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The Audio Designline Blog is about all things related to audio design. It is written by Rich Pell, the site editor for Audio Designline and executive editor for EDN and Designlines. Rich may be contacted at .
Bluetooth and music: Not so perfect together
- 06.14.2006
I recently purchased a Bluetooth headphone for my MP3 player and the results have been something less than perfect. Read More…
3D control surface allows real knobs on LCD virtual controls
- 07.22.2008
This control surface prototype lets you place and use physical knobs on the virtual controls displayed on your laptop's LCD screen to control an application, instead of using a mouse or keyboard. See how it works in the short video demo.Read More…
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So What’s a Consumer Audio Anyway?
- 07.21.2005
Finding the line between Consumer and Pro Audio is complicated by changing consumer demnds.Read More…
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Everyone Wants The Next Big Thing!
- 08.06.2005
Companies really want a franchise like the Intel x86 systems design for personal computers – but they’re too timid to admit it. Read More…
Technology deployment failure!
- 08.08.2005
How would you like to spend two days driving emergency detours on US Interstate highways all because highway warning systems can't interoperate, there's no way to find a local radio station that acually broadcasts useful infroation, and officials didn't use systems that are in place and available for informing motorists? A Federal study aims to improve the situation.Read More…
Cast your bait here
- 08.10.2005
Audio technology infrastructure knowledge s being used to create new streaming and casting services including video.Read More…
Audiophile Overkill
- 08.12.2005
Henry goes on an audio adventure involving a home theater, a small TV room, and audio voo doo. The impact of when sales folks over sell audio equipment and under deliver on installation help. Read More…
Audio for the deaf?
- 08.18.2005
There’s lot that can be done to aid our hearing impaired friends while maintaining great audio for the rest of us. It just takes a little thought and planning.Read More…
Collision of sound
- 08.21.2005
Home theater provides wonderful sound and an incredible entertainment experience. But there's plenty of room for conflict.Read More…
Medieval audio
- 08.23.2005
Medieval audio? What can possibly be learned from old technology? Quite a lot it turns out.Read More…
| Anyone for lunch?
- 08.29.2005
Bleep,bleep bleep. Cell phones are everywhere. And so are their annunciators. Unfortunately many cell phone users haven't read “Miss Manners” on cell phone etiquette.Read More…
Crisis in emergency communications
- 09.04.2005
Little did I suspect one week ago that I would be writing an audio article prompted by the ravages of hurricane Katrina. I like many others made some very bad assumptions. Read More…
One-sided business decisions
- 09.12.2005
It’s tempting to dump all responsibility for maintaining flexibility onto software. After all, “it’s only software.” Like many one-sided business/technical decisions, over-reliance on software will cause more problems than it cures.Read More…
Engineers face more changes
- 09.19.2005
Our industry is undergoing yet another sea-change of how we do our engineering jobs. That point was driven home this morning when I read my copy of EE Times. A series of articles not directly related to Audio caught my eye. Not because of their technical content, but because they signal more changes in the engineering profession. Read More…
Introducing DJ iPod
- 09.25.2005
Technology changes sometimes have unexpected consequences. I for one had never thought that an iPod would replace a wedding DJ. Read More…
Change the world
- 09.27.2005
The greatest opportunity for innovation remains in smaller organizations that are trying to change one small part of the world. What do you know that can change the world?Read More…
IVR Hell
- 10.03.2005
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems were supposed to improve customer service and make it easier to solve problems. But long the way the Web has arrived and IVR is stuck in the 80s – and with some maddening “features.”Read More…
Convergence redux
- 10.05.2005
Pundits talk about convergence of video, audio, and multimedia every six months whether it’s needed or not. Once again “convergence” has been declared a major trend in various product groups including portable products.Read More…
TI’s Templeton nixes “partners”
- 10.09.2005
There’s seldom been a question about where TI's CEO Richard Templton stands on an issue. And this time he’s hit the nail squarely on the head.Read More…
Taking risks
- 10.13.2005
Risky driving behavior holds a lesson for engineers. I recently completed a long distance drive from Flagstaff Arizona to Santa Cruz California. The drive itself was pretty unremarkable, except for some antics by fellow travelers.Read More…
Face the change
- 10.14.2005
In the thirty years that I’ve been in the semiconductor business we’ve all known about Moore’s law. And we’ve all used it to project out a few years to rationalize product plans. But sometimes the implications of a trend aren’t fully grasped.Read More…
Surfing the Alps
- 10.17.2005
OK, part of the year I live maybe six miles from the legendary O’Neill corporate headquarters. Known for their innovative wetsuits, O’Neill is a staple for the surfing crowd around the world.Read More…
More risky choices
- 10.18.2005
A few Blogs ago I wrote about risk taking and the engineering profession. Most of our engineering choices are not the stuff of life-and-death dramas. But there’s plenty of room for catastrophes.Read More…
Fast, cheap, reliable, pick two
- 10.21.2005
If you were on the Internet in the wee hours of today (Friday), it’s pretty likely that you experienced either significant slowdowns or unreachable domains. Don’t ask me how I know…Read More…
Job at risk
- 10.26.2005
I got to thinking about impressive first steps misleading us about probable completion dates for engineering projects. Like my house, design work often has a flurry of activity that creates something visible fairly rapidly But, the initial “product” is missing a lot of stuff to make it really usable.Read More…
Wishful thinking comes home to roost
- 11.02.2005
It's time for engineers to make our voices heard when it comes to marketing hype. When you KNOW that a marketing claim can not be met, it's up to you to make it known. Read More…
iPod overblown
- 11.06.2005
The power of iPod is not in the cute little device, it’s in the whole system. It liberates broadcasting from the confines of regulated operation. Read More…
Workforce gets Dilbertized
- 11.09.2005
Engineers are now spending more time handling e-mail, attending ineffective meetings and being interrupted than ever before. If the trends continue, in ten years we'll get nothing done. Read More…
Audio snooping followup
- 11.12.2005
A flood of e-mails regarding microwave interception of conversation spurred a historical retrospective on resonant cavity bugs. Read More…
Where are the real embedded programmers?
