GIK Acoustics New Impression Series Of Room Panels And Bass Traps GIK Acoustics is proud to announce the release of five new designs available in the company's Impression Series line of acoustic panels and bass traps. First introduced in January 2017, the Impression Series changed the face of room treatments for GIK Acoustics. These acoustic panels and bass traps combine proven, effective absorption with beautifully decorative plates to deliver an aural and visual statement to enhance any room. The rigid plate not only gives the panel a stylish appearance but also helps reflect/scatter high frequency content in the room giving the proper balance needed. Now the company is offering an even bigger impact by expanding the decorative patterns available. GIK Acoustics Impression Series panels available in twelve elegant patterns including Basketweave, Braids, Palomar, Sunrise, and Wavy Leaves along with Bubbles, Checkerboard, Gatsby Arches, Mod Geometric, 3D Cubes, Digiwave (horizontal & vertical).
Three standard sizes include Square (24" x 24"), Narrow (12" x 48") and Rectangle (24" x 48"), with three levels of absorption. Five plate finishes are Beech wood veneer, Black veneer, White veneer, Grey Elm veneer, and Mahogany
veneer.
Sonos Brings Convenient Smart Home Features And Developer APIs Only weeks after successfully IPO'ing, Sonos (Nasdaq: SONO) has unveiled all-new Sonos Amp ($599) to power smart home entertainment while also doubling down on their commitment to Installed Solutions channels. Sonos Amp, a powerful and versatile home audio hub that powers traditional wired speakers with sound from nearly any source, and fully integrates these speakers into Sonos' easy-to-use wireless home sound system. New collaboration with industry leader Sonance will focus on creation of a series of architectural speakers to complement Sonos Amp; Sonos fully opens developer platform and adds new control APIs. The all-new Amp is twice as powerful as its predecessor, supports Apple's AirPlay 2 and more than 100 streaming services, and includes an HDMI Arc port for TVs. Amp is designed to fit perfectly into standard AV racks used by custom install professionals, and can power up to four speakers with 125 Watts per channel more than enough for virtually all home speaker systems. Onboard HDMI and line-in ports means TVs, turntables, CD changers, and other audio components can easily connect with Amp and become part of the Sonos system. New updates to the platform make it easy for installers to incorporate Amp into integrated smart home set-ups, including smart lighting and centralized control systems. It is also AirPlay 2 compatible, meaning music and other audio from any iOS device can be played wirelessly through Amp. And when wirelessly connected to an Amazon Alexa-enabled device like a Sonos One or Beam, Amp is controllable with voice commands. Finally, like other Sonos devices, Amp will gain new features, services, and integrations over time through free software updates, ensuring customers will get the best from their set-up for years to come. New developer APIs and deeper integrations with the Sonos platform partners create seamless smart home control. Starting in early September 2018, Sonos will further evolve the developer platform by fully opening up to all potential partners and will also add a new set of Control APIs, making it easier than ever to integrate Sonos into the smart home. This is especially great news for those with integrated control systems such as Control4 and Crestron.
Longtime Audio Veteran Paul Hales Launches Theory Audio Design Paul Hales, 30-year loudspeaker engineer, AV industry veteran is pleased to announce the launch of
Theory Audio Design. This
new company is a specialty manufacturer of loudspeakers and Amplified Loudspeaker Controllers (ALC). Theory loudspeaker models consist of three in-wall and four slender on-wall models, featuring dual 5", 6" and 8" woofers. For tight, deep bass, Theory offers two subwoofer models sporting 12" and 15" high-power drivers. Three soundbars round out the loudspeaker line designed
for those who desire multi-channel surround sound. Two innovative Amplified Loudspeaker Controllers provide the power and brains behind the beauty.
Under the hood of Theory's loudspeakers you'll find 1.4-inch aluminum diaphragm compression drivers on proprietary Theory ImpedanceOptimizer
waveguides that achieve 110dB of SPL with just 1W input. For the bottom-end, Theory loudspeakers feature reflex-loaded carbon fiber woofers which generate 95dB to 100dB SPL per watt depending on model. Constructed from custom aluminum extrusions that are only 3.6" in depth, and available in black or white, Theory loudspeakers feature clean lines, rounded edges, machined aluminum accents, and configurable decorative trim to suit any d้cor. Finish options for the trim pieces include carbon fiber, white, gray, or black gloss, natural and black aluminum, brushed stainless steel, and matte pewter. At the core of every Theory system lies a 96kHz / 24-bit DSP processing engine called a Loudspeaker Controller. Theory's ALC-1508B and ALC-1809B eight and nine channel Amplified Loudspeaker Controllers
(ALC) combine the functionality of a multi-channel DSP processor, high-power
multi-channel home theater and distributed audio amplifier. Theory Audio Design's fan-less 1U ALC-1508B and ALC-1809B offer two and three 300W high-current amplifier channels for subwoofer drive respectively, plus six 100W bridgeable amplifier channels to drive full range loudspeakers.
