The picture above is dominated by my giant 65″ TV, but you’ll notice two little speakers sitting in front of the screen (click for a larger view).  These little beauties are Mod 2 speakers from Orb Audio, a US-based “high-end speaker manufacturer who has proven that price does not equate to quality in the home audio industry.”  You’ll also see the Orb Audio Booster Amplifier in the right side of the TV cabinet (green lights identify it).  What you can’t see is the Super 8 subwoofer sitting on the floor behind the cabinet.  Orb Audio has added a couple of amplifiers to their offerings, and they offered The Gadgeteer the opportunity to review their Booster Mini Amplifier.  I was very excited to be selected to do the review, as it had been a few years since I had any sort of audio setup in my house.  I’d been making do with the wimpy built-in speakers in my TV and in my computer.  How do the Orb Audio Booster Mini Amplifier and Orb Audio speakers perform?  As a hint, we’ll find out their beauty is more than skin deep.

Most images can be clicked for an enlargement.

Orb Audio states their goal has always been “to turn the normal practices of many speaker manufacturers upside down, and to deliver speaker systems with the finest quality components, an attractive, upscale design and an affordable price.  The only way to accomplish all of this was to be different from the other players in the industry, make our speakers in the United States, and to sell them to our clients directly to avoid substantial (and totally unnecessary) markups.”  You won’t see Orb Audio products in a local store, unless you happen to be in New York City or Los Angeles.  If you wonder how you buy speakers without hearing them first, don’t worry.  You’ll get 30 days to try them out in your home before you commit to the purchase.

I’ve lusted for the Orb Audio speakers since Julie reviewed them with her own amp back in 2008.  I live in a small house with my family, and space is at a premium here.  The small size of these speakers is just what I needed, and I loved the sleek, round metal design.  I didn’t have an amplifier at the time, and I was paralyzed by the prospect of finding just the right amp to go with the speakers.  In 2008, I had a big rear-projection TV that had decent speakers, and I could listen to music with headphones, so I forgot about buying any A/V equipment at the time.

When I replaced my old TV with a flat-screen TV, I started thinking about home theater systems.  I didn’t want to buy one of those boxed systems.  I didn’t want a cheap system, but I didn’t want to buy a huge, expensive system, either. In the years since Julie’s review, Orb Audio has started offering some third-party home theater amplifiers that they have tested and determined to work well with their speaker systems.  I didn’t want to start with something as expensive as those amps, but I was intrigued by their own Booster Mini Amplifier.

The Booster Mini amp has entry-level home theater features.  You can use it with your TV, but you’ll only have left/right front channels.  There’s no surround sound with the Booster.  It was designed for use with computers, TVs, and MP3 players.  Just like with its bigger, more expensive cousins, you can hook up multiple sources and control playback with the included remote control.  You can add a subwoofer for fuller sound.  The Booster is great in the living room, bedroom, or anywhere you want music without investing a huge amount of money and needing a lot of space.

When I was selected to review the Booster Mini amp, I went to the Orb Audio website and ordered a Quick Pack set of Mod 1 speakers in hammered earth color to use with the amp. The beauty of the Orb Audio system is its modularity.  You can start small, like I planned to do, with just an amp and one pair of single orb speakers.  As you desire, you can build your system by adding a subwoofer, converting the Mod 1 speakers to Mod 2 or even Mod 4 speakers, adding a center channel speaker, or rear surround-sound speakers (with amps that have these other channels, at least).  I was going to start small with just one pair of Mod 1 speakers, and I planned to add a subwoofer later.

Imagine my surprise when a couple of big boxes arrived; Orb Audio had sent along some speakers and a subwoofer, too.

The Booster Mini amp is small, and it’s constructed of black aluminum.  It measures about 6″ wide X 6″ deep X 1.75″ tall.  The sides, bottom, and top are all solid metal with no grids or grills.  The front is simple with no gauges or dials.  You can see the power button at the far left (bottom) with a large IR sensor located above it.  Next is a status light (red when off, green when on), a button to select the input source, and four lights to indicate which source is currently selected.  There are two volume buttons, a mute button, and finally, indicator lights to show volume level (green, orange, red).

On the back, you can see there are four inputs: two sets of left/right RCA connectors and two headphone-style 3.5mm audio inputs.   With the Booster, you can connect a TV, DVD player, cable box, game console, or MP3 player, just like you can with larger amps.  Orb Audio says many people won’t even use 90% of the capabilities of bigger amps, so they created a small amp with the most essential features: multiple inputs, subwoofer support, remote control, and the like.  There’s also a connector for an IR blaster (not included) next to the subwoofer connector.  There’s a switch that lets you indicate if you are using the Booster with large speakers or small ones like the Orb Audio orbs.

You don’t connect the speakers to the Booster with RCA plugs.  You use bare speaker wire inserted into professional-quality speaker connectors.  Because it can be hard to connect speakers when the amp is installed in your equipment cabinet, Orb Audio uses a wiring harness that can be removed to connect the wires.  Once they are connected, you just snap the harness into the green connector seen above.

The Orb Audio website didn’t list technical specifications for the amp, but it does say the Booster produces 20W per channel.

You see the harness, complete with speaker wires, plugged in the back of the Booster here.  You’ll also see the DC power connector to the right of the harness.

There are only connectors for two speakers, left and right channels only.  There are no connections for a center channel speaker nor for rear surround-sound speakers.

This picture shows the beautiful Mod 2 speakers in hammered earth.  I had purchased a pair of hammered earth Mod 1 speakers, and Orb Audio included a pair of Mod 1 speakers in hammered earth in the kit they sent me.  They had also included a pair of Mod 2 speakers in bronze already installed on the optional stainless steel BOSS tabletop stands.  The bronze speakers are beautiful, but I had wanted the hammered earth in my living room.  I was able to captialize on the modular system, and I converted my two sets of Mod 1 hammered earth speakers into a pair of hammered earth Mod 2 speakers.

Technical Specifications for Mod 1 and Mod 2 Speakers

• Speaker type: Magnetically shielded full-range satellite speaker.  Crossover-free design for coherent, lifelike sound.
• Driver: Advanced high-excursion 3″ full range polypropylene driver cone with Santoprene surround.  These materials maintain their sonic characteristics over long periods of time and also through a broad range of temperatures and operating environments.
• Magnet assembly: Fully shielded, high-density neodymium magnet with proprietary voice coil in high tolerance gap to create strong, highly focused magnetic field.  Compact magnet design allows for maximum free internal volume and extension of low midrange performance.
• Binding posts: Custom gold-plated brass binding posts (fits up to 14 Ga. wire)
• Frequency response: 80Hz – 20,000Hz (120Hz-18,000Hz optimal)
• Efficiency:  89dB
• Impedance: Mod1:  8 ohms nominal; Mod2:  4 ohms nominal. (Mod2 is compatible with all popular receivers & amps rated at 6-8 ohms)
• Power handling: 15 – 115W (also compatible with most higher wattage receivers, max. recommended volume setting of about 3/4 will be LOUD!)
• Speaker dimensions: 4 3/16″ W x 4 3/16″ H x 4 7/8″ D
• Construction: American carbon steel, assembled in USA
• Finishes: metallic black, pearl white, hammered earth, polished steel, antiqued bronze, antiqued copper
• Included accessories: 16 gauge American steel adjustable desk stands (available in black and white)

This is a pair of Mod 1 speakers in bronze on the standard black tabletop stands.

I was worried about the magnets in these speakers, because I was going to set them on the TV cabinet in front of my TV.  Because of the strange shape of my cabinet, the speakers couldn’t be placed beside the TV.  The tech specifications say that the  neodymium magnets are fully shielded and have a very focused field.  I tried testing the magnets by seeing if a hairpin would stick to the speakers anywhere.  The same hairpin that stuck to the magnets in the Smart Cover on my iPad 2 didn’t stick at all to these Orb speakers.

The back of the speakers are threaded; you attach the speaker stands here.  The standard tabletop stands and the plastic-capped attachment screws are shown in the middle photo.  The speakers attach to the BOSS steel stands using screws and a plastic spacer.  You’ll need a Phillips-head screwdriver to assemble the Mod 2s on the BOSS stands.

These gold-plated posts are the speaker wire attachments.  For Mod 1 speakers, you simply push down on the top and insert the speaker wires to make the connection.  The posts are marked red or black on the top.  To prevent damage to the speakers or the system, be sure you check out the online installation guides before hooking things up.  Mod 2 speakers require an extra step.  You have to use jumper wires (included) to connect the two speakers together.  Again, follow the directions found at the Orb Audio site.

I guess it goes without saying, but the difference between Mod 1 and Mod 2 setups is that you get more volume from more speakers.  There’s also a slightly extended frequency range with the Mod 2s.

