Tips On How to Improve Speaker Performance Without Buying New Speakers – Todd Anderson at Aperion Audio in Portland OR, has some excellent advice on speaker placement, and there is no effort to sell their direct-to-you-online speakers, but there is a blurb at the end for a recommended stand for mini-monitors. He also has a good article on how far you should sit from your speakers (you must sit really close to see the improvement of a UHD display).
All Home Networks Should Include Audio – Apple revolutionized the music industry over a decade ago with its iPod and companion iTunes software. Today, thru various software programs – including hi-res – music lovers can manage and plan their digital music files via electronics ranging from iPads, iPhones and computers to traditional two-channel systems with networked enabled source components, and whole-house audio systems with access to local hard drives. One method which some overlook is the use of audio files stored on a network via networked attached storage (NAS). This provides homeowners a way to store, protect and access their content for playback on any system in the home, and with the pricing on hardware and software coming down, this method is beginning to replace disc players as the primary means of playback for non-streaming music. Advantages of NAS include higher storage capacities, a choice of RAID configurations – thus giving higher levels of data protection, users hve access to their music whether they are home or at some remote location, and the devices are versatile – they can support Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Xboxes, PlayStations, smart TVs and mobile products. The capabilities to support networked audio are in place for most homeowners.
RTI Introduces New Multi-room Audio Keypad – Leading control and automation manufactuer RTI is now shipping its KX1, designed to control distributed audio within rooms or zones across any home or business environment, simplifying the user experience with a color OLED display, two-way control capabilities, backlit volume, programmable hard buttons, and more. It retails for $149.