Hasta La Gadget!

This week we’ve had a look (or a listen, rather) to the V-MODA Crossfade M-100 over-ear headphones, the newest in a line of hardcore solutions from the team that brought you some of the best ear-blasting sound machines we’ve got in our review archives. This newest design is what the company calls “crowdsourced” as they’ve made the creation process one where more people were involved than on any previous project in the company – audiophiles, producers, editors, and DJs alike. The end product is a pair of headphones that sound just as good or better than the Limited Edition LP2s we saw last year (and the original LPs back in 2010) in a slightly more compact setup – a win win!

With the Crossfade M-100 model you’ve got 50MM “Dual-Diaphragm” Drivers with dual inputs at the bottom of either shell. You can plug your cord into the bottom of your rightphone and on the left you’ve got a real-deal V-CORK to seal the deal. Unlike most solutions that simply leave the second port open, V-MODA provides a couple of rubbery plastic corks you can use to keep your innards safe from environmental harm – simple and useful!

You’ve got hardcore quality with this set of phones as well, bringing on some rather extreme promises from the V-MODA crew, starting with kevlar-reinforced detachable cables complete with 45-degree plug strain relief – on both cords, mind you. These cords can withstand bends “more than 1 million times” according to V-MODA, this being, again according to the company, “over 100x industry standards.”

Both cords are rather fabulous to work with, also, one of them a “SharePlay” audio cable that’s able to bust out another port right through the first, the other a SpeakEasy mic cable that allows you to work with a built-in microphone solution. The color scheme here is black and orange – if you didn’t already notice – this a rather unique way of providing differentiation at first glance from earlier models and bringing on one of three different color combinations.

You’ve got a choice between Matte Black, Shadow, and White Silver combinations – and like previous V-MODA over-ear solutions, you also get extra shield customizability as well. While there aren’t replacement shields in the box like there were for the LP2 Limited Edition model, you can order extras when you head to the V-MODA online store – and get custom engravings, as well. You’ll be paying $310 USD for the phones themselves, then a shield kit will cost you an additional $25.

These phones extend out for the largest of heads and fold up and in with V-MODA’s own “CliqFold” system to get as small as possible for easy mobility. You also get a shell for extra protection and portability, this holding every bit of gear you get in the box. You’ll also find that you’re getting a 2 Year + Immortal Life 50% deal with this purchase as well – that’s V-MODA’s way of saying “thank you” for joining their team – discounts forever.

These phones work with frequency response between 5 and 30 kHz and have a sensitivity of 103 dB @ 1kHz 1mW. The Crossfade M-100s are the highest quality headphones V-MODA has ever offered, audio and all. Here you’ll find that the biggest difference between the LP2 model we’ve heard before and the M-100 is the base, first of all – when the deepness matters the most, a round punch in the drum is what you’ll heard the hardest on the M-100s.

In the end, it’s all about refinement. V-MODA’s Crossfade M-100 headphones are the finest combination of sound quality, tactile quality, and comfort I’ve experienced at this price range in a pair of headphones – only the LP2s come close. These headphones will be your go-to choice for everyday listening and will be the pair you grab when you’re about to board a 10 hour overseas flight – I know I will.

V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Review: over-ear excellence strikes again is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Bem Wireless may not be terribly well known in a world saturated with different speaker options and accessories, but they caught our eye when they introduced the Speaker Trio, a set of three small Bluetooth speakers that are simple and minimalistic, as well as stylish and swanky. We decided to try them out for ourselves to see just how simple these things are, and if the audio quality can match its good looks.

The entire package comes with the base, three speakers, AC power cord, and a 3.5mm audio cable — all of which costs $299. The speakers themselves are cubes that measure six inches all the way around, and the base for which they sit upon is about an inch tall and a foot-and-a-half long. These definitely don’t take up a lot of space, so if you’re looking for a set of compact speakers, these can definitely be in the running.

Setup is fairly straightforward and it involves simply just turning everything on, pairing the speaker base with your Bluetooth-enabled device, and you’re off to the races. Turning on the base will make it discoverable over Bluetooth, and then each speaker has its own power that you can toggle for each, so if you don’t happen to need all three speakers, you can just turn on one or two and use those, leaving the third one charging on the base if you want.

Turning on each of the speakers will reveal a soft LED glow underneath the speakers around the outer edge. This is an amazing design feature that we really dig, and it gives the system a little added personality when you’re blasting your tunes. Unfortunately, when the speakers are turned on, there’s a faint humming noise that comes from each speaker. You don’t hear it at all when you have music playing, but if you pause the music, and you’re in a quiet house, you’ll be able to hear the buzzing from a bit of distance.

The Bluetooth range is about 25 feet according to Bem, so you’ll be fine if you’re in the same room as the base, but you definitely won’t be able to have control from across the house. In my 800 square foot apartment, I was able to control it from anywhere in the living room, but once I started to make my way back to the bedroom, it started to cut out at random points. Having the base placed in the middle of the apartment definitely helped with that, but if you have a bigger living space, you’ll want to think about placement and where you’ll use it the most. On the other hand, the speakers have a huge range, with a 120-foot max distance from the base. Anywhere I set the speakers, they were all able to pick up a signal. I had one in the bedroom, kitchen, and the living room — great for doing chores all around the house without having my music fade in and out.

