Audio - Page 15

Streaming music sales are rising in popularity, but still cannot make up for the drop in both physical CDs and digital downloads, according to a report released by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As Pandora and Spotify continue to shake up the music industry, Apple - and its acquisition of Beats - can help push the industry forward, despite the difficulty in convincing streaming users to purchase music.

Music business analyst Mark Mulligan noted that the music industry must try to determine if streaming music should be used as a marketing or sales tool in the future. There also is concern that many Spotify stations, for example, rely on major music hits from a small number of artists, while other songs and albums build a slow following over an extended period of time.

"The streaming picture is changing at an absolutely staggering rate and everyone across the value chain needs to get their heads around all the potential permutations else get left behind," Mulligan noted. "These are both exciting and daunting times."

Computex 2014 - I've been a fan of LUXA2's audio products for a while now, but they were showing off some even more interesting things at Computex this year - starting with the Groovy A.

The LUXA2 Groovy A is a wireless stereo speaker that has a unique adjustable 15- to 30-degree sound angle, meaning you can sit it down, and then adjust it up to blast the audio into the room a little better. It has 7W of total output, a beautiful aluminum construction, a 2200mAh internal battery that should have you listening to tunes for hours and hours, wireless range of up to 10m, and more.

Something else that caught our eye over at LUXA2, was the new Groovy Duo Live Speaker System. It was definitely a unique design, with two 3W speakers for a total of 6W of output. There's dynamic dual Bluetooth Pairing mode to get them working together, making it a mini sound system for the home. Being able to reposition the speakers is a great advantage for the Groovy Duo system, as you can be surrounded in sound from different angles - depending on the room, and setup in your home or office.

Streaming a variety of music to your Sonos wireless speaker system has just gotten much easier thanks to the company integrating Google Play Music into its list of streaming music providers. The integration into the Sonos controller app ushers in a new music streaming era, as this allows millions of Google Play Music subscribers to now stream their own music as well as music they have purchased over the service.

"As we continue to invest in the way you experience and control your music at home, curating and managing an array of services cross multiple rooms, the benefits of playing your music to Sonos directly from these very services is clear. In Google Play Music, we've found a great partner to bring this vision to life for the first time on a global scale. Together, we've created a music experience that shows how media, devices, and sound can seamlessly work together in the home," sonos said in a blog post.

All the music you love, all there is to discover, all together in one place:

Sony has announced a new set of headphones called the MDR-HW700DS digital surround wireless headphones. The headphones use Virtualphones technology to reproduce the soundstage of a multichannel speaker system. A 9.1 channel system adds a pair of surround back speakers and a pair of front high speakers to the normal 5.1 set up.

The headphones don't actually have nine speakers inside. The wireless connectivity doesn't come at the detriment of sound quality. Sony uses HDMI connectivity for the headphones offering uncompressed audio transmission. Dual wireless bands are supported with 2.4GHz and 5 GHz.

Three different modes allow the user to choose the best mode for what they are doing. Those modes include Cinema, Game, and voice settings. Sony uses pressure-relieving luxury ear cushions for the headphones to make them more comfortable during extended use.

If you are old enough to remember the 80's, you will recall the giant boom box radios that people carried around to listen too. Those things ate more D-cell batteries than a decent family could afford. Pyle Audio has announced the launch of a new product called the Street Blaster that is a modern interpretation of a boom box from the 80's.

You don't get dual cassette decks in this thing. What you do get is Bluetooth, a guitar input, NFC tech, a rechargeable battery, and a 1000W amp. Pyle doesn't say how large the battery is, but I have to wonder with that much power and wireless features just how long the battery will last.

If you have a device that doesn't support playback via Bluetooth, the Street Blaster does have a 3.5mm input. It also has a microphone input as well. I would assume that to mean you can hook a mic to it and use it like a PA system.

Over the last few years Sceptre has gone from a little known brand that pretty much only sold online to a brand that you can find in many large retail stores around the country. The company was first known for computer monitors and TVs, but it has now branched out into other product categories.

One of those other product categories is the portable speaker realm. Sceptre has unveiled its latest Bluetooth speaker called the SoundPal. The speaker uses Bluetooth 2.1 for connectivity with your portable device. It also has NFC tech inside for easy paring with NFC equipped devices.

The SoundPal has a microSD card slot so you can play your digital tunes directly over the speaker without needing to connect a smartphone via Bluetooth. The speaker also has a 3.5mm audio input jack for connecting devices that lack Bluetooth.

If you aren't happy with the sound your TV has right out of the box, there is a wide range of solutions that will get you better sound. If you have the room and the inclination, you can go with a full surround sound system with multiple speakers.

