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Positive Grid unveils ultra-portable Spark Go enhanced guitar amp
Positive Grid has a new ultra-portable version of its high-tech Spark guitar amplifier. Designed for musicians seeking a versatile and powerful practice amp, the 3.5-inch-tall Spark Go works with a companion app loaded with virtual amps, pedals and other effects — and it can even flesh out your sound with AI-powered drums and other backing instruments.
What we bought: My first tube amp… about 20 years late
The Fender Blues Jr isn’t just my first tube amp, it’s the first amp I’ve ever loved.
Positive Grid's tiny guitar amp is built for bedroom jam sessions (updated)
Positive Grid has unveiled a tiny connected guitar amp, the Spark Mini, that can help with your bedroom jam sessions.
THX's Onyx is a tiny USB-C headphone DAC that supports master-quality audio
THX's first consumer hardware is a portable USB-C DAC that gives wired headphones a powerful audio upgrade for $200.
Fender packs Mustang tones inside its new personal guitar amplifier
It's a step above your regular personal guitar amplifier.
Yamaha’s tiny wireless guitar amp gets everything right but the price
With the original THR line of guitar amps, Yamaha basically invented a new product category: the connected desktop amplifier. It filled a need that honestly many guitar players didn't even realize they had. These amplifiers are small enough to sit on a table or desk, they sound great even at low volumes and they're stylish enough that you won't feel compelled to hide them when company comes over. You don't have to search long or hard to find people singing their praises. I bought one a couple years ago and have zero regrets. But the THR amps weren't without flaws. And in the nine years since they were introduced, the competition has caught up. The highly revered Roland Katana line made a play for the space with the Air. And the iconic Vox brand introduced Adio. So Yamaha announced the THR II in September with new features, new amp models and a rich new app in the hopes of not only keeping pace but also showing the competition it's still the benchmark for tiny amps.
Olive Union Smart Ear hands-on: A stylish hearing device with tradeoffs
As wearable technology becomes the norm, there's still one gadget that carries a stigma: the hearing aid. You can wear wireless earbuds and no one flinches, but for some, a behind-the-ear device can still seem awkward. Invisible hearing aids are an option, but they're often pricey or less effective. Olive Union understands this and hopes its Smart Ear hearing amplifier — which looks just like a wireless earbud — will help squash any anxiety for those who need a little volume boost in the world.
Boss’ guitar amp headphones are clever but pricey
There are very few objective truths out there that everyone can seem to agree on. But one of them is most certainly the fact that playing guitar through headphones sucks. Whether you're using a dedicated headphone amp (which often look like relics from the 1980s) or just plugging your trusty over-ears into a tube amp that would wake the neighbors even at the lowest settings, the experience is underwhelming at best. A number of companies have tried different things to try to improve the situation, but Boss' Waza Air are probably the most novel I've seen. For one, this is the first time I know of that a company built a guitar amp directly into a set of headphones. And secondly, the Waza Air includes some pretty unique features that make it feel more like you're listening to an actual amp in a room, rather than just blasting a raw guitar signal into your ears.
Boss wants to replace your practice amp with wireless headphones
The Boss Katana 50 is one of Engadget's favorite guitar amps. Unlike tube-based amplifiers, digital units like the Katana series can be played at low volumes without losing much tone. But even low volume is too much volume in some cases. If you have a baby, sensitive neighbors or late-night urges to rip, the company's new Waza-Air -- which packs an amp into a set of headphones -- can help you keep noise to a minimum while theoretically still providing lively tones.
Positive Grid's Spark amp helps you learn and jam to your favorite songs
Guitar amps are getting more connected and more flexible. Boss' latest Katana offerings simulates 10 different amp models and 60 effects. While Yamaha's THR line features a rechargeable battery and wireless connectivity. Positive Grid is taking things even further. Its upcoming Spark amplifier adds both learning and musical accompaniment features thanks to its companion mobile app.
