audioXpress - December 2017

14 Axign of Things to Come
By Ward Maas
Ward Maas looks at Axign, a new company from The Netherlands, founded by former Philips and NXP employees whose efforts have resulted in the development of the AX5689, a Class-D audio amplifier controller chip in a QFN package.

28 Audio Editing Software Roundup (Part 1)
Comparing Audio Editing Tools
By Fernando Rodrigues
Fernando Rodrigues examines some of the available software audio editors currently on the market. Here, we look at what makes pure audio editing software different from those complex and more expensive Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs).

34 Naim Audio Mu-so Qb Wireless Music System
A Case of Groundbreaking Design
By Oliver Masciarotte and Kent Peterson
Oliver Masciarotte explores Naim’s Mu-so Qb, with its stunning design, glass-filled polymer casing, and same clever digital brain as the original Mu-so. Kent Peterson puts the Mu-so Qb to the test confirming that the device sounds as good as it looks.

42 The Simply Sound Company
SS-1 Microphone Preamp
By Stuart Yaniger
Stuart Yaniger measures and tests this single channel preamp, meant to boost the signal of a low output microphone to levels compatible with normal microphone inputs.

46 Educated Reflections
By Gary Eickmeier
Learn more about this unique approach to acoustics, where the main goal is to provide the best listening environment for dipolar and mulit-directional speakers.

56 Omni-Directional Coaxial Tower
Natural Sound Propagation
By Ken Bird
Discover this simple project for an omni-directional coaxial system that actually delivers natural sound propagation in every direction.

8 Vinyl vs. CD (Part 3) Exploring the Effects
By Ron Tipton

22 Progress on Calculating Edge Effect of Acoustical Absorption
By Richard Honeycutt

52 Active Loudspeakers with Dedicated DSP Are the Next Step in Sound Quality
An Interview with Floyd Toole
By Shannon Becker

62 Circuit Design for a Small Bass Amplifier
By Richard Honeycutt