About Us

Our Story

Crescendeo started as many businesses do: with a simple need. In this case the local middle school could not afford to rent microphones from any local suppliers because they were too expensive. Fortunately we were able to step in. Since we have decades of experience making stuff loud on a budget, we knew how to purchase inexpensive equipment that would get the job done and that we could rent to the school for an affordable rate. The rental agreement made sense, as we could maintain and upgrade the equipment in a way that the school could not.

Of course, equipment is only the beginning. The very talented high schoolers who were responsible for audio engineering were self-taught and lacked important knowledge and skills, so then we began working with the high school drama department, as well, by both providing equipment and skills training and coaching. This led to coaching in other areas of theater, including sets, props, backstage protocol, and general project management.

When the marching band needed a PA system, Crescendeo was their first choice. Full PA systems are now commonplace in high school bands, but students and adults are now having to learn how to manage cables and generators on top of audio equipment and, of course, their instruments. We wanted to do something different, so Crescendeo created a fully wireless, fully battery-operated, expandable PA system that can provide sound for one side of a high school stadium. The value of the system was demonstrated when a stadium's permanent PA system failed and ours was put into action. Because there are no wires, a microphone was taken to the booth while the speakers and center console were put into place. In minutes the announcer was back to work, and the stadium had announcements for the entire game without a single wire of any sort. And of course, the marching band's pit instruments could be heard, as well.

Who Are "We?"

Right now "we" are Josh and Diana Kite, a husband and wife team.

Josh has been a semi-pro in the audio and video production business for decades. In his other professional life he helps business and IT people work together more effectively, even though he can't get code to compile and he can't actually run a Fortune 500 company himself. He offers certification training courses to adults and enjoys working with people at all levels of a company. He is also an amateur musician who plays bass and acoustic guitar among other things. The fact that he has never worked in an organization which had a large production budget means that he has learned how to be scrappy when it comes to buying and assembling equipment. When necessary, he does all of the soldering, and he has been known to create some new parts which he then 3D prints so that everything can actually be put together.

Diana is a business woman turned artist. She has a unique technique which allows her to turn wood (usually maple boxes) into beautiful works of art in ways that others do not. But her talents get used with Crescendeo in a wide variety of ways. She ensures Josh's designs can actually be used by students and, even though they're harder to teach, adults. And adds the finishing touches like canvas jackets to speakers.

We live in the metro Atlanta area with our two teenage sons and our dog Leo. Everything is assembled in our house (usually in the dining room or our screened porch), but stress testing at volume may take place at the family farm in rural Georgia since the cows and fish, unlike our neighbors, don't complain when Josh plays Led Zepplin at full volume for 8 hours at a time.