The ALC-1508B can support 5.1, 5.2, 7.1 surround sound formats while the 1809B, with its additional 300W channel, adds support for 5.3, 7.2 and the new 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos format. Both Amplified Loudspeaker Controller models include 80 user-programmable parametric EQ filters (10 per channel), plus gain adjustment, source signals for system diagnosis and delay of up to 75msec per channel for on-site system-wide optimization and calibration.
ALC also provides over 160 IIR filters, 8 FIR filters, intelligent power-limiting, and delay.
Also of note is that the ALC-1508B and ALC-1809B each include a full 8x8 matrix mixer, mic input, all-channel priority ducking/paging, four stereo plus mono-sum inputs, bass and treble controls and up to 75msecs delay per channel.
08 / 28 / 18
SOtM Announces Their mT-1000 Audio Grade
Six Outlet Power Strip SOtM uses innovative technology within their mT-1000 ($1500) to block and/or reduce noise to achieve what they feel is the best sound quality for your audio system. The mT-1000 uses a unique noise reduction technique a specially-shaped filter block installed around the power line. Because this technique does not add filters in the middle of the power line, according to SOtM it does not hinder the details and dynamics of the music. "Instead",
says the company, "it works with your system to deliver the natural texture and live sound of your music." You may employ small, adjustable spiked footings on the mT-1000 that are designed to minimize vibration plus preventing long term abrasion. In total, there are six protected outlets, with availability for USA, EU, and UK type outlets available. High grade aluminum body design ensures a solid platform.
Internally, there is 8 AWG (200A) stranded tinned copper wire that connects to dust and splashed water protected (IP54) outlets. Dimensions are 106 x 75 x 526 mm and it weighs 3.75 lbs.
08 / 27 / 18
Burning Amp Festival 2018, DIY Audio's Premiere International Festival Burning Amp Festival 2018
(BAF) is coming to the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco on Sunday, September 30th from 8:30am to 8pm. New BAF's hours have been extended due to the increased interest and popularity of DIY audio amongst music-loving enthusiasts of all ages. Held annually in the fall since 2007, BAF has grown into a premier international event for do-it-yourself (DIY) audio enthusiasts and professionals. DIY audio is the original maker movement, dating back to the 1940's and 1950's when Hi-Fi was in its infancy, and a lot of great-sounding equipment was assembled at home by enthusiastic amateurs. BAF celebrates audio technology both new and old, tube and solid-state, analog and digital. Come listen to hand-built audio amplifiers, speakers, and more. Bring your own gear: DIY amps, speakers, turntables, DACs, servers, etc. Share ideas and learn to design and build your own equipment. By way of encouraging people to bring their own projects for show or demonstration, there will be free admission to anyone bringing a DIY project. There will be displays, demos, auction and raffles items and freebies, plus well-attended lectures by prominent figures in audio engineering design like Nelson Pass, Roger Modjeski and Wayne Colburn.
08 / 24 / 18
Paradigm Defiance Subwoofers With App Control And Room Correction Paradigm Electronics Inc. is proud to announce their new Defiance line of six subwoofers featured in two series (X Series and V Series). Defiance X10 / X12 / X15 subwoofers have heavy-duty, internally-braced cabinets and Active Ridge Technology woofer surrounds for maximum driver-excursion. High volume levels are achieved with precision control and low distortion. Their Defiance V8 / V10 / V12 subwoofers are more value-oriented and have a smaller footprint. All Defiance subwoofers (except the V8) feature app control, Anthem Room Correction (ARC), and optional wireless connectivity. Paradigm's Subwoofer App Control makes setup and room tuning easy via iOS and Android. Controls include volume, low-pass filter, phase, room gain, and much more. There are three preset listening modes, and you can remotely turn Anthem Room Correction on and off. Paradigm's top-line Defiance X15 ($1499) features a 15" flush-mounted driver with patented ART Surround and 900 Watt (1800W dynamic peak)
Class-D amplifier in a down-firing ported enclosure. Defiance X12 ($1299) includes a 650 Watt (1300W dynamic peak)
Class-D amplifier. Their smallest in-series Defiance V8 ($399) model V8 features an 8" flush-mounted driver and 75 Watt (150W dynamic peak)
Class-D amplifier in a down-firing ported enclosure. Inputs include RCA (Left and Right/LFE) and Speaker Level (Left and Right). All Defiance subwoofers are available in a Satin Black finish.
Summer Against Hunger Update From The Cable Company According to The
Cable Company, now at the mid point of the third week of this year's Summer Against Hunger fundraiser
benefiting CARE.org, we wanted to announce that this is our strongest August fundraiser ever. Reports Robert Stein, "We were a little concerned in the current environment that this year's fundraiser might be a little flat, but results so far in August are well exceeding our expectations." He continued, "For sure this year's results will propel combined program donations for the 2+ decade life of this effort to over $5 million, not a bad number for our high end audio industry."
