Posts filed under 'Speakers'
Griffin Technology introduced their AirCurve iPhone accessory today, which acoustically amplifies the iPhone’s preexisting speaker using no additional electronics. It utilizes a ‘coiled waveguide’ and is so amazing, according to Griffin, that you’ll ’swear’ it’s a powered set of speakers. If you so choose, you can add a Griffin Dock cable and charge your iPhone while you listen.
Available soon for $20
Official page here
September 17th, 2008
The GLA-55s most certainly strike a ‘note’ visually, and let’s just hope they sound crystal clear. Ok, that’s enough puns for one day. The GLA-55s are self powered, 56 watts each, achieve a 60Hz - 20kHz range and include a touch sensitive volume control and subwoofer out.
[Gizmag]
September 17th, 2008
By: Daniel O
Ewoo announced three new products a couple of days ago, HandMusic(above), EFizzTravel and Efizz. HandMusic allows users to connect their iPod to AV equipment while the use of the remote control allows you to easily browse your iPod from anywhere in your home. The controller has a 1.8-inch screen, which has the iPod interface, so it’s like having a bigger iPod in your hand. Priced at $180
Hit the ‘leap’ for more pics and product
EFizzTravel (below) is a mobile stereo system that provides 20 hours of music on-the-go powered by batteries, contains a 2.0 audio system from Cabasse and is priced at $180 too.
Efizz (below) is the daddy of the three. It contains a 2.1-channel 70 Watts RMS audio system (ear muffs recommended) and a remote control with album art displayed. It also allows for digital and analog input and is priced at $570.
All the speaker systems work with all iPods from Nano 1G up.
September 12th, 2008
Riding a bike means safety first, probably something I should practice. You see, I wear headphones when I ride. Although it’s not balls out loud, it still inhibits my hearing. CyFi must’ve seen me on the road, because they’ve created a Bluetooth speaker specifically designed to be mounted on the handle bars of a bike. They’ve included a dongle for wireless connectivity to the iPod and embedded controls in the face of the speaker for volume and track control. It works with cell phones as well, allowing you to take calls by speaker phone. Interesting design, but how does it sound? Battery life is 6 hours and rechargeable.
More info here
September 10th, 2008
Porsche Design, an arm of Porsche, which is surprising since the 911 really hasn’t changed all that much in 30 odd years, is getting into the bedside business with the The Etón P’9120 Alarm Clock Radio. Featuring three speakers on its face - they look reminiscent of a car piston or exhaust - the boxy alarm clock also sports an iPod dock, an enigmatic remote and get this, a built-in flashlight. If you’re into the whole satellite radio thing, you’ll be happy to know there’s an XM antenna hookup and stand along subwoofer for bed rumbling action.
Available here for $600
[Dvice]
September 3rd, 2008
I know, I know, you can hardly contain your excitement (wink). Yup, it’s another iPod specific boombox. Inside are two 3.5-inch woofers backed by 60 watts of power. Auxillary input for the less important MP3 players and a composite video output also make the spec list. Unfortunately, the Horizon i-DS2 iPod Boombox lacks iPhone shielding but it comes in glossy white or black.
Official press release here
August 18th, 2008
If your scratching your head, don’t worry, I am too. The iPig is one odd product, but surprisingly it boasts some pretty good specs considering its small footprint. It’s rockin’ 4 speakers and 1 subwoofer - I assume the Sub shoots down. Total output is 25 watts and they’ve also included a 3.5mm jack for non Apple MP3 players. The iPig’s mouth lights up when it’s powered on, comes in Pink, White and Yellow and includes a remote.
Available here for $140
August 13th, 2008
So I recently conceded and bought a desk for my bedroom. With in a matter of weeks my table top was cluttered with papers, gadgets, computer speakers and needless to say the dock for my iPhone. Yes, minimizing clutter is a bid deal to me and hence why iHome’s newest product, the iH69s and IH70s would be a sweet addition. But unfortunately, they aren’t built for true iPhone use - they’re actually built for any docking iPods - as they probably aren’t shielded like the Altec Lansing T612. iHome has included their patented Reson8 speaker chambers (to give it bass) and have also included a remote, computer port (USB?), a sync switch, headphone jack and volume controls.
