USB Type-C to replace 3.5-mm headphone jack

Major smartphone manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, Motorola and Huawei have begun adopting USB Type-C into their flagship devices, doing away with the traditional 3.5-mm headphone jack. However, Intel says the Type-C will help ease the transition for consumers.

First and foremost, many are concerned about not being able to use their favorite audio accessories because a dongle to connect to the new port will not be available out-of-the-box, reports Engadget.

However, Intel company architect Brad Saunders explained on Tuesday at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, USA, that users will come around eventually, thanks to the advantages that the USB C will have on sound quality. Features such as noise canceling and extra bass can be added in future devices. Smartphones can also be made slimmer because some chips needed for analog sound processing will no longer be needed.

The new port will also have “granular” power management that will allow devices to manage power on in-line microphones, for instance, so that headphones will not consume too much power when just listening to music. Split dongles should also become available to allow users to charge their devices while listening to music.

This updated USB Type-C standard will include device authentication for better security. Lastly, a new video standard will be incorporated into the USB Type-C.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

These Cheap Headphones Will Knock Your Socks Off

We test a lot of audio products around here — so many, in fact, that it’s getting harder to differentiate between many of them. But these RHA SA 950i headphones set themselves apart from the crowd with a triple punch: They’re relatively cheap, they’re feather-light, and most importantly, they crank out some spectacular sound.

The minute I first held these unusually small over-the-ear headphones in my hands, I was astonished. Something this substantial has no business being so light. They weigh hardly anything — a mere 3.7 oz (105g). I handed them to a few of my colleagues here at the Midwest Test Facility, and all of them immediately had a look of surprise on their faces — even those who don’t care at all about headphones and their associated gadgetry.

Placing the headphones on my ears, their light weight proved to be a pleasing characteristic. I could hardly tell I was wearing them — they were so light they might as well have been weightless. Although the headphones clamped onto my oversized noggin more tightly than I would have liked, I quickly became acclimated, realizing it was good to have them pressing up against my ears firmly enough to form a proper seal, and to keep them from falling off my head if I started feeling energetic. After wearing them nonstop for a couple of hours, I hereby declare them officially comfy-cozy longtime.






Next it was time to get down to some serious listening. I started out with some righteous funk, cranking it up a bit. Whoa! These babies were loud. And where have I heard sounds like this before? The most noticeable attribute of the sound quality was the forceful bass, reminding me of my favorite headphones for low frequencies, the Beats Studio by Dr. Dre.

Heck, I thought, why not break out those stellar $300 Beats headphones and compare them with this relatively cheap $59.95 product? Would it be a fair fight?

While I was at it, I picked out another pricy pair of cans, the Soul by Ludacris, to see how this humble pair of sound muffs stood up to the monsters of the headphone midway.

In mid-listen, quickly taking off these headphones and placing the Dr. Dre phones on my head, I realized the more expensive headphones did sound somewhat cleaner (but not by much), and their signature bass response was almost equaled by these RHA headphones.

When I replaced those with my overall favorite headphones, the Soul By Ludacris, the result of my comparison was the same. The bass response was equal, and the highs and midrange were comparable as well. I can only conclude that when you spend four or five times as much on an audio product, you certainly expect it to sound at least twice as good — but in this case, these cheap headphones were nearly the equal of the much more expensive Dr. Dre and Ludacris models. The only difference I could discern was slightly better presence and a bit less distortion with the two high-end pairs.






So how would I describe the sound of these RHA SA 950i headphones?


The highs are extremely well-defined and relatively free of distortion — tightly tuned snare drums, cymbals    and bell trees shimmered with their clear high-end frequency response.

The midrange sounds realistic, with the headphones able to faithfully reproduce the subtle sounds of classical guitar and the clear tones of the human voice with aplomb.

And then there’s that bass. Wow. It felt like the headphones were dancing on my head, just like the Dr.     Dre’s do. The sound was firm, clear and clean, and when I cranked the volume up, it was almost scary.



These little British headphones knocked my socks off. After intense listening to a variety of musical styles, and comparing them with my favorite headphones, I can only conclude this is the best value in headphones I’ve ever seen. Unless you’re an audiophile or you’re lucky enough to have inherited golden ears, I don’t think you’ll be able to tell the difference between these and headphones costing five times as much.

