INDUSTRY & PRODUCT NEWS

New beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO Reference Class Headphones

beyerdynamic expects to officially launch its newest professional headphone, the DT 1990 PRO, during the IFA 2016 show in Berlin. The newest chapter in the acclaimed DT PRO studio series (DT 770 PRO, DT 880 PRO, DT 990 PRO, and DT 1770 PRO), the DT 1990 PRO is said to deliver absolute precision with reproducible results, whether in the studio or for personal use. The new beyerdynamic open-back model uses new-generation Tesla transducers, creating a reference system for both studio work and audio enthusiasts. Read More

Analog Devices Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Linear Technology

Consolidation continues in the electronic components' industry. This time Analog Devices is acquiring Linear Technology, the established manufacturer of analog integrated circuits for power management, data conversion, signal conditioning, RF and interface ICs, µModule subsystems, and wireless sensor network products. According to Analog Devices, highly complementary product portfolios, engineering talent, technology, and application domain, creates an industry leader across all its major product categories. Read More

Dreaming of a California Solar-Powered, Voice Activated, Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Step aside Amazon and Google! California Roll by Lemon is "the smartest wireless speaker ever designed." That's the claim Lemon is making as it introduces its portable solar-powered, voice-activated, waterproof Bluetooth speaker, with "3D sound quality." But that's not all, the California Roll has the ability to connect multiple speakers and, yes, its solar panels are "Made in the USA" using "NASA grade" technology. Anyone can order one now on Kickstarter. Read More

MQA Now Available on NADs BluOS-enabled Systems

NAD Electronics announced that MQA music will be supported on select BluOS-enabled NAD components, including its recently expanded Master Series. The Latest BluOS firmware will power select high performance NAD models with MQA for studio quality music streams in the home. In the announcement, the company says: "NAD is proud to partner with MQA to introduce high-end audio consumers to this revolutionary end-to-end technology that captures and delivers master quality audio in a file that's small enough to stream or download." Read More

Wearables 2016 CES Innovation Awards Honoree Skybuds Wireless Earbuds On Pre-Sale

Another week and another "hearable" announcement is made. Wearables 2016 CES Innovation Awards honoree Alpha Audiotronics, announced the start of the pre-sale for its first product, Skybuds truly wireless earbuds, and the launch of its newly redesigned website skybuds.com. The company promises a truly wire-free solution with premium sound quality and reliable connectivity. Skybuds promises four hours per charge and five additional charges and storage through the Skydock case. Read More

Audio Engineering Society Confirms David Scheirman as President-Elect

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) has released the list of winning candidates from the balloting in the 2016 Audio Engineering Society international elections. The newly elected officers will assume their roles in October, shortly after the end of the 141st International AES Convention in Los Angeles, CA. The President-Elect is David Scheirman, who will serve first on the AES Board of Governors and Executive Committee as President-Elect, fully assuming the Presidency in October 2017 for a one-year term. Read More

João

Martins

Editor-in-Chief

Editor's Desk

Why Are We Doing This?


And then three becomes one!

About this time 16 years ago, Ed Dell made an announcement in Audio Electronics, Speaker Builder, and Glass Audio magazines to signal the transition to a new monthly title, called audioXpress. His letter was titled "Why We Are Doing This," and I thought it would be interesting to share what the magazine's founder said back then:

My friends,

Just over 30 years ago we set out on a journey into publishing a magazine about audio construction with high hopes and not a little apprehension. I feel that we are at a very similar threshold here in the last quarter of 2000. I am very pleased to announce the launch of a brand new periodical, audioXpress, whose first edition will mail to you in late December.

audioXpress will combine Audio Electronics, Glass Audio, and Speaker Builder in a monthly magazine.

(...) We believe it will strengthen our effort to offer you a magazine about audio design and construction which will be larger and more powerful. It will increase the effectiveness of advertisers' investment in ad space. It will, we believe, attract some advertisers who have never been interested in our smaller-sized periodicals. (...) It will give us space to expand our reviews of all kinds of equipment, which broadens our coverage of the audio field. Since we have wanted to offer more reviews, the broader platform of audioXpress will more naturally accommodate the entire audio chain.