Once again for 2018, in the 23rd year of organizing the Summer Against Hunger, 100% of August purchases of sponsored products from The Cable Company benefit CARE.org - and this is guaranteed. All products from other of our vendors, and even used products, generate a 50% donation to CARE.
This dollar for dollar donation for products from our sponsoring vendors works due to leverage: The Cable Company donates a percentage of sales which is matched by sponsoring manufacturers. The 1:1 total donation to CARE is guaranteed by the participation of an anonymous donor, who is providing a funding match for total Cable
Company plus vendor contributions. Additional matched funding from institutional participants further multiplies the donations we generate directly, to bring the donation to CARE up to a full dollar for dollar.
Here's a list of the 100% sponsors: Abyss Headphones Acoustic Signature Acrolink Alpha Design Labs Analysis Plus Aperture Acoustics Audeze Audience Audio Desk Systeme Audio Magic Audio Plus Services AudioQuest Aural Symphonics Backert Labs Bluebird Music Bybee Technologies Cardas Audio Chang Lightspeed Chord Cables Chord Electronics Clearaudio Crystal Cables DH Labs DS Audio Fidelis AV Focal Headphones FoQ Gingko Audio Gutwire Hana Cartridges Harbeth Speakers HRS Harmonic Res Sys Harmonic Technology Herbie's Audio Lab HiFi-Tuning High Fidelity Cables IsoAcoustics JPS Labs Kimber Kable KR Audio Tubes Lotus Group Marigo Audio Michael
Green/Roomtune MIT Cables MrSpeakers Musical Surroundings Mytek Oyaide Pranawire PS Audio Purist Audio Design Quadraspire Racks Rega REL Acoustic Subs Rogers High Fidelity Shun Mook Audio Shunyata Research Siltech Cables Sonoma Acoustics Sound Organisation SteinMusic Stillpoints Straightwire Sutherland Engineering Symposium Acoustics Synergistic Research van den Hul Voodoo Cable Wattgate WBT Wireworld Wolf Audio Systems Wywires XLO Electric ZL Technologies.
08 / 22 / 18
Enjoy the Music.com's
Best Of 2018 Blue Note Awards Goes Live Sept. 1st Only 18 products have earned our Best Of 2018 Blue Note Award, so they are quite
rare! This award celebrates the many great achievements by audiophile manufacturers within the high-end audio and Hi-Res Audio industry. During 2017 only 17 products earned this award, with 2016 bestowing
15 products this very rare recognition. So until September 1st when our 2018
picks go live, check out
Enjoy the Music.com's Best Of 2017 Blue Note Awards at this link.
08 / 21 / 18
AES Conference On Audio For Virtual
And Augmented Reality The Audio Engineering Society is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018, and now counts over 12,000 members throughout the USA, Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry. Today the AES is holding their second International Conference on Audio for Virtual and Augmented Reality. Taking place August 20th through 22nd at the DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, WA, the conference and exhibition will bring together a community of influential research scientists, engineers, VR / AR developers, and content creators. The conference's esteemed keynote presenters Jean-Marc Jot, Distinguished Fellow, Magic Leap; Ivan Tashev, Partner Architect, Microsoft Research Labs Redmond; and Ravish Mehra, Lead Research Scientist, Facebook Reality Labs are at the forefront of innovation for VR and AR. The three-day conference and expo will focus on the dissemination of top-level research in the field of spatial audio for virtual and augmented reality, with demonstrations and discussions focused on technical solutions and recommended practices. Leading researchers, practitioners and industry luminaries will offer panel discussions, tutorials, and workshops on new and forthcoming technologies.
