itself is technically complex, and the possible profit is not that big. In addition, at that time a sharp fall in the ruble exchange rate began, and it became “not before” to potential investors.

During the search for investments, Paul and David developed the project at their own expense. In the absence of their own production, they decided to give the manufacture of parts for microphones to outsourcing. Companions rented 18-meter premises in Tula for 8 thousand rubles (123 dollars) per month. A hired specialist, a master with extensive experience in this field, created drawings from sketches that David Brown sent. The manufacture of parts was given to third-party enterprises, but their quality did not suit the companions at all. They were once again convinced of the need for their own production.

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In an unsuccessful search for funding, it took about a year. As a result, an American acquaintance of David agreed to invest in the project. He allocated half the required amount. With this money, the partners acquired the first used machines, rented a room, hired staff. In total, about 200 000 dollars were invested in the start of production. They managed to recoup by the end of 2017 of the year.

The purchase and repair of the first two machines cost about 430 000 rubles (6 635 dollars). Both cars were not new. But if it was quite possible to use the 80-s turning machine, the vacuum gold sputtering device found on Avito had to be seriously restored. The cost of repairing it is twice the cost of the purchase itself.

In 2016, a Russian investor joined the project, whom David accidentally met on a train from Moscow to St. Petersburg. He invested in the project about 100 000 dollars, which went to the new machines and recruitment.

Photo: Instagram / soyuzmicrophones

“Let's do something cool and try to sell it”

The first microphones under the brand Soyuz Microphones were sold in London in October 2014 of the year. Thus, it took about a year and a half from the idea to the sale of the first product. Soyuz products were launched into mass production in the spring of 2015.

“We explored the professional microphone market very superficially. In our aspirations, we did not follow the market - it is very small, saturated, and difficult. I think if we had studied everything correctly before launching, we would not have even started doing this. We just thought: “Let’s make something cool and try to sell it.” That’s how it arose – not from some complex analytical calculation, but simply from aspirations,” recalls Pavel.

The founders of the brand Soyuz decided to sell their products on the American market with the help of a distributor. However, finding it was not so easy. As a result of a long search, one of the companies agreed to represent the Tula brand in the USA. But after some time, cooperation with her had to stop. This distributor took the product on sale, but owed Soyuz to ship around 30 000 dollars. This amount was not able to return.

Companions continued to search for dealers. We dealt with this mainly at musical equipment exhibitions held in the USA. Thus, the Soyuz brand gradually managed to build a dealer network.

Now under the brand name Soyuz is available on average from 40 to 60 microphones per month. During the 2017 year, the company produced 570 microphones, in the first half of the 2018 of the year - 380. Most of them find their buyers in the USA. Sales in the Russian market account for about 20-30% of the total.

“The feedback from buyers is almost 100% very good. They admire the high quality of the product and the fact that the sound is very cool. When I myself listen to recordings made using our microphones, I feel proud of the work done. This is what energizes and helps you continue to work. You understand that what you do is needed by someone and is valued by people,” admits Pavel Bazdyrev.

Photo: Instagram / soyuzmicrophones

Promotion through famous musicians

The main work on the promotion of the brand Soyuz took David Brown. He met with familiar musicians, sound producers, producers to offer them a new product. Some of them, he sent the microphones by mail.

This is how the company received its first order. David's acquaintance, Nigel Godrich, producer of Radiohead, Paul McCartney and Beck, was impressed by the quality of the product and ordered two microphones. Pavel carried them himself in his hand luggage on the plane, since the partners were afraid to entrust the fragile goods to cargo shipping companies.

Nigel Godrich, producer of Radiohead, Paul McCartney and Beck: “It sounds really great. I'm very impressed. Build quality is also very impressive. Everything is done thoroughly and looks nice. I think you created something special. ”

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After this, David could name the famous group among the clients of the enterprise. Later, Coldplay, Paramore, The Lumineers and other famous performers began to use its products. It became somewhat easier to promote microphones under the Soyuz brand - such big names served as a certain guarantee of quality.

