Acoustic Solutions Design Revolution Interview to César Carapinha in China

HDAVCHINA and Home Theater Tech magazine in China interviewed César Carapinha, Vicoustic's CEO, during his visit to Shanghai Design, where Cinemaster presented acoustic solutions from the Portuguese Brand. Here is a translation of the interview. Original Interview in Mandarin

Exclusive Interview to César Carapinha: 

Vicoustic's universal acoustic solutions and the invisible design revolution

Recently, Cinemaster announced that it has become the general agent in China (including Hong Kong and Macau) of Vicoustic, a Portuguese acoustic panel/soundproofing system design and manufacturer. Mr. César Carapinha, founder and CEO of Vicoustic, made a special trip to participate in the 2025 Design Shanghai event and accepted an exclusive interview with Cinemaster CN on site.

From the studio to the mass market:

Acoustic design for all

“Initially, Vicoustic focused on the acoustic treatment of professional recording studios. But after seeing our work, many designers thought that it could be brought to the mass market,” César gave an example, “Like a restaurant, they also need acoustic solutions. Not only that, they also hope that the acoustic materials used in them can be combined with aesthetic design, that is, the appearance should be beautiful and will not attract unnecessary attention. The suggestions of these designers are one of the decisive factors for us to move from the professional field to the mass market.”

As a result, Vicoustic began the process of designing acoustic solutions based on different scenarios and different needs, that is, "scenario customization". For example, in an educational space (classroom), it is necessary to ensure that even students sitting in the last row can clearly hear the teacher's lecture. For another example, in a commercial cinema, the sound field needs to be optimized so that every audience member can feel the surround sound effect/immersive experience. Back in the restaurant, diners may not necessarily complain about the quality of the food, but also the dining environment. Without proper acoustic management, people may inadvertently increase their speaking volume during conversations, and the louder they speak, the more tired they are and the more they disturb each other... Proper acoustic treatment will improve the situation.

Ultimately, Vicoustic wants to find the right acoustic solution for each scenario and popularize it in all markets.

Design philosophy:

The invisible art of acoustics

“Acoustic materials must blend seamlessly into the décor of a space, rather than becoming a visual focal point,” stresses César.

This concept has driven the product to shift from professional equipment to solutions that combine functionality and aesthetics. In the past, in professional recording studios, users may have focused only on the "effect", but in the mass market, if it can be seen at a glance that "it is just a piece of acoustic material", it will add a bit of abruptness.

In view of this, César believes that the best solution is to transform the sound-absorbing panels into wall art installations, or to naturally integrate the diffusers with the building structure to make them "invisible" acoustic art, or an inseparable part of the entire space, that is, "acoustic design integrated into architecture."

R&D and manufacturing:

Independent innovation at the European base

Vicoustic was founded in 2007. They have always had an independent acoustic R&D team, continuously developing various technologies and producing finished products in Portugal. Last year, they opened a new factory, and César told me that the current production capacity can fully meet the needs of the European market.

But in recent years, they have been expanding overseas markets. In addition to the European market with Germany as the focus, the US and Chinese markets are where they are eager to make breakthroughs.

The future of acoustic treatment:

Space standard and circulation revolution

When talking about his outlook for the future, César mentioned two points: he hopes that acoustic materials can become the "standard" for future space design; and that sustainable recycling can be carried out based on environmental protection concepts.

"In an acoustic space, only 20% of the sound is direct sound, and the remaining 80% of the sound is processed. Therefore, even if you use the best speakers, when they "sound" in the space, there will still be too much echo/reflection sound, affecting the overall sound performance. When Cinemaster sells these audio equipment to customers, if there is the blessing of acoustic materials, the overall sound effect will change dramatically," César tried to explain to us the importance of acoustic materials in the audio retail industry. In his opinion, acoustic treatment is an indispensable part of space design.

In the process, César also believes that more recyclable materials need to be used. "Converting from one plastic bag to another is not called 'recycling'," César continued: "I hope that turning a plastic bag into some building materials so that their service life/application space will be longer is the real recycling."

Vicoustic is constantly looking for new materials to achieve recyclability. Now we see that many acoustic treatment companies use plastic as the base material of acoustic materials. In fact, Vicoustic is the first to practice this. The reason is the recyclable nature of plastic. "Vicoustic is committed to innovative acoustic solutions, and innovation is our DNA," said César. It is reported that at Vicoustic, 70% of the raw materials come from recyclable plastic bottles.

Vicoustic sells more than just goods

When asked how they solved the high costs of “Made in Europe” and transoceanic logistics, César did not forget to explain their advantages: “We not only sell products, but also provide solutions to customers. The solutions behind the products are more important.”

Of course, he is also very pragmatic. In addition to key technologies, they will consider completing part of the production in China when conditions are ripe in the future to improve price competitiveness and shorten delivery cycles. To this end, he said that he is very happy to be able to cooperate with the audio and video master Cinemaster. This promising cooperation will drive Vicoustic to better fulfill its localization commitment.

※ This article is original from China Audio and Video Network and may not be reproduced, excerpted or adapted without permission. For this reproduction by Vicoustic we were authorized to reproduce in English version through our partners Cinemaster.

The original Interview published in Mandarin by HDAVCHINA and Home Theater Tech magazine can be found in the China Audio and Video Network Webpage.