And speaking of extended frequency ranges, you probably noticed in the technical specifications for the speakers that the lower end starts at 80Hz.  If you use only orb speakers and no subwoofer, you’ll probably still get better sound than you get from your computer or TV speakers, but it will be missing the thumping bottom end.  To be sure that I got to hear the Booster Mini at its best, Orb Audio also sent along their Super Eight Custom subwoofer.

Front of the Super Eight subwoofer

Technical Specifications for Super Eight Custom Subwoofer

• Speaker type: High-performance ported bass-reflex design.
• Port type: Precision-tuned flared snorkel port.
• Amplifier type and power:  Custom high-power BASH digital hybrid amplifier with digital switching power supply for enhanced peak power output.  200W (continuous), 450W+ (peak)
• Amplifier THD: <.05% (100hz at full power)
• Amplifier S/N: >95dB
• Driver: Super long-throw 8″ high-performance driver with composite paper/high density ABS cone.  This yields rigid, lightweight design with excellent low frequency performance and increased detail and musicality.
• Magnet assembly: 30 oz. ferrite magnet
• Frequency response: 28-180hz.  Adjustable Crossover (40-160hz)
• Max. SPL peak: 111dB
• Max. long-term SPL: 107dB
• Dimensions: 12″ H x 11 3/4″ D x 11 1/2″ W (optional 1″ feet); 26 pounds

Features

• Adjustable phase (0-180)
• Adjustable crossover (40-160hz)
• Temperature protect circuitry
• Auto/On/Off Power
• RCA gold-plated stereo line level inputs
• High level gold-plated inputs and outputs
• 12dB/Octave hi-pass circuit

Bottom, showing the snorkel port. The optional feet are installed.

The back of the Super Eight has a multitude of controls.  Refer to the installation booklet, available on the Orb Audio website, for instructions.  You’ll also notice that the subwoofer has its own 200W amp inside, so you don’t have to wonder how a 20W Booster is going to drive a big subwoofer.

The thick black cable on the left connects the subwoofer to the Booster amp.  The cables on the right are speaker cables for the Mod 2 speakers.  I don’t know if they always come attached to the wiring harness, or if Orb Audio sent them that way to be sure they were hooked up properly for the review. 

I’m thinking it was the latter, since the Booster box had another wiring harness in it, along with a screwdriver sized to fit the screws on the harness.  There were also two booklets, the power supply for the amp, and a remote for the amp.  (Not pictured: power cord for the subwoofer.)

This system will be used in my living room as the sound system for my HDTV.  I connected the audio out from my TV to one of the Booster’s inputs using RCA cables.

I’d also like to use it for my music library in iTunes on my computer.  Unfortunately, my desk is on the opposite side of the room from my TV, and I don’t want to have to drape a 15-foot audio cable across the room.  I also don’t want to have to take my computer over and connect it to the amp while I’m listening to music.

I got an Apple Airport Express Base Station so that I could stream music wirelessly from iTunes to the Orb Audio system.  I plugged the Airport Express into a power outlet and spent about a minute connecting it to my wireless network.  I then connected it to the Booster amp using a audio cable.

I still have one RCA connector and one audio connector free on the Booster for future expansion. 

I put the Super Eight subwoofer on the floor behind my TV cabinet.  (Please excuse the dust.)  My cabinet fits catercorner across one corner of my living room.  The Super Eight is small enough that I’ll be able to push the cabinet back into place in the corner.

Because of the elongated diamond shape of my cabinet, you can see that the Mod 2 speakers block a bit of the screen.  I have ordered some floor stands from Orb Audio, so I’ll be able to place the speakers to either side of my TV.  I’ll try to add a picture of the speakers on their new stands later.

You can see the Booster amp in its new home in my cabinet.  Luckily, I don’t need an IR blaster for this setup.  The remote works well with the amplifier behind the glass doors of the cabinet.

Okay, I’ve written books about this system – now how does it sound?  It sounds just as good as it looks – and it looks gorgeous.  I don’t know all the fancy audiophile terms to describe performance, but I’ll try to tell you how the system sounds.  I’ve tried playing back music from iTunes, I’ve watched TV shows, and I’ve watched DVDs.  Everything sounds wonderful.  As I listened, I tried a couple of different settings for the subwoofer to get the bass to the volume level I preferred.  I tried listening to the music with the subwoofer turned off, too.  The Mod 2 s sounded good by themselves, but the subwoofer adds a whole new dimension to the music.

I listened to classical music, rock music, live music, and vocal music.  It all sounds rich and warm.  Even at a moderate volume for both the speakers and the subwoofer, I get room-filling sound.  (For reference, my living room is 17′ X 13.5′.)  Next I raised the volume until the indicator lights on the front of the Booster went into the orange range, then I backed it off one click into the green range.  (It was loud enough that I sent my husband outside to see if we were blasting the neighbors.)  I never heard any distortion from the speakers at this level.

Between songs, the speakers were quiet as death – no hiss or hum at all.  Music was clean and clear and bright, but never shrill.  Acoustic guitars sounded like someone was sitting in front of me playing.  Vocals were rich.  Both Josh Groban and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s voices were deep and resonant enough that I could feel their lower notes. I heard things in live music that I had forgotten were even there.

The balance between the Mod 2 speakers and the subwoofer was perfect.  The bass was full and thumping, but it never overpowered the mid and high ranges.  I could feel the bass notes, but they never caused any rattling or buzzing.  It’s been a long time since I’ve heard music played back on really good speakers, and it was wonderful to experience it again.

The stereo separation is limited right now by the placement of my speakers, but I’ll be able to move them a bit once I get the floor stands.

The speakers also worked well with my TV and DVD player.  As I mentioned, the Booster doesn’t do surround sound, but the Booster amp and Orb speakers sound worlds better than the built-in TV speakers.  Action sequences have more excitement to them with the added clarity, volume, and bass.  Dialogue is clearer and easier to understand, too.

I think the Booster amp is a great entry-level amp for your home theater and audio system setup.  It has plenty of power to produce room-filling sound that improves on anything you’ll get from your standard TV or computer speakers.  Paired with the Orb Audio speakers and subwoofer, you’ll hardly notice it’s missing middle and rear channels.  It works well enough that I doubt I’ll ever be tempted to “upgrade” to another amp.  I love the speakers.  I love the way they look, I love the sound, and I love the size.  I’ve never had a subwoofer before, and I’ll admit I was a bit worried it would be too loud.  It’s amazing how much dimension it adds to the overall sound of the music.  I like the Booster Mini Amplifier and the Orb speaker system.  It brings a whole new level to my enjoyment of music and movies.

And I didn’t want to waste the Mod 1 speakers, so I ordered a couple of Orb Audio’s Mini-T amplifiers to use in other rooms in my house.  I’ll review the Mini-T soon.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Home Theater, Speakers

Orb Audio Booster Mini Amplifier and Speaker System Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 8, 2012 at 11:00 am.

The Fidelio SoundRing Portable Speaker with AirPlay from Philips lets you stream music from your computer, iPad, iPod, or iPhone.  It has a rechargeable battery that can provide up to three hours of playback using AirPlay or up to 6 hours when using the aux-in or USB ports.  It can be used simultaneously with other AirPlay speakers in your home.  The Fidelio delivers 16W RMS total power output through four speakers – two front-firing and two side-firing – and a built-in bass sound pipe that combine to “create an immersive, natural listening experience that you can enjoy from anywhere in the room.”  It’s small enough to be portable, and it can charge your iPhone, iPad, or iPod through its USB connector.  The Philips Fidelio SoundRing Portable Speaker is $299.99.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Apple Airplay, Speakers

Philips Fidelio SoundRing Portable Speaker with AirPlay originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 29, 2011 at 8:00 am.

Having literally just finishing the latest Skulduggery Pleasant novel, these spooky speakers caught my eye immediately.

The Minuskull speaker system is the work of French designers Kuntzel+Deygas. Available in walnut or black and white piano lacquer, these measure in at 9.25″ x 10.64″ x 5.91″.

“We expect from a loud-speaker something more than just a beautiful industrial high quality object with a very uniformed sound. We wanted to find the ideal sound for us, which is why each MinuSkull component is tailor made. “

Prices are 1500€ ( approx $2000US )  for the walnut and 1750€ ( approx $2300US  ) for the lacquer versions including worldwide shipping.  Because they’re hand made there’s up to an 8 week wait.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers

Minuskull Speakers Sound Spooky originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 14, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Are you looking for a really cool set of speakers that should also sound great too?  Then look no further as the team at Fab.com have found a limited edition set of 200 Ceramic Speakers designed by Joey Roth. These ceramic speakers are made of porcelain with cork enclosures.  They feature a custom designed Tripath amplifier and look fabulous.  With a price tag of about $300 the 200 are going to go quick and you need to order now to get them when they come in later in December – should be at your house just in time for the holidays.  For more information on to order check out the Fab.com site.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous

Tagged: Speakers

From Fab.Com – Incredible looking ceramic speakers – I wonder how they sound? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 6, 2011 at 5:32 pm.

