All items tagged with July 2024 (12)

Test Bench: Scan-Speak D3004/606200 Tweeter from Its Illuminator Line

November 6, 2024 by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: Scan-Speak D3004/606200 Tweeter from Its Illuminator Line

The Scan-Speak D3004/606200 is a 1" compact tweeter from its Illuminator Line, and features the new generation of Metamodal TPCD diaphragms. Scan-Speak has been participating in Composite Sound's metamodal development program, and the new D3404 tweeter is the first to be released. It features a low resonance, injection-molded rear chamber, SD-2 neodymium motor, large-roll coated cloth surround, and black anodized machined aluminum faceplate. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 2024.

Test Bench: Scan-Speak 15W/8534T00 Classic Line 5.5" Woofer

October 23, 2024 by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: Scan-Speak 15W/8534T00 Classic Line 5.5" Woofer

This Test Bench characterizes the new Scan-Speak 15W/8534T00 woofer, which fills the gap in the Classic family for a compact high-performance 5.5” (15cm) midbass driver. It is based on the design principles of the popular 18W/8545 continuing the tradition with a slim frame aluminum chassis, Symmetrical Drive (SD) motor system, low loss linear rubber suspension, and updated with a brand-new cone material called Phenomax.

You Can DIY! Designing a Powerful Speech Compressor

October 9, 2024 by Ethan Winer

You Can DIY! Designing a Powerful Speech Compressor

This project describes a dynamic compressor circuit working in reverse. Instead of limiting the maximum volume level of an audio signal, it leaves loud parts alone and instead raises the volume when it’s too soft. The project uses a famous VCA circuit designed by David Blackmer of dbx fame, developed in the 1960s, whose patent expired long ago. The resulting original design is useful for transcribing conference meetings, court reporting, or any other situation where the volume level of recorded speech can vary by a large amount.

The IB4 Bass Reflex Alignment

October 9, 2024 by Claus Futtrup

The IB4 Bass Reflex Alignment

Before computers were broadly available for loudspeaker bass reflex box simulations, engineers relied on "Alignments" for their designs. Such box alignments are typically named after equivalent filter functions that the high-pass response of the box was aligned after — for example, Butterworth (B4) and Bessel (BL4) — to name a few. This article, the third in this series, explores the rarely talked about Inter-Order Butterworth (IB4) alignment, mentioned originally by Richard Small and Neville Thiele.

Hollow-State Electronics: The Orange Valve Tester MKII

September 25, 2024 by Richard Honeycutt

Hollow-State Electronics: The Orange Valve Tester MKII

The Orange Valve Tester MKII is a new microprocessor-controlled testing system from the famous British guitar amplification manufacturer. Featuring greatly improved algorithms with an updated database containing the test results of literally hundreds of new, used, and faulty valves, this MKII tester requires no knowledge of valve theory. A user simply inserts a valve into the correct socket, selects the valve type from the list, and presses the ‘OK’ button. The status of the valve under test is quickly revealed.

Fresh From the Bench: WiiM Amp Integrated Amplifier and Multiroom Audio Streamer

September 18, 2024 by Oliver A.Masciarotte

Fresh From the Bench: WiiM Amp Integrated Amplifier and Multiroom Audio Streamer

In 2023, audioXpress had the chance to review the "low cost and feature packed" WiiM Pro music streamer and was positively impressed. Never one to sit on their hands, this year the folks at Linkplay have gone one step further with an integrated power amplifier. Expanding its series of best-selling audio streamers, the WiiM Amp is a still-affordable design that combines a TI 3255 Class-D audio amplifier and ESS Sabre premium 32-bit DAC and simplifies the whole audio system setup.

Interview: Class-D The Hypex Way - An Interview with Jan-Willem Winters

September 12, 2024 by Ward Maas

Interview: Class-D The Hypex Way - An Interview with Jan-Willem Winters

Recognized as one of the firms that pioneered Class-D amplification, today Hypex is an established manufacturer and OEM supplier. Jan-Willem Winters is the CEO leading the strategy behind the expansion that made Hypex one of the major players in the market for high-quality Class-D amplifiers. He started in R&D in 2010, and loves talking about audio amplification.

ICEpower – An Audio Company That Also Does Amplifiers

August 28, 2024 by Jan Didden

ICEpower – An Audio Company That Also Does Amplifiers

Europe’s Nordic countries have long been the birthplace for high-quality and innovative audio products, particularly excelling at speakers and amplifiers. Located near Copenhagen, ICEpower has traditionally been known as a purveyor of high-performance Class-D amplifiers and associated switch-mode power supplies. The company continues to provide innovative Class-D solutions today, but its scope is now much broader than that, as this report discloses.

Diamond Coatings for Speakers, IEMs, and Headphones

August 21, 2024 by Mike Klasco

Diamond Coatings for Speakers, IEMs, and Headphones

This article explores a fascinating topic that is recurrent in the loudspeaker industry: diamond coatings. As speaker designers look to refine their products' sound quality through diaphragm treatments, there are benefits to be explored from diamond coatings, or more specifically diamond-like-coatings (DLC), which is a process that matured over the last half-century. The industry has now reached a stage where this technology becomes available and viable, particularly for microspeakers.

For the Love of Music: Loudness Normalization

August 21, 2024 by Thomas Lund

For the Love of Music: Loudness Normalization

Wild theories about level normalization "destroying sound" continue to reappear, as if decades of loudness normalization efforts have been for nothing. This article hopes to set the facts straight regarding loudness concepts, standards, and implementation. Loudness normalization not only tremendously improves the listening experience for consumers, but it is also an element in control of sound exposure and prevention of hearing loss.

«
1
2
»