The iHome iH69 and iH70 are available for pre-order for $99.99 and $129.99 respectively and will hit retail outlets ’soon’.
If you think I skimped on the details, check the press release after the ‘leap’
iHOME UNVEILS THE WORLD’S FIRST COMPUTER SPEAKERS FOR IPOD
New iPod Computer Speakers Provide Users with Space Saving All-in-One Capabilities
Rahway, N.J., June 3 2008 – iHome, a division of SDI Technologies and leading worldwide manufacturer of award-winning iPod and iPhone accessories, today announced the iH69 and iH70, innovative new speaker systems for Macs and PCs. Now, iPod users can dock, charge, play and sync their iPods directly to their computer via their speakers, providing better quality sound and functionality with no extra wires, cables or space necessary.
“At iHome we continually strive to provide innovative products for iPod owners that enhance their listening enjoyment and maximize the functionality of their iPod,” said Evan Stein, Vice President of Marketing, iHome. “The new iH69 and iH70 are a perfect marriage of sound and design, and with their charging and sync capabilities, they are the ideal, all-in-one speaker solutions for the Mac or PC that will consolidate space and bring iHome’s advanced sound technology from audio speakers to computer speakers.”
Compatible with all docking iPod models, the iH69 and iH70 conveniently charge, play and sync iPods while they are docked securely into the base of the computer speaker. The iH69 and iH70 are designed with high-fidelity Reson8™ speaker chambers providing the listener with premium power output, computer port, sync switch, volume controls and headphone jack for private listening. The iH70 builds upon this base with higher wattage producing speakers, a full functioning remote control and the inclusion of SRS® WOW sound enhancement technology that expands the audio field for a richer sound experience.
The iH69 and iH70 is currently available for pre-order on iHomeaudio.com and will be available soon at major retail outlets nationwide for the suggested retail price of $99.99 and $129.99 respectively
June 3rd, 2008
I think I’ve said it before, but if I didn’t, here it is again: Speakers aren’t easy to review and are in fact extremely subjective. I don’t use any type of technical measurement to see what the Hz range is, or if the signal-to-noise ratio is up to snuff. Nope, I just listen to them, play with the plugs, etc, and give my real world opinion.
How do they sound?
The Scandyna Mircopods sounds good, but fall short when it comes to any level of bass. With that said, they achieve great highs for a pair of self powered computer speakers, which is probably due to the separated tweeters mounted at the top of the speakers. I maxed out the volume on my Macbook (both the computer and iTunes volume) and experienced absolutely no distortion. I tried these speakers out with a variety of music and found that the Eric Clapton and Norah Jones genres sound best. Where as bands like Kayne West (puke), or Daft Punk’d don’t get their complete range displayed.
Any design flaws or highlights?
The Micropods are without a doubt retro meets the future. The ones I received were finished in an orange-yellow and served as an excellent desktop accent. Notably, the included metal feet pop into the base of the Micropods and require no screws or threads to install - a great design that makes install extremely intuitive. The powered speaker includes a ’sub out’ headphone jack to bring the bass up to par, and also feature a unique speaker input positive/negative plug. The nonpowered speakers features a high end postive/negative post for attaching the speaker wire. The powered speaker is also denoted, when powered that is, by a glowing logo on the face of the speaker. The speakers drivers are made of Kevlar, which should insure a long life and also provide an aggressive look since the Micropods are a grill-less design. One notable flaw, which may be related to the included headphone cord, was when the headphones plug was removed or unplugged from my computer, the Micropods emitted an obnoxious buzzing noise even though the headphone jack wasn’t in contact with any metal. Nonetheless, the Micropods made little to no buzzing noise when music wasn’t playing (plugged in) and the volume on my computer was cranked to 100%.
Final thoughts?