I know you’ve always dreamed of being able to attach a small speaker to the front of your iPad, notebook display, etc. Brando has just made your dreams come true with the USB Portable Mini Stereo Speaker With Sucker. These little speakers have a suction cup on the bottom that can stick to any smooth flat surface and can be used with devices that have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Not a fan of suction cups? Brando also offers a version of this speaker with hooks. Either version is priced at $15.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers

Mini Speakers that really suck originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 5, 2011 at 10:00 am.

Back in June, Janet posted a news item announcing these speakers. At that time they weren’t yet available. Now they are! If you’re still flinging birds at pigs, then you need one of these uber cute Angry Birds speakers. Available in Black bird, Pig and Red bird styles, these speakers from Gear4 range in price from $79.99 – $99.99. There are volume and bass controls and the Black and Red bird speakers include a 3.5mm jack for use with most music players. Also included with the Black and Red Angry Birds speakers is a plastic stand for your phone or tablet. The Pig speaker has a dock built into the top of the helmet for your iPhone or iPod touch.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers

Feed your Angry Birds addiction with these table top speakers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 30, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

On the heels of the amazing South of Market speaker dock, Audyssey has released another neighborhood inspired audio product: The Lower East Side Media Speakers. These minimalist designed speakers invoke the artsy feel of the iconic New York City area, much like the South of Market dock was inspired by the San Francisco district of the same name.

The Lower East Side speakers are designed for the digital age – with digital optical inputs – but also have analog inputs for connecting to just about anything you might have as your audio source.

The speakers are small. They have two .75” silk-dome tweeters, two 3.5” woofers and two 4” Passive bass radiators instead of a subwoofer. That saves on a lot of space. Given Audysseys expertise in Smart Speaker Audio technology, the bass on these babies should be rather impressive.

The Lower East Side speakers can be used with your TV, computer or your MP3 player.

At $200, they may seem expensive for their size, but pending a complete review and based on the South of Market speaker dock, we wouldn’t be surprised if they are worth it.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers

Audyssey Lower East Side Media Speakers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2011 at 11:26 am.

Ampigo Battery Case with USB charger

If you depend on your phone for communication, power is of a major concern to you. With the iPhone 3G and 3Gs, power was a bit thin – 3G network speed meant fewer active hours. With the iPhone 4, the battery is a lot beefier and the processor is a bit more powerful, for a net gain in usage time, but true geeks still need more juice. Other than carrying around cables and power blocks, what’s the solution? Ampigo has an answer, and it will allow you to have power for both devices: their Personal Speaker and Battery Pack. (Catchy name, huh?)

When I first was sent this unit to review, I wrote back and explained that I had the iPhone 4, not the 3G/3Gs that the label said the unit was designed for. Soon I had a response that it will, indeed work for either form factor. I opened the box, and found that it does! They are updating the box and I got an old package, apparently. The overall form is a sled of plastic that completely covers the back of the device (with a hole for the camera lens) with a 30-pin connector in the bottom to hold it in.

Camera port

Since it’s designed for both form factors, there is a bit of a gap either on the back or the sides, but the connection is ok. (I noticed a little side-to-side motion with my iPhone 4, which might get worse over time, but I don’t leave my phone in this case all the time.) The sides are covered about 60% of the way up each side.

Top exposure

Across the bottom, under the connector, the case extends a little less than an inch and contains two speakers, slightly larger than Apple’s earbuds. On the back, there are two buttons on either side of a row of blue LEDs. One button will activate and deactivate the speakers, the other shows available charge via the LEDs for a few seconds. In the bottom center is a port for the tiny charging pin. I charged the unit (proprietary USB charging cable only), which took over an hour the first time. Subsequent charges, even from completely dead, took about 30-45 minutes. The LEDs flash while charging, but give no indication of progress. You have to unplug and press the power button to see how far along you are.

LEDs and buttons

When in use, the unit keeps the battery going an extra 80% or so. The website mentions 30 hours music and 7.5 hours talk time, but that much use takes me several days, and the battery would drop power on it’s on during that time, making real testing difficult. It’s a notable increase, but not quite doubling. Rated at 1700 mAh, the battery is similar in power to the built-in battery in current iPhones. When playing an action intensive game, the case was able to raise the battery up about 2 percent in less than ten minutes. Allowing the phone to rest fully made for even faster charge times. If your phone is below 50%, a full Ampigo will recharge it to nearly full in less than 2 hours.

The speakers, though small in size, gave a noticeable boost to the built-in mono speaker of the iPhone. I don’t know if it’s just the stereo filling out the sound or what, but handheld games were quite lot more fun. Since they point toward the user, rather than into your palm, the sound never got muted when in intense action sequences. (The iPhone’s built-in speaker, which is flush to the bottom of the phone, often gets fully covered by a finger when playing landscape-oriented games.)

The speakers are small, but quite nice.

The market for battery cases is somewhat limited, but there are a few well-known brands out there. I’ve used several, and seen others in action, so I can’t help but compare this device to what I’ve known of this class of products in the past. A few things immediately jumped out at me. First, a non-standard USB cable. If you’re taking your computer and iPhone for a long ride into nowhere, you’ll have to carry their proprietary cable as well as a regular iPhone charge/sync cable. In this day of emerging standards, you’d think all manufacturer would start to put that miniUSB port to work, rather than making their own. (The EU has already mandated that all phones must use miniUSB in the next few years. Have these guys not heard about that?) Also, this means you can’t sync while in the case. You’re going to have to pull the iPhone out of the case, plug it in with a charge/sync cable, and then put it back in. What protects your iPhone in the meantime?

The tiny power connector port

The second thing that I had issues with is the stand-by time while not on the iPhone. I usually carry a battery pack in my bag while traveling, and only install it when I need the extra juice. This one looses about one LED per day, even just sitting on my desk. By contrast, the market leader will loose about one LED of charge a week when not connected. Quite a difference.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Case, iPhone power, Speakers

Ampigo iPhone Speaker and Battery Pack Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2011 at 11:30 am.

Here’s a multi-purpose gadget for you from Gadget4All.com.  This roll-up mousepad also has a 4-port  1.1 USB hub.  It also has two speakers that can be connected to an mp3 player using the included 3.5mm audio cable.  The speakers/hub are powered with the included USB cable, but it appears there is a connector if you supply your own AC adapter.  The Roll Up Mousepad with Speaker + Hub would make a compact addition to your travel kit.  It’s $22.00 at Gadget4All.

Filed in categories: Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers, USB hub

Mousepad with USB Hub and Speaker originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 26, 2011 at 10:30 am.

Tech Lighting Railtones Wireless Sound System: I love this product.  Now for a little more clarification.  Ok.  I REALLY love this product.

To start with, I was never a big fan of amped up sound systems.   I don’t get it even though my husband claims it would make our HDtv system sound better.  I own a small business and I’ve been in small business shops in my historic downtown.   Their idea of a sound system is a couple of boxy stereo speakers hanging precariously somewhere while belting out the tunes of Sad FM-music for the Over Thirties such as …well…any Easy Listening from the 1970s which, hopefully, is the most pathetic part of this review.

Railtones from Tech Lighting  is a wireless speaker system that connects on to your existing track or rail lighting setup or can be installed separately with the included freejack.  Simply put, it is tasteful, elegant, non-conspicuous and delivers a quality sound.

Tech Light's Railtones speakers with remote, dongle and attachments.

The Railtones wireless sound system comes complete with two speakers, freejack for non-rail-track assembly, remote control, USB dongle, in/out line and plug.    Depending on your existing track or rail lighting appliance, you are able to connect one or both speakers in place of the actual light assembly.  The speaker does not offer illumination but does impart a superior sound for those areas of your home, office, or even small shop (like mine).  It is an ideal and compact way of bringing in sound without the bulky set up of traditional speakers.

Railtones works wirelessly.   By using the USB dongle, you can play music, talk radio, subscription radio from your computer.  The in/out line allows you to play music from any Mp3 player and the remote control allows you to control the power and sound to the speaker.

Remote control and USB computer dongle for Railtones

I really like the idea of the speaker on the track/rail lighting set.  I have a smaller version of a track lighting kit to highlight the antique popcorn machine in my shop’s front window. (I have my own kettle corn business).   This rail kit is far too small to support the Railtones speaker.  I would have to upgrade to a larger, sturdier kit.   But the Railtones set comes with a freejack for separate installation and until I upgrade to a larger track lighting kit (which is imminent), one of the Railtones speakers hangs comfortably in the corner of my shop where it imparts plenty of quality sound throughout my shop.

If the Railtones speaker does not fit on your existing track lighting appliance or you just need sound in a different area of the room, Railtones comes with a separate freejack in order to install one of the speakers elsewhere. In this photo, the Railtones speaker is installed in the corner of my new kettlecorn shop. Even tucked away in the corner, the sound is vibrant.

