All posts in “Audio & Speakers”

McIntosh Unveils MC3500 Mk II Amplifier

Serious audiophiles will know exactly why McIntosh’s handmade MC3500 Amplifier is iconic. Made famous for its rocking performance at 1969’s Woodstock festival, the 3500 amp has been reimagined for today’s most discerning home audio enthusiasts. The MC3500 Mk II is a retro-inspired tube amp with modern abilities; a 350-watt monoblock utilizing McIntosh’s Unity Coupled Circuit transformer, to deliver perfect sound output with 2, 4, or 8-Ohm impedance.

Beats Fit Pro Stays Put While You Work Out

With a new winged design and powered by Apple’s next-gen H1 chip, the latest earbuds from Beats, the true wireless Fit Pro, offers active noise cancelling and the flexible winged design matches the ergonomics of the human ear, for a more natural fit that stays put. They offer audio quality at Apple AirPod Pro levels while delivering 5 hours of playback plus 24-hours additional power in the charging case.

Master & Dynamic Debuts MG20 Gaming Headset

The luxe, E-sports focused design of Master & Dynamic’s MG20 headset marks a strong debut as the brand’s first Gaming Headset. The streamlined over-ear design features a detachable boom microphone and 7.1 surround sound playback is delivered via 50mm Beryllium drivers. They offer Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity as well as a wired option. Available Nov 16.

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Gets a Fresh Wireless Update

Since its glory days as the ultimate iPod dock, the unmistakable design of Bowers & Wilkins’ Zeppelin speaker has earned many fans. And with its latest update, the iconic 240 watt Zeppelin sounds better than ever. It is fully wireless with support for wireless standards like Qualcomm’s AptX Adaptive & Apple AirPlay 2 plus it now has built-in Alexa voice control.

Sony Brings Extra Bass to WF-C500 Earbuds

Sony’s WF-C500’s make it easier to get a pair of Sony XB buds in your ears. Being equipped with the brand’s XB “Extra Bass” technology, the streamlined, true wireless design thumps; and does so for up to 10 hours on a charge. 10 more hours of playback is stored in the charging case. With the Sony mobile app, users are able to make custom adjustments to bass & EQ.

Technics Introduces Two New True Wireless Earbuds

High-end hi-fi brand Technics just dropped 2 new wireless earbud models. The EAH-AZ60 and the EAH-AZ40 TWS. The 60 boasts 8-mm drivers, LDAC codec and hybrid noise cancellation while the 40 features a 6mm dynamic driver. Both have acoustic control chamber and harmonizer technology. Battery-life ranges between 4.5- 7 hours with the charging case providing up to 25 hours of playback.

Bose Brings Dolby Atmos To Smart SoundBar 900

Designed to integrate seamlessly into your home audio system, the Bose Smart SoundBar 900 is the brand’s first Dolby Atmos equipped sound bar. Its feature set includes a DMI eARC, Apple AirPlay 2, and multi-room Wi-Fi connectivity plus support for Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa. Pairs with existing Bose components & subwoofers. Available in black or white with a metal grill & glass-top capacitive touch-control display.

Bose Introduces QuietComfort 45 Headphones

Released more than 20 years ago, the original Bose QuietComfort headphones set the standard for noise-cancelling performance. The latest iteration of these iconic cans is the QuietComfort 45, which boasts 24-hour battery life, industry-leading ANC technologies, and an ambient noise feature called Aware Mode for safety & convenience while connected. Legendary Bose sound? Absolutely. And control buttons on the ear cups let you toggle easily between tracks, modes, volume & calls.

Nothing Introduces “Ear 1” Wireless Headphones

Taking direct aim at Apple AirPods, Nothing—a brand created by OnePlus founder Carl Pei—has just unveiled its noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds called simply “Ear 1”. The pods are equipped with 11.6mm drivers and offer 5.7 hours of playback & up to 34-hours using the charging case. They also offer Qi wireless charging for a pretty remarkable price. On sale on August 17th.