The conference promises to be as interactive and cross-disciplinary as the field of VR and AR itself, and will include an exhibition of relevant software and product demos. The conference will bring together talented researchers and developers who are creating the next generation of audio tools for immersive content, with presentation topics including:
- AR/VR audio content development tools & workflows, including personalized vs. generic HRTFs
- Realistic sound propagation for immersing the user in virtual environments
- Auditory distance discrimination in cinematic virtual reality
- Spatial audio capture, rendering, and synthesis over headphones and speakers
- Binaural, ambisonics, and wave field synthesis techniques
- 3D sound field navigation
- HRTF modeling and derivation from optical and/or acoustic measurements
- Reverb and room acoustics synthesis
- 3D audio mixing and content production
- Music and sound design for VR/AR
- Higher education & immersive media
- Sound for 360 VR
- XR [extended reality] audio in diverse industries
- Dialogue for VR/AR and MPEG-H
08 / 20 / 18
Sony DMP-Z1 Digital Music Player
With Balanced 4.4mm Headphone Jack Sony's new DMP-Z1 is a digital music player capable of Hi-es Audio and Hi-Res Music playback (HKD 61,880, about $7900). There's 256GB internal storage plus two Micro SD slots for storage, Bluetooth streaming, and an intuitive 3.1-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen experience makes it easy to change settings, and a spectrum
analyzer visualizes frequency amplitude instantly. Complete with dedicated control keys, the DMP-Z1 lets you choose between UI interface and a more tactile experience. By capturing and reproducing digital audio at a higher rate than the decades old CD, this allows you to get closer to the original studio recording and enjoy your music just as the artist intended. DSD native playback up to 11.2 MHz and PCM playback up to 384kHz/32-bit. There's a 4.4mm balanced connection headphone jack plus industry standard unbalanced 3.5mm stereo jack. By incorporating an audiophile-grade high-power headphone amplifier, Sony's DMP-Z1
realizes 1500 mW (16 Ohms) headphone output to to drive most headphones. There are five electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) with large capacity and low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) supply power from the batteries of the DMP-Z1. This means no sudden falls in voltage, and power is stably supplied to DAC and amplifier. External noise is shut out from the DMP-Z1 amp board to the headphones through internal wiring engineered with Kimber Kable. Formed from a four-wire braided cable the wiring transmits high-quality audio signals for both balanced and unbalanced listening. As for Sony's included sound effects, the DMP-Z1 offer a vinyl playback simulator and is said to give back the warmth and character of vinyl to your digital tracks and get lost again in the richness of the melodies and dynamics of your favourite albums. Subtle reproduction of the low-frequency resonance, tone-arm resistance and surface noise deliver an authentic listening experience. A new Sony DSEE HX analyses song type by AI and it is claimed this upscaling is improved even further by Sony new DSEE HX processor which intelligently
recognizes instrumentation and musical genres. To quote Sony, "Realism and liveliness of different instruments, including the human voice, are inherently
characterized by high frequency harmonics. By identifying instruments, and the relative energy of the audio, our enhanced DSEE HX can accurately rebuild audio lost during digital compression, for a full fidelity experience even with heavily-compressed audio formats." Another twist is the Sony DSD remastering engine for PCM audio. PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) audio is
re-sampled into 5.6MHz DSD (Direct Stream Digital) ultra-high-frequency 1-bit audio stream. The single-bit stream delivered to the DAC is claimed by Sony to have a character far closer to that of analogue so your music is delivered exactly as the artist intended.
08 / 17 / 18
Blues Masters At The Crossroads 2018
Concert In Salina, Kansas Just announced! "What a lineup! Those who have waited on our announcement of performers for our 21st Annual Blues Masters at the Crossroads, wait no longer. With our co-sponsor for this year's event Kansas State University we're bringing you our typically strong roster of veteran blues artists. For starters we're bringing back Bobby Rush, this time for an acoustic flavored set a different look than his appearance at Blues Masters in 2017 with the Take Me To The River - Memphis Soul and Rhythm & Blues Revue. Another bluesman with classic and paternal roots to the genre also returns, Mud Morganfield, son of blues icon Muddy Waters. St. Louis blues artist and Blues Masters favorite Marquise Knox returns, and we finish off Friday night by welcoming the fabulous Beverly "Guitar" Watkins to our stage. Watkins, 79, is a fierce, pyrotechnic guitar maven with six decades of performing alongside the likes of Ray Charles, James Brown, BB King and many more musical legends. Saturday's lineup includes the swamp blues multi-instrumentalist and Grammy nominated performer Kenny Neal; Robert Finley, a soul-stirring singer with ties to Black Keys singer Dan Auerbach who helped produce Finley's 2017 album loaded with Memphis-to-Texas electric southern grit 'Goin' Platinum.'; award-winning Baton Rouge bluesman Larry Garner; and lastly, another of the distinguished blues-singing Neal family, Lil' Ray Neal. Neal served as sideman to blues and rhythm-and-blues legends such as John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Little Milton Campbell and many others for nearly 40 years. His transition from sideman to frontman culminated in 2015 with the release of his album 'Nothing But The Blues.' Get down to the vibe from this exciting singer-songwriter and guitarist." Tickets are $60 each night and are available for
purchase through this link.
Watch Enjoy the Music.com's recorded live broadcast of
Blues Masters At The Crossroads 2014 below.