The assembly is also pretty simple; no more difficult than installing a ceiling fan.   Yes, there are different and less noticeable sound systems you can install in your small shop or your home.  That’s fine.  I like the Railtones design.  I like the look, I love the sound.  I very much like the flexibility that the wireless system provides me.

I play pretty much only Big Band music in my shop.  My shop is specifically 1930s-1940s themed.  When purchasing music to play over the speakers in the store, honestly, I’m kind of limited to the music that is available out there.  There are only so many times I can listen to “In the Mood”.  I subscribe to Live 365, an internet radio service that offers me all kinds of Big Band stations, Swing, even a couple of stations that offer music from the Twenties as well as vintage radio shows.  It’s great and my customers love it.   To be able to do this would be difficult without a wireless sound system and Railtones solves this problem.  The sound is beautiful and clear.

If I had one complaint about this product, it would be the remote.  You have to be, basically, standing directly in front of it in order for the speaker to receive the signal from the remote control and that’s a pain in the neck at times.

Railtones is not going to be found in your local Lowe’s, WalMart or Target.  TechLighting.com does provide a list of internet retailers and showrooms throughout the United States but expect to shop in specialty lighting stores.  Expect to pay anywhere from $450.00 to $599.00 for a two-speaker kit.

Keep in mind that this product is designed for home use but I have chosen to use it in my shop where it performs beautifully.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: sound system, Speakers, track lighting, Wireless

Tech Lighting Railtones Wireless Sound System Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 12, 2011 at 3:10 pm.

For awhile now, I have been using (and loving) the Audioengine A5 speakers. They are a pair of self-powered monsters. There is really no other way to describe them. Big and with killer volume, the A5s are one of the best bargains out there for computer speakers… for home use. I tried them out in my office and could not enjoy them simply because other humans work there. Rats. Later on, Audioengine decided to make a pair of passive (NOT self-powered) speakers – the AP4. These speakers were sized right between the A5 and the diminutive A2 speakers, the A5’s smaller brother. However, the big difference is that since the AP4 speakers are passive, they will not work as computer speakers unless you have an amp.

Audioengine has come out with the N22, a desktop amp of decent power and convenience that – when combined with the AP4s – makes for a darn good combination. With the availability of self-powered speakers like the A5 and A2, why would anyone want the AP4 with or without the N22 amp? Well, if you are looking for just computer speakers, there is really no reason. But if you want a little more flexibility, then the AP4 speakers make a great set of bookshelf speakers, surround sound speakers and any other kind of use that regular, ol’ passive speakers are good for. And paired with the N22 amp, your flexibility just multiplied. So, depending on your needs, you now have real choices.

Let’s start with the N22 amplifier. This is one compact unit that – due to its vertical design – will not take up much room on your desktop. And the design could not be more minimalist. One large on/off/volume button, a small blue power light and a headphone port… that’s it. There’s not even an Audioengine logo on the front. If you’re an audio geek that gets off on buttons and settings, look elsewhere. However, in this simplicity, there’s power, 22 watts of power per channel. And that space saving vertical design keeps things cooled down, which is important because amps can get pretty warm. And on your desktop right in front of you, that can be an issue. To help keep it cool, the N22 also goes into power saving mode when not being used. The volume knob is a little too simple because it has no markings. You can’t tell if it’s set to 11 or not. I would have preferred some small indicator.

The rear of the amp has all the connections you’ll need. There’s gold-plated speaker connections, RCA and miniplug audio-in sources (wiring included) , powered USB port (charging only – no audio USB, unfortunately), and a multi-functional line-out that can be used with another amp, pre-amp, subwoofer or the AW1 wireless adapter which I’ll explain later. Also included is standard grade speaker wiring for the AP4 speakers (which do NOT come with wiring). The N22 even comes in a cloth draw-string bag – classy.

Setup could not be any easier, just follow the included book. I should note here that the N22 will work with any 4-8 ohm-rated passive bookshelf speakers. If you have a pair not being used, the N22 can put them to good use.

Headphones really benefit from the included port. Using this port instead of the audio port on your PC/Mac will improve the sound. My Grado 325is headphones just sounded “bigger” plugged into the N22. Which they should because inside the N22, there is a Burr-Brown/TI OPA2134 headphone amp. So if you have some power-hungry, large headphones, that can be a big money saver right there.

Now let’s get to the fun part – the AP4 speakers. Like I said earlier, they are sized between the (huge) Audioengine A5 and (petite) A2 speakers. So if they sit on your desktop, they can take up a bit of room, especially combined with the N22. The AP4 comes in 3 flavors: Black (which matches the N22) , white and a more expensive solid bamboo wood, which Audioengine says have better acoustics. They are compatible with digital hybrid amps, stereo receivers, integrated amps, and tube amps… in other words, just about anything.

The speakers are naked in the front, no cloth cover. I prefer this look, but I know some don’t. They are front-ported for a little more bass. I don’t think that a subwoofer is needed, but if you are a bass-head, then you can always connect a sub to the N22. The rear of the AP4 speakers have gold-plated binding posts for secure connections. The tweeters are silk and the woofers are kevlar which seems to be the norm for higher quality speakers today. They’re also shielded, so they won’t make your monitor go psychedelic on you.

Since the N22 and AP4 are really made for each other, the sound is powerful, clean with no noticeable listening fatigue over hours of use.

While I was listening to the N22/AP4 combination, I was lucky enough to be able to mentally compare them to the A5 speakers I have. I’m not going to do a comparison, because I like each product to stand or fall on its own. However, one thing that I immediately noticed was that the A5s are much more powerful, both in watts (75 vs 22)and sound. The A5s will blow you out of your seat. The N22/AP4 won’t.

But the N22/AP4 combination still has plenty of power and oomph to let you disappear into your music. The sound is clean and the bass is measured, if not overpowering (a good thing, I say). In fact, I listened to Santana’s “Black Magic Woman” from the album “Abraxas” at FULL volume, turned to the max on the N22 (iTunes volume about 75% – normal for me). No distortion. None. Nada. Zippo.

I was listening to the Moody Blues remastered “On the Threshold of a Dream” album and when it got to the ending, “Have You Heard Pts. 1 and 2” and “The Voyage”, I was sold. I just love this album and the AP4s allowed me to lose myself without any distractions about mids and highs and clarity, all that stuff… it didn’t matter. It was just so effortless sounding.

Back down on earth, I sampled the Paloma Faith album, “Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful”. There was a slight over-brightness to Faith’s nasal-tinged vocal over a wonderful choral backing on the song, “New York.” In this instance, I think it was the production, which only points out the accuracy of the speakers.

The Beatles “Love” album has unbelievable production values and the AP4s exploit that to the max. “Eleanor Rigby” slips in and out of a ghostly, aural haze, but the song itself is crystal clear and sounds like it was recorded yesterday. It’s hard to image it was over 40 years ago. It’s that good.

What has become apparent is that the AP4 speakers will give you what you feed them. They are about as neutral as you could want with little to no colorization to the sound. About the only caveat would be a slightly weaker bass due to the small size of the speakers, but a sub-woofer connected to the N22 will instantly boost that.

Given a choice to use speakers solely with my computer, I would opt for the more powerful and less expensive A5 speakers – or A2, depending on budget. But if you need a high-performance headphone/earphone amp and flexibility in your speaker set up, the N22/AP4 combination is really hard to beat.

Note: Here’s where it can get cool. Audioengine doesn’t just make speakers. They make stuff that makes their speakers way more fun. You can attach the N22 (and AP4s) to the surround/rear ports on a home theater receiver using the Audioengine W1 wireless audio adapters ($99) and get wireless surround sound. No more crawling through the attic or under your house. I will say here that I have not tried this myself as I personally don’t have the W1 adapter. But according to Audioengine’s Brady Bargenquast, the kind of setup is perfect for the N22/AP4 combination.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Speakers

Audioengine P4 Speakers and N22 Amp Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 8, 2011 at 11:04 am.

Laptop speakers aren’t typically known for sounding all that great. You could always add a pair of big boxy speakers that plugin to headphone jacks… If that doesn’t appeal to you, Edifier is offering a more elegant solution with their USB Soundbar Speaker. It features magnetically shielded drivers, efficient bass-reflex design, two 3-inch woofers and two 1-inch tweeters, along with a built-in amplifier. I also has a classy aluminum casing and a one button volume adjuster. The USB Soundbar is compatible with Macs and PCs. It will be priced at $49.00 and will be available in  December at Apple’s online store.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

Edifier Offers Better Sound to Laptop Owners originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 24, 2010 at 11:36 am.

There are a lot of things to like about the new MM1 computer speakers from Bowers & Wilkins, the makers of the famous Zeppelin iPod dock/speaker. And while these don’t have the audacious design philosophy of the Zeppelin or even B&W’s legendary floor standing speakers, the MM1s stand-out on their own merits. They are clean, both in sound and design. And they are fastidiously accurate.

