Audio and video trends for 2019

Here are some audio and video trends for 2019:

The global Hi-Fi Systems market was valued at million US$ in 2018 and is expected to growEISA Awards has selected Hi-Fi product category winners, but I did not see anything really fancy new innovations that would excite me there. The Hi-Fi speaker market has seen considerable consolidation over the years but is expected to grow. The global Hi-Fi speaker system market is highly competitive. Various established international brands, domestic brands and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. The market is expected to have higher growth rate as compared to the previous years due to the booming electronic industry globally. It is due to the rising income of individuals globally and increasing affordability of technology products globally. Due to technological adoption and smart gadgets, North America region is showing steady growth in the Hi-Fi speaker system market. On technology standpoint the Hi-Fi market is mainly based on pretty much stabilized technology as class D amplifiers have been on mainstream for many years.

Smart TVs are everywhere. The vast majority of televisions available today are “smart” TVs, with internet connections, ad placement, and streaming services built in. Despite the added functionality, TV prices are lower than ever. Your new smart TV was so affordable because it is collecting and selling your data. It is clear that TV companies are in a cutthroat business, and that companies like Vizio would have to charge higher prices for hardware if they didn’t run content, advertising, and data businesses. Google wants sensors and cameras in every room of your home to watch, analyze, you, patents show.

Streaming services competition stays high. Apple’s embracing the TV industry for the first time: Vizio and LG TVs will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, while Samsung TVs will get an iTunes Movies & TV app, as well as AirPlay 2 support. Google and Amazon are playing are important players on smart speaker markets.

4K video resolution is still as hot as in 2019 – it us becoming mainstream and getting cheaper. Peraso showcases 4K wireless video at CES 2019. LG has produced a market-ready rollable OLED TV. The new 75-inch 4K Micro LED TV announced at CES 2019 proves Samsung is serious about scaling the technology to do battle with OLED. But it seems that even in 1029 “4K” trend remains woefully deficient from a compelling-content-availability standpoint. CES 2019 is already full of weird and wonderful monitors.

But new higher 8K resolution is being pushed to market. The “8K” (resolution) tagline was apparently everywhere at CES this year. Samsung announced a 98-inch 8K TV because why not. LG has come strong to CES 2019 with an 88-inch 8K OLED TV, a 75-inch 8K LED/LCD TV, HDMI 2.1, new auto calibration features, Alexa built in, and many more features. It seems that this ongoing evolution is occurring out of necessity: as a given-size (and -pixel-dense) display becomes a low profit margin commodity, manufacturers need to continually “up-rev” one or both key consumer-attention-grabbing parameters (along with less quantifiable attributes like image quality) in order to remain profitable … assuming they can continue to stimulate sufficient-sized consumer demand in the process. I am not sure if they can stimulate 8K to mass market in next few years.

Wall size TVs are coming. Samsung announced a modular TV at CES. Samsung first showcased this MicroLED TV technology at CES 2018, showcasing how the screens were composed of millions of individual LEDs. Individuals screens could be combined to create massive displays, which the company calls The Wall TV. The wall-sized displays shown in recent years at CES are, in my opinion, quite ridiculous, at least for the masses.

 

HDMI updates are coming. At present, the HDMI equipment uses the 2.0 standard (adopted in 2013) tht provides support for example for 4K video. HDMI Forum announced a new 2.1 standard already in November 2017, but it just starter showing in CES in January 2019. 8K fiber-optic HDMI cables seen at CES 2019. The 2.1 standard is a big change in technology at the bus bandwidth increases from 18 gigabit to 48 gigabits per second. This enables up to 10K video transmission and up to 120 frames per second.

Bendable displays are really coming to PCs and smart phones. LG’s “rollable” display shown this year neatly showcased the technology’s inherent flexibility while also addressing the question of how to hide a gargantuan display when it’s not in use. Several foldable smart phones have been shown. Chinese company Royole was showing off the FlexPai at CES in Las Vegas.

Micro displays for VR and AR glasses have developed. MicroLED is better looking, more efficient and more versatile than any previous display tech. Now all Samsung, Sony, LG and others have to do is figure out how to manufacture it affordably.Nanoco Technologies and Plessey Semiconductors have partnered to shrink the pixel size of monolithic microLED displays using Nanoco’s cadmium-free quantum-dot (CFQD quantum dots) semiconductor nanoparticle technology. Microchips and organic LEDs that deliver 4K-like high resolution displays a quarter of the size and half the weight of existing virtual reality (VR) headsets have been developed under a European Union project. Marc Andreessen says VR will be “1,000” times bigger than AR even though VR seems to be the popular whipping boy amongst the tech community.

