audioXpress Magazine January 2026

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audioXpress Magazine January 2026

audioXpress remains the authority on audio and reproduced sound by connecting manufacturers and distributors with developers, buyers and consultants around the globe! It's readers are the audio product designers, consultants, integrators, DIY enthusiasts, opinion leaders and your best customers. All of them agree that the coverage of trending topics, unique in the audio industry, make audioXpress a must read.

Every month, audioXpress combines the best educational articles on topic such audio electronics, speaker and headphone design, amplifiers (from tube to Class D), acoustics, practical test and measurement, audio engineering praxis, and standards. audioXpress provides inside stories on new audio developments, on R&D Stories, the most complete objective reviews of innovative products and software, and selects some of the best DIY audio projects from worldwide experts.

You Had One Job
Consumer electronics show promoters should look at trends carefully.
Editorial By J. Martins
The audio industry events calendar is looking busier than ever for 2026. At the time of writing for this issue of audioXpress, we are looking at a busy CES and NAMM Show, even with clouds of uncertainty hovering above both events. The surprising part is that, even with Trump tariffs and the erratic US administration policies, China is returning to CES in force. The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) will reopen its doors in full after extensive multiyear renovations, and remarkably, the South Hall ground level is already fully booked by manufacturing and design suppliers from China. The South Hall upper level will not be used for this edition, but CES exhibit numbers are still impressive considering the economic and political climate. The LVCC North Hall is again a vibrant space for connected, smart devices, AI, language translation, mobility, and sustainability. The Central Hall will return to the traditional Gaming and Audio and Video hub, with China taking over 50% of the area, replacing the dominant position once held by Japanese and Korean brands.
---> You Had One Job.

5 Supporting Companies

Features
34 Marenius A2B To MADI Converter
A Format Converter And Node For Development
and Monitoring of A2B Networks
By Phillip Paul Klose
Development of products with A2B just got easier!
Swedish company Marenius released a tool for the
development of A2B networks: The A2B to MADI
Converter. The MADI interface gives us the possibility
to sync and combine streamed A2B audio with other
signal sources, from external players to microphones
and accelerometers on one timeline.

40 DECT NR+: A Wireless Solution For Real-Time Audio?
By Jens Pilz
DECT's latest evolutionary step, the DECT New Radio+
(NR+) standard, is based on completely new radio
technology, developed to involve professional audio
and entertainment applications right from the start.

46 A Guide For Developers
Developing And Testing Bluetooth
LE Audio Performance
Part 2—LC3 Performance
By Brewster LaMacchia
In this second part, we'll dive deeper into how LC3's
compression affects test results, and how the use
of Bluetooth LE Audio and LC3 informs the design
decisions.

51 The AP-805 Accelerometer
Amplifier And Analog Signal
Processor
By George Ntanavaras
A popular DIY project published by audioXpress,
the ACH-01 accelerometer for testing loudspeakers,
drivers, and enclosures, has seen updates over the
years. Due to the difficulty in sourcing the original
ACH-01 accelerometer, this article now proposes a
rebuild around an alternative component.

58 The Forgotten Pioneers
Audio Innovators Who Deserve More Credit
By Marc Silver
You've heard the names McIntosh, Fisher, Scott, and
Marantz. But have you heard of Stu Hegeman, Lincoln
Walsh, or James Bongiorno? This article introduces
you to some of the lesser-known audio greats.

Drivers And Transducers
Market Update
8 Speaker Innovation
By J. Martins
As the audio industry goes through an adjustment period
dealing with geopolitical tensions, new barriers to global
trade, and constraints on critical materials, this report looks
at some bright spots and inspiring innovations for drivers
and transducers.

20 Thin-Ply Carbon Diaphragm Tweeter Domes
A Case Study On TPCD 25mm Tweeter Domes
By Martin Turesson
This article explores how one of the key factors influencing
sound quality can be optimized by engineering the diaphragm
construction. Specifically, by changing the thickness and
stiffness profiles of Composite Sound's Thin-Ply Carbon
Diaphragms (TPCD) in a 1" tweeter.

25 Adaptive Nonlinear Loudspeaker Control
New Design Opportunities Enabled By Klippel Controlled Sound
By Stephan Schönfeld
Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) is a nonlinear, adaptive,
feed-forward control technology that extends usable speaker
performance. Compensating for nonlinearities and preventing
overload, KCS, powered by Nuvoton's NAU83 smart-amps,
allows higher input levels, increased output, and improved
bass response.

Columns
Hollow-State Electronics
64 Guitar Amps Vs. HiFi Amps In the Early 1960s
By Richard Honeycutt
Referencing his own experiences, Richard Honeycutt
discusses the merits of guitar amps vs. hifi amps, and he
concludes that you just need to use the right equipment to
get good results.