- 11.26.2005
Today I had a disturbing conversation with an old friend. Disturbing not because of what he said, but rather what he confirmed.Read More…
Experts on demand
- 12.05.2005
Three experts from leading semiconductor audio suppliers present information about how to design portable audio products. Read More…
US Government eavesdrops
- 12.16.2005
I must admit to a bit of paranoia when it comes to advanced methods of executing audio signals intercepts. Well it used to be paranoia. Today's revelations make my hair stand on end. Read More…
Frivolous Lawsuits
- 12.26.2005
I encourage each of you to become educated about patents, basic patent law as it applies to engineers, and the business impact – positive and negative – of different patent strategies.Read More…
Happy New Year!
- 12.31.2005
I'm off to CES in a few days. Let me know if there is a company or product I should see while I'm there. Meanwhile, start looking for technology overviews with plenty of links in my upcoming blogs. Read More…
Psychoacoustics resources
- 01.03.2006
A handy guide to psychocoustics as used in audio codecs. Here you'll find collected academic and CMP resources.Read More…
Micowave eavesdropping is here for real
- 01.06.2006
For those of you who wrote expressing concern about possible rights violations, my article”Eavesdropping using microwaves” has been validated by an product from DARPA. Read More…
Cirrus back on audio
- 01.11.2006
After adventures in DVD players, Cirrus Audio's CEO David French focuses the company on its heritage – audio products.Read More…
Audio quality resources
- 01.16.2006
Searching for information on the web can be painful. Here's a start for the basics of audio quality.Read More…
Class D amplifier resources
- 01.27.2006
Our collection of class D amplifier URLs can speed learning about the switched mode amplifier. There's controversy over how to control the amplifier.Read More…
Silicon MEMS microphone resources
- 02.01.2006
Silicon MEMS microphones are a new technology that promises size, cost, and audio quality advantages. You'll find URLs for information on Electret and Silicon microphones in this blog.Read More…
Fragility of technology
- 02.06.2006
Politics sometimes plays a bigger role in technology than the technology itself. Few technologies have a greater political risk than eavesdropping.Read More…
The end of engineering understanding?
- 02.10.2006
Audio engineering technology knowledge is at risk for the working engineer because audio is becoming a series of off-the-shelf commodities. How do you combat the problem?Read More…
Legal reform needed?