There seems to be no shortage of angst with the current (and unfortunately burgeoning) popularity of usage of the term artificial intelligence (AI). Intelligence has been defined in many ways which makes it hard to get good picture on what is going on. I am still waiting for sensible intelligent AI to do something useful. But the ability for a sufficiently trained deep learning  system to pattern-match images, sound samples, computer viruses, network hacking attempts, and the like is both impressive and effective.

Potential problems related to the coming of self-driving car technologies and cameras are expected. A man at CES in Las Vegas says that a car-mounted lidar permanently damaged the sensor in his new $1,998 Sony a7R II mirrorless camera. Man says CES lidar’s laser was so powerful it wrecked his $1,998 camera because the LIDAR laser power rules ensure lasers are safe for human eyes—but not necessarily for cameras. Is this something that camera and car manufacturers need to figure out together?

2019 Will Be the Year of Open Source from software and even hardware. Open source video player app VLC has now reached 3 billions downloads.

When almost all AV products are pushing more and more features, it seems that almost Everything is too complicated for an average Joe.

 

1,491 Comments

  1. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Coaxial vs. Component Car Speakers
    https://youtu.be/__brxA6oao4

    Reply
  2. Tomi Engdahl says:

    HDMI ARC vs Digital Optical: Which is Better and Why?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImOMABtLFI

    HDMI ARC and Digital Optical are very different as far as what they can support.

    Basically here’s what each supports!
    Digital Optical: 2 channels of uncompressed PCM audio or up to 5.1 channels of compressed audio. End of story. This is the max that digital optical is capable of supporting.

    HDMI ARC:
    All TVs: 2 channels of uncompressed PCM audio or up to 5.1 channels of compressed audio.
    TVs made around or after 2018 may support up to 7.1 channels of compressed audio, including height or upward-firing channels.

    Reply
  3. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Connect 3.5 mm Headphone (4 pins) to Stereo audio jack | Mobile to woofer system connector cable
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_ntVF4CYW0

    Connect 3.5 mm Headphone (4 pins) to Stereo audio jack | Mobile to woofer system connector cable
    Mobile to woofer system connector | making of woofer connecting cable

    in this video, i want to show you how to connect 3.5 mm from old headphone jack (4P) to AV stereo audio jack, use for stereo speakers …

    It simple !!!

    Reply
  4. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How to Design, Size & Tune a Ported Subwoofer Box in WinISD for Deep Bass: Home Theatre or Car Audio
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IUg5z_SV15o&feature=share

    In this How2every step video I am going to show you how to design and size a ported subwoofer enclosure; to achieve a really nice sounding overall bass response with optimal gain between 30 to 60 Hz to provide a decent but sensible bass boom. I will use a free enclosure design software called WinISD, and show you the whole design process in 11 easy to follow steps:

    Step 1 – Add the subwoofer driver into the WinISD driver database.
    Step 2 – Create new WinISD project and analyse frequency response.
    Step 3 – Determine Tuning Frequency
    Step 4 – Determine the Box Volume
    Step 5 – Determine the Port Size
    Step 6 – Checking Cone Excursion
    Step 7 – Check Group Delay
    Step 8 – Theoretical SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
    Step 9 – Calculate the enclosure & port dimensions.
    Step 10 – Design Enclosure Parts
    Step 11 – Produce Cutting List

    Tools/Materials Required:
    1: WinISD
    2: Driver Parameters
    3: Pen & Paper or CAD Software

    Reply
  5. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Annie Palmer / CNBC:
    Amazon will acquire MGM Studios for $8.45B, its second-largest acquisition since it paid $13.7B for Whole Foods in 2017

    Amazon to buy MGM Studios for $8.45 billion
    Published Wed, May 26 2021
    https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/26/amazon-to-buy-mgm-studios-for-8point45-billion.html

    Amazon said Wednesday that it will acquire MGM Studios for $8.45 billion, marking its boldest move yet into the entertainment industry and turbocharging its streaming ambitions.

    Reply
  6. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Bob Cordell Demian Martin Measurement Discussion BAF 2019
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg5PPIEiXjU

    Bob Cordell and Demian Martin discuss techniques for measuring amplifiers and speakers to understand and improve performance

    Reply
  7. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Google has made it much easier to keep control of your Google Photos storage, just in time for the promised change in storage policy.
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulmonckton/2021/05/26/google-reveals-essential-new-google-photos-changes/

    In a new official blog post, Google clarifies what users can expect to happen when the free high-quality storage tier finally comes to an end on June 1. More importantly, the service introduces a new tool to help you manage your storage consumption more effectively.

    https://blog.google/products/photos/4-things-know-about-google-photos-storage-policy-change

    Reply
  8. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How to Convert any SPEAKER into BLUETOOTH SPEAKER for $5
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyfOigD55ik

    -USB Bluetooth Audio Receiver

    Korjaa – Korjaa kuulokeliitin
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEsW8aON3hw

    Reply
  9. Tomi Engdahl says:

    EEVblog 1396 – BlackMagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO TEARDOWN
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APf-YGpNXfY

    Teardown of the BlackMagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO video production switcher.

    takes a part a brand new $1,800.00 “toy”. For fun.

