Showing posts with label Audio Gadgets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Audio Gadgets. Show all posts

Friday, February 17, 2012

Logitech Squeezebox, the smartest Internet Radio Music Player


Logitech Squeezebox is the gadget you are bound to have if you listen to music on the internet. The radio comes equipped with Wi-Fi and can play tracks stored on your computer. The sound quality on this all-in-one player is crystal clear.

The compact design makes the Logitech Squeezebox easy to slip nicely into any corner of the room, in kitchen, bedroom or even bathroom.

It supports popular audio formats MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, HE-AACv2, Apple Lossless.


Friday, January 13, 2012

How to build a portable recording studio

We love music! That's why we dream of recording our own song, or maybe a song with someone we love. What that thought in mind I started this quest. Let's see what are the requirements for a portable home studio.

  • laptop 
  • microphone
  • portable mic stand, pop filter
  • audio interface
  • cables
  • a backpack  

I found a package that includes all that: Presonus Portable Recording Studio Package

Learn how to build your own portable acoustic foam.



source: Home Recording Microphones

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Trumstand iPhone Passive Acoustic Amplifier


While I was browsing the internet, I came across this Trumstand iPhone Passive Acoustic Amplifier. Am I a nostalgic for wanting this? I've seen many iPhone docking stations before, but this one is something different.



I was not able to find more info on the sound quality of this iPhone dock.


Friday, November 11, 2011

Apogee Duet 2 - USB audio interface for Mac

I received some questions regarding my last year How to build a home studio post.
My readers asked me for the best Mac audio interface. I did some research for you guys and I have a solution: Apogee DUET 2




Apogee Duet 2 is the best solution when it comes to audio recording on Mac. With this amazing audio interface you can record vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums or other musical instrument - everything studio-quality! Remember that Apogee Duet 2 is portable, so you can record whenever and wherever inspiration strikes you.

The Apogee Duet 2 engineers used the latest technology and experience with this audio interface. There is no doubt, you can hear a clear difference between Apogee and other portable audio interfaces. From the preamps converters, Duet 2 allows you to capture sound with more clarity than the original Duet.




Apogee Duet 2 has a fresh feature: the OLED screen (Organic Light Emitting Diode). This high resolution screen is the Duet 2's control center. It provides visual feedback for multiple functions, such as numerical value for the input and output.
Apogee Duet 2 also introduces two configurable touch pads, located on both sides of a main potentiometer. This unique feature allows you to select the function you need directly from Duet 2, without the need to look at software.

Specifications:

Mac audio interface, USB 2.0
Line / mic / instrument Input (2)
2 balanced line outputs (+20 dBu maximum output level)
headphone output "
2 microphone preamps with 75 dB gain
AD / DA conversion 24bit/192kHz
High-resolution OLED display
multifunctional potentiometer
configurable Touch pads
+ 48V phantom power

System Requirements:

Intel Mac 1.5 GHz or faster
Minimum 2 GB RAM (4GB recommended)
OS: 10.6.4 or later
Powered via USB (optional DC power supply)

Read more reviews and see the price here

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

iPod Evolution (2001-2011)

On October 23 we celebrated 10 years from the original iPod launch. The gadget evolved from a white metal box with mechanical scroll wheel to a stylish touchscreen multimedia device. Over the years the famous iPod underwent various changes: it was bigger, smaller, more colorful, lost or gained buttons. The latest generation of iPods features cameras, speakers, radio and even accelerators. The only thing that didn't changed was its popularity.

October 2001 - The First Ever iPod Introduction


This video is a piece of history. It depicts Steve Jobs introducing the first iPod ever. The device had 5 GB storage capacity, 185 grams, display 160 × 128 display, Fire Wire connection and a price of $ 399.

June 2002 - The second generation of iPods was launched. It came with a storage capacity of 20 GB and the most important feature that fans were begging for - Windows compatibility.



April 2003
- iPod 3rd generation. New elements were installed on this one: 30 GB storage capacity, it was easier, thinner, had a redesigned interface with touchscreen and dock connector. USB Sync and the launch iTunes Music Store strengthen the iPod's ecosystem - over 1 million iPods were sold and 25 million iTunes downloads were experienced.


January 2004 - iPod Mini. With the new Click Wheel interface and coloring gadgets, Apple has shown that it knows how to relate to a market with iPod appeal. iPod mini was small, pocket friendly and was released in 5 colors, with a capacity of 1,000 pieces and $ 250 price.

