Speakers

If you want to fill a room with the sound of the songs on your iPhone or iPod touch, there are currently a plethora of docking gizmos that will amplify the sound from your device's speakers. While many of these products look like they're designed to be used primarily in the home, however, Yamaha's new portable PDX-11 is ... well, it's sort of like the ghetto blaster of iPhone docks.  Read More

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

Do you like car stereos with good, thumping bass? I mean, do you really, really like them? If so, you might be appreciative of "Tank," a creation by Berlin artist Nik Nowak. The fully-functioning tracked vehicle sports six 12-inch mid-range drivers, three 18-inch subwoofers, four tweeters, and pumps out 4,000 watts of gut-wobbling sound - just think of it as an acoustic assault vehicle.  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

Sony has unveiled a couple of rather ballsy offerings at IFA 2011 in the form of the SRS-BTV25 and RDP-V20iP. The compact spherical units pack Sony's 360° Circle Sound audio diffusion technology that promises to deliver omnidirectional sound to all corners of a room. The SRS-BTV25 model is designed to play audio streamed from Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, Walkmans and iDevices, while the RDP-V20iP is an iPhone/iPod charger and speaker dock that can be controlled via an included remote.  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

So, you've downloaded some songs by Abney Park (one of the world's few steampunk bands) onto your Datamancer laptop or your Old Time Computers-accessorized PC ... do you just listen to them through the built-in speakers? Not if you're Polish tinkerer Conscious Flesh. He has created a speaker that not only looks delightfully mad-Victorian-scientist-esque, but it actually produces sound using plasma discharges. Nikola Tesla would definitely approve.  Read More

We've seen a number of unusual speakers before, such as the Whamodyne glass speakers or Solid Acoustics' dodecahedron speakers, but concrete speakers are definitely something new. It's definitely not a very popular material for audio systems, but Israeli designer Shmuel Linski would like to change that with his "Exposed" concrete speakers, each of which weighs 123 pounds (56 kg). They're just one part of his line of unusual creations, that include a concrete coffee maker and a concrete canoe.  Read More