Hasta La Gadget!

The limitations of typical crappy built-in TV speakers just can’t be overstated, and with the current “thin is the new black” trend in TVs, things aren’t likely to get better. ZVOX has introduced two soundbars and two soundbases to its lineup of all-in-one speaker systems that are pretty much guaranteed to make you wonder why you ever put up with your TV’s craptastic sound. The 430 ($450) and 440 ($550) soundbars each come in at only 5-inches deep and 5.5-inches high, but pack a trio of 3.25-inch cones along with a 4-inch woofer for the bass. Flanking the speaker/TV stand Z-Base 550 we liked so much are the slightly smaller, $400 Z-Base 525 and the 35-Hertz-reaching, $800 IncrediBase 575 (pictured). Yes, that kind of money could get you a whole HTIB setup — along with the wires and boxes that shoppers considering an all-in-one are looking to avoid. Hit the links for details.

Read – ZVOX 430, 440 soundbars [Warning – PDF link]
Read – Z-Base 525 soundbase [Warning – PDF link]
Read – IncrediBase 575 soundbase [Warning – PDF link]

Filed under: Home Entertainment

ZVOX intros 430, 440 soundbars and 525, 575 soundbases originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Dan, who needs a way to hook his rear surround speakers up sans cabling in the worst possible way.

“What is the best wireless surround sound speaker solution? I have a home theater where running wires is just not feasible. I have my own speakers, so I don’t want a system that has speakers with integrated wireless. I’ve done a far amount of research and have only come across a few companies that even offer a reasonable solution: KEF, Kenwood and Rocketfish. Is there anything else out there? What do you recommend? Thank you!”

We know from experience that Dan’s not alone here. Have any of you folks already married to a surround system found a good way to hook those existing rears up without wires? How about a way to do it cheaply and without any audio delay? Drop some knowledge in comments below, cool?

Filed under: Ask Engadget, Home Entertainment

Ask Engadget: what’s the best wireless rear surround speaker solution? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your iPhone’s built in speaker can only do so much. If you really want to get your room rocking, you’re going to need an external speaker system. I like the looks of the newly refreshed Klipsch iGroove SXT. While this speaker was originally released in 2007, the company just refreshed it to make it compatible with new iPhones and iPods.

The new iGroove includes a bi-amplified design, which means each driver is individually amplified–a change meant to remove distortion. The company has also re-tuned the bass ports on the sides to remove any “port noise.”

The iGroove can accept iPod Shuffles and other media players through a rear auxiliary port, and also includes an S-video port for TV connections. One of the more useful features is the rapid recharge circuit, which lets you power-up your dead iPod or iPhone in a hurry.

You can find the iGroove SXT at Best Buy stores or on the Klipsch Web site for $149. The site says it’s currently backordered, however.

If you love powerful new audio products like I do, you’ll find this Altec Lansing announcement the perfect start to your day. What? You don’t start your day at 1 PM? So I slept in; don’t judge me.

First up is the MIX iMT800 digital boombox for iPhone and iPod. It’s got a retro look, FM radio, and pumped-up bass thanks to a built-in subwoofer. Tailor the sound to your liking with the digital 7-band graphic equalizer. It runs on AC power or gets 30 hours of playtime with 8 D-cell batteries. I like the inclusion of a battery life display, so you know just how much power is left, as well as the clip-on carabineer remote control. Get it now from Apple Stores, Best Buy, Amazon, and other electronic shops for $299.95 list.

The company also announced the Expressionist Ultra MX6021 three-piece speaker system today. This 200-watt system promises rich full sound, deep bass, and a design you won’t want to hide away. It also includes a headphone jack for private listening. Find the set at electronics stores for $199.95 list.

Those poor, poor speakerless iPod Nanos, Minis and the like — how long have they had to suffer without a set of ultra-awesome speakers to give life to their music? Sure, there’ve been plenty of pretenders for the crown, but nothing quite as elaborately detailed as this Retro Cassette Stereo Mini Speaker. You read that right folks, stereo — that means two, count ’em, two sweetly ornate sources of utterly unimpressive sound. Has the iPhone 3GS got an app for that? ‘Course not. Read link details the full features, such as blister packaging (always good to know), and provides you with the means to acquire one in exchange for $32. Most righteous, no?

[Via Gear Diary]

Filed under: Portable Audio

Retro Cassette Stereo Mini Speaker gives a (tinny) voice to iPods originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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