V-Moda's Vibe II

There must be a fashion-forward young man or woman out there brave enough to sport V-Moda's new Vibe II with Microphone. These stainless steel alloy headphones follow in the footsteps of the popular (and much better looking) Vibe Duo and feature the noise-isolation, in-line handsfree microphone, call and music controls that we expect from the line. In addition, the 'phones possess "solid and tactual sensation comparable to the finest jewelry and watches." Right. If you'd like to see for yourself, these beauts are available for $128, exclusively at the Apple Store.

Onkyo HT-S5100 Home Theater in a Box: 7.1 Surround and Acoustic Room Calibration For $579

Onkyo's best new entry level HTiB setup has a 7.1 surround is notable for having room correction tech. I'm pretty sure its rare to find a low end system that can adjust gain and delay on all channels to calibrate itself to a room's acoustics. The receiver included is the DTS/Dolby capable HT-R560, with 3 HDMI inputs, 130 watts per channel, and is Sirius satellite ready. The set up also comes with an iPod dock and a 290-watt sub. Not bad for $579 from a solid company like Onkyo. There are two lesser models:

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• The HT-S4100 is a 5.1 systems that seems to lack HDMI, has a 200 watt sub and that same iPod dock. $479
• The HT-S3100 sub is powered by the receiver and lacks a dock. $379.

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ (04/17/08) — Onkyo has introduced three new packaged home theater systems, each consisting of a flexible HDTV-capable audio-video receiver, five or seven surround-sound loudspeakers, powerful subwoofer, and an included iPod docking station on two of the systems. These systems, popularly called HTiB for "Home Theater in a Box," can be combined with a video display, Blu-Ray or DVD player, and cable/satellite TV box to provide a complete home theater surround sound experience.

The 7.1 channel home theater receiver included with top of the line HT-S5100 offers an amazing range of capabilities at such a modest price point. The HT-R560 receiver has three 1080p compatible HDMI inputs and one output. The HDMI Pass-Thru provides optimal video quality with separate connections for the audio channels. For optimum sound quality, the highly regarded Audyssey 2EQ room correction technology automatically adjusts the sound character and time delay of each speaker relative to the listening positions. Additionally, Audyssey's Dynamic EQ adjusts sound on the fly to optimize sound quality for any volume, particularly at low listening levels.

The HT-S5100 includes advanced Dolby and DTS surround sound processing capabilities, a powerful 130-watts per channel using Onkyo's Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT), seven loudspeakers with outstanding sound quality, and a powerful 290-watt subwoofer and is Sirius Satellite Radio ready. The HT-S5100 system also includes a new dedicated Onkyo iPod dock and charging station, plus the company's new Music Optimizer technology to enhance the dynamic range of MP3 and AAC files which are normally compressed for headphone playback.

The more affordable Onkyo HT-S4100 and HT-S3100 are 5.1-channel systems with HDTV-capable component video switching, DTS and Dolby Digital surround processing, and five loudspeakers. The HT-S4100 has a 200-watt subwoofer and included iPod dock. The HT-S3100's subwoofer is powered by the receiver, and there is no iPod dock with this system.

All three systems include full-function remote controls, and are available in either black or silver finishes.

The Onkyo HT-S5100, HT-S4100 and HT-S3100 will be available in April with suggested retail prices of $579, $479, and $379 each, respectively.

Scandyna iPod Docks Amplify External Speakers

There are literally hundreds of iPod docks on the market and not too many that I would lose sleep over. I must admit, however, that the Scandyna dock and V-Dock both have me intrigued; it looks great and it is a powered amplifier rather than your standard pod dock with underperforming speakers, you get two 15W channels for a pair of speakers and a sub woofer; and if you buy the V-Dock, you will have a video output as well.