- 02.10.2006
Ever the source of demands for legal reform, the Auto Industry's LaSorda demands legal reform of the lawsuit system to reduce costs.Read More…
Microsoft promises to protect developers
- 02.11.2006
Microsoft will put its money in your corner in case of lawsuits. Microsoft says it will lift all caps on legal fees it will pay against intellectual property lawsuits.Read More…
Satellite radio falling short
- 02.20.2006
As XM and Sirius Satellite radio duke it out for increased growth rate, their expense rate has analysts worried. One Director has already resigned.Read More…
Life imitates art
- 02.21.2006
In a curious twist, one of the most outlandish “fictions” of Star Trek is on its way to reality. Science has created a neutron source using dilithium crystals – and a non-sustainable nuclear fusion reaction.Read More…
Engineers on the scrap heap
- 02.26.2006
Engineering jobs are on the upswing, or so many would have us believe. It's true. But, the job growth is mostly at the junior end of the scale – meaning that many of the older engineers have fewer opportunities. Read More…
TI developers conference day 1
- 02.28.2006
The TI developers conference featured audio designs ranging from university projects such as a guitar effets box to commercial surround sound from SRS.Read More…
TI developers conference day 2
- 03.01.2006
Audio quality is being traded off in favor of increased playlist quantity. iPods and other MP3 players often demonstrate worse audio quality than the CD the originally held the music.Read More…
The law of unintended consequences
- 03.05.2006
Mundane issues of life sometimes can be a powerful reminder of the diificulty in managing technology. Mundane issues of life sometimes can be a powerful reminder of the diificulty in managing technology. A mechanical problem with an airplane underscores the difficulty in managaing technology.Read More…
Infrastructure counts
- 03.14.2006
Drag racing has an important lesson for technologists about the importance of infrastructure.Read More…
Microwave eavesdropping question
- 03.22.2006
A reader question offers opportunities to talk about how Cell Phone, 3G, WiFi, and other microwave sources might be used to eavesdrop on conversations.Read More…
Embedded Systems Conference special e-mailings
- 03.29.2006
As a valued AudioDesignLine subscriber, you'll be receiving a special edition of the EE Times Newsletter each day next week, featuring expanded coverage of the Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley.Read More…
ESC Today
- 04.03.2006
Embedded Systems Conference – Silicon Valley has started. There's now a handfull of tickets available for Tuesday's ACE awards dinner – if you're in the area and don't have one already. Plenty to see and do – just not enough time! Read More…
Embedded Systems Conference software focus
- 04.03.2006
It rained in San Jose today – except for the brief period around 4:30 when I watched it snow… There were some terrific sessions Monday that covered all levels of engineering, and most were packed by attendees. Tomorrow the exhibits open.Read More…
Audio design by graphical tool
- 04.04.2006
Analog Devices gave me the cook's tour of their VisualAudio system. I can't recall the last time that a live demo went as smoothly when the audience asked for extemporaneous design. Most people quake when asked to do a live development. ADI pulled it off without a hitch.Read More…
ACE Awards a smash
- 04.05.2006
All in all the ACE Awards made for a fantastic night. If you didn’t make the event this year I heartily recommend planning to go next year. Giving awards is an imperfect science. But if the response of the executive at my table is any indication, true appreciation for what the industry has accomplished is alive and well in Silicon Valley.Read More…
The impact of service
- 04.15.2006
The semiconductor industry has learned some bad habits: like focusing on the “vital few” while ignoring the “trivial many.” Semiconductor industry service is hitting an all time low just as new companies are springing up to apply all of the new products.Read More…
Audio quality crash and burn
- 05.08.2006
High end audio manufacturers appear to be abandoning their traditional market. Are we consumers to blame for the fall off in audio quality across the board?Read More…
Patent Crybabies
- 05.17.2006
There's a growing chorus of complaints about the patent system. Surprisingly enough, some of those complaining most loudly are just as guilty as those they cry “foul” about.Read More…
Cell Phone Shutoff
- 06.14.2006
Cell phone use in public arenas, theaters, movie houses and the like has received substantial attention. I proposed letting companies jam the signal – and got a lot of feedback. Read More…
The Key to Customer Service
- 06.19.2006
A small business owner in Phoenix explained the secret to outstanding customer service to me recently. Here's what he had to say.Read More…
Too much simplification
- 07.12.2006
As technology advances a tipping point in device complexity makes the highly complex parts simple to use. An apparent conflict, this fact was predicted years ago. But it's a reality today.Read More…
Hiring manager has it wrong
- 07.20.2006
Sometimes managers just get it wrong. In this case, the Chief Operating Officer of a DC consultancy doesn't get it. He can't find employees and it's his own fault.Read More…
Audio Warnings
- 08.02.2006
Audio warnings generated by monitoring systems have an important function to play in the modern car. Audio warnings reduce the task load on drivers, improving safety.Read More…
Headhunter Idiocy
- 08.07.2006
Too many tech companies are being controlled by bean counters and MBAs who view engineers as interchangeable parts. Just buy the lowest price “part” to fill out headcount.Read More…
Historic recreation
- 08.10.2006
Reader Ivan Dzombak caught me. My reference to “Western Pennsylvania” and a large gathering of campers made it pretty clear that “vacation” is a world-wide gathering of people who are interested in the middle ages.Read More…
Last of a species
- 08.23.2006
There's a lot of similarities between the Shakers of the 1940s and engineering today in the US. History can be a great teacher. Too bad we're deaf to its lessons. Read More…
9 out of 10 but no hamburgers
- 09.01.2006
The abscence of hamburgers more than 17 years ago can bring some education to XM and other companies. This story has loads to offer all project managers – and team members.Read More…
Flying on 9/11
