Audio
Cans that go up to 11?
Nowadays, headphones aren't just a way of listening to your music without
annoying people on the bus, they're also a fashion accessory. We've had plenty
of cool-looking headphones on the the Pocket-lint test bench including Philips
O'Neill The Stretch cans and Sennheiser Adidas HD 25-1-II. While both of these
headphones got good scores, there is a danger of style taking over from
substance. The latest traditionally non-headphone brand to get its name on a
pair of cans is legendary guitar amp manufacturer Marshall. But, is the
product any good? Read on to find out.
There's no mistaking that the familiar design boasted by the Marshall Major
headphones is based on the aesthetics from the brand's amps. The telltale
white Marshall logo is proudly displayed on the centre of each earcup and it's
also etched into two metal plates found in the inside of each end of the
headband. Also on the inside of the headband, in the centre you'll find the
signature of company founder Jim Marshall. The outside of the earcups features
a textured finish that feels similar (though not identical) to the vinyl that
the
Nowadays, headphones aren't just a way of listening to your music without
annoying people on the bus, they're also a fashion accessory. We've had plenty
of cool-looking headphones on the the Pocket-lint test bench including Philips
O'Neill The Stretch cans and Sennheiser Adidas HD 25-1-II. While both of these
headphones got good scores, there is a danger of style taking over from
substance. The latest traditionally non-headphone brand to get its name on a
pair of cans is legendary guitar amp manufacturer Marshall. But, is the
product any good? Read on to find out.
There's no mistaking that the familiar design boasted by the Marshall Major
headphones is based on the aesthetics from the brand's amps. The telltale
white Marshall logo is proudly displayed on the centre of each earcup and it's
also etched into two metal plates found in the inside of each end of the
headband. Also on the inside of the headband, in the centre you'll find the
signature of company founder Jim Marshall. The outside of the earcups features
a textured finish that feels similar (though not identical) to the vinyl that
the
Tunes on the go
Pocket-Lint has teamed up with audio specialist, Memorex, to give four lucky
readers the chance to win a PurePlay iPod docking station worth ?50.
The PurePlay sound system is a compact, clutch-style device designed to be
easily portable. Its folding design means the speakers are protected while
you're on the move, so you can easily take it down to the beach, on a picnic,
or just play your favourite music indoors, all while charging your iPod or
iPhone.
?
At Pocket-Lint we recently reviewed the PurePlay sound system, awarding it an
impressive 4 out of 5 stars. For more information, make sure you check out our
review here.
And to be in with a chance of winning, just click through here to the
competition page.
Tags: Audio Memorex Memorex PurePlay Competitions
Win 1 of 4 Memorex PurePlay sound systems originally appeared on http://www
.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:31:28 +0000
Pocket-Lint has teamed up with audio specialist, Memorex, to give four lucky
readers the chance to win a PurePlay iPod docking station worth ?50.
The PurePlay sound system is a compact, clutch-style device designed to be
easily portable. Its folding design means the speakers are protected while
you're on the move, so you can easily take it down to the beach, on a picnic,
or just play your favourite music indoors, all while charging your iPod or
iPhone.
?
At Pocket-Lint we recently reviewed the PurePlay sound system, awarding it an
impressive 4 out of 5 stars. For more information, make sure you check out our
review here.
And to be in with a chance of winning, just click through here to the
competition page.
Tags: Audio Memorex Memorex PurePlay Competitions
Win 1 of 4 Memorex PurePlay sound systems originally appeared on http://www
.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:31:28 +0000
Cool cans that won't break the bank
At the recent Bristol Sound & Vision Show, we spied these cool-looking
headphones from Hong Kong-based manufacturer i-Mego, so we zeroed in on them
for a closer look. Already selling in the US, and on their way to the UK soon,
the Retro range comprises three models - Classics, Heavy and Infinity.
All three models feature the same retro-styling, with the chrome finished cans
looking very similar to a old-style microphones. The earcups themselves have
plenty of padding along with a slightly strange square shape, which we found
to be really comfortable to wear. The earcups also feature a tiny red, fabric
i-Mego label that doesn't look too dissimilar to the labels found on Levi's
jeans for a bit of extra 1950s cool.
The entry-level Classics feature a white and silver finish and are intended
for any type of music, while the step-up Heavy cans sport an unusual deep
brown and smoky chrome look and have enhanced bass response, making them a
good bet for bass-laden dance or rocks tracks. The top-of-the-range Infinity
headphones feature an all-leather black trim as well as the the same bass
technology found on ...
