Fresh From the Bench: Sennheiser AMBEO Immersive Soundbar Raising the Bar

The Sennheiser AMBEO soundbar is a sophisticated multi-speaker integrated home cinema sound system, created in collaboration with Fraunhofer IIS to be one of the world’s best soundbars. It is a single all-in-one device that is able to generate a convincing immersive soundfield from home entertainment sources that are able to render object-based audio formats such as Dolby Atmos or MPEG-H, from movies, games, music, or TV content. And this is because the large size soundbar offers 13 high-end drivers, a frequency response down to 30 Hz, and even ships with a measurement microphone for room calibration. This article was originally published in audioXpress, June 2020.

AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) 2019 took place April 12-14 at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel. In this report for audioXpress, Masciarotte spent three days traversing multiple hotel floors packed with listening rooms, which this year included 50 new exhibitors, and writes about all the product highlights in most categories, from speakers to headphones, electronics and the traditional oddities. This article was originally published in audioXpress, August 2019.

Oliver Masciarotte and Stuart Yaniger tested Cambridge Audio’s Edge series power amplifier, the Edge W, which the British manufacturer introduced in 2018 as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. audioXpress submitted this design, which claimed to be the culmination of the brand’s audio engineering expertise, to extensive listening and measurement sessions. This article was originally published in audioXpress, January 2020.

In this speaker review, Oliver Masciarotte and Kent Peterson (of Warkwyn) listen, measure, and listen again to the PureAudioProject Trio15 Heil AMT speaker system. This is a fascinating modular system, in this case designed using an ESS 6" Air Motion Transformer (AMT) and two Eminence 15" drivers, specifically optimized for use in open-baffle applications. This article was originally published in audioXpress, September 2019.

2018 was another record-breaking year for audioXpress.com with visits and users doubling the figures compared to our record year in 2016. Want to know which of the topics and stories published online in 2018 were the most popular? We looked at the most-read articles of 2018 in audioXpress.com (which also includes selected articles from Voice Coil magazine), and we created this Top 10 list of news stories and online articles. Here are the results!

Originally published in audioXpress July 2018, we are now making available online the complete Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) 2018 Show Report, with all the details about the best sounding rooms and ultimate high-end gear from the Chicago, IL, show. AXPONA is one of the largest high-end audio shows in North America - and with the full potential to become the largest, thank to excellent facilities provided by the new Schaumburg Convention Center and Renaissance hotel.

In this article, published by audioXpress in December 2017, Oliver Masciarotte explores the Naim Mu-so Qb Wireless Music System, with its stunning design, glass-filled polymer casing, and the same clever digital brain as the original Mu-so. Is this indeed a model for what complete wireless integrated audio systems can do? Kent Peterson (Warkwyn) puts the Mu-so Qb to the test confirming that the device sounds as good as it looks. This article was originally published in audioXpress, December 2017.

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) took place once again in Denver, CO, from October 6–8, 2017. This was the perfect event to hear the trends and experience new products. This year, the Denver Marriott Tech Center had completed the renovations that affected last year's RMAF edition, and it seems that everyone was happier with the show, from exhibitors to visitors. Oliver Masciarotte explains what impressed him at the show in this full report, which audioXpress included in its January 2017 edition.

In this report for audioXPress, Oliver A. Masciarotte’s provides his personal perspective as he explores the most interesting new products at The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) 2016. In his Show Report from Denver, CO, Masciarotte finds headphones and earbuds, wired and wireless solutions, new digital players, DACs, amplifiers, speakers and much more. This article was originally published in audioXpress, January 2017, and is now available online.

In this article, part of audioXpress’ “Acoustics in Focus” August 2016 edition, Oliver Masciarotte explores one of the newest companies in the acoustical treatment domain, already making a splash in the global market. Artnovion, was founded in 2015 by acoustical engineer and visionary entrepreneur, Jorge Castro, just one of the three ventures he founded in Paços de Ferreira, the furniture capital of Portugal. This article was originally published in audioXpress, August 2016.