GRACE NOTES

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Grace NotesCES 2015
2014: The Year the Music (Player) Died?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 12, 2015  | 
Two weeks ago, I had two friends ask me to recommend an MP3 player for them. “No problem, “ I replied. I was heading to CES, showcase for all that is bright and good in the world of electronics. “I’ll make a list of all the MP3 players I’m bound to see.”

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Grace Notes
4 Ways to Avoid the Nightmare After Christmas
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 21, 2015  | 
Gone are the days of old, when all it took to prepare for Christmas morning was a warm batch of cinnamon rolls, hot coffee, and a spare pack of batteries. Even though more and more technology exists today to keep us connected, how easy is it to set up all these new gadgets come Christmas morning? Although the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, are you sure you’re really ready for Christmas?

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Grace Notes
AfterShokz Aftershocks
Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 27, 2012  | 

When I first saw the AfterShokz headphones at the 2012 International CES, I knew the company was onto something. Instead of going in or over the ear, these use bone conduction technology, borrowed from the Navy SEALs. AfterShokz rest in front of the ear, and use the jawbone to convey sound into the middle ear. I had a suspicion my father —a retired electrical engineer with a background in aeronautics, an audiophile from way back, and one of the original gadget gurus —would love them.

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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
AfterShokz Wireless Trekz Titanium Bone Conduction Headphones
Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 29, 2016  | 
Bone conduction technology has been around for a while, even before Beethoven pressed his ear against a piano and clasped a rod in his teeth to hear his compositions. But AfterShokz is bringing it mainstream to the active community with the new Trekz Titanium (MSRP $130) wireless headset. While you might not think bone conduction is right for you, there are plenty of advantages of the technology, including situational awareness, that you might want to consider.

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Smart Speaker ReviewsSubwoofer ReviewsGrace Notes
Amazon Echo Sub: A Subwoofer Whose Time Has Come
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 15, 2018  | 
It’s about freaking time. Amazon has just released the Echo Sub’ a subwoofer that pairs with a single or stereo pair of Echo smart speakers to finally address the bottom line. It’s a fact: small speakers can’t produce impactful bass, so the Echo Sub does the job. The past few years have seen an influx of small smart speakers that are certainly convenient, but not a single one had a decent bass response. Finally, Amazon has addressed the problem, and in my opinion, hit it out of the park.

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Streaming Device ReviewsGrace Notes
Amped Wireless BTSA1 Bluetooth Speaker Adapter Improves Wireless Performance
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 23, 2013  | 
Hitting the market this late in the game, Amped Wireless better have something special with their BTSA1 Bluetooth speaker adapter. Yes, like so many other adapters, it lets you to turn any audio playback system into a Bluetooth-enabled system. But the adapter also delivers a few unexpected, and welcome, surprises.

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
And the Grammy Doesn't Go To...
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jul 02, 2018  | 
Along with a few other changes in categories, the Recording Academy just announced that Surround Sound is out, Immersive Audio is in.

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Grace Notes
Apple Nixed Your Headphone Jack? The HRT i-dSp Has Your Back
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 12, 2016  | 
As we predicted, Apple just released the iPhone 7 and it’s missing one critical component for audiophiles—a headphone jack. Luckily, HRT (High Resolution Technologies) also just released the i-dSp digital sound processor to let Apple users continue to use wired headphones.

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Apple TV Rocks Beats Music
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 22, 2014  | 
While all the Apple Kool-Aid drinkers could talk about last week was the new iPhone 6 and Apple Watch, an interesting tidbit of news was mostly overlooked, but we feel it’s rather exciting. (Is it just me, or is it really hard to get all that thrilled about yet another iPhone launch?) Along with a sleek new interface for the set-top box, Apple TV has added Beats Music streaming.

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Portable Player ReviewsGrace Notes
Apple's New iPod touch: In 2015, Does Anybody Really Care?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 03, 2015  | 
Apple has just released the 6th generation version of the iPod touch, with up to 128GB of built-in memory and the same A8 processor as the iPhone 6. It’s a gorgeous device with a 4-inch Retina display, all sleek and shiny and desperately trying to fit in. The question is: in 2015, with nearly 65% of Americans owning a smartphone, who needs it?

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Apple’s Buyout of Beats for Billions: Is Music Still Alive?
Leslie Shapiro  |  May 12, 2014  | 
Any second now, confirmation is expected on Apple’s buyout of Beats Music for a reported $3.2 billion. That’s billion with a “b”. There’s no doubt that Beats is a valuable commodity. They did for headphones what Nike’s Air Jordans did for sneakers: No one cares if they’re the best product, they just care if it’s got the right logo. Is this a smart business move for Apple? Frankly, I don’t give a damn.

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Grace NotesCES 2015
ARCHT One Creates an Immersive Arc of Sound
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 06, 2015  | 
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, ARCHT (pronounced "arc") is taking pre-orders on the ARCHT One, a single device with a patented sound array and iOS sound optimization program that creates an omnidirectional, room-filling sound.

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CES 2018Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Audio-Technica’s QuietPoint Headphones Offer Pleasant Finale to CES
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 15, 2018  | 
CES is a crazy, hectic week of running around from press conference to manufacturer’s booths, meetings and deadlines. When Audio-Technica offered demos of their new ATH-ANC700BT QuietPoint noise-cancelling headphones along with a 15-minute professional massage, it was an irresistible treat, and the perfect way to wrap up the show.

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Grace Notes
Auto-Tune Nation: Has Auto-Tune ruined the music industry?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 11, 2013  | 

The 2013 Grammy Awards have safely come and gone (is anyone else amazed that no one was electrocuted during the onstage rain shower?) and all anyone is talking about after the show is how Auto-Tune is destroying the music biz.  Put performers on a live stage without technologic backup, and many of them will fall apart, in ear-shattering glory. Fun. had some issues with pitch that were hard to ignore, and Frank Ocean’s performance was a little shaky without the benefit of pitch-correcting software. People are up in arms that without Auto-Tune, many current artists would be crooning on a cruise ship in the Baltic Sea. But have things really changed?

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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Baby It's Cold Outside: Sound Huggle's Wireless Headphone Double as Earmuffs
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 04, 2017  | 
Days are shorter, snow is on its way, and temperatures are plummeting. It’s getting cold and we’re all looking for ways to stay warm, without giving up our music. Sound Huggles are wireless Bluetooth headphones that double as comfy earmuffs. Okay, so I live in Florida and I’m still in shorts and flip-flops, but I know some of you are bundling up to head to work on frigid mornings or out for your evening jog. Wouldn’t a pair of toasty-warm, snuggly headphones make your ears happy?

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