At the recent Bristol Sound & Vision Show, we spied these cool-looking
headphones from Hong Kong-based manufacturer i-Mego, so we zeroed in on them
for a closer look. Already selling in the US, and on their way to the UK soon,
the Retro range comprises three models - Classics, Heavy and Infinity.
All three models feature the same retro-styling, with the chrome finished cans
looking very similar to a old-style microphones. The earcups themselves have
plenty of padding along with a slightly strange square shape, which we found
to be really comfortable to wear. The earcups also feature a tiny red, fabric
i-Mego label that doesn't look too dissimilar to the labels found on Levi's
jeans for a bit of extra 1950s cool.
The entry-level Classics feature a white and silver finish and are intended
for any type of music, while the step-up Heavy cans sport an unusual deep
brown and smoky chrome look and have enhanced bass response, making them a
good bet for bass-laden dance or rocks tracks. The top-of-the-range Infinity
headphones feature an all-leather black trim as well as the the same bass
technology found on ...
New cans and buds announced
Sony has announced a number of new headphones and earphones, ranging from
professional quality cans down to mobile friendly buds.
Starting with the big boy of the launch bunch, the MDR-Z1000 is designed for
the studio and packs ultra-wide range HD driver units that use a newly-
developed Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragm, resulting in a light-weight but
sturdy disposition.
These headphones have noise isolation earpads and the cord is made of 7N
Grade, 99.99999 per cent, oxygen free copper. The frequency response is
5-80,000Hz and the sensitivity is 108dB/mW.
Next up is the MRR-ZX series, comprising of the flagship ZX700 as well as the
ZX500, ZX300 and ZX100.
These are headphones with your MP3 player in mind, and feature a closed design
to keep your sound to yourself, so you won't annoy fellow commuters or co-
workers by leaking Coldplay to their poor eardrums.
If you're more earphone friendly then the in-ear MDR-EX series (seven models
in total) may be more up your street.
The best of the EX bunch is the MDR-EX1000 which features a Liquid Crystal
Polymer (LCP) film diaphragm and a 16mm driver unit in a slim magnesium, and
uses the ...
Sony has announced a number of new headphones and earphones, ranging from
professional quality cans down to mobile friendly buds.
Starting with the big boy of the launch bunch, the MDR-Z1000 is designed for
the studio and packs ultra-wide range HD driver units that use a newly-
developed Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragm, resulting in a light-weight but
sturdy disposition.
These headphones have noise isolation earpads and the cord is made of 7N
Grade, 99.99999 per cent, oxygen free copper. The frequency response is
5-80,000Hz and the sensitivity is 108dB/mW.
Next up is the MRR-ZX series, comprising of the flagship ZX700 as well as the
ZX500, ZX300 and ZX100.
These are headphones with your MP3 player in mind, and feature a closed design
to keep your sound to yourself, so you won't annoy fellow commuters or co-
workers by leaking Coldplay to their poor eardrums.
If you're more earphone friendly then the in-ear MDR-EX series (seven models
in total) may be more up your street.
The best of the EX bunch is the MDR-EX1000 which features a Liquid Crystal
Polymer (LCP) film diaphragm and a 16mm driver unit in a slim magnesium, and
uses the ...
.
Gets ?18.5million windfall, mind
Apple design guru Jonathan "Jony" Ive is to move back to his Somerset home in
the UK and commute to Cupertino, California when needed, reports state. And,
naturally, this would take him out of the running to take over from Steve Jobs
as CEO if the big man steps down permanently due to health issues.
It is said that Ive and his wife have long wanted their children to be
educated in England, being parents of twin boys, but Apple is understandably
at "loggerheads" with his decision to relocate. It could even cost him his
current senior position within the company.
The Times spoke to an unnamed friend of his: "Unfortunately he is just too
valuable to Apple and they told him in no uncertain terms that if he headed
back to England he would not be able to sustain his position with them."
However, it's unlikely that Apple would be willing to?jettison?the chief
designer of such products as the iPod, iPhone and iPad.
That said, it's not like he needs the money. A recent share option windfall
has just awarded Ive an extra ?18.5million ($30million), should he decide to
sell up. ...
Apple design guru Jonathan "Jony" Ive is to move back to his Somerset home in
the UK and commute to Cupertino, California when needed, reports state. And,
naturally, this would take him out of the running to take over from Steve Jobs
as CEO if the big man steps down permanently due to health issues.
