Digest "World Hi-Fi": TV, exhibitions, "past and future" audio technologies

Last month, we published a portable sound digest , where we introduced readers to various devices, formats and their capabilities.

Today we decided to make a selection of new materials that appeared in the “ World Hi-Fi ”, from which you will learn about interesting exhibitions, new players and multi-room devices, as well as about how the past and the future meet in the present.

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Watch and listen

ICE - ice and fire

The article tells about equipping a new demonstration cinema "Audiomania" with the sound of Dolby Atmos and Auro 3D domestic speakers ICE (Immersive Cinema Experience - cinema of deep immersion). One of the features of the ICE surround speakers is their versatility: they can be placed on the front, center, rear or ceiling position. Read more about the characteristics of the system, installation options and production, read the article.

Sonos Playbase: a new speaker format for TV

Can the next speaker system, which is also a TV stand, become successful? How versatile is this device and can it work properly if the TV is hanging on the wall? What is the advantage of connecting via optical cable? What speakers are equipped with a stand and what to do if the bass is not enough?

Sony TVs with integrated Google Assistant

The TV will now become smarter and will be able not only to adjust the volume or brightness, but also to “talk” with the owner. Read in the article why TVs have a built-in virtual assistant, what questions he can answer and how to talk to him.

Xbox One will receive support for Dolby Atmos and DTS: X

While the improvement of functionality is available only in the Blu-ray application and it is unclear whether the sound quality will be improved on the streaming resources. On the other changes - read the article.

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Exhibitions, reports and reviews

"Continuation of the inspection" on Drum: Results

Summing up the exhibition of equipment in the new showroom: talking about our guests, halls, audio systems and equipment, which helped to achieve the most complete immersion in the cinema. We also introduced visitors to the designers for self-assembly of acoustics and demonstrated the possibilities of “invisible” acoustic systems that can be easily hidden behind layers of wallpaper or paint.

Oppo Digital Factory Report: The Most Non-Chinese Chinese Factory

About how robots and people work side by side at the factory, how headphones and Blu-ray players are subjected to torture, and how a low reject rate can be achieved. And also more about how the company works with feedback and takes care of its employees.

Pink Floyd Show: 25 speakers, 3D sound and a new Comfortably Numb mix

Sennheiser Ambeo 3D technology does much the same thing as Dolby Atmos and DTS: X when watching movies: it allows you to achieve more surround sound. The main effect - while listening to the recording, you feel yourself as if you are on a live performance and even imagine the musicians' location without a video sequence. About what columns were used, how long Pink Floyd and Sennheiser have been cooperating, and who should visit this exhibition, see the article.

Report from the exhibition ISE 2017: appliances control the house, you control appliances

This year, more than 1,000 companies were represented at Integrated Systems Europe. The main trend of the exhibition can be called integration with voice control, mainly Amazon Alexa. From the article you will learn why you can still find 3D TVs at the exhibition, why wireless universal multi-rooms based on DTS Play-Fi are gaining in popularity, how cloud services are used to set up equipment and much more.

Home projects: how a game room was made from the basement

An interesting project originally from England. From the article you will learn whether it is possible to combine a full-fledged home cinema and a room for gaming, whether it is possible to achieve perfect sound in the basement, if you use acoustics from different manufacturers and how to manage such a game room.

Photo by Ron Kroetz CC-BY

Past and future

Digital radio Tivoli Audio

We recently discussed how close the radio is to extinction, and we came to the conclusion that it is not going to die right now, although irreversible changes have already begun. But technology does not stand still, and today not only Internet radio stations appear, but also new generations of radio receivers. For example, Tivoli Radio works with streaming platforms and has other relevant features.

“Let's dance again”: why is radio still too early to bury

We understand why even the emergence of new receivers will not bring the transition to digital broadcasting in Russia closer, and how long such a period can last. We also analyze who and where listens to the radio today and what stereotypes have developed about radio stations for the average listener. And most importantly, we find out what changes occur on radio stations in the era of the beginning of the end.

Why cassettes are reborn

From the article you will learn what cassette performers are again gaining in popularity, why tape mixtapes are so remarkable, why imperfect sound does not prevent tapes from remaining in the line and why tape cassette lovers are more fortunate than vinyl lovers.

The mind, honor and conscience of Japanese Hi-Fi

If the tapes still do not lose relevance, then what can we say about vinyl and discs. And for their listening today there are new sets of equipment. Modern players, for example, are able to prevent errors and inaccuracies in the work, bring the sound to the analog standard and do not allow the occurrence of interference. Read more about proprietary technologies, player and amplifier stuffing, as well as their functionality, read the article.

Electrocompaniet ECG-1. Analogue alternative

There are also new vinyl players, which allow you to achieve the absence of vibrations, including through the location of the motor in a separate package. And although the installation of the table and the motor takes time and some effort, the opportunity to enjoy a vinyl record is definitely worth it.

Apple patents headphones that can track body performance

The news of the expansion of the functionality of the headphones and the patenting of such a device. Apple was far from the first to open this direction, but so far the accuracy of measurements on such a device remains in question. The fact that it will measure the headphones, read the article.

IBM Watson supercomputer helped musician write hit

The artificial intelligence system has analyzed cultural and musical data, for example, themes of songs, news, speeches of Nobel laureates over the past five years. And WatsonBeat technology learns when listening to music, turning it into digital information, and can create completely new scores. In the article read more about the capabilities of the supercomputer and the impressions of the musicians.

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Audio projects, software and devices

Hexagon player, stereo transformer and adaptive music

We talk about what is happening in the world of audio startups: how to build a mini-stereo system from small speakers or listen to music in headphones from one device, how to record a radio program, and then start listening to it from an interesting place that is interesting in hexagonal music records, like 1000 people can write some notes at the same time, is it possible to “order” a favorite artist to their city and what format can completely change the perception of music.

Bang & Olufsen sound ornament

In the previous article, we already talked about hexagons, only in this case these figures are not musical carriers, but are loudspeakers, amplifiers, streaming modules and acoustic dampers. However, you can also collect interesting patterns from them and place them on the walls as interior decorations.

Bang & Olufsen Announces Multi-Device Collection

While some people tend to hide the acoustics, others prefer to buy eye-catching systems. And the new Bang & Olufsen collection is about such notable devices. In addition to the bright appearance, which emphasizes the individuality of the interior, the speakers also sound great, and you can control them through a special application.

In the US, income streaming services take new heights

Statistics on the income of the American music industry: how streaming changes the distribution of funds, what other sales channels exist and how the music services market has changed over the past year.

Player softwares for macOS X vs full-time iTunes

From the article you will learn how to better listen to music on macOS, which players exist on the market and what are their advantages. Why iTunes loses in sound and how it can be fixed, as well as more details on how this musical experiment was conducted and what equipment was needed for this.

Case Apple Music: plan to capture the universe

Find out how Apple is trying to regain its place under the musical sun, how the apple streaming service differs from its competitors, what services are included in Apple Music and what has changed in the latest updates. In addition, from the article you will find out what caused the discontent of users and whether the company managed to eliminate the causes of this discontent.