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Nox Audio Admiral Touch prototype preview redux: now with more clever ideas and some bass
It's been fully five months since Nox Audio's everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Admiral Touch headset prototype wowed us at CES 2011, and boy, have things changed. That ugly metal band is gone, replaced by a handsome black and silver rig, with a neatly integrated adjusting strap for a comfortable noggin squeeze. Both sides of the Admiral Touch now sport buttons, including one to add the T-Pain Effect (we kid you not). More after the break. %Gallery-125751%
Mad Catz co-branded Xbox 360 / Tritton headsets: eyes-on, ears-off
You don't nab the exclusive rights to create Xbox 360 branded headphones and not put some theoretical hutzpah into it: at E3 this week, Mad Catz is showing off a trio of co-branded Tritton / Xbox 360 cans, or at least a trio of fragile plastic facsimiles. These three mock-ups the Catz crew showed us represent the physical design of the Warhead, Devastator, and Detonator models of the co-branded line of headsets -- sporting wireless Dobly 7.1 surround sound, wireless analog, and USB connectivity, respectively. While all three models promise a slew of special sound features, the two wireless models have an exclusive shine: Xbox 360 microphone support without tethering themselves to the console's controller or using a chat dongle. Not that we got to hear for ourselves; the mock-ups were non-functional, and fragile enough that show staff wasn't feeling our enthusiasm for an ears-on demo. Still, we could dig ditching headset-to-controller leashes. Check out the gallery below to see all the bells, whistles, and switches, or hit the break for some meaty PR. %Gallery-125710%
Acer unveils two new Aspire Ethos laptops for multimedia enthusiasts, street fighters
It's been more than a year since Acer first launched its Aspire Ethos line of laptops -- a family that got a bit bigger today, with the announcement of the 8951G and 5951G. These rambunctious little extroverts are powered by the latest generation of Intel's Core i processors, offering Turbo Boost speeds of up to 3.4GHz. Big bro 8951G boasts a 18.4-inch display that transmits images in Full HD, 1920 x 1080 resolution and 220-nit brightness, while spunky little 5951G struts around with a 15.6-inch HD 1366 x 768 screen of its own. They also support NVIDIA GeForce GT500 and DirectX 11 graphics and sport Dolby-approved surround sound, aluminum-magnesium alloy shells, glossy matte finishes and back-lit chiclet keyboards. Acer plans to unleash the pair sometime in mid-June, though they won't come for cheap, with prices starting at £1,000 (about $1,643). Aspiring owners can find more information in the full PR, after the break.
Mad Catz' exclusive Xbox 360 wireless headphones revealed: integrated voice chat, 5.8GHz base station
Remember how Mad Catz scored the exclusive rights to produce Xbox 360 wireless headphones? Here's the deal: these cans don't need to be tethered to your controller for voice chat or plugged into a wall to charge. According to IGN, the new Mad Catz Warhead 7.1 will get everything it needs from a base station connected to your console. String USB and optical cables directly from the Xbox 360 to that tiny tower above, and you'll reportedly get enough 5.8GHz bandwidth to deliver virtual Dolby surround sound to four pairs of headphones at once -- plus wireless Xbox LIVE audio chat thanks to some native support from Microsoft. What's more, the USB base station will also give you an on-screen battery readout, and if the Warhead runs out of juice, you'll find a second swappable battery pack sitting in the base station's charger. If that sounds too rich for your blood, the Devastator will ditch the surround sound and rechargeable batteries while retaining the same connectivity and 50mm drivers of its premium brother. How much that'll cost you is still to be determined, though Mad Catz told IGN they'll all ring up under $300 this holiday.