July 2004
- The fourth iPod generation. It features Click Wheel-interface, long battery life (12 hours) and as a bonus it received Shuffle Song function. Regarding the prices they varied from $ 299 (20 GB version) and $ 400 (40GB version).



October 2004 - a special edition of iPod was released: U2 iPod. It was born as a result of so-called "special relationship" between U2 and Apple. A second U2 Special Edition iPod appeared in July 2006.




October 2004 - iPod 4th generation, second model. It was capable of showing color photos on its display with the ability to connect to a TV for slideshow experience, everything at a price of $ 500 for 40 GB version and $ 600 for the 60 GB. Premium product, high price.


January 2005 - iPod Shuffle. It was an intriguing gadget for gymnastics, joggers, or those who are dependent on budget - $ 99 for a capacity of 512 MB.




September 2005 - iPod Nano. After an improper launch in February, Apple has released a very thin gadget due to its flash memory, black and white or color screen. Available prices: 2 GB and 4 GB from $ 200 to $ 250. Later, in February 2006, a 1 GB version was release at $ 150.




October 2005 - The fifth generation of iPod was released. Apple's new gadget was able to play videos and came with a bigger screen of 2.5 inches.

Septembrie 2006 - Second generation of iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle. A new model of the iPod 5th gen was also released.


January 2007 - iPod Shuffle. It was released in color variations because Apple realized that people like colors.




September 2007 - the third generation of iPod Nano. The new Nano was nicknamed "fat" and fetured a 2-inch QVGA screen, a new palette of colors and a smaller Click Wheel interface. Other improvements included all-metal design, the ability to play videos and Cover Flow browser.


September 2007 - iPod Touch. After the iPhone's debut, Apple launched the iPod Touch with the same multi-touch interface, Wi-Fi, built-in YouTube application and Safari browser. It changed people's expectations on media players. The Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes have been added later, on January 2008 update.

September 2007 - iPod Classic. After launching the touch versions, the Original iPod is renamed iPod Classic.



September 2008 - the fourth generation of iPod Nano. Its thin, rose and was named the thinnest iPod. The new iPod Nano was available in 9 colors. Aluminum, glass design and accelerator made the difference from the previous model.




September 2008 - iPod Touch, 2nd generation. It featured a built in speaker and, most importantly, App Store access. It was smaller, lighter and thinner. Jobs said it was the funniest iPod.



Septembrie 2009 - iPod Touch 3rd generation and iPod Nano 5th generation was released. The new Nano featured video camera, microphone, speaker and radio.

September 2010 - iPod Shuffle 4th Generation. Apple comes back to old commands, although Voice Control still remains. It was available in 5 colors, priced around $50.


September 2010 - The sixth Nano wass released. A beautiful reinvention of the iPod Nano with various inspirations from iPod Touch and iPod Shuffle.



September 2010 - iPod Touch 4th generation. This one came with many new features: Retina Display, FaceTime video calling, HD recording video, A4 chip, and Game Center. It was just like the iPhone 4, but without the GSM calling function.

October 2011 - iPod Nano 6th generation(updated), at a price of $ 130. Not many improvements were noted on this one.




October 2011 - iPod Touch with iOS 5. The new version costs $ 199, but we can see a change: it's white and it looks pretty futuristic.


FUTURE?!

Friday, August 5, 2011

The best USB microphones

Let's say you need to record your vocals but you are on a tight budget. The best solution is to buy a good USB condenser microphone. The main advantage of an USB microphone is that you do not need extra equipment (such as preamps, mixer, additional cable). Just plug in the USB mic and start record your vocals.


Home Rec Studio Blog wrote that SAMSON SAC01PAK is one of the best USB mic for a cheap and simple home studio. I agree that this is an amazing mic and with proper mixing you can record amazing songs with it. The C01U is perfect for anyone who records audio--from journalists and students to podcasters and business people. 





AT 2020 USB is another amazing condenser mic. Audio-Technica brings amazing quality at pretty low prices and intelligibility with modern convenience. This USB condenser microphone features low-mass diaphragm, custom-engineered for extended frequency response and superior transient response.



My final choice is Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone. They say you can create unparalleled recordings with this mic. Blue Yeti is the first THX-Certified microphone and features a proprietary tri-capsule technology to produce crystal sounds and studio-quality recordings. Another cool feature of this mic is that it can record in stereo mode.