It is said that Ive and his wife have long wanted their children to be
educated in England, being parents of twin boys, but Apple is understandably
at "loggerheads" with his decision to relocate. It could even cost him his
current senior position within the company.
The Times spoke to an unnamed friend of his: "Unfortunately he is just too
valuable to Apple and they told him in no uncertain terms that if he headed
back to England he would not be able to sustain his position with them."
However, it's unlikely that Apple would be willing to?jettison?the chief
designer of such products as the iPod, iPhone and iPad.
That said, it's not like he needs the money. A recent share option windfall
has just awarded Ive an extra ?18.5million ($30million), should he decide to
sell up. ...
All-in-one, high-end streaming
High-end audio specialist Cyrus has introduced a new range of streaming
products including the all-in-one Streamline. We went along to the Bristol-
based Sound & Vision Show 2011 to get a closer look.
There are three models to choose from in the range, but priced at ?1,600, the
Streamline is the most affordable by far, although you will need to shell out
extra for some loudspeakers to go with it. Based on the same platform as the
flagship Stream XP, the unit itself is very compact and the brushed metal
finish gives it a premium look. Equipped with a 2 x 30W power amp, the
Streamline has everything you need to stream music wirelessly around your home
from a NAS drive (with the addition of some speakers, of course). If the
built-in power amp doesn't offer enough juice for you then the product offers
the flexibility of adding more powerful amps.
As well as looking slick, the Streamline is very easy to use and also has a
USB port so that you can hook up an iPod or portable storage device. There's
also an Ethernet port in case you prefer a wired ...
High-end audio specialist Cyrus has introduced a new range of streaming
products including the all-in-one Streamline. We went along to the Bristol-
based Sound & Vision Show 2011 to get a closer look.
There are three models to choose from in the range, but priced at ?1,600, the
Streamline is the most affordable by far, although you will need to shell out
extra for some loudspeakers to go with it. Based on the same platform as the
flagship Stream XP, the unit itself is very compact and the brushed metal
finish gives it a premium look. Equipped with a 2 x 30W power amp, the
Streamline has everything you need to stream music wirelessly around your home
from a NAS drive (with the addition of some speakers, of course). If the
built-in power amp doesn't offer enough juice for you then the product offers
the flexibility of adding more powerful amps.
As well as looking slick, the Streamline is very easy to use and also has a
USB port so that you can hook up an iPod or portable storage device. There's
also an Ethernet port in case you prefer a wired ...
Morning glory
There are some things, in Britain anyway, that are absolute musts if you're
going to get through the day, without getting extremely angry with the world.
There are three that spring to mind straight away: toast, tea and a bit of
morning radio. Something that the Breville radio toaster has a really good go
at taking care of, and anyway two out of three ain't bad.
Lack of a good cup of tea aside and this gadget has it all, as you not only
get to listen to your favourite radio station, but there is the built-in
toaster as well. Both FM and AM bands are taken care of and there's also a
variable browning function and mid-cycle cancel tech on board.
10 preset radio channels and removable crumb tray for easy clean, rounds off
the package and if you're still not convinced, blue illuminated toasting
controls come as standard - yes, standard.
Priced at ?49.99 from Firebox.com you'd have thought Breville would have
fitted some kind of tea-making functionality, but it's still something you'd
be proud of sitting on the counter of your kitchen.
?
Read
Tags: Audio Radios Breville Gadgets Toasters Home And Kitchen ...
There are some things, in Britain anyway, that are absolute musts if you're
going to get through the day, without getting extremely angry with the world.
There are three that spring to mind straight away: toast, tea and a bit of
morning radio. Something that the Breville radio toaster has a really good go
at taking care of, and anyway two out of three ain't bad.
Lack of a good cup of tea aside and this gadget has it all, as you not only
get to listen to your favourite radio station, but there is the built-in
toaster as well. Both FM and AM bands are taken care of and there's also a
variable browning function and mid-cycle cancel tech on board.
10 preset radio channels and removable crumb tray for easy clean, rounds off
the package and if you're still not convinced, blue illuminated toasting
controls come as standard - yes, standard.
Priced at ?49.99 from Firebox.com you'd have thought Breville would have
fitted some kind of tea-making functionality, but it's still something you'd
be proud of sitting on the counter of your kitchen.
?
Read
Tags: Audio Radios Breville Gadgets Toasters Home And Kitchen ...
After UK d?but
Two months after Sony launched its Qriocity powered music-on-demand platform
in the UK and Europe, it has announced the arrival of Music Unlimited powered
by Qriocity in the US (and Australia and New Zealand too).?