The are desk-top speakers designed for what is called “near field” listening. In other words, if you are sitting in front of your computer with these sitting on both sides of your monitor, you are in for a big treat. If you are across the room while the MM-1s are cranked up, its feels more like a snack. That’s not to say that the MM-1s can’t fill a room – they can – it’s just that the MM-1s were not designed to fill a room. B&W makes plenty of other speakers for that purpose. In fact, turn them up too loud and the MM-1s (with special  circuitry) will prevent the bass from distorting, and that can cut into the volume on very loud passages. But it is impressive what these small wonders can do.

Did I say small? They are kinda on the petite side. At least after having the monstrous Audioengine A5s crowding my desk for a year, the MM-1s seem small. I guess it’s relative. These speakers may be somewhat diminutive, but they certainly don’t sound it. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Gee, I’ve never heard that one before – small speakers that sound big… whoopee.” But, trust me. As long as you’re sitting right in front of them, it’s true.

Let’s be very clear here. If you want to be blown out of your seat, the MM-1s aren’t for you. But if you want just about the cleanest, most satisfying listening experience possible from desktop speakers, then you gotta try these. When I first heard the MM-1s, my reviewer mode immediately kicked in and I tried to think of a short, clever description. And one word kept coming back… effortless. And that’s the magic. The MM-1s sound full, warm and accurate with just the right amount of bass without breaking a sweat. Most speakers in this size range over-emphasize the bass to make up for their lack of mass and cheaper speakers usually have one driver to handle the complete frequency range. Not the MM-1s. There’s a dedicated bass and midrange with a separate “tube-loaded” (B&Ws name for it) tweeter for the high frequencies. This separation is what accounts for the accuracy and depth of the sound. Also, B&W use some sophisticated electronics called Digital Signal Processing that adjusts the sound output to the incoming signal. Translation: Your music should sound about as good as it can depending on the source material. It’s this attention to detail that makes them special.

The looks of the MM-1s match the aesthetics of Apple’s newer MacBooks and MacPros. Black cloth material is accented by a brushed aluminum strip with hidden on/off switches and volume controls. The volume controls are a bit inconvenient, but they can be ignored by using either your computer’s volume keys or the included remote. This egg-shaped remote provides all the basic functions: Volume, on/off and tracking controls. The previous/rewind, play/pause, next/fast forward buttons will work with many supported applications, such as iTunes, etc. One small annoying tidbit is that if you are playing your music in the background, the remote won’t work. iTunes needs to be in the forefront for it to work. Two more things to note are that the top of the right (powered) speaker gets quite warm to the touch and the hard rubber speaker bottoms are dust magnets.

Connecting the speakers is pretty straightforward. There are three plugs (USB, power and left speaker) cleverly hidden under the right speaker. Also, unlike most other speakers, the MM-1s plug into the USB port instead of the audio mini jack. That alone, does away with a lot of compromises. By connecting to the USB port, the audio signal stays about as pure as possible. Then the MM-1s convert the digital signal into sound using their own Digital Audio Convertor. This gives the speakers almost complete control over the audio quality, meaning that it bypasses the internal DAC in your computer (or iPod, smart phone, etc). To be truthful, this is a modest improvement over the normal mini plug route, but where it really pays off is when you plug earphones or headphones into the mini jack port at the rear of the right speaker. Wow. Suddenly good headphones sound much cleaner, great headphones sound way better and those free, included earbuds will still sound… like the garbage they are. Good excuse to upgrade those buds. There is also an AUX port to connect various MP3 players, smartphones, etc.

Since the MM-1s are fairly neutral sounding, meaning not too much bass or too bright, I decided to listen to different genres of music. Its still a little strange not being able to blow myself out of my chair like I could with sheer volume from larger speakers. But again, the MM-1s are are not made to do that. So I chose music I know quite well and has very good to excellent sonic characteristics.

Of course, I began with an Apple lossless rip of the SACD version of “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd.

What I noticed right away was a lack of vibration from the intro heartbeat on the song, “Speak to Me”. But it didn’t bother me because there was a clarity and detail that had been missing from those larger, thumper speakers that could vibrate windows. However, plug headphones into the back of the MM-1s and – due to B&W’s own DAC – its a totally different experience. The rest of DSOTM was so pristine and engaging, it was scary.

A remastered version of Paul McCartney’s “Long Haired Lady” from “Ram” had a lot of bass pushed right to the front of the mix that an earlier CD never had. It reminded me of the Beatles remasters. It made me realize just how good McCartney really is. The MM-1s show off his musicality like few speakers of this size can.

A real audio (and patience) tester is Klaus Schulze’s “Vat was Dat?” from “Are You Sequenced?”. This monster clocks in at over 1 hour and 17 minutes of repetitive synth drum machine beats overlayed with brassy cymbals and synth horns, while an operatic vocalist belts out a tonal whining – for over an hour! Most people can’t listen to more than 2-3  minutes of it, but I absolutely love this piece. And hearing it on the MM-1s puts a smile on my face. None of the subtleties are missed. The sound is exquisite and I can’t get enough of it. But you’ve been warned… this is not for everyone.

Recently, Neil Young has been remastering his older albums and his reworked “Harvest” benefits from the effortless clarity of the MM-1s (there’s that descriptive word again). A lot happens in the opening song, “Out on the Weekend”, but I always thought the mix was muddy-sounding by design. Little did I know just how much detail Young had put into this work. There’s a punchiness to the bass drum and a bite to the harmonica that the MM-1s display with absolute realism.

And in the classical vein, “The Blue Danube”, from the “2001, A Space Odyssey” soundtrack is portrayed in all its analog glory. And here, it’s a good thing. There is an dreamy coziness shared among the strings in this 1968 Berlin Philharmonic recording that makes concentrating difficult. The neutrality of the MM-1s is apparent as any hint of brittleness or boominess is nowhere to be found. It’s a perfectly well-rounded piece.

The B&W MM-1 speakers are uber-expensive, especially for desktop speakers. But let’s face it; we are talking Bowers and Wilkins here. The MM-1s are as clean in their design as in their sound. If you appreciate musicality and detail over sheer volume in your music and find yourself spending hours and hours at a computer, then you should hear the MM-1s. B&W have designed near perfect speakers to please an audience of one – you.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Desktop Computer Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Speakers

Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer Speakers Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2010 at 10:00 am.

I reviewed the Orb Audio Mod2 Home Theater System 2 yrs ago and continue to be impressed by them. Now Orb is offering the same excellent sounding speakers in a small system for your computer or TV that does not require a large AV receiver. This new system includes 2 Orb Mod1 or Mod2 speakers and a tiny audiophile quality amplifier (2.76 x 5.39 x 7.48 in) that provide powers to the Orb speakers. The amp features 3 switchable stereo RCA inputs and will work with almost any computer, TV or other audio source. An optional subwoofer can be added for additional performance. The system is available for $299.00 from Orb Audio.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Desktop Computer Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

Orb Audio offers audiophile quality sound for your PC or TV without a huge receiver originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2010 at 3:24 pm.

Joey Roth’s Ceramic Speakers work with your iPod, a television or computer, or even a turntable with a phono pre-amp.  The cone-shaped speakers are made of ceramic with Baltic birch plywood stands.  They output 15W per channel, with 70 – 20,000 Hz frequency range.  Their amplifier, the item in the middle, is based on the Tripath 2024 T-Amp with gold-plated binding posts, 1/8″ input, and a cast iron base.  The speakers are 6″ wide, and are 7″ tall and 8″ deep in the stands.  The Ceramic Speakers are $495.00.  World-wide shipping is available.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers

Ceramic Speakers from Joey Roth originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 30, 2010 at 2:00 pm.

Ever wish you had great speakers everywhere with you to jam to your tunes on your mp3 player or even pump out better bass from the iPad, but don’t want to carry around a bulky speaker system?  Tunebug solves that problem with a device called Vibe.  What this small and very portable device does is that it turns anything into a flat panel speaker system with their patented SurfaceSound technology.

What you get in the box is the Vibe, 3.5mm audio cable, usb to 3.5mm charging cable, sound base/case, and the manual.

The Vibe has a brushed metal housing and weighs 5.3oz.  It feels great holding it.  And looks great too!  Something Steve Jobs will approve of!

There’s only one button on the top for on/off functionality.  The 3.5mm audio jack is on the side of the Vibe.  It has built-in LiPoly 450mAH battery rated for 5 hours playtime.

On the bottom of the Vibe is the SurfaceSound technology which creates the sound waves that transfers any surface to a flat panel speaker.

The sound base/case is nicely padded to protect the Vibe.  But it’s more than a box to house the Vibe.  It also is a nice flat surface to place the Vibe on and produce great sounding speakers from it.