- 09.11.2006
What's the difference of flying on 9/11, 7/4, 11/24, 12/25, 1/1 or any other day? As for me, I think that if someone is determined enough there's no security tight enough to stop them. So I'll just take my chances and fly.Read More…
Lock bumping opens locks in seconds
- 09.27.2006
Lock bumping opens locks in seconds. Simple tools and little training allows anybody to easily and quickly open most common locks.Read More…
The easy way
- 10.11.2006
The views expressed by academics like Yang and Christensen are over-simplistic and fail to recognize basic facts. Successful semiconductor manufacturers have always paid close attention to downtime and the other factors cited as the new factors for success.Read More…
All About Sound
- 10.17.2006
More about Audio, Sound, Sound Acoustics, Sound Psychoacoustics, Audio Technology, Longitudinal Waves, Phase, Out of Phase, Phase Quadrature, In Phase, Oscillating, Sound Wave, Sine Wave, Zero Amplitude, Hertz, Phase Offset, Phase Difference, Phase Opposition, Planar Wave Front, Wavelength, Frequency, Diffraction, Interference, Constructive Interference, Distructive Interference, Beat Frequency, Doppler Effect, Decibel, Sound Power Level, SPL, Spectrum, Sonogram, Harmonics, Total Harmonic DistortionRead More…
One Child Saved
- 10.21.2006
Two years ago this month a friend backed his crew cab pickup truck over his 9 year old daughter. A backup camera could have prevented this accident. Roadmaster has introduced wireless camera for $149.Read More…
You can help
- 11.02.2006
There's a lot of ways to let people know about the articles that you like on Audio DesignLine. The obvious one is to e-mail a link. But you can also post links on your own web site, include them in a blog, and vote for articles on web sites like Digg.comRead More…
Seeking Trends
- 11.20.2006
Prognosticators abound, and sometimes we're right. As much as I closely follow audio and audio trends I may not have a lock on everyone. Care to make a suggestion?Read More…
New Altair 8800 available
- 12.01.2006
Like many my age, my first computer was a homebuilt. More than 30 years ago Radio Electronics magazine ran an article on building an Intel 8008 based computer. Now a kit form of an old computer is once again available.Read More…
Logic Revisited
- 12.14.2006
In today's world of breakneck pace in product design, it's often worthwhile to revisit basic principles. A good starting point is the basics of logic design.Read More…
Personal web site referenced by Al Jazeera
- 12.18.2006
Anyone at any time is free to link to my site. The “minor problem” that happened within weeks of the Al Jazeera citation – my e-mail server began receiving thousands of hacker probes per hour. Read More…
We’re back!
- 01.05.2007
2006 flew by fast. And for me personally the holiday season started by catching a colleague's cold (same as last year) and ended with a trip to the emergency room a few days after the new year. Read More…
Air leaks = noise problems
- 01.24.2007
If you have unwanted “escaped noise” you can find and fix it. Just think like the wind. Follow the “holes” in your walls, ceilings, and floors. You'll be amazed how much quieter things can be with the application of putty, sealing foam, and spackle. Read More…
Snafus, scandals, and dirt – it’s open season!
- 01.26.2007
Broken stuff. Maybe illegal stuff. And certainly stupid stuff. Stuff that if you or I did we'd probably be sitting in jail. Or, at least in the unemployment line.Read More…
Cirrus changes management over options
- 03.07.2007
David French of Cirrus Logic resigned over backdating issues at the semiconductor maker. French was a moving force in DSP at TI and Analog Devices. Now he's on the outside. Read More…
Forced to open SPAM
- 03.29.2007
Junk email takes valuable time from real work. I'm a fast reader, but with the trash that I get there's a plausible introduction with real technical material – and that takes time to sort through.Read More…
The Cost of SPAM
- 04.04.2007
So here's the challenge: let's come up with an anti-SPAM technique that actually works. I'll start things off with a suggestion. Let's set up SPAM trap email addresses on your domains. Read More…
Patents and Fearmongering
- 05.02.2007
Lest anyone think that I don't see problems with all of the patenting systems, I do see problems. The quality of issued patents needs to improve in many art groups substantially.Read More…
Audio amp design: Do you tube?
- 08.06.2007
Vacuum tubes had been relegated to the history books by the time I studied engineering. Had it not been for my interest in audio – and high-end audio in particular – I might never have experienced the fascinating world of tube audio design. Read More…
Audio amp design: Do you tube? (Part 2)
- 08.08.2007
More of my experiences with tube audio, including a DIY tube DAC unit.Read More…
Free guide to audio metering basics
- 08.11.2007
A free downloadable guide on audio levels and metering covers basic terms and definitions as well as issues like loudness, A-weighting and how analog levels relate to digital scales.Read More…
Engineer with a subwoofer
- 08.15.2007
If you're going to wake someone up in the apartment next door at 3 AM in the morning playing loud video games, you'd better be sure they're not an engineer with a subwoofer.Read More…
Extreme audio(philes)
- 08.18.2007
You won't believe your eyes (and ears) as members of the Audiophile Club of Athens introduce us into the world of extreme audio in this short web film.Read More…
Hollywood, Harry Potter and High-End Audio
- 08.22.2007
Are these all guilty of contributing to science illiteracy? And who/what is high-end audio's Lord Voldemort?Read More…
Sound effects gone wrong
- 08.26.2007
A major financial news channel uses sound effects to less than good effect.Read More…
Oscilloscope waveforms as ‘art’
- 08.29.2007
And you thought oscilloscopes were only good for test and measurement?Read More…
Power JFETs: Good news for audio amp design
- 08.29.2007
Power JFETs – yes, JFETS – are available again, and offer some intriguing advantages over MOSFETs in audio amp design.Read More…
Why I don’t own an iPod
- 09.05.2007
No doubt about it – the iPod is a great little portable music player (and more). So why is it that I've never bought one?Read More…
Amazing ‘Hi-Fi’ cartoon/illustration from 1950s
- 09.09.2007
You won't believe the detail in this 1950's cartoon illustration depicting “hi-fi” of that period. Read More…
Are audio cables guilty of sonic differences?