    Reply
  10. Tomi Engdahl says:

    What does this do? (Mat on Tat).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9-DxT_lf7M

    Now we can all find out what a ‘Tore Sanchi’ slider adjusts.
    Affiliated = Links below (for the masochists)

    So “Tone sandhi” is a misguided translation of . In music, that word means “key change” or “pitch change”. But the term is also used in linguistics to refer to a situation in tonal languages like Chinese where the tone of a word changes when it’s next to a certain other tone — in English that’s called “tone sandhi”

    Reply
  11. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Google Photos finally stops pretending its compressed photos are ‘high quality’
    Plus, a tool to help delete blurry shots
    https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/24/22451607/google-photos-high-quality-storage-saver-tool-free-space-blurry-screenshots

    Reply
  12. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Room EQ Wizard (REW) is free. I quite like this software (and recommend it), but to get the best experience, you need to use the very latest beta version.

    This is also cross platform so will run on Windows, Linux /& MAC which is very useful.
    https://www.roomeqwizard.com/

    Reply
  13. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The Audible Difference between 3-wire vs 4-wire Headphone/ In-Ear Monitor Cables
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EchK1NI5X5c

    Headphones and in-ear monitors have an 1/8″ or 1/4″ plug with 3 connections, tip, ring and sleeve. The headphones or in-ear monitors need four connections, two for the left and two for the right.

    Some manufacturers use 3 wires to the plug and some use 4 wires to the plug. Did you know that the difference is audible?

    I do a demo showing the audibility of the difference.

    Reply
  14. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Best HDMI cables for monitors: The differences matter
    https://www.pcworld.com/article/3619532/best-hdmi-cables-for-monitors.html

    Buying an HDMI cable should be simple—but some cables don’t perform as expected, while others don’t clearly indicate the HDMI specifications supported.

    If you don’t have time to dig into the details yourself, use this guide to grab the right cable for your needs. We’ve sorted it by HDMI specification (also known as HDMI version), so you can find an instant, affordable match. Our picks also sidestep the problems you might encounter when hunting on your own, be it cheaply made cables that perform poorly or overpriced ones that do nothing better than less expensive alternatives.

    Does your device max out at an output of 1080p/60Hz, 1440p/75Hz, or 4K/30Hz? You can get by pretty well with Amazon’s affordable high-speed-rated HDMI cables, which cost just over $6 for a 6-foot cord and also come in a variety of lengths. (Keep in mind, however, that signal degradation generally starts to occur at lengths over 25 feet—you’ll want an active cable for long distances.) This version is CL3 rated, which is made with fire-resistant materials and can be used in walls.

    You can also grab a braided nylon version of this AmazonBasics high-speed HDMI cable for a similar price. This model is not CL3 rated, though.

    Looking to output at 1080p/240Hz, 1440p/144Hz, or 4K/60Hz? Or you need 10- or 12-bit color support for anything under 4K/60Hz? Grab a Monoprice certified Premium High-Speed cable. A 6-foot cable costs just $9 (with a slim cord option available), and all lengths have the HDMI Licensing Administrator’s official stamp of approval—so these should work with all devices that require a Premium High-Speed HDMI cable.

    Reply
  15. Tomi Engdahl says:

    What Wire Does With All Those Electrons, or
    Everything you ever didn’t want to know about wire
    and should probably have been afraid to ask.
    http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/whatwiredoes.htm

    What’s in a Wire?

    The features of a wire which most affect a signal are resistance, capacitance and inductance. Let’s look at these, one at a time:

    Resistance: Although some materials are very good conductors and others are very good insulators, there’s no such thing as either a perfect conductor or a perfect insulator. All materials have “resistance,” which simply represents the opposition the material presents to the flow of current. When current flows through any material, no matter how conductive, some of the electrical energy is transformed into heat. This is why, for example, a lightweight extension cord can’t safely be used to power a large air conditioner–the power demands of the air conditioner put so much electricity through the cord that it heats up greatly, the insulation softens, and a fire hazard is created. From an audio/video perspective, while it’s better to have low resistance than high resistance, the good news is that resistance doesn’t really, in itself, do much to distort signals; it just makes them a little weaker at the far end of the wire than they were when they went in, and absent unusually long wire lengths or other peculiar circumstances, that’s not much of an issue.

