SuperTooth
Latest
CES 2015: SuperTooth announces multiroom Bluetooth speaker system
SuperTooth, makers of Bluetooth accessories, like the SuperTooth HD speakerphone, has announced the Multiroom System. With up to five speakers connected by Bluetooth and controlled by an app for iOS or Mac, the Multiroom System streams music or any other audio from your device wirelessly around your home. At US$299 for a three speaker set (one master, 2 satellites) and $480 for the five speaker set (one master, 4 satellites), SuperTooth is aggressively pricing the Multiroom System, making multiroom wireless audio more affordable than ever. The speakers will have a range of 32 to 49 feet (10 - 15 meters) and will be linked via Bluetooth. The satellite speakers will automatically connect to the master speaker, so you'll only need to pair your device to the master speaker. All 5 speakers will deliver a combined 125 watts RMS. The app will control volume, stereo or mono placement and equalizer. However, with the product just being announced there are some unanswered questions: Will each speaker be able to support unique audio? What quality of audio will the Multiroom System support? These are just a few. We'll hopefully get our hands on the SuperTooth Multiroom System in the coming weeks for a full, hands-on review.
SuperTooth HD: An expensive Bluetooth speaker phone with poor feature implementation
The SuperTooth HD is SuperTooth's top of the range Bluetooth speakerphone. Last year I reviewed the SuperTooth Crystal speakerphone -- one tier down from the HD -- and was surprised with its ease of use and performance, but felt it was lacking somewhat in quality and design. Since then I've had the opportunity to spend some time with the feature-enhanced SuperTooth HD. At US$129, it's nearly double the price of the Crystal. Are those extra features worth the extra $60? Read on to find out! Design From a design standpoint, the HD has much of what is lacking in the Crystal. It's larger, which gives it a sturdier feel, and it isn't made from tacky, cheap plastic that plagues so many devices -- including the Crystal. It looks and feels like it was built with some sense of quality in mind. %Gallery-178155% There are three buttons on the device. The first is an on/off button, the second is primarily a direct-to Handsfree Assistant button (more about this later), and the third is a multifunction button (answer call / end call / voice dial & redial) that doubles as a large dial for volume up and down. Compared to the Crystal, these buttons are a pleasure to use. It's particularly nice to turn up or down the volume on a call using the dial. Similarly to the Crystal, the HD has a magnet on the rear so you can attach it to the included clip, making it easy to attach to a car visor or other convenient spot. The clip also doubles as a mount for when you place it on a desk or counter. As mentioned in the Crystal review, the design is simple, but it's effective. Functionality The HD shares many of the same specs as its smaller sibling. Battery life (20 hours talk, 1000 hours stand by) and Bluetooth range (around 10 meters) are the same. Where the HD takes ground on the Crystal is with its louder speakers (with a 5.4 Watt class D amplifier), noise cancelation and dual microphones for better audio quality. There's also the HandsFree Assistant, but I'll come to that in a few paragraphs. Considering I didn't encounter a scenario where I needed the Crystal's speaker to be louder than what it has to offer, I'd say the HD's boost in volume is not necessary, but welcome. Particularly for those rare, but exceptionally loud environment moments. At top volume, the HD is incredibly loud. In fact, it's uncomfortably loud. But unlike the Crystal, there's very little distortion at full volume. The HD's class D amplifier and new speakers do pay off in this area. Full volume on the Crystal is a distorted mess. Similarly, in my tests with the Crystal, I didn't struggle with others hearing my voice. However, with the HD in those particularly loud environment moments, the noise cancellation did seem to help with clarity for those on the other end. Two of the biggest selling points of the HD are its voice feedback / interaction and HandsFree Assistant support from Dial2Do. Unfortunately, both are its biggest draw back. These two features represent a very bad attempt at Siri-like interaction from SuperTooth on the HD. First off, the voice commands (like calling a contact with your voice) require you to sync your address book to the HD. Unfortunately, this process is anything but simple. The HD spent a good few minutes copying my address book over, but from what I can determine, it can't use the formatting of an iOS address book, which means it doesn't recognise my contacts. I tried any number of ways to get this to work, but I hit a dead end. Visiting SuperTooth's website yielded poorly laid out support which was difficult to follow and didn't fix the problem. SuperTooth also says the HD's firmware can easily be updated, but there is no where on the site where you're told how to do this. Secondly, the HD's ability to send text messages, tweets and Facebook updates relies on Dial2Do through the HandsFree Assistant button. I'll only say this about Dial2Do: do not bother going there. If you have an iPhone, or any other smartphone, it makes no sense. I'd even hesitate to recommend it to those with dumb phones. In this day and age, there's just no point. Worst of all, all these features and more are built into Siri and iOS. And you can access Siri through the HD, though it's a two-step process to get there. Ironically, accessing Siri on the Crystal is a one step process. It begs the question: why try to replicate features in a speakerphone that the phone itself can perform significantly better? Conclusion It's hard to recommend the SuperTooth HD when two of its main selling points are basically obsolete to iPhone users. And with that in mind -- even though the HD has slightly better looks, a louder speaker and noise reduction -- you'd be crazy to spend $129 on the HD when you can get the SuperTooth Crystal for half the price and simply augment the powerful features that iOS already has to offer. Check out the SuperTooth HD and Crystal at the SuperTooth Store website.
