Nagra Adds a New Digital Source to Its Product Range

Audio Technology Switzerland announced the introduction of a new digital source. 30 years after the then state-of-the-art Nagra D, the first high resolution digital recorder, and almost 20 years after the Nagra CDC reference CD player, Nagra is releasing a streamer. In a compact format but packed with features, the new design can play all current high resolution formats. The Nagra Streamer will be premiered at High End 2024 in Munich.

Sonos revealed its most extensive app redesign ever, creating a new, more unified streaming experience that allows users to organize their favorite playlists, stations, albums and more from over 100 services on one customizable Home screen. The new Home screen also provides faster access to Sonos system controls with one easy swipe up, making tab to tab jumping a thing of the past. The new app supports all existing S2 products and will be available globally through a software update for the S2 mobile app and via an all-new web app on May 7, 2024.

Luxman was among the world’s first consumer electronics companies, founded at the dawn of the radio age in 1925, in Japan. Fast-forward to 2024, and Luxman has launched its first ever streaming audio source, which the company reminiscently calls a "network transport". But the new Luxman NT-07 is effectively a fully featured digital audio source for today, supporting streaming services, USB and network file playback via connection to outboard D/A converters.

Bluesound Professional, the distributed audio ecosystem for commercial spaces from Lenbrook, is now shipping its highly anticipated ceiling speakers originally unveiled at InfoComm 2023. The new Bluesound BCS250 and BCS300 are passive and active PoE ceiling speakers that can be installed as in-ceiling speakers or with an optional pendant speaker conversion package, offering even more flexibility for installers.

More than eight years past from the unveiling of the Kii Three, Kii Audio "drops" a new revolutionary speaker into the world, and it's called the Kii Seven. We don't know if the Four, Five, and Six were not considered good enough by the engineering team, and I guess we will never know. What we know is that the Kii Seven is much more of a lifestyle home system, having fully integrated network and wireless streaming features. And of course, the Kii SEVEN combines high-end audio with cutting-edge "smart" technology.

The Audio Engineering Society launched a new AES Loudness Project website. Because consistent loudness should be a goal of audio engineers for digital content delivery, the new portal provides tutorials developed by the AES Technical Committee for Broadcast and Online Delivery (TCBOD) on audio loudness, with guidelines for content production and distribution consistent with AES Recommended Practices from its Technical Council, and Standards committees.

Expanding on its range of solutions for audio manufacturers, at IFA 2023 in Berlin, StreamUnlimited introduced a new turn-key platform with five software package options, streamlining product development. Based on a single hardware platform, Stream2Go features different software build options that are carefully configured to offer a suitable product line for different segments and categories. From smart audio to connected appliances, developers can choose from these ready to use packages and still offer cutting edge technologies including support for Bluetooth LE Audio, and any of the available streaming service options.

LG Electronics introduced its vision to transform the company from its current position as a top global home appliance brand to a “smart life solutions company” that can connect and expand consumers' experiences while driving for global annual revenues of KRW 100 trillion by 2030. The strategy encompasses expanding into new growing segments, and transforming its business to a more platform-based, service-based business, leveraging also its hundreds of millions of Smart TVs running the webOS operating system.

TIDAL launched Live, a new in-app feature that makes it easy for HiFi and HiFi Plus TIDAL subscribers to share music in the moment without physically being together. According to the global music streaming platform, Live makes it easy for groups of any size to come together for a special event, an album release, a road trip, or for a get ready with me moment. TIDAL Live is another example of streaming services using social interaction as a way to reward subscribers and expand through user's networks.

Test Tunes for Subjective Evaluation of Drivers and Loudspeakers, expertly selected by John Marks. From Donald Fagen to Franco Vassallo, Julia Fordham and Frederica von Stade. Some carefully selected audio tracks for subjective evaluation of drivers and loudspeakers. Voices, Male, Female, and Group. Tracks available as high-quality streaming on QOBUZ and TIDAL.