Getting to True (and Non-Captive) Wireless Stereo

Wireless stereo earbuds are super-convenient but are locked into proprietary solutions. Consumer-friendly solutions need to be interoperable. In the world of wireless earbuds we fairly quickly recognized, after Apple introduced AirPods, that earbuds connected by a strap were truly unconvincing in their claim to be truly wireless. Why did those other products even start with a strap? Mostly to keep power consumption down and to synchronize between left and right speakers, both of which become trickier if the speakers are really unconnected.

In my previous report on IBC 2018, I addressed some key technology trends from the IBC show in Amsterdam (September 13-18, 2018), in the perspective of audio technology, content production, and distribution. Of course, on the backbone of all the tremendous changes that are currently happening in the media business, broadcast, and professional production, the topic of audio-over-IP (AoIP) and the ongoing transition to fully IP-enabled operations in all platforms - traditional linear television, radio (digital, hybrid, virtual, etc.), and new over-the-top and on-demand streaming services - is front and center.

The IBC show is always an important event to remind us of some key perspectives having to do with audio technology, content production, and distribution, which are at the core of our interests. Just like music is now predominantly available on streaming services, radio and television content are now being distributed over the Internet, while movies and lots of other content is available directly to all of us in multiple platforms and services. This article was published originally in The Audio Voice newsletter.

CEDIA Expo is the annual show created by and for the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA), founded 20 years ago to advocate home technology, promoting training/certification, business, and the industry in general. The event was held September 4-8, 2018 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA. Nora Wong and Mike Klasco report from the show floor.

Wireless headsets and earbuds, those lightweight, untethered truly wireless devices to listen to your playlist or a conference call, are a fast-growing consumer trend for good reason. Who enjoys untangling the cable they stuffed in their pocket or having wires dangling around their head? Wireless delivers – no cables, no tangles and no tumbling earphones (although claims that a cord connecting the earbuds still counts as “wireless” clearly came as a surprise to many consumers).

With IFA fully occupying two exhibition areas, Europe's giant trade show for Consumer and Home Electronics was indeed a busy time for all technology companies and certainly for many of the key development platform vendors. Appropriately, this year's Home Appliances@IFA celebrated its 10th anniversary, reinforcing somehow what is already recognized as the largest world show for Electric Appliances.

Over the years, audioXpress and Voice Coil magazines have published several company profiles on speaker manufacturers. In 2015, a book was published to celebrate 100 years of the loudspeaker and, in particular, the remarkable contributions of the Danish loudspeaker industry (audio and electronics industry in general is the fourth largest exporting industry in Denmark). This is a valuable book that anyone interested about the loudspeaker industry needs to read.

While Movie theaters are investing millions to upgrade their sound systems to deliver the best possible immersive audio experiences, there is a new company that thinks that you should wear headphones while watching the movie... And they are not selling the headphones. SoundFi is a new "in-theater" mobile app designed to provide 3D binaural audio on headphones, and their new technology is being showcased during the theatrical release of Columbia Pictures' The Equalizer 2 at participating cinemas in LA.

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is officially moving to Barcelona in 2021. The news was confirmed anticipating a scheduled formal press event to signal the agreement between Integrated Systems Events (the promoter of ISE), the Ajuntament de Barcelona (city council), the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the Fira de Barcelona. The official presentation ceremony took place at the Barcelona historical Saló de Cent, or the Great Hall of the City Council, on July 19.

With InfoComm 2018 already behind us, it's time to look forward, when the very first edition of the Association of Loudspeaker Manufacturing & Acoustics International (ALMA International) Symposium & Expo (AISE 2019), will take place June 9 & 10, 2019, at the Double Tree by Hilton Universal, concurrent with InfoComm 2019, which will be held June 8-14, 2019, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Precisely because of that, we thought it would be fit to properly remember AISE 2018, the last edition which was held this year for the last time in Las Vegas, just before CES.