Speakers, Microspeakers, and Audio Quality in audioXpress October 2025

Read the report of the 2025 Ohio Speaker Design Competition, immediately followed by a comprehensive Market Update on MEMS Microspeakers. Next up, Steve Hutt and Roger Shively write about Audio System Variance in vehicles, and Thomas Huber and Christoph Apel explain how StreamUnlimited’s StreamAmp Platform can make Speaker Designs Active, Networked, and Connected. Magnus Schäfer (HEAD acoustics) discusses a new MDAQS approach for Cars and Headphones, and Estefanía Cano reviews the Nugen Audio DialogCheck. And much more.

MDAQS or Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score, is a new binaural perception-based software tool that replaces human evaluation with novel metrics in the assessment of audio quality. This is a much needed approach for characterization of headphones, earphones, speakers, and any audio system, including automotive audio designs, researched, documented and validated by audio test and measurement company HEAD acoustics.

ACQUA 5.0.100 is the first iteration of the new generation of the well-established measurement and analysis software ACQUA from HEAD acoustics. ACQUA's significantly reworked software structure provides even greater flexibility for voice and audio quality evaluation, while paving the way for future expansions. Designed for the requirements in applications as diverse as communication systems, Bluetooth, ANC headphones, or smart speakers, ACQUA now supports faster hardware configuration, perceived loudness analysis, and MDAQS audio quality evaluation.