amplifier on technabob...

Most of today’s portable media players already have good sound quality, but their output can still be significantly enhanced using amplifiers. The only problem is, short of making a frankenplayer, there are currently no PMPs that have built-in amps. That will all change come June this year with the release of the HiFiMAN HM-801, a portable audio player equipped with…

If like me you’ve never heard of audio & video equipment manufacturer Goldmund before then you probably don’t know their tagline, which they took from Alice in Wonderland: “Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves.” I think we can all see the irony here; that line does not make much sense, seeing as it’s…

Looking for a cool speaker for your MP3 player? Check out this portable speaker that looks like a miniature version of the amps you might see up on a stage at a rock concert.

The MP3 Amp Speaker is a dead ringer for its larger cousins, complete with a cloth front grill, curved corner protectors and a textured finish that…

Like that big rock concert sound, but don’t want to carry around a Marshall stack on your back? Then check out this pocket-sized guitar amp which lets you turn it up to 11 all in the privacy of your own headphones.

Despite its size, Waves’ iGTR Personal Guitar Processor is a sophisticated piece of music gear, packing in a variety…

This modern backpack is sure to draw attention as you walk down the street — especially if you’ve got the volume cranked up. You see those big black patches? They’re loudspeakers.

Created by industrial design student Joonas Saaranen, the Reppo II backpack features a built in pair of full-range speakers and an amplifier, so you can kick out the jams…

Have some old computer gear lying around? Why not do what this guy did, and turn it into something useful once more.

By taking an old Apple 5-1/4″ floppy drive he found at a thrift store, then working some electronics wizardry on the interior, modder Jeff Kobi took this old piece of tech junk and gave it new life as…

If you don’t already have a compact stereo for your iPod, you might want to check out this beauty. Featuring a natural looking cherry-veneered wooden cabinet, Versaudio’s Vers 2X certainly stands out from the crowd of plastic docking stereos which are a dime a dozen these days.

The Vers 2X offers room-filling sound thanks to a pair of 3-inch full-range…

This unique iPod docking station combines a home for your media player with a powerful tube-based amplifier.

Unlike most iPod docking stereos, Lars & Ivan’s PA-40Ti Hybrid iPod Dock skips the built-in speakers, and instead gives you 40 watts of stereo amplification that can power speakers of your choosing. While your iPod gets a cozy place to sit, the dock…

Rocker/ Case Modder Kneivel put together this ingenious home arcade cabinet by taking a stack of Marshall amp cases and transforming them into a Guitar Hero themed gaming system.

The system is made from 3 individual cabinets which can be disassembled in case he wants to taking the show on tour. Gaming is powered by a PlayStation 2, preloaded with all…

The latest in Yamaha’s series of “Digital Sound Projectors” takes the critically-acclaimed virtual surround technology found in their larger YSP series and shrinks it down to a box that’s just 24-inches wide. (The full-sized models are around 40-inches wide).

The YSP-500 reflects sound from 18 individual sound drivers to deliver truly immersive surround with only a single box. Just like…

Many audiophiles will tell you that there’s nothing quite as sweet as the sound of a good old analog tube-based amplifier. While there are a handful for tube amps for the iPod already out there, most of them are quite expensive.

This dock from Dice Electronics looks to change that. Not only does the Dice iTPA-220 docking stereo have killer…

I’ve certainly seen some odd gadgets come across my desk, but these plush speakers from Korea have to be some of the weirdest I’ve ever seen.

These “BooRu-BooRu” dolls look like some sort of bizarre Teletubbies on crack. They have a soft cloth body and hide their controls in the eyeballs, ears and tummies. Each of these battery-powered speakers has…

This pocket-sized speaker may look like nothing much, but it has some unique design properties that help it crank out some serious low-end.

The XMI X-Mini Capsule Speaker features a special vacuum chamber which opens up like an accordion. The makers of the speaker claim this design mimics the acoustic properties of subwoofers, significantly enhancing bass output when compared to…

These freshly baked cupcakes from Semk may look tasty, but you’ll probably chip a tooth on ‘em if you try to bite in. That’s because they’re actually speakers, not cupcakes. Bummer.

Yep, no delicious frosting, just bass and treble. Just plug these compact stereo speakers into any media player or computer and you’ll be ready to rock out. They’re brand…

Denon today revealed their latest home theater sound system, the DHT-M380. The new system has one major distinguishing characteristic… the speakers have beautiful hardwood cabinets.

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…