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Sonos bundles offer audio options for home theater, vinyl and more
As we head towards Sonos' home theater event on June 6th, the company has just revealed new speaker bundles that will help you save on a Sonos-based home sound system.
Apparently high-definition vinyl is coming next year
The process of making records hasn't changed much over the last hundred or so years, but that itself could change soon. Austria-based Rebeat Innovation has begun the work to bring vinyl into the 21st century. Of course, that involves lasers. Specifically, converting analog audio information into a digital, 3D topographic map of the music, and then etching that into a platter with light. According to Pitchfork, this process will result in around 40 percent longer playing times per side, 30 percent more amplitude and will offer better sound quality overall. It'd also sidestep the chemicals typically used in the record-making process.
Technics' SP-10R is its latest high-end throwback turntable
If you thought Technic's SL-1200 reissue was expensive, you haven't seen anything yet. Meet the SP-10R. Technics calls the throwback deck its "most premium turntable ever" and its 7kg (almost 15.5 pounds) brass, rubber and aluminum platter drives that claim home even further. "By optimizing the natural frequency of each ayer, external vibrations are thoroughly suppressed resulting in a beautifully clear and crisp audio experience," a very technically-worded press release says.
Inside Grado Labs: A legacy of hand-built headphones
Grado Labs is a special place. That sounds hyperbolic, but allow me to explain. Behind a graffiti-covered Brooklyn facade, there's a small factory where the family's namesake headphones and turntable cartridges are assembled. When you step inside the door off of Seventh Avenue into what used to be the family's fruit market and home, a history lesson awaits. And it's not just about this particular company, but of the audio industry as a whole. It just happens to be told through the lens of one New York City family.
The best turntable for casual listening
By Chris Heinonen This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. After spending over 50 total hours comparing turntables and measuring their performance, we've determined that the Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB is the best turntable for most people. It's highly adjustable, has a built-in phono preamp for hassle-free setup, sounds great out of the box, and even has a built-in USB port if you want to digitize your LP collection. It's also very speed-accurate, according to our tests.
12 gifts for music nerds
Nerds come in many forms. Some build stuff, some like video games, and others sweat the tiny details of audio fidelity or salivate over vintage drum machines. That latter group can be difficult to shop for if you're not initiated in the ways of the music nerd. But don't worry. Whether the obsessive audio freak in your life is more into making music or listening to it, we've got you covered. For those that love composing sweet beats, there's the TR-09 -- a pretty solid remake of the classic 909 drum machine that was essential to creating '80s and '90s house and techno. There are also pocket synths for musicians on the go, like the Pocket Operator line from Teenage Engineering. For those who get their kicks more from listening than creating, there are subscription services like VNYL that deliver fresh pressed records to your door. You'll also need a solid turntable like Music Hall's MMF-2.3 to listen to them on, of course. And, if your favorite audiophile also happens to be an iPhone owner there's an obvious stocking stuffer: Belkin's Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar. This brings back the headphone jack and lets you charge the phone at the same time! For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don't forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
Technics' pricey SL-1200G turntable goes on sale this month
At IFA last year, Panasonic announced that it was reviving the iconic Technics brand with new turntables. After releasing a super limited special edition earlier this year, the company announced at IFA 2016 that the updated SL-1200G would arrive this month. What Hi-Fi reports that the new version is nearly identical to the SL-1200GAE that sold out in about a month, save for some design changes to the platter and the tone arm.
Sony's hi-res turntable and software make it easy to go digital
Vinyl has seen a resurgence lately, with sales growth for this format outpacing digital. To stay on top of that trend, Sony refreshed its record player lineup to include the not-so-memorably named PS-HX500. Though it cuts a familiar figure, resembling many minimalist-style turntables, it was built with a 21st century purpose: to make quality digital copies of your treasured discs. That's important for long-time collectors, of course, but also newer vinyl enthusiasts, who will likely want to convert their discs into a high-resolution digital format as painlessly as possible.
Pioneer's new turntable digitizes your vinyl collection for $350
Sony's PS-HX500 turntable caught our eye at CES for its ability to catalog a vinyl collection as high-res digital files. It's a steep investment at $600, but now Pioneer DJ has a more affordable alternative. Pioneer's $350 PLX-500 also features a USB connection that converts your records, but the company touts the device's ability to serve two purposes admirably. Sure, you can set it up in your living room for spinning records at home and archiving new vinyl purchases, but DJs can also expect to employ it in the booth.
VNYL's wireless turntable lets your pals follow along on Spotify
Perhaps you've heard of VNYL: the $39 record subscription service that sends you three new albums a month based on your musical tastes. After offering the vinyl aspect of the audio equation, the company is looking to provide the gear you'll need to spin those records, too. TRNTBL (we should've seen this coming), is a belt-driven wireless turntable that connects to your speakers, headphones and other devices via Bluetooth and AirPlay. Despite its claims, the gadget isn't the first wireless turntable, as both ION and Audio Technica have Bluetooth-equipped models of their own.
