Equaphon Distributes Powersoft in Argentina and Uruguay

Buenos Aires, Argentina -In our first “Spotlight On” article dedicated to Latin America, we will introduce Argentinean company Equaphon, that has been doing a great job with Powersoft from its headquarters in Buenos Aires. The company was founded in 1973 and it was in 2003 when they became official distributors of the Italian brand, currently also taking care of Uruguay. Engineer Carlos Maiocchi, general manager, tells us more about the company and his personal experiences.

How did you start in the audio industry and how did you start Equaphon?

“I started studying electronic engineering. Equaphon was initiated by providing home audio equipment but, at the end of the ’70s, we started entering into the professional market little by little, manufacturing different solutions for the local market. In the’90s, with the country’s aperture to the international market, we began representing international brands in Equaphon. The first amplifiers brand we represented was BGW. In 1997, we took the representation of B&C Speakers, the speakers brand with which we manufactured an acoustic systems line for professional use that we still manufacture under the STS Touring Series brand and we are competing in the market and the region with several international brands”.

How does Powersoft fit into Equaphon’s portfolio?

“Actually, in 2003, Powersoft was not very well-known in our professional market, but we knew that their technologies would rule the market. Since they were the first in adopting those technologies, without place to doubt they are today pioneers in the professional amplification market. Today that sounds easy, but it has been really a very hard work to convince the market. We made it and we now we can reap the fruits of our labor”.

Which are the principles you follow when choosing a brand to partner with?

“We try to find manufacturers that are leaders in their segments or that, due to the technology the use, they will be in the future. We choose brands and products that will not compite among each other, that have the same premium quality and mainly that are not for one focused on one specific economical group”.

Why is Powersoft the right choice for rental companies, integrators and designers you work with?

“There are so many advantages about Powersoft for rental companies that Powersoft is the fritas choice indeed. It is also unbeatable for installation: low consumption, small size, lightweight, low heat dissipation and integration possibilities make these amplifiers invincible for fixed installations”.

In which kind of projects have Powersoft products been present in your country up to now?

“Almost every sound company in Argentina has Powersoft. The most important rental company in Argentina, Buenos Aires Live Show (BALS), was one of our first Powersoft clients and that helped us a lot. On the other hand, Powersoft was the ideal complement to our own loudspeakers line. In fact, we always try to sell systems integrating Powersoft with STS Touring Series. We have currently launched an acoustic cabinets line for installation called mikra that perfectly integrates with different models in the Powersoft Ottocanali line. We are sure that when you integrate solutions, you strengthen and improve sales”.

How have sales grown since you distribute Powersoft?

“Sales have grown in a continuous way year after year. We are really happy with Powersoft as a product and the strong support we have always had from the company”.

How fast is the audio industry changing in your country? And what do you think about that?

“We believe that, currently, how fast the industry changes is becoming much more the same from country to country. In the globalization process we are all stepped in, changes are much faster. We all have access to information at the same time”.

How has your relationship with Powersoft been and how is the brand evolving to keep pace with the industry?

“We know that the success of this partnership between Powersoft and Equaphon is due to both companies work with very similar ethics, values and focus. Powersoft, as an innovative company, has always beaten competitors. I remember once in 2004, during a visit to the factory, somebody was showing me a K10 amplifier that had just been launched to the market; of course something really innovative at the time. Then I realized that, inside its electronics, there were some empty spaces for more components and I asked: ‘What’s that open space for?’. The answer was simple: ‘When the competition presents an amplifier as powerful as this one, we will introduce the K20, 50% more powerful’. That is definitely what I call to be one step ahead! This has not changed ten years after. In 2014, Powersoft presented the X-Series: the best amplification platform we will have for many years more, giving a huge number of advantages that have never been found in any other professional amplifier before”.

What motivates you to continue working in the industry as a professional and company owner?

“Passion and love for what I do. That is the main driving force and I enjoy this very much”.

What did it mean for you to have won the best distributor in Latin America award once again in 2016?

“An enormous satisfaction, but for our organization this is, at the same time, a big challenge, because we know that we can continue growing with Powersoft in Argentina and now we have to do it too in Uruguay”.

What strategies and actions will you follow this year to continue your job with Powersoft?

“We have planned to carry out a workshop focused specifically to the Armonía software, having the participation of the most important local sound engineers. The idea is to take the event to the maximum, showing visitors all the features this powerful tool has to offer.

We will also do a formal presentation on Powersoft’s potential in Uruguay. We will also present a special project we are developing together with Powersoft for the region, but we will keep it secret for now!”.