    Capacitance: One of the ways in which electricity does not resemble water flowing in a pipe is that electrical systems exhibit “capacitance.” Imagine, if you will, that we take two sheets of aluminum foil and place a good insulator–say, a thin sheet of glass–between them. We then take a power cord, attach one of its leads to each piece of foil, and plug it in to the wall. No current should flow in this circuit, you’d think, because the pieces of foil can’t touch each other–and without contact, there’s nothing but an insulator to flow across, and electricity doesn’t flow across insulators, right? In fact, what happens is downright strange. On each cycle of the alternating current, electrons will flow into one side of the foil, acting like they had someplace to go despite the fact that the foil’s a dead end. When the voltage reverses, electrons will flow out of that piece of foil and into the other piece of foil; and this dance will repeat itself sixty times per second. A meter hooked up to the circuit will show that a current is flowing, despite the fact that, to look at it, you’d figure there was nothing for the electricity to do. This is capacitance, and we’ll talk more about its implications for audio/video later.

    Inductance: another important way in which electrical flow differs from the flow of water is in the characteristic we call “inductance.” When electricity flows through a wire, it creates a magnetic field around the wire, and in the case of an alternating current, that magnetic field is constantly in flux, energizing and collapsing at high speed. This magnetic field, in turn, interacts with other magnetic and electrical fields, sometimes in profound ways, and presents opposition to the very electrical flows which create it. An extreme but instructive example of what inductance can do is a device we’re all familiar with: the power transformer. A transformer uses inductance to change electricity from one voltage to another, and like capacitance, acts in a surprising way. If you were to peel the cover off of a small power transformer, you’d find an iron core with a large amount of insulated wire wound around it. Let’s say you follow the live wire from the wall into the transformer to see where it goes—guess what? It goes into the transformer, goes around and around the core perhaps several hundred times, and then goes right back to the neutral wire in the wall. Where the capacitor in our last example appeared to be an open circuit, but current flowed regardless of the fact that it was open, the transformer appears to create a short circuit, and you might expect it to blow the circuit breaker…but, of course, it doesn’t. Taking the transformer apart, you will have noticed that there were other wires wound around it, but which were not connected to the wires coming from the walls. What actually happens in the transformer is that the flow of current in the wire that’s plugged into the wall sets up a powerful magnetic field, and that magnetic field, in turn, “induces” a current to flow in the other windings, producing a different voltage in those windings. (Incidentally, a transformer doesn’t, as many people think, turn AC into DC; that’s done by a “rectifier,” something which is outside the scope of our present discussion).

    Outside Influences

    So, a good cable has reasonably low resistance, to prevent meaningful signal loss; it has low capacitance and inductance, to prevent high-frequency loss; and it’s impedance matched (if designed for an impedance-matched application), to do the best job of delivering the signal to its destination. But those aren’t all the bullets the signal has to dodge. Electrons and their associated magnetic fields are everywhere, and part of the job a cable has to perform is to isolate the signal it carries from these outside influences.

    Insulation, of course, is the first line of defense. Any cable is covered with a good insulator that keeps it from losing signal to other wires and objects it might happen to touch. The problem, however, is that an insulator only protects a wire from making a conductive contact with other sources of signal and noise, but can’t stop the wire from interacting, capacitively or inductively, with all those other electrons out there.

    The best way to understand the problem, perhaps, is to think about radio. When a radio transmitter blasts 50,000 watts of power into the sky, that power travels everywhere in a pulsating wave of electromagnetic energy. How does it get into your radio so that you can hear it? Inductance is the answer. Your antenna and your radio’s internal circuitry are designed to resonate at or near the frequency of the transmitting station, so that the signal can be amplified, detected, amplified further, and transformed into something audible. This activity doesn’t rely upon good electrical contact–the air that separates your antenna from the radio station is an excellent insulator, and there might be miles of it in between the transmitter and receiver. The electromagnetic waves in the air “induce” a very small current in your antenna, and your radio does the rest. But electrons, of course, are dumb; they don’t just go after antennas, but interact with everything around, whether they’re welcome or not.

    If the problem were only radio signals, then only those of us who happen to live very close to radio transmitters would have to worry about outside electromagnetic waves getting into our audio/video gear. In fact, however, many sources give off electromagnetic energy. You’ve probably had the experience of hearing a car engine on the radio; that’s because every spark emitted by a sparkplug releases a burst of electromagnetic waves. You’ve probably had the experience of hearing a radio click and hum when a fluorescent light was turned on; fluorescent lights, too, emit electromagnetic waves. What’s more, every device, and every cable, in your home audio/video system emits its own electromagnetic waves. Your VCR can interfere with your DVD player, and vice versa. Your refrigerator probably gives off an electrical “click” every time it turns on…and so on, and so on.