Rick Simpson, producer Coldplay: “I conducted a comparative test among five top microphones - vintage and new. Soyuz came out of these tests as a winner - he is juicy and big, warm and at the same time having a terrific pressens, which is by no means poisonous or rude. ”

Photo: Instagram / soyuzmicrophones

Now promotion in the US market is aimed at two audiences: dealers and end customers. The bulk of sales accounted for dealers, wholesalers of audio equipment and specialty stores. They are sought at exhibitions, and also go to them directly.

Far from all foreign companies still want to work with Russian products. The Russian origin of the brand still causes some mistrust in some: the stereotype that what is made in Russia is of poor quality is strong. But now, according to Paul, it has become much easier to conduct a dialogue with potential customers, as the Soyuz brand has become famous.

The ultimate buyers of microphones are musicians and recording studios. They are in the United States, according to Paul Bazdyrev, several hundred thousand. To let them know about the new brand, Soyuz published articles in specialized magazines, but this tactic brought few buyers. Now customers are attracted mainly through social networks. Project page is in Facebookfunded YouTube channel. But the most productive, according to Paul, works Instagram. Promotion in social networks costs the company about $ 2000 per month.

“Advertising is mainly aimed at the end consumer - a professional in music or sound recording. As soon as there is demand on his part, the dealers themselves come and say: let us sell you,” Pavel assures.

Russian production, Western control

Soyuz microphone manufacturing covers an area of ​​about 300 square meters. The main equipment of the workshop - nine machines: four turning, two milling and three drilling. Machines searched throughout the country.

According to Pavel, it is more difficult to make microphones in Russia than in the USA. There are a lot of industries there, and the metalworking infrastructure itself is better developed than in Russia. But the production costs in Soyuz are an order of magnitude lower than those of the Americans. Compared with the United States, in Tula lower wages, rent, utility costs and the cost of a number of materials for production. This is also one of the competitive advantages of the brand..

Production is based mainly on time-tested Russian technologies. At the same time, Soyuz implemented a “Western” quality management system based on the previous work experience of Pavel Bazdyrev in a large corporation.

The assembly and packaging of the microphone is broken down into 40 stages. The performance of each of them is noted in a special checklist. Also, Paul and David have compiled detailed instructions for packing microphones. It took about two years to establish a quality control system. But as a result, the number of marriages fell to almost zero.

“We are specifically certified to ISO 9001 (quality management system). We are building quite strictly and continue to build our quality management system to Western standards,” adds Pavel.

Photo: Instagram / soyuzmicrophones

Product that can not be repeated

Soyuz microphones are designed for use in the studio, not on the stage. This means that, unlike the scenic ones, they are more sensitive (they catch all sounds at a distance of up to several meters), transmit the sound better and deeper.

The main advantages of Soyuz products project founders consider the quality of the product and sound. Manual assembly is also important - in the USA it is especially appreciated. Because of her, it is impossible to make an exact copy of these microphones.

The product design is quite unusual - in retro style. This allows it to stand out from the mainstream offering in this product category.

The price of a Tula production microphone is from 600 to 3500 dollars. According to Bazdyrev, products of American or German production of comparable quality cost about 8-9 thousands of dollars.

International team

Now in the Russian team, Soyuz is about 20 people. Most of them work in production. They are turners, assemblers, locksmith, miller, foreman and two developers. Depending on the month, a turner can earn from 35 000 to 60 000 rubles (540-925 dollars) - this is higher than the average for Tula.

The office part consists of an accountant, a sales manager and a logistics specialist. In the USA, the hired specialist is engaged in logistics and sales, distributes products between dealers. Also in the United States work director and specialist in marketing and sales.

As for the founders of the project, David Brown is responsible for marketing and interacting with American dealers, and Pavel is responsible for the overall management of the project, but David is also involved in this process.

“It was very difficult to find production personnel. We collected them bit by bit. You don’t want to hire bad employees, but good employees, as a rule, are worth their weight in gold and are in no hurry to change jobs,” recalls Pavel.

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