SPEAKERCRAFT AIMS TO IMPROVE IN-CEILING SOUND (eng)

   Word around the tech campfire is that DTS is expected to officially unveil the home version of DTS:X this week—its own alternative to Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D. Details are still a little light on the ground, of course. So we don’t know if early adopters of Dolby Atmos will have to upgrade their receivers to add support for the new format. But what we can say for sure is that with more three-dimensional, object-based (as opposed to channel-based) sound formats available to content creators, we should start to see an explosion of home video releases supporting one or another of these formats. Which means that if you’ve been waiting for a good reason to add ceiling speakers to your home theater or media room, this may well be the good reason you’ve been waiting for.  And as luck would have it, SpeakerCraft also just announced that its AIM Series 2 architectural speakers are now shipping to authorized dealers.

   The timing really couldn’t be more perfect, because SpeakerCraft’s AIM Series 2 speakers were engineered from the ground up to deliver the sort of wide dispersion, tonal balance, and dynamic output that object-based surround sound systems demand.

   One of the biggest things that sets the AIM Series 2 speakers apart from most in-ceiling offerings is their patent-pending ARC Tweeter Array, which relies on multiple tweeters in a line array, similar to the configuration of drivers you’d find in a large venue sound system. It not only allows the high frequencies from the speakers to penetrate further into the room, but also allows for a lower crossover point between the high frequencies and midrange. The result is a much larger sweet spot, and much more powerful mid frequencies.

   The speakers also feature a new WavePlane baffle, which further smoothes the transition between high and mid frequencies and focuses the sound energy in a specific direction. Combine the fact that the WavePlane can rotate 359 degrees with the fact that the ARC Tweeter Array has a ±15-degree toe-in/toe-out range, and there’s pretty much no limit on the direction in which the sound from these new speakers can be aimed. This makes them perfect not only as height speakers in an object based surround sound system, but also as the main speakers in a traditional 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, if you don’t have room on the floor or in the walls for speakers at ear-height.

   Even the backs of the speakers have been completely redesigned with performance in mind. One of the problems I’ve often run into when installing in-ceiling speakers is that the enclosures tend to pass vibrations along to the sheetrock, leading to a rattling, boomy mess of sound if the volume is cranked to high volumes. In the case of the AIM Series 2, SpeakerCraft developed new Acoustic Isolation Technology, which decouples and acoustically isolates the speaker itself from the material into which it’s mounted.

   “The enhanced aim-ability of the AIM Series 2 presents new options for sound design – from home theatre to whole home audio,” Dever continued. “More than ever, sound can be redirected to a specific section of a room, angled toward a seating area or where an audio impact is desired. In addition, integrators can now offer their clients the most uniform coverage ever in any room, along with increased power and frequency response. We’re proud to make installation easier and more flexible for integrators while providing consumers with a superior home audio experience.”

sursa:hdliving.com

Atlantic Technology 44-DA Atmos-Enabled Speaker Module Reviewed (eng)

The major contribution that Dolby Atmos and other object-based surround formats adds to the home theater experience is the ability to encode and play back height information. Previous 5.1 and 7.1 surround formats utilize speakers on the same plane as the listener, so you hear sounds in front, to the sides, and in back of you. With Atmos material, though, you get a chance to experience sounds above you, making home theater a truly 3D audio experience. One way to achieve playback for the height channels is to install in-ceiling speakers. A second option is the Dolby Atmos-enabled module, which is a speaker with drivers aimed to direct sound toward the ceiling so that it can be reflected back down toward the listening position. These can either be built into traditional speakers, like with some of the new Pioneer Elite speakers, or they can be separate modules like the Atlantic Technology 44-DA speakers being reviewed here.

The advantage for separate Atmos-enabled modules is that you don't have to buy a brand new floorstanding speaker pair if you like what you have and just want to add Atmos capability to your current system. Weighing in at seven pounds, the 44-DA is a fairly small speaker that you can easily carry around with one hand. The speaker retails for $499 per pair, and it features a one-inch tweeter and 5.25-inch woofer set in a concentric driver array. It's important to note that these are among the biggest woofers used in an Atmos-enabled speaker right now, and I also like that Atlantic Technology uses separate drivers for the tweeter and midrange instead of a single full-range driver. Atlantic Technology lists a frequency response down to 150 Hz with an attached +/-3dB rating.

I placed the front pair on top of a flat ledge on my Salk Soundscape speakers and the back pair on top of my B&W CM6 S2 speakers. The binding posts are set in a small recessed area in the back of the speaker, and they didn't accept my usual banana plug connectors. Pressing down on a small spring-loaded knob exposes a small opening through which to thread bare wire. Technically, other types of connectors could be accepted, but the opening is rather small and directed downward where, because of the small space it is set in, maneuvering could be a little tight for some connectors depending on the design. I hooked the 44-DA speakers to the Yamaha RX-A3040 Dolby Atmos-capable receiver that I had on hand for review.

With upconverted 5.1-channel material like standard Dolby Digital movie soundtracks, the 44-DAs were able to convey a strong sense of a taller image with a very accurate location of where sounds are from a height perspective in scenes that depict taller spaces. Clarity suffered a little, which had more to do with the ability of the Yamaha's processing to upconvert source material that's not natively encoded for Dolby Atmos.

