ESS Technology, Inc., the industry leader in audio semiconductor devices, today announces two 8-channel DACs with integrated line drivers with exceptional performance. The incorporated ESS patented Hyperstream IV architecture provides the listener with the legendary SABRE sound quality with improved audio performance and a refined and enjoyable listening experience.

The ES9082 SMART DAC and ES9081 DAC are ESS' next generation devices that deliver a True DNR of +120dB and -108dB THD+N with 2VRMS line driver for each of the 8 channels allowing for an amazing audio experience while reducing the Bill-Of-Material (BOM). Channels can be summed to improve performance in an application requiring fewer channels. A 2-channel differential configuration can achieve up to +127dB DNR with a 4VRMS output. ESS' True DNR performance does not rely on Dynamic Range Enhancement (DRE) technology that shows higher DNR but is known to cause pop noise in some applications.

SiliconIntervention, a design services company based in Kelowna, British Columbia, has introduced a new architecture for audio processing to enhance efficiency and reduce power consumption in wearable devices. The company's Fractal-D audio amplifier IPs is based on their New Analog design platform and uses standard CMOS processes, requiring no specialized manufacturing steps. CTO Martin Mallinson emphasizes the importance of improved efficiency and extended battery life in wearables. He notes that while standard H Bridge Class-D amplifiers achieve 80-90% efficiency at 1 W output, they typically drop to 30-40% at 10 mW. The Fractal-D architecture purportedly maintains high efficiency across both power levels, potentially extending battery life in devices like earbuds and earphones.

"Extending battery life in wearable audio products such as earbuds remains one of the most sought-after features for consumers as audio processing features continue to grow, and the Fractal-D technology is a key building block towards that goal.", commented Allan Cox, CEO of SiliconIntervention. To facilitate adoption, the company offers a customizable portfolio of features to meet specific end-product requirements besides providing product family descriptions, simulation and emulation results, and a silicon-based evaluation system. Now we have to wait and see when and what end-products will use this technology and with what effects on battery life.

Take a look—or a listen—at the last ten years here at Drop, and you'll notice no shortage of award-winning amplifiers. Despite this decade-long discography, there's one type of amp we haven't touched. Now, it's finally coming down the tube. That's right: our first all-tube OTL amplifier is here—complete with a rock-solid DAC stage to complete any signal chain. Meet the Drop + xDuoo TA-84 OTL Tube Amp/DAC. Designed to deliver signature tube "warmth" without excess noise, this compact desktop powerhouse utilizes Output Transformerless (OTL) topology to manage signal without a transformer, greatly reducing distortion.

For the preamp phase, it features dual ECC-82 tubes; and for the power amp phase, it runs dual EL-84 pentodes—both popular options in the audiophile amplifier space. To hit that sweet spot with any set of headphones (or powered speakers), the TA-84 is also equipped with an ultra-precise stepped potentiometer for volume control, plus a gain switch to further control the output level. On Drop, and on your desk—it's tube time. Finally.

For 75 years, JBL has been at the heart of the entertainment scene, from powering sound at major pop culture events to partnering with some of the world's top talent across music, sports and esports. As the number one leader in portable speaker sales and the fastest growing headphones brand worldwide, this year marks an epic 75th anniversary for the brand, with multiple new JBL products announced today designed to enhance everyday experiences.

Since its inception, JBL has expertly blended a bold vision of the future with the passion and talent of engineers and designers around the globe. From day one, JBL has built its legacy based on a passion, energy, and love of sound. No matter how consumers listen to or how they listen to it, it is JBL's mission to make sure they love every minute.

Sennheiser is redefining the limits of audiophile sound - with the new HD 820 which will first be showcased at CES. The closed-back dynamic stereo headphones deliver astonishingly transparent sound, thanks to a unique glass transducer cover that minimizes resonances - an innovation that ensures an incredibly realistic and natural sound field. With a more than 70-year history of setting performance standards in sound, Sennheiser is once again redrawing the map with the creation of the HD 820. The new circumaural dynamic stereo headphones shatter expectations of what was thought possible from a closed-back model and set a new benchmark in sound quality for this type of design.

"Whether on the move, at work or at home, the passionate audiophile will always want to appreciate their music to the full," said Axel Grell, Portfolio Management Consumer at Sennheiser. "Usually, high-end headphones require an open-back design, which has placed limits on where you can enjoy true audiophile sound. The HD 820 is a game changer that delivers exceptional sound while insulating the listener from their environment. I consider them to be the most transparent-sounding closed-back headphones in the world."