- 09.19.2007
The case made by audiophiles attempting to prove that audio cables routinely sound different from one another wouldn't hold up in court.Read More…
Readers respond to recent blog posts
- 09.26.2007
A recap of reader feedback to recent blog posts on everything from subwoofers and tube audio to audio cables and fun with oscilloscopes.Read More…
The art and technology of digital music performance
- 10.03.2007
The latest digital technologies are spurring exciting new developments and opportunities in music performance and recording.Read More…
A day at AES 2007: A selected pictorial tour
- 10.10.2007
Some pictures and reports from a day spent at the recent AES 2007 convention in New York.Read More…
“Loudspeakers” authors respond to feedback
- 10.17.2007
The authors of “Loudspeakers: The effects of amplifiers and cables” respond to some reader feedback on the article series.Read More…
Free audio analysis software
- 10.22.2007
This free, versatile computer-based audio analysis system doesn't require any proprietary hardware or a specific computer platform. Read More…
Audio myth: Vinyl better than CD?
- 10.31.2007
Some popular audio myths resurface in a recent Wired magazine commentary citing vinyl's “superiority” over CD. Read More…
Electronics-themed music ‘video’ from the 1960s
- 11.06.2007
This entertaining short 'music video' from the 1960s combines animated electronic components of the period and a catchy musical soundtrack that will be familiar to fans of a popular animated TV sitcom. Read More…
Linkwitz on loudspeakers and room interaction
- 11.10.2007
Loudspeaker and crossover designer Siegfried Linkwitz offers his thoughts on room-optimized stereo sound reproduction in a lecture and online presentation. Read More…
Vinyl vs. CD: Readers respond
- 11.21.2007
Readers respond to my recent post on audio myths and the question “does vinyl sound better than CD?”Read More…
Loudspeakers lecture by Linkwitz follow-up
- 11.26.2007
Listen to an MP3 of a recent AES lecture by loudspeaker designer Siegfried Linkwitz on room-optimized stereo sound reproduction through proper loudspeaker design and placement, or read the summarized lecture report. Read More…
Audio illusions that will fool your ear (and brain)
- 11.28.2007
Listen to these audio illusions to guess a mysterious (but familiar) tune, hear phantom words or experience a virtual haircut!Read More…
High-frequency ‘mystery’ tones on CD recordings
- 12.04.2007
High-frequency 15-kHz+ “ringing” found on many CD recordings has listeners puzzling over what might have caused it. Read More…
Vinyl vs. CD: More reader feedback
- 12.05.2007
More reader feedback on the vinyl vs. CD debate includes comments on jitter, early ADCs used in the recording industry, perfect pitch and a reminder of the role of subjective perception. Read More…
Deutsche Grammophon, thanks for the MP3s, but …
- 12.10.2007
Deutsche Grammophon's new online music site is great for classical music lovers – but not so much for audiophiles.Read More…
“Lost in Translation” movie mystery whisper revealed via DSP?
- 12.17.2007
Has sophisticated audio processing at last revealed what Bill Murray whispered to Scarlett Johansson in the final scene of the movie “Lost in Translation”? Judge for yourself.Read More…
Sound focusing technologies make recent headlines
- 12.26.2007
Sound focusing technologies in the news recently include an ultrasound technique that beams audio over a distance of many meters, and a “personal sound system” prototype using an array of tiny loudspeakers.Read More…
The death of high fidelity?
- 01.02.2008
Do MP3s and the “loudness war” spell the end of high-quality music recordings? Rolling Stone Magazine thinks so. I disagree.Read More…
No more CD players for me!