(...) We hope that a combination of technologies will make it easier to deal with complete systems of components and the ways these interact with each other.

(...) We hope you will continue to trust us to do our very best for all of your needs for audio technology information.

Ed.T.Dell

Click to send us an email with your suggestions

As Linkedin reminded me last week, it has been 3 years since I joined audioXpress, and I received so many heartwarming messages, I've looked at these words as a way also to remind myself of why are we doing this. I think the answer is clear when we see how audioXpress has evolved, and we look at the current pages of the magazine, as well as our online presence (audioXpress.com).

As I've repeatedly stated, our updated mission now includes being the reference information source about innovative solutions and technologies in audio electronics, acoustic and electro-acoustic design for DIY audio enthusiasts, audio product designers, electronic engineers and audio engineers. Increasingly, we are combining information for audio product development and design, as we are about construction.

For the next months, we are working hard on getting our objective review program in place and expanding the coverage topics to more cutting-edge technologies and domains, from embedded systems and silicon solutions to digital audio processing, software and acoustics.

This is also a perfect opportunity to appeal to anyone interested in contributing articles. audioXpress is looking at more expert contributions in the mentioned areas as well as more DIY projects. audioXpress is also interested in sharing your engineering and R&D stories.

Feel free to contact me with ideas and suggestions.

Factory Tour

Sinar Baja Electric:
Too Big to Be Kept a Secret

By João Martins

In audioXpress July 2016 we published a complete Factory Tour report on Sinar Baja Electric - the birthplace of speaker driver brand SB Acoustics - where we reveal the usually hidden perspective of speaker manufacturing, from design concept to finished products. There's an exaggerated notion that everything is made in China these days, but the story of this Indonesian company with its own dedicated design team in Denmark, serves to show how truly global the industry really is.

Sinar Baja Electric is a complete speaker manufacturer facility, a group of vertically integrated companies serving an impressive number of OEM companies all over the world. audioXpress visited the company in Surabaya, Indonesia, to see how it intends to convert its SB Acoustics speaker driver brand into a worldwide reference, designed in Denmark, manufactured in Indonesia. Read the Full Article Available Here

Voice Coil Test Bench

MAG Audio M0610 Midrange Driver

By Vance Dickason

This submission comes from a company new to Test Bench, MAG Audio, from Ukraine. MAG Audio is the biggest producer of professional transducers and loudspeaker systems in Ukraine. Founded in 1991, the company designs and manufactures high-quality reliable world-class loudspeaker systems adopted in Ukraine and around the world. The company's primary products were ferrite magnets, which MAG continues to produce. MAG Audio's transducers now include a complete range of cone loudspeakers with sizes from 6" to 21", plus 1", 1.4", 1.5" and 2" high-frequency drivers and coaxial drivers. MAG currently has 120 employees and a 30,000 ft2 production facility. About 60% of MAG's production is exported. The sample pro sound midrange driver MAG submitted is one of my favorite formats. The M0610's features include a cast-aluminum frame, a lightweight curved profile uncoated paper cone, a 2" diameter uncoated paper dust cap, and a 1.5" (38-mm) diameter voice coil wound on a Kapton former with edge wound copper-clad aluminum ribbon wire. Compliance is provided by a flat foam surround and a 4.5" diameter flat cloth spider. A 110-mm × 15-mm detachable self-centering strontium ferrite magnet with a black coated back plate powers the unit. Last, the voice coil tinsel lead wires terminate to a standard pair of solderable terminals. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, November 2013. Read the Full Article Online

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audioXpress | Voice Coil | LIS

Advancing the Evolution of Audio Technology

audioxpress features great articles, projects, tips and techniques for producing the best in quality audio. It connects manufacturers and distributors with audio engineers and enthusiasts eager for innovative solutions in sound, acoustic and electronics.

Voice Coil, the periodical for the loudspeaker industry, delivers product reviews, company profiles, industry news, and design tips straight to professional audio engineers and manufacturers who have the authority to make powerful purchasing decisions.

The Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook is the most comprehensive collection of listings on loudspeaker material in the industry. Purchasers and decision makers refer to the guide for an entire year when making selections on drivers, finished systems, adhesives, domes, crossovers, voice coils, and everything in between.