Yamaha updates its THR desktop guitar amps for the first time in years
The pressure waves from a cranked 100-watt tube amp could kill any insects or small rodents in close proximity. Even low-powered, solid state practice amplifiers can be too loud for apartment dwellers. To get around extreme noise issues, Yamaha's THR line of "desktop" guitar amps aim to recreate rich, tube-like tones at reasonable volumes while also including advanced digital features. But the THR10 came out way back in 2011 and is long overdue for an update. So the company is launching the THR-II series, which keeps everything that made the original great (like its tiny footprint) and adds a host of new amp models and features like Bluetooth.
Ask Engadget: What's the best connected guitar amp?
This week in Ask Engadget: What's the best connected guitar amp?
iRig Micro Amp delivers classic guitar tones with your phone
IK Multimedia is making it easier to bring a mini music studio on the road, especially if you have a newer iPhone. It just introduced an iRig Micro Amp that produces 15W while touting a USB interface, giving you a reasonably powerful yet portable amplifier with tone processing on iOS devices, Macs and PCs of all stripes. You don't need a headphone jack here, folks. It's larger than the company's earlier Nano Amp, but still compact enough that you can toss it in your backpack for impromptu practice sessions.
Amazon's Echo Input offers Alexa for your existing speakers
The latest gadget Amazon is shoehorning Alexa into is an audio dongle called the Echo Input. The $34.99 media bridge has line inputs, Bluetooth and a far-field mic. Think of it like a combo Chromecast Audio and Google Home Mini, but without the speaker and sold by Amazon versus Google and you've got the basic gist.
Amazon might launch eight Alexa devices this fall
Amazon is ready to drop a whole slew of new Alexa devices, CNBC reports. At least eight new devices including a microwave oven, an amplifier, a subwoofer and some sort of in-car gadget are reportedly set to be released before the end of the year. All of the devices will be Alexa-enabled while some will have the virtual assistant built in, according to people familiar with the matter.
Boss Katana-Air is a compact wireless guitar amp you can use anywhere
Guitar players wanting to liberate themselves from long instrument cables that tether them to a spot on stage (or clutter up their practice space) usually have to buy a whole system with transmitters and receivers and such. Now, however, Boss has just announced a new compact stereo practice amp called the Katana-Air with wireless built right in, available now for $399.99.
Korg Konnect: A smart amp for small audiences
For large gatherings, PA systems keep you from just yelling at a group of people to share your message. For musicians, a PA is necessary to amplify your voice and instrument to an audience. On the surface, Korg's Konnect PA speaker does pretty much what every other speaker with a few mics attached to it does, make things louder so folks can hear them. But look a little deeper, and you'll see the Konnect takes what Korg knows about sound and performances and shoves it into a four-channel speaker. One you can control via a companion app that's surprisingly robust.
Engadget UK giveaway: Win a Cyrus One amplifier and streaming starter kit
If you're in the midst of planning a little soirée over the Christmas period, or are generally just a bit of an audiophile, then we're giving away the perfect piece of kit this week. The sleek, minimalist Cyrus One amplifier features four line level inputs and two, 100W outputs to power your speaker setup at home. And if the amp's aptX-compatible Bluetooth connection isn't wireless enough for you, our friends at Cyrus Audio are throwing in a Chromecast Audio and three-month subscription to Tidal's lossless 'HiFi' streaming tier to boot -- a bundle that's currently available at various specialist retailers for a limited time. Get involved in the giveaway by turning your attention to the Rafflecopter widget below, and all we ask is you give the rules a quick glance before you do.
Marshall's updated speaker line packs Chromecast and multiroom audio
Marshall has been lending its signature guitar amp aesthetics to headphones and speakers for quite some time. However, there was one notable omission in the company's feature set: multiroom audio. Today, Marshall is announcing an update to its wireless speaker line that gives its existing Acton, Stanmore and Woburn models some current features.
Blue raises the bar for wireless audio with its Satellite headphones
After making its name building microphones for both amateurs and professionals, Blue made the leap to headphones back in 2014. Its first model, the Mo-Fi, featured a built-in amplifier and the company followed up with three others, including a planar magnetic set that also has an onboard amp. All of those options were wired, though, and if we've learned anything about "courageous" smartphone makers these days, the headphone jack is on its way out. To cater to the wireless craze, Blue announced its first wireless headphones, the Satellite, at CES in January. While this $400 model features and amp for top-notch audio, the Satellite lacks a key selling point for headphones: comfort.