Of course, if you don’t want to use Bluetooth, you can use the included 3.5mm audio cable and plug directly into the base. This will save on your device’s battery life, as well as increase the quality of the audio a bit, since you’re going through a hard wired connection There’s also an auxiliary-out port for effectively turning another pair of speakers that you have lying around into Bluetooth speakers, although you’ll have to keep the base nearby since that’s what you’re plugging into, but it’s a great way to turn some high-powered speakers into wireless speakers with Bem’s Speaker Trio base.

As for speaker quality, the Speaker Trio won’t replace your dedicated stereo system (if you even have one). First off, the speakers aren’t that big, so you won’t get that punchy bass that we know you love. Plus the music is being sent over Bluetooth, which will degrade the quality of the audio before it even gets to the speakers. Nonetheless, the audio doesn’t sound distorted, and if you’re not a hardcore audiophile, the speakers don’t sound too bad, frankly. They certainly beat using your laptop or mobile device speakers for sure.

Bem claims that each speaker gets around 6 hours of battery life, which should be enough to get through an average house party, unless you party really hard, in which case you probably have a high-wattage boombox anyway. I was able to go several hours without a problem. In fact, my laptop’s battery was getting low long before the speakers started to show signs of weakness.

In the end, there are a lot of great uses for the Speaker Trio. You can place them all around your house so that your music is with you wherever you are, or you could use them if you’re wanting to watch a movie or play some games on your tablet — just keep the three speakers nearby and you’ll be immersed in surround sound (although the Speaker Trio doesn’t support actual surround sound, but rather you’ll be surrounded with sound). These speakers are versatile, and even though they may not have the punchiest bass, they’re way better sounding than any laptop or mobile device speaker. However, is the $299 price tag too much for these? That really depends on how often you’ll use them. If you plan on using them every day for most of your audio needs, then laying down three benjamins might be worth it to you, but if you only plan on maybe using them for parties or just as a convenience factor at certain times, we’re not sure if $300 can be warranted here.

Bem Wireless Speaker Trio Review is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week the folks at Pyle have revealed another masterpiece in their ever-growing line of turntable devices – keeping the classic art of vinyl records on the minds of the public while the connect with next-wave technology. This newest iteration of the Pyle vision is the Retro Belt-Drive Turntable, made to be your fold-away solution for spinning your favorite vinyl-plated favorites on the go.

This machine is able to connect to your PC directly via USB, allowing you to take your mom and dad’s record collection and convert it into MP3 files using the software included in the box – Audacity, that is. The model number on this beast is PVTT2U, having a rather small effect on the final outcome of your newly-minted go-anywhere sound system. Inside you’ve got two built-in anti-magnetic speakers that are forward-facing rather than upward facing as many ancient systems were – here you’re going full force forward for the future.

The way you charge this beast is through its USB port. This is the same way you connect to it with your PC. Unlike many models in the past, you’ve got a rechargeable battery in this machine, allowing you to charge up, pack up, and play right out in the middle of a field. Bring some flower people music with you and have a good ol’ summer shindig if you wish!

The full unit is 10.63 x 13.78 x 4.33 inches and you’ll be able to work with Stereo RCA output as well – connect to your massive speakers! You’ll be able to switch between 33, 45, and 78 RPM for your different sized albums – full-sized, singles, and in-betweens! This machine will be available to you right this minute (or rather soon) from Pyle Audio straight from their online store for $188.99 USD – sounds like a hot early Spring pick-up for the Black Sabbath fan in all of you, yes?

Note also that we’ve previously reviewed the PLTTB8UI Record Player and found it be be rather fabulous – big time!

Pyle Retro Belt-Drive Turntable brings USB-recharge mobile is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

There are plenty of Bluetooth speakers, but finding one that lasts more than 10 hours is a rarity. Nixon’s first Bluetooth speaker is supposed to have 18 hours of autonomy on a single charge. Now that’s long, and it will keep the music playing late into the night.

Nixon’s Blaster Bluetooth speaker touts an impressive battery life, especially when you compare it to speakers like the Jawbone Jambox, which lasts between 8 to 10 hours, and that’s long for these kinds of devices. Most of the specs haven’t yet been announced, but the Blaster is supposed to be weather-resistant as well.

The Blaster goes on sale this May, and prices haven’t yet been announced. I’m sure people are excited about having extra battery life and not always having to charge their speakers up. Hopefully the speaker will be competitively priced. Spending any more than $150(USD) for a Bluetooth speaker is a bit of a non-starter for me.

[via Transworld]

Historic audio recordings aren’t exactly easy to access and play back since they’re often in obscure or aging formats and sit within giant repositories and private collections, but the Library of Congress is gearing up to help change that for researchers and the average joe. The outfit’s freshly announced National Recording Preservation Plan is headlined by a recommendation to create a publicly accessible national directory of sound recordings that’ll act as an “authoritative discography” with details regarding their production and where copies are housed. You’ll still have to take a trip to a library to hear the recordings for the time being, but the Library of Congress is hoping to hammer out licensing agreements that would allow for online streaming. Developing new preservation standards and creating university-based degree programs for audio archiving are also among the 32 short- and long-term recommendations spelled out by the document. Click the second source link to peruse the paper yourself.

[Image credit: Ray Tsang, Flickr]

Filed under: Misc, Alt

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Via: Huffington Post

Source: Library of Congress, Council on Library and Information Resources