Turtle Beach announces PX3 and Z6A gaming headsets, set to debut at E3
Turtle Beach impressed the pants off of us last month with its Ear Force PX5 headset, which is why our mouths began watering when we found out that the company has two new gaming products on the way -- the Ear Force PX3 and Z6A. Much like the PX5, the wireless PX3 (pictured above) boasts 18 interchangeable audio settings and supports additional presets that users can download directly from Turtle Beach. Though it was designed with PS3 users in mind, the PX3 can also run on an Xbox 360 and is the first Turtle Beach headset to feature a rechargeable, ten-hour battery. The PC and Xbox-friendly, surround sound Z6A, meanwhile, rocks eight amplified speakers (including two subwoofers) and is juiced by a 5.1 channel amp that promises to bathe your head with booming bass. The USB-powered device may leave you tethered to your console, but at least it will house your ears in an oversized mesh cushion, which may make those late-night gaming marathons a little more bearable. The PX3 will retail for about $150, with the Z6A set at around $100, and both headsets will be on display at E3 next week in Los Angeles, so we'll be sure to give you our feedback once we get our paws on them. For now, you can sate your appetite with the full PR and an image of the Z6A -- both of which are waiting for you after the break. Updated: The Z6A is designed for both PC and Xbox platforms.
PlayStation announces official wireless cans for PS3, stereo frags coming September
Perhaps Sony deemed the Ultimate Weapon too powerful (or too expensive) for PlayStation 3 owners, but these new wireless cans ought to keep your ears warm, at the very least. The new official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset features 7.1 virtual surround sound, a retractable, mutable microphone, and standard embedded volume controls. These proprietary sound-muffs connect via USB dongle, and push headset related status updates (that's your battery status) directly to your TV screen; if you're into that sort of thing. Sony-approved hearing will set you back $100 starting this September.
Ask Engadget: best sub-$100 5.1 surround sound system?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Greg, who needs 5.1 surround sound in the worst, most inexpensive way. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking for a budget 5.1 surround sound system to set myself up with a rudimentary home theatre. I've got a Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U TV, and while the picture's fine, the internal speakers are a bit lacking. I know that almost any sound system, no matter how cheap, will probably be an improvement, so I'm focusing more on saving money than getting mind-blowing audio. Value is the name of the game. Can you give me any good leads? Thanks!" Five years ago, $100 wouldn't get you much in the surround sound world, but today? Today, it's all you need. Toss your assistance in comments below!
Boxee Box patch fixes surround sound problems, brings back volume control
Good news for those left less than satisfied by their auditory experience after the recent Boxee Box 1.1 update, the company has completed work on a fix and released the v1.1.1 update earlier today. Owners of the box can now matrix stereo audio sources through their surround sound setup again and if you prefer volume control to be on, it's just a click of a settings checkbox away. One change that is remains is that it still no longer decodes Dolby TrueHD to 5.1 channel PCM internally, which appears to be the change originally intended due to the licensing between Dolby and D-Link. The update should be downloaded automatically shortly while those who are more impatient can go the manual update route, all the necessary instructions can be found at the source link below. [Thanks, Neil]
Latest Boxee Box update leaves surround sound speakers silent on stereo sources (Update)
It wasn't long after the Boxee Box v1.1 update started to roll out that users with surround sound systems found a major issue with it: besides the removal of volume controls (confirmed to return as an optional setting in the next update), there was an undocumented change to the way it handled stereo PCM audio sources for users with surround sound systems. Instead of sending it on to the user's receiver as a two channel source so it could be processed to fill all the speakers, it is sent as a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio source and only plays audio through the front left and right speakers, with no audio coming from the center channel or rear speakers. That's a major problem for people trying to watch Netflix streams, MLB.tv, listen to certain lossless audio files or any other stereo audio source and enjoy an audio experience that takes advantage of their setup. A Boxee developer on AVSForum indicated the change was due to a licensing agreement between the manufacturer of the box, D-Link, and Dolby, and would need to be left up to them for a fix. We've reached out to both Boxee and D-Link for word on their issue and while we haven't received a detailed response (expect more information tomorrow at the earliest), there is a notation on the JIRA bug tracker for the issue by "yuvalt" indicating the team is working on a fix for this and other issues which will hopefully be available within days. Check out the forum threads for more detail on the issue as well as temporary workarounds, we'll let you know if we get an official response on why this is happening and if / when there's a fix incoming. Update: Per Boxee VP of Marketing Andrew Kippen, the problem was the result of a "miscommunication" and a fixed update for that and the volume control toggle will roll out this week. Check after the break for his words verbatim, but owners of the Box can rest easy knowing their surrounds will be back to work shortly. [Thanks, Neil]
Sony's MDR-DS6500 wireless headphones serve up surround sound in style
We've seen some rather homely cans in our time -- wireless and otherwise -- which is why we were delighted to see that Sony's latest set of 7.1 channel headphones doesn't sacrifice form for function -- at least not on paper. The MDR-DS6500 setup offers up a slew of surround sound modes, including Dolby Digital, Sony's Virtualphones Technology, a 100-meter (330-foot) operating range, and automatic tuning. Sony's also promising 20 hours of listening for every three hours the things spend on their charging dock. We're not sure how much they'll set you back, but they are set for release sometime this May. Of course, we'll hold our judgment until we actually hear how they stack up. Full PR after the break.
