Aug 31

Wear Your Tunes With JawBone JamChain

Posted in: Apparel, bluetooth, speakers, Today's Chili

Pimp your speaker with the JamChain

I’m not sure what I like the most about JawBone’s JamChain — the product itself or the promo video that goes with it. Starring Hasan Minhaj — comedian, actor, writer and alpha nerd — the spot is a geek parody of Ice Cube’s It Was a Good Day, with bikes instead of low-riders and a JamBox speaker instead of, erm, low-riders.

The JamChain is a piece of frivolous nonsense, a plastic chain with a cradle into which your punchy Bluetooth speaker slips, ready to be slung around your neck like Flava Flav’s clock. Best of all is that the JamChain is free to JamBox owners. Just sign into your MyTalk page (the place you go to make software updates and tweak settings), hit the “deals” tab and you’re there. You’ll have to pay shipping.

What I’m more interested in, though, is that handlebar mount for the speaker. I’d buy that in an instant.

Introducing the JamChain [JawBone]

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Aug 30

LG HX906TX home theater system promises 3D sound, enviable Super Bowl acoustics

Posted in: app, apps, audio, blu-ray, hdpostmini, LG, speakers, Today's Chili, wifi

Looking to enhance the audio in your man (or lady) cave? Then you may want to check out LG’s new HX906TX 9.1 cinema sound system — a ten-speaker package claiming to deliver “truly 360-degree sound.” It’s designed to make you feel like you’re at the center of the audio (even if you’re really at the far end of the room smooshed between two people on the couch) — the way you might hear in a concert hall or really large bathroom with great acoustics. LG says it uses a DSP algorithm to pump audio vertically and horizontally using 3D reflectors, extending sound upwards and filling in the gaps. You’ll also get added features like Blu-ray playback, WiFi Direct and Smart TV connectivity to smartphones and tablets using an app, although there’s no word yet on pricing or availability. PR after the break.

Continue reading LG HX906TX home theater system promises 3D sound, enviable Super Bowl acoustics

LG HX906TX home theater system promises 3D sound, enviable Super Bowl acoustics originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 29

Sony Mini Speaker Comes With Stylish Outsides, Dated Innards

Posted in: Home Audio and Video, household, Miscellaneous, radio, speakers, Today's Chili

The Sony SRF-18 will be released in October with cutting-edge AM/FM technology. Photo courtesy of Akihabara News

Sony’s SRF-18 portable radio speaker setup features technology that would have been unremarkable two decades ago.

The tiny speaker system has an AM/FM radio, sound recording, and an auxiliary input for whatever peripheral device you’ve got (be it smartphone or 8-track player). The tuner looks straight out of the ’70s, complete with yellow sliding bar and thumb-driven dial.

Sony’s Jambox lookalike can sustain continuous play for several days on two AA batteries. If you plan on using it at your desk and don’t want to burn through batteries, however, there’s an AC adapter available for purchase (sold separately, of course).

At the very least, the SRF-18 comes with a decent paint job. The unit is sold in pink, white or black options, and is currently set for a Japan-only release in October. It will sell for 3,500 yen, or about $45.

[via Akihabara News]

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Aug 25

Software Update Makes Jambox 10x Bigger, Crawl Across Desks

Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, speakers, Today's Chili

A JamBox. Photo credit Jacob Bøtter on Flickr

As I write this, there’s a JawBone JamBox speaker sliding slowly backwards across my desk. I hope it’s being moved by sound, otherwise the end of the world may well be nigh.

This new-found ambulatory ability is thanks to nothing more than a software update. And no, this update doesn’t make a pair of legs spring Transformer-like from the chunky little Bluetooth speaker. It adds a new sound-processing feature called “LiveAudio.”

LiveAudio adds support for binaural audio, the technique used to create 3-D stereo sound. Usually, a pair of microphones are placed on a dummy head to record what a human would hear. Then, listening later on headphones, we experience the sound as if we were “there.”

The JamBox update brings this playback trick to a speaker.

The software claims to eliminate the crosstalk from the left and right channels, thus delivering the right sound to the right ear and so on — much like 3-D video, only with audio. So how does it work?

Amazingly well. I’m not sure it actually manages to only send the correct sounds to each ear, but the processing results in a much bigger audio “image”. The JamBox is a little thing, and it is somewhat disconcerting to have it sat on the desk in front of you, but with sound coming from seemingly a few feet to the left and right.

