Music
Pioneer HDJ-2000 DJ Headphones
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Pioneer's latest high-end HDJ-2000 professional DJ headphones promise new levels of sound quality and durability in a lightweight magnesium swivel/fold design that's both comfortable to wear and easy to transport. Key specs include a frequency response of 5 Hz to 30,000 Hz, 50 mm driver units, a zero resonance heavy-duty build and the capacity for 3,500 mW of input which prevents distortion at sustained loud volumes. Read More
Gibson Les Paul Dark Fire - every imaginable guitar sound
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Gibson Guitars have pushed the envelope forward again - barely a year after the release of the self-tuning 'Robot Guitar' in 2007, the company has announced its next-gen technology with the Dark Fire, which incorporates an upgraded Robot tuning system and adds a piezo neck pickup system to let the player blend acoustic and electric sounds for a much broader tonal range. Gibson sees the Dark Fire as a guitar that tunes itself in seconds and offers such a wide range of tone that you only need the one axe for the whole gig - but how will this progressive instrument be received by the market? Read More
Daito Manabe demonstrates bizarre electrified face-dancing
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October 28, 2008 Tokyo's Daito Manabe, an electronic music producer, programmer and designer, has pioneered a fascinating new form of music performance. In the YouTube video after the jump, Manabe wires his face up to a series of electrodes that cause his facial muscles to twitch and distort in sync with the music. A bit harrowing to watch, but compelling nonetheless. Read More
Sandisk releases Sansa slotMusic Player
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SanDisk is looking to expand its market with the introduction of the Sansa slotMusic Player. The plug & play, portable music player was specially designed for use with the new slotMusic cards available today in the US. SanDisk are pushing slotMusic as a new format of high-fidelity, DRM-free MP3 music on a microSD card, which gives consumers the ability to listen to and quickly swap music between a mobile phone, personal computer, and any MP3 player with a microSD slot. Read More
The humble guitar-stand gets a clever revamp
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While they are a must have on stage, most guitar stands out there are either so over-designed that you almost need a trailer to transport them or, more commonly, so flimsy that they won't support your axe and inevitably fall apart - and even then they are an awkward shape to lug around when folded down. This design from RKS solves the problem. Read More
Harman Kardon's diamond-like GLA-55 speakers
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Sound quality is always the key consideration when it comes to speaker systems, but if you are looking to combine this with some serious visual impact, Harman Kardon's GLA-55 two-piece speaker set for computers, laptops and portable media players could well be an option. Read More
Korg DS-10 for the Nintendo DS in-depth
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Inspired by their mighty MS-10 monosynth, Korg have teamed up with AQ Interactive to deliver the Korg DS-10 software application for the Nintendo DS. It borrows the simple, effective semi-modular synth design of the Korg MS-10 and MS-20 and re-invents it to exploit everything the Nintendo DS has to offer. Read More
ION Audio's DESK ROCKER speakers
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ION Audio’s US$149.95 DESK ROCKER speaker system plays audio from any PC, Mac, TV, DVD, CD, and connected guitar or keyboard. The DESK ROCKER system consists of two self-powered desktop speakers, which plug into a standard wall outlet. Read More
Able Planet releases budget version of noise canceling headphones
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Able Planet has introduced a new model of noise canceling headphones aimed at cost-conscious audio-philes who also like to protect their hearing. The new USD$99 Clear Harmony NC200 foldable headphones utilize the company’s patented LINX AUDIO and state-of-the-art active noise cancellation (ANC) technologies. Read More
JBL module makes any speaker wireless
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Having the convenience of wireless audio set-up doesn't necessarily mean investing in a whole new sound system. Shown recently at IFA in Berlin and CEDIA in Denver, JBL's On Air WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module solves the problem by enabling any speaker to operate wirelessly up to a range of around 70 feet. The USD$359 expansion system consists of a transmitter module which connects to the audio source (this includes portable media players), a receiver/amplifier unit that connects to a pair of speakers and a remote control. The company has also introduced two new subwoofer units that incorporate the same technology - the 400-watt ES250PW and the 300-watt ES150PW. Read More
Universal Audio ships the UAD-2
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After four and a half years of being an industry standard DSP platform, Universal Audio's UAD-1 system was getting a little long in the tooth. While there were multiple versions of the card for desktop users and the portable UAD-Xpander, they all used a single, aging SHARC DSP. Read More
The Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Recorder gets some compelling accessories
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August 31, 2008 The Olympus LS-10 is a pocket-size Linear PCM compact recording device that captures audio in the highest quality. It perfect for use on the go, and enjoys a fine reputation with musicians, journalists and podcasters (gotta be a joke in there somewhere). Olympus trotted out an infrared remote control and an exceptionally effective windshield for the LS-10 at IFA this week that make it even more attractive to these oft maligned professionals. The mandatory introductory stunt at IFA was to have a guitarist record a song in a sound proof phone box (pictured) and then play it backed - it worked ... impressive sound reproduction meeting promised CD quality. Read More
