Spatial Audio Comes to Podcasting

Podcasting and Spatial Audio are a natural combination. These two great sound experiences are about to sound great together. With the listening public drawn to both spoken word podcasts and immersive music, audio professionals say the next big thing is spatial audio podcasts — storytelling engineered to place the listener right in the middle of things.

Spotify Technology announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Findaway, a leading digital audiobook distribution company based in Ohio. Already a strong platform for podcasting and spoken word content, Spotify wants to expand now into audiobooks, greatly increasing the perceived value for it's streaming services. Essentially an audio technology company, Findaway offers a complete audiobook creation and publishing platform.

Audix is executing the most ambitious product catalog expansion in its history. The Wilsonville, OR-based company announced its latest large-diaphragm studio vocal microphone, the A231, which is set to establish a new standard for capturing the human voice. Sporting the distinctive gold-plated brass band made famous on the its renowned SCX25A instrument microphone, the new A231 was designed to open up new creative possibilities in the realm of lead and backing vocals, spoken word and voiceover applications, as well as acoustic instrument miking.

A year after launching ICON, a studio-quality USB microphone, and ICON PRO, a broadcast-quality XLR streaming microphone targeting the thriving remote working, podcasting, gaming, and home recording application segments, Earthworks Audio now launches ETHOS, a new condenser microphone tuned to broadcast standards. Fully developed in-house, ETHOS was designed for the authenticity, naturalness, and gentle proximity effect of broadcast microphones — but at a $699 price point.

Buzz Buzz... Neat Microphones’ confirmed that the Neat King Bee II XLR microphone will launch in Summer 2021 with an MSRP of $169.99, and includes the Beekeeper Shockmount and Honeycomb Pop Filter for high-quality recordings. This will be the first product shipping from Neat Microphones since the microphone brand was acquired by Turtle Beach Corporation. The fact that it ships an analog XLR microphone bodes well for the future of the ill-fated brand.

Audioburst Auto is an app created for the Android Auto platform, designed to provide expertly curated playlists, a personalized news feed, and search capabilities to drivers. Having until now promoted the platform and API for developers, Audioburst Auto is the company's first consumer-oriented product. All features are built using Audioburst’s own short-format approach and are completely accessible via voice commands.

At the Integrated Systems Europe 2015 Show, in Amsterdam, Sennheiser unveiled its new SpeechLine Digital Wireless systems, designed exclusively for speech applications. The Speechline systems are designed for easy installation and operation, high level of reliability, and optimum speech intelligibility at all times.