We might not have the voice, but we do have the means.
Many times, when people think about technology the ideas that come to mind are the words cold, impersonal or distant. However, technology is nothing but what we do with it. For years we have developed new tools that help us enjoy the arts. Painting, photography, or music can now be experienced in a different way thanks to all these technical improvements.
According to the Rolling Stone magazine, the 3 greatest singers of all time are Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. Unfortunately, they’re not with us anymore and many of us would have loved to listen to them at one of their live concerts.
We very much like music at Fen, and when it comes to excelling at something we take it very personally. This is why when our client told us they wanted to develop an audio amplifier we thought it had to be so powerful that people listening to songs like “You make me feel” with it should think “wow, it feels like Aretha is in the room!”
In case you don’t know, an audio power amplifier (or power amp) is an electronic device that increases low-power electronic audio signals such as the signal from radio receiver or electric guitar pickup to a level that is high enough for driving loudspeakers or headphones. How does it work? It is a two-port electronic circuit that uses electric power from a power supply to increase the amplitude of a signal applied to its input terminals, producing a proportionally greater amplitude signal at its output.
Our client asked our engineers to explore novel methods and techniques to defy convention and achieve world-beating performance in a high-end prosumer audio amplifier. We worked with them in a specification and modeling/ simulation phase, followed by a design and implementation phase leading to a best in class product design.
Some of the requirements were so demanding that a completely fresh approach would be needed to break the mold in amplifier design.
From idea to reality:
We decided to work with world-leading audio experts from the University of Cambridge to investigate and explore new components and techniques, considering and modeling each in turn to select the optimum solution for both multiple amplifier stages and power supply design.
A number of prototypes were built and tested against the specifications and simulations, to optimize the design. This resulted in a suite of parameters that met or exceeded specification and listening tests that delighted industry experts.
This leading project has formed a long-term trusted development relationship with the client.
Who is your favorite singer? Would you like to listen to her or his music with a device that amplifies music to a never heard level? We might not have the voice, but we do have the means.