Audio - Page 18

It's been a while since I saw a new PMP launch with a traditional HDD for storage rather than flash. Flash is generally used in portable devices because it needs less power and can survive the drops and bumps that come with life on the road better than a HDD can. The downside is that you get less storage with flash for the same money than you would with a HDD. Cowon has unveiled the X7 PMP in Korea and it uses a HDD for storage.

There are tons of speaker docks on the market today that will work with the iPad and the iPhone. There aren't that many available that will work with the iPad though. If you want, a dock that will charge your iPad while you listen to music or watch video iLuv has a new offering for you. The new iMM747 speaker dock will support any dockable Apple device.

[img]3[/img]

One of the cooler features of the dock is that you don't have to mess with those little cradles that you have to exchange to support different devices on some docks. The iMM747 has an adjustable back that will work with any dockable iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad without those trays. The speaker dock is larger and wider than many we see thanks to its ability to work with the iPad. The dock measures 14.3" W x 5" H x 3.7" D and weighs 2-pounds.

The dock needs quite a bit of power at 15W for operation. It has a mini USB port that allows you to synchronize the docked device without having to pick it up. A 3.5mm input allows non-dockable players to be used with the dock, and the power adapter needed is included. The iMM747 will ship soon for $149.99 and is one of the first iPad docks around.

When it comes to headphones I want something that sounds better than the junk that ships with my iPhone, but I certainly won't spend hundreds of bucks, let alone thousands for a set of headphones. If you are an audiophile with money to burn or a new credit card to break in Ultrasone has a new set of headphones called the Edition 10 headphones.

One day we won't need an outlet to power or charge our gadgets, the sun will do it for us. Today the average solar cell can't capture enough power from the sun to charge or power most of our gadgets in a reasonable amount of time. A new concept gadget has surfaced with the Sony brand that uses solar power called the Eclipse.

When it comes to listening to your favorite music, where you live often has a lot to do with the types of radio stations in your area. For instance, my area has a ton of country music stations, but offers no modern rock station so you can either listen to pop or old 80's rock. For people in this situation, Sirius XM satellite radio is perfect.

I am a big fan of Klipsch speakers for many uses. The best surround sound computer speakers I have ever owned came from Klipsch and the company has some fantastic home theater speakers as well. Many of the speakers that come from Klipsch are very expensive, but some of them are not out of the reach of most of us.

[img]3[/img]

The latest offering from Klipsch is a speaker that isn't too expensive at $199.99 and is designed to be used outside with the Klipsch LightSpeaker system. The LightSpeaker system isn't included with the AudioRock speaker though and if you don't have one it will set you back another $600. The AudioRock speaker is weatherproof and rustproof. Inside the speaker are dual 0.75" tweeters and a dual voice coil 5.25" woofer.

It gets power from a removable and rechargeable lithium battery pack that provides eight hours of continuous listening. The battery takes four hours to charge fully. The wireless tech used to connect to the LightSpeaker system is 2.4GHz and the receiver is built into the AudioRock speaker. The outside of the speaker looks like a rock and has a granite color. The drivers are angled up at the listening for improved sound. You can buy the AudioRock right now.

There are a lot of people out there who swim to keep fit. These folks would probably like to listen to some music while they work out, just as people who work out on dry land like to do. The catch for the swimmer is that water and your typical headphones and PMPs simply don't mix. Those that sweat a lot during workouts in the gym will also tell you that sweat can ruin your headphones. A company called H2O Audio has announced a new set of headphones that can survive in the water called the Surge 2G.

I haven't touched a vinyl record since I was a kid. I know there are a lot of people out there who have large vinyl record collections that they want to listen too. There are also a lot of folks out there who have vinyl that they want to turn into digital tracks to use with modern devices like the iPod. Crosley has announced a new portable turntable that is really cool and will play vinyl on the go.

There are a huge number of docks on the market today for the iPhone. Many of those docks require the iPhone or iPod to be physically plugged into the dock for music to play. There are also a number of systems that allow you to stream music to the device using Bluetooth. The catch is that the Bluetooth wireless systems don't charge the iPhone and your battery can drain quickly.

[img]3[/img]

XtremeMac has unveiled a new audio solution that works with the iPhone and the iPad that combines features of a normal docking station with a wireless Bluetooth dock. The audio system is called the Tango TRX and it uses a 2.1 configuration. The device offers high quality Bluetooth streaming from a remote docking station that can be connected to the AC outlet for charging the iPhone while it plays. A second dock is built into the main device.

The speakers inside the Tango TRX include a pair of mid-range drivers, a pair of dome tweeters, and a down firing sub. Other features of the dock include a line-in jack for connecting non-dockable devices and a multifunction remote control. A free app also integrates with the system to allow control over the sound and the music it plays. The Tango TRX is shipping now for $179.99, the version of the dock with the separate dock to charge while playing via Bluetooth is an Apple Store exclusive selling for $199.99 and is called the Tango TRX D.

Antec is making a big move into the world of computer audio with the formation of their fully owned subsidiary, soundscience.™ The first product from soundscience will be an all new 3D 2.1 speaker system dubbed the soundscience rockus.

