Hasta La Gadget!

I’ll be perfectly honest – I haven’t listened to broadcast radio in a number of years. Between iTunes, Pandora, and SiriusXM, I have enough choices already. That said, I would actually listen to the radio again if I could have one that looked like this.

Created by sound artist/designer Yuri Suzuki, the Tube Map Radio is a printed circuit board designed in the image of London’s underground subway map. But instead of just telling you how to get from the Tower Bridge to King’s Cross, it actually works as a radio.

Certain locations on the map form a radio circuit, and assuming you place all the resistors, capacitors, and other electronics in the right places, it will form a functional radio.

Unfortunately, I don’t think you can buy the radio at this point, but I think Yuri should consider making a series of these for different cities and selling them in kit form.

[via MoCo LoCo]

Even your most basic outdoor store will sell you a collapsible silicone drinking cup that helps keep your backpack as light as possible when hiking. And it turns out that same strategy can apply to portable speakers too, like the making them even easier to stash in a bag when not in use.

Read more…

When it comes to speakers and TVs one of the fashionable things to do is hide them so that when they aren’t in use, you can’t tell speakers or a TV are in the room. We have seen TVs hidden by art on the wall in the past. Now, a company called Soundwall is now offering a speaker that is a work of art.

The speaker is called Soundwall and it hides a high fidelity speaker and amplifier in plain sight. Interestingly, there are no speakers hiding behind the canvas. The surface itself IS the speaker. Specs for the speaker are 40-20,000Hz frequency +/- 1.5dB on the largest size Soundwall, and the it’s powered by either 2x25W RMS or a 2x100W RMS Class-D amp, depending on the size of the artwork. They also include a subwoofer output if you’d like to place one on the floor to improve bass response.

Each Soundwall unit has a Raspberry Pi controller inside that supports AirPlay and UPnP formats for wireless streaming. The Soundwall speakers can play individual tracks when multiple units are installed in one location or they can be set up to all play the same track.

Buyers can choose from a variety of sizes, a gallery of existing art, or even upload their own photos. You can also order one with a blank canvas if you want to create your own painting. Prices range from $949(USD) for the smallest poster size Soundwall to $2499 for the largest 40″ x 60″ unit. Some of the original paintings can increase the price of the speaker as well.

Neil Young has been talking up his forthcoming high-fidelity music service and music player for a few years. That service and the player will now be launching via Kickstarter and it is called PonoMusic. That is a horrible name, each time I see it I think PornoMusic and hum bow-chica-wow-wow to myself.

The device, made by Arye, is said to use zero feedback circuits and a digital filter to stop unnatural pre-ringing. I’m no audiophile, so this is Greek to me. I assume that means it sounds really good. The music player will have a substantial 128GB of storage and the triangular design looks really uncomfortable to carry in a pocket, so it’s probably best used in a backpack.

The 128GB of storage should be enough to store 100 to 500 high-resolution albums. Storage expansion is possible using memory cards. The high-resolution music service promises tracks from top labels and independent labels. The PonoPlayer (bow-chica-wow-wow) will sell for $399(USD), but the price will be discounted for pre-orders.

Young is launching the triangular player on Kickstarter on March 12.

[via Computer Audiophile]

If you’re into recording or playing music, you’ll definitely want to enter this giveaway that we’re doing in partnership with our pals at Gear Diary and IK Multimedia.

One lucky winner will receive the iLoud portable speaker (valued at $299.99), a high-fidelity speaker designed specifically for musicians and audiophiles. This compact studio monitor has 40-watts of power, yet it’s small enough to tote around with you wherever you go. Not only does it crank out amazing sound for its size, but you can connect audio sources via Bluetooth, a 3.5mm jack for mobile devices, or a 1/4″ jack to connect your electric guitar or a microphone. It’s even got an iRig circuit built in, so you can use your mobile device to add effects to your jams.

In addition to the iLoud, the winner will receive a download key for GrooveMaker 2 (valued at $9.99). This cool iOS app lets you easily create non-stop dance beats in real time, without the need for in-depth musical knowledge. It’s easy to use, and lets you make tracks using either pre-packaged sets of samples, or your own recorded sounds.

We’re also giving away four additional keys to GrooveMaker 2 at various points throughout the contest. Enter early to increase your chances of winning one of these.

To enter the contest, simply fill out the form below. There are lots of ways to earn entries, so try them all to increase your chances of winning:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest Ends 11:59PM CDT on March 19, 2014. See Terms and Conditions with entry form above.