Meeting Supply for Vacuum Tubes - Time to Save Those Tubes?

The situation in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia are having a significant impact on the global supply of tubes to the audio industry. Both Ukraine and Russia are important suppliers of raw materials, and the sanctions are likely to cause further strain over the supply of source materials that all manufacturers of tubes need. In China there are also significant disruptions caused by pandemic lockdowns, transportation challenges, and cost increases. How many tube manufacturing operations remain viable? Western Electric says there is hope... in the US!

Sony Electronics announced that its LSPX-S2 Glass Sound Speaker is now available for the first time in the United States. This unique and elegant portable home speaker produces calming ambient illumination. Its glass cylinder combines with an aluminum base that evokes old gas fixtures, where in fact is the actual speaker part, generating omnidirectional sound, enhanced by the vibrations resonating in the glass structure. An ideal and unique combination for home listening in special moments.

Mike Klasco explains the evolution of speaker cone materials, from paper to the first experiments in plastics and finally to Polypropylene (PP), which became the preferred resin sheet material for thermoformed speaker cones. The article also discusses recent trends in woven composite cone fabrication. This article was published in Voice Coil, February 2014.

The technology development consultancy Redux Labs has unveiled what they believe to be the industry’s thinnest soundbar. It uses the company’s SurfaceSound technology to drive the sound from a 1.2m panel of Corning Gorilla Glass and deliver very high quality audio (equivalent to $1k soundbars on the market today) with a sleek look and at a significantly lower pricepoint.