    The problem, of course, is keeping all of this stuff out. The answer to this problem is shielding. Generally, an audio or video interconnect jack has an inner connector and an outer, circular connector–and the outer connector generally is grounded to the chassis of the device. A coaxial cable, instead of running its two conductors side by side like a power cord, has an outside conductor and an inside conductor, and the outside conductor is called the “shield” because it shields the inner conductor from the influence of outside electromagnetic energy. Ideally, what happens is that radio energy and noise encounter the shield, discharge their energy to ground through the braid, and never reach the inside conductor which is carrying the signal; the noise is never heard from again. For all manner of reasons, in practice it doesn’t always work quite this perfectly, but well-shielded cable is marvelous protection against noise. If a cable deals well with capacitance, inductance, attenuation, impedance matching, and shielding, it’ll do right by your ears and eyes.

    Reply
  16. Tomi Engdahl says:

    3. Effect of varying the cable impedance.
    https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/audio/skincoax/page8.html

    Looking at Figure 4 we can see signs that the effect of the cable does depend upon its capacitance. However the effect shown in these examples is mainly confined to high frequencies. Without any cable effects we would expect the combination of a 600 Ohm source and a 25 kOhm load to produce a potential divider power loss of 0·206 dB. Even at 25kHz the above examples show loss values which are within 0·003 dB of this value. Thus any other effects seems so small as to be likely to be unnoticable in practice.

    To check the assumption that the differences in behaviour about 25kHz are due to capacitance we can also examine the time domain effects for the same set of examples as were used for the above.

    Figure 5 shows the time delays the cables produce. In each case the delay can be seen to be quite uniform over the audio band.

    Table 2 shows the calculated delays at 1 kHz and 25 kHz which take into account the cable internal impedances etc, compared with the nominal time constant value produced by the combination of the source resistance and the cable capacitance. In each case the agreement between the calculated value and the delays is reasonably good.

    To obtain a better agreement we can take into account the fact that so far as the cable capacitance is concerned charge may enter or leave via both the source and the load. We should therefore regard the source and load impedances as being in parallel so far as the cable capacitance is concerned. When we take this into account the effective charge-path resistance seen by the cable will be 585·9 Ohms, not 600 Ohms.

    From the above we can draw some provisional general conclusions. The first is that for well behaved cables the loss and time delay values are likely to be highly uniform over the audio band. Secondly, that for the situations and cables considered the effects of internal impedance (including also d.c. cable resistance) seem to be so small as to make it doubtful that they are of any audible signficance. This does not exclude the possibility of some other effect influencing audio performance. Nor does it excude the possibility that inappropriately designed or built cables may degrade the signal transfer. However the cases analysed show far offer no support for claims that some cables offer improved performance for reasons related to “skin effects”.

    The main implications are that the cable used should have reasonably low values for its capacitance and d.c. resistance per metre. From the above, a capacitance of around 100 pF/metre or less seems likely to be adequately low for interconnects that are no more than 2·5 metres long unless the source impedance is significantly higher than 600 Ohms. In practice, most good quality domestic audio sources are likely to have a source impedance below 600 Ohms, and the interconnects employed may often be only 1 metre in length. Thus even keeping to no more than 100 pF/m seems to be erring on the side of caution.

    When the load impedance is much higher than the impedance of the source and the characteristic impedance of the cable the signal current is likely to be relatively small. Since this is true in most domestic systems it seems reasonable to expect that effects due to interconnect co-ax inductance, series resistance, and internal impedance should be very small, and it is questionable whether they are audible. Given its shielding properties co-axial cable seems a good choice for interconnect provided that we follow the general implications drawn above.

    Reply
  17. Tomi Engdahl says:

    3. Effect of varying the cable impedance.
    https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/audio/skincoax/page8.html

    Looking at Figure 4 we can see signs that the effect of the cable does depend upon its capacitance. However the effect shown in these examples is mainly confined to high frequencies. Without any cable effects we would expect the combination of a 600 Ohm source and a 25 kOhm load to produce a potential divider power loss of 0·206 dB. Even at 25kHz the above examples show loss values which are within 0·003 dB of this value. Thus any other effects seems so small as to be likely to be unnoticable in practice.

    To check the assumption that the differences in behaviour about 25kHz are due to capacitance we can also examine the time domain effects for the same set of examples as were used for the above.

    Figure 5 shows the time delays the cables produce. In each case the delay can be seen to be quite uniform over the audio band.

    Table 2 shows the calculated delays at 1 kHz and 25 kHz which take into account the cable internal impedances etc, compared with the nominal time constant value produced by the combination of the source resistance and the cable capacitance. In each case the agreement between the calculated value and the delays is reasonably good.

