LG Archive

Audio News 4 June 2017

Audio News 4 June 2017 LG Releases new Sound Bar, enhancing Cinematic Experience — matched with the LG Super UHD and OLED TVs, superb picture quality with high quality sound fidelity.  LG SJ9, SJ8, SJ7. SF Jazz Festival Starts Next Week!  35th Annual Jazz Festival, a defining event in the world of Jazz.  Some 43 concerts over the course of two weeks, five different venues.  Jazz enthusiasts everywhere, if you are in the Bay Area, not to be missed.  More info https://sfjazz.org/events/35sfjf. Hi-res Music Production… Standards?  Recommendations?  — Yes, there is the Recording Academy Producers and Engineers Wing of Grammy, striving for common approaches to the different demands in the recording industry.  For some behind-the-scenes about hi-res technology, it is worth exploring here:  https://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/producers-and-engineers/guidelines. Streaming Radio Shows — now no longer exotic, the ‘Net provides a rich medium for sharing top-flight shows across the globe, previously limited to an audience within reach by radio.  One to consider is the Music Treasury, hosted from Stanford University every Sunday evening, 7:00 – 9:00 PM, Pacific West Coast Time.  To listen, here is the link:   Music Treasury  

Audio News for March 7, 2017

New Study Shows States Offering Best Online Privacy – comparitech.com based their study on 24 key criteria, and Delaware was found to be the most private state due to laws requiring the government to dispose of customer data after a set period of time, protect the privacy of e-readers and library data, and protect employee privacy that helped the state. California, Utah and Arkansas were the second most private states. Wyoming, South Dakota and Alaska were ranked as some of the worst states for online privacy.  A spokesperson said “No state is perfect, but at least all levels of the US government allow citizens to fortify their online security at will.” Global Home Audio Speaker Market Increases 16% from 2015 – The new report from Research and Markets shows the home audio market worth $19.5 billion in 2016, and showing a 16% increase over 2015. Revenues are projected to continue growing over the next five years.  New technologies are being embraced to develop new categories such as multi-room speakers and ultra-thin smart TVs driving a need for sound bars. Sensors are expected to impact market growth in the near future. LG Electronics of South Korea to Spend $250 Million to […]

Audio News for January 24, 2017

“Stream the Studio” Campaign Announced by DEG Voice and Music Industry – The organizations will support the expansion of the current hi-res audio download market into studio quality hi-res streaming. Representatives from Rhapsody, Pandora and HD Tracks expressed their enthusiasm for this. They hinted at more advanced optional features in the future. The expansion of hi-res audio into the growing streaming market underscores the recent rise in subscription music services. Sprint Acquires Tidal – Telecommunications company Sprint has bought 33% of Tidal music streaming service, thus making their entire catalog of music available to their 45,000,000 retail customers. Alexa-supported Devices Big at CES – LG topped the list with many products with Alexa integration. It also debutd LG Hub Robot, a home assistant that can dance along with music and display facial expressions on command. Thanks to the power of Amazon’s cloud, the Lynx robot wll support commands like setting reminders, playing music and providing the daily weather report. Lenovo introduced the cylindrical Smart Assistant Speaker, a sort of beffed-up Alexa with eight far-field microphones, power treble speakers and subwoofers, and an audio profile optimzed by Harman Kardon engineers.  Ford partnered with Amazon and AT&T for Alexa voice commands. The […]

Hints On Shooting a Classical Video – (From a Grammy-award-winning producer:  Choose the piece but film the moment; Set the scenes & shoot it lean; Keep it real; Tell a story; Get intimate.  “If the viewer wants to focus purely on the music they’re welcome to shut their eyes. But if they want to watch you making the music, make sure they are watching something interesting.” Most Home Theater Companies Missing from CES –  Only four companies were there: AudioControl, Wolf Cinema, James and Vutec.  Though the Venetian suites had a $196,000 home theater demo, the lack of true home theater was noticeable at CES in Las Vegas. It is becoming apparent that manufacturers seeking to create trade channel partnerships with integrators are bypassing CES. But there was still plenty to see the show from a display standpoint. LG, Sony and Panasonic showcased impressive flat panel technology, namely OLED. But there were few audio companions.  The exorbitant hotel prices are also reducing media traffic, and then there is the huge congestion at the show. Moving between venues generally takes one to two hours. The Return of the Violin – The violin is getting much attention in recordings and live concerts […]

Audio News for January 6, 2017

LG’s Ultra-thin TV at CES –  The new LG Signature LED W7 might be – at 2.6 mm – the thinnest TV ever made. They call it a “Picture on  Wall” and it uses both magnetic hardware and nails to mount it nearly flush to the wall. And it is UHD, and allows you to impress your friends by peeling it off the wall. It will be available in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes with a premium aluminum stand and bezel in the screen size. It includes a Dolby Atmos-enabled sound bar that delivers 2.0.2 Atmos sound. They are expected to ship in April, and will be expensive. Sony Now Also Has OLEDs –  The Sony A1E is based on an OLED LG display, but includes the X1 Extreme processor, a powerhouse with three main functions: a dual database for noise reduction and 4K upscaling, Super Bit Mapping to smooth gradations by reproducing the equivalent of 14 bits from an 8 bit source, and object-based HDR remastering that identifies individual objects in the image. Speakers are eliminated entirely: the entire screen vibrates to reproduce stereo sound. It also supports Dolby Vision HDR and Chromecast lets you send contact from a […]