Sony's Google Cast speakers are ready to put music in any room
Back at CES, Sony announced new multi-room audio gear with a soundbar and two speakers to put music all over your house. Now, a few months after their debut, those devices are available to actually buy. As a refresher, the HT-NT5 soundbar features six speakers that are angled upward to better project sound and Sony's so-called Super Tweeter tech to lend a hand with high-res audio. It's also Google Cast friendly, which means streaming music, podcasts, etc. from the likes of Play Music and Spotify is a few taps away.
Recommended Reading: A look at what music does to your brain
The Surprising Science Behind What Music Does to Our Brains Belle Beth Cooper, Fast Company You probably enjoy listening to music while you're in the office, at the gym or to relax in the evening. But did you know just how much playing some tunes affects your brain? Fast Company dives into the science behind what music does for your creativity and overall mindset.
Technics explains why its new SL-1200 turntable costs $4,000
Back at CES, Panasonic's revived Technics brand pulled the wraps off of its new direct-drive SL-1200 turntable. While that announcement surely kicked up all sorts of feelings, the new gear comes with a steep price tag: $4,000. As many have noted, that's a dramatic increase from what Technics' turntables used to go for before the brand was discontinued. What Hi-Fi reports that new materials, including a new motor, and increased production costs are the reasons you'll need to empty your savings account to nab one later this year.
Audio-Technica has a turntable for your wireless speakers
There's no doubting the vinyl resurgence, and this year's CES has a few turntable options for those hobbyists. In addition to Sony's new model that digitizes vinyl tunes and a Technics revival, Audio-Technica has a turntable for your wireless speaker setup. The company's AT-LP60-BT offers Bluetooth connectivity in a fully automatic belt-drive stereo turntable. This means that in addition to speakers, you can also pair the device with your wireless headphones (more on that in a second). You can connect up to eight different speakers as well, which would seem to make it a solid option for multi-room audio. However, we'd want to test the range before confirming you can use it in that manner.
Panasonic's Technics revival has a new direct-drive SL-1200
During its CES 2016 press conference, Panasonic took some time out to talk about its new line of Technics turntables. This year it's releasing two versions of a direct-drive model: the limited edition 50th Anniversary Grand Class SL-1200GAE (limited to 1,200 units of course) and a non-limited Grand Class SL-1200G. In these editions, the reborn Technics says it even cured "cogging" with a newly developed coreless motor. There's no word on price, but the turntables should arrive in late 2016.
Engineer creates functional concrete 'Satisfaction' record
German engineer Ricardo Kocadag has developed what he claims is the "first concrete record," built from a high-performance concrete developed for high-rise buildings and bridges. The idea was not to dramatically increase the weight of your music collection, but rather to show that the load-supporting material can also be finely finished and detailed. A type of "ultra high-performance concrete," or UHPC, it's often used on unusually-shaped, detailed structures like the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.
Amazon's holiday hits included instant film and turntables
You'd think that an internet retail behemoth like Amazon would primarily sell a lot of cutting-edge tech during the holidays, but nope -- that wasn't the case this year. The company has posted its annual holiday bestsellers, and it turns out that some of the hottest purchases were decidedly retro. The best-selling camera tech this year, for example, was Fujifilm's Instax instant film. A digital camera, the GoPro Hero4, was only a runner-up. Likewise, the top home audio gear was a Jensen turntable, eclipsing a Yamaha receiver and Sonos' Play:1 two-speaker kit.
Oddball machine makes 'analog' techno music with vinyl records
Many techno DJs are used to playing music on vinyl, but creating it? That's another matter. However, Graham Dunning has found a wonderfully strange way to make that idea work. His Mechanical Techno device produces full-on dance tracks by driving several heavily modified records at once with a turntable, with each record relying on unique triggers to produce a sound. Electrical contacts will produce a synth sound as one record spins around, for instance, while piezoelectric triggers create that all-important beat on another disc. The result is techno that's at once analog and not. It sounds digital, but it has the imprecision and unpredictability that you'd never get from software.
Panasonic is reviving Technics' legendary DJ turntables
Ask DJs about their favorite turntables and they'll frequently swear by Technics' SL-1200 -- even though it hasn't been made since 2007, the super-reliable deck is still the gold standard for vinyl spinners. If you're one of those enthusiasts, you'll be glad to hear that Panasonic is bringing Technics turntables back as part of a larger revival for the audio brand. Many of the details are still under wraps, but the turntable set will have a new direct-drive motor that should improve the audio quality. The gear won't show up until some point during Panasonic's next fiscal year (sometime between April 2016 and March 2017), but more development time is likely a good thing. After all, the SL-1200 thrives precisely because its makers were careful to preserve elements that worked well -- a rushed product could easily hurt more than it helps. Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub.
Recommended Reading: NFL player turns mercenary in 'Call of Duty'
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. 'The Whole Game is Beast Mode' by Sam Alipour ESPN The Magazine Kevin Spacey temporarily shelved his presidential persona to play a private military contractor in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. For this year's title, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch hung up his cleats to play a mercenary in Call of Duty: Black Ops III. ESPN The Magazine has a behind-the-scenes look at the process, from motion capture to facial scans required to construct the digital version of the NFL player.
