Acousticom’s Sound Egg is an acoustically-insulated pod, loaded up with a 5.1 surround sound system. In addition to the 5 precisely positioned satellite speakers, there’s also a hefty 10-inch subwoofer right under your seat. Talk about some serious rump-shaking. The guys at Acousticom claim the speaker system offers solid frequency response all the way from 20Hz up to 20KHz. As you can see from the photo below, you’ll still need to B.Y.O. home theater system and amp, but the chair has all of the speakers built-in.

Originally created for audio testing and home theater demonstrations, the Sound Egg is designed to provide a completely enveloping audio experience, that’ll have you never wanting to head out to the theater again. At least not when you’re by yourself, since there’s not really a good way to have multiple people share in the Sound Egg experience at the same time.

Ready to sit inside a giant egg and chill out to the latest blockbuster movies and video games? Don’t care for red and grey. No worries – the Sound Egg’s outer shell is available in 7 different colors, and you have 11 choices for the sound-deadening foam lining (a few colors cost $25 bucks extra). You can sit your butt in your very own Sound Egg for $1450 (USD) over at Acousticom’s online store.

This makes the speaker just about the same depth, if not slimmer than most flat screen TVs these days. The entire Slimstage40 measures just 39″ (W) x 3.3″ (H) x 3.4″ (D), making it perfect for widescreens measuring 37-inches and up.

Soundmatters claims that their system can produce pinpoint surround imaging without having to bounce sounds off of walls. In addition, the Slimstage40 doesn’t require a separate subwoofer, and can pump out frequencies as low as 45Hz. I wonder how much rumble they’ll really be able to crank out though. There are certain laws of physics at work here that would seem to me to limit the low-end potential without a separate sub. The good news is that there is a pre-amp output in case you do want some serious bass. (If you’re looking for a stealthy subwoofer companion, check out their Substage 200.)

The system is driven by eight individual amplifiers with a total of 170-watts of power. It can decode both Dolby Digital and DTS signals from analog or digital inputs, and also can crank out simulated surround from stereo sources. The other nice thing is that Soundmatters includes both a wall-mount bracket and adjustable feet for shelf mounting. Most similar speakers charge extra for the wall mount. I also like that it’ll come in a choice of either black or silver finishes, so you can match it to the color scheme of your television.

My past experience with all-in-one boxes like these is that while they don’t sound exactly like a 5.1 setup with separate speakers, they’re more than fine for living rooms and other environments where you don’t want a bunch of speakers and wires running everywhere.

The Slimstage40 arrives this November, with an MSRP of $899.

The Pioneer HTP-LX70 system features a standalone control “pod” which has a bright backlit display that shows the current input and other settings. It’s got full support for the latest surround technologies, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD master audio as well. It’s also got a special 3D spatialization technology which is said to provide some serious soundfield expansion.

The system has 400W of total power, driving the left, right and surround satellites at 50W each, but adding dual drivers to the center and subwoofer channels, so they each get 100W of amplification. Pioneer also opted to split the center channel in half, so you don’t have to try to fit the speaker under or over your television. I’m not sure what this means for center channel imaging, but I think that’s part of what they’re trying to accomplish with the 3D sound feature.

I like that this system offers three HDMI 1.3a ports, making it easy to hook up and switch multiple high-definition sources. The HTP-LX70 is definitely at the “high-end” of the Pioneer price range though, within a retail price of ¥261,000 (about $2200 USD.)

[Press Release]

The clean, elegant design lets the system integrate nicely into any living room. In addition to its styling, the DHT-M380 has some pretty decent specs for bookshelf sound system. It’s got a 120W amplifier, driving 6 audio channels. While that won’t exactly shatter any eardrums, it should be plenty for watching TV or the occasional DVD in your living room. 5.1 surround is available in DTS, DTS 96/24, Dolby Digital and Dolby ProLogic II formats, while there’s also 2.1 support for Dolby Virtual Speaker and Dolby Headphone technologies.

The system is expected to hit shelves in Japan this August, with a release in other countries down the road. Pricing hasn’t yet been announced.

[via AV Watch]

Amazingly the $800 DAV-IS10′s five tiny little speakers can crank out 50-watts each, which should be more than enough for producing decent levels. In contrast to the minuscule satellites, the system comes with a massive Subwoofer with dual 100-watt amplifier, so you can get your whole house shaking.

In addition to its audio capabilities, the IS10 has a 720p/1080i DVD player on board with slick touchscreen controls. The system includes Sony’s BRAVIA Theater Sync for interoperability of compatible devices over HDMI and will offer plug-and-play options including an iPod dock and wireless streamers via a Sony Digital Media Port.

Thanks to its microphone configuration, the recorder can accurately capture stereo positioning as well as 5.1 surround positioning when you record in 360° 48kHz/24-bit mode. The device can record 16-bit or 24-bit WAV files at up to 96kHz, and MP3 files at up to 320kbps. When equipped with a 4GB SD memory card, it can capture up to 2 hours of the 96kHz WAV files, or up to 138 hours in MP3 format. You can record for about 4 hours on a single set of AA batteries, or plug it into the included AC adapter for longer sessions.

The H2 includes a 512MB SD memory card, USB cable and a handy tripod stand. It should be available later this Spring for around $200.

[via PopSci via OhGizmo!]

