Tag archive: Sound

Researchers at Brown University have released findings in Science that explain how, amid a flurry of trees, bushes, debris and other bats, a single bat can hone in on a target and remain locked during chase. Bats hunt at night and thus rely on sonar to sound their way through the dark; their eyes are not believed to be of much use. As scientists learn more, the developments will inform how we can install better navigation systems in vehicles… Read More

Peripheral and accessory maker Logitech has announced four new sets of PC speakers that promise omnidirectional acoustics, meaning the speakers generate a bigger “sweet spot” for accurate reproduction of audio because they have drivers that face both forward and backward. The idea is to provide better sound for folks who might be moving themselves (or their computers!) around a room or an office, but don't want the hassle… Read More

Apple's new (and much-hyped) operating system update is already bundled inside the iPhone 3G S, but existing iPhone owners can now download iPhone OS 3.0 right from iTunes – though be patient, as Apple's servers are currently experiencing traffic jams. In case you're unfamiliar with what's new, more than 100 features have been added to iPhone OS 3.0, most notably: The ability to copy/cut and paste text between… Read More

Vizio has taken the wraps off its new VSB210WS Sound Bar, a new home theater audio system that works with most HDTVs (although Vizio, obviously, hopes consumers will pair it up with a Vizio unit) and aims to provide an audiophile-level experience while offering technologies that enhance users television and movie viewing. The VSB210WS Sound Bar features four 3-inch midrange drivers and two 1-inch aluminum neodynium tweeters, along with a… Read More

Your existing PC is so slow it can barely run Windows Solitaire. Video editing? Hardly. You’d be lucky if you can edit a Word document without it crashing. If this sounds familiar, don’t fret, as there’s some good news for computer users facing the inevitable upgrade: There’s never been a better time to buy a new PC. Prices are at an all-time low, while at the same time, computers are becoming incredibly… Read More

Ordinary PC speakers work great in situations where you can jam a computer in the corner and only worry about sound travelling in one direction, but if your room setup is a little more complicated, that might leave one side of the room woefully quiet. Logitech set out to fix this problem by creating a pair that throw sound equally in all directions: its new Z-5 desktop speakers, introduced on Tuesday. The tall rectangular speakers have… Read More

Anyone who's set up a home theater with surround sound knows what a pain setup and calibration can be. First of all, the idea of surround sound is great until you try to get speakers set up around your bookshelves, umbrella stands, pet beds, end tables, lamps, and (let's not forget) furniture. Once the speakers are set in no-doubt less-than-ideal spots, you get to spend hours calibrating your audio. Just when it sounds great,… Read More

Accessory and peripheral maker Turtle Beach has rolled out another entry in its line of gaming headphones in the form of the Ear Force X4 headset for the Xbox 360. Billing the cans as the most advanced wireless headphones ever build for console gaming, the X4s promise to bathe users in 5.1 Dolby surround sound while offering unique features like the ability to duck game sounds during chats. “The addition of Dolby 5.1 channel surround… Read More

Onkyo has introduced three new affordable “home theater in a box” systems designed as entry-level purchases that can get film buffs, gamers, and new HDTV owners into the world of home theater and surround sound without straining their pocketbooks. Leading the group of new systems is the HT-S5100, offering 7.1 channel surround count, three HDMI inputs (with 1080p pasthru), and an iPod dock that lets users plug in (and, of… Read More

Hilton Hotels today announced they've outfitted a select number of rooms at some of their properties with high-tech gear to create a home theatre like experience. These new Sight+Sound Rooms are available via 25 guest rooms at the Hilton Chicago O’Hare International Airport and 30 guest rooms at the Hilton San Francisco. The Hilton Sight+Sound Rooms have LG 42-inch flat-screen plasma televisions, a Yamaha YSP-800 digital sound… Read More

Vista launched earlier this week and Apple’s PC vs. MAC campaign has already been addressing it with spots showing the PC guy in a hospital gown in need of surgery for Vista. Given that better than 95% of the Windows users who move to Vista will get it with new hardware and that Apple systems that run Vista will also probably require some surgery, this is a little misleading but all is fair in love and advertising. I do get a big kick… Read More

If you've been craving that immersive media experience for your movies, music, and games, but building yourself a new sound-insulated room with 7:1 surround, a thousand or so watts of amps, and pneumatic-powered floor-rocking shock controller modifications is a little impractical, Ace Bayou has solutions for you under $100 in the forms of its X Rocker II and V Rocker easy chairs with built-in sound systems. And, even better,… Read More

Onkyo, a consumer electronics company which produces audio components, today announced they were shipping a new audio/video receiver which is compatible with XM Satellite Radio's new 5.1 channel surround sound offerings. The new TX-SR504 is priced at just under $300. The TX-SR504, said Onkyo, is XM Ready, meaning one need only hook a XM satellite antenna to it to receive the broadcast service's programming. This receiver is… Read More

Newcomer Banshee Audio introduced two new all-in-one 5.0 surround sound listening stations for portable entertainment related devices at CES 2006 in Las Vegas in early January. These new portable speaker systems focus on PSPs, iPods and MP3 players. The Banshee for PSP ($129) and Banshee for iPod ($149) are identical in tech specifications except for their color (black for PSP and white for iPod) and included docking cradles, which match… Read More

High end earphones manufacturer Shure last week at CES 2006 unveiled a new flagship product for their E Series product line. The E500 Sound Isolating Earphones are priced at $499 and should be available in May. The E500 Earphones utilize three miniature speakers