New Products / July 2001 Page 4

Lightning Audio

The Bolt line of amplifiers from Lightning Audio comprises five models: the B.150.2, B.200.2, and B.300.2, which can be configured for one or two channels, and the B.300.4 and B.400.4, which can feed two or four channels. Rated power ranges from 50 to 200 watts per channel. Every Bolt amp has a variable crossover filter switchable for high-pass, low-pass, or all-pass operation. An optional cooling turbine plugs into the top of your amp to keep the circuit board from frying. Prices: $119 to $229; cooling turbine, $30. 480-966-8278, www.lightningaudio.com

Bose

Alone, it's a simple AM/FM table radio, but once connected to your computer's serial port, the Bose Wave/PC system opens up a whole new world of digital music. Its credit-card-size remote control lets you choose from regular AM/FM stations, Internet radio, CDs in your PC's CD-ROM drive, and music-file playlists. The supplied software lets you create MP3s and burn your own CDs. The Wave/PC requires at least a Pentium II-based PC running Windows 98. A USB- equipped version is slated for the fall. Price: $449. 800-444-2673, wavepc.bose.com

Rayovac

The Rayovac 1-hour charger can put energy back into your batteries almost as fast as you can use it. In the time it takes to watch 60 Minutes, the Rayovac can recharge four drained AA or AAA nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) or nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries. It can refresh 9-volt batteries, too, but they take 2 to 3 hours. Detection circuitry makes sure there is no chance of overcharging, and green LEDs will flash if you put in nonrechargeable batteries by mistake. A DC car adapter is supplied. Price: $30. 800-237-7000, www.rayovac.com

Imerge

Need a high-tech way to listen to your ever-growing CD collection? Sounds like you could use a digital music server like Imerge's S1000 SoundServer. It includes a CD player, but its 40-gigabyte hard drive can hold hundreds of hours of MP3-encoded music (you can also store your music uncompressed if you prefer). You control the 171/8 x 41/4 x 153/8-inch device through onscreen menus via the supplied remote control. In addition to its USB and RS-232 interfaces, it has a built-in modem to access online CD title/artist information. Price: $1,400; wireless keyboard, $160. 703-481-9815, www.imerge.co.uk

Aiwa

When is a portable MP3 player not an MP3 player? When it's playing a Windows Media Audio file, as the Aiwa MM-RX400 can do as easily as MP3 playback. Tunes in either format can be added through the USB port to the 32 megabytes (MB) of internal memory or the supplied 32-MB removable MultiMediaCard. If you get tired of listening to them, just switch on the built-in AM/FM tuner. The player weighs only 11/2 ounces, measures 11/2 x 31/2 x 3/4 inch, and comes with headphones. Price: $400. 201-512-3600, www.aiwa.com


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