You can do before/after tests yourself, if you like. Once the update is installed (after the familiar plugging and unplugging ritual to make your computer see the speaker), head over to one of the recommended binaural audio sources (I used Spotify) and listen. To toggle LiveAudio on and off, hold the plus and minus buttons down together. The difference is startling (you’ll also know which mode you’re in a the volume up/down buttons play a different tone when pressed).

The update is free, and if you own a JamBox, you should get it right away. Just remember not to put it too close to the edge of a table before you fire it up, lest it take a dive. And the music I was listening to which drove the JamBox across my desk? 07 Ghosts I by Nine Inch Nails. Crank it.

JamBox LiveAudio [JawBone. Thanks, Mindy!]

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Aug 17

BoomCans: Cheap and Cheerful Portable Speakers

Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, speakers, Today's Chili

Boomcan

Hopefully the BoomCan won’t sound as tinny as its name suggests

Portable speakers are awesome. And while I’m not sure if Scosche’s BoomCan is awesome without testing it, it’s not going to cost much to find out: the little pocket-sized speaker is just $25.

The BoomCan has a single 35mm driver, mounted in a cylinder and pointing upwards. It hooks up to any device using a 3.5mm jack, and runs for up to seven hours on its rechargeable li-ion battery. It also has a line-out connection so you can daisy-chain a bunch of speakers together.

I have almost stopped using my proper home-stereo speakers. It’s just too convenient to beam music over Bluetooth the a SuperTooth Disco or a JawBone JamBox, and the sound is good enough. The BoomCan needs a wire, and is unlikely to come anywhere near the sound quality of a $200 speaker, but it’s still rather handy. And one thing is pretty certain: There’s no way on Earth that this could sound worse than the speaker built into the iPad 2.

BoomCan product page [Scosche. Thanks, Mark!]

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Aug 08

Bike Mount for Foxl’s ‘Audiophile’ Portable Speaker

Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, bluetooth, speakers, Today's Chili

Foxl mounted on bike wide shot

I have tried mounting a speaker on my bike, but it never quite seems to work. The closest I cam to success was to tie the JawBone Jambox to my handlebar with a pair of toe-straps, but the Bluetooth connection is rather flaky and the tiny speaker’s sound isn’t up to the noise of city streets.

I am tempted by Foxl’s new Bike Kit Bundle, a bar-mount for the Foxl Hi-Fi speaker. We last saw this speaker — which claims audiophile status thanks to its “twofer” speakers that combine mid-range and tweeter into one unit, and its “bass battery,” which uses the rechargeable li-ion battery as the mass for the subwoofer — back in February.

Now, for an extra $50, you can buy a bar-bracket to put your music front and center in your bike’s “cockpit.” The Foxl-specific mount is supplied with the third-party GN032-AMPS handlebar clamp from Arkon. The product page suggests that the speaker can then be used for phone calls as well as music, although this seems like a terrible idea in terms of safety.

I’m still not sure if in-bike music makes me cool, or a complete dork. What I do know, though, is that I don’t really want yet another piece of plastic bolted to my bike, and neither do I want to wear headphones in city traffic. I guess the hunt will continue.

Foxl Bike Kit Bundle [SoundMatters]

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Jul 28

‘Vol’ Speaker Is Its Own Volume Knob

Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, speakers, Today's Chili

Vol01

The Vol speaker is as minimalistical as its name suggests

Hironao Tsuboi’s minimalist speaker has an equally minimal name: Vol. The speakers are simple aluminum cylinders, and their volume is adjusted by turning the edge of the speaker itself. Turning a little bit further will click this switch into the “off” position.

Vol is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery, has a jack socket for plugging in a music source, as well as a USB port and a 5V DC connection for charging.

With the actual speaker all but invisible, this might be a bad case of form beating out function, but is doesn’t really matter — Tsuboi’s design is a concept, and not available in stores.

