Headphone Test Video
PC Magazine (pcmag.com) has posted a video and step-by-step guide on how they test headphones. Tim Gideon, Lead Audio and Video Analyst for PC Magazine, shows us how he tests headphone and earphones.
The featureless face in this picture is not a department store mannequin-it’s our new testing system for headphones and earphones. Manufactured by HEAD Acoustics, in Germany, the ACQUA system and HMS II.3 head and torso simulator consists of a life-size human head with measurement microphones placed in each ear, roughly where the eardrums would be. It’s all connected to a computer and an outboard box that sends audio signals to earphones sitting in the artificial ears. The output of the earphones is then measured by the internal microphones, and the results are displayed in graphs and data sets in the software.
In the step-by-step guide Tim addresses topics like: What Is Frequency Response?, Our Testing Methodology and Understanding the Results.
Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 Channel AV Receiver
The Onkyo TX-SR605 AV receiver sits just under Onkyo’s outstanding SR705 as the more affordable, and perhaps practical, sibling. The TX-SR605 provides emodies versatility with features such as multi-room playback, a full connectivity suite (with switching and upconversion), satellite radio connectivity, room calibration and integrated system control.
As for features, the TX-SR605 offers two HDMI v1.3a input, three component video, five S-Video, and five composite video inputs. There is upconversion of all composite and S-video inputs to both HDMI and HD-quality component video to eliminate the need for multiple redundant video connections to modern video displays. For displays that are not compatible with 480i video, the receiver also provides Faroudja DCDi de-interlacing circuitry to convert 480i signals to progressive scan. There are a total of five digital audio inputs, as well as five A/V and two audio-only analog inputs. Front panel A/V inputs, including optical digital jack, allow easy connection of A/V or audio devices such as a camcorder or portable mp3 player. Read more
“No Shoes Radio”
Typically, here at RAA we stick to equipment news and reviews, but being a country music fan I wanted to pass along the news that XM and Kenny Chesney are teaming up this summer to bring XM subscribers an exclusive station of everthing that is Kenny Chesney with “No Shoes Radio.”
Press Release
WASHINGTON, July 3 /PRNewswire/ — Midway through the year’s most attended Poets & Pirates Tour, complete with 14 NFL stadium plays, the four-time consecutive and current Academy of Country Music and three-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year has set his sights on XM Radio and his own signature music channel, “No Shoes Radio.”
Scheduled to launch July 26, “No Shoes Radio” will feature music from Chesney’s audio catalog, including never-before-heard recordings, an uncut, exclusive concert broadcast from the 2008 Poets & Pirates Tour, plus random drop-ins from fans, friends and plenty of music to bring to life the attitude that permeates Kenny Chesney’s world.
“There’s a lot of hits, but there are also a lot of album tracks, songs from the early part of my career, stuff from our Keg in the Closet shows and obscurities that you had to be there to hear,” says the Luttrell, Tennessee-born and -raised singer/songwriter with a laugh. “Anyone who knows anything about me knows how passionate I am about music, and this is a way to bring people into everything I love about songs, playing … music.”
“No Shoes Radio” will also include music beyond Chesney’s catalog, featuring both those artists who rocked Chesney’s world and the kind of music you could easily hear drifting from the backstage “Vibe Room” — capturing the sonic culture of the Poets & Pirates Tour.
“I think we’ve become a part of people’s lives,” admits the high energy performer. “The way a lot of bands were for us, we’re what they’re listening to when they’re hanging out, when they’re having fun, when they need to gear up for something. That’s what music always did for me … and it’s kind of mind-blowing to think that your songs could be that for someone else. So for all those fans out there, get ready for something pretty cool.”
In the spirit of his Corona-sponsored Poets & Pirates Tour, music and other content for “No Shoes Radio” will be captured on the bus, in the halls, around the soundchecks, and even during post-show jams. Beyond that, not only will Chesney’s special guests be taking part in the ad hoc merriment, look for tailgating fans from the parking lot to provide drop-ins, shout-outs and the occasional request.
Said Chesney, “This is a way to keep the vibe alive, long after our tour is gone.”
For XM, this sort of full-immersion, dedicated radio channel is reserved for a very few artists — Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, George Strait and the recently announced Coldplay. It offers a unique listening experience to hardcore fans of music that reflects a way of life as much as a record collection.
“‘No Shoes Radio’ will bring the same energy and fun found in the parking lot tailgates and the sold-out stadiums Kenny plays to fans across the country,” said Eric Logan, executive vice president, programming, XM Radio. “Kenny’s a tremendous talent and we’re excited to share his passion for music and life on XM.”
“No Shoes Radio” will be available on XM channel 18 from July 26 through October 25. The channel will also be on XM Radio Online (http://xmro.xmradio.com/), where it will stream for an additional three months. Complete programming information for the channel will be available online at http://www.xmradio.com/kennychesney.
Stay tuned. We may bring more artist news from time to time.
Cerwin-Vega Home Theater System
I have long been a fan of Cerwin-Vega’s deep rich base. With there 5.1 home theater system you will get that and much more. The Cerwin-Vega Cvhd-5.1 Cvhd Series 6-Speaker Home Theater System won’t win any awards for aesthetics (although, not ugly), however, if you want honest-to-goodness full range, rich sound you can’t go wrong.
