In this edition of audioXpress, Oliver Masciarotte explores the Naim Mu-so Qb Wireless Music System, with its stunning design, glass-filled polymer casing, and the same clever digital brain as the original Mu-so. Kent Peterson (Warkwyn) puts the Mu-so Qb to the test confirming that the device sounds as good as it looks. Is this a model for what complete wireless integrated audio systems can do?Continuing our Audio Praxis Amplifier Series, looking at the latest technologies and Class-D amplification platforms, Ward Maas writes about Axign, a new company from The Netherlands, founded by former Philips and NXP employees who worked on the pioneering Class-D efforts. Established in 2014, their efforts have resulted in the development of a Class-D audio amplifier controller chip that uses a digital control loop with feedback behind the output filter, across the loudspeaker terminals. It requires a digital input signal and suppresses all artifacts with a fifth-order digital feedback loop. audioXpress visited the company to find out more and to receive a demo.
Next up, we discuss a different approach to acoustics, where the main goal is to provide the best listening environment for dipolar and multi-directional speakers such as omnis and even directed radiation patterns for specific purposes. In "Educated Reflections," Gary Eickmeier explains why eliminating reflections leave these speakers out, and how he developed a completely different approach, enhancing the results with “speakers that are renowned for their spaciousness, depth, and 3D imaging.”
And as an appropriate follow-up, our expert speaker builder Ken Bird provides a DIY project for an Omni-Directional Coaxial Tower. This project, featuring Goldwood 8004 drivers from Parts Express, describes a simple and versatile approach to omni-directional speakers, which are now witnessing a revival. As Bird points out, "room acoustics and placement can affect the perceived sound and, in most instances, you don't have to be in a sweet spot to enjoy the music with an omni-directional system."
And audioXpress December 2017 also includes an exciting interview with the leading expert in the field of sound reproduction, Floyd Toole. After a brilliant professional career in acoustical and psychoacoustical research at the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), and Harman, Floyd Toole is now dedicated to sharing his knowledge with others. In this interview, Toole discusses why he is still not happy with the lack of standards in the loudspeaker industry, and why he thinks that “loudspeaker transducers have certainly improved over the decades, but I see the next necessary step in sound quality as active loudspeakers with dedicated DSP.”
On our monthly acoustics column, Richard Honeycutt writes an important piece about the "Progress on Calculating Edge Effect of Acoustical Absorption." As he explains, the article explores new methods to calculate the edge effect of acoustical absorption and the research behind these methods.
And for our many readers who enjoy spending time in their home studios or actually do some commercial work, Fernando Rodrigues examines some of the available software audio editors on the market. In the first part of a complete Audio Editors Roundup, we look at what makes pure audio editing software different from those complex and more expensive Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). The series, examines the current state-of-the-art audio editors, together with some budget tools and even free software. In this first round-up we look at: Steinberg Wavelab; Acon Digital Acoustica; and DSP-Quattro.
In our other two monthly columns, Ron Tipton concludes his series on Vinyl vs. CD, looking at second harmonic to fundamental energy ratios for several different playback setups, while Honeycutt's Hollow-State Electronics column reveals all the details of the Bolger bass amplifier circuit, using triode stages to limit the maximum signal fed to the tone module and to the power amplifier module.Those are just some of this edition's highlights, which also features great objective reviews, including the SS-1 Microphone Preamp from The Simply Sound Company, carefully measured and tested by Stuart Yaniger, and more... Don't delay! audioXpress December 2017 is now ready to access and download online. Just visit: www.gotomyxpress.com
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