Global Home Audio Market Breaks $13 Billion
Barrier In 2017 According to a recent press release by Futuresource
Consulting, "The global home audio market continues to climb, with hardware shipments increasing by 23% in 2017, according to a comprehensive new report from Futuresource Consulting. The new Futuresource home audio report explores trends in wireless speakers, soundbars, AV receivers, hi-fi systems and dedicated speaker docks across 38 regions and countries, with market projections out to 2022. "It's not just shipments that are performing well," says Rasika D'Souza, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting. "Last year's revenues powered through the $13 billion barrier for the first time, finishing 2017 close to the $14 billion mark. And there's plenty more punch left in the home audio hardware category, with our forecasts showing value growth out to 2021 and shipments continuing to grow beyond that." According to Futuresource Consulting, the wireless speaker segment finds that smart speakers are leading the charge. The US still accounts for the lion's share of global demand, though interest in China has been growing rapidly since Q4 2017. Object-oriented sound is becoming increasingly important in soundbars says the press release. Dolby currently leads the market, with over 15 models already available and more to be announced by the end of 2018. "Amazon topped the home audio brand leaderboard for units shipped in 2017, with a market share of 16%. Harman/JBL followed closely behind at 15%, emerging from the competitive fray despite the growing consumer love for smart speakers. Harman/JBL is the only brand other than Amazon and Google that gained share in 2017" says Futuresource
Consulting. Bose and Harman/JBL were tied in top spot with each having an impressive 13% share. Against the backdrop of all this home audio action, Futuresource will host its fifth Audio Collaborative conference in London on 8 November. Bringing together Futuresource analysts and industry heavyweights from professional and consumer audio, the conference will explore all the technologies, markets and strategies that are opening up the opportunities for companies in the audio industry.
Industry News 15 Years Ago
Vinyl Record Day -- First Time Officially Recognized To Celebrate... August
12th is the day Thomas Edison invented the phonograph back in 1877. To commemorate this event,
Vinyl Record Day to be
celebrated on August 16th at Pasadena City College's Flea Market in Pasadena,
California. Vinyl Record Day is the brainchild of Gary J. Freiberg, a music enthusiast and patent holder of "The Record Album Frame," an acrylic frame to display album cover art. The frames have decorated the halls of the Smithsonian, the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando; they are the only product of their kind sold at Graceland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. "The objective of Vinyl Record Day," says
Freiberg, "is to remember that, whatever we go through on a personal or national level, life has its goodness. Music is the primary vehicle to our fondest memories, Vinyl Record Day is to celebrate and remember them." This holiday will also be recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in a celebration on August
23rd.
Genelec Unveils Their New
Two-Way S360A Monitor And 7382A Subwoofer Continuing to reflect its goal of offering monitoring solutions for all room sizes and applications,
Genelec announces the global launch of two new high-SPL Smart Active Monitors the two-way S360A, and the 7382A subwoofer ($4595 and $11,995 respectively). Both models are ideal for any professional application that demands high acoustic power or listening at a distance from large immersive setups in post-production studios or film mixing stages to play-live monitoring in music production, audiophile playback or premium home theaters. Housed in a compact enclosure featuring high-quality Finnish woodwork and extremely low and controlled diffraction, the S360 also features a further enhanced 10-inch high-efficiency and minimal distortion woofer based on Genelec's Master Series, and a completely integrated extended directivity control waveguide DCW, supporting its 1.7-inch titanium diaphragm compression tweeter. The result combines the neutrality for which Genelec is known, with a short-term SPL capability of 118dB with peaks even higher and a long throw capability that can provide reference-quality accuracy even at listening distances of over 33 feet. The S360 offers the benefits of main monitor performance in a condensed form factor, including excellent on-axis characteristics and uncolored 95-degree (h) to 75-degree (v) dispersion. Knowing that the production of good content depends on monitors being correctly positioned, level-aligned, time-aligned and room-compensated, the S360 offers full integration with Genelec's GLM software, allowing the configuration, calibration and monitor control of more than 40 channels without the need for external processing. Genelec feels that the ideal companion for both the S360 and Genelec's other large-format monitors is the 7382 Smart Active Subwoofer Genelec's most powerful subwoofer to date. Delivering precise, powerful low frequency extension down to 15 Hz, the 7382 houses three custom-designed 15-inch long-throw woofers. Each benefits from the vibration-free environment of a heavily braced fiberboard enclosure, with laminar flow bass reflex porting extending along the entire rear wall to ensure low distortion and compression-free performance, even when the 7382 delivers outputs in excess of 130 dB SPL. Drawing on integrated processing and decades of research, the 7382 also works with GLM software to control bass management and solve issues of subwoofer placement in unpredictable rooms, and even to build entire arrays of Genelec subwoofers.
FiiO μBTR And BTR3 Hi-Fi Bluetooth Receiver With
aptX, AAC, SBC, Etc. FiiO's new μBTR ($27.99) Bluetooth receiver supports aptX/AAC/SBC, NFC pairing, Siri activation and has modern USB C port. Charge for 1 hour, listen for 9 hours via USB Type-C symmetrical connector. Listen with the μBTR continuously for a long 9 hours with its 120mAh battery. High quality wireless audio is made possible with the Qualcomm CSR8645. FiiO's μBTR brings the premium Qualcomm CSR8645 Bluetooth chip to the affordable device segment for the first time ever! A built-in high-performance TI TPA6132A2 amplifier provides high-quality headphone amplification. This allows the μBTR to bring out the best of your headphones and provide a higher-quality wireless experience too.
