2014 audio releases
 

It's inevitable, but Id like for this thread not to turn into a brand vs brand thread. If anyone knows of any cool amps/speakers/gadgets coming out in 2014 lets see them! Doesn't have to be marine just any new product your stoked about!

Rev 12s!!!! :D

^^ive heard from a few people they would be coming out. I hope so! I wonder if they made the SD series amps overpowered for rev 10's in anticipation for a 12 to come out?

Haha, that would b a big heavy speaker. I doubt that they'll do it! I think it's more of a funny..... But I'd probably buy a pair :o

The XM 11 rumor has surfaced again. Might be interesting.........

Without a doubt I'd have a pair lol

Great, we now have the script for stereo wars 2014 :rolleyes:.

I'm guessing a lot more bluetooth type of devices will be coming out.

Here is something that is coming new from JL Audio in 2014. It's confirmed but it is still too early to predict the exact arrival month. I would guess early to mid Spring.
An 880 tower speaker and pod with a new and beefy swivel collar. They'll have LED rings also.
The tests show that the new 8.8" driver will have really impressive midbass extension in the new tower pod.
The oversized, very-low-resonance 1.25" soft dome tweeter will get low enough into the midrange so that there will be no midrange gap. That's really hard to do with a speaker this large.
Based on the sound quality of the existing JL Audio 880 coaming coaxial and the early tower prototypes, this tower speaker is going to sound amazing!!!
All JL Audio fullrange products tend to have a very uniform frequency response and spectrum balance. I mostly listen to a classic rock era where the music consisted of real vocalists (before autotune), with real background vocalists (not just more layering of the same), real string bass (not generated from a keyboard or synthesizer), real studio musicians on real instruments (piano, organ, harmonica, guitars, virtually every wind and string instrument), a real variety of percussion, when they made big studio recordings (not just on a Mac laptop). Ultra smooth and clean midrange is essential for me and the JL Audio 880 tower speaker hits the spot.
I'll ask Odin from Earmark to post a couple of pictures.

Here's the fixed clamp version of the new 880 tower pod

http://imageshack.us/a/img703/7585/jy2x.jpg


This looks like the new swivel clamp

http://imageshack.us/a/img809/4219/i3bt.jpg


I'm really excited to see and hear these new speakers in person.



Odin

Bust out the tape measures!!!! Lots of dong and speaker measuring to come! :p

Awesome! Wonder what the price tag on those JLs is going to be? I love my M770s!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

David, care sharing your thoughts on the audison Bit10? I'm not exactly sure how it works but I see them more and more.

Pertaining to a car, I am a major Bit1/Bit10 fan. Once you have heard one correctly set up (and it's not for the uninitiated), no audio system can compare in imaging. Even home 2-channel enthusiasts are shocked. But I don't really see the time correction application in a boat, although the EQ portion could be somewhat useful in an open boat. Just keep in mind that even equalization to that degree is highly location specific. Odin with Earmark just installed a Bit1 in his CTS and has the new Bit tuning apparatus. He would be a good one to talk to on the subject for several reasons. A musician since 1984, Odin combines his love for music with a technical understanding of audio extending well beyond mobile and marine electronics. Odin has performed with local band Southbound since 1999, worked as the in-house sound engineer for hundreds of local and national touring artists at local music venue Hank’s Texas Grill since 2004 and collects and restores vintage amplifiers. I would consider Odin, with his considerable prosound background, to be one of the leading experts on system tuning and gain structure.

Here's a pic of the JL Audio M880 driver that is in those new tower speakers.



http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/4918/g696.jpg




Odin

I've gotta say I really like the look of those JLs.

Would love to hear those JL's! That's a heck of a speaker, looks like a subwoofer! The cans look pretty large though.

Those are beautiful - can't wait to hear them!

That's true. They're deep. But it takes a big pod if you want deep midbass. Deep bass, high efficiency and small enclosure. Pick any two.

About the Audison Bit Ten and Bit One processors...

I haven't done one in a boat but we use them in vehicles as often as possible. The Bit processor is designed to take a high level input from your factory source unit or factory ampliifer, then level match the input to the source unit output, processes the input signal to achieve a de-equalized, flat full-range signal that is sent to aftermarket amplfiers. If you use an Audison amplifier with the optional AV Bit In module you can run a Cat5e cable for signal for a pure digital signal path (no RCA cables). This processor is ideal for vehicles with a factory source unit that is difficult (or impossible) to replace, or for people who want to keep the factory source unit.

The Bit processor can take multiple input signals (for example a high pass tweeter signal and a low pass woofer signal) and reconstruct a full-range stereo output. And it can reconstruct rear, center and subwoofer outputs from just a stereo input.

All of the processing is done by the Bit processor, set up with a laptop, or better yet with the Bit Tune device (that's a whole different discussion). You can control the individual level or each speaker, individual crossover point/slope/alignment, digital time alignment of each driver and full 1/3 octave graphic equalizers for each set of speakers (full independent EQ's for front, rear, sub, etc.). So the flexibility is unreal.

With a properly installed and set up Bit processor your vehicle can have an absolutely amazing audio systyem with imaging that's simply not possible without the processor. The Bit Ten D and the Bit One come with the DRC controller that allows multiple presets to be saved for different listening positions or different equalizer settings. And they both offer a digital optical input plus an aux input that can be used for iPod, bluetooth, etc.

On my car I'm using this optical digital input to connect a Pure i20 iPod dock that I disassembled and hid in the console. This device allows me to play music from an iPod that is recorded at 24-bit 192Khz DAC (higher than CD quality) and the entire signal path is digital. There is a lot of music available from HD Tracks and other sources that sell music that is taken straight from the original masters at higher than CD quality.

I would say that the Audison Bit processors are the next generation high end source unit for people who want the abolute best possible sound quality and the ability to fine tune a system to perfection. In a boat I probably wouldn't use one, as it's easier to just use an equalizer for fine tuning. The time alignment becomes a bit impractical in a boat since there are so many various seating positions.


Odin

Those JL's look dope..if only they werent an arm and a leg..and another leg for all their stuff...M880s for almost 500 a pair for in boats..yuck!

Yep, they certainly aren't cheap. You've got an entirely domestic engineered and built product. But there are authorized dealers that offer nice forum discounts, zone packages, and system packages.

David what do you think the new jl tower speakers will retail for?

It's way too early to speculate. But without any inside knowledge, my guess is that they'll be in the range of the better 8-inch HLCDs with collar options.