Sony joins the in-car iPod wagon
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August 28, 2008 If you’re sick of fumbling with your iPod while hurtling down the freeway Sony have just the thing with the announcement of four new Xplod in-dash head units that are able to connect directly to compatible iPods and allow users to charge and control their iPod devices on the road. Each new unit supports HPF/LPF sound quality, feature 52 watts X 4 peak output enhancements and, if you’re one of the few holding out from joining the iPod brigade, there’s an auxiliary input on the faceplates, facilitating the use of other portable music players with a standard 1/8-inch mini jack cord, which is available separately. Read More
Griffin iTrip Universal streams anything with a headphone jack to an FM radio
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August 14, 2008 The downside to prior FM transmitters for the iPod is that they only work with an iPod. The new iTrip Universal from Griffin adds an FM transmitter to any audio player with a headphone jack. Read More
TASCAM GT-R1 portable guitar recorder
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So you've nailed that killer riff but the studio is miles away. The latest solution aimed at songwriters in this predicament is TASCAM's GT-R1. The follow-up to the company's DR-1 model, this portable recorder for guitar and bass players features direct plug-in recording along with built-in condenser microphones for capturing rehearsals and live shows and amp simulation and effects. Read More
Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones
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July 23, 2008 Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are the result of collaboration between Dr. Dre, Monster Cable and industrial designer Robert Brunner. There's certainly no question that they look the part, but with an impressive list of features and specifications to back them up, you might just consider dropping USD $349 on a pair this Friday. Read More
Belkin BreakFree protects amplifiers and guitars
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July 22, 2008 If you’ve ever owned an Apple laptop and experienced the plain practicality and common sense of the MagSafe magnetic power cord connector, which detaches under extreme tension, you’ll understand our excitement at Belkin’s announcement of its new BreakFree adapters for amplifiers and guitars. The connectors are designed to eliminate the popping that occurs when cables are unplugged from a live amplifier. Read More
Parrot Party portable wireless audio system
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Designed as a quality alternative to the often unsatisfying speaker systems in mobile phones, this compact and totally wireless sound audio system offers four hours of playback from Bluetooth devices to a range of 33 feet, as well as a plug-in solution for listening to personal media or CD players while you're out and about. Read More
ProTrack+iPod = handheld digital stereo recorder
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Professional audio equipment and studio electronics manufacturer Alesis has announced the forthcoming release of the ProTrack, a handheld digital stereo recorder for iPods. The ProTrack provides direct-to-iPod stereo digital recording to iPod in a portable, handheld form factor. The ProTrack’s design integrates an iPod (Classic or 5th Generation), or iPod nano (2nd or 3rd Generation) into the recorder, with included sleds to securely mount the supported iPod models to the recorder. Read More
CD player design straight out of Johnny Mnemonic
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While the Compact Disc may be on its last legs, usurped by Flash based personal media players, DVDs and now Blu-Ray Discs, that hasn't stopped South Korean designer Kim Yong Seong turning out an interesting design for a portable music player that supports CDs and MP3 files. Kim has dubbed his proposed design the DMP, short for Dual Music Player, which plays MP3 files in the compact closed position and then flips open to form two arms that support a CD. MP3 files and charging would come courtesy of a USB connection and the device would also do away with messy headphone cables through Bluetooth support. Read More
JBL Control NOW indoor - outdoor loudspeakers
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JBL'sControl NOW loudspeakers offer solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications via a unique curved shape that enables them to be placed virtually anywhere and promises to deliver high sound quality even in less-than-optimal acoustic situations. Read More
ION AUDIO LP DOCK unlocks the value in your vinyl
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June 3, 2008 The ION AUDIO LP DOCK has all the hallmarks of a killer gizmo in our humble opinion. Firstly, it enables the direct conversion of legacy music collections you’ve paid for in 33 1/3 and 45 RPM vinyl format to iTunes and/or iPod. Throw a computer into the mix and the included software cleans up the pops and scratches and will even consult Gracenote MusicID technology to automatically retrieve album, artist and song information from the Internet, simplifying the conversion and cataloging process of your entire record collection to a few mouse clicks. It even has line level outputs and can hence add a turntable to any AV set-up. Read More
Alpine Electronics' ultra-compact subwoofer
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Alpine Electronics has developed a subwoofer solution for automobile enthusiasts who value space as much as bass. The subwoofer provides the same low frequency performance of a 12-inch model, but in a compact 100mm deep unit that can snugly fit in sports cars, SUVs and saloons. Read More
Olive's 1000GB OPUS No4 home audio solution
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April 30, 2008 Featuring an intuitive touch-screen interface and capable of storing up to 3000 CDs in their original quality, the OPUS No4 is pitched at music lovers who want to spend less time managing their collection, and more time enjoying it. Read More
Tiny MobiBLU Cube MP3 player with full color OLED display
