Boris FX Acquires iZotope in Major Post-Production Merger

Boris FX announced on July 2, 2026 that it has acquired iZotope, bringing the maker of RX, Ozone, Neutron, and Nectar into the same privately held company that already owns Sapphire, Mocha Pro, Silhouette, and Vegas Pro.

The deal positions Boris FX as one of the few independent software companies covering the full post-production pipeline — both picture and sound — without private equity backing.

How the Deal Came Together

The acquisition traces back to a corporate chain that started in 2021, when iZotope and Native Instruments formed a music technology group backed by Francisco Partners, later named Soundwide.

In January 2026, Native Instruments GmbH entered preliminary insolvency proceedings. By May 7, hardware maker inMusic Brands had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Native Instruments, completing that transaction on June 30, 2026.

Boris FX acquired iZotope separately in a coordinated transaction — splitting Native Instruments' former software holdings between two buyers, with iZotope going to Boris FX and Native Instruments' core hardware and software going to inMusic.

This is not Boris FX's first move at scale in 2026. On March 30, the company announced the acquisition of Vegas Pro, Sound Forge, and Acid Pro from MAGIX Software GmbH, adding to its August 2025 pickup of Sequoia, Samplitude, and Music Studio from the same seller.

What Boris FX Is Adding

iZotope's flagship product, RX, is the audio repair and restoration toolset used on most major film and television productions. It carries two Engineering Emmy Awards and one Scientific and Engineering Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

RX targets noise, hum, clicks, clipped audio, room problems, unwanted reverb, and other artifacts. In post-production workflows, it sits between production sound and the mix — the surgical cleanup step before audio returns to the edit or finishing session.

Ozone is iZotope's mastering suite. It handles the final polish stage: EQ, dynamics, limiting, imaging, and loudness shaping to turn a mix into a deliverable master. Neutron covers mixing assistance, and Nectar handles vocal processing.

The most recent major release, RX 12, added Scene Rebalance — which separates film and TV scenes into distinct dialogue, music, and effects tracks — along with Stems View and a rebuilt De-bleed module that requires no reference track.

Boris Yamnitsky, CEO and Founder of Boris FX, framed the acquisition around a consistent technical standard: "My vision has always been a Boris FX where everything you see and everything you hear is handled by tools built to the same uncompromising standard. With iZotope, we're closer to that than we've ever been."

Todd Baker, VP of Product at iZotope, pointed to shared technical philosophy as the connective tissue: "Joining forces with Boris FX is a massive catalyst for what we do best: changing the industry with new innovations in audio."

What Changes, What Stays the Same

iZotope will operate as a business unit within Boris FX. Core engineering, product, and support teams remain in place.

Existing iZotope licenses, products, and accounts continue to work without interruption. Boris FX says no action is required from current users, and any future changes will be communicated in advance.

One immediate note for Plugin Alliance users: iZotope plugins are not currently available for purchase through Plugin Alliance.

A branding transition is ahead. iZotope plugins currently carry Native Instruments branding, which will be updated at some point — though no timeline has been announced.

Boris FX offers both perpetual licenses and subscriptions across its existing product lines. Whether iZotope's pricing structure changes, or whether RX and Ozone eventually fold into a broader Boris FX Suite subscription, has not been announced.

Competitive Context

RX's closest direct competitor in audio repair is Steinberg SpectraLayers Pro, owned by Yamaha. SpectraLayers has been closing the gap — its v11 release in June 2024 was seen as a meaningful challenge to RX 11, and Pro 12 pushed that further.

Pricing is a notable difference. SpectraLayers Elements runs approximately £75 and SpectraLayers Pro runs approximately £290, compared to RX 12 Advanced at $1,399. RX Standard at $399 is the more direct comparison for most working editors.

RX holds its position as the industry standard for dialogue restoration and high-volume post-production repair workflows. SpectraLayers has focused more on interactive spectral editing and AI-assisted layer manipulation — a different workflow emphasis.

On the visual effects side, Boris FX's existing portfolio already competes with Adobe, Foundry, and Autodesk across compositing, tracking, and effects tools. The iZotope addition doesn't overlap with those competitors — it adds a lane those companies don't occupy.

The broader context is that Boris FX is consolidating as an independent while much of the creative software industry has moved toward private equity ownership. Avid, FL Studio, and Pro Tools are all PE-backed. Boris FX is not.

The Signal in the Noise

For post-production professionals, this acquisition is primarily a business story today — not a workflow story. Nothing about RX, Ozone, Neutron, or Nectar has changed in how they function or what they cost.

The longer-term question is whether Boris FX can execute on cross-category integration the way it has in visual effects. The company's track record with Imagineer, GenArts, Silhouette, and the MAGIX acquisitions suggests it knows how to absorb studio-grade tools without breaking them.

Boris FX and iZotope both received Engineering Emmy Awards at the same 2019 ceremony — Boris FX for Sapphire, Mocha Pro, and Silhouette; iZotope for RX. That overlap is more than trivia. It suggests similar institutional priorities around technical excellence and industry recognition.

The AI angle is worth watching. Yamnitsky specifically cited iZotope's track record with machine-learning-assisted audio as a reason for the deal. Boris FX has been building AI-driven tools on the video side. Whether that convergence produces something genuinely new — or just better marketing — will take time to evaluate.

For now, RX users keep working. Ozone users keep mastering. The ownership line on the about page changed. Everything else is a future story.

Specs & Pricing

iZotope products are available directly through iZotope's website at the prices listed above. B&H Photo also carries iZotope bundles, including a comprehensive bundle with Ozone 12 Advanced, RX 11 Advanced, Neutron 5, Nectar 4 Advanced, and additional tools listed at $799, and a larger bundle at $1,099.

Resources & Reads

• Boris FX official acquisition announcement
• iZotope's statement on joining Boris FX
• Newsshooter coverage of the Boris FX / iZotope deal
• iZotope products at B&H Photo
• iZotope product pricing and bundles (official store)