Leslie Shapiro

Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsWireless Multiroom Speaker ReviewsGrace Notes
Vifa Oslo Portable Wireless Speaker: Can Money Buy Love?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Nov 20, 2017  |  0 comments
A week ago, if you had asked me if I could love a $550 portable speaker, I would have laughed you out of my listening room. Yet here I am, just days later, completely smitten with the Oslo speaker from Vifa, a Danish speaker manufacturer. It’s uniquely stylish, massively overbuilt, and the sound is amazing. I am in love with the Oslo.

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Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsSmart Speaker ReviewsWireless Multiroom Speaker ReviewsGrace Notes
Hands On with JBL's Versatile, Voice-Activated LINK 20 Speaker
Leslie Shapiro  |  Nov 06, 2017  |  0 comments
Voice-activated speakers are hitting the market hot and heavy with everyone vying to be the only system you’ll invest in. Amazon is hoping you’ll pick Alexa, and Cortana is hoping to get some traction in the market. Once you’re a Google family, odds are you’ll stay there. To that end, JBL just released a new line of Google Assistant voice-activated speakers, and the LINK 20 is the perfect balance of features, sound quality, and portability. Yup — that’s right — a voice-assistant that’s not only portable, it’s waterproof too so it can go anywhere.

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Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsSmart Speaker ReviewsWireless Multiroom Speaker ReviewsGrace Notes
Harman/Kardon Invoke with Cortana: a Smart Speaker That Actually Sounds Great
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 23, 2017  |  0 comments
When a company known for making very good speakers and receivers comes out with the first Cortana-based smart speaker, it better sound good. Did it? Nope — it sounded great!

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Grace Notes
Tempow Makes Any Smartphone Smarter with Multi-Device Bluetooth Software
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 09, 2017  |  0 comments
Ah, the freedom and flexibility of wireless Bluetooth speakers. Some companies let you connect several of their speakers together to create a whole-home solution. However, one company has developed a way to potentially connect any and all Bluetooth speakers together, speakers from any company, as well as Bluetooth headphones. Your jogging group can all run to the beat of the same drum. Tempow, a French tech company is making this possible.

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Grace Notes
The Last Concert Hall
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 25, 2017  |  4 comments
Picture your dream living room. We close our eyes and listen to the subtle nuances of our favorite recording. Luxurious speakers line the walls, a subwoofer discretely positioned in the sonically perfect corner. There’s nothing better than leaning back in a comfortable chair, spending hours listening to music. But the sad reality is that we don’t.

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Grace Notes
Headphones of Last Resort: How Low Will You Go?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 11, 2017  |  0 comments
I showed up at the gym without my favorite Audio-Technica earbuds. So there I was, staring at a pair of gym-branded earbuds hanging next to the water bottles and headbands...
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Grace Notes
The Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ Takes Aim at the Audiophile Market
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 28, 2017  |  5 comments
It seems clear that phones have become the end-all/be-all product for most people. It’s a phone, computer, GPS, camera and music player — an essential part of everyday life. However, one group remained somewhat disconnected, until, perhaps, now. The new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ both have features that many serious music listeners are getting excited about.

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Turn it Up! Spotify Lowers Streaming Volume
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 14, 2017  |  2 comments
Few people probably noticed a subtle change to Spotify that started a few weeks ago. In keeping with a standard already adopted by Tidal, YouTube and iTunes, Spotify has lowered the volume of its streams...
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Grace Notes
Sit Down and Shut Up!
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jul 24, 2017  |  1 comments
Summer’s here and the time is right…for summer concerts, of course! There’s something magical about sitting under the stars serenaded by your favorite artist that only happens in the summer. But in actuality, there’s another side to the midsummer night’s dream of lovely music. What is it about outdoor concerts that brings out the worst in an audience? Who’s attending these concerts, and why are they making them so miserable for the rest of us? Nowhere else could the outrageous behavior seen under the summer sky be tolerated.

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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Zipbuds 26 Bluetooth Wireless Sport Earphones
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jul 10, 2017  |  0 comments
I worry when I see any product claiming to have audiophile sound. As if any company is going to advertise their new headphones with tone-deaf, mediocre sound? How about I-don’t-give-a-crap sound? Let’s just say that I start off a bit skeptical when I read claims like that, especially from a company who is a relative newcomer to the market. After some quality listening time with the new Zipbuds 26, I’m cutting them some slack. These earphones sound really good. Claim away.

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