TechPowerUp and ADATA XPG present the EMIX e-Sports gaming headset giveaway, showcasing the EMIX series of amplified gaming headsets. Three lucky winners stand to win a set of XPG EMIX H30 Headset and SOLOX F30 Amplifier, each. The full-size EMIX H30 headsets deliver a wide sonic range with powerful bass thanks to their 53 mm drivers. The SOLOXX F30 amplifier + headset stand is an external audio card, putting out 7.1 channel virtual surround audio. Together, the EMIX H30 and the SOLOX F30 aim to take your gaming audio to e-Sports tournament levels. The contest is open world-wide, till the 17th of December, 2017.

For more information, and to participate, visit this page.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products, today launched its first dedicated audio products. The three are XPG-branded as they deliver powerful, clear, and comfortable sonic experiences to enthusiast gamers. The EMIX H30 headsets feature a full-sized, over-ear design with 53 mm drivers while EMIX I30 earphones bring an advanced in-ear design with oversized 13.5 mm drivers. The SOLOX F30 amplifier (sold paired with EMIX H30 or separately) provides multiple connections, four audio presets, and virtual 7.1 surround. All three products boast an attractive gaming-inspired style, while EMIX H30 and EMIX I30 are universally compatible with PC, Mac, consoles, and mobile devices.

Creative Technology Ltd today announced at gamescom 2015 , as part of the Sound BlasterX Gaming Series, the Sound BlasterX G5, a 7.1 HD audio external sound card with built-in headphone amplifier. The Sound BlasterX G5 is an external sound card that comes with the built-in SB-Axx1 multi-core chipset for hardware accelerated SBX Pro Studio enhanced audio and transforms even basic stereo into 3D positional surround sound on your headset. The Sound BlasterX G5 also supports multi-channel content, delivering true 7.1 audio for ultra-realistic surround sound.

Built with precision audiophile components, the Sound BlasterX G5 is also a 24-bit/192kHz, 120dB USB DAC and headphone amplifier with 2.2 ohm output impedance for high fidelity playback -- driving studio-grade headphones up to 600 ohms and sensitive in-ear monitors. The illuminated volume control knob and dedicated SBX and Scout Mode buttons also allow for quick volume or audio adjustments during gaming sessions.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards is proud to announce today the addition of 4 new high performance motherboards to their comprehensive Intel X99 chipsets offering with the X99 Champion series. The new motherboards consist of the X99-Gaming 5P, X99-UD4P, X99-UD3P and the already famous X99-SOC Champion.

DDR4 memory modules are available at a stock frequency of 2133 MHz, but memory vendors encode XMP profiles which can automatically modify the frequency and timings of the supported memory modules to work in par with your CPU. With the X99 Champion Series, GIGABYTE is offering a tested and proven platform that ensures proper compatibility with profiles up to 3200 MHz, and exclusively 3400 MHz for the X99-SOC Champion.

Creative Technology Ltd today launched the Sound Blaster E5 - Flagship of the "Sound Blaster E-Series", and a new audio solution for USB DAC and headphone amplifier. Boasting audiophile-grade specifications and components, the Sound Blaster E5 is designed to deliver bit-perfect audio, allowing mobile users to experience audio as the artists intended.

The new flagship product is an extension of Sound Blaster's E-Series line of compact portable USB audio solutions. Launched in May 2014, the Sound Blaster E-Series includes the Sound Blaster E1 and Sound Blaster E3.

ASUS today announced the availability of Xonar U5, a compact USB-powered sound card and headphone amplifier featuring true 5.1-channel surround sound, 192kHz/24-bit high-definition audio, Perfect Voice technology, and dedicated microphone and output volume controls for incredible gaming, music and movie experiences. Xonar U5 comes with Sonic Studio, powerful configuration software that allows complete, fine-tuned control of the audio experience via an elegant and intuitive user interface.

With its easy plug-and-play setup, Xonar U5 is an ideal solution for laptop gamers looking to experience true 5.1-channel surround sound, and for PC gamers who want an incredible audio performance without the hassle of having to open their PC's case to install a sound card.

Creative Technology Ltd today launched an all-new series of small but powerful USB audio solutions for PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets -- The Sound Blaster E Series. Consisting of the Sound Blaster E3 and the Sound Blaster E1, the Sound Blaster E Series builds upon the popularity of the Sound Blaster X-Fi Go!Pro. They utilize USB plug-and-play connectivity to provide PC, and now even Mac users, with access to a powerful USB audio experience through real-time advanced audio processing.