However, some people don't want wires and speakers sitting all around the room. For this sort of person, a soundbar might be the best thing and Yamaha has a new offering that has nice features and a nice price. The sound bar is the YAS-103 and it is the follow-up to the best selling Yamaha sound bar ever called the YAS-101.

The main difference between the YAS-101 and the new 103 is that the YAS-103 has support for Bluetooth streaming and for control via a smartphone app. The YAS-103 supports Dolby Digital and DTS virtual surround sound. It also has two full range drivers, two down firing subwoofers, and a bass reflex port.

It's been a while since we talked about Grace Digital. The company is known for making a number of Wi-Fi streaming music players with an eye towards online radio and other content. The company is back with a new Wi-Fi music player that would be at home next to the bed. The music player is called the Encore.

The Encore is fitted with a special tweeter and woofer arrangement for clear vocals and deep bass. The Encore connects to online radio and other content via Wi-Fi network in the home or office. You can save your favorite internet radio stations to a preset for easy access. The device supports just about any internet radio station you can think of along with Pandora, SiriusXM, Rhapsody, and Live365.

The Encore has enough storage to save 100 of your favorite stations to memory. It also has seven alarms with an adjustable sleep timer and a large snooze bar. Other features include a headphone jack, RCA output, and RCA aux-input.

Harman Kardon has been around for a long time and has a reputation for making speakers and other radio gear that sounds good and looks really cool too. Harman Kardon makes the cool Nova speakers that we talked about back in November. These speakers have a cool clear case and NFC tech crammed inside.

Harman Kardon is back with a couple new products being unveiled, including a set of attractive headphones called the Soho and a wireless loudspeaker called the Esquire. The Soho headphones are Android compatible and have an inline mic and remote. That means you can control your music without taking your smartphone out of your pocket or bag and make and receive phone calls.

The Soho headphones fold flat making them only 1.25-inches thick and easy to take on the go. They are available in white, black, and brown colors for £169.99. The Esquire wireless loudspeaker is aimed at people wanting to share their music with a large group.

In a world where stand-alone MP3 players are a quickly dying breed, companies are resulting to extreme measures to sell their products in which they have invested millions into. Sony's W Series Walkman is one of those devices that while it may be a barebones MP3 player with no additional special functionality, has one major thing going for it; its waterproof.

To highlight this unique feature in New Zealand, Sony has began packaging the W Series inside of a bottle full of water with the help from an ad firm called DraftFCB. The bottle appears to be a reusable sports bottle with a stainless steel band around the top that bears the Walkman logo. Getting your hands on one of these will not be easy though as Sony has placed vending machines containing the Bottled Walkman inside of select gyms and pool facilities around New Zealand.

Today ROCCAT announced the launch of its latest gaming headset, the Kave XTD 5.1. The Kave XTD is a true 5.1 digital gaming headset and is built on the foundation of the original Kave headset, with an entirely new ground-up design. The Kave XTD 5.1 features a fully-equipped desktop remote that incorporates a full 5.1 digital sound card as well as several other exciting features.

The Kave XTD 5.1 features ROCCAT Smart Link technology that lets users pair their smartphone with their headset and can make and receive calls during a gaming session by pressing a button on the remote control. The phones audio is piped into the headset, and allows gamers to take their call while in-game without the need to remove their headset. The Kave XTD's software mutes any incoming or outgoing audio from the game or chat software during calls, so no one hears your conversation but you.

The Kave XTD features 3 drivers per ear cup that have been aligned at a 12 degree angle to provide clean, crisp, and immersive sound. The remote control also features the ability to connect a true 5.1 audio speaker system to your PC from the 5.1 sound card built into the remote, and users can switch from headset mode to speaker mode with the push of a button. Finally, the Kave XTD 5.1 features a sensitive boom mic that is positioned perfectly for accurate communication with your fellow players.

Headphone and earbud maker, Skullcandy has just released a new bluetooth wireless speaker called the Air Raid. The people from Skullcandy claim that it is louder than the competition. They are also saying it is "it is built like a tank and loud as hell." The Air Raid can hold a charge of 14 hours has two 50mm drivers. The Air Raid is a nice portable size and perfect for occasions like parties, camping, tailgating etc. You won't have to worry about breaking it either, they claim it is life proof and is water resistant. Air Raid will be available for $150.

From Skullcandy,

"Bring the loud. Draw crowds, combat bad audio, and stay connected with Air Raid. It's the only portable Bluetooth speaker both loud and rugged enough for those who don't tread lightly.

