Amazon Unveils Next Generation Echo Show 8, All-New Echo Hub, and New Echo Frames
Remember smart speakers? Apparently Amazon doesn't want to. At that time of the year when traditionally Amazon would introduce the latest models of its Echo smart speakers, this year the company only announced a new smart display, the next generation Echo Show 8 with an upgraded processor, spatial audio, and a built-in smart home hub. And for those who don't even want the speaker, Amazon introduced a new Echo Hub, a smart home control panel. Amazon did expand on the audio glasses category, with two ugly frames that are said to have a long-lasting battery.
Re-engineered Soundboks 4 Delivers Enhanced Sound Quality and Extended Battery
And the world's most powerful party speakers are back with more. The leading Danish lifestyle party speakers company just announced the re-engineered Soundboks 4 speaker. The new Soundboks 4 was engineered to outperform the growing plastic-speakers with ugly LEDs of the competition, and now offers improved sound quality at any volume and is paired with industry-leading battery technology, all wrapped in a customizable, durable build with an easy-to-use Scandinavian design.
Test Bench: The SB29SDNC-C000-4 29mm Compact Neo Cloth Dome Tweeter from SB Acoustics
This Test Bench characterizes the SB29SDNC-C000-4 29mm cloth dome tweeter from SB Acoustics, a shielded neodymium motor driver with a compact 72mm diameter injection-molded face plate and large surround, featuring a copper cap shorting ring on the pole piece, internal pressure equalization, and a flow resistor for non-resonance cavity coupling. Another characterization of the innovative tweeter designs launched by Sinar Baja, developed by Ulrik Schmidt and Frank Nielsen at Danesian Audio.
Simulation Techniques: Misconceptions in the Audio Industry
In this fascinating article about common sound theory misconceptions that exist in the audio and hifi communities, René Christensen debunks three of them. Starting with group delay and phase delay, what actually happens when a loudspeaker driver moves outward and inward, and the effects of polarity and phase flip. True reference material with detailed mathematical expressions and numerical analysis. This article was originally published in audioXpress, June 2023.
Garmin Completes Acquisition of JL Audio
As anticipated in early August 2023, Garmin announced it has completed the acquisition of JL Audio, the privately-held US company that designs and manufactures audio solutions including speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers and other audio components for marine, aftermarket automotive, powersports, home and RV applications. The acquisition was intended to add premium audio integration solution across a broad range of Garmin markets and products.
LG Expands webOS Strategy and Partnerships During Software Developer Conference 2023
LG shared its new direction and strategy at the webOS Partner Summit 2023, held at the LG Sciencepark in Seoul, South Korea, and attended by content producers, providers, developers, and industry figures from over 30 countries. LG also promoted its LG Software Developer Conference (SDC) 2023, a two-day event to facilitate communication with professional software developers. And LG USA announced a call for participation in a landmark smart TV hackathon, featuring its webOS TV Developers’ platform.
Echo Test + Measurement Announces Enhanced Support for National Instrument's LabVIEW Software
Echo Test + Measurement, the manufacturer of the AIO Test System family of modular, soundcard based, audio test hardware, announced enhanced support for National Instrument's LabVIEW software. LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment engineers use to develop automated research, validation, and production test systems. The Enhanced LabVIEW Virtual Instruments is now available, supporting 64-bit LabVIEW 2023.
Bose Updates All QuietComfort ANC Headphones and Earbuds
In a subdued and terribly timed announcement - more than one week after the closing of the largest consumer electronics show, and hitting right on Apple iPhone launch week - Bose unveiled a complete refresh of its iconic QuietComfort active noise cancellation headphones and earbuds. The new QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, and the QuietComfort Headphones, are three completely updated iterations of the brand's leading products.
Knowles Announces "Exploration of Strategic Alternatives" for Consumer MEMS Microphones Segment
Knowles Corporation, a leading global supplier of high performance components and solutions, including ceramic capacitors and radio frequency filters, advanced microphones and balanced armature speakers and audio solutions, announced an agreement to acquire Cornell Dubilier, a manufacturer of high-quality film, electrolytic and mica capacitors for $263 Million. At the same time it announced the intention to explore "strategic alternatives" for its consumer MEMS microphones business.
Lenbrook Acquires MQA, Patents, and Audio Codecs
Lenbrook Corp., the privately-owned Canadian audio company that owns NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, Bluesound, Bluesound Professional, and BluOS, has acquired the assets of UK-based company MQA. The deal adds significant audio patents and codecs to Lenbrook’s IP portfolio, including MQA's high-resolution audio encoding and the latest SCL6 Scalable Codec for wireless audio applications, which is implemented in the upcoming line of PSB headphones and earbuds.