Hasta La Gadget!

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve had the privilege of having my hands on one of the coolest looking Bluetooth speakers ever made, the Marshall Stanmore. But just because this speaker looks like a Marshall amp, does it sound good too? Well, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

For starters, the Stanmore just looks awesome, aping its bigger brethren, the iconic Marshall amplifiers used by musicians around the world. That in and of itself makes the Stanmore a speaker you want to show off – a real conversation piece. But ultimately, a speaker’s worth is judged by its sound, and the Stanmore doesn’t disappoint.

Inside of the substantial 11 pound enclosure are a pair of 3/4″ dome tweeters and a 5-1/4″ woofer, which are driven by 80 watts of amplification. This combination produces more than enough volume to fill a large room. In fact, I placed the Stanmore in the middle of my first floor – about a 1000 sq. ft. space – and I was able to enjoy my tunes throughout the entire floor.

I threw a wide variety of musical genres at the Stanmore, from electronic to jazz to classical to rap, and it handled them all with aplomb. With volume cranked to a 100%, there’s no perceptible distortion, though it’s unlikely you’ll need to drive the Stanmore at such ear-splitting levels. Thankfully, the speaker also produces clean, well-separated sound at low volume levels too. I was also very pleasantly surprised at the width of the soundstage that came out of its 13.7-inch-wide enclosure. A bass port on the rear helps keep the low end tight and thumpy, but never overbearing. For extended low end boom, you can place the rear of the speaker against a wall.

In addition to offering up tremendous sound, the Stanmore includes some features seldom found on Bluetooth speakers, including bass and treble controls, and multiple auxiliary inputs. In addition to RCA and 3.5mm analog inputs, you get a digital optical input as well, which makes the Stanmore a possible choice for living room use with media players and cable boxes. Keep in mind that the optical input only works when the output is set to PCM stereo.

The only I did encounter was the speaker’s relatively limited Bluetooth range. When using my iPhone 5 as a source, Bluetooth signals started to drop out around 20 feet from the speaker. This isn’t dramatically worse than other Bluetooth speakers I’ve used, but it’s not the best either. That said, if you leave your smartphone sitting near the speaker, it’s brilliant, but don’t expect to walk far away with your audio source in your pocket. I’d love it if Marshall had included Wi-Fi/AirPlay capability, but alas they didn’t.

Overall, the Marshall Stanmore rocks. It pushes out an impressive amount of crystal clear sound from a small enclosure that will fit neatly onto your bookshelf or table. Priced at $400(USD), it’s not a low-end speaker by any means, but you get what you pay for.

There are plenty of wireless boombox solutions out there, but not all of them deliver great sound. I’ve heard some pretty lame sounds coming of the more affordable speakers, but if you’re looking for a wireless solution for your home, you might want to check out these new speakers from Microlab.

The Microlab FC60BT speakers offer Bluetooth/NFC connectivity and have a subwoofer, as well as two stereo satellite speakers, which sit on clear stands instead of box enclosures, which the company claims will reduce harmonic distortions. The system provides a total of 105 Watts of power and comes with an RF remote control, which works from any place in your room.

The FC60BT doesn’t come cheap though, as it’s retail price is $449(USD). The system will ship starting this May.

While the phones in our pockets have been getting smarter and smarter at an alarming rate, bike computers (despite having the word "computer" right in their name) have been lagging way behind. But as sensors, radios, and chips have shrunk smaller and smaller, we’ve seen more and more intelligence come to the handlebars. The new Edge 1000 from Garmin is trying to pack the most in.

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It’s tough to decide what kind of speaker to get. Do you go for something that doesn’t take up much space so it can be portable, big and stationary, or tiny and mighty? There are tons of choices out there, which makes choosing one or two seem like an overwhelming ordeal.

If you’d prefer the latter of the aforementioned options, then the Nokia MN-12 might be the speaker for you. This weighs less than an apple, and uses a built-in vibrating actuator on the base to create heavy bass dependent on the surface you put it on. When fully charged, this can go for a solid 15 hours (which should last through your home dance party or cleaning spree). If you need to make a call on the go, this can also work as a speakerphone.

This easily pairs with your phone via Bluetooth, and can be managed through the Nokia Device Hub App (which you probably don’t really need unless you have multiple devices from Nokia). If you would prefer not to go wireless, there is an audio-out connector and lead that comes with this. You’ll be able to choose from a variety of vivid colors such as green, orange, yellow, or you can go for solid white. This will cost around $54, which isn’t too bad if it can live up to its expectations. These aren’t available just yet, but you can expect these bright hues will have it on the shelves in Spring or Summer.

More information on Nokia, found via technabob
[ The Nokia MD-12 Portable Speaker uses its surroundings to pump up the jams copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Nokia has unveiled a new Bluetooth portable speaker that is very small but promises big bass. The speaker is called the Nokia MD-12 and it is about the weight of an apple.

It has an integrated vibrating actuator inside. This technology is able to create low frequency bass sounds when placed on most surfaces. The bass is stronger when the surface is hard, helping to produce low frequencies that you don’t expect from such a small device.

Power for the speaker comes from an internal rechargeable battery good for 15 hours of playback per charge. An integrated mic lets the speaker be used as a speakerphone on the go. If your device lacks Bluetooth, you can connect it via an aux input as well. Nokia also includes NFC tech inside for easy paring with NFC devices. The MS-12 will cost €39 (~$54 USD), and it will come in a variety of bright colors.