Audio

Those not willing to compromise on sound quality when out and about have been enjoying the impressive sound and compact form factor of Soundmatters' foxLv2 and foxLv2 Bluetooth portable speakers for over a year. Now the company founded by physicist and former NASA engineer Dr Godehard Guenther has updated foxLv2 line with the upcoming release of the foxLv2 PLATIMUM unit. Along with a new platinum-look finish, the PLATINUM model boasts improved battery life, new audiophile cabling and the inclusion of apt-X audio coding to provide CD quality audio over Bluetooth.  Read More

While you might be tempted to think the Wall of Sound is one of the biggest music player docks you've ever seen, it doesn't quite live up to the huge proportional potential of the iTree iPhone and iPod docking station from Austrian design house KMKG STUDIO. The dock is carved from a simple tree trunk, its rear-mounted speakers are pointed towards a wall to reflect the audio and the wood serves to resonate the sound in a similar fashion to a piano or violin.  Read More

Greensound Technology made its first appearance at IFA this year and alongside its Serac series speakers, the company was showcasing its latest offerings - the Luno and Cube subwoofer. Like all Greensound's creations, the Luno speakers are made from a pane of glass - this time curved slightly - that isn't just for show but actually vibrates to produce the sound that is projected from both sides to deliver "360 degree sound."  Read More

Bose has updated its wireless speaker lineup with a new Bluetooth-enabled portable unit. Featuring an integrated cover which doubles as a stand, the Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker is tailored for outdoor use with a built-in lithium-ion battery delivering up to eight hours of playback (make that three hours if you crank it to 11) and a shock-resistant shell/stand that's designed to withstand salt-fog, sand, or moisture.  Read More

Introduced back in May, HTC's 4.3-inch Sensation flagship smartphone will soon be available in an upgraded version, in the form of the Sensation XE. It comes as the first product from HTC to be manufactured in partnership with Beats Electronics. Featuring Beats Audio technology and a remote-equipped pair of Beats by Dr. Dre earphones, the Sensation XE packs a faster dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and a higher capacity 1730 mAh battery.  Read More

There’s no doubt that a soundtrack can significantly enhance the immersiveness and emotional impact of films and TV programs. But can some audio accompaniment do the same thing for books? New York City-based startup Booktrack thinks so and has released an iOS app – with an Android app also on the way - that adds soundtracks to eBooks. As the user reads they can listen to ambient background noise relevant to the book’s current setting, specific sound effects synchronized to the text as it is read, and music. But does a soundtrack “boost the reader’s imagination and engagement” as the company states, or does it just create another distraction to be overcome when delving into a book on the bus on the way home? I decided to download the app and find out.  Read More

If you work someplace where sudden loud noises frequently but intermittently occur, it can get kind of frustrating – you pretty much have to choose between protecting your hearing with ear plugs, or being able to hear what people are saying when it isn’t noisy. Your basic earplugs, unfortunately, don’t let you hear when things are quiet, but then activate when loud noises occur. Non-basic earplugs, however, do that very thing. Etymotic Research’s HD-15 High-Definition electronic earplugs contain tiny microphones, that instantaneously cause the plugs to block incoming sound waves when they detect noises over a given threshold. When the noise has ceased, the earplugs let the user hear normally again.  Read More

People seem to just love accessorizing iPhones, in order to bring them closer to becoming prosumer-level camcorders that just happen to also be able to make phone calls. We've already seen aftermarket zoom, wide angle/macro, panoramic and microscope lenses for the iPhone camera, along with an adapter that lets people use their existing DSLR lenses. There are also handheld condenser microphones that can be run into the phone. Now, Fostex has taken things a step farther, with its triple-input AR-4i audio interface for the iPhone 4.  Read More

It’s a sad fact of life for tablet manufacturers looking to produce slim, portable devices that when it comes speakers, bigger is usually better – which is why so many people prefer to opt for headphones when using the devices rather than the decidedly lackluster in-built speakers found in most tablets. But if you’re looking to use an iPad to provide some tunes at a get together, show off a game to friends, or just annoy your fellow passengers on public transport then Logitech’s Tablet Speaker for iPad might provide the extra audio grunt you’re looking for.  Read More