FiiO's μBTR can be paired up to two Bluetooth devices so that you can waste less time switching back-and-forth between your favorite gadgets. An independent local volume control, built-in microphone for voice calls, NFC (near-field communication) functionality, plus easy access to voice assistants including Siri.
There's also a simple dual color indicator light too. Weight is a mere 0.48 ounces and product dimensions are 0.8 x 2.2 x 0.6
inches. FiiO's BTR3 ($69.99) employs a CSR8675 Bluetooth chip + high performance AK4376A DAC.
It is said to be the world's first Bluetooth amplifier to support all wireless sound formats
including AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, LDAC, and LHDC. A unique Bluetooth audio codec indicator
light let's you know which format is being used. Supported Bluetooth profiles
are A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, and HSP. There's a new Type-C connector with USB DAC functionality
and verysimple one-touch NFC pairing. An independent volume control on the FiiO
BTR3 provides good output for virtually all heaphones and in-ear monitors.
Battery power lasts 11 hour of continuous pleasure at a full charge and FiiO's
BTR3 does support call up for Siri in iOS.
08 / 13 / 18
Audius Brings Modernized
Benefits For Music Creators And Listeners Using Audius, music creators can generate immutable and timestamped records for your creative works and register your assets to the Audius network. Because the network is decentralized and secured by blockchain technology, the metadata attribution remains safe, verifiable and immutable. Providing a transparent network in a space traditionally controlled by third parties, Audius builds a bridge between creators and consumers. Discover new content or verify authenticity, authorized through a truly transparent system of attribution. Audius uses blockchain technology to ensure that artists get paid safely & instantly as consumers listen to content. Choose from preexisting license terms or create your own and automate the payments, transfers and issuance of licenses. The benefit for creators includes painless audio publication, plus a Creator Dashboard where musicians sign into their account to view important info like listens, popular geo regions, etc. Get paid royalties on your content in real-time as users listen too. The Audius community can recognize new content that samples from musician's uploads, and then grants you a cut of those sample's royalties too. For music enthusiasts, you may listen immediately to popular content without needing to download additional software plus feel good knowing that all proceeds are going directly to help support your favorite creators. Audius already has many content creators who have agreed to publish their content exclusively to the Audius platform. According to
Techrunch, "Audius plans to launch its open-sourced product in beta later this year. But it's already found some powerful investors that see SoundCloud as vulnerable to the cryptocurrency revolution. Audius has raised a $5.5 million Series A led by General Catalyst and Lightspeed, with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Pantera Capital, 122West and Ascolta Ventures. They're betting that Audius' token will grow in value, making the stockpile it keeps worth a fortune. It could then sell chunks of its tokens to earn revenue instead of charging artists directly." According to Audius CEO Ranidu Lankage, "The biggest problem in the music industry is that streaming is taking off and artists aren't necessarily earning a lot of money. And it can take three months, or up to 18 months for unsigned artists, to get paid for streams. That's what crypto really solves. You can pay artists in near real-time and make it fully transparent."
08 / 10 / 18
Florida Audio Expo Scheduled
For February 8th To 10th At Embassy Suites The Florida Audio Expo
is excited to announce its inaugural show for 2019! This show will be held on Friday February 8th through Sunday February 10th, 2019 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore. The new southeast show seeks to give music lovers the chance to personally audition some of the industry's finest offerings, all taking place in sunny Florida. The show is free to the public. The exhibitor list grows daily, and currently features such prominent brands as Gryphon Audio, LampizatOr, Legacy Audio, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL North America, VAC, and many more. "Florida hasn't had an audio show in a good number of years. We look forward to bringing our speakers and electronics to this culture-rich area of music enthusiasts," said Bill Dudleston, founder of Legacy Audio. "Our mission for creating the Florida Audio Expo was to bring a strong offering to the Southeast market with a fun atmosphere for enjoying musicwe want to celebrate our lifestyle and support the industry in this region," said Bart Andeer, founder of Resolution Acoustics and manager of the Expo's daily operations. "We have been working this idea for a few years, but wanted to find the right venue available at the right time of year, and we believe we have achieved both for the 2019 show. We strongly encourage regional dealers and manufacturers from all over the US who are looking for a new option." The Florida Audio Expo will provide access to incredible sounds, as well as loads of area attractions to do and see. Only a five-minute drive from the Tampa International Airport, the Embassy Suites are close to such local attractions as Busch Gardens, and just an hour's drive from Walt Disney World. Additional benefits for attendees and exhibitors staying at the Embassy Suites include free airport shuttle, free breakfast, and free happy hour. The Embassy Suites, originally built as condominiums, offer a luxury feel and the living suites are acoustically isolatedone of the key reasons this venue was selected. The audio rooms, Marketplace, and headphone/personal audio demo suites will all feature display areas that include a separate bedroom and kitchen, offering exhibitors the added benefit of a multi-purpose room as an interesting and affordable space.
