Product Design | Audio Electronics | Acoustics | DIY | Audio Innovations
|
|
DSP Concepts Launches TalkTogether Module for Audio Weaver |
DSP Concepts launched TalkTogether, a fully-integrated solution focused on human-to-human communication. The new module for Audio Weaver allows brands to instantly add voice comms to any device - from a conference room speaker, to a gaming soundbar to a connected exercise device and more. Given the numerous possibilities, DSP Concepts is also opening up TalkTogether so developers can customize it to fit their precise needs, offering unprecedented design flexibility . Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Yamaha Unveils Ambitious Immersive Audio Vision With Active Field Control Upgrade |
Following industry trends toward spatial audio content and immersive audio reproduction systems, Yamaha has announced the upcoming release of a new version upgrade for its Active Field Control (AFC) processing system, together with the introduction of new acoustic enhancement (AFC Enhance) and image control (AFC Image) applications. Together, Yamaha hopes to create a complete ecosystem for immersive audio, involving all its brands and R&D capabilities. Read More
|
|
Bowers & Wilkins Expands Into True Wireless with New PI7 and PI5 Models Focusing on Audio Quality |
True Wireless Stereo (TWS) in-ear headphones are immensely popular, but Bowers & Wilkins thinks that most currently available designs represent a compromise, one that trades sound quality for wireless convenience. “Bowers & Wilkins has always insisted this issue would need to be addressed before the company could consider launching its own TWS products,” the company states. And they did that with their new PI7 and PI5 true wireless earbud models, where audio quality was the design focus, even though there are also some cool differentiating features . Read More
|
|
|
|
|
HEAD acoustics Introduces New Generation of Artificial Heads With Advanced Types of Artificial Ears |
Meeting the needs of current audio system development, German audio and communication test and measurement specialist HEAD acoustics introduced a new and much improved design for its artificial heads paving the way for new era of communication and audio quality measurements. The new generation of artificial heads ensures a new level of realism, precision, and flexibility when coupled with HEAD acoustics' modular concept approach, meeting the most diverse of applications in the field of acoustic measurement technology. Read More
|
|
Focusrite plc Unveils New Optimal Audio Brand and Complete Portfolio of Commercial Audio Products |
British holding company Focusrite plc, which does business as Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, and Ampify Music brands, unveiled a new seventh brand, Optimal Audio. The strategy, according to Focusrite plc, is to offer a complete portfolio of advanced commercial audio products, designed for a fully connected and remotely controlled systems approach, with ease of installation in mind. Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Vesper Introduces Analog Piezoelectric Voice Accelerometer for True Wireless Earbuds |
Vesper introduced the VA1200, which the company calls the world’s first analog piezoelectric voice accelerometer (a.k.a. bone conduction sensor). This low-power vibration sensor can be used in true wireless earbud designs to pick up the wearer’s own voice through bone conduction. Using the VA1200 in conjunction with a standard microphone and a sensor fusion solution, the application can achieve superior background and wind noise reduction. Vesper calls this combination OnePlusOne . Read More
|
|
Bang & Olufsen Introduces Beosound Emerge Slim Home Speaker |
Bang & Olufsen introduced a new home speaker, which the Danish company describes as “an interior object combined with the technical performance of a speaker, built for longevity.” The Beosound Emerge was designed by Benjamin Hubert of Design Agency LAYER and it surprises immediately for its slim silhouette, but even more for its powerful, full-range sound with Active Room Compensation, which makes it a suitable home speaker for any placement. It’s also one of B&O’s most affordable home designs . Read More
|
|
|
|
|
ROHM Semiconductor Launches 32-bit MUS-IC Series DAC for Reference-Class Audio Equipment |
Japanese electronic component manufacturer ROHM Semiconductor has a strong connection with music and audio, being the source for a wide range of audio converters, amplifiers, and processors. Recently, ROHM started a new development project for a variety of new high-fidelity solutions supporting high-resolution audio. First in the new MUS-IC range and now available is the ROHM BD34301EKV, a 32-bit D/A converter designed for high-end audio designs. ROHM also launched the BD34301EKV-EVK-001 evaluation board available via distributor channels . Read More
|
|
Guest Editorial
Rasika D'Souza (Iyer)
(Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting)
|
Music, Work, Gaming, and Health
The Growing Role of Headphones Post-Pandemic
|
|
|
As consumers have spent more time at home throughout the pandemic, headphones really have become an integral device in our daily lives. The global headphones market celebrated a good year in 2020, growing in both volume and retail value, to reach 480 million units and generate $44 billion.
