Hasta La Gadget!

Cambridge Audio, a world-class acoustic design team that has tucked decades of Hi-Fi audio innovations under their belt, is back again this time around with their latest release which they have called the Minx M5. The Minx M5 so happens to be a powerful 2.1 audio system which is capable of reproducing computer audio with clarity, emotion and passion, all without missing a beat. This once again goes to show that you should not judge a particular device by its size or external design.

Merging Cambridge Audio’s proprietary technologies and in-house design expertise has brought about a fair amount of strategic benefits to the Minx M5’s pair of satellite speakers, as they are now capable of producing an amazingly rich and detailed sound, so much so that Cambridge Audio suggests that if you were to place someone in a room without looking at the Minx M5 in its physical form, but rather, just to hear the kind of audio performance that it cranks out, which would most probably fool most folks into thinking that they are listening to something a whole lot physically larger than what the Minx M5 comes in.

Apart from that, there is the compact active subwoofer which can remain hidden from sight if you want to (for aesthetic purposes, obviously), and it can also be controlled remotely, ensuring that your ears are treated to incredible deep and punchy bass along the way. There is also an integrated digital amplifier which delivers effortless room-filling power, alongside an adjustable bass control so that the Minx M5 can be perfectly tuned to suit its location.

Connectivity options of the Minx M5 include a USB audio input and a high-quality DAC which will be able to process digital audio in a far purer manner compared to how a computer’s soundcard is able to. Each purchase of the $229 Minx M5 system would also be accompanied by a desktop control hub which will carry both power and volume adjustments, apart from an aux input that lets you hook up any portable audio device of your choice.

Press Release
[ Cambridge Minx M5 audio system copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The recently introduced Wren V5PF holds the proud distinction of being one of the only two wireless speakers in the market today that will offer Android users a sophisticated channel for Wi-Fi music thanks to DTS Play-Fi technology. By utilizing old-school audio materials as well as classic audio know-how, the Wren V5PF will not only be able to harness the latest in wireless technology so that your ears will be treated to vibrant, room-filling sound, it manages to do so in a beautiful, simple, and convenient way. Of course, when you couple that with an elegant design as well as the proper acoustics in mind, marry that with the speaker’s sophisticated styling, subtle curves, and real wood rich finish, the Wren V5PF ought to be able to find a space in just about any home.

Your ears will definitely be more than happy with the Wren V5 Play-Fi speaker as individual features were specially designed to deliver fearless sound. It has been constructed out of natural bamboo or rosewood veneers that measure more than 0.5” thick MDF board, and the cabinet itself is internally braced to deliver a rigid enclosure that will be free from coloration. The unique internal diamond matrix-grille will offer further protection to the drivers without distorting sound. As for the underside of the Wren V5PF, it has been reinforced with a 4mm low-durometer silicone pad which will help stabilize the chassis and absorb cabinet vibration.

Here is a little primer on what DTS Play-Fi technology does – it transforms just about any Android smartphone or tablet (that runs on Android 2.2 Froyo or higher) into a flexible wireless audio device that has Pandora, vTuner internet radio, and a music player which can stream lossless audio files that has been stashed on the device, a local computer or a hard drive that has a DLNA server. Since it transmits “lossless” audio, you can be sure that the music you hear, based on the original quality, is as good as it gets. The Wren V5PF comes with an asking price of $399 a pop.

Press Release
[ Wren V5PF launched copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Music is the language of the soul, or so the saying goes. The explosion of the Walkman in the 1980s across the globe certainly saw a paradigm shift in how we tuned in to our songs, where most folks preferred to take the personal route with their own pair of headphones or earbuds, while on the other hand, there are others out there who preferred to take the “sharing” route, and this is achieved by bringing around a boombox. Well, you can follow this path in the 21st century with the portable and powerful £49.99 Wow Speaker.

Just like how you should never judge a book by its cover, the Wow Speaker packs a whole lot more bite and bark than one would expect. Despite its diminutive size, the Wow Speaker comes with a moulded rubber body which allows it to stand up to its fair share of knocks and hits, too. While Firebox claimed that the Wow Speaker is “practically indestructible”, we would take this claim at face value, unless you actually try to destroy it by running a steamroller over.
[ Wow Speaker delivers rich audio without taking up too much space copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Not many of us carry a voice recorder around, simply because it might be too much trouble than it is worth. After all, don’t our respective smartphones these days come with their fair share of apps, where among them include a voice recorder? Zoom North America figured out that there is still a market for something like this, and has recently announced the release of the all-new H6 Handy Recorder. Needless to say, Zoom claims that the H6 is the most advanced portable recorder that has ever rolled off their assembly line, and we will take a closer look at what it offers right after the jump before agreeing.

The Zoom H6 is said to come with half a dozen tracks of simultaneous recording, where it will employ an innovative system of interchangeable input capsules which can be swapped out in the same manner as you do with that of the lenses of a camera. A quartet of capsules are available, and they are stereo X/Y and MS (Mid-Side). Fret not when it comes to additional expenses, as both of them have been included with the H6, while the Shotgun and dual XLR/TRS combo capsules are meant for those who have a little spare change on the side and love a life full of options.

Apart from that, the Zoom H6 can also be attached to a camera strap or mounted directly to a DSLR or camcorder, where its large full-color display would make it a snap to view recording and playback levels, never mind if you so happen to be shooting in a low-light environment. It will leave you with a myriad of recording options, where you can do so directly to SD, SDHC and SDXC cards (up to 128GB tops), in a range of MP3 and BWF-compliant WAV file formats, where among them include 24-bit / 96k for the ultimate in high-definition audio. No idea on pricing, but the Zoom H6 will be available in stores from next month onwards.

Press Release
[ Zoom H6 handy recorder copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Do not shun boomboxes, o ye youth of the current generation! You do not know of the influencing power of such a device, back in the days when your parents were wee lads and discovering their identity in the world. Having said that, is there a place for the classic boombox in the 21st century? The correct answer would be “No”, but this does not mean that the idea on a boombox cannot be resurrected to take on the more modern devices out there. The $149.99 Floating Boombox is one such updated retro gig, where it will definitely add some volume in your next trip to a body of water, regardless of whether it is a natural lake, by the beach, or at the pool.

The Floating Boombox would play nice with devices such as the iPhone, iPod, Android gadgets or other compatible ones, even in the water. The Floating Boombox will be fully waterproof and submersible, and thanks to a waterproof compartment that houses your device, you need not feel as though you are drowning while on land, with the air choked out of you as you realize your newest purchase has been dunked underwater. No sir, no worries of that at all – unless the waterproof compartment has somehow been compromised by an unseen needle or your cat’s claws, of course. It is said that the Floating Boombox would be able to pump out tunes for up to 25 hours using battery power alone, or you can plug it directly into an AC outlet – not a good idea if you’re going to dunk it in the pool when doing so, of course.
[ Floating Boombox copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]