We want to deliver a Rs 20,000 experience at one-third the cost: Noise co-founder Amit Khatri

In a conversation with Amit Khatri, co-founder of Noise, we discuss the brand’s push into premium audio following the launch of the all-new Noise Master Buds Max over-ear headphones in India. The product, developed in partnership with Bose, aims to bring high-quality, balanced sound to Indian users at a competitive price. The collaboration has already produced refined audio experiences through products like the Master Buds. With this move, Noise positions itself in a higher stratum, competing with brands like JBL and Sony, while continuing to build a connected ecosystem across its audio and wearable devices. Today, Noise is one of India’s leading audio brands, and this conversation offers insights into its strategy, partnerships, and product vision. Here are the key excerpts from the discussion:

Vasan: To begin with, could you share how this collaboration with Bose came about and what it means for Noise as a brand?

Amit Khatri: I will set the context.

The Indian audio market can broadly be seen across different segments. At the entry level are established Indian players, followed by white-label brands. Then come mobility-focused brands such as OnePlus and Nothing, and next, brands known for mainstream audio products like JBL. Global names, including Bose, Sony, and Apple, represent the premium segment. At the very top sits the luxury category, featuring high-end audio houses such as Bang & Olufsen and Dynaudio, among others, known for their exclusivity.

What we realised is that India, as a market, is super value-conscious. People like you and I understand sound, and have the willingness to pay for quality. We know what good sound means, not just sound, but balanced sound, good acoustics, and clarity in vocals. We don’t want exaggerated bass. But at the same time, we don’t want to spend Rs 50,000 for that. As users, we are very clear about that.

That’s how we thought, ‘How can we make premium audio accessible?’ If you look at most headphone products in India, the bass is often too high. The good ones, like Bose or Sony, are priced around Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. So we decided to enter a space where we could make premium audio accessible.

And that’s how the Bose partnership came in. We partnered with Bose for this product. Bose tuned it in their lab, gave us sound settings, did all the benchmarking, and helped us build the product.

These headphones deliver a fairly balanced sound across mids, highs, and lows. If you’re in the office, calls sound clear. If you’re listening to music or bass-heavy tracks, all three notes sound distinct and well-tuned.

So, that’s how we started the Master Series, and Noise Master Buds Max is one of the products under it. It performs like a premium brand and competes with brands like JBL or even Sony’s mid-level segment.

Vasan: The partnership with Bose decides the audio tuning. Is there any involvement of Bose in the design language or material selection as well?

Amit Khatri: Bose doesn’t give input on design. But they do have certain standards: the hardware design should follow specific parameters, and the component supply chain has to meet certain quality benchmarks. If you don’t meet these standards, they won’t certify the product. The factory needs to comply and have a record of producing quality products. Without Bose’s involvement, this product wouldn’t even be possible for any Indian brand to build.

Vasan: Well, this partnership and Master series show Noise’s ambition for global expansion. Would Bose’s brand equity and network help with that?

Amit Khatri: For international expansion, we believe India gives us leverage in terms of size and scale to experiment. Bose’s brand equity definitely helps. We are a Bose-invested company. This product is powered by Bose and tuned by them, which strengthens our credibility. But we don’t utilise their network directly.

Vasan: Regarding the Master Buds TWS, was there any learning from its market response that you applied to this product?

Amit Khatri: Definitely. The first product got a great response. Customers appreciated the sound quality. However, we noticed that while some users wanted more bass, premium users preferred a balanced yet thumping sound, including clarity across all frequencies, not just bass. They want clean vocals, crisp treble, and proper noise cancellation in office environments.

People also loved the design of that product. Taking those learnings, we launched our second product under the same Master Series with the same design language and a proprietary disc design.

Vasan: Since these are proper headphones targeting Sony’s mid-level segment, how do you balance aspirational appeal with accessibility, given the Indian market’s price sensitivity?

Amit Khatri: Exactly, Vasan. We’re offering good sound at an accessible price. You don’t need to spend Rs 20,000. We’re delivering a Rs 20,000 to Rs 22,000 experience at nearly one-third the cost.

Vasan: So, how does Noise manage that?

Amit Khatri: We manage it through an efficient supply chain. Being a local company gives us cost advantages compared to global players like Sony. We also have our own distribution channels, and most of our sales happen through our website. With fewer intermediaries, we pass those savings to the customer.

Vasan: Besides what you’ve mentioned, is there any other factor that helps this product stand out?

Amit Khatri: The standout factor is simple: great sound at an accessible price. The product has best-in-class Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), 60 hours of battery backup, and excellent frequency performance across all ranges. Voice pickup is also better than competitors. At this price point, you won’t find a more power-packed product with Sound by Bose.

Vasan: Are you planning any other audio categories under this partnership?

Amit Khatri: Not right now. Currently, we’re focused on audio as a category. Within that, we’re building the Master Series around headphones for now.

As a company, though, we are working toward a connected ecosystem. All devices will eventually be connected to a single app. It could include headphones, speakers, soundbars, or anything in audio. But the focus will be on building a connected ecosystem.

Vasan: How was the market response during the recent festival sales?

Amit Khatri: It was good, Vasan. We performed well, as planned. The sales targets we had set were achieved. The headphone category is growing rapidly in India, with more people adopting the technology.

Vasan: I’ve personally used the ColorFit Pro 4 and NoiseFit Halo. Even my wife uses one of your smartwatches. Many users seem happy with your wearables. Are you planning any ambitious expansion in that segment?

Amit Khatri: Yes. We currently hold a 33% market share in wearables. One out of every three watches sold in India is a Noise product. No other Indian brand has a 50% share in the premium wearable segment like we do.

We’ve noticed that users now want more than just data. They want insights, not just heart rate, but what it means and what actions to take. With AI, we’ll bring more intervention where devices play a more integral role.

Our devices can already make payments. We’ve partnered with Airtel Payments. We’ve collaborated with TVS for EV bike connectivity and with Aditya Birla Health Insurance, where users can get premium subsidies. So yes, we’re building an ecosystem.

Vasan: For wearables, do you plan to replicate the same ambition as the Master Series in audio?

Amit Khatri: In wearables, we’re already there with the Pro 6 Series, positioned in the mid-premium range. Audio was the gap we’re addressing now with this new lineup.

Vasan: Thank you, Amit, for sharing these insights. That’s all from my side.

Amit Khatri: Thanks, Vasan. See you, and good luck.