They’ll be available soon for $59.95 on Amazon in the U.S., and although that’s still plenty of money, when it comes to this kind of sound, this is one of the best bargains of the year.

source: mashable.com

Samsung launches wireless vacuum tube audio dock

MANILA, Philippines – Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. (SEPCO) recently launched its new premium Wireless Audio with Dock that incorporates its vacuum tube amplifier technology, offering natural and harmonious sound qualities.

A first-class Wireless Audio with Dock, the DA-E750 is the world’s first dual-docking system for the premium audiophile that supports both Samsung Galaxy devices and Apple iOS devices — via both docked and wireless connectivity.

“The DA-E750 is a world-class audio system that underscores Samsung’s commitment to extend its strong leadership in the premium market,” said Amby Navarro-Molina, SEPCO product marketing head.

“As audio is an integral part of the overall home entertainment experience, we are proud to provide consumers around the world with superior sound quality that can be enjoyed in the home,” she added.

Allowing audio enthusiasts to enjoy music the way it was meant to be heard, Samsung’s new vacuum tube amplifier technology provides a warmer, more natural sound compared to conventional audio systems that use transistors.

By also combining the vacuum tube with a digital amplifier, the DA-E750 reduces unnecessary, harsh sound distortions — while its 2.1-channel woven glass fiber speakers and powerful built-in subwoofer produce 100 watts of crystal-clear sound with enhanced bass for a quality music experience.

Delivering a total wireless solution, the DA-E750, which retails for P29,990, provides superior convenience, supporting wireless audio file playback via AllShare for Samsung Galaxy devices and AirPlay for Apple devices, or via Bluetooth 3.0 for additional devices.

The DA-E750 also features an analog (composite) input and a USB port to play audio files directly from a flash drive, music player or portable hard drive — supporting MP3, WMA and WAV file formats.

The elegant design of the DA-E750 exudes the highest level of sophistication by combining classic design elements with a touch of luxury. The sleek high gloss wood finish is available in a rich mahogany color, which is accentuated by the warm glow from the vacuum tubes inside the docks when in operation.

With the DA-E750 launch, Samsung also released an online commercial video showcasing the spectacular “Flavor of Sound” the wireless Audio with Dock delivers. The video stars George Craig, lead singer of the British indie rock band One Night Only.

“When I first saw Samsung’s Wireless Audio with Dock, I was immediately awe-struck by the sleek, yet retro design,” said Craig. “I became an instant fan after hearing the amazing and smooth sound the DA-E750 delivers, so to help launch the product by partnering with Samsung on this video is both exciting and an honor.”

Other Wireless Audio Dock models are also available such as the DA-E550 (P7,990), DA-E570 (P7,990), and DA-E650 (P12,990).

source: philstar.com

Audio Engineering School: A Few Pointers

Audio production has been revolutionized by new digital audio recording tools that were unimaginable only decades ago. This revolution has made the business of sound much less mechanical and much more sophisticated, changing the dynamic of the industry. Consequently, study at an audio engineering school is more important than ever for those interested in a career in audio production.

The ears hear by picking up sound waves from the air, and because we have two years positioned on opposite sides of our head we process sound in stereo. We compare the information from each ear and refine out errors in sensing to purify sound. We sense subtle differences in the relative volume between the ears to derive directionality.

Early on, both recording and playback were mechanical processes. The first recording technologies used physical changes in the grooves of a recording medium to capture sound waves. Playback systems then used those physical changes to determine which frequency to replicate and the volume to play it at.

Whether it was a recording of a sporting event, legal testimony, or a meeting, audio recordings created an absolute record of the event. That record had widespread value, perhaps nowhere more than in the entertainment industry. Music was among the first sound recorded, and the value of those recordings were quickly recognized and exploited, creating what has become a multi-billion dollar industry.

Because audio recording has historically had such value, the development of new audio recording methods has been a profitable undertaking. Consequently, audio recording media and methods have progressed rapidly, becoming more dynamic, more robust, more precise, and more sophisticated. And as new technologies have proliferated, they have also become more accessible to the masses.

