Music
Grundig announces return of Audiorama spherical speakers
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September 2, 2008 Grundig's disco-ball-esque speakers blasted funk in the 70s, and now the company is releasing a model for a new generation to enjoy. The Audiorama 9000 is set for an October release, for an RRP of €1100. The speaker set consists of two deep mid-range chassis, and incorporates a hyperbolically diverted treble system that provides clear 360 degrees surround sound without the “lattice fence effect”.
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
Limbo String: throw a party anywhere, anytime
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After something a little different for your box of party tricks? At the click of a button, the compact Limbo Stringunit releases a colorful circular string which arches across the room. The string is constantly fed through the unit so it remains airborne at all times and if you turn off the lights, the multi-colored, fluorescent string will glow in the dark. Read More
Leon Speakers introduces Profile 404-X-A on-wall speakers and A3-SUB subwoofer
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August 12, 2008 Leon Speakers, established in 1995, is a world leader of high performance, on-wall loudspeakers. The company's new Profile 404-X-A speakers allow you to set them up on, or against a wall. The shallow profile (3.25-inches deep) helps them blend with their surroundings, and a choice of veneers and finishes (including paints) are available to finish the look. 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
Earplugs that fit in your wallet for an aural emergency
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Sound systems in clubs, pubs and music venues are regularly pushed to obscene levels, requiring conversations to be held at a shouting volume, and often leaving attendees with a ringing sound in their ears indicative of permanent hearing damage. Designer Shing Lo has an ingenious solution that means you will never leave home without ear protection. Read More
Rock Band 2 set list officially announced
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Harmonix, EA and MTV Games have announced the 84 tracks that make up the set list of the upcoming Rock Band 2 - and this time around, every single track on the disc will utilize the original master recordings. 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
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
Camouflage speakers for the great outdoors
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Hooking up an outdoor sound system for your backyard can be unsightly with big black speakers unable to blend in with the surrounds. This line of camouflaged outdoor speakers from Niles Audio Corporation is designed to address these issues and look like common backyard items. 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
ASIMO to conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
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After an extended world tour in 2007, Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot will show off its skills in 2008 by conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). ASIMO will lead the Orchestra as it performs “Impossible Dream” to open a special concert performance with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma as a way to highlight the DSO’s nationally acclaimed music programs for young people in Detroit. 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
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
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
Latest Walkman phone provides 8GB music storage
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February 11, 2008 In more news from Sony Ericsson, the latest addition to Walkman line has been unveiled. Available in Q3 of this year, the W980 Walkman phone boasts distortion free stereo sound and 8GB of internal memory (or up to 8000 songs) in a clamshell "Walkman on Top" design that replicates the Walkman controls on the outside of the phone for quick navigation through your music library. Read More
Why PAL PS3 owners should import Rock Band
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The geeks at The Gamer Gene really love Rock Band, and their latest feature is designed to convince PAL PlayStation 3 owners that they should stop waiting for EA to release the game in their territory, and simply import the game. They've done so, twice, and can't fault the process - especially when the other option is sitting around waiting for a vague Q2-Q3 release date. Read on for what to and what not to worry about when importing Rock Band. Read More
Ultra-soft earphone tips promise comfort and clarity
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February 5, 2008 Made from a "memory foam" 30 times softer than the silicone rubber used to make most earphone tips, Comply™ pitch their Foam Tips as an affordable and simple solution to customizing earphones and enhancing noise reduction in a market where the "one-size-fits-all" mantra definitely does not apply. Read More
Eric Buell designs for a different kind of shredding
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February 1, 2008 In an unusual move for a sporting motorcycle design engineer, Eric Buell has turned his eclectic eye to faster frets and pumping pickups for a brand new custom Peavey electric guitar, the MS-1. Read More
Retro digital radio: Roberts MP-SOUND 41
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January 24, 2008 The UK-based Roberts Radio Company has been producing portable radios since the 1930’s and one of their latest offerings is the MP-SOUND 41 digital radio. With its retro looks you could be forgiven for thinking it’s an old-fashioned analogue radio but with Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) capability, Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) technology and the ability to record up to 8 hours of radio onto a SD card, it has nearly everything required for the 21st Century. Read More
Blaupunkt Velocity 2Go: portable speaker system AND car subwoofer
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January 17, 2008 Blaupunkt has revealed a headphone-jack portable stereo speaker system that can be converted into car audio subwoofers. The Velocity 2Go speakers can connect to any device with headphone output jacks, and when used in a car, deliver deep, clean bass to complement the basic four-speaker audio system. Read More
SanDisk double the capacity of Sansa portable media players
