Portable Player Reviews

Sort By:  Post Date TitlePublish Date
Portable Player ReviewsGrace Notes
Last-Minute Gift Idea: Nyrius Songo & Songo HiFi
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 22, 2014  | 
It’s getting down to the wire—stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and Santa’s helpers are desperate for an idea for that last-minute gift. The Nyrius Songo is just what Rudolph ordered for that grumpy Scrooge who hasn’t bought all the latest and greatest electronics. The Songo ($25) and Songo HiFi ($50) turn any receiver or dock into a wireless Bluetooth system. Scrooge can even use an iOS dock with an Android phone via Bluetooth, as long as the dock has an AUX input.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player ReviewsGrace Notes
Review: Harman Kardon Esquire Mini Bluetooth Speaker
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 13, 2014  | 
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. True that. However, you usually can assume quite a bit by that cover. When I first saw the Harman Kardon Esquire Mini portable Bluetooth speaker ($150), I knew it was something special. Very few speakers can compete with the looks of this one; and on an executive’s desk, looks do matter.

Continue Reading »
Media Server ReviewsPortable Player Reviews
The Pono Session
Mike Mettler  |  Aug 19, 2014  | 
Does Pono deliver on its promise of providing high-res digital music that best reflects how the artist intended you to hear it? I listened to a number of FLAC files at 192/24, 176.4/24, and 96/24 on a yellow PonoPlayer through Sennheiser HD-650 headphones during an exclusive listening session in New York City, and—spoiler alert—the answer is a most emphatic yes.
Continue Reading »
Portable Player ReviewsGrace Notes
Bēm Wireless Speaker Mojo: Bluetooth with a Twist
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 11, 2014  | 
Just when I thought the wireless Bluetooth speaker market had finally run out of new ideas, bēm wireless announces the Speaker Mojo, a 2.5” speaker cube with a nifty charging base. Sure, there are tons of other portable speakers, but the Speaker Mojo features a wireless conductive charging base that houses a 1800-mAh power bank to charge not only the speaker, but also whatever else might need a boost via its USB power port. Neato. Gotta love a device that can multi-task.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Astell & Kern AK240 Music Player
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 26, 2014  | 

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Native DSD decoding Superb sound Elegant styling
Minus
Jaw-droppingly expensive Bulky form factor

THE VERDICT
If you’re willing to pay big bucks for a portable music player, Astell & Kern’s AK240 delivers state-of-the-art sound with the big plus of unfaked DSD decoding.

Yes, this portable music player costs $2,500. That would buy you 10 Apple iPod classics. Let the gush of hate mail begin.

Look, if it’s a choice between buying this product or, say, paying the rent, or fixing your car, or otherwise keeping the wolf from the door, I’d advise you to attend to the essentials. I know what it’s like to live within limits. But if you have golden ears and cash to burn, then be aware that the Astell & Kern AK240 bids to become the prince of performance among portable music devices.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player ReviewsGrace Notes
Review: Bayan Audio Soundbook and Soundbook X3 Jump the Pond
Leslie Shapiro  |  Apr 28, 2014  | 
It’s possible that you’ve never heard of Bayan Audio. The company is better known in the UK, where it has built a solid reputation. Now, Bayan is bringing two new products to North America. The Soundbook and Soundbook X3 are portable Bluetooth speakers packed with some very cool features in very impressive packages. Can they make the jump over the pond and land with a big enough splash in an already crowded speaker market?

Continue Reading »
Portable Player ReviewsCES 2014
Soundfreaq Shrinks Portable Sound with the Pocket Kick
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 06, 2014  | 
The Pocket Kick is a “honey-I-shrunk-the-kids” version of Soundfreaq’s already popular Sound Kick. However, unlike Soundfreaq’s usual sharp, straight lines and edges, the Pocket Kick has rounded edges. Much more pocket-friendly, don’t you think? The Pocket Kick is just about the same size as an iPhone 5 but slightly thicker to accommodate the speakers. (Dimensions are 5.9” x 2.5” x 1.2”.) The Pocket Kick has a slight stereo sound with two speakers powered by a 5-watt amplifier. It’s a rugged little thing, with steel grills on the front and back. The “kick” is provided by a passive bass radiator on the back of the device.