The CVHD Series for high definition audio for home theater is true to the earthshaking legacy of Cerwin-Vega! It plays loud, delivers great bass, and brings home theater to an entirely new level. Finally you’ll hear what you’ve been missing, from the delicate overtones of a stringed instrument to increased vocal intelligibility of movie dialog. When the action begins, you’ll feel it like never before. The CVHD Series is just what you’ve always wanted from the company that defined bass! Read more
Sirius Satellite Radio on Apple iPhone and iPod Touch
Apple iPhone / iPod Touch owners and Sirius Satellite Radio Subscribers, you might want to sit down. (I guess you probably already are.) Oh yeah! A program called uSirius has brought you Sirius subscribers slash iphone and iPod Touch owners together. For you iPhone owners, isn’t that great? You can have your phone, iPod, camera, web surfing device and now Sirius radio all in one cool little package. What next?
You can stream Sirius radio tunes with an application called uSirius, developed by Millard Software, via Wi-Fi and EDGE. Once the iPhone 3G hits the streets you’ll have connectivity via HSDPA also. You are, of course, responsible for a Sirius subscription to get terrestrial tunes on your iPhone and iPod Touch.
Millard software has developed a software called uSirius - iPhone Edition BETA v.62 that is available for download at www.millardsoftware.com
Sony STR-DG820 AV Receiver
Sony Europe has announced a trio of new AV receivers, led by the powerful DG820. The headline features for this new AV receiver are as follows:
- High Definition Audio decoding: Dolby True HD, dts Master Audio and eight-channel Linear PCM
- HDMI v1.3 capability: four inputs, one output, with support for 1080p 24fps, Deep Colour/x.v. Colour
- Complete system control via BRAVIA Sync HDMI connection
- Digital Cinema Auto Calibration for fast, simple and accurate automatic set-up
- Digital Media Port connection for portable devices, plus Portable Audio Enhancer
- Enhanced surround modes: Digital Cinema EX, plus Neural-THX® Surround
- 7x 100W amplification
For more details on the DG820 AV receiver and its smaller siblings, check out the press release below. Read more
Polk Audio SurroundBar 50: Cnet First Look
Cnet has posted a VIDEO REVIEW of Polk’s SurroundBar 50. The SurroundBar 50 is a great all in one alternative to a full blown surround sound speaker system. Cnet (and most all other reviewers) recommend a subwoofer to complement the SurroundBar, however, high marks are given for its ability to reproduce music as well as TV and movie audio.
Click HERE to read my original post on the Polk SurroundBar 50, SurroundBar and SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater. Read more
Lamborghini and Sirius Team Up
What do you get when Lamborghini and Sirius Satellite Radio put their heads together? Well, starting in ‘09 you get a Murcielago with some of the greatest tunes on the planet. Lamborghini will install Sirius in every Murcielago. Standard. With a lifetime subscription. So if your in the market for a new 2009 Lamborghini, now you have one more reason to buy.
Press Release:
NEW YORK and SANTA AGATA, Italy, June 19, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) and Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. today announced that Automobili Lamborghini will offer SIRIUS as its exclusive satellite radio provider in Lamborghini vehicles. The first Lamborghini to include SIRIUS as standard factory installed equipment will be the Murcielago beginning with the 2009 model year in the U.S.
“We are very pleased to have Automobili Lamborghini as a partner.” said Mel Karmazin, CEO SIRIUS. “We look forward to working closely with Automobili Lamborghini to offer its customers the best in audio entertainment available for its prestigious vehicles.”
“SIRIUS was the natural choice for Automobili Lamborghini’s exclusive supercars,” stated Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. “Satellite radio gives our customers easy access to endless music options, therefore enhancing their ability to enjoy their vehicle on the road or track.”
SIRIUS will be standard equipment in each Murcielago and will include a lifetime subscription to SIRIUS Satellite Radio with every vehicle purchase.
MP3 Player Comparo
Cnet has posted an MP3 player comparison and you’ll be surprised at who’s top-of-the-stack. I am! The test was based on signal-to-noise ratio, total harmonic distortion, frequency response deviation, maximum power output, and stereo crosstalk, but who cares about that.
Here are the top contenders.
Cnet’s Review
eMusic: Get 50 Free Downloads
I just recently signed up with eMusic and thought I would pass on some basic information. eMusic downloads are completely DRM free so many of the big-name labels won’t use them, but if you’re an avid music lover check them out. They offer more than 3.5 million songs. With a paid subscription to eMusic you can enjoy 50 free MP3 music downloads DRM free. If you not sure about eMusic you can sign up for there 14 day risk free trial and get 25 free music downloads and 1 audio book download.
The basic monthly subscriptions are:
$11.99 (30 songs per month) = 40 cents per song
$14.99 (50 songs per month) = 30 cents per song
$19.99 (75 songs per month) = 27 cents per song
You can give the a try for 14 days for free and if you don’t want to continue service just cancel, but keep your 25 songs and there will be no further obligations.
eMusic has recently started offering audio books as well and if your an audio book lover you can get a monthly subscription for this service as well for $9.99 a month.
