Speakers -- Engadget

speakers posts

Paper desktop speakers rock you like a handcrafted hurricane

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jun 29th 2009 at 6:21PM

Like my grandmother always says, sometimes the best gadgets are the ones you build yourself -- with kits imported from Japan, purchased at places like Fred Flare. Princeton's Paper Speaker kit comes with a pair of 1W stereo speakers, a USB connection, paste, and a paper template for building a retro desktop sound system. Three designs are available -- take your pick from a cabinet record player, a component stereo system, or an old school boom box. Check 'em out below, and then get yours when it becomes available in early July for ¥1,980 (approximately $21).

Gallery: Paper desktop speakers rock you like a handcrafted hurricane

[Via Akihabara]

Ask Engadget: Best PC speakers for the office?

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 12th 2009 at 12:21AM

We know you're struggling to take it in, but you really have just stumbled upon this week's episode of Ask Engadget. Fascinating, the timing, yeah? Now that you're here, we're going to ask you to stick around, answer Chris' question below and then send in one of your own to ask at engadget dawt com. First things first, though:

"My desktop is wired through my home theater, so everything sounds great when I listen to music at home, but when I'm at the office I only have little Harman/Kardon speakers that came with my Dell. I work in an office that is music friendly, but no one has any decent speakers. I was hoping the Engadget community might have some good suggestions for reasonably priced computer speaker sets that sound good. You know... so I can share my extensive Matchbox 20 bootleg collection with the rest of my colleagues. Thanks!"

First off, congrats on working in a "music friendly" environment. And for everyone else, why not give this guy a little advice before hitting him up for job opportunities?

Teensy Weensy eggshell speakers, perfect for all the king's men

by Laura June, posted May 30th 2009 at 1:11AM

This is one waste not, want not, DIY project that caught our eye. Tiny little speaker housings made of carefully cut (and, we assumed, cleaned) eggshells, with small stands of clay. The final product apparently has "narrow" sound, but they sure look cuter than any homemade speakers we've ever seen before.

[Via Wired]

Kenwood lights up your life with prototype OLED-illumed speakers

by Paul Miller, posted Apr 27th 2009 at 4:19PM

Details are scarce on these new speakers from Kenwood, but if you find yourself frequently faced with a lamp-or-noise dilemma, we might've just stumbled upon the solution. The prototype flat speakers, developed by Junji Kido of Yamagata University in Japan, are inexplicably surfaced with white Lumiblade-style OLED lights -- we're not sure what that does for the sound, but we probably won't be trading in our studio monitors in anticipation of this brightly lit conjectured future.

[Via OLED-Info]

Engadget's recession antidote: win an Aperion Bravus 8A subwoofer!

by Laura June, posted Apr 27th 2009 at 12:16PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got an Aperion Audio Bravus 8A subwoofer, and boy is it a beauty! Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff! Two more shots of this little guy after the break.

Huge thanks to Aperion for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Aperion Bravus 8A subwoofer. Approximate retail value is $319.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Monday, April 27th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

Continue reading Engadget's recession antidote: win an Aperion Bravus 8A subwoofer!

X-mini Max II looks like a trash can, pumps out the jams

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Apr 24th 2009 at 10:13AM

If you've ever thought to yourself, "I could use a pair of tiny, tinny, and aesthetically-impaired portable speakers for my laptop or PMP," this is your lucky day. X-Mini, known for pushing sound through something that looks like a cross between alien hardware and a donut, is back on the scene with the Max II. A stunning departure from the usual fare, this thing ditches the wagon wheel in favor of something that one of Dark Helmet's minions might wear in Spaceballs. Apparently, the new design also features a bigger driver meaning, you guessed it, "twice the bass." We didn't have the heart to point out that two times bupkis is still bupkis. We're not sure when this 2.5W sonic wonder will be released in the US, but we'll be keepin' our eyes peeled.

Continue reading X-mini Max II looks like a trash can, pumps out the jams

Kenwood SP0001 speakers sure to spice up your in-house raves

by Laura June, posted Apr 18th 2009 at 10:34AM

Kenwood's about to unleash some really crazy speakers upon the world... if you live in Japan anyway. The bad-looking dudes have 10-watt, 2 channel speakers with 6-centimeter woofers and 2.5-centimeter tweeters, which isn't exactly super powerful, granted -- but they are transparent. Oh, and they have some awesome LED effects, as well. We're not sure exactly when they'll be available, but they're going to run you ¥100,000 (about $1,000) when they are. Check another shot (with LEDs in full effect) after the break.

Continue reading Kenwood SP0001 speakers sure to spice up your in-house raves

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Klipsch HD Theater 500 sound system!