You can place the Vibe on a Cheetos tube, glass display case, metal pot, or even on the iPad.  From my tests, it seems the Vibe works best on metal surfaces and anything that allows vibrations to travel. Like the side of your desktop computer.  You can still hear pretty good sounds from denser materials but the thinner the surface is, the better and louder the sound gets.  You might think it’s a bit pricey at $69.95 (direct from Tunebug), but I think it’s worth it because of the great build quality and awesome SurfaceSound technology to create great sounding speakers from any flat surface.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: audio gear, Speakers

Tunebug Vibe Speaker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 20, 2010 at 12:04 pm.

These are maybe the most unusual speakers I’ve seen.  These plush, pink bears from Juicy Couture have speakers inside, and they come with a cable to connect with the audio out jack on any MP3 player.  The bears have articulated arms and legs, one is wearing a necklace with the Juicy Couture logo, and one has a pocket on the back to hold the MP3 player.  The bears are 9.5 inches tall (seated) and 8.5 inches wide.   There are no technical specifications, so I’m guessing the style and the brand name are the most important features of these little guys.  The Mini Bear Speakers look like something for a baby or young girl’s room – assuming she has her own iPod and the $68.00 purchase price…

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Juicy Couture, Speakers

Juicy Couture Mini Bear Speakers for MP3 Players originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 10, 2010 at 2:00 pm.

There’s a new member of the rechargeable X-Mini capsule speaker family. The X-Mini HAPPY adds an MP3 player and built-in SD/SDHC card slot to the popular X-Mini pop-up speaker format, creating a tiny boombox in your hand. The X-Mini HAPPY is currently available in the UK at advancedmp3players.co.uk and amazon.co.uk, priced at £49.99.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: MP3 players, Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

X-mini Capsule Speakers Get Happier originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2010 at 8:45 am.

The Motz Tiny Wooden Speaker is a handcrafted wooden speaker that has been carved to look like an acorn. It includes a USB connector for charging the internal Lithium Ion battery and a standard 3.5mm jack to connect to audio sources. It also has a built in FM radio. It’s available from Pyramid Distribution for $35.99

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

Am I nuts for liking this speaker? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 30, 2010 at 7:00 am.

Yubz MAGNUM, shown with iPhone 3Gs for size comparison

A plethora of portable sound projection devices are available in a multitude of shapes and sizes.  Several have piqued my interest, but the Yubz MAGNUM is somewhat unique, mostly for its factor.  Because it looks like, well…a log.  Yep, just like the classic Ren & Stimpy commercial.  So how does this particular portable speaker system measure up?  Let’s check it out!

The Unboxing

The packing was satisfactory and seemed fairly secure, with some type of perforated cardboard packing material that unfortunately left a layer of cardboard particles and dust all over the outside of the actual product packaging.   A bit messy, but recyclable, so tolerable, I suppose.

Shipping container contents

The actual product packaging was a simple, yet elegant black box with understated “YUBZ” logo on top, surrounded by a plastic sleeve wrapper (possibly to protect the nice box from the cardboard packing material dust?).

Actual product package

Inside the actual product packaging, I was presented with the instruction manual in its own slot on top of the MAGNUM itself, nestled into its own cavity in a vacuum-formed shell.

Inside the Box

Laying it all out, I was actually fairly surprised with the amount of gear inside the box, which included the instruction booklet, an AC wall adapter, a power cable, an RCA jack audio cable, a multi-compartment carrying case, an adjustable shoulder strap and of course the MAGNUM itself.

Full contents of package

My first impression of the MAGNUM itself was that, with its cylindrical shape and textured leather skin, it actually does somewhat resemble a log.  Upon picking it up and holding it in my hand, I was struck by its solid, weighty feel, even without having inserted four non-included AA batteries.

Top View - Controls just visible below YUBZ logo

Bottom View - Battery hatch

Side View - Plug receptacles for power and audio input

Bottom View - Battery hatch removed

Closeup of one of the ends showing one of the metal speaker grills

Operation

I skimmed through the instructions quickly to glean just enough to get cracking.  Skimming turned out to be about all the instructions were good for, since they were very simple.  My test plan here was evaluate the MAGNUM through multiple device and scenarios.  Wired connections first, then wireless.

Controls

The controls of the MAGNUM consist of a row of seven circle-shaped indentations just below the Yubz logo.  The first circle, starting at the far left, has a small hole in the center, beneath which is the microphone that allows the MAGNUM to be used as a speakerphone, followed by pushbuttons that control Vol +, Vol -, Next Track, Previous Track, Play/Pause and Power/Answer/End.  These buttons are extremely difficult to see, as they are integrated into the leather covering and not visually distinct.  However, they do have a nice audible/tactile “click” feel.

Closeup of control "buttons"

Power

There are two power source options, wall outlet AC power or four standard AA alkaline batteries.  I plugged the AC adapter into a wall outlet, then plugged in the power cable, which on one end has a USB plug that goes into the AC adapter on the other end a small-diameter power plug that goes into the MAGNUM.  I was surprised by how loose the connection was between the power cable tip and the MAGNUM.  It felt sloppy (more on this later).  I also placed four alkaline batteries into the MAGNUM and it seemed to work just fine.

Power on left, audio in on right

Audio

There are several possible combinations for piping an audio signal to the MAGNUM, and I tried to explore them all.

Line-in Input – from 4th Gen iPod Nano

I first tried the wired connection using my daughter’s 4th-gen iPod Nano, plugging one end of the RCA-type audio cable into the Nano’s 3.5mm headset jack and the other into the MAGNUM’s audio line-in jack.

Once  connected, the MAGNUM is powered on by pressing and holding down the Power On/Off button until the YUBZ signal light (behind the logo) flashes blue.  However, if you only press it quickly, or don’t hold it down until the light starts flashing, it appears to go into some sort of demo mode where it powers itself back off after a few seconds.  Also, as mentioned above, the AC power cable connection to the MAGNUM is quite loose and if not inserted just right, can toggle loose and either cut the power or deactivate one of the speakers.  The Vol + and Vol – volume control buttons functioned as expected.  However, using the line-in cable, the Play/Pause button actually mutes the device instead.  Also, pushing the Power/Answer/End button simply mutes the device for a few seconds, emits a tone and returns to music.  This is presumably because the device is ‘smart’ enough to know that it is connected to a music player here and not a phone.

Bluetooth Input – from Lenovo T60p Laptop

I then moved on to checking out the Bluetooth connection using my work laptop, a Lenovo T60p.  I was able to pair the MAGNUM with the T60p relatively easily, and proceeded to play some .mp3s.  The control buttons worked OK for this.  The range was about 20 feet.  Here again, because it was not connected to a phone, the Power/Answer/End button simply muted the device for a few seconds, emits a tone and returns to music.  The range was about 20-30 feet, depending on how many obstacles might be present to present interference to the signal.

Bluetooth Input – from iMac

Next up was checking out the Bluetooth connection with my iMac.  Here I had some issues with the pairing process and was never able to get it to pair.  Bummer.

Bluetooth Input – from iPhone 3GS

Finally, I moved on to checking out the Bluetooth connection using my iPhone 3GS.  Here, I wanted to check out some of the features that are phone-specific, like the Answer button.  The Bluetooth pairing was even a bit more straightforward that with my T60p.  I fired up the onboard iPod and began Bluetooth streaming some tunes to the MAGNUM, then used my landline to call my iPhone.  When the iPhone began ringing, I pressed the Answer button on the MAGNUM and voilà!  The MAGNUM paused the iPhone’s music and the MAGNUM’s onboard microphone allowed me to converse with it as if it were a speakerphone.  Once the call was complete, I simply pressed the Answer button again and it ended the call on the iPhone and un-paused the music, right were I’d left off.  Rather slick.  The MAGNUM’s other control buttons also functioned as expected with the iPhone/Bluetooth combo, including the Last Number Redial, Transfer to Phone and Voice Dialing.

Sound

I’m no audiophile, but I like my tunes.  That said, I found the sound quality to be average to pretty good.  I’m not sure I like it as much as I would if the speakers were both aimed toward me, creating true stereo sound.  I don’t own any other portable speaker systems similar to this that I could use for comparison purposes.  However, my wife has a Sony ICF-CS10iP iPhone/iPod Speaker Dock/Clock Radio that puts out some quite good sound, and I suppose I would rate the MAGNUM close to, if not slightly below, that system.  For the size of the speakers and their orientation with respect to each other, the MAGNUM’s sound is really not bad.

Accessories

I’ve already mentioned some of the MAGNUM’s accessories above, but here’s the scoop on the remaining ones, the case and the strap.  The case has a cylindrical-shaped main compartment that is sized to fit the MAGNUM perfectly and has a zip-around cover.  Either end of this main compartment has a mesh cover that allows sound to escape.

