Audio News for February 19, 2010

by | Feb 19, 2010 | Audio News | 0 comments

Audio Research’s “Last CD Player”? – The new CD8 Reference CD Player from Audio Research is a built like a serious amplifier and has a top-loading disc turntable with a magnetic clamp. At $10,000, it uses tubes not just in the buffer output stage but thruout the player, to achieve a more musical sound than other state-of-the-art CD decks. Those with huge CD collections and a pocketbook to match might want to consider the player as an alternative to putting all their collection on a music server.

QSonix Goes Hi-Res in Music Server Upgrade – QSonix, maker of a hi-end audiophile music server, supports hi-res media and USB DACs in their latest performance audio upgrade. Its v2.6 software update includes numerous feature enhancements and user interface improvements, including an optional “Performance Audio Pack” that delivers third-party external USB DAC capabilities, WAV uncompressed CD ripping and import and playback of hi-res 24-bit audio and up to 192kHz sampling rate. It also provides Track/Song Composer browsing and search, GUI and cosmetic enhancements, and web interface improvements.  These enhancements will allow discerning audiophile users to take advantage of the increasing number of mid and hi-performance USB DACs appearing in the market, as well as the benefit of enjoying the ultimate music experiences with hi-res audio downloaded from online music sources such as AixRecords.com, HDtracks.com, Linnrecords.com, Itrax.com and others.


Braille Outgunned by Audio Sources – The National Federation of the Blind reports that fewer than 10% of the 1.3 million people who are legally blind in America are Braille readers. There is a spiral of misunderstanding that the system is slow and difficult to learn. Although Braille is more available than ever before, there are also more audio sources now available.  The blind routinely use audio to read, with digital technology and software that translates the written word into speech.  70% of the blind are unemployed, but of the remaining 30% who have jobs, 80% of them know Braille. It is attached to literacy and success in employment.

Childproof Your Electronics – Every year 3 million kids are treated in the ER for injuries they receive at home from power cords to laptops, desktops, keyboards, phones, iPods and handheld devices. Childproofing your electronics is a modern parents’ responsibility. The curious eyes of a child can get them into trouble.  Childproofing your electronics should start with your outlets. Tamper-proof outlets for #2 are an easy option. You should raise your outlets up off the floor and behind your electronics. RadioShack has plastic spiral cabling, and there is a tamper-resistant power strip cover that protects all your cords at once and makes it impossible for a child to grab. Another way to protect your children and device is to go wireless.  The Powermat is a wireless charging stations for your handheld devices.  Some people make homemade cable management systems out of inexpensive plastic rain gutters. The whole thing will cost less than $20.

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