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January 15, 2008 They haven't even reached their first birthday but SanDisk Corporation has announced capacity increases for two of its Flash-based digital media players at CES 2008. The diminutive Sansa Clip moves from a top capacity of 2GB to 4GB, while the Sansa View jumps to 32GB from a previous top capacity of 16 GB. Both units include a built-in microphone for voice recording, built-in FM tuner and support for MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible audio book formats. Read More
Logitech's Squeezebox Duet wireless home audio system
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January 15, 2008 Logitech’s Squeezebox Duet network music system integrates home audio by allowing users to access Internet radio, online subscription services and their personal music library, wirelessly, through any speaker system in their house without switching on a computer. Read More
Fashion with bite – Taser’s new C2 stunner with MP3 player holster
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January 11, 2008 It seems we mistakenly thought that convergence meant we were supposed to be carrying less gadgets rather than more gadgets, but Taser launched a new range of stun guns in a range of female-focussed colors at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, adding yet another must-have for those who wish to ensure their personal safety – the Taser MPH (Music Player Holster), which is a combination 1GB MP3 player and Taser C2 holster. In addition to the leopard print, other new Taser C2 colors include red-hot red and fashion pink. Read More
Gibson's stunning Robot Les Paul tunes itself in seconds
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January 10, 2008 Some of the best guitarists have an amazing ability to pick out which of their strings are out of tune and adjust them mid-song – for the rest of us, the tuning process can be an annoying time-waster – particularly on stage. We've written before about Transperformance's bolt-on self-tuning systems, but Gibson has recently become the first company to release a ready-made axe with the ability to adjust itself perfectly to a number of common tunings at the touch of a button. The Gibson Robot Guitar, which just received the NEWSTIPS "Best of Show" award at CES, also makes replacing strings and setting your intonation an absolute breeze. At US$2499, this intelligent Les Paul deserves to be a huge hit. Read More
Pimp my axe: the carbon fibre guitar
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December 11, 2007 Carbon fiber is somewhat of a wonder-material in the auto industry, where its light weight and excellent strength makes it an ideal choice for body panels and the like. The same properties theoretically make it a great material to build acoustic guitars from as well – and that's exactly what Blackbird have done. The Blackbird Rider uses the strength and resonance of carbon fiber to result in an acoustic guitar 30% smaller, tougher and much lighter than a wooden one, but with a comparably large sound and resonance. And while carbon fiber may not offer the tone and 'soul' of a beautiful piece of wood, the Rider will surely find a market among traveling musos who'll appreciate how hardy and portable it is. Read More
Belkin TuneStudio for iPod
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November 16, 2007 An attractive option for bands chasing a simple, portable solution for capturing jam-sessions or podcasters aiming to enhance audio quality, Belkin’s 4-channel audio mixer enables the recording of high-quality digital sound directly to iPod. Read More
V-MODA’s Vibe Duo headset
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November 15, 2007 Mobile phones and personal media players are all about entertainment, communications and increasingly, fashion – and any good fashion statement needs fashionable accessories. Designed with assistance from Apple, V-MODA’s noise isolating Vibe Duo headset takes this approach seriously with high-definition sound and a discrete microphone rolled into a slick all-metal design. Read More
BLINGPlayer portable MP3 player
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September 14, 2007 For those not content with the dreary white, black, chrome and pastel color choices of most MP3 players, this new potable music unit come hip-hop jewelery from MediaREADY could be the answer. Created in response to the popular (but apparently dull) iPod, the 2 GB BLINGPlayer is further evidence of the very blurry line that now separates personal electronic devices and fashion accessories. Read More
Diminutive Microkey MP3 player from Zicplay
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September 13, 2007 The phrase "portable music player" has been seriously redefined over the last decade and the tiny Microkey is further proof of just how far we've come. One of the smallest MP3 players we've encountered, the device was displayed at the recent IFA in Berlin by Swiss electronics company Zicplay. The Microkey MP3/WMA player provides up to 1GB of storage space and measures just 43mm long and 15mm wide. Read More
Plantronics convertible mono to stereo Bluetooth headset
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September 12, 2007 Plantronics have introduced a Bluetooth convertible mono to stereo headset for MP3 Bluetooth enabled mobile phones. The Voyager 855 headset offers a convertible design for listening to calls in mono as well as listening to music in stereo as headphones via a detachable stereo cable. Drop the second earbud or detach the cable and the headset serves as a high-quality mono Bluetooth device. Read More
NOXON iRadio offers 10,000 stations
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September 11, 2007 The proliferation of internet radio stations has led to the creation of numerous devices to free internet radio from your computer and make it mobile. This offering from TerraTec, the iRadio, grants you access to 10,000 stations as well as your own music library. Read More
Individual Sound Projector from Loewe
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September 11, 2007 Consumer electronics manufacturer Loewe showcased its recently released Individual Sound Projector at this year’s IFA in Berlin. The sound projector is a genuine 5.1 surround sound system that operates from a single device, allowing TV, DVD and other digital sources to be operated from one remote control. The multi-channel surround sound system features integrated cinema settings and over-head effects without the need for any additional speakers or cables and after encountering the system at the IFA, Gizmag can attest that it sounds amazing.