The subscription-based package will give its users access to tonnes of songs
from many of the major record labels including Universal Music Group, Sony
Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music as well as some of the
leading independent labels.?
You can access and play tunes through a range of Sony devices including the
2010 Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and home theatre systems, as well as
PlayStation 3 consoles and Vaio PCs.
There's also plans afoot to bring the service to Android devices and "a wide
range of Sony's portable devices" - could this be the Sony Qriocity tablet we
told you about on Wednesday?
"As we expand 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' around the globe, it
signifies a paradigm shift which redefines the existing music listening
experience by revolutionising music access, discovery, integration and
personalisation," said Kazuo Hirai, president of Networked Products & Services
Group, Sony Corporation.
"Through Sony's high quality network-enabled devices, we are focused on
delivering dynamic services ...
Two months after Sony launched its Qriocity powered music-on-demand platform
in the UK and Europe, it has announced the arrival of Music Unlimited powered
by Qriocity in the US (and Australia and New Zealand too).?
The subscription-based package will give its users access to tonnes of songs
from many of the major record labels including Universal Music Group, Sony
Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music as well as some of the
leading independent labels.?
You can access and play tunes through a range of Sony devices including the
2010 Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and home theatre systems, as well as
PlayStation 3 consoles and Vaio PCs.
There's also plans afoot to bring the service to Android devices and "a wide
range of Sony's portable devices" - could this be the Sony Qriocity tablet we
told you about on Wednesday?
"As we expand 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' around the globe, it
signifies a paradigm shift which redefines the existing music listening
experience by revolutionising music access, discovery, integration and
personalisation," said Kazuo Hirai, president of Networked Products & Services
Group, Sony Corporation.
"Through Sony's high quality network-enabled devices, we are focused on
delivering dynamic services ...
MWC 2011: We listen in on new app
Sonos?fans that just happen to be rocking Android we've got some bad news -
we've played with the new Android Sonos app and you haven't.
That's right, we've tracked down the chaps at Sonos at Mobile World
Congress?in Barcelona and had a quick play with the new Android app and a
Sonos S5.
It's at this point we have to admit we planned to have a longer play than we
did, but with so many Wi-Fi networks on the Google stand we're surprised the
Sonos guys managed to keep connectivity as long as they did.?Hats off guys.
Anyway, back in the real world where there aren't five dozen Wi-Fi networks
and about 300 mobile phones vying for connectivity, and the app is likely to
work perfectly.
For iPhone users who are looking for the excuse to jump ship to an Android
device the concept is the same. In fact if it wasn't for the slightly
different blue tint on the interface (it's more turquoise - random we know)
you would be hard pushed to tell the difference between the two when it comes
to the User Interface (UI).
Of ...
Sonos?fans that just happen to be rocking Android we've got some bad news -
we've played with the new Android Sonos app and you haven't.
That's right, we've tracked down the chaps at Sonos at Mobile World
Congress?in Barcelona and had a quick play with the new Android app and a
Sonos S5.
It's at this point we have to admit we planned to have a longer play than we
did, but with so many Wi-Fi networks on the Google stand we're surprised the
Sonos guys managed to keep connectivity as long as they did.?Hats off guys.
Anyway, back in the real world where there aren't five dozen Wi-Fi networks
and about 300 mobile phones vying for connectivity, and the app is likely to
work perfectly.
For iPhone users who are looking for the excuse to jump ship to an Android
device the concept is the same. In fact if it wasn't for the slightly
different blue tint on the interface (it's more turquoise - random we know)
you would be hard pushed to tell the difference between the two when it comes
to the User Interface (UI).
Of ...
Facebook and Twitter campaign used
Radiohead used the power of the web and its social networks to announce the
arrival of their new album "The Kings Of Limbs", which once again bypasses the
major record labels.
The news first broke on the band's website, with a post simply saying "Thank
You for waiting", and the album's pre-order status was declared by the
Radiohead News Facebook page, as well as its Twitter account, so the fans knew
about the launch even before the music press did.
The Kings of Limbs is available to pre-order now at ateaseweb.com. It will go
on general release on both CD and 12-inch vinyl in all music stores and
digital retailers from 28 March.
Nigel Godrich, who has worked with the band from 1997's OK Computer onwards,
is again on board to produce the album.
Let's just hope it's more The Bends than In Rainbows.