A 15W amplifier is not exactly loud enough to make enemies of your neighbors, but is perfectly acceptable if you want a little low-impact sound. The frequency response of 20Hz - 20 KHz +-1.0 db is good for such a small amp and in general, the Scandyna Dock is a fine example of Danish engineering. The only qualm that I have is that the V-Dock does not include Apple's authentication chip, meaning that it won't play nice with more recent iPod models. I don't have a recent iPod model, so it would not affect me, but sooner or later I am going to want to upgrade and that is enough of an incentive for me to steer away from their higher priced model. Priced to move at $219 with the V Dock selling for $249

Parrot PARTY Black Edition Speakers Do Use Near Field Connection

Parrot has come up with a new Black Edition of their PARTY speaker which uses Near Field Communications to connect to audio sources, claiming it's the first commercial speaker system to do this. Basically you don't have to do any complicated Bluetooth paring, just tap your cellphone to the speaker and away you go. It uses a class-D amp, has a 6W power output, a "Stereo Widening" option to create virtual surround sound and its rechargeable batteries will last eight hours. Available in the summer in the UK for around $156. Update: Ok, we thought they did, then we thought they didn't: Parrot contacted us, very sweetly, to say "yes... they are NFC enabled." Hooray. Sorry for the confusion. [Pocket Lint]

iLogic Sound Hat Keeps The Tunes Thumping Through The Chill

Do I realize that the cold seasons have passed and that the heat of summer is just around the corner? Do I ever, and frankly I can’t wait! It’s understood that some of you out there are fall and winter lovers. That’s cool, I’m just not down with it. The cold seasons have that unforgiving side effect of shivering which is enough to warrant disdain from this chilly blogger.

Now that the steamy seasons of summer are quickly approaching, it’s time to start planning for the chill that will start moving in around September. One of the reasons I despise winter so much is the way that winter apparel is always in the way of me fulfilling my gadget duties. Wearing clunky gloves means I can’t text message properly. Wearing a hat to cover my ears means I can’t listen to my iPod without looking awkward or feeling uncomfortable. The iLogic Sound Hat allows for an ear warming and music listening synergy.

The iLogic Sound Hat allows you to plug your iPod or other portable media device directly into integrated speakers inside of the hat’s surface with a standard 3.5mm headphone port connected to a 98cm wire which is easily tucked away into the hat’s inner lining. The beanie itself has a fleecy feel on its interior, despite the hat’s composition of 100% polyester.

If you’re interested in grabbing the iLogic Sound Hat a few seasons early in preparation for the inevitable winter of 2008-2009, you can snatch up your own Sound Hat from I Want One Of Those for £14.99, which is about $27. A fair price for keeping your ears cozy and frostbite-free.

SKDubs Gold Boombox

What you see here is truly a work of art - the SKDubs Gold Boombox. Rarely has music and sculpture met in a whirlwind romance, but this one definitely ranks pretty much up there in terms of aesthetics as well as performance. It is but a boombox that has been built right into a body of a double bass, courtesy of artist David Ellis. Features include a 4-way stereo speaker system, a couple of vacuum tube preamps, a Crown power amp, and a Behringer equalizer for some serious sound. The only thing missing for this generation? An integrated iPod dock - having that would make the SKDubs Gold Boombox score full points in my book, but that glaring omission leaves it at a 9 out of 10. There will only be three of these available, retailing for a jaw-dropping $15,000 each.

V-MODA Red Roxx VIBE Earphones

Introduced in late 2006, V-MODA introduced the VIBE Modaphones which they called “the world’s first hi-definition luxury earphones” designed for active lifestyles. V-Moda also sees their line of “hearwear” as a fashion statement as well. Val Kolton, founder of V-Moda states, “They’re the first hi-fidelity earphones that don’t teather you to your chair when you want to experience pristine audio. And the sleek design and polished metal craftsmanship make a bold statement n a world of ordinary, carbon-copy plastic earphones.”

Ohhh snap!! Take that you generic-ipod-looking-sold-at-Best-Buy-headset!

I must admit, these headphones really do look nice and light, but I care more for how they sound and the comfort than anything else. With that said, I don’t really want to walk on campus or at work with a full over the head-type set that makes me look like I just walked out of Puff Daddy’s studio. The more discrete the better I say…but they’d better sound good.

All of which leads us back to the $101 V-Moda VIBE. Today we evaluate the VIBE in their latest color, Red Roxx. This is the newest of the 5 colors that the VIBE comes in. The Red Roxx and others (La Mocha, FlashBlack Chrome, Gunmetal Black, and Gunmetal Rouge) are designed to be a perfect aesthetic match to the media player of choice. The Red Roxx edition of the VIBE was specifically designed to match the color of the iPod nano RED. These all metal headphones are touted as being light, noise cancelling, high-fidelity sets perfect for the audiophile on the go.