    To obtain a better agreement we can take into account the fact that so far as the cable capacitance is concerned charge may enter or leave via both the source and the load. We should therefore regard the source and load impedances as being in parallel so far as the cable capacitance is concerned. When we take this into account the effective charge-path resistance seen by the cable will be 585·9 Ohms, not 600 Ohms.

    From the above we can draw some provisional general conclusions. The first is that for well behaved cables the loss and time delay values are likely to be highly uniform over the audio band. Secondly, that for the situations and cables considered the effects of internal impedance (including also d.c. cable resistance) seem to be so small as to make it doubtful that they are of any audible signficance. This does not exclude the possibility of some other effect influencing audio performance. Nor does it excude the possibility that inappropriately designed or built cables may degrade the signal transfer. However the cases analysed show far offer no support for claims that some cables offer improved performance for reasons related to “skin effects”.

    The main implications are that the cable used should have reasonably low values for its capacitance and d.c. resistance per metre. From the above, a capacitance of around 100 pF/metre or less seems likely to be adequately low for interconnects that are no more than 2·5 metres long unless the source impedance is significantly higher than 600 Ohms. In practice, most good quality domestic audio sources are likely to have a source impedance below 600 Ohms, and the interconnects employed may often be only 1 metre in length. Thus even keeping to no more than 100 pF/m seems to be erring on the side of caution.

    Reply
  18. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Fantastic DIY DML Panel Speakers: Dayton Audio DAEX25FHE-4 Sound Demo #1
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3XiDrMbCuA

    My first DIY DML speaker build inspired by “World’s Best Speakers!” and “Fantastic DIY Speakers for less than $30!”…I’ve finally decided to post a proper video of my DIY DML speakers with the correct set up and sound! I built these neat DIY DML speakers back in late 2017 and always thought they could and would sound better with the proper amp and power supply. After running a few calculations (ohm’s law) for the proper power supply to watts, I’ve finally got my 96 Watt DIY DML speakers sounding right’n tight after upgrading to a Hi-Fi 100 Watt Bluetooth 5 amp and upgrading to a 24V 6a power supply.

    Hands down THE BEST DML DIY SPEAKERS I’ve heard in this size form factor and they sound absolutely amazing now with the proper power supply and amp!!

    “Accidentally discovered this beautiful gem of a product while looking into building my first set of speakers and I’m very pleased with the amazing results in the sound quality of this specific Dayton Audio Exciter. After doing a little research on Dayton Audio’s site about how to use and place the sound exciter speaker on to certain materials (wood, plastic, acrylic, etc), I felt confident enough to build a very neat 96 Watt speaker system. I was able to build two speakers, both made out of a 3/16″ thick piece of clear acrylic which I cut to around 15in x 27in – basically a classic rectangle in shape. Each speaker has 2 exciters running together in series which increased the Watts to 48W each speaker & the 4 Ohms of each exciter (in series) to a total of 8 Ohms for both speakers. For the amp i used a WINGONEER TDA7492 Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 2x50W 2-channel Audio Receiver Stereo Digital Power Amplifier Board Module. Overall, I’m happy with my first speaker build using this product and plan to replicate the build with higher wattage exciters for my next build! Thank You, Dayton Audio!!”

    Video comments:

    Congratulations on your project, I am very impressed. You are the only one I have come across that has utilized glass panels. I see that you are using a dual exciter for each panel. The sound quality is exceptional especially in the bass region. If you don’t mind, I have a question or two. What is the size of the glass panels? Is the glass standard or tempered? Did you pair a sub-woofer to the system? Where did you get the exciters and are they sold as a kit? I hope you can spare some time to reply. I is my pleasure to meet an innovative thinker such as yourself. Thanks for the demo.

    Plex-glass is the material I used for this speaker build and no sub was used for any of the sound demos- you really don’t need a sub the way the exciters vibrate through the walls and floor.

    Your welcome, Randal! I chose to go with two exciters for a wider dynamic range of sound and to also get as close to 100 watts for the 50W x 50W amp as I could- each speaker is 48W (each connected in series 24W +24W). That “device” you mentioned is just a piece of black foam i cut to keep the wire between the exciters from vibrating on the plexiglass …almost looks like a crossover or something, but it’s just a piece of foam.

    i made a set from 1/8 ply wood but bigger 2×3 ft. 2 exciters on each and made a sub from 2 ,4in. subs in a small box for with one end open to get the sound i wanted .they sound very clean and loud for not a lot of money. a nice science project

    WoooooW…that’s the BEST sound I heard from these compared to all the other demos!!!!!…woooow!!!!

