Fresh From the Bench: APL Virtuoso v2 Binaural Renderer for Multichannel and Immersive Audio Formats

Originally launched in May of 2023, APL Virtuoso is a culmination of more than 10 years of research into binaural audio and spatial sound, offering users the ability to mix and monitor immersive audio over headphones, without the need for complex loudspeaker setups. The v2 update of APL Virtuoso introduced acoustics emulation and externalization, simulating the experience of listening to loudspeakers in a perfectly tuned room.

This article is a detailed review of the intriguing AVAA C214 Digital Active Bass Absorber from Swiss studio monitor and high-end speaker specialist PSI Audio. The concept is more or less the same as the AVAA C20, which PSI launched in 2017. the first commercially available analog active bass trap. Now, with the AVAA C214, PSI has introduced a digital controlled active bass trap that's better suited to deal with room modes below 150Hz in listening spaces and small studios rooms. For this review, the solution was tried and tested in two different spaces and applications.

With the ARC Studio, IK Multimedia introduced a new DSP market contender for room and speaker correction. The solution combines a processor bundled with the company's ARC MEMS microphone and new ARC 4 software. Although ARC Studio was designed essentially for the home studio, the market served by the Italian company, this review also explores the possibilities for stereo system users, seeking playback chain improvements.

This article revisits 20 years of Room EQ Wizard (REW), one of the mainstays in the audio measurement tool landscape with a strong user base. What started out as a side project for John Mulcahy, the creator and only developer, evolved to become a very complete and useful suite for both enthusiasts and professionals - a comprehensive set of measurement software tools bundled in a free package. This entertaining history of REW is also a fit way to commemorate the software's 20th anniversary.

Automotive systems expert Philipp Paul Klose writes about the vital topic of Evaluation of Automotive Audio Energy Efficiency. This important article addresses an approach to measure energy consumption and efficiency of car audio systems as an essential method for an industry investing in ever more sophisticated technologies and applications. More importantly, the author proposes practical approaches, including standardized test procedures. This article was originally published in audioXpress, June 2022