- 01.09.2008
I've had a taste of PC audio and wireless home networking and won't be going back to old-fashioned CD playback.Read More…
DIY vacuum tube
- 01.16.2008
This video by an amateur radio operator visually steps through the process of manually making a triode vacuum tube.Read More…
Audio homing robot
- 01.23.2008
An autonomous sound-sensing robot developed by programmers at Cornell uses three microphones to first detect and then follow an audio source.Read More…
Test your distortion hearing ability
- 01.30.2008
Test your ability to detect nonlinear distortion for different music signals and loudspeaker types with this online interactive listening test. Read More…
TV series to document history of recorded music
- 02.13.2008
Get your TiVos ready – an ambitious eight-hour TV documentary chronicling the history of recorded music is planned for the fall of 2010.Read More…
Audio coding artifacts: What to listen for
- 02.20.2008
Understand audio compression artifacts and what to listen for with this tutorial/demo CD from the Audio Engineering Society.Read More…
Fun DIY kits: vacuum tube radio, Edison phonograph
- 02.27.2008
Some neat hobby kits from Japan include a working vacuum tube radio (see an assembly video here) and an Edison-style phonograph kit that actually lets you record your own voice on a plastic cup!Read More…
TV a key audio focus at TI Developer Conference
- 02.29.2008
While trends in portable consumer electronics and connectivity/convergence are continuing to drive many audio developments, TV/Home Theater was a key focus at the recent TI Developer Conference.Read More…
Happy birthday to the MP3 player
- 03.12.2008
It's been ten years since the first MP3 player was introduced. And, no, it wasn't an iPod (not even close).Read More…
AES turns 60, celebrates with oral history project
- 03.19.2008
The Audio Engineering Society celebrated its 60th anniversary last week by screening excerpts from its Oral History Project – recorded first-hand recollections and anecdotes from those involved with important historical audio engineering events. You'll recognize many familiar names. Read More…
MP3: Audio boon or bane?
- 03.26.2008
Are MP3s really responsible for a general decline in the quality of digital audio?Read More…
Virtual music reproduction scheme achieves file size 1,000 times smaller than MP3
- 04.02.2008
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a digital music reproduction technology that has enabled them to encode a 20-second clarinet solo in less than 1 KB.Read More…
Test your pro audio knowledge and win a free AES pass
- 04.09.2008
Here's your chance to take a short multiple-choice quiz on pro audio and win a full program pass to the upcoming 124th AES convention in Amsterdam.Read More…
Electronics designer needed for small high-end wireless audio project
- 04.16.2008
A poster on the Audio DesignLine forum is looking for an electronics designer to design a PCB for a small high-end wireless digital audio project. Anyone interested? Read More…
Vinyl: How it’s made
- 04.23.2008
See how vinyl records are made with this pair of short videos, which show everything starting with the original aluminum disc, through the lacquering and cutting processes, to the final pressing of the vinyl record. Read More…
Vinyl LP comeback = wishful thinking
- 04.30.2008
Claims by some industry observers of a “resurgence” in the sales of vinyl LPs aren't supported by the latest RIAA industry data. And my graphs show why.Read More…
New jazz piano CD demonstrates advanced virtual music technology
- 05.07.2008
I just received a promo copy of the soon-to-be-released “re-performance” of Art Tatum's jazz masterpiece “Piano Starts Here” – a recording only made possible by the advanced virtual music technology of Zenph Studios. Read More…
Vacuum tubes: A ‘valve’ video, a tube amp modeler, and a joke
- 05.14.2008
Check out a 1950s video on “The Manufacture of Radio Valves,” a tube amplifier modeling software plug-in that lets musicians play EE, and did you hear the one about the musician whose wife was cheating on him?Read More…
Rolling Stone: Hi-Fi not dead after all
- 05.21.2008
Late last year Rolling Stone declared the “death of high fidelity.” Now, a more recent article from the same publication suggests that the original report may have been greatly exaggerated.Read More…
AES Amsterdam: A selected virtual tour
- 05.28.2008
Although I wasn't able to make the recent AES Convention in Amsterdam, that didn't stop me from putting together a virtual tour of sorts.Read More…
Is MT9 the new MP3?
- 06.04.2008
A new multi-channel digital music file format that some claim will become the “new MP3” gives users the ability to remix the audio content in the file. Read More…
Study: How does the brain separate audio signals from noise?
- 06.11.2008
By measuring brain responses of listeners performing an auditory detection test (hear it for yourself) researchers have moved closer to solving the mystery of how the human brain extracts meaningful signals from noisy acoustic environments.Read More…
MP3 player audio quality tests: Some surprises
- 06.18.2008
CNET compared the measured audio quality of a variety of MP3 players based on frequency response, THD+N, and SNR – and the winner isn't who you might think.Read More…
Another shot fired in the “loudness war”
- 06.25.2008
A new CD release made directly from an LP master is the latest example of a music artist fighting back against the pervasive use of extreme dynamic range compression in popular recordings.Read More…
New monthly audio newsletter
- 08.05.2008
The first issue of a new monthly audio email newsletter is being sent out on Thursday. Sign up now in order not to miss the latest audio design tutorials, products and news. (If you were subscribed to the previous weekly newsletter, you'll automatically receive the new monthly newsletter.)Read More…
Special audio section in EE Times highlights AES
- 09.04.2008
A special section on “advanced audio” in the September 8th issue of EE Times offers a selection of articles from AES contributors on topics ranging from PC audio and ADC buffer design to balanced audio and even one designer's musings on his six biggest digital audio mistakes.Read More…
Spoof video: Thank you, engineers, for the MP3 player
- 11.19.2008
A series of short, spoof videos thanking engineers for their many innovations includes a look at what the world might be like without MP3 players.Read More…
How to measure audio quality in portable media players
- 02.16.2009
These short training videos from Cirrus Logic cover the basic equipment and source material you'll need, how to define test set up and load conditions, some basics of audio tests and more!Read More…
Networked audio rules!
