Schiit Audio Introduces Mimir Affordable DAC and Digital Preamp

Schiit Audio recently surprised with the introduction of its Forkbeard wireless control and monitoring solution, which the manufacturer is now expanding to more products. The latest example is the Mimir, a new affordable USB DAC that debuts a Forkbeard-controlled preamp functionality and is also the company’s first to feature what they call a Mesh filter, implemented on a standard ESS Sabre chip.

Bowers & Wilkins announced its all-new premium active noise-cancelling wireless headphones. The renowned British audio brand has a long-established pedigree in the manufacture of reference-quality loudspeakers and gradually established a solid reputation also in category-defining headphones, from the original P5 of 2010 to the Px7 S2e of 2023. The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones are a comprehensively re-imagined design benefiting also from Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon Sound platform.

Officially unveiled to the world in September 2025, Sennheiser has announced that it will commence shipments of its Spectera wideband wireless ecosystem from April 25, 2025. Spectera is based on Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS) broad bandwidth technology, offering the ability to densely pack many audio channels within a six to ten megahertz (MHz) radio frequency band, and meeting the regulatory goals around the globe for the use of available spectrum.

A new software development company headquartered in The Netherlands, Sound on Digital is the latest name to join the Ravenna audio-over-IP partner community. Founded by a team of developers with experience in audio networking and programming, Sound on Digital recently announced the availability of RavennaKit, a new Software Development Kit (SDK) for implementing audio-over-IP technology into new products.

In both enterprise and consumer audio, a profound transformation is underway. Devices that once passively transmitted sound are now becoming intelligent, adaptive, and context-aware. Apple’s latest AirPods 4, with their AI-enhanced features, have elevated mainstream awareness of what premium audio can feel like — personalized, immersive, and effortless.

This article is another great contribution by Claus Futtrup, this time with direct support from Jeff Candy, the two creators of Speakerbench, the free to use web-based application for low-frequency analysis and design of loudspeakers. Another follow-up article for the Bass Reflex Alignments article series that was published in audioXpress and Voice Coil, this time, the authors discuss the important Quasi-Alignment Families where the fundamental idea is trying to approach a roll-off similar to the Butterworth B4 alignment (a maximally flat response) but compatible with real systems for which the driver Qt will not allow a true B4 alignment.

This deep dive article from Alex Bonnet and Eric Benhaim - Orosound’s acoustics technical lead and chief technology officer, respectively - offers a unique perspective of the challenges associated with the increasingly popular open ear form factors. Extensively familiar with product implementation challenges, the two authors address the specificities of loose-fit and open-ear designs, and the potential of AI-based ANC technology for the future of hearables.

Sonical, the Headphone 3.0 pioneer and creator of the headphone operating system CosmOS, based in San Mateo, CA, launched a WeFunder campaign, inviting everyone to join the company's movement to redefine wearable audio technology. "We’re not just creating another audio device — Sonical is revolutionizing the way we experience sound, combining groundbreaking AI and unparalleled audio personalization to improve lives everywhere. And now, you can help us make this vision a reality!", the company promotes.

Dolby Laboratories kicked off the 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2025) by showcasing the next generation of in-car entertainment experiences powered by Dolby Vision HDR imaging and Dolby Atmos immersive sound. A growing number of leading auto makers are showing new models at the Shanghai show featuring Dolby Atmos and also Dolby Vision screens.

Neumann announced the release of RIME (Reference Immersive Monitoring Environment), a new DAW plugin that allows users to monitor stereo, surround, and immersive formats up to 7.1.4 via Neumann's NDH 20 and NDH 30 headphones. RIME enables music producers and mixing engineers to monitor immersive formats like Dolby Atmos in reference quality, providing an excellent alternative when a multichannel loudspeaker setup is unavailable or when working on the go.