Founded in 1985, the Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards is the foremost program recognizing the achievements of audio professionals. Presented annually by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the TEC Awards honor the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, films, TV shows and live performances.

TEC Awards nominations are made by a panel of industry professionals and voted upon by the subscribers of Mix, the leading trade magazine of the recording and sound production industry. The awards are presented at a ceremony held each fall during the annual convention of the Audio Engineering Society. Through the Hall of Fame, the TEC Awards also honors the pioneers of audio and, through the Les Paul Award, pays tribute to musical artists and others whose work has furthered the art and science of sound.

Thanks to the generous support of numerous sponsors, the TEC Awards is able to contribute thousands of dollars each year to organizations working on behalf of hearing conservation, as well as funding scholarships for future audio professionals.