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Soundmatters' $250 Dash 7 portable Bluetooth speaker to debut at CES 2013
Shortly after revealing the foxLv2 aptX Bluetooth speaker, Soundmatters is adding another member to its foxL range with the Dash 7. This pocket-friendly soundbar doubles up as a speakerphone and carries a $250 sticker, boasting pristine omnidirectional sound and also bundling an angled stand for direct on-axis listening. Tipping the scales at 200g, the Dash 7 stands just about 18mm tall and is designed to be nestled below your slate without restricting the view. The speaker plays well with the diminutive foxLo subwoofer too -- a pairing that promises to add some punch to impromptu parties. The Dash 7 will come in red, white, black and silver when it lands later this month, but the core specs are currently MIA -- a problem we expect to resolve as early as next week when we encounter the accessory at CES.
Soundmatters unveils foxLv2 aptX Bluetooth speaker with $199 price tag
Soundmatter's just debuted its latest entrant into the portable Bluetooth speaker arena: the foxLv2 aptX. Picking up where its predecessor left off, the foxLv2 aptX keeps the same form factor while predictably adding aptX support, which promises CD-quality audio in addition to improved sound and picture sync for games and video. A built-in mic for noise cancellation during speakerphone use, a rechargeable battery and audio output from 80Hz to 20kH also make a return. Those yearning to pick up the refreshed hardware can already do so for $199. Hit the jump for the full spec rundown.
Soundmatters foxLo subwoofer adds umph to your FoxL v2 Bluetooth speaker, 'fits in your palm'
Soundmatters may not be the first company to ever introduce a subwoofer with a small footprint, but at this year's CES, its new foxLo is taking the claim of being the "world's first palm-sized" on. The 25-watt unit can hook into the subwoofer output of a foxL V2 Bluetooth speakers or any other devices with 3.5mm outputs, thanks to its "full pass audio out" jack. Aside from injecting low-end into your mini-rig with its "Magnetic Drive woofer," the 'Lo can also recharge your gadgets with its built-in USB port. Sadly, however, the gizmo itself only operates on wall-power, putting a damper on any mobility offered by its Bluetooth brethren. Operation limited to a volume control for dialing in an optimal amount of bass, and an LED to indicate power. If you're already hungering to add on a thumpy fidelity boost to your smaller speakers (and refuse to be swoon by a solid set of headphones), the foxLo's set to go on sale this spring for about $149. Full press release after the break.
Jawbone Jambox vs. Soundmatters foxL v2... fight!
Two portable speakers clamber into the ring, each boasting big, beautiful sound for their diminutive size. Both cost $200. Both have the same technology inside. The Jawbone Jambox and the Soundmatters foxL v2 with Bluetooth each want to be your wireless audio wunderkind, blasting music and taking Bluetooth calls. At best, you're only going to buy one. Which speaker should you choose? Following our Jambox review, we got our hands on a foxL and put the two head to head, and after the break you'll see which one came out on top -- both literally and figuratively. %Gallery-111933%
Soundmatters' foxL v2 portable Bluetooth speaker rocks the suburbs
Soundmatters made a few (sine) waves last year with the introduction of its awfully cute foxL Bluetooth speaker, but for those preoccupied with other matters, there's nothing wrong with snagging v2 in order to catch up. The pocket-sized (5.6- x 2.2- x 1.4-inches) speaker sports new BT circuitry that allows for 3x better reception than the prior version, and it also automatically pairs and searches for Bluetooth devices. Users can now answer and terminate a call from the speaker itself, and as expected, you'll also get a bit more volume out of this one compared to the original. The rechargeable battery will keep the jams spinning for five hours on a full charge, and if the international charging prongs weren't enough, there's also the option to regenerate over USB. It's set to ship later this month to jet-setting music junkies for $199, while a wired (read: non-BT) variant will go for $30 less.
Soundmatters foxL Bluetooth speaker gets reviewed
For audiophiles, it's a perpetual challenge to find a portable speaker that carries even half the tunes of your assuredly expensive towers at home. Soundmatters has attempted to halt your looking, however, with the recently-unveiled foxL. This portable speaker, which is also available in an entirely-more-delectable Bluetooth flavor, was recently put to the test by Sound & Vision, and the reviewer came away more than impressed. Put simply, no system this small -- at least in the critic's mind -- ever came close to "sounding this good." In testing, he found that the frequency response of the foxL "looked like that of a well-engineered, $2,000-per-pair bookshelf speaker," and honestly, when the biggest complaint is that it can get too loud for the average hotel room, you pretty much know you've got a winner on your hands.
soundmatters reveals SLIMstage40 surround bar
Look out, Yamaha / Polk / Vizio / et al., you've got another rival heating up the surround bar game. Destined to hit CEDIA 2008, soundmatters' SLIMstage40 checks in at a luscious 3.3- x 3.4- x 39-inches in size and features 170-watts from eight internal amplifiers. The device houses four Linear Magnetic Drive main / satellite speakers and a trio of down-firing Extreme-Energy subs that are assisted by six mass radiators. Furthermore, you'll find three digital audio inputs (two optical, one coaxial), three analog inputs, a headphone jack, LED-backlit panel, an RS-232 port and an IR remote. Folks interesting in dabbling in faux-surround can snag one now for $899 to $1,199, depending on whether you spring for the bundle including the SUBstage100 subwoofer.