Sony Adds Atmos to HT-A9 Multi-Speaker System

Sony’s Dolby Atmos-equipped HT-A9 surround sound system is comprised for 4 identical wireless cylindrical speakers that can be placed anywhere in the room & use internal microphones to recognize obstacles like walls, and echo, then self-adjust to optimize audio. A small control box drives the 4 speakers, it connects via wi-fi & is compatible with both Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant.

Small Size, Big Sound: Beats Studio Earbuds

The new Beats Studio Buds are packaged in a much smaller form than the brand’s previous earbuds, making them much more workout-friendly. An IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance backs that up. The smaller looks doesn’t mean smaller sound though—they’re fitted with newly designed high performance 8.2-millimeter drivers. Available in red, black or white.

Strap This Sony Speaker To Your Beach Bag

With its beach-friendly waterproof design and pocketable size, Sony’s SRS-XB13 speaker makes a cool companion for hot summer days. With an IP67 rating for dust- and water-proofing plus a UV-coated finish, it’s built for all-weather outdoor action. Shorter than a common 12-ounce can, it is also very packable; with a webbing strap loop for lashing it to your pack or carrying around your wrist. Battery life: 16 hours. Available in a range of colors.

The Belkin Soundform Connect Dongle Gives Your Speaker AirPlay 2 Ability

Designed for Apple users, Belkin’s Soundform Connect dongle is a smart little nugget that transforms any powered home speaker into an AirPlay smart speaker that can cast using newer iPhone, iPad, Macs, and Apple TVs running iOS 11.4 or later. Robust controls allow you to customize the experience through multiple speakers and rooms using the app or Siri.

The Kube4 Speaker Delivers Big Sound Indoors & Out

101 decibels is loud for a home speaker, especially when you consider a live rock show will hit about 115dB. But there’s more to the Kube4 all-in-one audio system than loud volume. Designed in partnership with SoundHub, it’s a portable wi-fi & bluetooth speaker that supports AirPlay 2.0, Spotify Connect, and uses the Kube app to deliver a full-range premium audio experience. It has a waterproof rating of IPX5 for indoor-outdoor versatility and with 40-hours of battery life, it’ll keep the soundtrack pumping all weekend long. A funded Kickstarter.

Bowers & Wilkins P17 Wireless Earbuds are Ready for Flight

For the debut of their first true wireless earphones, the P17, Bowers & Wilkins created a unique solution to your in-flight audio woes. Because the case of these premium buds doubles as a transmitter, it can connect to in-flight entertainment & retransmit it wirelessly to your ears. They also offer ANC, AptX, IP54 waterproof & dustproof rating, 4.5 hours of continuous playback with 20 more hours stored in the charging case. Available in black & white/rose gold.

Bring SONOS Sounds Everywhere with the Roam Speaker

Powerful enough for room-filling sound at home while small enough for all-around portability, the Roam speaker from SONOS is a versatile little noisemaker. It’s the audio brand’s smallest and most affordable speaker yet but the feature set is impressive. SONOS is known for premium quality sound & fit the Roam with dual Class H amps and an arcing “racetrack” mid-woofer. The battery delivers over 10 hours of playback & the IP67 rating keeps it weather-protected in the great outdoors.

The Beosound Level is a Futureproof Connected Home Speaker

Seeking to extend the effective life of its high-end connected home speakers, Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound Level is a battery-powered speaker with a modular design that uses advanced chip technologies designed to handle software updates far into the future. The speaker streams via AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Spotify Connect & supports Google Voice Assistant. Battery offers 16-hours continuous playback & recharges via USB-C.

Very Sound Design: Devialet Phantom I Speaker

High-end French audio brand Devialet has just released the latest evolution of its infamous stand-alone speaker, the Phantom. The new & carefully upgraded Phantom I retains the same smooth, spherical design & with the luxurious good looks comes enhanced single-chip audio processing, Heart Bass Implosion (HBI) tech, and Apple AirPlay2 streaming support. Choose matte black or gloss white/rose gold.