JoeCo - COMPANY PROFILE

The original BLACKBOX Recorder was launched in 2009, designed by JoeCo founder Joe Bull as a unique and trustworthy solution for the capture of live multi-channel audio. Awards and accolades quickly followed, including a PLASA Award for Innovation (UK) and a series of international awards from industry press, readers and trade associations alike, including Best New Company, and Best Recorder.

2010 saw the release of the BLACKBOX player, a dedicated multi-channel playback option specifically designed to replay backing tracks or multiple surround stems for live shows and themed entertainment. During 2011, the BLACKBOX  family further expanded with the release of the hugely popular BBR64-MADI recorder, which is capable of recording and replaying up to 64 channels of MADI data. Released the same year, the ground-breaking BBR-DANTE arrived, able to record and replay audio from a Dante™ network. More options were launched in 2013, with JoeCoRemote, which offers both wireless (via iPad) and wired remote control.

Now widely recognised as a leader in its field, JoeCo continued to expand in 2014, launching the BBR1MP, a 24-channel live audio recorder with 24 integrated high-quality mic preamps, and user installable Dante or MADI interface cards for additional I/O.

Most recently, JoeCo debuted a new category-defining range named BLUEBOX Workstation Interface Recorders, plus the JoeCoControl app for Windows and Mac.

The BLUEBOX family comprises three models, the BBWR24MP, BBWR08MP and the BBWR24B. With up to 24 channels and the choice of integrated preamps, the range delivers a high quality interface for your DAW, a professional multi-track field recorder based on the award-winning BLACKBOX range, and a unique back-up solution that ensures no source recordings are ever lost. Only BLUEBOX delivers all three core functions in one 19-inch rack-mounted unit.

Distributed in over 40 countries, JoeCo products are trusted globally by professionals working with touring bands, outside broadcast facilities, theatres and worship venues, theme parks, broadcasters, film and TV sound recordists and post-production facilities.

JoeCo is based in Cottenham, a village just north of the beautiful university city of Cambridge in the UK.

JoeCo Limited
135 Histon Road,
Cottenham,
Cambridge CB24 8UQ,
UK

How to contact us:
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 911 000
Email: info@joeco.co.uk
Skype: JoeCoLtd

To follow us on Facebook, click here.

We can normally answer any questions that you might have by email or telephone (we can also be contacted via Skype video phone). Please contact us directly if you need to have a meeting in person and we’ll be glad to see you.

Joe Bull – Managing Director

Joe Bull started life in the audio industry as a trainee engineer (aka Tea Boy) at a small independent recording studio called Spaceward in Cambridge, England. His mentors were Mike Kemp and Gary Lucas who had founded Spaceward during their studies at Cambridge University. The work was very varied; typical days in the studio were 14 hours long and would usually result in a good quality master tape being produced for a range of small independent bands who wanted to put out their music as a 7″ single (remember them!), or just make demo tapes to take around the record companies.

Studio work was supplemented by live gigs, with the Spaceward crew either providing the PA and mixing expertise, or occasionally recording the gig as well. Spaceward became particularly popular for providing Folk Festival sound at many UK venues. The discipline of having to create good quality sound for dozens of acts every day with no time for a sound check was invaluable. The most important discipline Joe learned from being an audio engineer was that “the show must go on” – an education in technical problem solving that was to become the cornerstone of his future work.

The studio grew into new premises (see www.Spacewardstudios.ukf.net) and prospered for many years. However, the studio side of the music industry was changing and in the mid 1980’s Spaceward began to develop a video production side of the company. As there was no affordable solution to providing computer graphics, Spaceward (and more specifically, Mike Kemp) began designing a cost effective solution. Customers soon clamoured to buy this bespoke computer graphics system and Spaceward Microsystems was born as a manufacturer.

The new company grew rapidly, employing nearly 100 people and turning over about £7M, before being acquired by Avesco PLC in 1990, leaving the innovators free to move on to new things.

Joe, Mike and a few friends decided to put their hardware and software design experience back into the audio industry where their roots were and in 1991 founded Studio Audio & Video Limited. Their first product was the XS digital audio processing card, which after only a year formed the basis of what was to become the SADiE Classic. SADiE grew over many years to become one of the most popular and well respected brands in the Digital Audio Workstation market, always concentrating on the requirements of its professional and broadcast customers. After 17 years of trading, the company was sold in 2008 to Prism Sound who continue to promote the brand and products.

Joe formed JoeCo Limited to continue this pedigree of audio design, solving problems and providing solutions for music and audio people the world over. Mike Kemp and Simon Widdowson, now of www.sintefex.com, have played an important part in the design and implementation of the BLACKBOX RECORDER and their contribution is greatly valued.

Joe Bull can be contacted on Email: joe@joeco.co.uk

Joe Bull explains the background to the company logo:

The JoeCo logo is created using a mathematical construct called a prolate cycloid. A line equal to the radius extends outside a wheel that rotates along a flat surface leaving a trail of the distinctive shape of the logo in its wake.

This idea for a logo was originally conceived with my good friend Daf in a former organisation and developed into the current logo using CAD and a lot of patience.

The “neon” version was created by Martin at MJWebb Associates, who along with Mik have also helped immensely in getting all the graphic design work sorted.

I hope that you like the simplicity of the design and the beautiful result of the logo itself.