Apple TV software update adds NBA League Pass, MLB.tv and Netflix 5.1 audio support
It didn't make it into the iOS 4.3 update notes, but second generation Apple TV owners are experiencing several new capabilities today including the ability to stream baseball and basketball games via NBA League Pass Broadband or MLB.tv and support for 5.1 audio on Netflix Watch Instantly. The Apple TV isn't the first device to bring these in front of the TV (the PS3 says hello, while Roku is still enjoying a decent lead in sports) but if it's the box hooked up to your flat screen already we see no reason to quibble -- if you're not seeing the 4.2 update yet, try hooking the lil' hockey puck to your computer via USB and letting iTunes do the work. NFL Sunday Ticket access is still the big fish no one has managed to land yet when it comes to sports in a post-cable cutting world, but we'll wait to find out if there will even be a 2011 season before expecting any word on that.
Razer's Chimaera 5.1 wireless Xbox 360 surround sound headset up for pre-order, ships in April
We were told back at CES that Razer's Chimaera 5.1 would soon be on sale, and sure enough, the company's keeping its word with today's launch. As of... oh, right about five minutes ago, the wireless Xbox 360 headset has been listed for pre-order, with $199.99 (or €199.99 in Europe) netting you a 5.1 channel Dolby surround sound headphone, 5.8GHz wireless technology, a docking base station (up to four are supported), adjustable circumaural ear cups, independent audio and microphone controls on the ear cups and a flexible microphone boom and detachable Xbox Live communication cable. We're told that they'll keep up the good fight for eight hours on a full charge, which should be plenty for even the hardest of hardcore single-session freaks. Word on the street has these shipping in April, but there's no time like the present to commit. %Gallery-117308%
Turtle Beach adds dual radios, customizable presets and voice morphing to 7.1 Ear Force PX5 gaming headset
Hear that? That's the sound of a million new products being introduced here in Vegas... in glistening 7.1 Dolby surround sound, no less. Turtle Beach has just ushered out its new flagship device, the Ear Force PX5. Designed for use with Sony's PlayStation 3 (but perfectly usable with the Xbox 360 or any other audio source), this here gaming headset is wireless in nature and is the company's first to incorporate dual radios -- one for surround sound, and another for chatting on the PlayStation Network via Bluetooth. This is also the first of its kind to incorporate customizable presets; there's a DSP chip that lives inside, and the bundled software interface allows you to program voice prompts, custom EQ, compressors, Bass Boost, etc. Then, those settings are saved right on the headset, enabling your CPU to take a breather while the cans themselves handle the math. Moreover, the BT feature can be used to accept mobile phone calls or listen to audio streams, and if you needed any more reason to invest, it also supports voice morphing. You heard right -- it can be programmed to disguise a gamer's voice, which is partially awesome, and partially the worst thing ever to happen to online chat. Hop on past the break for the full feature list, and look for this one to land in the Spring for $249.95.
