Everything That's Audio in audioXpress December 2023

audioXpress December 2023 includes a market overview of multiroom audio, Brent Butterworth writes about new ways to measure ANC earbuds, and Stuart Yaniger measured the new Axign and GaN Systems Class-D audio amplifier board. Richard Honeycutt writes about tubes, BJTs, JFETs, MOSFETs, and ICs, and Dimitri Danyuk, discusses JFETs in audio circuits. Douglas Self explains how to optimize variable-frequency tone controls, and Jan Didden shares his eDD direct-drive amplifier project.

Longstanding audioXpress author Gary Galo reviews the latest Sumiko Olympia and Wellfleet phono cartridges, and RS78 78 rpm stylus. The new RS78 is Sumiko's first 78 rpm solution, meeting the needs of many vintage recording enthusiasts and can be installed on many of the brand's cartridges. In this review, Gary discusses the merits of these versatile and high-quality cartridges while exploring his personal collection of 78 rpm recordings. This article was originally published in audioXpress, October 2022.

Weiss Engineering launched a firmware update for its Weiss DAC502 and DAC501, D/A converters with DSP, and the dedicated DSP501 and DSP502 DSP and network renderer models. With that update, unveiled in July 2021, the Swiss company introduced advanced Headphone EQ profiles for selected Audeze models. The Californian headphone manufacturer now recommends it as "the perfect combination for mastering engineers and producers."

Following availability in the European market, Pro-Ject has confirmed the launch in the North-American market of a series of new phono products and accessories. Topping the list is the new Phono Box RS2, a fully balanced, fully discrete, reference class phono preamp with an MSRP of $1999. This new MM & MC capable true dual mono design offers a unique continuously variable input impedance loading and channel balance control to match every cartridge to 100% (adjustment even while playing).