The Scandyna Micropods SE Active Speakers sound excellent with the correctly matched genre of music. Add a Minibass to the setup and they’ll boast ‘knock your sox off’ sound. Scandyna has clearly put some effort into designing and building these speakers. I was tempted to toss them down a flight of stairs because I was confident they’d survive the fall given their extremely sturdy build. But then the better part of me thought of the PR agency that loaned these to me, and how they might frown upon receiving a pair of scratched, but fully functional speakers.
Included in box:
- Headphone to headphone cord
- About 4 feet of Speakerwire
- 6 metal feet (3 feet per speaker)
- Power adapter
Available in store only with some Ebay presence. Check the Scandyna website to find a retailer near you.
May 20th, 2008
If you’ve ever used your iPhone in conjunction with something that includes speakers (e.g. car stereo, home stereo, alarm clock, powered speakers hooked up to the dock) then you know how annoying the sound of the GSM signal interfering with the music can be (yes, that’s what that is). Thanks to Altec Lansing’s T612 you can now enjoy your iPhone’s music as it was meant to be without all that darn interference.
What is the Altec Lansing T612?
Essentially, it’s a compact desktop stereo with an iPhone/iPod dock built-in to it. What’s special about the T612 is that Altec Lansing has included special shielding to prevent the iPhone’s GSM signal from invading the system’s audio. No more turning on Airplane mode and missing those ever so important text messages or calls. Oh ya, the T612 will stop the music when there’s an incoming call and slightly lower the volume for incoming texts insuring you don’t miss a beat when rocking out.
Can the T612 work without the iPhone or iPod?
Yes, but it’s primarily designed to be used with one of the two. Included on the rear of the device (see picture) is an AUX/HEADPHONE in. Altec also included a 6″ AUX cord for plugging in headphone-to-headphone.
How’s the sound quality?
Unfortunately, the sound quality is just mediocre at best. If you listen to country and soft rock you’ll be some what satisfied, but the T612 can’t handle low bass so hip-hop and rap are probably out. Furthermore, the T612 tends to distort when approaching max volume - usually an indicator of not enough ampage. Whilst listening to ‘classical’ at max volume there were noticeable audio vibrations. At low volume, though, the T612 performed satisfactorily and was a nice addition to my small kitchen - it’s not ideal for large rooms. Fortunately, you can manipulate the bass and treble settings, but I found it tough to find a setting to satisfy all music genres. The T612 includes four speakers: two tweeters for highs, and two drivers for mids and bass. The T612’s sound quality is probably on par with some of iHome’s larger alarm clocks, although it lacks the associated functionality. It should be interesting to see how the T612 stacks up against the yet to be released iHome iP99BR iPhone Alarm clock/stereo.
Any design flaws?
Actually, it’s quite well put together. It’s not too heavy - could be lugged from room-to-room - and since the only cord necessary is the power pack (the power pack is located mid cord making it compatible with older sockets and heavily populated power strips), it’s a pretty mobile device. Altec Lansing outfitted the back of the device with a rubber finish, which makes it easy to grab and less fragile when transporting. Volume, bass, and treble levels are indicated by 5 blue LEDs located behind its mesh face. The volume has 50 levels (5 increments per LED), while the bass and treble have 10 each (2 increments per LED). The LEDs illuminate for a few seconds after volume, bass, or treble have been adjusted.
Is there a remote?
Absolutely. You can skip songs ahead and back, adjust volume, pause music, and power on/off. The remote’s footprint is equal to that of a pack of gum, and no thicker then two sticks of gum. In other words, it’s small, takes one of those over sized watch-like batteries, and may be easy to lose if you’re of the forgetful type. A mount or dock for the remote would’ve been a welcome addition.
Anything else?
One more thing. The T612 is wall mountable as evidenced by the three holes on its back. Unfortunately, I can’t find (online) the necessary bracket(s) to do so, and it doesn’t appear to be included in the package.
Would you recommend buying it?
For me, it doesn’t meet my sound quality or versatility needs (I would want an alarm clock and radio for the price). But if you can’t wait for the iHome iP99BR, which may or may not sound better, and can’t stand switching to airplane mode then hop aboard the Altec Lansing T612.
Available here for $200.
April 25th, 2008
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