Bernd – Founder of 3be audio

A different view on high-end technology

Bernd Marsch, born in 1966, is considered the mastermind of the 3BE’s mission. Different from the most of his kindred spirits in chasing the perfect music playback, Bernd is approaching the subject based on his fundamental studies of general system dynamics and materials. While having taken a professional career in the chemical industry, he has always observed the hi-fi and consumer electronics market very closely.

In 2020, Bernd decided to engage completely in his heartfelt wish – to bring some ideas for fundamental inventions of hi-fi technology to life.

Challenge the fundamentals

Bernd built his first speaker enclosures in school and designed his first pair of speakers for paying customers while studying. He experimented with computer-based concepts for speaker design based on dynamic models in the late 80s already. However, computer capacities were short and basic calculations took 24 hours and more, even at university’s facilities. “In the end, it was simply not feasible to figure all relevant parameters in a mathematical model that could describe the dynamic behavior of a speaker box sufficiently. I found that “inventive” speaker box development would remain a highly experimental and/ or experiential business, probably for the next decades.”

Bernd’s passion for speaker design was rekindled during the 2010s: “I noticed a change in the community of music lovers. Room acoustic correction, streaming and other electronic or digital interventions to the signal processing became respectable in the high-end sector. Even champions of beautiful, incredibly expensive analog equipment start to think long and hard, considering the results using a qualified DSP correction in a normal living room.” The believe in the potential for fundamental improvements, that was missing for some decades, came back.

And now it is Additive Manufacturing

The final trigger for the “3BE” undertaking evolved from his professional dealings with additive manufacturing. “I had to check out several corresponding investment projects regarding new materials for additive manufacturing in my company. It was then that I really became aware of the opportunities offered by 3D printing: New freedom when it comes to the design of the shape, completely different design and construction processes, new materials, customization.”

Bernd began developing a concept in 2016 – at first as a side project – for a speaker enclosure that would utilize as many of the advantages offered by manufacturing using 3D printing processes as possible. This is how he came to play in the top league of high-end speakers for home hi-fi.

The goal: Invention to sustain

Since 2020, Bernd has stepped down from his corporate career to devote himself exclusively to the development of the “3BE” idea. “We have something extraordinary that comes with visual and acoustic qualities on unrivaled level. People like it. A good position to sustain.”