Read
Tags: Digital music Radiohead Audio Music Social networks
Radiohead use the social network for new album launch originally appeared on
http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:58:00 +0000
Radiohead used the power of the web and its social networks to announce the
arrival of their new album "The Kings Of Limbs", which once again bypasses the
major record labels.
The news first broke on the band's website, with a post simply saying "Thank
You for waiting", and the album's pre-order status was declared by the
Radiohead News Facebook page, as well as its Twitter account, so the fans knew
about the launch even before the music press did.
The Kings of Limbs is available to pre-order now at ateaseweb.com. It will go
on general release on both CD and 12-inch vinyl in all music stores and
digital retailers from 28 March.
Nigel Godrich, who has worked with the band from 1997's OK Computer onwards,
is again on board to produce the album.
Let's just hope it's more The Bends than In Rainbows.
Read
Tags: Digital music Radiohead Audio Music Social networks
Radiohead use the social network for new album launch originally appeared on
http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:58:00 +0000
Street-style cans for wannabe DJs
With the number of amateur DJs increasing by the day, plenty of audio brands
are now offering fashionable headphones with rotating earpieces for the one-
eared listening position that's a prerequisite of the DJ stance.
Clearly targeted at the young hipster market, Panasonic's RP-DJS400 DJ
headphones have been designed as a fashion statement and are available in a
choice of three colourways - white with green accents, black with orange and
orange with grey. The idea is that they look just as cool when they're hung
around your neck as when you're wearing them. We're not entirely sure if
that's what really counts as being cool these days, but we're happy to play
along for the benefit of our review. And in fairness, the vivid combination of
white and green on our review sample really does look pretty snappy.
On closer inspection, the glossy white plastic finish on the earcups looks a
little cheap but we can't really complain too much as the headphones only cost
?40.99. Both earcups can be swiveled around by 90 degrees so that they fold
flat and can also be used for DJ-style, one-sided listening. ...
With the number of amateur DJs increasing by the day, plenty of audio brands
are now offering fashionable headphones with rotating earpieces for the one-
eared listening position that's a prerequisite of the DJ stance.
Clearly targeted at the young hipster market, Panasonic's RP-DJS400 DJ
headphones have been designed as a fashion statement and are available in a
choice of three colourways - white with green accents, black with orange and
orange with grey. The idea is that they look just as cool when they're hung
around your neck as when you're wearing them. We're not entirely sure if
that's what really counts as being cool these days, but we're happy to play
along for the benefit of our review. And in fairness, the vivid combination of
white and green on our review sample really does look pretty snappy.
On closer inspection, the glossy white plastic finish on the earcups looks a
little cheap but we can't really complain too much as the headphones only cost
?40.99. Both earcups can be swiveled around by 90 degrees so that they fold
flat and can also be used for DJ-style, one-sided listening. ...
We go jogging with these sporty buds
One member of team Pocket-lint is quite the athletic type. He laughs in the
face of triathlons and knocks-out marathon-length jogs on Sunday mornings for
fun.
Unfortunately, this writer is not that team-member and is instead a rather
lazy individual who really should get his act together. But still, we're often
running around the corner to the pub in order to get in before last orders, or
running away from crazed landlords after arguing that it's 10.59, not 11.03 as
the pub's clock says.
So we think we're more than qualified to take the sporty Radiopaq Flex
earphones for a test-run. We were perfectly able to see if they would fit
nicely, or if they'd stay in place when we ran up to the shops - yes, and yes
by the way.
These budget sporty buds (less than ?25) may not be the best quality earphones
you're likely to come across (and you'd get better quality for the same money
from the likes of Sennheiser) but they do exactly what they state on the tin -
they hook to your ears and they stay in place when you're moving ...
One member of team Pocket-lint is quite the athletic type. He laughs in the
face of triathlons and knocks-out marathon-length jogs on Sunday mornings for
fun.
Unfortunately, this writer is not that team-member and is instead a rather
lazy individual who really should get his act together. But still, we're often
running around the corner to the pub in order to get in before last orders, or
running away from crazed landlords after arguing that it's 10.59, not 11.03 as
the pub's clock says.
So we think we're more than qualified to take the sporty Radiopaq Flex
earphones for a test-run. We were perfectly able to see if they would fit
nicely, or if they'd stay in place when we ran up to the shops - yes, and yes
by the way.
These budget sporty buds (less than ?25) may not be the best quality earphones
you're likely to come across (and you'd get better quality for the same money
from the likes of Sennheiser) but they do exactly what they state on the tin -
they hook to your ears and they stay in place when you're moving ...
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