When Claude Nobs met John and Helen Meyer in Switzerland in the 1970s, he was already a decade into building what would become one of the world’s great music festivals. John was directing the acoustics laboratory at the Institute for Advanced Musical Studies; Nobs had built Montreux Jazz around the conviction that sound was as central to the experience as the music itself. The friendship was immediate. In 1986, Nobs asked Meyer to transform the festival’s listening experience—guided by a principle the two already shared: Artists deserve to sound their very best.
Short Film Explores Four Decades of Shared Purpose
This summer, the Montreux Jazz Festival celebrates its 60th edition, and Meyer Sound marks 40 years as Global Official Sound Partner. This “60/40” anniversary places the partnership among the longest of its kind in live sound history—and among the most creatively fertile. Montreux has functioned as a working laboratory across four decades; the MJF-212™ stage monitor, introduced in 2006 and named in the festival’s honor, is one measure of how deeply the two organizations have shaped each other. That tradition continues in 2026 with TIGRA, Meyer Sound's newest line array, set to make one of its earliest festival appearances at Montreux. As the festival extends its reach into new global markets—China, South Africa, Miami—under the leadership of CEO Mathieu Jaton, Meyer Sound is alongside it, continuing to define how those experiences are heard.
In the video below, Meyer Sound founders John and Helen Meyer and Senior Director of Product Management Andy Davies discuss what four decades of shared purpose looks like—and what Helen Meyer says made the partnership inevitable from the start: “He and John really clicked. They knew that they had something magic—Claude loved music and John loved the technology.”
The full 2026 Montreux Jazz Festival lineup is now available at www.montreuxjazzfestival.com/en/programme.
About Meyer Sound
Founded in 1979 by John and Helen Meyer, Meyer Sound is the global leader and innovator in self-powered loudspeaker systems and active acoustics. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, with operations globally, the company is driven by a singular mission: to create the best sonic experiences in the world. With more than 100 patents and a legacy of breakthrough technologies—including the first dedicated loudspeaker processors and large-scale self-powered arrays—Meyer Sound combines scientific innovation with precision craftsmanship. Its premium systems power the world’s most iconic concert tours and festivals, theatrical productions, cinemas, houses of worship, educational institutions, and more. The company champions sustainable manufacturing and invests in the future of sound through education and global partnerships.
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