Learn more on how to build a cheap home recording studio here

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

What is this?


I just found this on reddit. Does anyone know what is its purpose? It seems to be some kind of old school radio from IBM. Is this right?

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Traktor Pro futuristic emulator



Emulator Modular is the most flexible multi-touch software available to music producers and professional DJ’s. With this setup you can convert your multi-touch device into a powerful MIDI controller. The Emulator software can be applied on various multitouch screen projects.

more info on http://www.smithsonmartin.com

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Control Surface for Your Home Recording Studio



I wrote last year on how to set your home recording studio. I will get into producing music today. Any producer needs a control surface when making his instrumentals.

There are multiple midi keyboards/control surfaces alternatives, but the best can be found in the following list: novation,m-audio,akai,cakewalk,edirol,korg.


M-Audio Trigger Finger

For low budget home recording studios I recommend m-audio and akai. In this video he presented M-Audio Trigger Finger Drum Pad Control Surface. The main features of this USB powered control surface are 8 assignable knobs, 4 assignable faders. You'll also find on this board 16 velocity and pressure-sensitive pads. You'll be able to assign individual pressure on each pad. The control board features pre-programmed maps for Reason, Live, GM Drum, XG Drum, iDrum, and more make setup a snap

You can read more on home recording studio blog.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Best Audio Interface under $200



Couple of months ago I wrote about How To Build a Cheap Recording Studio. I got some mails from my readers asking me which is the best Audio Interface under $200. So, I searched and studied the reviews on many websites. Here are the best audio interfaces under $200 worth mentioning:

PreSonus AudioBox USB, TASCAM US-122L, EMU 0404, M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 Interface.

You'll find that there are plenty audio interfaces you can buy on Amazon but if you really want quality, these are the best.

In my humble opinion, Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 got the most votes from users. Really good driver support, great quality, amazing design and durability. On Zzsounds.com 42 people rated this Audio Interface 9/10. It's really impressive. All outputs sound very clean. When recording, nothing is lost. Compared to Emu 0404 recordings I really think Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 sounds better. You must respect the 24-bit/192kHz recording capability. Award winning high-end Cirrus Logic A/D/A converters are also included.


Amazing dynamics, amazing recording, amazing product!

Manufacturer's description on Amazon Shop:

High-quality, portable audio interface with sturdy brushed-aluminium casing24-bit/192kHz conversion qualityHigh-end Cirrus Logic A/D/A converters103dB-A SNRXLR/1/4" TRS Neutrik jack with phantom power supplied)Line/Hi-Z TRS jackIndividual gain controls with acitvity and clip LEDs4 - 1/4" TRS outputs with 2 stereo level controlsHeadphone output with A/B source switching and level control3 freely-assignable buttons and 1 controller knobMIDI and key commands support for audio software control.




If you have not found anything interesting yet, you should check Which Audio Interface blog

iPhone 4 vs HTC Desire HD


Long story short. I was looking to buy a new phone couple of days ago, and after extended researched I decided iPhone 4 and HTC Desire HD were the best smartphones on the market.

Lets see a short comparison between these two "monsters". HTC has bigger screen, but iPhone's screen has bigger resolution.  
The operating systems are iOS4.1 (iPhone) and Android 2.2 (HTC). I really think HTC is a winner here again because Android features Flash 10 (which is not present in iPhone 4). Also, there is plenty free software for HTC. Apple has a history of charging for everything, so...

When it comes to the number of available apps, iPhone is the leader because iTunes has 250.000 apps available to download/buy, and there are only 80.000 apps available for HTC Desire HD. BUT, when it comes to free apps, HTC is the leader again, because you'll find out that 57% of the apps available for HTC Desire HD are totally free. And that's amazing!

HTC Desire HD's show is likely its Dolby Surround Sound and Dolby Mobile integration that grant you to watch movies in crystal clear quality with dazing sound.

When  it comes to camera, HTC DESIRE HD wins again because it features an impressive 8-megapixel camera and dual flash, and iPhone features only a 5-megapixel camera.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

USB Phone VOIP Interface





At present you are able to use your daily home phone for Skype or any VOIP interface! When your normal telephone is plugged in this USB Phone Adapter, you are able to telephone dial and experience calls via Skype/VOIP without the need to buyer a SKYPE phone. USB Phone Adapter for Skype, MSN, Yahoo admits any desktop/cordless phone to operate as a dialer and speakerphone for Skype! Just pick up the phone and dial the number, the device will detect SkypeOut automatically and will use it according to your long distance plans.

