I’m getting tired of repeating myself, but here goes: Braven speakers make some of the best speakers I’ve reviewed, blah, blah, blah. With all the Braven reviews I’ve written, it’s beginning to sound trite, but it is true. Over the past few years, I’ve watched Braven evolve from a maker of the really good small, […]
Braven BRV-XXL Bluetooth speaker review Read More
For 7 years, I’ve owned—and still use—the Klipsch X10i in-ear headphone (earphone). It quickly became one of my all-time favorite earphones for a couple of important reasons. The X10i sounds fantastic and they are the most comfortable pair of earphones I have ever used, period. They’re even more comfortable than my custom in-ear monitors that
Klipsch X20i in-ear headphones review Read More
It’s always interesting when a new brand of lawn equipment comes out of nowhere and captures the imagination—and wallets—of consumers. Introduced in 2014, EGO has spent the last ten years researching and developing the Power+ platform, resulting in a line of cordless outdoor yard equipment with the power and performance of gas without the noise,
EGO cuts the cord but not the power with new outdoor products Read More
I’ve written about Braven so much over the past few years that it’s no surprise when they continue to release new speaker after new speaker. Do these people ever sleep? One look at their website and you begin to realize that Braven means Bluetooth. I will soon be reviewing their new small and chunky BRV-1M,
Braven sharpens its speaker line with the new BRV-Blade Read More
I’ve reviewed a few noise canceling headphones over the years and one constant in all those reviews is that noise canceling alters the sound of whatever music you’re playing—and not in a good way. It seems to be the nature of the beast—if you want to block out distracting noise, be prepared to pay the
AKG N60NC noise canceling headphone review Read More
When is a monster really a monster? The cable/speaker company Monster (of course) may have just answered that question with the new Monster Blaster BoomBox. The Monster Blaster recalls the glory years of the classic 80s BoomBox, but with a modern design and the latest in Bluetooth technology. With deep bass, the Monster Blaster has
In an increasingly crowded world of portable Bluetooth devices, a few speakers manage to stand apart from the crowd—some for good reasons and some for bad. A company called Maqe (pronounced make) has come up with a unique way to set its new SoundJump speaker apart from the me-too crowd. Sure, it’s a gimmick, but
Maqe SoundJump wireless Bluetooth speaker review Read More
After reviewing their entire line of headphones, I always wondered why a renowned French speaker company such as Focal would make home speakers costing almost $200,000 (!) and yet make their headphones reasonably priced. Granted, the Focal Spirit Classic headphones are not cheap at $400, but comparatively speaking, that’s downright affordable. So it’s no surprise
Focal reaches for utopia with a new line of high end headphones Read More
Okay, let’s state an obvious fact: Father’s Day is around the corner and dads like stuff. And many dads (like me) like electronic stuff. If your dad—or husband who is also a dad—enjoys music, maybe this is the year to consider headphones for that Father’s Day gift. Headphones come in all varieties of type, looks,
Fathers like stuff. Master & Dynamic makes great stuff. Read More
A year ago, I reviewed the over-ear Pendulumic STANCE S1+ (their only headphone model) and came away quite impressed. Pendulumic has now introduced the on-ear TACH T1 headphone with upgraded battery management and better noise isolation. The headband is also more traditional looking and softer feeling.
Pendulumic TACH T1 has an unusual name for a serious headphone Read More
Hi, my name is Bill Henderson and I’m an addict. I confess, I am a coffee addict. Ironically, I don’t drink it for the caffeine kick. Caffeine has no effect on me. I drink it for the taste. I like coffee. Currently my household uses a Keurig style maker made by Cuisinart. It’s a basic
The Ninja Coffee Bar can turn you into a barista Read More
I’ve always been a fan of digital audio converters (DAC). They can make good headphones and earphones sound better by bringing out the best they have to offer. Audio listening is only as good as the weakest link, so if you’re wondering whether those expensive headphones can sound as good as advertised, upgrading the DAC
iFi Nano iDSD DAC and Headphone Amp review Read More
Is it me or does the name “Campfire Audio” sound a like bit like an oxymoron? High-end audio and the natural world of a camp fires don’t seem to go together—or do they? When you consider that nothing is more organic or natural as sound, then maybe comparing sound to fire isn’t much of a
Campfire Audio shoots for the stars Read More
I’ve reviewed my share of Braven speakers and have liked—or really liked—them all. I will soon review the MONSTER (caps mine) Braven BRV-XXL. That’s going to be fun. However, it’s 20 lbs! Not exactly sized for lugging around even though it’s made for outdoor use. Enter the much smaller (and lighter) Braven BRV-1M. At first
The Braven BRV-1 evolves into the BRV-1M Read More
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Audioengine. Their products—from the small A2+ to the larger A5+ speakers— are solidly built, affordable without being cheap, and sound terrific. What’s not to like? When I reviewed the A5+ speakers, I talked about how massive they were in both weight and sound. I used to think
Audioengine HD6 Powered speakers review Read More
Most travelers who are familiar with noise-canceling headphones usually think of Bose first because Bose is considered one of the best noise-canceling headphones available. However, there are many other players in this market with more coming every year. Paww is a new challenger with the Paww WaveSound 2 headphone. When looking at the box of the WaveSound 2,
Paww WaveSound 2 headphone review Read More
Phiaton is one of those audio companies that constantly and consistently releases new models of interesting earphones and headphones. Just when you’ve gotten used to one headphone, it’s been discontinued and another has taken its place. Their headphones and earphones are also some of the prettiest designs available, although the earphone’s beauty is mostly hidden
Phiaton PS 202 NC noise canceling earphones review Read More
Audio company Denon has gone after multi-room speaker maker Sonos in a big way with their revamped HEOS HS2 line of speakers. When I reviewed the original Heos 1 wireless speaker, one of my complaints about it was it lacked Bluetooth—unless you bought the Heos Go Pack, a $100 addition which also included a rechargeable
Denon takes a shot at Sonos with the revamped HEOS HS2 system Read More
Creative just won’t leave it alone. First they came out with the Sound Blaster Roar speaker which put almost all other Bluetooth speakers to shame. Then came the Sound Blaster Roar 2 which was 20% smaller, yet improved on the original Roar in almost every way. Now, they’ve dropped the Sound Blaster name entirely and
I roar, you roar, we all roar for iRoar Read More
Over a year ago, I reviewed the small, but tough and waterproof Fugoo Bluetooth speaker. It became my choice when I need to just grab a speaker and go. It’s not the best sounding portable speaker—that honor goes to the incredible and more expensive Bowers & Wilkins T7—but it does sound great and is one
Fugoo Sport XL Bluetooth speaker review Read More