- 02.22.2009
My experience with one of the latest network audio players only further confirms the impending demise of the CD.Read More…
Vinyl vs. CD myths refuse to die
- 01.13.2010
I still get emails from non-technical vinyl LP fans who insist that the legacy format is technically superior to CD/digital, and one Web site in particular is partly to blame. Read More…
Video interview with MP3 co-inventor
- 01.27.2010
One of MP3's inventors discusses how the audio compression technology works, its origins and success, its real (and perceived) problems, and some practical tips, as well as what's next for MP3.Read More…
Audio Myths Workshop video
- 02.10.2010
This video of the Audio Myths workshop held at a recent AES show covers topics like the nature of human perception, “placebo tweaks,” proper testing methods and examples of artifact audibility, among many others. A list of 20 topics and when they occur in the video is included here for easy reference.Read More…
Acoustic metamaterials: Solution for noisy neighbors?
- 02.24.2010
Acoustic panels consisting of latex membranes and plastic buttons might offer an economical solution to blocking annoying bass frequencies.Read More…
What’s the iPad missing as an audio device?
- 03.10.2010
With all of the hype lately over the Apple iPad, the device's audio capabilities (or lack thereof) don't seem to have received much attention.Read More…
Research reveals wireless, laser-powered nanotube speakers
- 03.24.2010
New research shows that acoustic speakers made from carbon nanotubes can be powered by lasers, offering the possibility of invisible, wireless speakers that can be attached to any surface.Read More…
Cardboard packaging doubles as record player
- 04.07.2010
Designed as a marketing piece, a direct mail promo made from corrugated cardboard and containing a 45-rpm record converts into a functional record player.Read More…
The RCA phono plug: An outdated relic?
- 04.21.2010
When it came to choosing the RCA phono plug as a standard for consumer audio (and video) applications, “cheap” and “simple” clearly won out over technical considerations. Read More…
Generalisimo Francisco Franco is still dead – and so is Vinyl
- 05.05.2010
Music shipment data is out for 2009, and a graph of that data helps put the popularity of the various formats – i.e., digital downloads, CD and vinyl LP – into perspective.Read More…
Test your hearing (and other audio skills) online
- 05.19.2010
Test your hearing ability – including frequency response, ability to hear/understand speech over ambient noise, and tone deafness – with these online tests.Read More…
Audio awareness – a winner at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
- 06.22.2010
Who'd have guessed that the Soccer World Cup would become a vehicle for millions of people to learn more about acoustics and audio processing?Read More…
Audio cable break-in, analog vs. digital nonsense
- 07.21.2010
A couple of recent examples of audio silliness show how two groups – audiophiles and popular “audio” columnists – seem to remain immune to any increased technical understanding of audio.Read More…
Why is NASA audio so bad?
- 08.25.2010
Posters at an audio forum offer up a variety of reasons (some serious and some not-so serious) for the low audio quality of NASA space mission communications.Read More…
129th AES debuts Product Design Track
- 09.22.2010
The upcoming 129th Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention in San Francisco will offer – for the first time – a dedicated Product Design Track featuring more than 20 events focused on audio product development.Read More…
Putting an audiophile “tweak” to the test
- 10.27.2010
A longstanding audiophile product – a “quantum/superconducting”-based device that claims to achieve previously unnattainable “levels of signal purity and transparency” – undergoes some objective tests by some skeptical audio DIYers.Read More…
Walkman R.I.P., Audi sound
- 11.23.2010
My take on the fate of the Walkman (maybe it should be renamed the “WalkingDeadman”) and on the efforts by Audi – and other companies – to find the “right sound” for their products.Read More…
Remembering W. Marshall Leach Jr. (and his low-TIM amp)
- 12.21.2010
The audio field lost a major figure recently with the passing of W. Marshall Leach Jr.Read More…
Audio-related iPhone apps abound
- 01.26.2011
Audio utilities, test & measurement, games and even a vuvuzela app are just a few examples of interesting audio-related apps I've run across since getting my first iDevice a month ago.Read More…
MCU symphony, extreme mics, car tape decks, lossless audio
- 02.23.2011
Recent audio news includes an MCU-based symphony, behind the scenes at the home of some of the industry's most expensive microphones, R.I.P. pre-installed car cassette decks, and audiophile confusion over lossless audio.Read More…
E-books and audio: are you listening?