SteelSeries has just unveiled its latest H Wireless Headset, which is a new multi-platform wireless headset. The H Wireless Headset provides "robust sound, lag-free wireless and versatile functionality bring superior audio to a wide range of platforms, including PC, Mac, mobile devices, consoles, home entertainment, streaming devices and more." The new SteelSeries wireless headset boats some impressive Dolby technologies, including:

What about gaming? Well, SteelSeries has your back with two innovative gaming features. The first, is ChatMix, which lets the user tune the right balance between game and chat audio, which comes in handy, as you can increase another gamers voice, but keep your game volume tuned to your specific liking.

The second gaming feature is LiveMix, which automates that process. LiveMix will reduce game audio on-the-fly to the users' choice, but get this - only when chat audio is detected. This is a great feature, thanks to its automation.

Tomorrow during Nokia World, the company is expected to unveil several new mobile devices including the all new Lumia 1520 phablet, Lumia 2520 Windows RT tablet, and several budget friendly Asha devices. What was not expected however, was the Nokia Guru, a iPod Shuffle-like music player with NFC capabilities.

TweakTown's favorite leakster @evleaks posted a photo this morning via his Twitter account which shows off the new Guru music player in a very Lumia blue color. At the moment, the only solid piece of information we have on the Guru is that it will feature NFC connectivity, a 3.5mm headphone jack, volume buttons and a microUSB port for charging and possible data syncing.

What is unclear is whether this device stores MP3 files, or if it is just a streaming device for the Lumia line of phones. My bet is on the latter if you are wondering. A streaming device such as this only makes sense as the MP3 player as we know it is dieing and is being replaced by bulky smartphones which always have an issue with cord length when placed in a pocket. This device could pair with your phone, and mount easily on your arm or shirt for a workout experience where one does not fight headphone cords constantly.

Earlier today, SteelSeries introduced the world to its latest flagship headset, the Siberia Elite Gaming Headset. SteelSeries says that the new Siberia Elite features the high-quality audio drivers and is equipped with Dolby technology that creates a realistic 7.1 virtual surround sound. The headset will be available for pre-order in September and will retail for $199.99.

The new headset's design features a self-adjusting suspension system that is anchored to a still arc. The headset's ear cups feature RGB illuminated dials that are capable of reproducing 16.8 million color options. These dials control the Siberia Elite's audio and microphone, while the company's SteelSeries Engine 3 software ushers in new levels of customization and profile generation.

"First introduced in 2004, SteelSeries' Siberia headset brought together amazing audio quality with first-ever features like a self-adjusting suspension design and circumaural earcups to the market. The headset quickly became popular amongst gamers with its outstanding quality and performance as well as caught the attention of DJ's and musicians, appearing in popular videos and in places that expanded even beyond our core gaming audience," said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. "Siberia is recognized today as one of the fastest growing and highly rated line of headsets by consumers from around the globe. Expanding upon this legacy, today we introduce the next level of Siberia audio combining the acclaimed features, which makes the Siberia brand successful, with the newest and highest-quality audio technology and software that can truly be categorized as Elite."

Today, Creative Technology announced the launch of its newest Sound Blaster gaming headsets set dubbed the Tactic3D Fury. Creative says that the Tactic3D Fury is compatible with both PC and Mac thanks to the dual-mode USB adapter. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also present, which allows the end-user to connect the headset to a mobile phone, allowing them to receive calls during intense gaming sessions.

"Riding on the positive momentum of our Sound Blaster Tactic3D range of gaming headsets, we designed the Sound Blaster Tactic3D Fury with a sleeker, even more comfortable ear cup design than the headsets that inspired it. With this great-looking, comfortable design and our completely customizable suite of sound and voice technologies, we're unleashing the Fury as the best combination of gaming performance and value for the mass market," said Long Chye Low, general manager of audio at Creative.

Included with the headset is Creative's Sound Blaster Tactic3D Control Panel software that enables gamers to customize settings and tailor the sound output to their specific taste . This provides an immersive and accurate 3-D acoustic environment that is unlike any other. The Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Fury gaming headset is expected to arrive on store shelves sometime in October 2013 and will retail at a price point of $59.99.

During the Gamescom event being held in Germany this week, ROCCAT Studios announced the addition of a new high-quality gaming headset to its lineup of gaming peripherals. The new ROCCAT Kave XTD 5.1 digital gaming headset is the successor to ROCCAT's Kave 5.1.

