All items written by audioXpress Staff
Smart Home Devices to Exceed 100 Million Shipments in 2018
January 11, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Smart Home Devices to Exceed 100 Million Shipments in 2018

The Consumer Electronics (CE) Team at Futuresource Consulting recently published the latest findings from its World Wide Smart Home industry report, which forecasts nearly 110 million smart home devices will be shipped worldwide in 2018. This equates to a retail value of almost $17 billion and demonstrates strong growth in both volume and value. Security and monitoring, followed by climate control and smart speakers are the dominating categories.
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Blue Introduces Ember XLR Condenser Microphone for Professional Recording
January 11, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Blue Introduces Ember XLR Condenser Microphone for Professional Recording

The second product to be introduced by Blue Microphones since the company's acquisition by Logitech, Ember is a new XLR microphone in a streamlined form factor that delivers clear, detailed sound with a tight cardioid pickup pattern that reduces background noise. Unveiled at CES 2019, the new condenser microphone was designed for vocals and instruments and Blue promotes it an ideal solution for music recording applications, capturing professional sound for video production, on-camera applications or live-streaming.
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Audient Introduces Sono Amp Modeling Recording Interface with Tube Preamp Stage
January 11, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Audient Introduces Sono Amp Modeling Recording Interface with Tube Preamp Stage

Audient has teamed up with leading cab simulation pioneers, twonotes audio engineering to present Sono, an audio interface with a tube guitar preamp stage for guitarists and musicians, featuring powerful modeling capabilities. The combination provides countless tonal options for guitarists, whether they're recording, practicing or playing live. The integrated DSP runs the modeling without latency, with external software only used to configure the multiple simulations.
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Consumer Technology Association Forecasts US Tech Revenue to Reach Record $398 Billion in 2019
January 10, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Consumer Technology Association Forecasts US Tech Revenue to Reach Record $398 Billion in 2019

Artificial intelligence (AI) and fast connectivity – critical ingredients for the next era of category leaders such as smartphones, smart home devices and smart speakers – will drive the U.S. consumer technology industry to a record-breaking $398 billion in retail revenues ($301 billion wholesale) in 2019 and 3.9 percent year-over-year (YOY) growth, which includes streaming services revenue, according to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). A record growth anticipating the introduction of 5G smartphones and 8K TVs in 2019.
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Design, Build, and Have Fun with audioXpress February 2019!
January 10, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Design, Build, and Have Fun with audioXpress February 2019!

audioXpress February 2019 is now available online and in the mail to all subscribers and will be distributed at the Winter NAMM show 2019 in Anaheim, CA. And to match the exciting environment, we reviewed the new d:vote 4099 CORE Instrument Microphone from DPA Microphones, visit Pascal to learn more about its pro audio amplifier modules, explore transformer-coupled balanced output circuits, and much more. There's even a DIY project for a disc recording stereo head. Really. A must read!
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Development Kit for Amazon AVS Supports Far-field Voice Interaction with Multiple Microphone Array Options
January 10, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Development Kit for Amazon AVS Supports Far-field Voice Interaction with Multiple Microphone Array Options

Microchip Technology, via its Microsemi Corporation subsidiary, announced that its AcuEdge ZLK38AVS Development Kit for Amazon Alexa Voice Service (AVS) now introduces far-field voice pick up and the flexibility to build devices with multiple mic array configurations. The audio front-end solution with one, two and three mic configurations reduces bill of materials costs while addressing the requirements of small-form-factor designs.
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Sonarworks Redefines Music Experience for Mobile Devices with Updated Mobile App
January 9, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Sonarworks Redefines Music Experience for Mobile Devices with Updated Mobile App

Pioneering audio calibration software company Sonarworks has announced the launch of its new Sonarworks True-Fi mobile app at CES 2019. The updated mobile app, which provides audio calibration references on both iOS and Android for nearly 300 headphone models, has already launched in ‘early access’ and will be available for purchase later this year in the App Store and Google Play at a price of $3.99 USD per month, or as a lifetime license for $99 USD. Existing Sonarworks users who already own the desktop version will be provided a free upgrade option to a lifetime license for the mobile app.
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SEAS Expands In-House Production and Announces Extreme Subwoofer Series
January 9, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

SEAS Expands In-House Production and Announces Extreme Subwoofer Series

SEAS Fabrikker, celebrating its 70th anniversary in the audio industry, is investing to revitalize and improve all its production and has moved part of its manufacturing from Taiwan to Norway. SEAS highly acclaimed subwoofers series has now moved to its new production line in Moss, Norway. With this transition, SEAS launched its new Extreme subwoofer series, starting with the XM001-04 model already announced in July 2018, and now complemented with the XM004-04 L26ROY, all now exclusively manufactured at their new in-house facilities.
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Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Available from May 2019
January 8, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Available from May 2019

Immersive 5.1.4 sound and deep bass that has to be heard to be believed: Sennheiser’s new AMBEO Soundbar will be available from May 2019. Created by Sennheiser in collaboration with the Fraunhofer IIS to be one of the world’s best soundbars, the AMBEO Soundbar places the listener inside the sound experience with incredible realism, delivering 3D sound that blurs the line between playback and reality from a single all-in-one device.
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Harman Introduces JBL 4312G Studio Monitor at CES 2019
January 8, 2019 by audioXpress Staff

Harman Introduces JBL 4312G Studio Monitor at CES 2019

At CES 2019, Harman introduced the JBL 4312G studio monitor, another modern take on the classic JBL loudspeaker line - which seems to be the trend for the consumer side of the brand in the last two years. Crafted in the mold of the legendary 4310/4311 family, and the more recent 70th Anniversary 4312SE, the 4312G is said to deliver “thundering, clear bass, with crystalline and precise highs, even at the highest listening levels.” We are not sure those would be the arguments that would persuade us to invest in the vintage concept of this high-performance studio monitor.
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