Shure SE420 Sound Isolating Earphones

Shure demoed their prototype SE-series earphones at CES Unveiled.; we're told that they're more wallet-friendly than their professional series. They do have fewer drivers--the 420, which we've got, has two, while the lesser two headphones (SE210, SE310) in the series each only have single drivers, and the SE530s have three. The SE-series is targeted towards consumers (the E-series is targeted towards performing artists) and don't have the same drivers as the E-series.

The range is great, near perfect with very little drop off at the bass end of the equalizer. At ridiculously high volumes their snap turns into a rattle, but they are noise-blocking, so the idea isn't to crank them all the way up anyway. And to be nice and polite, other people can't hear what you're listening to no matter how loud it is.

In a hotel-room test, they did a better job of blocking noise than a pair of Sennheiser noise-canceling headphones, and with an iPod at about 40% they blocked out the CES showroom noise completely. With a $350 MSRP, they'd better. We think online retailers will probably be selling them for a paltry $200. The real improvements are comfort and features; the new earphones come with earplug-style foam tips which are more flexible than the ones included with the E-series. The various provided tips are (relatively) easy to switch out, even though I think we might have torn one while passing the headphones between us.

In terms of features, Shure will be rolling out a line of accessories to go along with the SEs, including in-line cables that have volume control or little switch-controlled mics for the option to hear things without having to yank out an earphone. These are definitely the headphones to look out for if you have a couple of bills budgeted for sound. We're certainly fighting over who gets to use them here.

Kurtis' Note: Shure was kind enough to provide us with a SE420 earphones prototype to test out since I've got some Shure E2c earphones to compare them to. Sound quality is noticeably better from the moment you start listening, as there are 2 drivers (for lows and highs) instead of a single one, so the range is a little better. With that said, I'll have these on hand for a few weeks, so you can look forward to a full review after I've had more time with them. While these are prototypes, I've been told that the sound quality will not change whatsoever, there are just some minor design tweaks which they're working on.

iPod Earphones Are One Thing Everybody Wants Safe for the iPod ofcourse!

Next to your iPod, your iPod earphones are going to be your best friend. Where you and your iPod go, your iPod earphones also go, that’s how close you’re going to be! Seriously speaking though, your white iPod earphones which are supplied with the iPod is a definite statement.

They are distinctive and tell the world that you have an iPod. They are the one thing that everybody wants (next to the iPod of course!), for the statement that they make. No self respecting iPod owner would ever be without their iPod earphones, and that’s the truth.

Now, all that hype and hyperbole aside, what is it with the iPod earphones that makes people automatically want to have one, even if they don’t have an iPod to their name?

Simple really, and I’ve already mentioned it. They are the distinctive trademark of the iPods and since just about everyone in the living world lusts after an iPod of some sort or other, this is a great way to let the world know, discreetly of course, that you have an iPod!

That aside, if you ever want to change your generic iPod earphones to a different pair, you have a choice of downgrading to a normal set of in-ear, or over the head earphones, or you can look around for a pair earphones that cost almost as much, and in a great many cases more, than your iPod!

So what prompts a person to buy another set of earphones when the existing iPod earphones you have are perfectly fine? Quality, of course. The white iPod earphones you get with your iPod have a great sound quality and all that, but there are better ones.

For instance if you do a lot of air traveling, you will find that your enjoyment of the music on your iPod is marred by the noise of the engines which cuts through even the loudest ear splitting song. And even if your song drowns out the engine noise, you will have a raging headache by the time you spend two or three hours listening to head pounding rock music.

This then is one the reasons why people will look to replace their iPod earphones with another pair: to drown out all noise! Another good reason for changing your iPod earphones lies in the earphone itself.

Although it is by far a superior type of earphone, the iPod earphones can still be uncomfortable for many people. By the time they finish listening to even one hour of music, they will find their ears aching. The solution to this dilemma lies in purchasing a better, more ergonomically designed pair of earphones which will dispel any pain that you might feel.

So although you might think people to be crazy for wanting to spend more on another pair of earphones, over staying with their present iPod earphones, you can see now that there are a number of legitimate and logical reasons for wanting to do this.