With the advent of digital recording, sound moved from physical media and to the inside of a computer. By applying computer technology to sound processing, sound editing tools advanced rapidly. Now audio engineers can manipulate sound frequencies in the same way that graphic designers photoshop pictures. They can change relative volume, pitch, even smooth out a warbling tone. Whereas recording was once the theater of audio recording, now that theater has moved to the editing suite.

The final product may be demonstrably different from the original because the quality of an original recording can now be manipulated and processed. And where once technical recording skills were the most valued and critical part of creating a finished audio record, now engineering the sound has stepped into the foreground.

It is possible for anybody to create an audio record because the tools to record and edit sound are widely available. As a result, high level knowledge of the techniques and technologies that are used in the workplace today is essential for those who want to pursue a career in audio recording. A good audio engineering school provides the best way to gain that critical knowledge.

I'm a musician with a passion for writing about the best audio engineering college.

Article Source:
http://www.articlebiz.com/article/1051546071-1-audio-engineering-school-a-few-pointers/

Cocktail

It’s hard to imagine a life without CDs, especially if you have collected tons of them. But we’ll have to brace ourselves for the inevitable; we’re getting closer and closer to that day. Piracy and the development of other downloadable digital formats have tightened the noose on this 1980s creation. With the clear signs of its imminent death, it will take a miracle for it to survive.

Only time will tell if audio companies will still manufacture CD players in the future. If they do stop, it’s going to be one helluva nightmare if you haven’t ripped your CDs to any media storage yet. Truth is, many music lovers have already made the jump, either by ripping to or downloading from iTunes (or Windows Media) their CD collection and seem to be happy with the move.

Many of you might wonder why this self-proclaimed analog enthusiast is writing about digital audio. I must confess that there are times I still enjoy listening to music recorded on CDs. There’s no argument that vinyl is the more superior music format. But there are song selections that are hard to find on vinyl.

Many readers have been asking me if they can get high-quality sound reproduction from ripped or downloaded music. Of course, some have taken notice of the proliferation of high resolution servers and their supposed “vinyl-like” sound. I’ve searched the Net for answers and was floored by the selling prices of these so-called hi-res servers.

All you need are a good sound card (I recommend the mid to high-end model of Sound Blaster), a large storage (500GB up) hard drive, fast processors, iTunes or Windows Media installed in your computer, a computer speaker system (Cambridge Soundworks, if you can find one) and a lot of patience in copying your CD collection. After that, you’re good to go.

In case you belong to that group of listeners who want to hear their ripped music in larger and the exclusive listening environments, then you have to get wired to big speakers. If you can afford that kind of setup, by all means go for the pricey servers. I haven’t heard one yet so I cannot give you an honest-to-goodness sonic evaluation.

But there’s one particular hi-res affordable server that has gotten my attention. On paper, it seems to me to be worth checking out. It’s the Cocktail Audio X10 which can directly play CDs and rip their music to its 500GB hard drive (upgradable to 1TB). You can stream and replicate files from devices hooked to one another and get to listen to internet radio, too.

One good thing about it is that you can have it from a local dealer (Audioamplified) so the constant worry about warranties is no longer a problem. Except for Apple’s lossless, it supports AAC, FLAC, Mp3, WAV and 24-bit high resolution audio. Two USB inputs afford you the opportunity to listen to and reproduce music to and from other components.

It appears to be a solid but light enough apparatus.

One of the reviews I read heralds the product as a fantastic way to store music and audio files in one place and have easy remote control access to them at the touch of a button.

Cocktail is a boxed mechanical hard drive which can seamlessly hook up to any hi-fi system and home network, via Ethernet. With this, one can play music anywhere in the house.

From among the myriad of hi-res music servers I’ve searched, on paper, Cocktail seems to be better than the other brands. I haven’t heard it sing, much less touch or see it physically. This article is in response to many of your queries about high resolution servers, and how they can help you store your favorite music and relieve you of worrying about where to keep your CD collection (which by now may occupy half the space of your music or living room). You can either keep the physical disc for posterity or throw them away for recycling.

Although I do not have first-hand knowledge about Cocktail, one thing I can assure you is that Audioamplified (audioamplified.com) is a reputable audio shop. You can listen to the Cocktail Audio at their Libis, Quezon City, store. The shop also allows home auditions so I suggest you check it out.

article source: philstar.com