AKM Semiconductor Audio DAC and ADC Production Disrupted by Fire
After a major fire destroyed the Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) semiconductor factory in Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, the company still has to provide a report on the disruption that this major disaster will cause to its business, particularly affecting the supply of critical DAC and ADC chips that are used by many high-end audio and studio equipment manufacturers. Non-confirmed reports state the company is already preparing to outsource production of the analog/digital LSI circuits exclusively produced at this facility.
ams Helps Differentiate New PaMu Quiet True Wireless Earbuds with Best-In-Class ANC and Augmented Hearing
Austrian high performance sensor manufacturer ams announced it provided an optimized digital Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) solution as a differentiating component to Padmate’s PaMu Quiet earbuds. The new cutting-edge TWS earbuds from the Chinese brand feature the latest ams AS3460 Digital Augmented Hearing combined with a Qualcomm Bluetooth SoC to deliver advanced ANC in a competitively priced, comfortable design with a design similar to the AirPods Pro.
What Does the Future Hold for the Hearables Market?
A new market report from IDTechEx Research, the research and consultancy focused on emerging technologies from Cambridge, UK, offers a in-depth perspective on the market for Hearables. The new IDTechEx research covers ear-worn electronic products, including headphones, hearing aids and related product areas. The new report offers an overview of trends, technology, players and expanded forecasts from 2020 to 2030.
Microtech Gefell Introduces MMS 212 and MMS 214 Measurement Microphones and MV 240 Digital Preamplifier
German company Microtech Gefell, founded in 1928 by Georg Neumann, offers one of the most complete catalogs of measurement microphones - a completely eco-system for every audio testing need. Once in a while they remember to let us know that new models are being added. This year, the company announced the MMS 212, a rugged measurement microphone combo for harsh environments and the MMS 214 model for very low sound pressure levels. Additionally, the company is now shipping the new MV 240, a measurement microphone preamplifier with an analog-to-digital converter.
ESS Technology Announces Its Highest Performance Audio ADC Series
ESS Technology announced a completely new series of SABRE PRO and SABRE Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) with an Ultra Low Noise Floor Bandwidth of 200kHz. According to the Californian company, the noise floor bandwidth on the new devices is up to 10 times wider than the competition, enabling higher resolution at higher sample rates. The two new SABRE PRO, and two new SABRE ADC devices set a new benchmark for audio performance with unmatched specifications and the highest sample rate available in the market.
Raspberry Pi 400 Is an All-in-One PC with Bluetooth 5 and Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Inspired by the home computers of the 1980s, Raspberry Pi introduced a new product that brings a completely new meaning to the company's mission of offering affordable, high-performance, programmable computers. The new Raspberry Pi 400 is a complete PC built into a compact keyboard, and featuring a quad-core 64-bit processor, 4GB of RAM, wireless networking, dual-display output, and 4K video playback, as well as a 40-pin GPIO header. The all-in-one Raspberry Pi 400 is available for just $70.
STMicroelectronics Establishes World’s First “Lab-in-Fab” to Advance Adoption of Piezoelectric MEMS in Singapore
STMicroelectronics, a leading manufacturer of Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, announced a collaboration with A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME), a research institute in Singapore, and ULVAC, a leading Japanese manufacturing-tool vendor, to jointly setup and operate an 8-inch (200mm) R&D line focused on Piezo MEMS technology within ST’s existing manufacturing facility in Singapore. The concept aims to advance the adoption of piezoelectric MEMS in new applications including augmented reality.
Full Agenda Now Available for Audio Collaborative 2020, November 4-5
Futuresource Consulting has put together another edition of the company's renowned Audio Collaborative event, this year shifting to a two-day all-virtual experience on November 4-5, Wednesday and Thursday, from 2pm – 6pm GMT (9am – 1pm EST). Attendees will see first class presentations and panels from industry experts, while Futuresource experts will present on the growth and the crossover of business opportunities for the entire audio ecosystem.
Deezer Creates HiFi Room to Promote FLAC Streaming Quality
Music streaming platform Deezer announced a new curated section, with curated playlists and albums just for high fidelity fans. The new HiFi Room on Deezer features hand-picked tracks to draw out the rich sounds streaming in lossless FLAC quality. The company says it currently offers more than 52 million files encoded on FLAC on the platform, and it made sense to offer a curated selection for its premium subscribers to easily find this content in one place, now offering more than 15 exclusive playlists, album recommendations and reissues (remasters).
Global Smart Speaker Market Set to Reach 163 Million Units in 2021
With a slightly more conservative forecast than some published reports from other market research firms, Canalys expects the global smart speaker market, including smart displays, to reach 163 million units in 2021, characterized as a growth of 21%. In 2020, Mainland China, which has the COVID-19 pandemic relatively under control, will lead, growing 16%, while the rest of the global market is expected to grow 3% as countries continue to battle the coronavirus.