Top audio quality is ensured even on smartphones and tablets through the Sound Blaster E Series' high SNR levels and 600Ω headphone amplifiers that supply more power than a standard headphone jack. The Sound Blaster E3 can also function as a high performance USB DAC for selected smartphones and tablets, and users can alternatively enjoy high quality wireless audio by pairing with smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth.

Sony announced three new wireless speakers are available today, each giving audiophiles easy access to rich, powerful sound in a sleek "Definitive Outline" design. The SRS-X9 High-Resolution wireless speaker system, and the SRS-X7 and SRS-X5 wireless speaker systems, developed in collaboration with Sony Music, bring clear vocals and bass-rich thumping tunes to any living space or on the go. The SRS-X9 will retail for $699.99, the SRS-X7 for $299.99 and the SRS-X5 for $199.99.

Sony's new wireless speakers, with clean lines of metal and glass, feature a geometric "Definitive Outline" design consisting of 12 outlines around the square form to create the most suitable sound wave. All three models also offer a multitude of connectivity and streaming options, at home and on the go. The speakers easily connect wirelessly to nearly any Bluetooth-enabled device, including smartphones, tablets and computers, and can connect to NFC-enabled devices with a simple tap. All three models also support on-board WiFi for direct access to online music and internet radio services such as Music Unlimited, Spotify, and TuneIn Radio when consumers download the SongPal app to their mobile device, as well as Apple Airplay and DLNA.

NuForce Inc, a world leader in professional and consumer audio, introduces the HA-200, a high performance headphone amplifier engineered to satisfy the requirements of the most critical headphone enthusiasts.

Single-Ended (SE) Design:
The HA-200's pure Class-A circuitry employs only a single output device per channel, which is considered by discriminating listeners and professionals alike to be the purest form of amplification. Simply put, the SE topology completely avoids output stage crossover distortion. Configured for standard stereo use, the HA-200 operates in full SE Mode.

ASUS today announced the Xonar Essence STU USB external digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and headphone amplifier, based on the acclaimed design and quality of Xonar Essence ST/STX internal sound cards and going beyond their already high standards. Offering audiophile-grade performance, Xonar Essence STU delivers USB connectivity and accessible external controls.

It offers clear sound with a 120dB signal to noise ratio (SNR), strong 600ohm headphone amplifier, asynchronous USB audio and swappable Op-Amps for DIY sound modification. Precision clock tuning technology further enhances audio fidelity, making Xonar Essence STU a great choice for discerning music lovers who need a quality DAC and headphone amplifier to drive the full capabilities of high-end headphones.

Like many technology companies in Silicon Valley, OPPO Digital is continuously working on bringing new ideas and new products to customers. Over the past 8 years, OPPO has developed and released a series of award-winning universal DVD and Blu-ray players. We have built a team with experience and expertise in designing high performance audio and video products. Just as video has entered an Ultra HD era, audio is evolving with the rise of high-resolution music and a renewed interest in personal audio. We believe that our knowledge in high performance product design and quality manufacturing can bring benefits to customers in the personal audio space. The first two products in this category will be our PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphone and HA-1 Headphone Amplifier.

ASUS today announced Essence III, a USB digital-to-analog (DAC) converter with a fully balanced design and the latest Direct Stream Digital (DSD) playback designed for those who demand the purest audio quality and listening flexibility.

High-precision clocks and asynchronous USB virtually eliminate jitter, while separate printed-circuit boards for digital, analog and power ensure that the Essence III's audio delivery is crystal-clear and free of crosstalk. Remote-controlled volume driven by stepped attenuators allow output levels to be set with great precision - even from the far side of the listening room.

Japanese manufacturer Scythe announces a new addition to its Amplifier portfolio. After the successfully launched the flagship-model Kama Bay Amp Pro, a more powerful version of the Kama Bay Amp Mini is available as of today! Kama Bay Amp Mini Pro combines the powerful technology of the flagship into a much smaller chassis of the Kama Bay Amp Mini, allowing users to enjoy even better sound quality.

Scythe utilized high-end technology for Kama Bay Amp Mini PRO and placed it into a small chas-sis with the dimensions of 105,5 x 33,5 x 153 mm. Thanks to this amazingly compact design, it is possible to fit the new amplifier into a vacant 3,5-inch (8,89 cm) bay of a common PC chassis. Kama Bay Amp Mini PRO can be both used as a stand-alone device or inside a PC chassis. Two side panel and three insulating feet are supplied, to turn the Kama Bay Amp Mini Pro into a stylish as stand-alone device, making it suitable for a desktop or living room environment.