OnLive turns into Vizio VIA Plus app, destined for TVs, tablets and phones
The OnLive MicroConsole is one way to get your streaming game fix, but here comes Vizio with four more -- the bargain television company just revealed that those brand-new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players (as well as that VIA Tablet and VIA Phone) will come with OnLive on board. Despite running as an internet app on top of the existing Vizio hardware, we're told the service will support full 1080p resolution, stereoscopic 3D images, and OnLive's low-latency wireless gamepads too -- as Vizio's units will apparently support IEEE 802.15.4. While the jury's still out on when OnLive will actually be playable on touchscreens, CEO Steve Perlman says some games are being adapted to support touch right now, and that tablets that support external game controllers could also use OnLive normally. We've also got more good news for the home theater crowd, as OnLive's signed a deal with SRS, bringing 5.1 surround sound as a free update to all OnLive users early next year. Because there's nothing quite like having ears bombarded from all directions with digital explosions. PR after the break.
Ask Engadget: best sound system / soundbar for around $100?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Colin, who needs his jams on the cheap. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I have been looking for a decent set of speakers that can kick out fairly good sound. Ideally, I'd use these in a bedroom, mostly for television viewing and Xbox gaming. I don't need anything too powerful as I'm not filling a gigantic room with sound. I've heard good things about Logitech boxed kits, but have also heard that soundbars are great space-saving alternatives. I'm open to pretty much anything: HTIB, soundbars, etc, but am hoping to spend around $100 or less. Thank you!" We know, you're looking to pinch pennies in order to take that special someone out on a fantastically fine date tomorrow. We get it. But these days, $100 can actually buy you quite a bit of sound. We'd echo those positive sentiments on Logitech's boxed kits, but if anyone has any other input, comments are open down below.
All seven seasons of The West Wing finally available in HD... but only online
Even though acclaimed TV series The West Wing was shot on film and six of the seven seasons were broadcast in high definition, until now the only way fans could get a copy was in standard definition. Now Warner's announced all seven seasons are available for purchase in high definition on digital distributors including iTunes and Amazon, with a $3/episode, $50/season price tag. After rumors we'd see the series on HD DVD and later Blu-ray it's great to get access to the show's high production values in higher resolution, but sadly we must note that at least on Amazon (we couldn't find any notes on iTunes) it only offers stereo audio -- an unfortunate loss for a series that won multiple awards for its sound production and features 5.1 Dolby Digital surround on DVD. How much that matters is a personal preference, but while Blu-ray quality might not be expected from downloads, it would be nice to at least get everything that's on the DVD with our downloads. Check after the break for a quick behind the scenes clip with Executive Producer Thomas Schlamme.