I also tested native Dolby Atmos material, first using various tracks on the Dolby Atmos demo disc and then movies such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Blu-ray, Paramount). The degree of clarity and the accuracy with which the 44-DAs were able to convey the three-dimensional size and shape and location of sounds within an image were nothing short of amazing. With four height-channel speakers in place, panning effects for overhead sound were masterfully presented, as exemplified in various battle scenes in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where objects were launched overhead and you could accurately hear the arced path being taken.

While the 44-DA speakers had no problems pressurizing my room with sound when needed, there were a few instances where I could still hear a difference in output between my very large floorstanding Salks and the smaller Atlantic Techs. The significance of this is that the 44-DAs, while fine performers in their own right, are not a perfect match for my own speaker complement, and any reader considering adding Atmos modules should listen for yourself to determine whether they are the ideal match with your own speakers.

High Points
• The DA-44 allows for accurate imaging with Dolby Atmos content.
• The module has decent bass response and good frequency response across a wide bandwidth.
• The separate tweeter and midrange drivers make for strong, smooth output.

Low Points
• The module may be difficult to match with very large speakers, in terms of sound output.
• The binding-post design limits flexibility with connectors.

Comparison and Competition
With Dolby Atmos still in its infancy, there are currently few competitors in this market for Atmos-enabled up-firing speakers modules. KEF's R50 module also uses a one-inch tweeter and 5.25-inch woofer in KEF's Uni-Q array but carries a significantly higher price tag of $1,200/pair. The Onkyo SKH-410 retails for $249/pair, with street prices that are even lower. The Onkyo features a single, much smaller driver for all frequencies and will likely not be able to deliver the same even soundfield in a larger room, especially at reference volumes. The Definitive Technology A60 module is priced the same as the 44-DA; but, like the Onkyo, it also sports a single, smaller driver, so output and matching to bigger floorstanders could be a problem. Its binding posts appear to be of a more flexible design, set on a flat back-panel surface. Of course, if you have the space and ability to install in-ceiling speakers, then there are a lot of additional choices for you.

Conclusion
If you want to equip your system for Dolby Atmos playback, you'll need to decide for yourself whether in-ceiling speakers or Atmos-enabled speakers are right for you. Cost, space, décor, the size of your room, and the other speakers in your system that you need to match with are all factors that should be carefully considered. I still hope that, as the adoption of Dolby Atmos continues to accelerate, more manufacturers will put out options in the market so that there are more choices to find the ideal Atmos module to match each system. That being said, Atlantic Technology has done a wonderful job creating what is probably one of the strongest-performing offerings for a standalone Dolby Atmos-enabled module speaker on the market today. At nearly $1,000 for a full complement of four, it's certainly not the cheapest option; but, if you do not want to mount speakers above you and you do not wish to replace your existing front-channel speakers, the 44-DA is a great way to go for accurate, room-filling height information in a small, relatively unobtrusive, and easy-to-place package.

sursa: hometheaterreview.com

YouTube va realiza filme şi seriale

   YouTube este cel mai popular serviciu de streaming pentru materiale video din lume. Succesul său este însă datorat creatorilor de conţinut, care folosesc platforma pentru a-şi prezenta emisiunile şi vlog-urile, cât şi materialele artistice precum scurt metraje sau videoclipuri muzicale. Odată cu ascensiunea conţinutului original si exclusiv pe alte servicii precum Netflix şi Amazon Prime, YouTube încearcă să vină cu propriile sale produse de acest gen sub formă de filme şi seriale realizate de cei mai importanţi utilizatori ai săi.

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   Câţiva mari youtuberi deja au realizat câteva producţii cinematografice, în parteneriat cu studiouri de la Hollywood, însă acum Google doreşte să îşi ţină creatorii de conţinut mai aproape, oferindu-le ocazia de a realiza filme şi seriale originale, care să rămână exclusive serviciului YouTube. Pentru a realiza aceste noi producţii, compania a început deja să discute cu cei mai proeminenţi creatori de conţinut. Filmările vor fi realizate de studiourile AwesomenessTV.

   Există deja patru seriale care urmează să fie realizate, de către youtuberi precum The Fine Brothers, Smosh şi Prank vs. Prank. Nu este încă destul de clar ce subiecte vor fi abordate, însă descrierile sugerează că nu vor fi prea diferite faţă de conţinutul realizat pe fiecare canal în parte. De asemenea, AwesomenessTV urmează să realizeze „câteva filme de lung metraj” în următorii doi ani, care vor avea în roluri principale personalităţi de pe YouTube. Aceste filme vor debuta pe YouTube şi vor fi distribuite şi pe alte căi după o perioadă.

   Primul film YouTube este programat să apară în toamna lui 2015, însă momentan compania nu este pregătită să ofere detalii despre acesta. Odată cu aceste veşti, YouTube a anunţat că deschide noi studiouri YouTube Spaces în SUA, Marea Britanie, Japnia şi Brazilia, unde creatorii pot veni să realizeze conţinut pentru canalele proprii folosind echipamentul Google.

sursa: go4it.ro