Midas Consoles
Midas is a British professional-audio brand known for live-sound mixing consoles and digital audio distribution systems.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Midas Consoles is a United Kingdom professional-audio brand whose products are designed primarily for live sound reinforcement. The company began in London in 1970 as Midas Amplification, founded by Jeff Byers and Charles Brooke as a maker of solid-state guitar amplifiers. It moved near Euston Station in 1972, close to Martin Audio, and shifted toward mixing equipment with the PR System modular mixer in 1974. The company’s consoles subsequently became associated with touring sound, musical theatre, and large-scale front-of-house and monitor mixing. Midas gained visibility through adoption by touring-sound providers and concert productions. Clair Brothers Audio used Midas equipment for tours by artists including Elvis Presley, Yes, Billy Joel, and The Beach Boys. Pink Floyd used Midas consoles on the Animals Tour in 1977 and The Wall Tour in 1979, while Frank Zappa used them during his 1980 World Tour. The brand also supplied consoles for musical-theatre productions such as Evita and Cats. These applications helped establish Midas as a specialist in high-channel-count, reliability-focused live mixing rather than as a general consumer audio brand. The company entered the large-format touring-console market with the XL, introduced at the 1986 Audio Engineering Society convention in New York. After the development program proved costly, the assets of Midas Audio Systems Ltd. were acquired by Klark Teknik in December 1987. Under Klark Teknik ownership, Midas expanded the XL family through the XL2, XL3, and XL4, followed by additional large and regional-market models such as the XL200 and XL250. The XL3 and XL4 in particular became important reference products for the live-console market. Midas also developed the Heritage series, launched in 1998 and including the H3000, H2000, H1000, and H4000. Midas moved into digital consoles with the XL8, unveiled at Musikmesse Frankfurt in 2006. The XL8 was designed for demanding touring and production environments, incorporating multiple microphone preamps per input, redundant processing, and integration with Klark Teknik systems. The networked PRO range followed with the PRO6 in 2008, then the PRO3 and PRO9 in 2010, the PRO2 and PRO2C in 2011, and the compact PRO1 in 2012. These products extended Midas digital technology into smaller venues and regional production markets. The company also maintained analog and hybrid offerings, including the VeniceF, VeniceU, and Verona families, while retiring much of its older analog range around 2014. At the 2014 NAMM Show, Midas introduced the M32, a more accessible digital console based substantially on the operating system and architecture of the Behringer X32 while using Midas-branded Pro-series microphone preamplifier technology. This product connected Midas more closely with the broader Music Tribe portfolio and expanded the brand’s reach beyond the highest-end touring market. In addition to consoles, Midas markets digital audio distribution components, including standalone digital snakes and systems for distributing audio across multiple sites. Midas became part of the Telex Group, which was acquired by Bosch in 2006; Midas and Klark Teknik were then acquired by Music Group in 2009. Music Group was later renamed Music Tribe.
History
Midas was established in London in 1970 by Jeff Byers and Charles Brooke under the name Midas Amplification. Its first business was solid-state guitar amplifiers, but the company moved toward professional mixing equipment after relocating near Euston Station in 1972. The PR System modular mixer, introduced in 1974, helped Midas enter the tour-sound market. Its equipment was used by major touring contractors and concert productions, including tours associated with Elvis Presley, Yes, Billy Joel, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Frank Zappa. Midas consoles were also used in musical theatre, including productions of Evita and Cats. The company’s first major large-format touring product was the XL, shown at the 1986 AES convention in New York. The project placed financial pressure on the business, and Klark Teknik acquired the assets of Midas Audio Systems Ltd. in December 1987. The new ownership produced the XL2 in 1988, the XL3 in 1990, and the XL4 in 1995. The XL3 and XL4 became central to Midas’s reputation in professional live sound, while later XL models addressed additional touring, club, and regional-production requirements. Midas broadened its catalog in 1998 with the Heritage series, including the H3000, H2000, H1000, and H4000. Its transition to digital began with the XL8, introduced at Musikmesse Frankfurt in 2006. The XL8 combined large-scale live-console operation with redundant processing, multiple preamps per input, and digital integration with Klark Teknik equipment. Midas then developed the networked PRO range: the PRO6 appeared in 2008, followed by the PRO3 and PRO9 in 2010, the PRO2 and PRO2C in 2011, and the smaller PRO1 in 2012. In parallel, Midas continued offering analog and hybrid products. Around the introduction of the M32 in 2014, the company retired much of its older Heritage, Legend, and Siena analog range, while retaining the Verona and Venice-related products, including the VeniceF and VeniceU. The M32 was built around a platform related to the Behringer X32 but used Midas Pro-series microphone preamps, giving the brand a product aimed at a wider segment of the digital-console market. Midas also developed digital audio distribution products for use with its networked consoles. These include standalone digital snakes and larger audio-distribution networks intended for multi-site production environments. Corporate ownership changed several times: Midas became part of the Telex Group, which was acquired by Bosch in 2006, and Midas and Klark Teknik were acquired by Music Group in 2009. Music Group was subsequently renamed Music Tribe, under which Midas operates as a professional-audio brand.
