Yamaha Unveils Ambitious Immersive Audio Vision With Active Field Control Upgrade
Following industry trends towards spatial audio content and immersive audio reproduction systems, Yamaha announced the upcoming release of a new version upgrade for its Active Field Control (AFC) processing system, together with the introduction of new acoustic enhancement (AFC Enhance) and image control (AFC Image) applications. Together, Yamaha hopes to create a complete ecosystem for immersive audio, involving all its brands and R&D capabilities.
Smart Speaker Owners Own at Least One Smart Home Device
New research from Parks Associates reveals a strong correlation between smart speaker and smart home device ownership — 60% of smart speaker owners and/or smart display owners own at least one smart home device, versus 34% of US broadband households overall. The firm's new research, Smart Speaker and Smart Display Market Assessment, identifies key market drivers and barriers in this product category and assesses growth in the smart speaker and display market via topline market forecasts.
SoundHound Announces the Expansion of Houndify Voice AI to 22 Languages
SoundHound announced the expansion of its Houndify Voice AI platform to 22 languages — covering a majority of the world's common languages. The expansion allows developers to add conversational intelligence to their products and services for users across the globe. The company also announced plans to add over 100 languages and variations as part of its commitment to provide the most comprehensive voice AI solution to brands and users everywhere.
Technics Announces SL-1200MK7-S Silver Finish Turntable
Technics unveiled the new SL-1200MK7-S Direct Drive turntable model. In keeping with the SL-1200 tradition of past decades and in response to recent inquiries, the brand decided to add a silver version. The new model inherits the same features and operational comfort as the SL-1200MK7 originally introduced in January 2019 in all-black matte finish, which has since been a success among the DJ community worldwide.
Bowers & Wilkins Expands Into True Wireless With New PI7 and PI5 Models Focusing on Audio Quality
Bowers & Wilkins thinks that most currently available true wireless stereo (TWS) designs represent a compromise choice, one that trades sound quality for wireless convenience. “Bowers & Wilkins has always insisted this issue would need to be addressed before the company could consider launching its own TWS products,” they state. And that's what they did with their new PI7 and PI5 true wireless earbuds, where audio quality was the design focus, while adding some cool differentiating features.
House of Marley Announces Get Together Duo Bluetooth 5 Speakers as a Greener Home Audio Alternative
House of Marley today announced the release of a seemingly unpretentious new bookshelf speaker design, an expansion of the brand’s popular Get Together line of Bluetooth 5 speakers. The brand created the new Get Together Duo as a greener alternative to home audio, combining a choice of distinctive materials while leveraging all the improvements in wireless audio design, showing how updated technology can make a difference.
HEAD acoustics Introduces New Generation of Artificial Heads With Advanced Types of Artificial Ears
HEAD acoustics introduced a new and much improved design for its artificial heads paving the way for new era of communication and audio quality measurements. The new generation of artificial heads ensures a new level of realism, precision and flexibility when coupled with HEAD acoustics modular concept approach, meeting the most diverse of applications in the field of acoustic measurement technology.
Vicoustic Creates Next-Generation VicAudiophile VMT Kit to Address Acoustics, Health and Safety of Listening Spaces
Vicoustic developed a new generation of eco-friendly, advanced sound absorption and diffusion solutions to treat any listening room, allowing users to truly enjoy a hi-fi system. The new VicAudiophile VMT Kit is an upgradable approach to acoustic kits, created to maximize the conditions of a room, without compromising health, comfort and safety. Users can freely select how many kits they apply, according to the chosen configuration.
Focusrite plc Unveils New Optimal Audio Brand and Complete Portfolio of Commercial Audio Products
British holding company Focusrite plc, which does business as Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation and Ampify Music brands, unveiled a new seventh brand, Optimal Audio. The strategy, according to Focusrite plc, is to offer a complete portfolio of advanced commercial audio products, designed for a fully connected and remotely controlled systems approach, with ease of installation in mind.
Vesper Introduces Analog Piezoelectric Voice Accelerometer for True Wireless Earbuds
Vesper introduced the VA1200, which the company calls the world’s first analog piezoelectric voice accelerometer (a.k.a. bone conduction sensor). This low-power vibration sensor can be used in true wireless earbud designs to pick up the wearer’s own voice through bone conduction. Using the VA1200 in conjunction with a standard microphone and a sensor fusion solution, the application can achieve superior background and wind noise reduction. Vesper calls this combination OnePlusOne.