Dirac and Bluesound Partner to Make Select Devices Dirac Live Ready
Dirac and Bluesound announced a collaboration to integrate Dirac’s room correction solution, Dirac Live, into select Bluesound devices. The Swedish digital audio processing pioneer is working with Bluesound to ensure the integration of its industry-leading room correction solutions to a range of select hi-fidelity multiroom streaming devices, with the purchase of a microphone accessory kit and a software license.
Rockwool Targets Sweden for Ambitious Nordic Growth Plans
Currently expanding in North America and Europe, Rockwool announced it will start building a new factory in Eskilstuna, Sweden, approx. 100 kilometres west of Stockholm, a logistically ideal location to serve customers in the Swedish and Finnish markets. The new Rockwool factory will feature its proprietary large-scale electric melting technology that will help meet the growing demand for low-carbon impact insulation in the region.
Patent Review: Head-Related Transfer Function Equalization and Transducer Aiming of Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) Loudspeakers
This patent, awarded to Polk Audio, describes a very specific loudspeaker design that claims to be able to achieve better stereo sound reproduction with “a realistic ambient field and a larger, and more stable acoustic image.” This obviously aims at achieving something that Polk Audio actually patented nearly 40 years ago, with its original Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) loudspeaker, and for which the new updated patent now provides a new improved version. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, February 2019.
Unveiling the Impact of Ear Canal Geometry for In-Ear Headphone Testing
Frequency response is not the only important factor in testing in-ear headphones, and instead, the listening experience is largely influenced by how the pressure field is built up in the semi- or fully closed ear simulator, making leak and insertion position overshadowing parameters. This article shares the simulation work to assess the pressure field and its impact on different ear canal geometries, with surprising conclusions, fundamental to ensure consistency and repeatability when characterizing in-ear devices.
Music Industry Unites to Protect the Rights of Musicians Amid Risks of Generative AI Technology
More than fifty prominent music companies, associations, and institutions globally have added their support to the “Principles for Music Creation with AI” manifesto. Introduced by Roland Corporation and Universal Music Group (UMG) in March 2024, these Principles are a series of clarifying statements relating to the responsible use of AI in music creation, aiming to protect the essence of music — its human spirit. Newly supporting organizations include NAMM, Native Instruments, Focusrite, Waves, LANDR, Eventide, GPU Audio, and many more.
Timekettle Announces Progress in Near-Human-Level AI Translation Technology
The elusive dream of an hearable device that provides real time translation between any language continues to get closer due to consistent global R&D efforts. Timekettle, a company from Shenzhen, China, is approaching that goal in a determined way, with actual products and solutions that are available in the market. Now the company announced the release of its latest software upgrade with AI Semantic Segmentation, which Timekettle believes sets a new standard in real-time language translation using earbuds.
Waves V15 Plugins Are Now Available
Waves Audio announced Waves V15, the latest version of Waves plugins. V15 leverages Waves’ advanced AI and applies the latest audio technologies, letting users create, produce and mix with more tools and features. Waves V15 delivers more power to all users’ current collection of plugins, with new features enhancing the Waves catalog — including new MIDI mapping, a new parameter locking feature, additional new features in specific plugins, many plugins added to major bundles, and much more.
Cirrus Logic Unveils Latest Family of Professional Audio Digital-to-Analog Converters and CODEC Products
Cirrus Logic unveiled a new series of digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and an ultra-high performance audio CODEC, that cater to the needs of recording artists, live performers, and even audio enthusiasts. Setting a new standard for the prosumer and professional audio markets, the new CS4308P, CS4304P, CS4302P DACs and CS4282P CODEC expand on last year's successful analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) launch, and deliver transparent audio conversion to ensure recording and playback without any compromise in sound quality.
Meze Audio Introduces ALBA Universal In-Ears with USB-C Adapter
Meze Audio expanded its impressive range of headphones with ALBA, a new entry-level in-ear model. Aesthetically refined with a beautiful white finish, the new ALBA in-ears also preserve the brand’s design language while providing high levels of comfort, noise isolation and most importantly, an unmistakable immersive listening experience. And while being wired, these universal in-ears are supplied with a high-quality USB-C DAC enabling direct streaming from all current smartphones.
Avid Pro Tools Delivers ARA 2 Support for iZotope, Synchro Arts, and Sound Radix Solutions Plus New MIDI Plugins
Avid has announced an update for its Pro Tools audio production software that introduces ARA 2 support for solutions from iZotope, Synchro Arts and Sound Radix. The update also adds two new included MIDI effect plugins from Mixed In Key, session export for Media Composer, Dolby Atmos enhancements, improved searching and importing of session data, memory locations enhancements, MIDI pitch labels, and more.