{{Short description|American audio manufacturer}} {{Infobox company | logo = Sol Republic logo.png | caption = | type = Privately held corporation | foundation = 2010 | founder = {{plainlist| *Scott Hix *Seth Combs *Kevin Lee }} | key_people = {{plainlist| *Scott Hix *Seth Combs *Kevin Lee (CEO) }} | hq_location_city = Commerce Township, Michigan | hq_location_country = United States | num_locations = 3 | area_served = International | industry = Audio | operating_income = | products = {{plainlist| *Headphones {{small|(In-ear and wireless)}} *Bluetooth speakers *Audio accessories }} | revenue = | owner = Kevin Lee | net_income = | num_employees = 100 | parent = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|solrepublic.com/}} }} '''Sol Republic, Inc.''' (stylized in all caps, often subtitled '''Soundtrack Of Life''') was an American privately held audio manufacturer based in Michigan. Founded in 2011 by Scott Hix, Seth Combs, and Kevin Lee, it was sold to HoMedics in late 2015 or early 2016.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Malia Spencer |title=Sol Republic quietly sold to HoMedics |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/techflash/2016/01/sol-republic-quietly-sold-to-homedics.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Portland Business Journal |date=8 January 2016}} (subscription required)</ref>
Some of Sol Republic's best-selling products included the ''Tracks'' on-ear headphones, whose couplets are interchangeable with the included headband.
==History== The company was founded in 2010 by Scott Hix, Seth Combs, and Kevin Lee.<ref name=delacorp/><ref name=noise/> Lee had worked at Beats Audio, while Hix had been an executive with InFocus.<ref name=noise/> Lee's father, Noel Lee, founded video and audio cable company Monster.<ref name=rogoway/> The name is an acronym for "soundtrack of life".<ref name=noise/> By December 2011, the company had 33 employees split between headquarters in Wilsonville, Oregon, and San Francisco, California.<ref name=noise/> In July 2011, the company received $5.2 million in investment funding, followed by $22 million in July 2012.<ref name=siemers/> Sol Republic introduced its DECK portable speaker in August 2013 in partnership with Motorola Mobility; the system was designed to work with the Motorola Moto X.<ref name=deck/> At that time the company had grown to 85 employees.<ref name=deck/>
The company raised another $27 million in March 2014, by which time it was employing 100 people and had its products in 26,000 retail stores.<ref name=spencer/> The funding came from Riverwood Capital and Greenoaks Capital Management, and was expected to be used to expand into international markets as well as new product development.<ref name="oregonian capital"/> Sol Republic's main distribution channels at that time were through Apple, RadioShack, and Best Buy.<ref name="oregonian capital"/>
In 2014, the President of Sol Republic, Scott Hix, gave up his duties to co-founder and CEO Kevin Lee. Hix still owns a major portion of the company and is still considered a co-founder. Hix's business partner Brad Gleeson also left the company in January 2014.<ref name=spencer2/>
On October 20, 2015, Sol Republic partnered with Indiegogo in an attempt to crowd fund their newest invention; the Relay Sport Wireless<ref name=prn/>
During December 2015, the official website was shut down temporarily for redesign of the entire structure. They were also purchased by HMDX audio, and had their headquarters relocated to the same location as HMDX. In this merger, many of the styles of Tracks were discontinued, including their college and musician styles, as well as some of their Bluetooth devices, such as the Deck speaker and Tracks Air headphones. They also switched from using custom made and sized boxes for shipping to using generic packaging.
