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System Integration for the Connected Home

Audio

Lithe Audio Wifi Ceiling Speakers Integrate With Fibaro

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Lithe Audio releases a driver giving Fibaro users control over Lithe Audio multiroom ceiling speakers. Dubbed Lithe Audio Remote VD, it is compatible with Fibaro Home Center 2 with firmware 4.460 or greater, with a Home Center 3 update coming soon.

Lithe Audio Fibaro

The driver allows users to store up to 10 different favourite radio stations on each VD. It also supports a simple change from currently playing audio source to AUX input through the press of a button. Users can group or ungroup speakers easily, with the possibility to set speakers to play stereo or through the left or right audio channel. Separate volume sliders control a single speaker or a group of speakers.

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Denon, Marantz Devices Get Roon Tested

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Sound United, parent company of Denon, Polk Audio, Marantz, Definitive Technology, Classé, and Boston Acoustics, announces several Denon and Marantz products have received Roon Tested accreditation.

Roon Denon Marantz

The certification enables customers to seamlessly stream music from Roon server or Roon Core devices to a total of 68 Denon and Marantz products, allowing for a visually rich and easy-to-use listening experience. Roon leverages credits, artist relationships, genres, lyrics, concert/tour dates and artwork to create further depth to user libraries.

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The Marshall Take on Smart Speakers

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Zound Industries announces a Marshall-branded take on the smart speaker-- the Uxbridge Voice, a compact number feature the same design as speakers from the iconic company together with Amazon Alexa capabilities.

Uxbridge Voice

The Uxbridge voice measures 13 x 17 x 12cm and weighs 1.4kg. The design features the iconic Marshall logo over a tweed grill, while brass rocker switches in the style of guitar frets control volume, trebel and bass. Also included is a mute switch for the built-in far-field microphone array. Inside is a 30W Class D amplifier capable of pushing up to 96dB of sound pressure at 1m, together with a frequency of 54Hz to 20kHz.

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Soundavo Launches Compact Amplifiers

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Soundavo announces a pair of compact-size amplifiers-- the PSA-240 and the PSA-240NET-- both featuring a a half-rack 1U chassis and able to provide 120W of power per channel at 4 or 8 ohms.

Soundavo amps

Customers can bridge the amplifiers to supply up to 240W RMS. In bridged mode, the amplifier can drive high impedance speaker lines with up to 240W for 70V or 100V loads without need for a separate transformer. The PSA-240NET adds PoE digital audio networking, allowing it to receive audio from Dante-enabled devices over standard local area networking, allowing for decentralised audio distribution through a home or building.

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Integra, Onkyo AVRs Work With Sonos

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Integra and Onkyo announce firmware updates allowing select products to work with Sonos, allowing users to control receiver volume through the Sonos app on smartphone or other devices.

Onkyo Sonos

The firmware update enables select Integra Onkyo and Pioneer ELITE receivers to utilise Sonos volume passthrough capabilities. As a result, users no longer need preset volume levels on the receiver or worry about issues related to multiple volume controls. It also allows volume control from anywhere in the house.

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PSB Adds to Alpha Subwoofers

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PSB Speakers announces a pair of Alpha series subwoofers-- the Alpha S10 and S8, both paying attention to the crossover filter design to deliver “imperceptive transition between subwoofer and speaker.”

Alpha subwoofer

The S8 and S10 also incorporate a rear slot port design to eliminate any audible port noise or chuffing. Powering the subs is a 150W RMS amplifier capable of 120W of dynamic power for deep-bass peak, together with polypropylene cones and rubber surround. The company says the subs are ideal both dedicated home music systems or home cinemas, and the design and final voicing are engineered by Paul Barton.

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Worldwide Consumer Loudspeaker Market Under Pressure

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Klipsch family

The consumer loudspeaker market faces challenges from shifting listening habits, as consumers look beyond traditional audio products, fixing their sights on smart speakers and headphones. However, the category is showing some resilience, and recent changes in loudspeaker preferences means trade value is faring better than volume, according to a new worldwide loudspeaker report from Futuresource Consulting.

Comprising bookshelf speakers, floor standing speakers, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, home theatre speakers and computer speakers, the consumer loudspeaker market achieved 45 million shipments worldwide in 2018, with a trade value of $2.8 billion. That equates to a 12% year-on-year decrease in units and a 5% drop in value.

“The growth in streaming services is transforming the relationship that people have with music,” says Guy Hammett, Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting. “It’s altering audio consumption habits and we’re seeing a rapid change in the mix of devices people wish to buy and own. Combine this with trends towards convenience, simplicity, fewer and smaller speakers and less cabling, and there are clear challenges ahead for the traditional loudspeaker market. Just three years ago, the value of the wireless speaker market was less than double that of loudspeakers. Now it’s nearly three times the value.

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