    Ive heard lots of variations of this type of project, this I think had better highs and clearer mids than any of the others. I was curious what other materials would do with the sound. for the type of music you listen too I think the bass is fine, but Im looking for deeper and heavier base to be added in as well, I may bave to get some plywood, paneling, and other heavier material to test out.

    singing glass =*( … how the fak did i get in to the matrix ..? dang it .

    It is distorting and sounds like crap. Sorry mate this was a failure.

    Reply
  19. Tomi Engdahl says:

    a helpful guide from Dayton Audio’s site to figure out how to place the exciters for each of my DML builds- https://www.daytonaudio.com/topic/excitersbuyerguide#installation

    Reply
  20. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Dayton Exciter Speaker Project
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVr_gEQQtNA

    For the speakers panels I used 5mm Plywood, Speaker Cloth, Contact Adhesive, Banana Play Sockets, 1 1/2 Inch wood, Dayton Audio DAEX30HESF-4 High Efficiency Steered Flux Exciter, Dayton Audio DAEX32EP-4 Thruster 32mm Exciter Speaker 40W 4 Ohm, Speaker Wire. Part 2 link –
    Dayton Speaker Project – Part 2
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJLMCTEwW7w

    Reply
  21. Tomi Engdahl says:

    DML Baltic Birch vaneer
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIA_t_KOZzs

    I just wanted to try out my new audio exiters and made these from 6mm baltic birch.
    Panel is 60×60 cm with rounded edges.
    2 nails hammered to hold the fishing line wich they are hung from.
    Exiters are Dayton Audio DAEX30HESF-4

    With 15 minutes of work and these already sound amazing

    Reply
  22. Tomi Engdahl says:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/DIYAudio/permalink/4213218608743953/
    Do SET/SEP Amplifiers Sound Better Than PP Because their Distortion Spectrums are Different?

    They sound the way they do because of that mode of operation (Class A), which tends to even order harmonic distortion products. And more of it than Class AB. Very low power and poor damping are part of the compromise. If you like that sound, fine.

    Reply
  23. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Shop Build DML Panels
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkfleSc7AUA

    My neighbor Kyle wants some speakers. Together we build DML Panels and I hook up the sub from my last video. Will it work? Will it sound good? Listen to the sound test at the end to find out. Bonus ASMR section in the middle of the video!

    World’s Best Speakers!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKIye4RZ-5k

    We continue our series on flat panel speakers with simple construction guidelines, performance comparisons and a complete system playing a variety of music.

    Reply
  24. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Building a TRUE 4k home cinema projector (it’s awesome)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfvTjQ9MCwY

    Reply
  25. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Fantastic 192 Watt DIY DML Panel Speaker build (Bertha): Sound Demo #16
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s98onXzTR9o

    new 192 Watt DIY DML panel build (Bertha)! Each 1/4″ thick plexiglass panel is running at 4 ohm’s @ 96 Watts, exciters wired in a series-parallel configuration for each panel and powered by a HiFi 100W x 2 (200W) Bluetooth 5 amp with a 24V 10a power supply. A total of 8 Dayton Audio DAEX25FHE-4 Framed High Efficiency 25mm Exciters each 24W 4 Ohm were used for this DML build.

    Reply
  26. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Fantastic DIY Speakers for less than $30!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdkyGDqU7xA

    We demonstrate high performance, low cost, unusual audio speakers with a complete explanation of their operation and a guide to how you can construct them yourself.

    Reply
  27. Tomi Engdahl says:

    DIY LARGE Speakers UNDER $100
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXJ4OTY2zC8

    Here’s how to build some DIY large speakers under $100. They sounds pretty great with proper tuning and I had a lot of fun making them.

    Reply
  28. Tomi Engdahl says:

    One Man’s Dream – Ken Fritz Documentary
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b2IOOhJmxw

    This form of insanity is very refreshing.

    Someone had to do it. I love this sort of madness, this man is one of a kind on a whole planet.

    My Audio System: How Good Can It Get!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Mci6jF9iM

    “I Have a Story” Ken Fritz Builds the World’s Best Stereo System – WTVR-TV/Greg McQuade 5-14-21
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfuIKh1UaGU

    Reply
  29. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Why Cat-6 for Distributed UHD Video? SmartHome Pro Installer Insights Wiring Audio-Video and Data
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7i3ZgusGxE

    Find out why pros are running 3-Cat6 for video distribution when wiring the most sophisticated SmartHome installations. Whether you’re interested in simple DIY wiring improvements for audio/video and network data in your home, or looking to maximize bang-for-buck factor from a professional installer, you’ll want to listen. In this video Gene is talking to Don from HD2020 who has the straight intel from boots on the ground in the field of professional SmartHome/AV installation.