The project, nicknamed LOGiWOOD, involved the painstaking process of pulling out all of the guts of the system, building completely new custom wood and veneer cases and rewiring the entire setup. According to the modder, the speaker system sounds as good or better than it did in the original enclosures, and it looks damned good doing it.

A full step-by-step explanation of the conversion process is up on the MetkuMods website.

[via I4U News]

The system simulates additional channels in between its standard 5 speaker surround setup, to produce the illusion of 10 individual speaker locations. It features a unique design with clear acrylic and aluminum flat speaker panels sitting atop glossy black pyramid bases. Beyond that it’s got all the requisite home-theater-in-a-box goodies, including a built-in DVD player and HDMI output. And no, the Korean chick in the picture does not come in the box.

[via AVING via Engadget]

The piano black and glass stand incorporates everything you need including speakers for front left/right, center, rear left/right and a subwoofer. An on-board amplifier provides 30 watts per channel to the left and right channels, 20 watts to the center, and 50 watts to the sub. To create a surround effect, the system bounces the rear channel sound off the walls at an angle to reflect the sound behind you. Simply plug in your DVD player or other audio source, set your TV on top, and you’re ready to go.

The X1 is currently available in the U.K. for

(*Siamese cat not included.)

Leave it to those shmancy European designers to come up with something with a little more style. Designed by Marcel Wanders, the minimal “Theatre + DVD” system, is a simple black wooden table with a full home theatre receiver hidden beneath its surface. The system features a 5.1 surround amplifier, subwoofer and a DVD player. The surround speakers are housed in black “pebble” enclosures that make the whole system seem very “zen.” The subwoofer amplifier is rated at 30 watts RMS and the satellites are rated at just 5 watts per channel. While this certainly won’t blow the roof off your media room, it’s probably sufficient for most smaller living spaces.

Available from Dutch electronic manufacturer, Holland Electro (click on the “Marcel Wanders” link to view the online catalog,) the system is priced at 299 Euros (about $389 USD).

[via crave]

The Ambisound system features virtual 5.1 surround sound from a single 5-inch deep box and a single subwoofer. It features a complete 5-channel amplification system and a built-in upscaling DVD player with HDMI 1080p output. Video processing is provided by a Faroudja DCDi chipset, so upscaling quality should be excellent. The Ambisound HTS8100 lists for $799, but can be found on Amazon for as little as about $650.

[Order From Amazon]

Channeling much of its style from Yamaha’s YSP surround systems, this one is a complete home theater in a box. It features a slot-loading DVD player, AM/FM Stereo and a media player dock.

The iLive Surround system is the first product to offer the new SRS TruSurround HD4, which provides virtually positioned speakers from a single device. The TruSurround HD4 chipset allows devices to process inputs of 1.0 to 6.1 channels and reproduce them in a virtual surround field using 4.0 to 5.1 speakers that are all positioned at the front of your home theater.

Pricing and a release date have not yet been announced.

LG is using the term as a result of additional woofers in the front left and right channels which are supposed to improve low frequency response. Last I heard, 5.1 systems weren’t forbidden from having woofers in the front left and right speakers, so I’m not sure why LG has made up this new term for something that has long been available in other systems. Other than just marketing silliness, can anyone tell me why this would be any better than a 5.1 system?

[via aving.net]

The top-of-the-line YSP-1100 features 40 high/mid-range speakers and 2 woofers, along with 42 discrete amplifiers to position sound using beam-focusing technologies. Last year, Yamaha improved upon the tricky calibration process of the 1st generation systems by adding their automated IntelliBeam system, and that feature is included in this year’s models as well.

The 1100 is said to have a wider virtual soundstage than prior models, and feature a new “My Beam” mode which allows you to save very precise positioning of the beams to a specific listening location to allow for a more intimate sonic experience.

Both the YSP-1100 and smaller YSP-900 support Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo:6 formats. The 1100 also adds built-in video switching of two component inputs and an RS-232 port and IR in/out ports for remote control installations.

The Yamaha YSP-1100 should be available this month, and lists for $1699.95 USD. The YSP-900 should run $899.

Speaking from personal experience (with the original YSP-1 in my home theater,) the surround capabilities are pretty astounding if you have a reasonably square or rectangular room with walls to bounce the beams off of. Be sure to add on an external subwoofer though for optimal bass reproduction.

[via Audioholics]

The Home Decor collection provides a number of disguises for the Acoustic Research HD510 series of speakers. Over 20 cover designs are avaialable. A variety of trunks covers subwoofers, while mantle clocks, candle holders, faux books, planters, wall sconces, vases and baskets conceal satellite speakers.

The coves fit snugly to prevent rattling and are acoustically transparent to preserve sound quality. The decorative covers range in price from $30 to $60 for the satellite speakers, and $80 to $100 for the subwoofer covers. The Acoustic Research HD510 Home Decor 5.1 Home Theater System retails for $899 USD.

The headphones have 4 speakers in each earmuff to create true surround sound, with certified Dolby Digital and Pro Logic playback. An external audio controller box contains the electronics for sound processing, and has ports for coax and fiber optic digital inputs. It also has outputs for two sets of surround headphones, or direct connection to 5.1 analog speakers. They’re available now for $149.99 including the headphones, audio controller box, power adapter, both coax and optical cables and a removable gaming microphone.