The company says that the new Kave XTD is based on community and customer feedback and that the new headset builds on foundations laid by the original headset by improving existing features and integrating completely new innovations of its own. The headset features a fully-equipped desktop remote that integrates a built-in premium 5.1 sound card. Additionally, ROCCAT Smart Link technology is built-in. This technology lets the user pair their smartphone to the remote via Bluetooth. This new feature allows users to make and receive calls through the headset while gaming.

The remote also features built-in 5.1 speaker ports, which allow users to hook up their existing sound systems and easily toggle between the headset and speaker output without having to change settings in the PC software controls. ROCCAT says that the Kave XTD 5.1 provides a true, rich 5.1 surround sound. The headset features three driver units per ear cup, which are aligned at a 12 degree angle. This allows the headset to deliver an immersive and crisp sound while weighing 25 percent less than its predecessor.

Today, V-MODA announced two new high-end accessories for use with its award winning Crossfade M-100 headphones. The BoomPro and CoilPro are aimed at enhancing the audio experience for even the most hardcore gamers as well as the Podcaster and Skype user. The BoomPro is a universal, hi-fi boom mic that instantly enhances voice clarity while greatly reducing background noise. It plugs directly into the audio jack of the CrossFade M-100 and a built-in on-cable Control Clip allows for quick adjustment of volume controls.

The CoilPro is a professional grade coiled extension cable that allows users to move up to 12 feet away from their battle station. The company says that this extension cable is perfect for the DJ booth, production studio, or for use while on a Skype call or other times when you may need to stay connected but move freely around your room or office. The cable is reinforced with an inner reinforcement strand of kevlar, which should prevent any stress breakage from occurring. Both of these new accessories are available from V-MODA and Amazon for $30.

"With the launch of these new accessories, V-MODA is raising the bar for headphone versatility. Up until now, there hasn't been a professional quality boom mic for high-end headphone enthusiasts and gamers," states Val Kolton, Chief Visionary Officer at V-MODA. "BoomPro opens up a world of opportunity, converting headphones like M-100 into an incredibly versatile headset for gamers, business professionals, podcasters and anybody who wants extreme clarity for their phone or conference calls. CoilPro bolsters M-100's appeal within the professional audio, music instrument and DJ community. As a musician, I can attest that the last thing you want to worry about is not having enough slack on your headphone cable while playing guitar or drums at home or spinning in the DJ booth. This gives you additional reach so you can focus on creating boundless music."

Earlier today, Logitech introduced us to its latest set of Bluetooth stereo speakers. Dubbed the Z600, the speakers are targeted at the MacBook Air and UltraBook markets but will work with any Bluetooth A2DP-enabled device including smartphones, tablets, and media streaming devices. Capable of pairing with up to three devices at the same time, users can stream music from each individual device by just making sure music playback on the other two devices are paused.

Logitech says that the speakers produce a room-filling sound and each incorporates three drivers in a very sleek and refined tower style package. Covered in a fabric finish, the Z600 speakers incorporate touch sensitive volume controls which are actuated by gliding a finger across the edge of the top panel of either speaker to raise or lower the volume.

Logitech has included a small USB Bluetooth dongle that will allow streaming audio from devices that may not be Bluetooth-equipped. No actual launch date was given, but Logitech has the Z600 Bluetooth Speakers up for preorder on their website at a price point of just $150. That price seems a little high when compared to the Panasonic portable Bluetooth speaker we covered earlier today, but I have a feeling the speakers will reproduce a more rich and full-bodied sound.

Panasonic likes building products that can take whatever you can throw at them and their new portable wireless speaker is no exception. The SC-NT10 is a black and orange 4W portable speaker that features two full-range speakers and a passive radiator. Panasonic says that the speaker is "quad proof" and is dust, water, and impact resistant. Panasonic says that the speaker is able to last about eight hours on a single charge but did not disclose standby time battery life.

"Building on the popularity of other "tough" products in our lineup, Panasonic has created a wireless speaker that is small enough to carry almost anywhere and can handle the elements, but will still produce superior sound quality," said David Fisher, Product Manager, Home Entertainment, Panasonic Consumer Marketing Company of North America. "The SC-NT10 is an ideal audio companion for anyone who loves the outdoors. It's equipped with unique features for ease-of-use including Near Field Communication for easy pairing with mobile devices, and produces crystal clear, powerful sound."

Featuring Near Field Connectivity (NFC), the device is able to quickly pair with your smartphone's Bluetooth connection or alternatively, a 3.5 mm jack allows you to input your favorite tunes. The SC-NT10 is able to survive splashes of water, intense heat or freezing cold, and is able to survive drops from about 3 feet. Samsung says that they expect the speaker to ship sometime in August, but interested parties may pre-order one now for $100.