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April 7, 2008 The diminutive MobiBLU Cube incorporates MP3, FM radio, voice recording and video playback via a full color OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display... all in a 1.0” x 1.0” x 1.0” footprint. Read More
Researchers achieve music file compression 1,000 times smaller than MP3
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April 3, 2008 In a quest to find "the absolute least amount of data needed to reproduce a piece of music", researchers at the University of Rochester have digitally encoded a 20-second clarinet solo into a file that's less than a kilobyte in size - nearly 1,000 times smaller than standard MP3 compression. Read More
Edison’s first sound recording predated by 20 years
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March 28, 2008 Thomas Alva Edison has been considered the father of recorded sound since he captured the spoken words "Mary had a little lamb" on a sheet of tinfoil. Now a recording has come to light made by Frenchman Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville on his phonautograph which captured the waves and translated them into visible form on paper. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed the playback technology which unlocked the recorded sound (listen to it here as an MP3). According to the researchers, the recording was made on April 9, 1860, predating Edison’s recording by a full two decades. Read More
Melodyne studio pitch correction now able to break chords down for editing
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March 19, 2008 Ever wondered how performing artists can seem so perfect on record, but their live pitch and timing can be a bit hit and miss? Part of it's genuine talent and studio concentration, but increasingly in the last ten years, recording perfection has been made easier by a range of amazing digital recording software that can correct pitch, timing and modulation of individual notes in a recorded track at the click of a mouse button. And the latest release from Melodyne, whose pitch correction software has become a de facto industry standard, claims to let producers edit individual notes within a chord. For the first time, this astonishing new package will let you correct wrong notes in a guitar track, for example, or move individual notes around to create entirely new guitar parts as if you're editing a midi track. Read More
Hearing Components $79.95 noise reducing Comply NR-10 earphones
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Hearing Components’ latest noise reducing earphones, the $79.95 Comply NR-10, share a common design with earphones used by the US Army and Special Forces. The Comply NR-10 uses the military technology to deliver 48 decibels of noise reduction, blocking out more noise than the alternatives, without requiring additional battery power. Read More
Sansa Fuze rounds out SanDisk’s media player product line
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March 13, 2008 SanDisk has unveiled the Flash-based Sansa Fuze MP3 player, a well specced entry level unit which joins the pint-sized Sansa Clip and the video-centric Sansa View in Sandisk's media player line. Read More
The DIY US$600 Laser Harp
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March 6, 2008 Stephen Hobley saw Jean Michael Jarre play his highly theatrical Laser Harp live 22 years ago and vowed he’d build one just like it. He’s just ironed out the bugs and has detailed the entire construction process on the internet. He reckons anyone can build one for under US$600 after purchasing his US$19 Laser Harp Plans and Source Code. We came across the Frameless Laser Harp when it scored second place in Trossen Robotics Community’s latest contest in a very hot field that included a seeing-eye-robot for the visually impaired and a "self-balancing motorboard" which is very similar to the iSlide which drew so much reader interest in a recent Gizmag article.
MusicReader sheet music software
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February 25, 2008 Dutch company MusicReader has released sheet music software that simplifies the task of reading music while performing for individuals, ensembles and orchestras. The new software offers features such as easy page turning, a convenient music library and flexible annotations. Read More
The Razer Mako 2.1 THX certified speaker system
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February 25, 2008 Co-developed by the audio scientists of gaming audio leader Razer and audio industry pioneer THX Ltd., the Razer Mako 2.1 bi-amplified multimedia speaker system is the first desktop speaker system to incorporate the THX Ground Plane and THX Slot Speaker technologies, as well as ClassHD Digital Amplifier Technology, which enable rich, omnidirectional audio effects. The downward-firing design of the THX Ground Plane and THX Slot Speaker technologies eliminates distortion caused by the 'desk-bounce' phenomenon encountered with normal speaker systems, to create a rich, omnidirectional soundstage while the high-end ClassHD digital amplifier technologies intelligently manage the amplifier power to achieve greater power efficiency, lower distortion levels, and better sound quality. Read More
Stradivarius for sale
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February 19, 2008 Violins created by Antonio Stradivarius have, in the eyes of collectors and instrumental experts, never been bettered. Hailed for their superlative tonal quality and superior craftsmanship, owning a Stradivarius instrument has over the centuries been an obsessive ambition for many players. With only 650 Stradivari instruments in existence today, the news that a violin by the world’s most celebrated craftsman is for sale will be music to collectors and performers ears alike. A mystery however hangs over this remarkable instrument … Read More
Blaupunkt New Orleans MP58 offers uninterrupted MP3 playback
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February 13, 2008 Blaupunkt's latest car radio release caters to digital music formats by including a fixed 1 meter USB cable for connecting external digital storage devices along with "no-interrupt browsing capability", meaning you can continue to listen to the current track while searching through playlists. Read More
