Hearing More: First Impressions from Aalborg, DK

The 2016 Audio Engineering Society (AES) International Conference on Headphone Technology took place August 24-26, 2016, in Aalborg, Denmark, at the Nordkraft building - an old power station converted into a mix of community and events center near the city's new music center, Musikkens Hus. Approximately 160 registered participants had the opportunity to attend more than 40 paper and keynote presentations, while 20 companies promoted demonstrations. One of the most successful AES international conferences ever!

DPA Microphones announced that Kalle Hvidt Nielsen will become the company’s new chief executive officer from September 1, 2016. At this time, Nielsen will succeed interim CEO, Thorsten Reuber, who has managed the company since January 25, 2016. Nielsen comes to DPA Microphones from Topsil Semiconductor Materials A/S, where he has held the CEO position since 2011. Previously, Nielsen occupied CEO positions at Bang & Olufsen A/S and Brüel & Kjær Sound & Vibration Measurement A/S.

Bang Olufsen has appointed Henrik Clausen as new CEO with effect from July 1, 2016. Henrik Clausen replaces Tue Mantoni who some time ago initiated a dialogue with the Board of Directors about his long term commitment as CEO once certain important projects had been completed. The Danish company declared that negotiations for a potential takeover from Chinese shareholder Sparkle Roll have terminated without effect.

For 2016, our annual Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook (LIS 2016) directory has gained an entirely new dimension. The online directory was updated and contains complete listings and category indexes, which make this annual publication such an invaluable resource for the industry. In this edition, readers will also find a complete series of must-read articles for anyone in the audio industry: feature articles, industry reports, and company profiles, as well as our annual query about the state of the industry, with contributions from distinguished market executives and professionals.

Loudspeaker manufacturers are constantly trying to refine the wireless speaker concept for home applications, introducing new designs and more integrated features for both all-in-one or networked system use. Bang & Olufsen started from scratch for its latest project. The new BeoSound 35 is probably the epitome of all-in-one wireless music systems, generating a wide staged sound experience at home.

BnO Gold has made a collection of Bang & Olufsen products that consists of a breathtaking total of 192 kilograms of fine gold. Retail price will be at 17,4 million dollars. Why? To better serve the “extreme wealthy true connoisseurs and design enthusiasts”, they say.

Designed by the Frackenpohl Poulheim agency and engineered by Bang & Olufsen, the new BeoLab 90 is the most innovate loudspeaker ever introduced by the Danish company. The surprising and powerful digital loudspeaker celebrates Bang & Olufsen’s first 90 years with impressive new concepts. As they say “It will not be for everybody, but it will be for the right somebody.”

What are my two cents on criteria for sustainable product design? Bioplastics, sustainable, biodegradable, or end of life recyclable attributes are all aspects of a truly green product. I think that a conscionable green design philosophy focuses on the total integration of “good citizen” eco-friendly materials and processes and long, useful life.

Harman International Industries, the worldwide market leader in car audio announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Bang & Olufsen Automotive car audio business. Bang & Olufsen sound systems are available in a wide range of Audi, Aston Martin, BMW and Mercedes-Benz car models.

Full integration and IP control directly in Bang & Olufsen products and compliance with Internet of Things (IoT) was the focus for Bang & Olufsen’s participation at the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2015 show in Amsterdam. The upgraded BeoLink Gateway connects Bang & Olufsen’s own TVs and audio equipment with third-party devices and home automation systems.