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
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
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
B&W Zeppelin
If you tired of fooling around with those cheap, mediocre sounding iPod docks, step up to the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin. Your ears will not be disappointed or your eyes for that matter. This sleek piece of art will dock your iPod and not only look great doing it but will deliver beautiful full range sound. With its dedicated 50 watts of power driving the 5 inch woofer all the way down to 47Hz and two 25 watt amplifiers pushing the woven glass-fiber cones and alloy dome tweeters you will get clean, smooth bass and crisp highs all through the volume range.
The Zeppelin is constructed from polished stainless steel, high quality composite, excellent circuitry and high end speakers in a studio style enclosure. Zeppelin enjoys the same quality standards as their ultra high end speakers that sit in world renowned music studios. The Zeppelin even received a CES 2008 Innovations Award.
The Zeppelin has a USB port for software updates insuring future compatibility, S-video and composite connectors allowing video play-through to your TV from video enabled iPods, and an auxiliary input socket to connect items like a CD player or radio. Zeppelin operates on power input from 100v to 240v and will self adjust for use almost anywhere in the world.
At $600 the Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin is no bargain, but if you love your iPod and want it to deliver the best possible sound from a docking station with style and sophistication then you need to look no further.
Reviews
After unboxing and setting it up, which took all of a minute or so, I was definitely not disappointed in the least.
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) Zeppelin iPod Speakers are easily the most interesting-looking iPod speakers I’ve ever tested.
We’ve always had a lot of respect for B&W, as they don’t cut corners when it comes to building some really sweet speakers. The Zeppelin continues this tradition and adds a design that benefits sound quality even more than it does the eye.
The Zeppelin is an undeniably great iPod speaker: it looks amazing, and is far better built than most competing models, which are little more than hunks of plastic.
Rather than shy away from the digital music revolution, B&W has embraced it and created a product that brings hi-fi sound to the iPod generation.
Polk Audio SurroundBar
Are you disappointed with your new flat panel LCD or plasma TV’s sound quality? If so then Polk Audio has a great, simple all-in-one speaker solution to those large multi-speaker systems. It’s their SurroundBar, SurroundBar 50 and SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater.
Polk’s SurroundBar is a single, elongated speaker enclosure comprised of seven 3.5″ composite cone drivers and three 3/4″ silk dome tweeters that relies on Polk’s patented SDA surround technology to provide full, smooth, enveloping 360 degree sound in one package. It works with almost any receiver in almost any room to bring you the exhilaration of five channel surround sound from a single speaker cabinet. Polk even throws in a multichannel speaker cable, wall-mount bracket and table-top cradle. Add two more drivers for the SurroundBar 50.
The SurroundBar 360 DVD theater is an all in one package with HDMI connectivity. It is based on the original Surroundbar so you are going to get great Polk sound with the ease of one complete system. Just add the TV.
Reviews
The Polk Audio SurroundBar is best summed up by the company’s tag line: “Five channels. One speaker. Zero clutter.” We agree: the tidy package is ideal for buyers who get wobbly at the thought of stringing a mess of wires and speakers around their living rooms…
As a standalone solution to the clutter and set up hassles of a five speaker system, the SurroundBar succeeds.
When a multi-speaker home theater system does not fit into the decor, running wires is not practical, or the spouse says no, the Polk Audio SurroundBAR comes to the rescue with a quality product that’s about as close to a single speaker solution as one can get.
Speakers have made a slow progression from large to small to tiny to invisible. The Polk Audio SurroundBAR is in the latter category.
So along comes Polk Audio with the idea of giving those style-conscious home theater buyers an experience that’s pretty darn close to full-blown multiple-speaker-location surround sound…
Onkyo TX-SR705 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver
The Onkyo TX-SR705 is one of the best-selling receivers on the market now . . . and for good reason. The TX-SR705 features 100 watts/ch, HDMI 1.3a compatibility (and 3 of those inputs), internal 
decoding for the latest lossless high-definition audio formats, XM and Sirius Satellite Radio compatibility, and HDMI-based system control integration. Additionally, it is capable of accommodating single-cable pure-digital audio and video transfer from HDMI sources, including 1080p and Deep-Color capability. While it carries a suggested retail price tag of $899, it can be had for a modest street price of about $500 or so. Now, for the proof . . . check out the reviews below. Read more
Satellite Radio: XM or Sirius
Do we really need it?; Which is better, XM or Sirius?; and What kind of radio do I need? Answers: Of course we need it!; Well, it depends; and You have to ask yourself a few questions. Do I listen to the radio? What kind of radio do I listen to or would like to listen to? Where do I spend most of my time? The first question is an easy one. Most all of us listen to the radio, but do you listen to music, news, sports, etc…? I will point out some basic facts about the two players in this arena (North America) and give you my two cents on the pending merger. Read more
Studiophile AV40 Desktop Speaker System
The M-Audio Studiophile AV40 powered speaker system features 4″ woofers and 3/4″ tweeters for punchy lows and crisp highs on your computer or iPod. The Studiophile AV 40 monitors are magnetically shielded to protect your electronic equipment on your desktop from unsoundly interference. The AV 40s feature a front-panel volume control, along with front aux-in and headphone inputs. At 20 watts per channel, they deliver plenty of power for just about any desktop’s needs. As you can see from the reviews below, they are highly regarded as solid sound performers. Read more
ORB Audio Home Theater Systems
Add some visual sophistication and superb audio performance to your flat panel TV or music selections with an ORB Audio speaker system. ORB offers four basic home theater systems with the Mod1, Mod1 Plus, Peoples Choice and Mod2. They also have everything in between. Big sound, small speakers. Fill your room with sound not boxes. If you want to shrink the size of your speakers without sacrificing sound quality these speakers will end your search. Great Sound. Great Looks. Compact size. An elusive combination of features captured in one great expandable system. The great news is that you can get your hands on a home theater system starting at under $800.
Orb speakers are modular and you use 1, 2 or 4 Orbs per speaker to create our Mod1, Mod2 and Mod4. There home theater speakers and stereo speaker systems are all designed with their exclusive compact, round satellite speakers and one of their high-performance audiophile subwoofers, the Super Eight and Uber Ten. You can upgrade or downgrade the speakers between Mod1, Mod2 and Mod4 at any time, so it’s possible to start with a small system and upgrade it over time to their top of the line system. This is a great choice if you are on a budget or if you plan to move the system to a different room in the future.
Orb speakers and subwoofers feature top of the line components, like those usually found only in much more expensive systems. These include high-power neodymium magnets, advanced high excursion speaker drivers and gold-plated binding posts, as well as state of the art BASH hybrid digital amplifiers in all of their subwoofers. The result is great sounding speakers and robust compact subwoofers that produce output on par with much larger models. Additionally,their satellites are assembled in the United States by skilled craftspeople, and they look as good as they sound.
Orb offers a variety of finishes for their speaker enclosures including: black. white, hand polished steel, hand antiqued copper and hand antiqued bronze.
Reviews
The most affordable full-range speaker system I can think of that also offers audiophile-grade reproduction.
A winning entry in the micro speaker class.
Top 100 products of the year.
A new global power.
Little Orbs from heaven. Can replace full-range bookshelf/monitor speakers. Listening is believing.