SuperTooth Disco Twin hands-on
SuperTooth's Disco Twin is a pint-shaped pair of Bluetooth boomboxes that promise up to 10 hours of battery life if you aren't turning up the sound up to 11. While the company had originally promised that its Disco 2 speaker would have A2DP technology that would allow two speakers to co-ordinate instant stereo -- it couldn't make good on its claims. That's why it's outed the Disco Twin, which offers a pair of speakers with the necessary hardware (the left-sided speaker is the master) with 16 watts of RMS power coming from each unit. The Disco Twin's hardware feels as if it could take a pounding, at the cost of the pair being heavier than you may expect. You could also rip the cloth covering that surrounds the unit if you're not careful, but beyond that, even at maximum volume, sound is clear and is big enough to fill the colossal Lafite Ballroom at the Wynn Hotel here in Las Vegas. The company has sent off samples to distributors, and so expects the product to go on general sale by February. Dana Murph contributed to this report.
SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video)
Gallic Bluetooth audio house SuperTooth wants you to buy its Disco speakers in pairs to better show off its stereo prowess, not to mention make a little more cash. That's why it's outing the Disco Twin here at CES, a $199 pair of noisyboxes that offer discrete left and right stereo -- each pumping out 16 watts of RMS power. You'll be able to squeeze up to four hours of juice out of each one if you use them to host a (short) rave, or up to 10 hours in more serene circumstances. At the same time, it's also releasing the HD Voice, an $89 hands-free car kit that clips to your sun visor and will even pair with your phone using voice commands. The company isn't ready to say when the pair will be available, but we can't imagine it'll be a long wait. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
SuperTooth Disco2 hands-on
Move over Jambox, there's a new portable audio contender entering the market. The Disco2, shown off at this week's CTIA 2012, is SuperTooth's smaller, more compact sequel to its O.G. 28 watt powerhouse of the same name and a direct threat to the niche market occupied by Jawbone. Housed in a colorful hourglass-shaped design that should please the style-minded, this rechargeable speaker connects over Bluetooth to your device of choice, outputting 16 watts of 360 degree sound through two speakers and a subwoofer. It's set to hit the market mid-month priced at $99, but for consumers that want a bit more of an aural punch, an additional unit can actually be paired up to deliver a fuller stereo effect. Judging from its powerful performance on the noisy showroom floor, however, you'd probably be fine with just the one. Click on below to take a better look at the company's curvy offering. Sean Cooper contributed to this report.
SuperTooth's literally pint-sized Disco 2 kicks out the jams at CES
French Bluetooth speaker foundry SuperTooth takes pride in its quirky, original designs and this pint-glass shaped Disco 2 is no exception. It'll pump out 16 watts of stereo sound from your Bluetooth A2DP device on its own, or you can pair up two to get "dueling stereo" (it'll do the sorting-out-which-speaker-does-what legwork for you). One of 'em will cost you $99 when it arrives at the end of Q1 this year and because we're far, far too good to you: we've got a presser after the break.
SuperTooth's Crystal Bluetooth hands-free kit brings its delights to CES
Hands-free calling, yeah? If the one thing missing from your life is being able to talk at the wheel, then Supertooth's Crystal Bluetooth speakerphone is for you. Magnetically clipping onto the sun visor of your whip, it'll let you talk'n'drive with its automatic pairing and multi-point tech, handling two phones on the same unit -- if that's your particular bag. You'll be able to stream music from any A2DP enabled player or directions from a GPS unit. It'll give you 20 hours of talk time and 40 days of standby from just a single three hour charge, retailing for $69.99 when it arrives at the end of Q1 2012.
BlueAnt Supertooth Light Bluetooth handsfree speakerphone
The options for an in-car handsfree kit are darn near limitless, but for those not so keen on hardwiring a module into your car's stereo or fiddling with those dodgy FM transmitters, BlueAnt is offering up a swank alternative. The Supertooth Light Bluetooth handsfree speakerphone boasts a built-in speaker / microphone that neatly rides along on your vehicle's sun visor, allowing you to transport your handsfree device from one vehicle to another without dismantling a mess of wires. Additionally, it features Clear Voice Capture (CVC), DSP, and echo-reduction capabilities, and it can even adjust volume levels on the fly depending on ambient noise. You'll also have no trouble pairing up to five different phones, utilizing voice dial activation / redial, and talking for up to 15 hours straight without recharging the battery. So if you're interested in a more mobile solution to yapping in handsfree fashion, you can pick up BlueAnt's latest for $99.