- 03.07.2011
In this guest blog post, Zatil Hamid of TI considers some of the algorithms and tools that are being added in to e-books to ensure a high quality listening experience for the end user.Read More…
Audiophile/physicist advances 3D audio
- 03.23.2011
A new 3D audio technology using a crosstalk cancellation technique works with stereo loudspeakers and can be used to enhance existing stereo recordings.Read More…
The six basic audio tests in video tutorials
- 04.27.2011
A series of video tutorials on “the six basic audio measurements” – produced by audio test company Audio Precision – covers the topics of frequency response, THD+N, phase, SNR, crosstalk and level & gain. Read More…
Audio subjectivist vs. objectivist debate
- 05.25.2011
The audio subjectivist vs. objectivist debate has flared up once again, this time triggered by a critical hardcore engineering-based review of a popular DIY audiophile headhone amp. Read More…
Audiophoolery, father of computer music & how to listen
- 06.22.2011
The latest audio-related items that recently caught my eye include free listener training software, a look back at the life and work of a computer music pioneer, and more “audiophoolery” – this time in a column at Slate.Read More…
Audio listening enjoyment: Do technical specs matter?
- 07.27.2011
When it comes to audio listening enjoyment, it isn't always about the specs.Read More…
More audio-related iPhone apps
- 08.24.2011
There's no shortage of interesting audio-related apps for the iPhone and iPad – everything from audio test instruments to music creation tools to games – and some can even be had for free. Read More…
Audio amp UI design: Creativity vs. usability
- 09.21.2011
If choosing a front panel design for a headphone amplifier would you go with a creative, unique look or something more traditional and functional?Read More…
AES 131st Convention photo gallery
- 10.26.2011
A photo gallery from the show floor of the recent 131st AES Convention in NYC includes photos of everything from exhibits and audio product demos to audio publications and even an electromechanical Rastafarian! Read More…
AES 2011 videos: Audio analyzers, USB audio, DSPs & more
- 11.28.2011
Here are some short videos from the recent AES show floor, highlighting demos of some audio analyzers, a low-cost USB DSP kit, a TV/radio dialogue enhancement technology, and a “Pro Audio in a Box” platform.Read More…
Top ten Audio Designline articles for 2011
- 01.03.2012
Here are the top ten (most popular) technical articles on Audio Designline during 2011.Read More…
Faster FFT, young listeners and MP3s & LPs
- 01.25.2012
Some recent audio-related items that caught my eye include a Fast(er) Fourier Transform, a new study on the 'iPod generation' and MP3 sound, a poll on younger listeners and LPs, and a 'circuit' diagram that's reminiscent of some DIY audiophile designs.Read More…
Neil Young: Say No to MP3s
- 02.22.2012
Musician Neil Young says we need to save music from MP3s (and other lossy audio formats). But does music quality need rescuing, and is a new hi-res audio format the answer?Read More…
More on digital audio formats: 24/192, iTunes optimized, adaptive
- 03.20.2012
Some interesting follow-up news items in the wake of Neil Young's recent comments about MP3s and the quality of digital audio include an argument against 24/192 downloads, guidelines for 'mastering for iTunes,' and a new adaptive HD audio format in the works at Apple. Read More…
Audio design competition for students
- 06.26.2012
Student engineers (or hobbyists) can have their innovative audio hardware or software designs reviewed by a panel of pro audio manufacturers, product designers, and end users at this year's 133rd Audio Engineering Society Convention.Read More…
Listen to the Higgs boson
- 07.24.2012
“Sonified” data from the Large Hadron Collider offers some musical – and some not so musical – interpretations on the sound of the “God particle.”Read More…
Consumer audio: Is accurate sound overrated?
- 08.29.2012
Should high-end headphones and speakers be designed for “good sound” rather than for technical accuracy? One consumer audio blogger thinks so.Read More…
Apple EarPods: Inside and out
- 09.25.2012
Here's the take on Apple's new EarPods – the earphones announced along with the iPhone 5 – including a teardown of the EarPods, initial reviews, and patent information.Read More…
Audio turboencabulator
- 10.24.2012
The Pseudoacoustic Infector acoustic stimulator offers users the ability to “add bits of this and dashes of that” along with other “features” too numerous to mention.Read More…
DIY laser mic, visualizing sound waves, iPhone 5 DAC
- 11.28.2012
Some recent audio-related items that caught my eye include a DIY laser microphone “spy” system, a video showing how to make sound waves visible, and a close-up look at the DAC inside the iPhone 5.Read More…
Custom EQing headphones for your ears
- 01.30.2013
Finding out the perceived frequency response of your combined headphone/ear 'system' and compensating for it using parametric equalization can offer some eye-opening benefits. But finding an EQ solution isn't always easy. Read More…
Workshop on active loudspeaker design
- 03.19.2013
An upcoming live event/webcast offers the opportunity to learn active loudspeaker design tricks of the trade from a variety of experts in the field, including Peter Eastty and Ian Dennis.Read More…
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