Minimum requirements: a PC running Windows 2000 or XP with a 400 MHz processor or higher 128 MB RAM or higher Free USB port Package. Although Skype does not assign you your own number you will be able to outdial anywhere for the long distance plans.
via Amazon

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

How to Build a Cheap Home Recording Studio

I'm reading more and more about people trying to setup a simple home studio in a budget around $300-$400.



Before starting to buy home studio equipment, you need to know what is the minimum requirement for a home recording studio:

* PC/Laptop
* Condenser Microphone
* Audio Interface / Preamp and Soundcard
* Monitors
* Headphones
* Mic stand, pop filter, acoustic foam
* Recording Software



One of the best condenser microphones out there is Rode NT1A Anniversary Vocal Condenser Microphone ($229). This 5/5 stars microphone comes with cables and a popfilter. The NT1A Anniversary Model is a fresh redesign of the legendary NT1 classic studio microphone.


This mic requires some sort of phantom power. I really recommend a good audio interface. M-Audio MobilePre USB Mobile Preamp and Audio Interface is pretty good, bears phantom power and it can be used with any laptop. That means more mobility for you. But if you want more, be sure to read The Best Audio Interface under $200.



Monitors are pretty important when mixing your songs. M-Audio Studiophile AV30 Professional Reference Speakers is a pretty good choice. The price is around $100. Headphones are not that important, so buy something that fits your budget. Don't forget to buy mic stand and some sort of acoustic foam. You can use a home made acoustic foam created from egg crates.



The cheapest recording software is Audacity. Check their website for more info.


The simplest and maybe the cheapest alternative to build a recording studio is to buy a good USB mic, and skip the audio interface/preamp equipment. If you want to go that road, I recommend AT2020 USB Version. AT2020 is a versatile mic and with the USB version you just need to plug it in your usb and start recording.





Learn how to mix your songs on Home Recording Studio Blog

Monday, October 18, 2010

iLuv Ultra-Clear Headphones

The i901 from iLuv is a foldable, noise canceling headphone that's just the right stuff your iPhone or iPod needs. Noise canceling circuitry downs outside noise so you can listen to the music the right way.
Superior speakers provide fantabulous reproduction, while the folding design brings easy storage. The pivoting, cushioned earcups and adjustable, padded headband ensure comfort and a proper fit.


Monday, September 27, 2010

MP3 & iPod Speaker Keyring Mini Glitter Ball Speaker



This device is compatible with almost every MP3 and mobile phones. It features high quality miniature speaker and it recharges via USB (cable included). The package comes with 1 Mini Speaker, 1 USB Cable and 1 audio cable.
Via Amazon.com ($11.99)

Friday, September 10, 2010

The Greatest Gadget of All Time: Then and Now


You will never guess who won this competition. Everyone has a mp3 player these days, but is there everyone that remembers back in the days when they were luxury items and so widely desired. When the first Walkman (TPS-L2) debuted in 1979, no one had ever seen anything quite like it.



Do you remember the blue and silver colors? The $200 music player just about formulated the concept of "personal electronics." This amazing device was built in 1978 by audio-division engineer Nobutoshi Kihara for Sony co-chairman Akio Morita, who desired to be capable to listen to operas on his frequent trans-Pacific plane trips. Read the full story behind the Sony Walkman here.


Nowdays, Sony is up to date with the new Sony Walkman NWZE345BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player. The features are way beyond what everyone has ever espected 30 years ago:
  • 16 GB capacity for about 4,000 songs
  • Up to 30 hours of audio or 4 hours of video on a single charge
  • 2-inch, 262,144-color LCD with 240 x 320 QVGA pixel resolution
  • Supports MP3, WMA (DRM), AAC, and Linear PCM audio formats; AVC, MPEG-4, and WMV (DRM) video formats; JPEG image files
The new Sony Walkman can be bought from Amazon for $89.00


See the full list of greatest gadgets of all time on PC World

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Xtreme Ear Buds In-ear Design 3 Sizes Carry Case Short&long Cable



If you hurry, you can still buy these Xtreme Ear Buds for $24.99, and you'll save up to 50%. Man, that's a lot of money! A friend of mine bought this few days ago, and the shipping was very fast. He said these phones are great, comes with great sound quality. You'll find that design is different from whatever is right now on the market. Works great with any Mp3 Player!!!