Vol Speaker [Design Boom]

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Jul 21

Libratone’s AirPlay-enabled soundbars want to cozy up with your iOS wares

Posted in: airplay, Apple, ios, ipad, ipod, ipod touch, IpodTouch, live, speaker, speakers, Today's Chili, TV, Wireless
Libratone Lounge
Been on the prowl for an audio solution with AirPlay to compliment your iDevice or Apple TV? Bid hello to Libratone’s ultra-chic Lounge and Live soundbars. Last year, the company introduced its eye-catching Beat wireless speaker system back at IFA; we were intrigued by its active drivers and carry handle, but mildly disappointed that cord-cutting required pesky proprietary adapters. Apple users will be happy to know AirPlay’s been fully embraced this time, along with the signature adornment of cashmere wool. First up, the Live appears to be an Airplay-enabled Beat with 50 extra watts of RMS power (150 total), and an updated — mini TOSlink accepting — 3.5mm input for hooking up non AirPlay-enabled gear. Next up, the sleek Lounge unit above sports a similar external design and digital 3.5mm jack, but it’s svelte in comparison for wall-mounting under a TV. Under its sheep fuzz, you’ll find two 1-inch ribbon tweeters, two 4-inch ceramic drivers, and one 8-inch inverted woofer, all of which are independently amplified for a combined output of 150 RMS watts.

Poised to please audio enthusiasts, both employ DSP and Libratone’s FullRoom for a “360 degree soundscape” controllable via an iOS app, while the Lounge’s volume can also be handled by a TV remote. The Lounge will be available through Apple’s online store this September priced at £1,099 to €,1199 (about $1,791 to $1,954), and the Live for £599 to £6,99 ($699) at Apple retail locations in the EU and US — both in various colorways. You’ll find details in the PR after the break while your next bout of Gear Acquisition Syndrome begins settling in.

Continue reading Libratone’s AirPlay-enabled soundbars want to cozy up with your iOS wares

Libratone’s AirPlay-enabled soundbars want to cozy up with your iOS wares originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 20

Klipsch’s AirPlay-enabled Gallery G-17 Air soundbar pleases ears sans cords for $530

Posted in: airplay, ipad, iPhone, ipod, PMP, speakers, Today's Chili
No, that’s not some oversized Kinect KIRF. What you’re looking at is Klipsch’s latest soundbar, the Gallery G-17 Air. Seem familiar? If you’ll recall, back at CES it was known as the Gallery Studio — the smallest of three AirPlay-enabled speaker systems the company let us demo at CES. Although not totally new, its full specs have been revealed and its price re-vamped from $400 to a slightly spendier $530. The bi-amplified stereo rig features four individually powered drivers that aim to deliver full-range sound via two Tractrix-horned .75-inch tweeters (10 watts each), and dual 2.5-inch, 20 watt woofers. Although you’ll probably be streaming music over WiFi from iDevices or iTunes, the unit’s equipped with USB and 3.5mm inputs should you ever want to plug-in directly or juice-up your battery. There’s an ultra-svelte grill-cloth magnetically attached to the front, playback and power buttons on the side, and it also comes with a remote. The system itself sits atop a tempered glass base, but if space is at premium it can be mounted to a wall. The G-17 is set to release this fall, but if your ears are already tingling you’ll find more info in the source link below.

Klipsch’s AirPlay-enabled Gallery G-17 Air soundbar pleases ears sans cords for $530 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 18

Sonos S3 / Play:3 all-in-one speaker system pops up at Amazon for $300, gets yanked post-haste

Posted in: audio, sound, speaker, speakers, Today's Chili, Wireless
Sonos S3 / Play:3 all-in-one speaker system pops up at Amazon for $300, gets yanked post-haste

Sonos has proven to be quite the tease in its handling of the Sonos S3 (or is it the Play:3?). The wireless all-in-one speaker system made its first clandestine appearance at the FCC earlier this month, but gave little in the way of details, and now it’s popped up in an (already pulled) Amazon pre-order page. This latest lift of the curtain hasn’t given us much more to go on, but at least now we have a price — $300 — and confirmation that the speaker system is indeed rocking a “trio of drivers and amplifiers,” as we previously speculated. Specifically, it’s got one tweeter, two mids, and a single bass radiator on board. Amazon lists the system as PLAY3US1BLK, leading us to believe that we were also right in assuming that the S3 will come in the traditional black and white. As of now, we don’t have anything confirming a shipping date, but you can bet we’ll blast it your way when Sonos finally decides to give up the details.

[Thanks, Charlie]

Sonos S3 / Play:3 all-in-one speaker system pops up at Amazon for $300, gets yanked post-haste originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 04:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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