With the vPulse in-ear monitor, Velodyne managed a trick most other headphone brands haven't-it created a big-bass headphone that didn't sound dull. Now the company has launched two over-ear models: the $399 vTrue, a large, audiophile-oriented model, and the $299 vFree, a relatively compact headphone equipped with Bluetooth wireless. S&V's Michael Berk reviewed the vTrue, while I'm taking on the vFree.
Speakers are like karate. Subwoofers are like weightlifting. The quality of a speaker is determined by subtleties: well-chosen drivers, just-right crossover points and slopes, and a perfectly tuned, solidly constructed enclosure. The quality of a subwoofer is determined mostly by its muscle: the size of the enclosure, the displacement of its driver, and the power of its amplifier.
Soundmatters didn't invent the Bluetooth speaker, but it definitely invented the good, compact Bluetooth speaker: the FoxL. The FoxL's guts became the basis for the much cuter and more broadly marketed Jawbone Jambox. The look and general driver layout of the Jambox were then copied-sometimes subtly, sometimes shamelessly-by practically every audio ODM in China.
Speaker Standouts An old-school category sees surprising innovation
One could argue that this spring will see as much innovation in the speaker category as in headphones. But when you think about it, that's not really so surprising. After all, speakers can be almost any size, almost any shape, almost any weight, while headphones will always have to be small and light enough to fit on your head.
Speaker Standouts An old-school category sees surprising innovation
One could argue that this spring will see as much innovation in the speaker category as in headphones. But when you think about it, that's not really so surprising. After all, speakers can be almost any size, almost any shape, almost any weight, while headphones will always have to be small and light enough to fit on your head.
Speaker Standouts An old-school category sees surprising innovation
One could argue that this spring will see as much innovation in the speaker category as in headphones. But when you think about it, that's not really so surprising. After all, speakers can be almost any size, almost any shape, almost any weight, while headphones will always have to be small and light enough to fit on your head.
Speaker Standouts An old-school category sees surprising innovation
One could argue that this spring will see as much innovation in the speaker category as in headphones. But when you think about it, that's not really so surprising. After all, speakers can be almost any size, almost any shape, almost any weight, while headphones will always have to be small and light enough to fit on your head.
The CEA-2010 subwoofer output measurement lets us separate the great subwoofers from the merely good ones, in a way that's more reliable and repeatable than traditional measurements or listening tests. However, it's still not widely used.
The CEA-2010 subwoofer output measurement lets us separate the great subwoofers from the merely good ones, in a way that's more reliable and repeatable than traditional measurements or listening tests. However, it's still not widely used.
Who among us hasn't wanted to share their music with friends? And who among us hasn't been thankful when headphone-wearing friends weren't able to share their music?