Households have spent more time multitasking - listening to a combination of music, watching entertainment content, and integrating the different aspects of virtual communication involved with home working, home-learning and socializing.
Over the last couple of years, and particularly during the pandemic, we have seen significant overlap in use-cases (office, gaming, health and wellness), which we expect will continue post pandemic. The varied use cases are also merging with the TWS form factor to create new use-case specific segments.
|
|
The Adapt 360 EPOS | Sennheiser headphones are designed for the work-from-anywhere age allowing users to stay focused with ANC that reduces background noise, and clear business calls in a solution optimized for UC. |
|
In its latest market outlook report, Futuresource goes on to map out the global headphone landscape, including the new emerging segments that have evolved around these use-cases:
- Office Based Hearables - Products such as Microsoft Surface Earbuds or Jabra Evolve 65t that focus on improved microphone performance, Unified Communications (UC) synchronization and multi-device pairing.
- Hearing Augmentation Hearables with the advent of OTC Hearing Aid regulations, TWS and hearing aids are drawing ever closer and producing products like the Signia Active X. Partnerships such as Qualcomm and Jacoti are also bringing such features to mass-market hearables.
- Gaming Hearables targeted at Mobile Gaming are growing in popularity, particularly in markets in Asia and Eastern Europe, with reduced latency, spatial audio, and mic chat becoming sought-after features.
- Sports & Wellness Hearables – Products such as Frames that focus on open-ear audio encouraging situational awareness. as well as the potential for biometric sensors to monitor vital life signs and provide deeper, smarter health insights.
There are certainly interesting use-cases and categories that are evolving, however these "segment-specific" products are set to remain relatively niche. Conversely, the market points to some of these features finding their way into a "one-product-fits-all" solution. It is likely future products will have to include features that satisfy these specific use-cases, for example including things such as an IPX4 rating, gaming modes, improved microphone capabilities, compatibility to video conferencing software, conversational enhancement, sound personalization features, or biometrics.
|
|
2020 and Beyond for TWS
COVID-19 has accelerated the demand for True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds. These devices have improved significantly in terms of connectivity and battery life and are able to satisfy multiple use cases, which benefited its uptake during the pandemic.
The growth in demand for TWS was also driven by the decision of major smartphone brands to drop the headphone jack and now lack bundled-in-the-box wired headphones. However, the growth of TWS is at the expense of other form-factors such as wired models and on-ears, which have continued to see rapid decline.
Futuresource concludes that 2021 is expected to be another year of growth, with smartphone brands dropping bundled headphones and travel retail reopening as we return to the "new normal." Growth is also expected from China, as well as other developing regions where TWS has become more affordable.
|
|
Amazon just introduced its next-generation Echo Buds, featuring improved sound quality, custom-designed Active Noise Cancellation technology, wireless charging capabilities, improved microphones for better call quality, and hands-free access to Alexa. |
|
Measurements Rate New SMT Low-Voltage JFETs Under Consistent Conditions - An Update Using Modern JFETs
By Dimitri Danyuk
|
|
In 2013, Dimitri Danyuk wrote an article that presented apples-to-apples test results for noise densities for several low-noise discrete, SMT, and n-JFETs. In this follow-up article, Danyuk brings us new measurements, updating his design note with measurements of JFET components that appeared more recently on the market. The tests on devices from Linear Systems and ON Semiconductor used the same operating conditions so that designers can make a fair comparison for their applications. This article was originally published in audioXpress, December 2018. Read the Full Article Now Available Here
|
|
Wavecor's TW022WA09 Cloth Dome Tweeter
By Vance Dickason
|
|
The driver discussed in this Test Bench is the Wavecor TW022WA09 22mm high-end textile dome tweeter. The precision cloth (textile) dome ensures an extended frequency response, while the voice coil design offers higher power handling and low resonance frequency. Features for the TW022WA09 tweeter include a neodymium magnet motor structure, copper foil-clad pole shorting ring vented to a damped rear chamber, a compact injection-molded 70mm (2.6") diameter faceplate and rear cavity, a 4Ω 22mm diameter voice coil with a vented aluminum former wound with copper-clad aluminum wire (CCAW) wire, built-in cavities beneath the dome surround, a foam mounting gasket, and gold-plated terminals. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, January 2021.
|
|
Audio Product Design | DIY Audio Projects | Audio Electronics | Audio Show Reports | Interviews | And More
Don't Have a Subscription?
|
|
Industry News & Developments | Products & Services | Test Bench | Acoustic Patents | Industry Watch | And More
|
|
Advancing the Evolution
of Audio Technology
audioXpress features great articles, projects, tips, and techniques for 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.
© 2021 KCK Media Corp. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
