
High End Speaker Manufacturer Scan-Speak Joins Sound Hub Denmark
Celebrating more than 50 years of innovation in Denmark, Scan-Speak is the latest company to announce its direct support to Sound Hub Denmark. The international sound technology and innovation hub has now also attracted the attention of one of the most respected loudspeaker transducer developers and manufacturers. Proud of its Danish heritage, Scan-Speak understands the potential for this sound innovation cluster.

Neumann Introduces v 402 State-of-the-Art Microphone Preamplifier
German studio specialist Neumann.Berlin unveiled the V 402, a state-of-the-art dual-channel microphone preamplifier with integrated headphone monitoring and DI inputs with high impedance. Designed to be a center piece for recording stages in any current studio environment, the V 402 translates the best possible result out of any microphone, in fully transparent manner, without unwanted colorations.

Sound Particles Allows Adding Air to All Sounds
Sound Particles, that unique audio software company that uses physics, and real acoustic representations of tridimensional spaces as a sound canvas, has now made its Air plugin available for individual purchase. Previously bundled as the "Doppler + Air" audio plugin package, Air allows adding depth and distance to any sounds, sounding like actual acoustics and not as a digital effect. This is great for Sound Effects, since studios can "position" any dry library sound. No need to record everything all over again.

Successful Smart Speakers and Voice-Enabled Products Free Webinar - Thursday, July 9
The recently launched Audio Product Education Institute (APEI) is promoting a free introductory webinar focused on Interactive Voice Products, intended to share real world experiences in voice integrated product development. APEI's first online event - July 9, 4:00PM — 6:00PM Eastern Daylight Time - is the first in a roadmap that will also address Supply Chain and Sourcing, Modeling and Measurement, Product Management, The Legal World, and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

Solgaard HomeBase Wireless Charging Plus Audio Amplifier and Speaker Launched on Kickstarter
Sustainable consumer goods startup, Solgaard, until now focused mostly on (great) luggage and bags, now unveiled a new ecosystem of products, the HomeBase, Solar Boombox, and Solar Juicepack. Now being promoted on Kickstarter and raising nearly $75,000 in crowdfunding revenue within just twelve hours (fully funded in four hours), the new concept is a well-designed Qi wireless and USB-C charging base, complemented with a solar power bank and a portable speaker, all using upcycled ocean plastic materials.

Microsoft Licenses xHE-AAC Audio Codec Software from Fraunhofer IIS
Fraunhofer IIS announced the licensing of its xHE-AAC and MPEG-D DRC software implementation to Microsoft Corp. Consumer devices powered by the latest Android, and Apple operating systems all support the most efficient AAC codec with mandatory MPEG-D DRC loudness and dynamic range control metadata – delivering a seamless streaming experience on any device in any environment. A rapidly growing number of platforms and playback devices already support xHE-AAC decoding natively, and now Microsoft can join the improved experience.

OBO Pro.2 Launches New Line of Full-Range Liquid Silicone Rubber Micro Speakers
OBO Pro.2’s new full-range liquid silicone rubber (LSR) micro speakers are designed for next generation earphones, wearables, and other electronic devices. These speakers feature a highly precise, customizable, and durable LSR speaker surround. OBO Pro.2’s LSR know-how and complete micro speaker value chain allow for a precision product at a competitive price.

Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook 2020. Now Available Online!
In the best annual tradition of the Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook, the 2020 edition contains updated company listings and so much more. In this edition, readers will find several must-read articles from some of the finest industry leaders, interviews with audio professionals on trending industry topics, and our annual industry reports about the state of the industry. Now online!

UWB Alliance and FiRa Consortium Start Working Together to Accelerate the Development and Adoption of UWB Technology
To better support and strengthen the adoption of Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, the two existing supporting organizations, UWB Alliance and the FiRa Consortium have established a joint liaison agreement to align their ideas and get their act together. This liaison will provide the two organizations with guiding principles to ultimately achieve the common goal of creating a UWB-enabled ecosystem and supporting use of UWB technology, which could be an important enabler in critical health and safety, personal networks or smart home applications.

Dirac and Klipsch Collaborate to Enhance the Next Generation of Headphone Audio Performance
Swedish sound pioneer Dirac and Klipsch, the famous consumer audio brand and a VOXX International company, are partnering to integrate Dirac’s sound optimization software and latest digital audio solutions into Klipsch’s upcoming generation of earphones. The partnership highlights the growing market trend for headphone manufacturers to increasingly leverage premium digital audio software to level-up their hardware performance.