Bluetooth Wireless Audio, Innovations in Audio, and More in audioXpress December 2024

Another editorial year. Twelve great issues and 2024 closes strong with audioXpress December 2024 and the promised report on the pressing topic of wireless audio over Bluetooth. In this report about Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast, J. Martins expands on the essential knowledge for developers and manufacturers trying to grasp the opportunities, the calendar, the suppliers, and the development ecosystem. Understand who’s who in supporting the development of new Bluetooth LE Audio projects, and even more specifically, Auracast.

Expanding on the topic of wireless audio, Jonny McClintock, currently the director of Virscient’s Connected Audio Centre of Excellence, writes about Ultra-Low Latency Audio Transmission over Bluetooth LE Audio. While Bluetooth technology does not provide a complete solution for live performance audio, it still has a key role to play. In particular, the value of a standards-based approach manifests with the availability of low-cost Bluetooth LE-compatible transceivers from a variety of SoC vendors. Building on these readily available devices, manufacturers can engineer systems that are strongly optimized for live and professional applications. But what latency performance targets should those products meet?

The December 2024 issue opens with an exciting review of the latest SPL Phonitor 3 DAC. Philipp Paul Klose received a sample from the German company, and he immediately decided the design was worthy of a thorough objective review. Targeting customers both in the studio and headphone enthusiasts, this latest SPL Phonitor 3 DAC adds even more unique features and value as an headphone amplifier, preamplifier, and controller, using 120V supply rail technology. Headphone amps and DACs are now a red-hot market segment with tremendous pace and competition, driven by high-demanding enthusiasts, and German company SPL has been serving both ends of the market for a while now. Discover well does this latest ambitious concept delivers.

Next up, Jan Didden shares his impressions of the QuantAsylum QA403 audio analyzer. The 4th generation audio analyzer from the company founded by Matt Taylor in 2012, the QuantAsylum QA403 has a lot to offer, and in particular when a user gets tips and guidance from someone like Bob Cordell, no less. QuantAsylum has been providing audio test and measurement solutions to audio DIYers, enthusiasts, professionals, and many companies around the world. And with each iteration, the capability and programmability of its audio analyzers continues to grow. The QuantAsylum QA403 Analyzer was the result of a complete redesign imposed by the silicon shortages and supply chain disruptions, pre- and post-pandemic. It appears that the efforts made were well worth it.

And this is definitely a hands-on issue of audioXpress, since we proceed with another review. This time, Stuart Yaniger writes about the intriguing DPS-2 Power Supply and LNI-2 DC Filter and Stabilizer from RME Audio. When the renowned German audio manufacturer released these two products, it left many of its faithful customers intrigued. The two new solutions are designed to improve the performance of its ADI-2 series of converters in critical applications. The RME DPS-2 is a super low noise linear audio power supply with a unique µfilter and sensor technology that adds a wide range of unique and highly useful features such as offering two differently filtered outputs. The second product is the LNI-2 DC, an active DC filter with galvanic isolation. Stuart Yaniger did the best he could to understand how these two new solutions improve what is already outstanding.

And for this month’s Sound Control article, Richard Honeycutt writes about Thin Sound Barriers. Acoustical control in architectural spaces involves reflection, absorption, diffusion, and insulation. When sound impinges upon a barrier, all these phenomena occur differently, according to frequency, thickness, and mass of materials. Can these principles be altered? As Honeycutt explores, sound blockage is achieved through massive barriers that reflect sound and prevent vibrations. Acoustical insulation involves choosing materials that provide the proper transmission loss, with massive materials like concrete walls being the most effective. But there are new possibilities awarded by active noise cancellation using piezoelectric fibers woven into fabrics that show promise for reducing noise in larger spaces.

And diving into a powerful exploration of the world of phono cartridges, Hans Polak writes about the Individual Transfer Curves of Moving Magnet Cartridge Subassemblies. A Moving Magnet (MM) phono cartridge can be characterized by its overall transfer function. But the transfer function of the part that generates the signal through magnetic induction has its own transfer function, which can also be measured. By translating the latter into an equivalent electronic circuit, further insight and possibilities for optimization can be obtained. Hans Polak explains.

 

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