Rakoit Introduces B50 Bluetooth Stereo Amplifier with Auracast Transmitter

From Rakoit comes the announcement of the new B50 stereo amplifier and Bluetooth streamer, which is able to output two 50 watt channels at 4 ohms, and is able to connect to a TV via HDMI ARC and stream to Bluetooth speakers and headphones. The Bluetooth receiver is able to pair with two different sources and the transmitter allows Auracast sharing for two different receivers, such as headphones and speakers. The Rakoit B50 is based on the established Qualcomm QCC3040 SoC, which means it receives and streams aptX HD.

Adam Audio has revealed what will be its most compact active monitor design, and also its most affordable. The new D3V is a compact nearfield monitoring system designed for songwriters, producers, and music enthusiasts that draws from the company’s origins, with its 1.5” D-ART AMT tweeter, and adds a 3.5” aluminum woofer plus dual-sided matching 3.5” passive radiators to extend the frequency response. Featuring a powerful DSP section for room compensation, the D3V also adds a USB-C input for direct DAW integration - no audio interface required.

Mackie announced the third generation of its Creative Reference (CR) monitors, now adding a flexible tone control and location switch for even more flexibility in any application. The new powered studio monitors now can switch between desktop and bookshelf speaker modes, and shape the sound for more bass or added high-end sparkle with the tone control knob, depending if the monitors are being used in the studio, for casual listening, partying, or entertainment. The updated Mackie CR Series includes models with 3.5-, 4.5-, 5, and 8-inch woofers, with and without Bluetooth, plus an 8” subwoofer.

If we have a vehicle we value, at one point we have the car sent over to the shop for service. The same thinking applies to golden ears, from product development teams getting the product’s tonal balance DNA sonic signature, as well as chasing down buzzes and resonances. Cleaning out your ears is a sensible procedure before critical listening. This article explores self-assessment tailored to the user’s sound profile, hearing enhancement solutions, and newly available solutions for ear hygiene and visual ear care tools, such as the Bebird EarVision package.

Synaptics launched the Veros Seamless Intelligent Connectivity brand with two high-performance systems on chip (SoCs) for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, and 802.15.4. The two new wireless combo chips from Synaptics, the SYN4383 triple combo (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/802.15.4) and tri-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz ), and the SYN43756E, also a multi-protocol, tri-band solution that offers a cost-effective version aimed at products not requiring 802.15.4 support, enable product developers to integrate essential wireless protocols including Bluetooth LE Audio.

A German company called Revox Klangwerk is now manufacturing reel to reel machines again, and is selling improved versions of the famous Revox B77 reel-to-reel analog recorder. Given the demand, and following a limited reissue B77 MK II in 2023, the company is now introducing the new Revox B77 MK III tape recorder, which the company says was redesigned and improved with significant new features, and using updated electronics, optimized with components available today. They are even selling Master Tapes to pair with this reissue.

In this article, Brewster LaMacchia explores the release of the latest A2B AD2437 chip from Analog Devices. He explains how A2B has been evolving to support many applications in home cinema, studio, stage, musical instruments and much more, with support for up to 16 nodes, transmitting 32 channels of 24-bit/48kHz digital audio and optional data with the lowest latency (50μsec) at up to 30 meters.

In the fourth article from Claus Futtrup in his series about the invention, concept, and historical perspective of loudspeaker bass reflex alignments, he explores the Critically Damped Fourth-Order (CD4) bass reflex alignment. This alignment remains one of the least known and hasn't been discussed in literature related to loudspeaker design, even though it allows for interesting output properties. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, August 2024.

Sonos announced Sonos Arc Ultra, a new premium soundbar that also debuts the new Sound Motion transducer technology that finally leverages some of the original Mayht patents. Part of the new generation of advanced designs that the Sonos engineering team is creating, the Sonos Arc Ultra is able to reinvent what a premium soundbar is capable of doing. With the new soundbar, Sonos also introduced Sub 4 with a refreshed design, both systems tightly integrated with Sonos app updates that deliver a significant progress in performance.

With each edition of the iconic Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin - the original iPod dock speaker - the combination of spectacular design, superlative performance, and features received praise by a growing number of happy users. Now, Bowers & Wilkins announced the new Zeppelin Pro Edition, an even higher-performance version of its world-renowned wireless loudspeaker. Revised engineering, improved sound quality and enhanced finishes add even more to the unique design.