Category: Audio

If there’s one thing that’s frustrating about headphones on the market today, it’s that each pair seems to be designed for a very specific individual’s taste and comfort. This is especially true of large headphones that are worn over or on the ears.

This portable Stormtrooper Bluetooth speaker is a stormtrooper that can shoot straight for once, since it is shooting sound rather than lasers. This speaker comes from Blue Sky Studios and looks just like a classic stormtrooper helmet.

Since I work with a lot of audio and video content, I wear headphones all the time so as not to bother everyone around me while I’m getting my job done. I’m a bit of an audio geek, so I prefer to wear big, over-the-ear headphones for the best sound.

Toc is one beautifully crafted record player, even if it does sort of look like an almond merged with a record. It was designed by Roy Harpaz. It spins the vinyl vertically rather than horizontally, but more importantly it looks amazing doing it.

A couple of years ago we featured DrumPants, a set of wearable drumpads. Now the company is raising funds for the second version of its unique MIDI controller, which has improved features and open source software.

Wristboom is a Bluetooth speaker that sits on your wrist. You can do stuff like stream music to it, or take calls. Unfortunately you can’t start any calls though, because there’s only one button, and that just turns the device on and off, and accepts incoming calls.

So how exactly does a wireless speaker work without a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection? The Oaxis Bento uses electromagnetic induction tech to work its magic. Simply place your smartphone on top of the Bento’s platform and align its speaker with the marked line.

Passively amplified speakers come in all shapes and sizes, but industrial designer Steffen Kehrle’s installation is notable not only for its looks, but for its source of sound. While most passive speakers amplify the sound from a mobile device, Steffen’s Speaker consists of five cones that boost the sound from headphones.

The next time you see someone walking down the street with a pair of wireless buds inserted into their ears, they might not be listening to their favorite jams. What could they be they listening to?

Perhaps the biggest problem with tablets is that most of them don’t have very good speakers built in. With few exceptions, tablets have tiny, tinny sound. I’ve got an iPad Air, and it’s certainly not very good in the audio department.

I’ve tested out numerous headphones and earbuds over the years, but this is actually the first time I’ve tried a pair of in-ear monitors. These specialized earphones are optimized for performers to use on stage so they can hear their performance without the echoes and ambient noise from the venue around them.

Building on its heritage as one of the premier makers of amps for the music industry, Marshall has extended its reach with the quality of its home audio products. Unlike some companies who might just slap their logo on a licensed piece of third-party equipment, it’s clear that Marshall cares about the quality of not just the hardware, but the sound of its home gear.

Play Through the Fire and Flames literally through fire and flames with the Sound Torch. It’s a bluetooth speaker with a built-in burner on top, which emits flames that are synchronized with what’s playing. The Sound Torch can play audio for up to 12 hours per charge, while its lighter fluid container holds up to 4 hours worth of fluid.

The Divoom Voombox Party is a great little speaker if you’re looking for big, clean sound in a small package. Measuring in at about 9″ wide, this portable Bluetooth speaker offers up enough volume to fill a living room, dining room or deck, so it’s perfect for adding music to any occasion.

Brando must be losing its touch. Now it’s selling products that I actually want to buy, like this 1:1 scale model of Iron Man’s Mk. XLIII helmet that’s also a Bluetooth speaker. What’s happening Brando? Did you replace your dart boards and bingo machines with actual merchandisers?

It’s really difficult to stand out from the vast sea of phone cases on the market. The guys behind the Impulse phone case have done just that. What makes the Impulse truly different is that it doubles as a portable speaker.