    What are the drawbacks of Cat7 and fiber-optic? Should you let the electricians doing the high-voltage electrical wiring in your home also install your low-voltage household network cabling? And what the heck is a smurf tube? Find out all this and more! Don Dunn is a professional installer with over 30-years of experience and his company collectively brings over a century of problem-solving expertise from the most complex installations.

    This video is distilled rocket fuel carefully extracted from the “Audioholics AV SmartHome Updates: Cables, System Integration & New Tech” LiveStream. So sit back, relax and prepare to save yourself some headaches, time and money while preparing your home for the future. Straight-talk from the pros has you covered!

    Reply
  30. Tomi Engdahl says:

    EEVblog 1396 – BlackMagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO TEARDOWN
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APf-YGpNXfY

    Teardown of the BlackMagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO video production switcher.

    Bootstrapping a $300m Company from Scratch with Grant Petty from Blackmagic Design
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrIYFiN1cQ&t=0s

    Reply
  31. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Apple TV 4K 2021 Teardown! Good Luck Replacing Your Remote Battery!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-AmXttNmqA

    After almost 4 years Apple has finally updated the Apple TV 4K. This new version features an updated processor, the ability to calibrate your TV using your iPhone, and a redesigned Siri Remote (thank god!). It still looks the same on the outside, but we’re dying to know if they’ve updated anything else in this shiny black box so let’s tear it down!

    For high-res photos, more details, and a breakdown of all the silicon we found inside, check out our written teardown:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Apple+TV+4K+2021+Teardown/142845

    Reply
  32. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Outlets for Audio Systems, a comparison.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVBHXSJNTaQ

    Clint the audio guy back with another audio tweak for you. Just thought I’d show you some of the differences in AC receptacles, or power outlets. They aren’t all the same!

    Reply
  33. Tomi Engdahl says:

    World’s Second Best Speakers!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEh01PX-q9I

    We construct a pair of large Voigt speakers. I explain the principles behind ported, transmission line and horn based loudspeakers, demonstrate these speakers in our anechoic chamber and use constrained layer damping to build an enclosure that is superior to commonly used MDF.

    Reply
  34. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How To Build “The World’s Best Speakers” – Are Flat Panel Speakers Really Any Good?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGzNkUmPdXc

    Flat panel speakers built from foam boards and Dayton Audio exciters can’t really sound good, right? Over on @Tech Ingredients they shared a design for “The World’s Best Speakers”. I just could not believe speakers made out of a $5 piece of foam board outperformed many bookshelf speakers, so I decided to build them so I could hear them for myself. While I’m not sure that they can rightfully claim the title of “World’s Best”, they are very good, and very cheap to build.

    The full set of speakers from Tech Ingredients includes a total of 8 different panels, using different materials, shapes, and sizes. I elected to build just these 2 panels as a way to dip my toes in the water of DIY speaker systems and to see if their claims could possibly be true. The foam boards each cost me around $5, and the exciters were around $25 each. I can’t believe the sound quality I’m getting out of a set of speakers I built in a few minutes for only $60 in parts!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKIye4RZ-5k&t=0s

    Reply
  35. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The Best and Worst Subwoofer Boxes on Amazon in 2021
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3TxqRvN3TA

    It can be hard to figure out which pre-fab subwoofer box you need. In this video I show you the best and the worst examples I could find on amazon PLUS I teach you how to tell the difference between a great box and a terrible box! With these simple guidelines you can find the best subwoofer box for you, no matter your budget.

    Reply
  36. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Every one is different
    What you think sounds better I might think it doesn’t
    Our ears are all different how we listen
    Some people like tube amps other people ss 1st- 2nd or 3rd harmonic distortion.
    As long as you enjoy the music that’s all that matters

    Reply
  37. Tomi Engdahl says:

    ATEM Mini Pro – In Depth Review & COMPLETE Tutorial !
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYjogcP-GXY

    So stoked Blackmagic actually listened to the feedback ! (not image stabilization haha) They released an ATEM Mini Pro ISO that adds the possibility to record all the camera feeds separately with the Media Player images and transitions and put it into a Resolve project that you can edit. That’s incredible !

    EEVblog 1396 – BlackMagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO TEARDOWN
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APf-YGpNXfY

    Teardown of the BlackMagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO video production switcher.

    takes a part a brand new $1,800.00 “toy”. For fun.

    Reply
  38. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Restoring $12,000 Worth of SUBWOOFERS w/ RARE 18″ Soundstream Subs | How To Recone PSI Car Audio Sub
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioyZYVgDW-k

    After upsetting nearly half of the entire internet by BLOWING UP THESE SUBS… It’s time to finally show the world what the grand plan was this whole time
    That’s right!!!These subwoofers are even BETTER then before

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*