Archive for the ‘Audio Tech’ Category

Just a quick update.

I received an email from Joel M. Cochran, SoundEgg.com Project Manager, informing me that the Acousticom’s SoundEgg has had their booth moved to North Hall – Booth 4916.

They will have three demos running, so you will definitely get a chance to try one out.

More information on the SoundEgg can be found at my review here at CESwebcast and at the Acousticom SoundEgg site.

Noise canceling headphones have been around for some time, but now we are starting to see the same technology applied to noise canceling headphones earbuds. Everyone is familiar with Bose  QuietComfort® headphones, but carrying around a set of bulky over-the-ear headphones in order to listen to your iPod is not really possible. There are two new alternatives that show a lot of promise.

Bose Noise Cancelling Earbud Headphones

First, Bose has come out with their own option for portable media devices called, surprisingly enough, Bose® in-ear headphones. I’m sure that given Bose’s background and quality that this product delivers everything it promises, however, specs aren’t available for these ear buds and Bose doesn’t plan to exhibit at CES 2010. (Why? Beats the heck out of me.)

Bose In-ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

I can’t imagine the reasoning behind not releasing the specs on the headphones, especially for a set of headphones that will cost you $99.95 (SRP).

Fortunately, there is an alternative that WILL be at CES 2010.

Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. (Booth: South 1 21840) has come out with their own noise canceling earbud headphones, the ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint® Active Noise-Canceling In-Ear Headphones. Audio-Technica has released their specs and they look great. Like the Bose headphones, they use active noise-canceling to reduce external noise by 80% (up to 20 dB). Pretty impressive for a small fit-in-your-ear set of headphones. They do run a bit more than the Bose set, at $169.95 (SRP), but the increased price brings some great added features. The one that caught my eye was a monitor button that lets you turn the noise-canceling off so you can hear someone trying to talk to you without taking the buds out of your ears.

Quietpoint Active Noise Canceling Earbud Headphones From Audio-Technica

Here are the specs for the ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint® Active Noise-Canceling In-Ear Headphones:

Specifications measured with headphones in active mode.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen boom boxes on the street, but that can change with Altec Lansing’s new toy. The Mix Digital Boombox will be shown at CES 2010 and can accommodate up to three mobile devices at one time and allows you to control the playlist from an infrared carabineer style remote that clips to your belt loop.

The company, which previously specialized in computer speaker systems, has branched out to deliver the audiophile one of the best means to take your music library with you since the introduction of the iPod.

The sound is delivered by five active speakers, two 1” horn-loaded polypropylene tweeters, two 3” mid range drivers, one 5.25” subwoofer and a 5.25” passive radiator. The system also features Advanced audio Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for a crisp sound.

The only drawback I could find is that it takes eight D cell batteries (I hate those things) to power it on the run. However, the Mix will run for 30 continuous hours before you need a bank loan to replace the batteries. There is an AC adapter included to save on battery life when power is available.

There are a ton of features on the Mix, like a 7 band equalizer, digital FM tuner and it even pauses your music when a call comes in through your iPhone. One thing I especially liked, although it’s not a selling point, is that Altec Lansing not only posted a pdf spec sheet on their site, but also made the user’s manual available for download so you can see everything you need before you decide to buy.

For everything you get, including Altec Lansing’s quality, it’s moderately priced at $299.

Altec Lansing will be at CES 2010 at  Booth: South 1 21919

I was more than a little intrigued by Acousticom’s Sound Egg. A few years ago I had the opportunity to sit in a chair carved out of a solid piece of burl wood at It’s A Burl in southern Oregon. There was a stereo sitting across the room pointed directly at the chair. The effect was amazing. A cheezy little stereo projected into the chair made it sound like I was in a perfectly balanced auditorium.

I can’t imagine what Acousticom has done with the basic design. They have taken the retro-sixties chair and moved it into the 21st century. I expect that the effect will be much improved over the low-tech wooden chair I sat in.

Since I haven’t had the chance to try the Sound Egg out for myself, yet, I thought I’d reprint a letter from Acousticom’s President, Mark Cochran.

Needless to say, Acousticom, located in booth: South 2 25815 at the 2010 CES will be one of my first stops. (I just have to figure out how I’m going to convince my wife how the Sound Egg will blend with the rest of the furniture in our 100 year old victorian house.)

Randy

____________________________________________________________

Message from the President,

Hi everybody,

I’m so excited about our release of the Sound Egg. It’s been my 20 year engineering passion to re-create the audio Egg chair! It is a 5.1 surround sound Egg pod that will allow you to hear movies, music; play video games like you have never heard them before. Music is so powerful with heartfelt bass and crisp highs that will literally move you.

Watching Movies are so incredible with the 5.1 surround sound speakers. You are put in the middle of the action and when the building explodes in your favorite action flick; well let’s just say it’s better than the real movie theaters! If you’re an Xbox gamer then you will never wear a headset again!

The Sound Egg has many other uses in the audio testing field. We use it for demonstrating how well Acousticom’s Active Noise Headset and Microphones work at a shows and events. You can put the customer in a high noise field of recorded aircraft, tank, fire truck or any audio signal you want. They can hear how well the ANR circuitry cuts out the low frequency noise and if you have the headset connected to an intercom the customer can also evaluate the noise canceling Microphone on the headset.

It is a very powerfully demonstration tool. There are a variety of applications and you will be impressed! So visit www.soundegg.com for product details. This is truly a gift for the whole family.

Mark Cochran
Pres./Engr.
Acousticom corp.