April Edition Part I of the Sonic Pioneers!
Welcome to another edition of the EDGE Sound Research newsletter, Sonic Pioneers. As always, we are thrilled to have you a part of our journey to fundamentally change how we perceive reality starting with reimagining audio experiences.
The Latest with EDGE Sound Research:
The past few weeks have been a wild ride for EDGE Sound Research! Last week, we kicked off our first stadium ResonX experience with the Minnesota Twins, started the rollout of our ResonX Alpha Program, and launched our new website. I am incredibly proud of our team for completing the first B2B deployment of our ResonX technology in an intense one-month timeline that presented zero margins for error.Our Minnesota Twins ResonX Sound Lounge included two handmade benches equipped with our ResonX Core units along with our beloved KD soundbar to take the fan experience of watching baseball to the next level. This setup is connected to both the PA + Infield Mics so fans get to hear and feel every moment of the ballgame. We will be moving the ResonX Sound Lounge to various locations at Target Field throughout the season as we continue to optimize the future of sports viewership.
A few of my favorite reactions were:
A season ticket holder - "This is an amazing experience. I want this at my seat for every game."A loyal fan Twins fan - "I have been coming to Target Field since its opening twelve years ago and this moment felt as exciting as the Metrodome Wild Finale on October 6, 2009"A Gen Z fan - " This is f***ing amazing"For those of you who have not seen our new website, definitely go check it out: https://www.edgesoundresearch.com/Lastly, for those in the ResonX Alpha Program, it has now officially started!. We began sending ResonX Bundles last week and will notify those in the program once their unit has been shipped. We are ecstatic to have 50 ResonX Bundles shipped to all Alpha Users by the first week of May!
In the News:
The Minnesota Twins ResonX Sound Lounge setup featured in the press: Read More
Holy Sh*t Experience of the Week:
In each newsletter, we will link one Holy Sh*t experience that is submitted by our community. If you have a Holy Sh*t experience, please be sure to send it over!
Our first stadium experience with the Minnesota Twins makes prime time on the opening day of baseball. Click the image below to check it out!
News in gaming:
In this week’s segment of gaming news we start off with what was supposed to be DICE’s most innovative take on the FPS genre; Battlefield 2042. With an already tumultuous launch riddled with game breaking bugs and network issues Battlefield 2042 continues to make ripples in gaming news in the worst way possible, the most recent being its incredible drop in its player base. From its 51,000 players at its launch in November to just under 1,000 this past week. Not much has been said from DICE about how exactly they plan to go about salvaging what's left of Battlefield 2042, but it will be interesting to see nonetheless if such a feat is possible.
In a more exciting piece of news the creator of the PUBG universe, Glen Schofield, has given new updates to their new upcoming project; a first-person, story driven horror experience called the Callistio Project. Schofield is already hyping this project to be the single scariest game to appear on pc and consoles yes. With the success generated by PUBG and the recent hike of interest in horror games it's easy to be as excited as we are about this release.
Next up we have new developments in the upcoming world of the Metaverse. In an effort to prepare for the upcoming platform Sony and KIRKBI (a LEGO holding company) have invested a combined 2 billion dollars in Epic games to accelerate work on their own experiences in the digital space. With the release of the Metaverse quickly encroaching we can expect to see more and more companies scramble to be a part of it. How exactly they plan on doing that can't be said quite yet but one thing we know for certain is that with Edge Sound Research the Metaverse has the opportunity to reach new levels of immersion. With technology that truly and fundamentally changes the way we perceive reality any aspect of the Metaverse can be given a new experience that the world truly needs.
Finally in this week's gaming news we come back to Gran Turismo. It goes without saying that I truly love this game. Amazingly immersive graphics, the GT Café that gives you an in-depth history on the automotive industry and the cars in the game, and sound design that you can curate to your individual preferences (made even better with the ResonX). With all the great things Gran Turismo 7 has to offer, it still falls victim to the most hated mechanic in modern gaming; microtransactions. With such a large collection of cars in the game, numbering to around 425, it's okay to assume that a certain amount of grinding is going to be required to collect them all. However, Polyphony took that expectation and ran out the door with it. To reach the mid level cars alone it requires hours of grinding challenges and various other events in game, all the while they dangle fastest, most luxurious cars through quick and simple microtransactions. With such terrible return on investment with hours put in the game it's easy to grow frustrated, as sentiment designer Kazunori Yamauchi acknowledged in the most patch of the game giving more opportunities to gain experience and reach those more coveted cars. Hopefully down the line we can see more updates to the user experience because this definitely a game we want to see improve.
Battlefield 2042 falls to under 1000 players on STEAM!: Watch More
PUBG Horror Game???: Read More
Sony drops $1B into EPIC. Metaverse is coming. But they need ESR?: Read More
GT7. No issues with grinding. Big issues with microtransactions: Read More
News in Audio Engineering/Production:
Starting things off in the week's news in Audio Production and Engineering we have a new firmware update from Sony for their premium HT-A7000 and HT-A5000 soundbars. The update enhances the already incredibly immersive 360 degree spatial sound mapping Sony has to offer, now making the sound bars capable of connecting to SA-RS3S rear speakers, or the new SA-RS5 wireless rear speakers that Sony currently has available for pre-order.
Next on the list we have the announcement of ADAM Audio's new A Series of studio monitors. The A Series is so far being touted as an innovative way to meet the current and demands of the modern studio space. From automated room correction, an evolving firmware, and integration system that simplifies work flow; the A-Series is set up to continue revolutionizing the industry now and into the future.
If you ever wanted to bring the Dolby Atmos to your home from the theaters, Devialet definitely has the sound bar for you. The Dione sound bar is an all-in-on experience for that immersive Atmos sound, capable of generating 101dB SPL in a 3 foot long speaker that you can easily fit in your home theater making incredible audio experience easily accessible from the comfort of your couch.
Lastly in Audio news, Sonos announces its acquisition of Mayhat Holding BV, a small Dutch company responsible for the development of a small but massively powerful speaker. Going by Heartmotion, the technology uses its small build to reduce energy consumption but still deliver a powerful sound. Hopefully Sonos is able to make good use of acquisition to create a new sustainable standard for the future of the audio industry.
Sony 360 Spatial Sound: Read More
A Series Studio Monitor Announcement: Read More
Devialet Dione Sound Bar: Read More
Sonos Acquires Mayhat: Read More
News in Design:
In this week's Design news we have the announcement of a partnership between Stratasys Ltd, a polymer 3D printing specialist, and the luxury auto brand Radford. Together they work to develop specialized 3D parts for prototypes that hope to create standards that allow for easier custom design and development while also sticking to an aggressive project schedule. If you're interested in seeing how exactly this plays out you can check it on Discovery+ in their Radford Returns documentary.
Read More.
Closing Statement:
Thank you for reading our first newsletter! You are now a part of the sonic revolution. The future of audio is in your hands. If you know of anyone that belongs in the Sonic Pioneers community, please be sure to invite them.
Cheers,
Valtteri Salomaki
Co-Founder and CEO of EDGE Sound Research
