EPISODE 82
GRAS EQ 40PM Miniature Production Line Microphone 1st Mic Using EQset Technology
Rémi Guastavino the Director of Product Management at GRAS-Sound & Vibration joins to tell us about the use case and benefits of the new EQ 40PM. The GRAS EQ 40PM is a robust, cost-effective microphone designed for use in production line testing of loudspeakers and acoustic transducers. It has a wide frequency range, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and a dynamic range from 30 dB (A) to 120 dB. EQset incorporation in a microphone removes all of the traditional hassle associated with installing, setting up, and replacing microphones in a production line setting. EQset microphones all have flat response curves and fixed sensitivity. Sensitivity variation between individual microphones varies less than 0.2 dB from nominal sensitivity. The flat frequency response is less than 0.5 dB up to 10 kHz, another huge improvement over traditional production line microphones ±3 dB across the full frequency range. This provides a number of immediate benefits.
Cost efficiency—low microphone entry cost, no special hardware needed, and fully backward compatible with CCP setups.
Ease of use—a uniformly flat frequency response fixed sensitivity (or gain) for each EQset microphone makes EQ 40PM microphones plug and play in any 48 V phantom power or CCP-based setup.
Reduced risk—the extremely narrow pressure response spread (±0.5 dB) greatly reduces the risk of false passes and false failures, which greatly reduces the risk of bad units reaching the customer and the risk of good units being scrapped or recycled.
High environmental stability—the unique design of the EQ 40PM provides this range of microphones with unmatched environmental stability. Deviation on a typical production line is less than ±0.3 dB, so there is no need for corrections due to temperature or humidity.
EPISODE 81
SONIC EDGE A PURE DIGITAL MEMS SPEAKER
Sonic Emotion’s CTO and CEO join to explain their MEMs speaker technology. Conventional speakers require a balance between mechanical, acoustical, and electrical resonances. As a speaker shrinks in size, keeping the resonance balanced is a complex challenge and the quality of sound is compromised.
We have developed a unique technology that, instead of attempting to solve the problem, actually turns it on its head. Our unique technology generates ultrasound from multiple speakers, each as wide as a strand of hair, and then transforms the ultrasound to sound using a patented acoustic-mechanical frequency transformer.
The ultrasound speakers and frequency transformers are realized as solid-state MEMS devices. The MEMS device is manufactured using semiconductor technologies leveraging the semiconductor ecosystem for scalability and price trajectory. The outcome is clear: maximum sound quality in minimal size.
EPISODE 80
AUDIOSCENIC Virtual Headphones Using Headtracking and Advanced DSP
Dr. Marcos Simon, CTO and Co-Founder of AudioScenic joins the podcast to explain their groundbreaking technology. Audoscenic delivers immersive 3D audio through cutting-edge technology & innovation. They have adapted audio to people to create the perfect listening experience. Our proprietary loudspeaker array technology, head-tracking, and AI capabilities create a personalized, user-adaptive, and best-in-class immersive sound.
EPISODE 79
ZUMI Headphone Test & Measurement System Frequency Response Comparison SONY SENNHEISER B&W BOSE
Simon Weston switches to the presenter to detail how the ZUMI HPA86 Test and Measurement System works. We compare frequency response measurements from SONY, SENNHEISER, BOWERS & WILKINS, and BOSE headphones. The procedure of demonstrating the test shows the ease of use of the ZUMI HPA86.
EPISODE 78
Andrew Bellavia of AuraFuturity Gives a Technical Introduction to the Hearing Health Market Category
Andrew Bellavia a veteran with technologies that go in your ear joins us to explain what is hearing health. We touch on some of the history of the technologies in the legacy devices and we explore the direction the markets are going with the convergence of audiology-grade products with consumer-grade products.
EPISODE 77
Sonical – CosmOS Operating System That Enables Computer Functionality on Earbuds, Headphones
Gary Spittle, CEO from Sonical, joins to explain the concept plus the possibilities that adding an OS to earbuds/headphone endpoints can bring. The ability to load applications to customize headphones is an exciting approach that is coming to products soon.
EPISODE 76
Mosomic – The MEMS Microphone book
Mikko Suvanto joins to discuss his history in audio, microphones, specifically MEMS microphones and he tell us about the book that he just published on everything you need to know about MEMS microphones.
In 2019-20, Mikko produced the ‘Mosomic MEMS Microphone Guide’, a 9.5-hour, 28-episode free video tutorial on what MEMS microphones are and how to design outstanding and reliable sound capturing solutions with them. Find out more here:
http://www.mosomic.com/mems-microphone-guide/
In January 2022, Mikko published ‘The MEMS Microphone Book – A practical guide to reliable high-quality sound capturing with miniature microphones’. It’s based on the MEMS Microphone Guide video series but has a lot more depth and a wider scope. More information and links to buy the book can be found here:
http://www.mosomic.com/thememsmicrophonebook/