I know many people who can't function without music to listen too. If they are outside grilling, playing with the kid's, or at the lake swimming they want music to listen too. If you are the sort that spends a lot of time outside and you want music to listen to while you are out there Grace Digital Audio has unveiled a new line of waterproof speakers that you can use outside without worrying about getting them wet.

[img]3[/img]

The new line includes the Rock Speaker, which looks like a rock unsurprisingly. It has a 1x1" tweeter and a 1 x 4" full range speaker inside. The overall dimensions are 12.13" x 15.51" x 14.29". The speakers are powered by an AC adapter or an internal rechargeable battery and the whole thing is IPX7 approved. Wireless range is 150-feet and the battery is good for 7 hours.

The Schooner II has pair of waterproof speakers with carry handles and is IPX3 approved with a dock for your iPod. Wireless range is also 150-feet and it is good for 7-hours of battery life. The final new set of speakers is the Mini-bullets II with 1x3" full range speakers using double bass boost tech. The speakers can run from a wall outlet of with six AA batteries and are IPX3 approved. The wireless range is the same 150-feet. The Rock Speaker sells for $149.99, Schooner II is $129.99, and the Mini-Bullets II are $99.99.

Logitech purchased the Ultimate Ears earphone company a long while back. Ultimate Ears makes some very nice sets of earbuds that can be had in audiophile grade offerings that are expensive down to affordable sets that the normal consumer might be interested in. I have used several Ultimate Ears earphones and they generally perform well. Logitech has announced new additions to the line.

[img]3[/img]

The new Ultimate Ears models are the 500, 350, 200, as well as the 500vi and 200vi offerings. The 500 is the flagship offering of the new models with a small design made to sit flush with the ears and noise isolation with a detailed sound stage. The 500vi is the same earphones with inline controls and a mic for use with music phones like the iPhone. The 350 is a set of earphones that are optimized for lots of bass and to resist sweat during workouts.

The 200 series are budget offerings with a low profile design and come in pink, black, and blue colors. The 200vi is designed for use with music phones like the iPhone with a 3.5mm headphone jack and controls for music along with a mic for voice calls. The 200 sell for $29.99, the 350 will cost $49.99, and the 500 will sell for $69.99 the vi versions add $10 to the price of the normal offerings. All of the new headsets will ship in September.

Home theater systems can get very expensive if you want audiophile quality speakers and components. In a large room you can pretty much choose any size speakers and be ok. In a small space like a bedroom or a conference room where surround sound is needed choosing speakers that are too large just won't work for space reasons. Gefen has announced a new set of surround sound speakers called the GefenTV Conference Room Speakers.

[img]2[/img]

The speaker set consists of five different satellites providing two front and two rear channel speakers along with a center speaker. A subwoofer for improved bass is not included, but these are designed for audio quality not deep bass says the maker. Gefen says that the speakers are designed to work best with its own GefenTV Audio Processor, but they will work with any AV amp you want to use.

The part number for the five speaker set is GTV-CR-5SP and they will set you back $999. That is a crazy expensive price tag for a set of speakers that lack a sub if you ask me. The speakers each have connectors that will work with the five common types of speaker wires. The connectors support barb wires, spade lug connectors, pin connectors, and two types of banana plugs. Each of the speakers has a single 100mm low frequency driver with a 25mm voice coil. Each also has a single 25mm high frequency driver.

Razer is known for making some of the coolest gear for gamers around with a line of keyboards, mice, and audio solutions. The company is also known for choosing names for its products from the animal and insect world. For instance its keyboards are named after spiders, the gaming mice are named after snakes, and its audio offerings are named after water living creatures such as the Barracuda sound card.

Gamers will spend lots of cash on cool peripherals and accessories for their computer to get more enjoyment out of playing. If you throw some artwork on those peripherals that goes along with some of the popular game franchises out there gamers often get even more interested.

The biggest problem facing users who want to have surround sound in their home is the placement of the rear speakers. This is particularly challenging if 7.1 surround is what you are after. A new update fro Dolby 7.1 surround has been revealed.

[img]2[/img]

The update adds a pair of new audio zones with a back surround left and back surround right placement. These pair with the two front zones to provide better 3D sound. The new setup feeds each of the new rear channels their own signal rather than using a single signal for both like the old system.

We aren't sure when the new system will land and if you will need a new receiver to take advantage of if you can somehow upgrade existing gear. I bet you need new gear.

Whilst motherboard makers continue to offer better and better incorporated audio solutions onto select enthusiast oriented models, there are those of us who still refuse to use anything but a quality discrete solution and Creative are one of the most trusted in this area with its Sound Blaster range.

The company has just extended its Sound Blaster lineup with two new models in the form of the X-Fi Titanium HD and USB based X-Fi HD Audio.

CES 2010 - Stopping by the Dolby booth is always a fun time as it gives you the chance to see more than just single company's offerings. As Dolby is less a product and more a means for providing audio content the items you see in the Dolby booth are from just about every company that makes a device capable of producing sound.

EXCLUSIVE - Last Friday we visited the ASUS headquarters here in Taipei and got a look at some of their upcoming products.