(TORRANCE, Calif.) September 2, 2021: After a year of listening to live concerts and shows through a video call screen, Pioneer Pro Audio is marking the slow return of in-person events by confining the dreaded, “you’re on mute” phrase to outer space. 

While video calls play an essential role in sustaining business during unprecedented times, back-to-back calls can drive participants to distraction with repeated expressions such as, “can you all hear me?” and “you’re on mute” proving annoying in the extreme. 

To make the launch happen, Pioneer Pro Audio recorded, “You’re On Mute” in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish, and played it on repeat through one of its XY-2 loudspeakers. Complying with all necessary regulations, the XY-2 was launched into space using a lighter-than-air gas balloon from a CAA-approved launch site in Sheffield, England. In total, the speaker rose to an altitude of over 30,000 meters, surviving temperatures of -145° degrees Fahrenheit. 

As the XY-2 speaker rose and air pressure decreased, the loudspeaker’s sound progressively softened until the phrase, “You’re On Mute…” went completely silent. At the apex of the flight, the balloon burst, returning the speaker to Earth at a rapid 250mph, before the 2.5-hour journey slowed in its final stages by a parachute. Having been tracked by a team on the ground, the loudspeaker landed intact and silent near Retford, England, 35 miles away from its launch pad. 

Kristian Van Haute, Sales Manager, Pioneer Pro Audio reflects on the mission:

“The past year has been challenging to say the least. The closure of the event and nightlife industries has been incredibly difficult for everyone involved, including Pioneer Pro Audio. We’ve all experienced fundamental changes to the way we work, socialize and connect. Remote working has thrown up many expressions which have embedded themselves into our day-to-day language – not all of them welcome, and many of them increasingly tiresome! 

To mark what we hope will be the reopening of the world as we once knew it, we decided to symbolically ditch the very worst phrase to the furthest place we could think of – outer space. Our iconic XY-2 speaker did its job, so let’s hope we can all soon get on with ours without the need to say, ‘Can you see my screen?’ or, worst of all, ‘You’re on mute’!”

To see the video in full, visit: https://youtu.be/Dzk-WFT6r7U or www.pioneerproaudio.com/en/news