Aperion's Zona wireless bookshelf surround system frees up your sound studio
Aperion Audio's Home Audio Link is already enabling content speaker owners to enjoy the spoils of wireless, but if you're in the market for a set of bookshelf speakers, the outfit's Zona system might just fit the bill. Essentially, these monitors combine high-end audio fidelity with the aforementioned 2.4GHz wireless technology, allowing owners to plug a transceiver into a USB source up to 150 feet away and shoot all sorts of sine waves over to their two speakers. Of course, we wouldn't recommend these to casual listeners given the $499 asking price, but at least that gets you a pair of 20-watt Class D amplifiers, 4.5-inch woven fiberglass woofers, 1-inch soft dome silk tweeters and a feeling of pride that simply cannot be described in mere words. Or so we're told.%Gallery-106199%
HTC 7 Surround graces AT&T with a slideout speaker, Windows Phone 7 credentials
Need a break? No chance, there are still so many more phones to look at! HTC's sole Windows Phone 7 launch device for AT&T has just been revealed as the HTC 7 Surround. You'll remember this as the sexily titled T8788, which made us gape back in August with its unusual design that incorporates a slideout speaker. We can now add an integrated kickstand to the multimedia-friendly physical design, while the spec sheet (available in full after the break) is consistent with the rest of HTC's lineup. The 7 Surround offers a 3.8-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz Snapdragon chip from yesteryear, 576MB of RAM, 5 megapixel camera with 720p video, and Dolby Mobile and SRS Surround Sound technologies. This unconventional handset will be exclusive with AT&T in the US and Telus in Canada. Pricing in the US will be $199.99 on contract. %Gallery-104733%
HTC Mozart Windows Phone 7 specifications leak, 'late October' UK launch confirmed
We're getting close, very very close to the official launch of the Windows Phone 7 OS. And while the US might be waiting until November for actual handsets to go on sale, Europe looks set for an October release... just like we heard from Microsoft back in August. Things are even rosier in the UK where all five major operators will have Windows Phone 7 devices in stock. Now, according to a screengrab we've received from an internal Phones 4U system, we know that the HTC Mozart is on deck for a late October UK retail debut. To start with, the 119 x 60.5 x 11.9 mm touchscreen slate will feature a 3.7-inch 800x480 pixel TFT LCD, 1GHz CPU, 8MP camera with Xenon flash and 720p video recording, a 1300mAh battery, 8GB of memory, and a bevy of sensors for ambient light, gravity, compass, and proximity. Other specs include a 3.5-mm audio jack naturally, surround sound, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, and 802.11n WiFi. Expect it to be sold free with the usual £35 per month carrier tithe. Man, you thought deciding on a smartphone was tough now, just wait until we've got WinPho 7 and MeeGo (hopefully) devices on the market before year's end. Update: Looks as if an Orange help guide all but confirms that the Mozart will be coming its way in the UK. Thanks, Gears! %Gallery-104170%
Bose VideoWave fits surround sound into TV, custom UI aims to simplify set-top box clutter (video)
Keep it simple, stupid. That seems to be Bose's driving philosophy in its just-announced VideoWave entertainment system, and it's all about integration. There's no separate sound system to speak of: everything is built into the 46-inch 1080p LCD display. There are 16 speakers in all, including six woofers in a magnesium enclosure -- yeah, that's heavy; the total weight of this sucker is just under 100 pounds, according to PR. The surround sound is calibrated automatically via Bose's own Adaptiq, and its PhaseGuide sound radiator technology shoots high frequency audio waves to bounce off adjacent walls to recreate the effect of surround sound (i.e. a surround sound bar). The bare minimum of wires runs out of the TV, connecting to the separate console set-top box. There are three HDMI and two component ports on the back, and on the front are composite, HDMI, and USB ports (one apiece). There's an IR emitter in front for controlling other consoles, and while Bose claims you won't need IR blasters if the STBs aren't hidden away, they're bundled just in case. The second pillar of VideoWave is a radio-frequency ClickPad remote control, and it's as basic as it gets -- power, input, channel selection, volume, and mute. Bose claims that this remote will run all the connected boxes, with the console detecting what they are and automatically adding to the input list. Now, here's where it gets interesting: running your finger along the surface activates a border of options around your screen (the video source is shrunken) and you can select options that are custom-tailored to the source (DVR, cable boxes -- there's even a custom iPod interface with a proprietary dock). Like we said, the company believes it's got a handle on the set-top box scene and has custom-tailored border interfaces for pretty much everything out there, which can be upgraded via firmware (hence the USB input on the console). In person, the software and control is pretty slick and snappy. And now for the price and release date. It's actually just around the corner, October 14th, and sold exclusively through Bose stores. The upfront cost is mighty steep at $5,349, and that includes a mandatory personal delivery and installation. Then again, if you have much money to spend, is a 46-inch screen really large enough? And what of any number of other TVs with integrated sound bars? (Mitsubishi's similar Unisen series, for example, starts at $1,699.) Too early to say, but it's Bose, and that name alone packs a premium. Video after the break. %Gallery-103535% %Gallery-103537%
