If you’ve watched Men in Black, you will remember the future Agent J sitting in a chair that resembled an Egg.  These chairs were all the rage in the 70’s and have been around since the 1950’s.  Now Acousticom.com has reinvented the Egg Chair and added 5.1 Surround Sound.

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Stereo Bluetooth is a great innovation for the freedom it grants from cables.  I was quite pleased when Apple finally added stereo Bluetooth functionality to the iPhone.  Not that being connected to a headphone cable is a huge problem, but it’s nice to be able to set my iPhone on my desk while listening to music, and still be able to move around my office without needing to pick up the iPhone and carry it with me if I’m just moving a few steps to get something off a shelf.

Mobile Action understands the appeal of eliminating wires. Their new Voiis Stereo Wireless Music Gateway adds stereo Bluetooth capabilities to home stereo and computer systems.  It has both transmitting and receiving capabilities, so you can use it to stream music from your home stereo to a pair of Bluetooth headphones, or you can use it to receive music streamed from a Bluetooth-enabled device, such as an iPhone, and play it over your home system without needing a dock.

The folks at Mobile Action were kind enough to send us a review unit.  Keep reading for our evaluation.

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Here’s the dilemma: you’re listening to your favorite music, and outside noises are not only bleeding in, they are making your music less clear. Most people would turn up the volume to block the unwanted noise and amplify their audio. The only problem is that in the process, they might also be causing irreparable hearing loss. Then there’s the matter of bass and treble – sometimes your left ear needs more bass and your right more treble, and that’s not exactly something you can set on an equalizer. How do you handle that?

Sleek Audio, a two year old company that was started by the father and son audiologist team Mark and Jason Krywko, may have the answer; but first a bit of background. Sleek Audio “began when Mark found himself dissatisfied with the sound signature of the dozens of different earphones he had tried over the years, so as a 30 year veteran of the audio and custom hearing aid industries, he decided to build his own.”

It took Mark and Jason three years to develop exactly what they wanted, and then they introduced the SA6 acoustically customizable earphone. What set the SA6 apart from other earphones was that it was the world’s first to be acoustically customizable (more on that in a bit), and it could “go from wired, to wireless and back again.” The SA6 introduced another feature that I hadn’t seen before – a detachable and interchangeable cable… and they also came with a price tag that might intimidate the average user – $249.99. Granted, a die-hard audiophile probably wouldn’t blink when hearing that price, but it might be a lot to swallow for the listener who just wants something that blows away what came with his digital music player.

So how can the budget minded audioholic get great sound along with at least some of the features that made the SA6 such a revolutionary earphone? Say hello to the relatively budget-priced Sleek Audio SA1 earphone, not that you would ever be able to tell just by looking or listening.

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It’s been a while since I reviewed the Brickyard headphones from 2XL.  I really like  them even though their over the ear  style design can become warm on the ears. 2XL has solved the sweaty ear problem with a new style of headphones in the new 4 Corner Style of headphones.

The design of these new headphones is unique in that instead of round like traditional headphones of this style, these are square. The square shape of these headphones do not make them at all uncomfortable. Continue Reading

What better way to listen to Miles Davis music than with a new set of Miles Davis Tribute Headphones from Monster. Purchasers also enjoy an official 50th Anniversary boxed set of the artist’s seminal album Kind of Blue, featuring two music CDs, a DVD and a 24-page booklet. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Most notably, the specially crafted “instrument case” for the Miles Davis Tribute headphones features a plush blue velvet inlay with a gold-printed signature – which the company say’s is crafted to resemble Miles’ trumpet case.

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Not all speaker sets are created equal, that much is certain.  Altec Lansing has sent me their latest — and what I consider their best — the Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra Speakers.

The Expressionist Ultra is currently the top of the Altec Lansing line.  This very stylish three speaker system boasts 200 Watts of power, and its tremendous sub woofer is bigger than the computer the system is connected to. Continue Reading

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I am not one of those guys who thinks that everything goes better with Bluetooth. At the same time, I do see the usefulness of Bluetooth in a variety of items. I like using Bluetooth headset, have had some positive experiences with Bluetooth stereo headphones, and I swear by the Bluetooth speakerphone in the car. I had not, however, ever tried a Bluetooth portable speaker before taking a look at the TENQA SP-99 Bluetooth speaker.

Am I sold on this Bluetooth gadget? Let’s take a look… Continue Reading

This Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD 1080p Media Player has been updated and is in stock now at Best Buy for $119.99 plus shipping (or order online & pickup at your local store). This is an update to the popular WD TV HD (USB) Media Player, access web content such as YouTube, Flickr, and Pandora. Equipped with HDMI, USB 2.0, Ethernet so you can stream content via your network. Supports AAC, MP3, JPEG, H.264/AVCHD formats. Includes remote control,

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Lets face it, wires are often inconvenient. They look bad, can be a pain and,  at times, are more trouble then they are worth. Even still, at times it is nice to be able to connect your notebook or handheld device to external speakers with more punch and better sound.

That’s where Bluetooth comes in. As more and more mainstream devices adopt bluetooth technology the playing field for device accessories is changing. And one of the best uses of Bluetooth? Wireless speakers!

Wireless speakers are a great option with laptops and other bluetooth-enabled devices. They let you cut the cord without cutting the sound. Creative has a new offering in this area and they look good!

Their new Inspire S2 Wireless Speaker System is currently out in the UK and, hopefully, will be on the way to this side of the pond. If they do… I want!

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iLuv has announced that their new i1166 PMP will be available for shipping in mid-October. The unit features a 9″ TFT screen and can play DVD and CD media (including CD-R/RW, and DVD±R/RW and VCD/SVCD) as well as access media on MMC/SD cards and even USB flash drives.  It will play a wide variety of media formats including DivX, MP3, and WMA.  It doesn’t specify AAC, but one would hope that with iPod compatibility would also come AAC support.

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We all know Monster for the fantastic, heavy duty audio and video cables.  But did you know they also make headphone?  I have to be honest and tell you that I am pretty excited to see what the king of the audio cable can do with higher end headphones.   The Monster Turbine Pro headphones are due to hit stores near you in November for the extremely competitive price of $299.95 ($329.95 with an included in-line microphone which turns these headphones into the perfect companion for your Smartphone, iPhone, or pretty much any other music playing phone.  Go ahead and hit the jump for the full press release

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Blue is coming out with a new line of studio grade microphones by the end of the year.  The enCORE line of Microphones all use Blue’s Aria Dynamic Capsule with the enCORE 300 using a condenser capsule.  Each microphone looks a little different and has slightly different specs.  All three  use XLR so you will need a Mixer or adapter of some sort to use with your computer.  All three promise to have excellent construction and are designed hold up to being dropped, thrown and yes, they say even after a 7 ton truck drove over the microphone it will continue to produce high quality sound. Continue Reading

The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin (which Doug reviewed last October) was easily one of the best looking speaker docks made for the iPod, but with a $599 tag it was a bit intimidating for the average consumer. This October B&W is introducing the Zeppelin Mini, which they claim offers the same great sound in a smaller (and less expensive) package. At $399.95, the Zeppelin Mini order page says that “you get everything you love about Zeppelin – advanced acoustic technology, intelligent design, elegant connectivity – in a streamlined, compact sound dock package that’s perfect for desktops and bedside tables.”

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