Sennheiser Repositions Its Business Units to Grow Independently
Sennheiser announced a new strategic direction for the company. Sennheiser plans to focus on its Professional business in the future and aims to secure a partnership to strengthen its market position in Consumer Electronics. According to Andreas and Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEOs, with this decision to build greater independence for its business units, Sennheiser will be better prepared to continue on its course. The search for a potential investor in the consumer division is now open.
StreamUnlimited Announces Feature Updates for StreamSDK
StreamUnlimited's StreamSDK is a flexible software solution, portable to various classes of silicon, which enables the application of streaming audio functionalities to consumer electronics devices. Even under the current circumstances, the Austrian company has allowed to company to expand its software stack to support highly desirable features, spanning from Apple AirPlay2 and Amazon Micless-MRM, Tidal Connect, expanded voice assistant support and new immersive audio integrations.
Pro-Ject Introduces Phono Box Preamp Models and Record Brooms
Following the announcement of the Phono Box RS2 reference class preamp, Pro-Ject has confirmed the launch in the North-American market of a series of phono products and accessories, some of which were released previously in Europe. Those included the Phono Box S2 Ultra discrete MM/MC phono preamplifier, the limited edition Phono Box Ultra 500 in polished chrome, and the Sweep It E and Sweep It S2 record brooms to clean vinyl while records are playing.
SEGGER Embedded Studio Now Available With Apple M1-Optimized Build
SEGGER announced its Embedded Studio build for the newly released Apple M1, Apple’s first ARM-based system-on-chip (SoC) designed specifically for Mac. Embedded Studio is SEGGER’s cross-platform Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for ARM/Cortex and RISC-V. According to the company, the build for the Apple M1 platform - the first commercial embedded system IDE optimized for the M1 - allows very impressive results.
New DiGiCo Quantum225 Configurable Digital Mixing Console
Design for a challenging environment in live production, DiGiCo announced the new Quantum225 mixing console. Following on from the massive Quantum 338 introduced at NAMM 2020, the 225 brings the power of the latest Quantum platform with its three large-scale seventh generation FPGAs in a compact and robust surface. The working area is dominated by a high-brightness 17-inch multitouch screen, with a left area that can be used to mount a laptop, an extra screen or a dedicated controller.
Alclair Audio Introduces a New Flagship Electrostatic Stage Monitor
When Alclair launched its first ever custom in-ear monitor with electrostatic drivers in 2018, they designed it for the Pro Audio and studio market. With the launch of the new ESM thirteen driver custom in-ear monitor, the Minnesota-based company brought their electrostatic designs to the stage and Live Sound audiences. As Alclair states, the ESM has all the components of a listening monitor, offering an expertly crafted combination of balanced armature and electrostatic drivers.
Nureva Introduces Developer Toolkit With Cloud-Based APIs for Audio Conferencing Systems
Nureva, the fast-expanding Canadian innovator in advanced audio conferencing solutions, announced availability of its new Nureva Developer Toolkit to give developers secure access to a growing collection of cloud-based APIs for Nureva audio systems. Available now in open beta, the developer-focused tools make it easy to integrate Nureva systems with third-party products and workflows. The announcement is made while Nureva's systems are receiving industry accolades and recognition also from major partners.
Audio Industry Icon: Rupert Neve, 1926-2021
Rupert Neve, an innovator and business owner whose analog audio equipment designs have become an essential component in music recording, live sound production and home hi-fi systems, died on February 12, 2021 in Wimberley, Texas. He was 94. Rupert Neve's name will forever be synonymous with quality audio equipment. At 94, Rupert remained engaged and passionate about his work, spending most days on a perpetual series of audio electronics projects and continuing to mentor numerous design and development projects.
Bowers & Wilkins Launches Music App for Its Formation-Enabled Products
Bowers & Wilkins announced an exciting new development to its Formation wireless audio technology platform. Available now, the new Bowers & Wilkins Music App significantly increases the number of music-streaming services accessible to owners of Formation-enabled Bowers & Wilkins products. Available to both Android and iOS users, the App will initially offer support for Qobuz, TIDAL, TuneIn, Dash Radio, NTS Radio and SoundCloud, with more to be added in the coming months.
Microchip Unveils First Fully Integrated Solution for Vehicle Ethernet Audio Video Bridging (AVB)
As connected vehicles increasingly rely on Ethernet for network connectivity, smart technology is helping developers to streamline infotainment system development and quickly adapt to manufacturers’ evolving requirements. Microchip Technology announced the first hardware-based audio endpoint solution for AVB – the LAN9360, a single chip Ethernet controller with embedded protocols. The new LAN9360 AVB audio endpoint helps to reduce development time, eliminating the need for stack integration and additional software and firmware development.