Industry News 15 Years Ago
Hi-Res Audio 24-bit/192kHz Portable Computer Audio Card For Only $199 Core Sound
brings 24-bit/192kHz portable digital recording capability to the masses at the low price of $199 for your portable computer! Core Sound's recording system for PDA, laptop and desktop is centered around their
PDAudio-CF (Type I) Compact Flash card with S/PDIF interface and TosLink optical inputs. PDAudio-CF can be mounted in PDA hosts that run Windows
CE / Pocket PC 2002, Linux, or used with laptop and desktop computers running Linux, Windows 2000 or Windows XP. By using Core Sound's
PDAudio-CF, your computer will be able to record in both single channel and dual channel modes in 16, 18, 20, or 24 bit mode. Data rates include 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192kHz.
PDAudio-CF can also accept DTS, AC-3 and MP3 data streams.
08 / 08 / 18
Qubuz Is Official Hi-Res Music
Streaming Partner During RMAF 2018 Qobuz (pronounced CO-buz), a Paris-based online music streaming and download service for music lovers, has been named the Official High-Resolution Streaming Service for the upcoming
15th Annual Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest
(RMAF), the largest fall season high-end consumer audio show within North America. With the company making its official American launch in October, RMAF is the perfect venue for thousands of high-end audio enthusiasts to experience Qobuz quality. RMAF will be held in Denver at the Denver Marriott Tech Center from Friday, October 5 through Sunday, October 7. Qobuz is the highest resolution music streaming service in the world, providing users with the most in-depth and interactive music experience possible. Qobuz works on Mac iOS, Android, and Windows operating systems, and is already integrated with many of the most prestigious Hi-Fi brands. Subscribers also have access to the company's digital magazine, which is loaded with fascinating articles, music reviews, videos, and exclusive interviews. Thousands of digital booklets and exclusive news, all with expert curation, are always changing, and never dull. "Qobuz is a perfect fit for RMAF," stated Marjorie Baumert, Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest director. "They understand high-resolution streaming like no one else, and they know what music lovers want from such a service. Qobuz is absolutely the go-to site for music lovers to experience high-res audio the way it was meant to be heard. It is changing the online music game! We are thrilled to have them as part of the RMAF family." David Solomon, Qobuz chief Hi-Res
Music evangelist, said "We are thrilled to be chosen as the official high-resolution streaming service for this year's edition of
RMAF. It's a great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to the American high-end audio community. We pledge our full support to this market, and appreciate its dedication to and fervor for this format. We welcome all no matter their genre preference who desire a phenomenal audio experience." Qobuz will be providing exhibitors with access to demo accounts to utilize, which will highlight the audio capabilities of their hardware. Attendees
and other music lovers, will have access to free trial accounts so that they can experience the Qobuz difference.
08 / 07 / 18
23rd Annual Summer Against
Hunger By The Cable Company What if your audio purchase could also make a positive change in the world?
During the month of August up to 100% of very dollar you spend at The Cable Company will be donated to CARE. They have run this program every August for the last 23 years, generating close to $5,000,000 in donations. You might be understandably skeptical, how can ALL the money spent with us be donated, not just a percentage? Put simply, matching grants: The Cable Company's contribution is matched by sponsoring vendors. Combined contribution is then matched by an anonymous donor, and the total is then further matched by an institutional donor. Long story short, 100% of your purchase from any one of our over 70 Sponsoring Brands benefits CARE. For brands not sponsoring, or in the case of used products, CARE will receive at least 50% of the purchase price.
Here's a list of the 100% sponsors: Abyss Headphones Acoustic Signature Acrolink Alpha Design Labs Analysis Plus Aperture Acoustics Audeze Audience Audio Desk Systeme Audio Magic Audio Plus Services AudioQuest Aural Symphonics Backert Labs Bluebird Music Bybee Technologies Cardas Audio Chang Lightspeed Chord Cables Chord Electronics Clearaudio Crystal Cables DH Labs DS Audio Fidelis AV Focal Headphones FoQ Gingko Audio Gutwire Hana Cartridges Harbeth Speakers HRS Harmonic Res Sys Harmonic Technology Herbie's Audio Lab HiFi-Tuning High Fidelity Cables IsoAcoustics JPS Labs Kimber Kable KR Audio Tubes Lotus Group Marigo Audio Michael Green/Roomtune MIT Cables MrSpeakers Musical Surroundings Mytek Oyaide Pranawire PS Audio Purist Audio Design Quadraspire Racks Rega REL Acoustic Subs Rogers High Fidelity Shun Mook Audio Shunyata Research Siltech Cables Sonoma Acoustics Sound Organisation SteinMusic Stillpoints Straightwire Sutherland Engineering Symposium Acoustics Synergistic Research van den Hul Voodoo Cable Wattgate WBT Wireworld Wolf Audio Systems Wywires XLO Electric ZL Technologies.