Audio News For January 3, 2017

Audio News For January 3, 2017 Stingray Digital to Aquire Classica TV Channel – The Montreal-based company will acquire Classica and access to more than 1,500 titles and 2,000 hours of content from Unitel GmbH, which will continue to produce and deliver programming for Classica. Financial terms weren’t disclosed in Monday’s announcement. Classica is currently distributed by Unitel through existing partnerships across four continents and available to an estimated 20 million subscribers. Stingray says Classica will complement its other classical music products acquired from Berlin-based EuroArts and Brava NL. The company reaches about 400 million subscribers in 152 countries through in-store and residential distribution platforms. Hubblo VR Builds 4K Stereoscopic 360-Degree Video Camera – Hubblo VR revealed an affordable, portable, 4K, stereoscopic, 360-degree, live-streaming camera that will hit the market in the spring for $999. The new company’s first product is a portable 4K 360-degree, stereoscopic video camera with live-streaming capabilities for the consumer market. LG to Release Levitating Bluetooth Speaker – LG to release PJ9 levitating Bluetooth speaker system featuring a 360 degree speaker which is suspended over the top of a separate subwoofer unit by electromagnets. The floating speaker design looks cool and is said to enhance audio […]

Audio News for December 9, 2016

The Guardian Top Classical Music Events of 2016 – 1. Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at the BBC Proms, 2. Enescu’s Oedipe opera/oratorio, 80 years after its premiere, 3. New conductor of the Birmingham Symphony, Grazinyte-Tyla, 4. Kevin Volans’ Fourth Piano Concerto, and his 12th String Quartet, 5. Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard performing Messiaen’s Catalogue d’Oiseaux outdoors, 6. The Stravinsky Series put on by the Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. Raumfeld Introduces Google Cast for Audio to its Speakers – The free update is for all current Raumfeld Wi-Fi speakers, and gives users access to over 100 new music apps, including Google Play Music, Spotify, Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, SoundCloud, Qobuz and Juke. A spokesman said this allows music lovers to discover new tunes, find old favorites, create their own playlists or try out playlists from others. A single device can be made part of different speaker groupings, and it’s even possible to combine Raumfeld speakers with other cast-enabled speakers. The various streaming services make it possible to listen to the perfect soundtracks for each location and mood. It works on either iOS or Android. The Raumfeld speakers are German-engineered and support digital files, […]

Audio News for November 4, 2016

Classical Music Can Be Your Best Friend in This Political Turmoil – Research suggests that classical music could be just the thing to calm you down. Sort of like Vivaldi replacing Valium. Recent Research in Bochum, Germany had 120 participants in which half lay down in silence while the other half listened to classical music. When vital signs were taken afterwards, all had lower heart rates and other benefits, but the benefits were greatest in those who had listened to the classics. iPhones Not the Only Apple Products Dropping the Optical Out Jack for Headphones  – The old MacBook Pro had an optical audio output but it is gone with the new 13-inch model, and not likely on higher-end models either. The port is described by Apple as  a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for audio line out (digital/analog). There is no listing for S/PDIF optical digital audio output. Apple says “plenty of USB-C zero-latency professional peripherals are available now, or coming very soon.” Whether the MacBooks are provided with an adaptor for headphones like the new iPones is unknown. New Inexpensive LG 3D Blu-ray Deck –  The PB556 is only about $166, plays Blu-rays, DVDs and CDs, has Wi-Fi […]

Audio News for July 12, 2016

Home Theater Turned Into Star Trek: The Next Generation – Over $1.5 million later, financier Marc Bell has turned sci-fi into reality in his home in Boca Raton FL. The home theater is patterned after the bridge on the USS Enterprise, the spaceship featured on the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series that ran from 1987 to 1994. Everything in the room is custom, down to the little architectural details. A wraparound control center (often manned by Worf on the series) has a touch-screen control panel that manages everything from the theater lighting to what’s shown on the hi-def projector. The ceiling is lit by a “starfield” – hundreds of fiber-optic lights that twinkle at different frequencies depending on how far away they are. Bell’s collection of Star Trek memorabilia includes the ears worn by the Spock character, and there is a reference to Captain Picard’s office in the series – the “ready room.” Panasonic Australia Integrates Hardware Optimisation and Cost Efficiency in One System – The new Video Insight Management Software (VMS) is a video management security solution which can integrate multiple devices across a network. It supports more than 3000 camera models from 100 manufacturers and integrates […]

Audio News for March 1, 2016

Home Theater Built Out of Snow; Mighty Audio on Kickstarter Brings Offline Spotify Playback; B&O Meets ESS for Highest Audio Quality on LG Smartphones; New Smartphone Warns You If Electronics Are Overheating; A Great Year for Downloading Audiophiles

Audio News for February 12, 2016

Samsung and LG Show OLED Walls; Dying Technology – Hardware On the Way Out; Study Shows People Who Listen to Music Out Loud Have More Sex; New Canadian Site Offers Better Music Quality Plus Convenience; Only a Rumor So Far, But Apple May Make Lightning the Hi-res Audio Port of the Future

Audio News for June 12, 2015

Ornette Coleman and Christopher Lee Die; Consumer Electronics Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment for 2015; Flat Panel TV Shootout at CE Week in NYC; Smart Plug Automates Electronics, Lighting, and Boosts Wi-Fi Signals

Audio News for December 30, 2014

LG Brings Smartphone-like Thinness to TVs; Toshiba To Show Glasses-free 3D Panels; Grom Audio Adds HD Radio to Factory Vehicle Sound Systems; Global LCD TV Shipments for 2014 Hit 215M Units; More Countries Acknowledge Health Risks of Mobile Technology