Closeup showing MAGNUM partially inserted into carrying pouch

Off the side of the case is a smaller compartment that I assume is meant to hold the other accessories, such as the cable and AC adapter.

Side compartment showing accessories inside

There is also a small hole on one end of this compartment–for what, I have no idea.  On the bottom of the case are two small holes that I assume must be portals for plugging the AC power and line out cables into the MAGNUM through the case, so you can operate the MAGNUM while inside the case.

Closeup showing bottom portals and mystery hole in side compartment

AC power and line-in cable plugged into MAGNUM through bottom portals

On the opposite side of the case from this side compartment are two straps with Fastex-style quick-release buckles.

Side straps with quick-release buckles

Finally, on top of the case are two D-rings to which can be attached the hooks of the strap.  The strap looks a lot like an actual belt, with a combination of an adjustable nylon web and leather with buckle portions.

With strap attached

I have to admit, the case and strap are a bit of an enigma to me.  I can’t quite figure out how the two side buckles would be used, unless to strap it to the handlebars of one’s bike.  And I really can’t see myself slinging this thing over my shoulder to haul the MAGNUM around town, but some might do this.  That said, the case  does hold the device and accessories rather well.

Last-Minute Update

As I was preparing the last few edits to this review, I noticed that the MAGNUM is currently not shown on the main Yubz site.  I emailed Yubz about this and they responded, “Yubz MAGNUM is available for customer to order but now we put it as a offline retail item” and that a special form must be filled out to order it.  However, I also Googled Yubz MAGNUM and found this page, which shows the price to now be $164.95 instead of the previous $109.95, and it appears to be available in red, green and yellow in addition to black.  Not sure why Yubz has doing this, but there you go.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Speakers

YUBZ MAGNUM Bluetooth Speaker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 24, 2010 at 1:00 pm.

Apple’s iPod and iPhone are great personal music players, but sometimes you want to listen without earbuds or you want to share your music with friends.  There are a variety of speaker accessories you can buy at various price levels and offering different options.  The inMotion Classic from Altec Lansing offers portability and a rechargeable battery, among other features.  I was happy to give it a try when Julie offered it for review.

I’d like to give you a lot of specs about sound frequency and power, but I couldn’t seem to find them anywhere.  They weren’t on the box.  The only document I received in the box was the warranty information, and the online manual didn’t have anything either.  There was a specifications document available on the Altec Lansing website that offered the following information:

Audio Alignment™
Drivers, enclosure and electronics are balanced for optimum sound.
Clear, digital sound pushing full, pulsing bass
Digital signal processing technology delivers thumping bass.
Digital FM Radio
Tune in with a telescopic antenna, LCD display and station presets.
High-contrast LCD
Always know your beat.  Track, artist, album and station display.
Rechargeable battery
5 hours of rechargeable freedom.
Full-feature remote
Complete control over menu and music options.
Music Pause
Automatically pauses music when a call is received on the iPhone.
Interference Free
Unique design is immune to mobile phone interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode.
Auxiliary input
Switch it up by connecting a second audio source.
Universal dock for iPhone and iPod
Recharges while it plays your tunes.

The only thing I can add to the above is that you can clearly see two speakers through the black, mesh-like grill covering the front of the unit.  The grill seems to be made of a plastic material; it doesn’t feel like metal to the touch.  The body of the unit is silver and black plastics.  The front has no controls – only the dock connector.  The control buttons and a metal antenna are on top of the unit.  There is a plastic handle that converts to an easel-type stand; it folds to the bottom for storage.

What’s in the box:
inMotion Classic
A/C adapter
Two iPod adapters (instructions say one is for iPhone and one for iPods)
Remote control with battery included

I plugged in the A/C adapter and charged the unit.  The manual I downloaded said to allow about four hours for complete charging.  There is a battery icon on the small LCD display that shows full when charging is complete.  You have to turn the unit on to check the battery icon; there aren’t any lights or displays that show charging status while the unit is powered off.

After charging was complete, I unplugged the unit to try it with battery power.  I started out trying the FM radio.  There is no AM radio, but that is not a problem for me. I was a bit concerned when I couldn’t get the unit to power on.  Apparently there is a switch associated with the handle that turns the unit off when the handle is in the stored position – folded down to the bottom of the unit.  I had to move the handle to the back of the unit to form a stand before I could power on the unit.  When you turn the power on, the name and model number scrolls on the LCD display, then you are shown the source (iPod/radio station frequency/AUX) and the battery status.  When you are running off battery power, the display will go off after a few seconds; it stays on while connected to A/C power.  If you are using the iPod, the song name and artist will scroll on the LCD display.  If you are using the radio, the FM frequency for the station is displayed.

The controller buttons are located on top of the inMotion.  They are (left to right): power, source, volume down, volume up, track backward, track forward.  When you are using the radio, the track forward/backward buttons are used to select a radio station.  Press the track button to move to the next frequency, or press and hold a track button to scan the FM frequencies.  You can also use the remote control for these functions.  Use the volume + or volume – buttons to adjust sound levels, and use the track forward/backward buttons just like the ones located on top of the inMotion speakers unit.

There is a telescoping antenna on the top of the inMotion, and I found that I couldn’t clearly receive any stations without the antenna raised and partially extended.  Clear reception seemed to be very dependent on the orientation of the unit, as well.  The treble seems to be a bit muted when listening to the radio, but that could be simply an artifact of the range that radio is capable of transmitting.  The inMotion is capable of filling my living room (14 X 17 feet) with clear sound at lower sound level settings (around 9 or 10).  I even cranked it up to a 29, and the sound still was clear with no distortion.  I found 29 to be too loud for enjoyable listening, but it still sounded fine.

You can have four preset stations with the inMotion Classic.  Use the remote control unit to store and select the presets.  To create a preset, tune the desired station, then press and hold the P1/P2/P3/or P4  button on the remote until you see the “stored” message on the unit’s LCD display.  Recall a preset station while in FM mode simply by pressing the desired preset button.

I moved to the iPod next.  The manual says the inMotion Classic works with “3^rd generation iPods, the iPhone and the iPod touch.”  I have an iPod touch (2^nd generation).  Neither of the included dock adapters seemed to fit the touch.  One appeared to be for the iPhone (according to documentation).  The second one seemed to have an opening that would fit the 2^nd generation shuffle; whatever it was for, it didn’t work for the touch.  The documentation said you could use the dock adapter that came with your iPod.  I found it a little difficult to seat my iPod to make a connection with the dock connector, but a little wiggling and pushing on the iPod finally got it seated.  The remote control is used to navigate and control the iPhone/iPod’s music functions.  Use the MENU button to enter the iPod’s menu.  Use the MENU up and down buttons to scroll around in the displayed menu.  Use the MENU< button to move back to the previous menu; the SELECT button selects the menu option.  Of course, the remote will work from across the room, but you can only read the menu when you are close to the unit.

Buttons on the remote can be used to control other functions of the iPod.  The P1 button toggles between album shuffle mode/song shuffle mode/shuffle off for most iPod models.  P2 shuffles between repeat one/repeat all/repeat off for most models.  P3 returns to the previous playlist;  P4 advances to the next playlist.

The inMotion Classic charges your iPod or iPhone while it is docked – even when the speakers are turned off.

Sound from the iPod seemed brighter than from the radio, which does suggest the muted sound when listening to the radio is a function of the sound frequencies you get from FM transmissions.  The inMotion isn’t capable of shaking the floor, but you get a pretty good bass sound from such a small unit.  Again, the sound was clear with no distortion even at volumes too loud for comfortable listening.  The inMotion had no trouble filling my living room with sound.

Speaking of filling a room with sound…  One of the buttons on the remote is labeled ESS.  The manual says this button toggles “Expanded Sound Stage”, which is a proprietary technology to “widen the stereo image to fill a room with sound.”  I’m not an audio expert, but I couldn’t notice any difference with the ESS on or off.  It didn’t make a difference with the radio or with the iPod.

The remote has a mute button so you can quickly stop the sound without turning off the unit.  I don’t have an iPhone, but documentation says the sound temporarily stops when a call comes in.  It also says that the inMotion is “immune to mobile phone interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode.”

The remote storage slot is at the top, above the inputs.

The inMotion also has an auxiliary input on the back so you can connect other audio sources.  The remote can only control the volume for the auxiliary unit, as you would expect.

Because the inMotion is portable, the unit has a convenient storage slot for the remote control.  You simply slide the remote into the slot, turning the buttons toward the back of the inMotion.  The edges of the remote have a beveled shape to allow it to fit into the storage slot securely.  To aid in carrying the inMotion with you, the plastic stand can be flipped to the top of the unit to make a carrying handle.  Documentation says you can get up to five hours of playing time from lithium-ion battery when fully charged.