Continue Reading »
Other Source Component ReviewsPortable Player Reviews
Belkin Dyle Mobile TV Receiver
Michael Antonoff  |  Nov 04, 2013  | 
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price $100

At A Glance
Plus: Watch broadcast TV while commuting • Steady reception in motion • Works without Wi-Fi or a mobile data plan
Minus: Limited channels • Reception spotty in buildings and locking in stations can be frustrating

The Verdict
Lets you watch TV while on the on the go but programming options are limited and reception is not a sure shot.

Though the picture quality of over-the-air TV can surpass cable, you’re likely to get no reception at all in a moving vehicle. That’s because broadcast DTV was conceived for stationary screens—not today’s legion of mobile devices.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Review: JBL Charge portable speaker and OnBeat Rumble dock
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 11, 2013  | 

The JBL name is among the most revered in the audio marketplace. Since its founding in 1946 by James Bullough (love that middle name) Lansing, the brand consistently stood for excellence in the pro market. The company has been part of the Harman constellation for 40 years, and expanded into the consumer market, but its reputation has held fast. Now, JBL is pressing hard in the portable speaker and dock markets. Does the red square still stand for quality?

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Review: Sharp GX-M10 Portable CD Stereo System
 |  Apr 03, 2013  | 

Dainty. Elegant. Classy. Understated. These terms apply to a great majority of iPod docks and speakers. None of them apply to the GX-M10. This boombox is a real bruiser. It weighs a beefy 16.8 pounds (20.2 pounds with batteries), and is 30.5 inches long. Roughly cylindrical in shape, it looks like something you'd use to knock out a Panzer tank. Except instead of being ordinance gray, it is exuberantly orange. If someone laughs at you for carrying around something so outrageous, you can express your displeasure by crushing them with it.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Sharp GX-M10 Portable CD Stereo System
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 03, 2013  | 

Dainty. Elegant. Classy. Understated. These terms apply to a great majority of iPod docks and speakers. None of them apply to the GX-M10. This boombox is a real bruiser. It weighs a beefy 16.8 pounds (20.2 pounds with batteries), and is 30.5 inches long. Roughly cylindrical in shape, it looks like something you'd use to knock out a Panzer tank. Except instead of being ordinance gray, it is exuberantly orange. If someone laughs at you for carrying around something so outrageous, you can express your displeasure by crushing them with it.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Review: Behringer iNuke Boom Junior
Brent Butterworth  |  Dec 10, 2012  | 

It's weird for a 50-year-old audio writer to be reviewing a product that's targeted at people half his age or less. Guys my age like products labeled "audiophile-grade" or "reference," not "Nuke" or "Boom." Meaningless as such marketing terms are, though, you gotta figure Behringer did something to make the iNuke Boom Junior iPod/iPhone dock earn its badass moniker.

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Giveaway: Geneva Model S Sound System
Michael Berk  |  Nov 30, 2012  | 

Well, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, and the giving season is almost upon us. And we've got a nice gift for you to give (or, of course, keep for yourself) - a Model S tabletop sound system/iOS dock from our friends at Geneva Labs

Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
Apple iPod touch 5G and iPod nano 7G Multimedia Players
Chris Chiarella  |  Nov 16, 2012  | 
Apple has redesigned and added features to the ever-evolving iPod touch 5G and iPod nano 7G. Lighter and slimmer than its predecessor, the touch now packs a movie-perfect 16:9 screen, while the nano gets its largest screen ever. Read on to find out which one is right for you.
Continue Reading »
Portable Player Reviews
New Gear: Lightning Strikes JBL Docks
Michael Berk  |  Nov 15, 2012  | 

Apple's 30-pin connector was the accessory port that launched countless peripherals; it's analog and digital connectors (and long-term stability over years of product cycle) made possible an entire universe of iStuff, not least among them the dependable iOS speaker dock. But with the introduction of the iPhone 5 and the rollout of the digital-only Lightning connector, the dock, already under threat by ever-better wireless approaches, suffered its first serious shock. Sure, adapters would do in a pinch, but they hardly lent themselves to the lean lines promised by the Apple experience.

Have no fear - JBL is here with the first Lightning docks.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X