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 9th 2009 at 12:20PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1 sound system, ready to rattle the floor of one lucky domicile. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

Huge thanks to Klipsch for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1-channel sound system. Approximate retail value is $599.99.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Thursday, April 9th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

New flat-speaker tech could make public places even louder

by Nilay Patel, posted Apr 2nd 2009 at 9:47PM

Flat-panel speakers are nothing new, but a new version of the tech could one day replace boomy public address systems with hidden speakers that produce easier-to-hear audio in large spaces. Under development at the University of Warwick, FFL ("flat flexible loudspeaker") speakers are actually a thin laminate made of layers of conducting and insulating material that resonate when electricity is passed through them -- the crisper, clearer audio is a result of the entire surface creating sound in phase at once, which allows it to produce highly directional audio. Since they're so thin and flexible, FFL speakers can be hidden nearly anywhere -- behind signage, in the ceiling, or even painted and hung directly on the wall. Of course, this'll all come to nothing if the sound quality isn't up to snuff, but we'll find out more when the first commercial FFL product goes on sale later this year.

[Via PhysOrg]

Dice speakers sure to be a fashion gamble

by Laura June, posted Mar 23rd 2009 at 6:47PM

Buffalo's just unleashed some portable little iPod speakers that you might want to try to get your hands on. With an output of one hot watt, the Dice speaker series is sure to turn your morning commute into a tiny, slightly louder micro-party in an instant -- or, at the very least, it'll cool up your look a few notches. They'd make a perfect gift for the gambling addict in your life, too, but sadly, they're going to be a Japan-only release when they come out sometime next month for ¥ 2,814 (about $33). Check out another shot after the break.

Continue reading Dice speakers sure to be a fashion gamble

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Paradigm Cinema 70 CT surround system!

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 23rd 2009 at 12:00PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got totally bodacious Paradigm Cinema 70 CT 5.1 surround system to let loose, offering up everything you need (on the audio front, anyway) to convert your den into the party palace. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting!

Special thanks to Paradigm for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Paradigm Cinema 70 CT surround system. Approximate value is $649.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Monday, March 23rd, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

Bird Electron's Takotsubo "octopus trap" speakers are all kinds of odd

by Laura June, posted Mar 4th 2009 at 4:55PM

Bird Electron loves rolling out the crazy little speakers and such for your listening pleasure. The company's newest pair, the Takotsubo speakers, are modeled on Japanese fisherman traps. In this form factor, however, we doubt they'll do much beyond catch some wild stares from your friends, but they sure are cute! Don't expect to be blown away by the sound, but they're available now (in Japan only) for ¥5,000 (about $50). Check out another photo after the break.

[Via Akihabara News]

Continue reading Bird Electron's Takotsubo "octopus trap" speakers are all kinds of odd

Engadget's recession antidote: win a pair of Audioengine A2 speakers!

by Laura June, posted Feb 18th 2009 at 12:00PM

We know that you're being crushed under the seemingly endless weight of economic despair and financial strife, and we want to help. That's why Engadget is giving away one gadget every day until we run out of stuff and / or companies stop giving us products to hand out. It's our little way of putting the recess back in recession! Today you'll be playing for a pair of Audioengine A2 speakers, so read the full rules below, and start commenting!

Special thanks to Audioengine for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one pair of Audioengine A2 speakers. Approximate value is $199.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, February 18th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

Micro Innovations's bamboo lineup might just save the world... from generic computer peripherals

by Paul Miller, posted Feb 12th 2009 at 10:03PM

Our Panda-like obsession with bamboo is really paying off of late, what with the hundreds of bamboo ASUS laptops scattered around the Engadget HQ, the few dozen cubicles we've built out of Dell Studio Hybrid sleeves, and now this complete line of bamboo peripherals from Micro Innovations. Sure, they're ugly and a little low on tech -- the speakers, card reader, webcam, USB hub, keyboard and mouse couldn't be any more generic in specifications -- and as far as we can tell there's nothing particularly "green" about the typical-seeming internals, but apparently the (undisclosed) pricing is right. Most of this stuff should be available through your electronics retailer of choice in April or May.

Bandai's Diorama Ginza speaker recreates a place you've never been, at a price you can't afford

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jan 27th 2009 at 1:35PM

Well, it won't help you gals understand men any better, but if you're in the market for an obscure Japanese toy -- and have a couple thou to spare -- this one should be right up your alley. Bandai's Diorama Ginza speaker recreates this happenin' Tokyo district, circa 1955. We don't have any tech specs for this work of art, but we can tell you that it goes on sale in Japan on April 10th for ¥198,000 (that's just over $2,200) and that it's being produced in a limited edition of 200. Personally, we're holding out for "Ginza Street: 2009" featuring the new Vertu store.