GRACE NOTES

Let’s get this straight right from the start: critical listening over any phone’s built-in speaker is just not recommended. However, we all know that there will be times, plenty of times actually, when you will indeed use that built-in speaker on your phone. Thankfully, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ makes that a reasonable option. Go ahead and listen. I won’t judge.

What’s in a name? What’s in a lyric? Apparently, $300 million, according to a lawsuit filed against Miley Cyrus by Jamaican singer/songwriter Michael May, aka Flourgon.

I know what you’re thinking. This is Sound & Vision Magazine. Why the heck is a bicycle helmet reviewed here? Simple. The Coros Omni Smart Helmet has built-in bone-conducting headphones. That’s why.

They say you get what you pay for. The budget-priced ($79.99) iLive Platinum Concierge portable smart-speaker gets you into Alexa’s world, but is the price savings worth it?

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.

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?

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.