The inMotion is a good little speaker set for iPhone and iPods.  It delivers good sound from a compact unit.  It’s also portable, so you can take it with you.  It doesn’t have an alarm clock function, but it is capable of working with the alarm clock function of the iPhone and many other iPods.  It would work well on your bedside table or on your desk.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: iPhone related, iPod related, Speakers

Altec Lansing inMotion Classic Portable Stereo for iPhone and iPod Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 9, 2010 at 12:15 pm.

When it comes to gadgets, I think product design is a key area to think about.  Some people might argue that build quality is more important and ultimately, I may tend to agree to an extent.   However, when a gadget has an eye-catching design that really turns heads, then it certainly has to be worth a second look!

Keeping this in mind, Bytelove recently sent me the Fred 500 XL Earbud Speakers to review, which have been carefully and manufactured to look exactly like the original iPod earbuds.  They’re just… well, much bigger!  500 times bigger in fact.

Basically, they’re a pair of inexpensive speakers which can be used with your iPod, MP3/CD player or PC/Laptop.  During the review, I used them with my laptop and also my Blackberry 8900.

They can be powered by either 3 x AAA batteries (not included), by USB from your laptop/PC or you can plug in your own 5v power supply (not included).

So, let’s have a closer look!

The speakers arrived in a clear, clamshell-style pack which allows you to have a good look at the size of them and also the funky design & colours.

Speaker Specifications

• Speaker Size:  32mm Diameter
• Dimensions:  100(L) x 85(D) x 170(H) mm
• Rating:  3 Watt
• Impedance:  4 ohms
• Frequency Response:  250 – 10000Hz
• Weight:  415g (without batteries)
• Power source:  USB Power (DC 5v) or Battery Power (3 x AAA) or external power supply
• Maximum Power Output:  1.5w (USB) or 1.4w (Battery)
• Accessories:  3.5mm Audio Jack Cable x 1 & USB power cable x 1

Package Contents

• Speakers & Power box
• USB (DC) cable (42″ in length)
• Audio cable (41″ in length)

500 XL speakers with the power box, audio cable and USB cable

500 XL power box showing inputs and power select switch (Battery or USB)

You also get a very basic instruction card to refer too, which advises which part is which, however as it’s as case of ‘plug and go’ you’ll probably not need to refer to it at all.

Simply plug in the USB cable (or your own power supply) to the power box DC input and plug the other end into your devices USB port (or indeed, insert 3 x AAA batteries into the power box) and then plug in the audio cable.   Then, just flick the switch to the desired choice of power (USB/DC or battery) and you’re wired for sound!

In Use

The quality of the 500 XL’s is really what you’d expect for a pair of inexpensive speakers.  They do have a built-in amp and although it’s not very big, the sound of the audio produced isn’t too bad.  I did crank up the volume to the maximum level, but the speakers couldn’t handle it and distortion took over.  Also, the finer detail of both bass and treble isn’t crisp throughout the volume range, but overall the sound produced from a mix of music was ok.

However, I would add that these speakers are most certainly not designed to be used for any serious music listening.    They also managed to pick up a little signal noise from my cell phone, so keep it well away.

Using the speakers with batteries, I managed to drain the power from them within a days listening.  So, if you are thinking about using them on the move with your MP3 player, keep some spare cells in your gear bag.   Mind you, the cells I used weren’t the best on the market, so use something decent and they’ll no doubt last a little longer.

They do sit nicely on a flat surface, with the face of the speakers angled up slightly towards you and there is enough cable length to have one either side of your laptop or monitor, and beyond if you prefer, so you can have them at either corner of your desk for instance.

One downside of the speakers design is that there are no external volume controls.  Therefore, all volume changes must be done from your device only.  This itself isn’t a huge problem, but an addition of a volume control to maybe one of the speakers, or even the power box would certainly be very advantageous.

Even though they are giant earbuds, they are small & light enough to fit into any gear bag (They went in mine ok!) so you could even use them when travelling on the train or plane, if you really wanted to.   They will turn a few heads though, I’ll warn you now.  I’ve had numerous people at work pick them up and put them to their ears!

In Conclusion

All in all, the Fred 500 XL Earbud Speakers are a great purchase, if indeed you’re looking for a pair of desk speakers that are just a bit different to the rest.  The price won’t really shock you and the sound produced is fine for general day-to-day listening and they really do look the business.  For these reasons, I would certainly recommend them.

The only downsides as mentioned are the lack of volume control, poor top end bass performance and they did drain my batteries fairly quickly.

As I mentioned at the start of the review, sometimes the design of a gadget works more in its favour than build quality and this is certainly the case for the 500 XL’s.

Do you know any Apple geeks?   Then I think these would make the perfect gift!

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Speakers

Fred 500 XL Giant Earbud Speakers Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 7, 2010 at 8:59 am.

The Vibe and Shake speakers from Tunebug are designed to turn any flat surface into a speaker. I’ve reviewed similar speakers here before and usually ended up disappointed (although the Kerchoonz K-box Gel speaker was great) in the sound quality. The Shake caught my eye because it includes mounts for bike, skateboard and ski helmets. I’d be curious to know if they succeed in providing good sound or just a headache. The Vibe is available now for $69.95 and the Shake will be available at the end of the month for $119.95.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

Tunebug – Turns any flat surface including your head into a speaker originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 6, 2010 at 1:00 pm.

We carry more and more music with us every day- MP3 players, cell phones, laptops, and more. We are also carrying a dizzying array of ways to play this all back- earphones, headphones, mini-speakers, big speakers, travel speakers, radio docks, stereo docks and more. What does the Tenqa SP-99 Bluetooth Speaker add to this mix?

Well, in a nutshell- wireless connectivity to all of your Bluetooth stuff. While it has both a stereo in and stereo out jack, and comes with a handy 15″ M-M 1/8″ stereo patch cord, its strength is that it connects easily to your Bluetooth gear- and as a bonus, can even act as a remote control if the Bluetooth device is AVRCP compatible (my HP Mini laptop is, my Blueberry Curve 8300 is not).

SP-99, power cord, and patch cord

Let’s talk specs.  The SP-99 is packed with the 15″ patch cord, a nice long power supply (classic wall wart design), and a short instruction booklet. It can run on AC or 4AA batteries (not included).  It does OK on the Gadgeteer Creak Test, and feels fairly solid in your hands.

• Bluetooth v2.0, Class 2
• A2DP (stereo music) and AVRCP compliant
• 15″ x 6.3″ x 7.1″ (My own measurements show it to be 8″w x 3″h x 1.6″d- I don’t know where the got the others, they seem to be the box size.)
• 2 watts of power per speaker
• Controls for next and last songs, play/pause, and louder and softer
• LEDs for power and Bluetooth connections

If your player is AVRCP compliant, the controls pictured below will work. if it is not, they will not. The controls are well-placed and well-labeled, but offer no tactile feedback.

Controls- LEDs appear to either side of Bluetooth logo

Back- power, on/off, line in, line out

The instructions walk you through the easy set-up. I paired up with my Blackberry and HP Mini quickly, although the HP did not immediately send the music to the SP-99 until I restarted the HP. The instructions do not tell you much about using the remote controls on the SP-99 but describe taking and making calls nicely.

The quality of the SP-99 is about what you might expect for a pair of inexpensive speakers. When the speakers are on and the music is paused, there is soft static and noise. You can hear details in the music, like the movement of fingers on guitar strings, but there is a definite muffling or lack of clarity, as well as not much in the way of bass and treble. I do not hear much of a difference if I use a different Bluetooth source or if I use the patch cord instead of the Bluetooth. Bottom line, they sound like a lot of other small portable speakers.

You can crank up the volume quite a bit. Using my Blackberry, it can be made loud enough to be uncomfortable to be near- but you will get the typical distortion from that.

OK, so this is not an audiophile gadget. Who would want it?

I find it great to have around for ‘casual amplification’- using my Blackberry as a music player when teaching classes, for music in the park, to listen to my Blackberry in the car, and to offset the rather poor speakers in an older laptop with a Bluetooth card. I also see it acting nicely as someone’s main small-room, low-cost iPod speaker system that can be carried with if needed (workshop, bedroom, dorm, etc.)

It packs nicely into several pockets of my gear bag, and is easy enough to carry since it does not need other cables. A pouch would be nice, though.

Overall, a nice set of inexpensive speakers, especially if the Bluetooth wireless convenience is worth it to you! (And Amazon’s < $40 price as of 12-09-09 makes it a better deal!)

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Wireless

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Speakers

Tenqa SP-99 Bluetooth Speakers Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 16, 2009 at 2:19 pm.

Don’t let these Victorian age style speakers fool you. The Little Horn Speakers may look like something from a hundred years ago, but they use cutting edge electronics to provide a three-dimensional audio experience. They are 3 feet tall and are available in many color combinations. The price will probably scare you away from trying them… $1500 per pair. Ouch.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

Go a little vintage, get a little broke – Little Horn Speakers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 13, 2009 at 5:20 pm.