08 / 06 / 18
Hi-Fi+'s
August Magazine
Features Many High-End Audio Reviews Hi-Fi+
Magazine's August 2018 issue features coverage of the North-West Audio Show
plus an interview with Xuanqian Wang of AURALiC. Reviews within this issue
include Triangle Esprit Australe EZ floorstanding loudspeaker, Kii Three
sandmount active loudspeaker, Sonus faber Amati Homage Tradition, Vivid Kaya 45, Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a, Chartwell Sub3 subwoofer, Totem Acoustic Sky Tower, Monitor Audio Studio, Kuzma CAR-60 MC cartridge, Cleer Next headphones, Simaudio Moon 600i V2 Evolution Series integrated amplifier, Campfire Audio Comet universal-fit earphones, and Shunyata Research Denali D6000/T power conditioning system.
Within his editorial Alan Sircom says
"The loudspeaker, perhaps more than any other part of the audio chain, is the device that has undergone perhaps the biggest changes in recent years. The improvements in the technologies and the materials science in cabinet and driver design, plus the sophistication of the measuring tools available to the designer, have all helped to make the loudspeaker at all price points arguably better than it has ever been."
See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi+ Magazine at this
link.
Hi-Fi World's
September 2018 Issue Features Great Articles And Reviews
Hi-Fi
World's September 2018 issue features a contest for your chance to win a Yamaha A-S801 integrated amplifier worth ฃ799.95!
Reviews within this issue include Martin Logan Impression ESL 11a loudspeakers, Cowon Plenue V portable digital player, Quad Artera Solus all-in-one system, Audiozen Alchemy Reference hybrid integrated amplifier / Audiozen Alchemy PSU, Power Inspired AG1500s AC regenerator, FiiO BTR1 adaptor / Isoacoustics Orea Indigo isolation feet, JVC JA-S11 amplifier, Blue Aura PH1 phono stage, and Paul Rigby reviews an encyclopedia of Motown history.
Within his editorial
Noel Keywood says "What is it about mains supply purity that catches everyone's concerns and imagination? You plug into the wall socket and everything works! Seems perfect. But I guess mains power is the background life blood of modern living that, if it fails, brings a lot to lose. The power into our homes hospitals especially and big business servers (think British Airways and their recent failure) is a source of subliminal angst. This puts the worries of audiophiles into perspective but we have the worries all the same! Or so it seems from all our mail on the subject and the coverage mains conditioning gets on the 'net."
See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi World and read the complete editorial at this link.
08 / 01 / 18
August's Review Magazine
Features Dynaco & VPI World Premiere Reviews Enjoy the
Music.com's August Review
Magazine features three world premiere gear reviews, an abundance of
think pieces about how to, or what to listen to, and of course more
reviews. Before we get into this issue, please allow
us to mention that this issue marks Enjoy the Music.com's Review Magazine
19th year online, and 23rd for the site in general. We're all truly overcome with gratitude for the
wonderful outpouring of efforts from the high-end audio and music
industry!
Many industry experts and critics have brought our worldwide readers a variety of educational articles within this edition of our
Review Magazine. We first have Bobby Owsinski's wisdom as he shares his thoughts on How To Listen Through A Song. Next up is Frederick J. Ampel of Technology Visions Analytics with his article The Art Of Listening and the emotional power of sound. A very special partner magazine article by Douglas Brown of
NOVO HIGH END brings us Sonic Qualities That Audiophiles & Audio Critics Look For In High-End Audio Two-Channel / Stereo Systems. We also bring back an old fave Are You On The Road To... Audio Hell by Leonard Norwitz and Peter Qvortrup. Lastly, our very own Roger Skoff aptly titled article The Music Goes 'Round And 'Round... And It Comes Out Here" talks about the ever-changing music
formats.
World premiere reviews in this issue
includes our assessment of the much-anticipated Dynaco ST-70 Series 3 stereo
vacuum tube amplifier. This 60+ year design once again fulfills David Hafler's promise. We also have a world premiere of VPI Industries' Voyager MM / MC phono stage amplifier and Grail's T5 loudspeakers. To keep this e-mail short, other reviews include EMM Labs' DA2 DAC, ATC CDA2 Mk II CD player, external DAC, headphone amplifier and preamplifier all-in-one, HeadAmp's Gilmore Lite Mk2 Class A headphone amplifier, and we revisit VPI with
a review of their Prime Scout turntable thanks to partner magazine
Headphone.Guru.
WARNING:
Due to our ongoing growth and to keep this industry news posting relatively short in
length, below are just a sampling of the many articles and reviews
within the August issue. You can see everything within this month's edition of Enjoy
the Music.com's Review Magazine at this link.
As always, in the end what really
matters is that you...
High-Performance Audio Reviews
Industry News 15 Years Ago