- 2014
M32 launched
[1]Midas introduces the M32, a more accessible digital console related to the Behringer X32 platform and equipped with Midas Pro-series preamps.
- 2012
PRO1 introduced
[1]Midas adds a smaller digital console intended for applications requiring a reduced physical footprint.
- 2011
PRO2 and PRO2C introduced
[1]The PRO2 and PRO2C bring features from Midas’s larger digital systems to more compact and lower-priced formats.
- 2010
PRO3, PRO9, and VeniceF introduced
[1]Midas expands its digital PRO range and introduces the VeniceF digital-analog hybrid console.
- 2008
PRO6 introduced
[1]The PRO6 becomes Midas’s second networked digital audio system, offering XL8-derived capabilities in a smaller format.
- 2006
XL8 digital console introduced
[1]Midas unveils the XL8 at Musikmesse Frankfurt, its first digital console and a flagship networked live-audio system.
- 1998
Heritage series introduced
[1]Midas begins its Heritage line with models including the H3000, H2000, H1000, and H4000.
- 1995
XL4 launched
[1]The XL4 expands the company’s large-format touring-console family and contributes to Midas’s standing in live sound.
- 1986
XL touring console unveiled
[1]Midas presents the XL, its first large-format professional touring console, at the New York AES convention.
- 1974
PR System modular mixer introduced
[1]Midas begins producing the PR System modular mixer, marking its move into professional mixing equipment.
Products and positioning
A specialist professional-audio brand positioned around live-sound reliability, high-quality microphone preamplification, touring-scale workflow, and networked distribution for front-of-house, monitor, broadcast, theatre, and installed-audio applications.
Large-format touring consoles · 1986
XL series
Midas’s large-format analog touring-console family began with the XL, unveiled in 1986. The line expanded through the XL2, XL3, XL4, XL200, and XL250. The XL3 and XL4 were particularly important to the brand’s live-sound reputation, serving high-channel-count front-of-house and monitor applications.
Analog mixing consoles · 1998
Heritage series
Introduced in 1998, the Heritage family included the H3000, H2000, H1000, and H4000. It extended Midas’s analog console offering for professional production environments before much of the analog portfolio was retired around the time of the M32 launch.
Digital live-sound console · 2006
XL8
The XL8 was Midas’s first digital console, introduced in 2006 for demanding touring and production work. Its architecture included multiple preamps per channel, redundant master-control processing, and integration with Klark Teknik’s Helix EQ system through remote control.
Networked digital consoles · 2008
PRO series
The PRO family brought technology developed for the XL8 into progressively smaller systems. It included the PRO6, PRO3, PRO9, PRO2, PRO2C, and PRO1, serving touring, regional sound, theatre, and other live-production applications.
Hybrid analog-digital consoles · 2010
VeniceF and VeniceU
The VeniceF and VeniceU continued the Venice console concept in analog-digital hybrid form. They remained among the Midas products retained while several other analog families, including Heritage, Legend, and Siena, were being phased out around 2014.
Digital live-sound console · 2014
M32
Introduced at the 2014 NAMM Show, the M32 used a platform closely related to the Behringer X32 while incorporating Midas Pro-series microphone preamps. It positioned Midas digital-console technology in a more compact and accessible product.
Audio networking and distribution
Digital audio distribution systems
Midas also markets digital distribution components used with digital consoles. The range includes standalone digital snakes and larger multi-site audio-distribution networks for transporting and sharing signals across production locations.
Brand decisions
2014
Shift toward digital and hybrid consolesStrategyBackground
Midas was expanding its digital range while demand for networked and more compact live consoles grew.
Action taken
The company introduced the M32 and began retiring much of its Heritage, Legend, and Siena analog portfolio while retaining selected Verona and Venice-related products.
Aftermath
The M32 connected Midas’s professional-console identity with a broader Music Tribe platform and a wider market segment.
2009
Join Music GroupM&ABackground
Midas and Klark Teknik changed ownership after their period within the Telex and Bosch corporate structure.
Action taken
Music Group acquired Midas and Klark Teknik in December 2009.
Aftermath
Midas later operated within Music Tribe, the name adopted by Music Group.
1987
Sell the Midas Audio Systems assets to Klark TeknikM&ABackground
Development of the XL large-format console placed substantial financial pressure on the business.
Action taken
Klark Teknik acquired the assets of Midas Audio Systems Ltd. in December 1987.
Aftermath
Midas continued developing the XL family under Klark Teknik ownership, producing the XL2, XL3, and XL4.
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