Audio News for June 30, 2015

by | Jun 30, 2015 | Audio News

Sony and Best Buy Plan Hi-Res Music Demos in 70 Stores – This fall Best Buy will begin having demo areas for hi-res home and portable audio in over 70 of their stores. They will feature Sony’s digital Walkman players, headphone amps, music servers and other hi-res audio devices plus equipment from other manufacturers. Customers will be able to demo a selection of hi-res audio clips. This is the first national retailer to respond like this.

Interesting Article on “Audio Overkill” – Reporter Ryan Nakashima interviewed many leaders in the audio field, including Mark Waldrep of AIX, and wrote this unusually straight-forward article questioning the benefits of some supposed hi-res music. Waldrep proposes that the many hi-res digital copies of original analog tapes be called Hi-Res Transfers, and that seems like a good solution. His point is that that doesn’t make them hi-res music. [I disagree but it would be nice if they were so identified…Ed.]

High Ranking of Samsung HDTVs – The latest J.D. Power High-Definition TV Satisfaction Report recognized Samsung for the second year as delivering the highest customer kudos in HDTVs – both below and above 50 inches size. Ranking was highest for overall satisfaction performance, reliability, style, appearance, features and warranty.

PS Audio Launches PCM/DSD DAC for $1299 – The new NuWave DSD DAC combines a 192/24 PCM DAC with a 2.8MHz single-rate/5.6MHz double-rate DSD DAC. It joins their $6000 model, which also converts PCM to 1-bit DSD to make PCM content sound less edgy and more linear while revealing more musical details. It also handles PCM up to 352.8kHz. The NuWave DSD DAC output stage features balanced and unbalanced analog outputs and employs a direct-coupled hybrid array using discrete semiconductors and ICs.

Jasco GE Chargers to Untangle the Nest of Wires – While wireless charging is so far in the future for most of us, Jasco looks to fix that with their Wrap-n-Charge USB wall chargers that power multiple devices simultaneously and come in two-, three- and four-USB-port versions with 2.4 to 4.4 amps charging. They have fold-in prongs and built-in notches for easy wrapping of up to nine feet of cable. They are also designed to not obstruct a second AC outlet in the wall when plugged in. Prices range from $30 to $45.

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