Posted Thu Jan 18, 2018 at 02:30 PM PST by Steven Cohen
The audio tech is being integrated into several new products.
THX has announced separate partnerships with iBLADES and Massdrop to implement THX AAA technology into new devices from each company. The lineup includes the Massdrop-Made 789 Desktop Headphone Amplifier and the iBLADES Smartcase.
THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA) technology is designed to offer a high fidelity audio signal with increased peak output power and longer battery life. The tech uses patented feed-forward topology to help reduce harmonic, intermodulation, and crossover distortion by 20-40 dB. Likewise, the feature is scalable, allowing manufacturers to adapt the tech into a wide range of mobile or desktop amplifier designs at different performance and price points.
The iBLADES Smartcase is a new type of phone case with built-in smart technology. By snapping on different modular Smartblades, customers can add new features to their phones, and now THX AAA tech is set to be implemented as well. iBLADES Smartcases are currently available for the Samsung Galaxy 6, 7 and 8 smartphones, along with optional battery and memory Smartblade add-ons.
"We are excited to partner with i-BLADES to bring THX AAA to a broader consumer audience starting with Samsung Galaxy smartphones," said Russ Schafer, GM and SVP of Technology, THX Ltd. "i-BLADES shares our passion for innovation and creativity providing unlimited possibilities for consumers to access premium quality audio experiences on the go."
Meanwhile, the Massdrop-Made 789 Desktop Headphone Amplifier features a bridged THX AAA-789 design rated for an output power of 2 x 6000mW, 16 Ω, and 136 dB SNR low noise with -140 dB THD @ 300 Ω, 2V. The amp supports any pair of headphones, including high impedance, high current, and high sensitivity models. We had a chance to demo the amp at CES with some high-end Sennheiser headphones. The compact device offered clear, clean, and transparent audio with no noticeable distortion across rock, pop, jazz, and classical music tracks.
"THX and Massdrop are an ideal pairing: a classic brand with renowned technology and a community-first platform bringing that technology to market at an accessible price point," said Will Bright, Head of Custom Products, Massdrop. " We couldn't be more excited to announce this collaboration at CES and we can't wait to ship these out for community feedback."
Source: THX
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