
IMAX and DTS Partner to Launch IMAX Enhanced Program for Home Entertainment
IMAX Corporation and DTS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Corporation, announced a new partnership for the next-generation of home entertainment with the launch of the IMAX Enhanced program. The new certification and licensing program combines the highest-end consumer electronics products with IMAX digitally re-mastered 4K HDR content and DTS audio technologies to offer consumers a new level of quality in immersive sight and sound experiences for the home.

LOUD Audio Confirms the Sale of Iconic EAW Business to RCF
The news was out for a while now, but now it's official. Loud Audio, the parent company of the Mackie brand, has concluded the sale of Eastern Acoustic Works to RCF Group with its headquarters in Reggio Emilia, Italy. LOUD's management has been gradually pulling apart the businesses it acquired in 2017. Now, it was EAW's time. With this acquisition, RCF gains a stronger foothold in the North-American market, while also gaining access to one of the strongest sound reinforcement technology portfolios in the industry.

Pascal Sets New Bar for Power Density in Pro Audio Class-D with L-PRO Series Amplifier Modules
The Summer in Denmark was apparently a busy season and Pascal Audio has been working on very interesting new amplifier modules. The company just releases the new L-PRO2 series amp modules, which provide 50% more power from the same form factor as S-PRO series. As the company details, the new L-PRO2 series represents a new standard in power density for Class-D power amplification, as the world’s smallest 1500 W RMS amp module.
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Technics Launches Two New Direct Drive Turntables in its Reference Class Hi-Fi Lineup
Since Panasonic decided to bring back the Technics brand, there's been no lack of new turntable models introduced. And it seems to be working, because at IFA 2018 Panasonic announced two new models in its Reference Class series using its legendary direct drive motor now redesigned with a coreless double stator and twin rotor. Building upon their impressive heritage, the new SP-10R and SL-1000R intend to provide a new reference point for modern high-fidelity turntable technology.

Qobuz to Preview High-Res Audio Music Streaming and Download Service at CEDIA Expo 2018
In audioXpress we've published several stories about French music streaming provider Qobuz, soon to be launching in the US this Fall. The company claims to be "the world's highest resolution music streaming service," meaning they have more hi-res audio files to download than any other. But the interesting part is their claim that, with the launch in the US, they will be also providing a hi-res streaming option based on FLAC (lossless compression). A world first, which the company will be introducing at CEDIA Expo 2018.

Earin Re-introduces Earin M-2 True Wireless Earphones with Google Assistant
Available in black and white versions, the new Earin M-2 true wireless stereo earphones introduced at IFA 2018 coincide also with a reimagined vision for the Swedish lifestyle brand, harkening back to its entrepreneurial roots. The relaunched M-2's feature improved patented technology and all-new color variances to mark a reset of the iconic earphones that launched the company and, to this day, remain among the smallest and lightest on the market. The Earin M-2 are now available in black and white versions in territories around the globe.

beyerdynamic Doubles Down on Active Noise Cancelling and Personalization at IFA 2018
It was a natural choice for beyerdynamic to use the IFA 2018 show in Berlin to introduce its new corporate image (new redesigned logo and warm colors, orange and brown) but also to introduce its latest premium headphones, the first to combine cutting-edge active noise cancelling and innovative MOSAYC dynamic sound personalization. The new headphones Blue BYRD ANC and LAGOON ANC also bring a fresh take on wireless music pleasure with multiple design features that enhance the overall user experience.

Libre Wireless Technologies Powers New RIVA Wireless Speakers with Latest Amazon Alexa Built-In Features
Libre Wireless Technologies, a leading embedded Wireless Voice/AI development provider, helped Audio Design Experts (ADX) launch the new RIVA Concert and RIVA Stadium speakers, the latest models from RIVA Audio, the company's lifestyle brand. Both speakers are essentially the "voice-enabled" versions of the RIVA Arena and Festival models, launched in 2017 and which already supported voice control with Google Assistant and Chromecast streaming, now with support for Amazon Alexa.

Sound Detection and Recognition Market Expected to Grow at a CAGR of >100% from 2018 to 2023
The sound recognition market is the next growth area for software companies, semiconductor vendors, and those players that are currently dominating the voice recognition market, according to tech analysts SAR Insight & Consulting. After voice recognition become one of the greatest technological achievements in recent years, the market is ripe to leverage many of the same technologies and platforms, this time for smart devices being able to monitor sounds other than human voices, as the tech research firm states.

Blue Introduces Yeti Nano USB Mic for Recording and Streaming
Fresh from the Logitech acquisition announcement, Blue announced a new model to its popular USB Microphone family, now expanded with a compact desktop version that helps today's broadcasters, podcasters and bloggers to easily record and stream with high-quality audio. The new Blue Yeti Nano features two condenser microphone capsules and a 24-bit/48kHz audio interface buil-in with direct output for monitoring without latency. The microphone features selectable cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns and is optimized for voice.