AT A GLANCE Plus
Easy, comfortable sound
Bluetooth with aptX, AAC
Simple to set up and use
Superb finish
Minus
No USB or Wi-Fi
A bit too large for desktop use
THE VERDICT
The easy-to-live-with HD6 looks great and can deliver high-quality, true stereo sound with a minimum of fuss and clutter.
In the decade since they launched their first powered speaker, Audioengine has become embedded in my mind as the no-brainer recommendation whenever friends ask about getting better sound on their desktop. Dozens of both audiophile and non-audiophile friends have bought A5 and A2 amplified speakers at my suggestion—and so far, nobody has been disappointed. They’re affordable, easy to buy, and easy to set up, and they look great.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely; lack of power is just freakin’ annoying. The new Plantronics BackBeat GO 3 is a wireless, sweatproof earbud that solves the lack of power problem in a unique and clever way. The carrying case has a built-in rechargeable battery that provides the power for up to two recharges, giving the Backbeat GO 3 an extra 13 hours of playback. That’s the kind of power a girl could get used to.
NAD Electronics has announced plans to expand its Masters Series product line. The M32 digital integrated amplifier ($3,499) will join the line in June, followed by the M50.2 digital music player ($3,999) in August.
Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the U.S., affecting more than 36 million Americans today, according to the American Academy of Audiology.
Sunday is Mother’s Day, and everybody is making lists of gift ideas for moms. The thing is, a lot of these lists assume Mom is:
1.) Old and out of touch.
2.) Someone who wants flowers or leopard print on everything. (We’re going to save my rant on this for another day.)
I am a mom and am neither of these things. None of my mom friends are either. Neither, for that matter, are most of friends’ moms. So, with that in mind, here are some tech-related gift ideas for a mom that aren’t on the lists I’ve seen, and that I can recommend personally. And, bonus, they’re not crazy expensive, and can be shipped anywhere within a few days. So read on! You still have time!
Audio products bring us joy. They also get in the way. (That goes double for hard-copy software. And triple for LPs, much as we love them.) In fact, though the magazine's reviews discuss fidelity, features, and even ergonomics, they rarely discuss how a product might bulk large in your home. Reviewers simply assume that readers will consider the product category, look at the picture, maybe check the dimensions, and reach their own conclusions. But intrusion is a major way in which products relate, or fail to relate, to us.
Finding Hi-Res Music: Hi-Res Audio is becoming more plentiful and easier to find online. Here’s where to go and what you’ll discover there.
Heard of Hi-Res Audio? While most folks argue the merits of Spotify vs. Apple Music vs. Pandora, enlightened music lovers busily seek out other online sources for their music fix. These destinations are generally small Websites that specialize in selling albums and individual song downloads in Hi-Res Audio formats. But just what is Hi-Res Audio?
Two dice roll into close-up. Thus, down-and-out dockside gambler Johnny Farrell is introduced, along with the theme of characters that make their own luck by cheating with chance, love, and big business. Whereas Johnny just plays his way into a job at an exotic Buenos Aires casino through his cardsharp skills, snappy spiel, and fast fisticuffs, his boss, Ballin, has greater ambitions in creating an international monopoly and is willing to use intimidation, illegal business practices, and murder to attain his goal. Johnny becomes as faithful and obedient to his mentor as Ballin’s phallic walking stick, until Ballin breaks their agreement of no women around, returning from a business trip with a wife—Gilda. Especially as she’s the woman who’d ripped Johnny’s heart out.
Peter is an orphaned 12-year-old whose rebellious ways constantly have him in hot water with the nuns running his orphanage. Although he’s never met his mother, he knows there’s something special about himself, and he dreams of a better life. One night, he’s whisked away to Neverland where he finds adventure, danger, and the mystery of his mother’s heritage. With the help of the warrior Tiger Lily and his newfound friend James Hook, Peter must overcome the meddlesome Blackbeard in order to save Neverland and fulfill his destiny.
There may be a new reason to linger longer in the shower—at least that’s what Alex King, founder of the unique if not bizarre Octaloofah exfoliator/massager/shower speaker, hopes.