Victrola Now Owns Legendary Audio Brand KLH Audio
Victrola, a leading brand in audio since 1906, and the original manufacturer of the first in-home record player in the US, is now connected to another legendary American brand: KLH Audio. A revered name in high-fidelity loudspeakers, KLH was the company established in 1957 by audio pioneers Henry Kloss, Malcolm S. Low, and Josef Anton Hofmann. Today, Victrola is actually Innovative Technology Electronics, LLC, a Denver-based company that carries on the venerable legacy of the brand in modern turntables, and which now intends to do the same with KLH.
Audio-Technica Launches ATH-R30x Open-Back Headphones
Audio-Technica expanded its brand-new R-Series line of professional open-back headphones with the introduction of the ATH-R30x Open-Back Reference Headphones. First previewed in January 2025 at the NAMM show, this more affordable model joins the ATH-R50x and updated flagship ATH-R70xa, launched earlier. The new Audio-Technica R-Series of open-back headphones offers a more natural, spacious listening experience, ideal for mixing and mastering in a studio or other private space.
Scan-Speak Moves to New Modern Facilities in Herning
After 34 years in Videbæk, speaker manufacturer Scan-Speak is relocating to new modern facilities in Herning, Central Denmark. A move focused on the future, according to sales director Jann U. Evers, the new facilities located approximately half an hour’s drive from the historical headquarters will meet the company’s increasing need for optimized production and logistics. “The time has come to move to more suitable premises!,” says Jann Evers.
Hear the Future. Global Audio Summit 2025, Shanghai, China
Over a period of 10 days, at the end of March 2025, I have visited the vibrant Shanghai region of China following an invitation by the China Audio Industry Association (CAIA) to attend the organization's Global Audio Summit 2025. I have often participated in events promoted by national and international audio industry associations, mostly oriented by scientific, academic, engineering, or trading charters. But this one was one of the most vibrant product development conferences I have ever attended. Here is my report.
Speaker Box Alignments from Numerical Optimization - The Quasi-Chebyshev Alignment
After seeing many speaker designers returning to trial-and-error approaches that seem to forget the historical work and analytical approach, Lars Risbo decided to explore numerical optimization to synthesize attractive alignments both for reflex and passive radiator box types. This reference article basically expands on Claus Futtrup's "Loudspeaker Bass Reflex Alignments" article series published in audioXpress, and expanded with dedicated articles in Voice Coil.
Simulation Techniques: Perturbation Methods in Audio Engineering
Standard simulations are closely tied to the analytical framework much more than the numerical. Simulation software gives insight into physical products that could not be achieved otherwise, often leading to less attention being paid to analytical methods and descriptive mathematical expressions related to the physical application. This article explores an analytical approximation method described as a perturbation approach.
Gentex Closes Acquisition of VOXX International Corporation
As announced on December 18, 2024, Gentex Corporation entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger for Gentex to acquire VOXX International Corporation in an all-cash transaction at a purchase price of $7.50 per share. Now, Gentex announced the successful closing of the deal, with the two NASDAQ-listed companies now trading as one (GNTX). Consumer audio brands Klipsch, Onkyo and Pioneer/Integra are now part of the Gentex portfolio.
Sound Personalization in Audio Products Webinar, April 8
For decades, volume control, treble, and bass, maybe a few EQ preset keys, have been the available options for sound adjustments. Today, personalized sound playback in audio products is becoming increasingly recognized, as is hearing compensation in personal audio products. The Audio Product Development Alliance (APDA) hosts a new live session with Jan Rennies-Hochmuth, Head of Personalized Hearing Systems, Fraunhofer IDMT, to discuss how dynamic hearing profiles enable a new level of individual sound experiences in audio products.
Voice Coil April 2025 Is Your Essential Connection to the Loudspeaker Industry
Voice Coil April 2025 is our Cable and Connector focused edition, and includes an updated vendors directory, plus a special Measurement Microphone Directory. And for this issue, Vance Dickason offers a triple dose of his Test Bench, with the new Beyma CD-314Nd/TI compression driver and horn, the Scan-Speak D2908/716000 TPCD metamodal 1" dome tweeter, and the Wavecor TW030TU03 graphene-coated soft dome tweeter.
NewSound Unveils OTC Hearing Aids with AI Acceleration by Femtosense
NewSound launched its first truly AI-driven over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, powered by Femtosense’s AI Acceleration. With over two decades of expertise, the Chinese hearing aids innovator understood the power of the Femtosense Sparse Processing Unit 001 (SPU-001) for hearing assistance. This purely on-device processor allowed NewSound to launch its first affordable, accessible hearing aids based on Speech Enhancement technology from the Californian company.