Focus on Acoustics and the Best in Audio with audioXpress August 2020!

Acoustic science is where everything starts, determining how sound and audio systems behave in practice - and we have made acoustics an integral part of this magazine's mission!

This year's Acoustic Solutions Round-Up introduces several acoustic treatment companies and first-approach acoustic solutions that can be of use in any type of environment, including the home. Apart from new cutting-edge products and solutions, we highlighted products and solutions for everyone to use at home or in a personal workspace. This edition's editorial discusses some key trends for anyone involved in acoustics and trying to get through these particularly challenging times. A good way to kick-off another great issue of audioXpress.

The Acoustic Focus for audioXpress August 2020 is reinforced with a timely article by Jim DeGrandis discussing the important challenges still faced by acoustics professionals when specifying acoustic materials. Specifically, his article discusses the need to update basic lab measurements and test data to improve the accuracy of the advanced design, modeling, and simulation tools that exist today.

Next, Stuart Yaniger reviews the M10 Masters Series Streaming Amplifier from NAD Electronics, a compact but powerful Class-D home audio amplifier and network streamer that surprises positively for multiple reasons. One of those is the integration of the latest Dirac Live room correction technology with Bass Control. The other is the number of versatile features that make it the only item needed for a modern music system, other than speakers.

In his Sound Control column, Richard Honeycutt offers continuous coverage of practical acoustic challenges and approaches. This month, he writes about Testing Acoustical Systems, and details the parameters that require attention during the design, the optimization, the renovation, and the use of acoustical and electroacoustical systems.

And, Gary Galo returns this month with a detailed review of Sound Liaison, a small audiophile label based in The Netherlands, with a unique catalog of high-resolution recordings, building “a bridge (liaison) between the studio (engineer and musicians) and the people who love to listen to beautiful music using high quality audio equipment.” It is a very detailed and enjoyable review that will get you reaching for the label's music.

In between reading submitted contributions for the magazine and his own projects, audioXpress' Technical Editor, Jan Didden, sometimes feels the urge to explore audio topics in-depth. A few years ago, Didden designed a high-voltage delay unit and shared its details in a 2019 audioXpress article. The unit will delay the high-voltage for a tube amp until the heaters are at operating temperature. As so often happens in audio, arguments pro and con raged, without a clear resolution. So Didden found several sources, which he thought were credible, and his article, "The Internal Life of Vacuum Tubes," is the result of his investigations.

For our readers looking for DIY inspiration, George Ntanavaras introduces his APR-17 Aperiodic Loudspeaker. In the first part of the project, Ntanavaras details the build of this compact, two-way loudspeaker with an "aperiodic loading," an open vent filled with resistive material on the front baffle of the enclosure. An aperiodic system is an approach previously explored by many prestigious speaker manufacturers, from Dynaco to Dynaudio and this article explains why.

And for those who enjoy revisiting audio history, Richard Honeycutt offers a treat in his Hollow-State Electronics column.  This month, he revisits the development of the early audio mixers, which are among the most interesting tube circuit designs. Definitely worth checking out!

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