==Products== Sol Republic manufacturers a variety of audio products, such as headphones, portable speakers, and ear buds.<ref name=deck/><ref name=irish/> To help in marketing the products, the company has partnered with musicians and DJs such as Calvin Harris, Deadmau5 and Steve Aoki.<ref name=irish/> Artist Jesse Hernandez was hired by the company to design a line of headphones in 2015.<ref name=jesse/>
===Headphones=== *'''Tracks''' <small>(All models are in Regular, HD, Master, Air (Discontinued), or Collegiate editions)</small> *'''Shadow Wireless''' *'''Relays''' <small>(Sport and Sport Wireless models)</small> *'''Jax''' *'''Amps (discontinued)''' *'''Amps Air'''
===Speakers=== *'''Punk (discontinued)''' *'''Deck (discontinued)''' <small>(Both Regular and Ultra models)</small>
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=delacorp>{{cite web |title = Entity Details |url = https://delecorp.delaware.gov/tin/controller |work = Division of Corporations |publisher = Delaware Secretary of State |accessdate = April 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721035421/https://delecorp.delaware.gov/tin/controller |archivedate = July 21, 2011 }}</ref> <ref name=noise>{{cite news |last = Siemers |first = Erik |title = Sol Republic makes noise |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/print-edition/2011/12/16/sol-republic-makes-noise.html?page=all |accessdate = April 1, 2014 |newspaper = Portland Business Journal |date = December 16, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=rogoway>{{cite news |last = Rogoway |first = Mike |title = Sol Republic seeks share of crowded audio market by blending fashion, technology |url = http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2014/04/sol_republic_seeks_share_of_cr.html#incart_more_business |accessdate = April 28, 2014 |newspaper = The Oregonian |date = April 26, 2014}}</ref> <ref name=siemers>{{cite news |last = Siemers |first = Erik |title = Sol Republic raises $22M |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/print-edition/2012/07/13/sol-republic-raises-22m.html?page=all |accessdate = April 1, 2014 |newspaper = Portland Business Journal |date = July 13, 2012}}</ref> <ref name=deck>{{cite news |last = Stevens |first = Suzanne |title = Soaring Sol Republic amps Moto X cool, debuts new speaker |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2013/08/soaring-sol-republic-amps-moto-x-cool.html |accessdate = April 1, 2014 |newspaper = Portland Business Journal |date = August 1, 2013}}</ref> <ref name=spencer>{{cite news |last = Spencer |first = Malia |title = Wilsonville's Sol Republic lands $27M |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2014/03/wilsonvilles-sol-republic-lands-27m.html?page=all |accessdate = April 1, 2014 |newspaper = Portland Business Journal |date = March 31, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="oregonian capital">{{cite news |last = Rogoway |first = Mike |title = Sol Republic, audio technology startup with offices in Wilsonville, raises $27.5 million for new products, global expansion |url = http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2014/03/sol_republic_audio_technology.html |accessdate = April 1, 2014 |newspaper = The Oregonian |date = March 31, 2014}}</ref> <ref name=spencer2>{{cite news |last = Spencer |first = Malia |title = No longer president, Sol Republic co-founder Scott Hix looks to nurture other businesses. |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/techflash/2015/06/no-longer-president-sol-republic-co-founder-scott.html |accessdate = December 8, 2015 |newspaper = Portland Business Journal |date = June 24, 2015}}</ref> <ref name=prn>{{cite news |last = Spencer |first = Malia |title = Sol Republic partners with Indiegogo to exclusively launch Relays Sport Wireless in-ear headphones. |url = http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sol-republic-partners-with-indiegogo-to-exclusively-launch-relays-sport-wireless-in-ear-headphones-300162727.html |accessdate = December 8, 2015 |newspaper = PR Newswire |date = October 20, 2015}}</ref> <ref name=irish>{{cite news |last = O'Brien |first = Ciara |title = The Soundtrack of Life for music lovers |url = http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/technology/the-soundtrack-of-life-for-music-lovers-1.1738874 |accessdate = April 2, 2014 |newspaper = The Irish Times |date = March 27, 2014}}</ref> <ref name=jesse>{{cite news |title = Dia De los Muertos with Jesse "Urban Aztec" Hernandez |url = https://blog.solrepublic.com/2015/10/26/dia-de-los-muertos/ |work = Sol Republic |date = October 26, 2015}}</ref> }}
==External links== *[http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/07/sol-republics-president-on-lessons-hes-learned.html Portland Business Journal.com: "Sol Republic's president on lessons he's learned from InFocus and Planar"]
Category:Headphones manufacturers Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States Category:Manufacturing companies based in Michigan Category:American companies established in 2010 Category:Electronics companies established in 2010 Category:Manufacturing companies established in 2010 Category:2010 establishments in California Category:2010 establishments in Oregon