Bob Ankosko

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Headphone Reviews
Mixcder E9: Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones that Won’t Break the Bank
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 23, 2019

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $80 ($70 on amazon.com)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Satisfying sound
Effective noise canceling
Light weight and not overly bulky
Minus
Sound could be fuller
Some discomfort after an hour or so of listening

THE VERDICT
If you’re looking for wireless, noise-canceling headphones that won’t break the bank, the E9s provide satisfying sound with effective active noise canceling for 80 bucks (or less).

If you’ve never heard of Mixcder, you’re not alone. The company with the awkwardly spelled name — pronounced “mix-see-der” — has only been around for a few years. It’s based in California and specializes in super low-priced headphones sourced in China with a current lineup comprising 10 models, all wireless and ranging in price from $19 to $90 for a set of full-size wireless headphones with active noise canceling (ANC).

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CEDIA 2015
Monitor Audio Debuts High-Performance In-Walls
Bob Ankosko  |  Oct 20, 2015
Monitor Audio has applied knowhow from its flagship line of freestanding speakers to the new CP-IW260X and CP-IW460X speakers, which use the company’s latest drivers in a “super compact” three-way in-wall configuration only 4 inches deep.
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CEDIA 2012
Monitor Audio Debuts Stylish Sub/Satellite System
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 07, 2012
The Monster Audio Subwoofer Satellite (MASS) speaker system Monitor Audio is showcasing at CEDIA Expo stands out among satellite-based systems for the gently curved polymer cabinet that defines the MASS 10 satellites. Each aluminum-capped cabinet, which houses a newly developed 1-inch tweeter and 4-inch bass/midrange driver, can be mounted on the wall or placed on optional stands (as shown in the photo). Bass chores are handled by the equally stylish MASS W200 powered subwoofer, which teams a 10-inch driver and passive radiator with a 220-watt DSP-controlled Class D amplifier offering selectable Movie, Music and Impact modes. Due out in the October/November time frame, MASS is expected to sell for about $1,200.

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CEDIA 2014
Monitor Audio Introduces A100 Music Streamer/Amplifier
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 14, 2014
Great Britain’s Monitor Audio introduced the sleek and uniquely styled A100 music streamer/amplifier at CEDIA Expo 2014. The unit packs a 50-watt Class AB amplifier and high-resolution digital-to-analog converter intro a compact, curved chassis that is sure to raise a few eyebrows.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Monitor Audio Revives Classic Studio Series Vibe with New Speaker
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 02, 2024
Monitor Audio today announced a high-performance bookshelf speaker that draws inspiration from the once-popular Studio Series it introduced back in 1989.
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CEDIA 2014
Monitor Audio Shows Super-Slim Soundbars
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 12, 2014
In a world populated by all-in-one powered soundbars, Monitor Audio showed two SB Series passive soundbars slated to ship in December: The compact SB-2 for TVs with screens between 50 and 60 inches and the SB-3, which will be custom built for screen sizes above 60 inches.

Both models feature separate driver arrays for the left, center, and right channels. The SB-2 employs a 4-inch woofer, 1-inch horn-loaded tweeter, and passive radiator in each section, while the SB-3 uses the same complement for the left and right channels but doubles up on the woofers and passive radiators for the center section.

The ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium drivers are borrowed from Monitor’s flagship Radius line. Cabinets are made of internally braced high-density MDF covered in black acoustically transparent fabric and have brushed aluminum end caps for a touch of style. Wall mounting is possible with an optional low-profile bracket that provides easy cable access.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Monitor Audio to Deliver Silver Series 7G this Fall
Bob Ankosko  |  Aug 16, 2021
Monitor Audio, the British company that has been building high-quality speakers for almost a half a century, is putting the final touches on the seventh generation of the Silver Series it introduced 22 years ago.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Monitor Audio’s New Hyphn Speaker Provides a Rarefied Taste of High End Munich
Bob Ankosko  |  May 22, 2023
Lavish hi-fi excess was on bold display at the 2023 edition of High End Munich, the international show where it’s usually easy to find speakers that cost upwards of (or well over) six figures.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Monoprice Adds Mini-Tower Subs to THX Lineup
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 28, 2022
Monoprice is on a roll with the expansion of its upscale Monolith line, this time in the form of two new THX Certified Ultra subwoofers, both of which are rated to reach THX Reference levels with low distortion in rooms as big as 3,000 cubic feet.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Monoprice Expands Monolith Series…Again
Bob Ankosko  |  Nov 15, 2021
Monoprice is expanding its Monolith by Monoprice series of affordable high-end audio products yet again — this time with three speakers, ranging in price from $250 to $800/pair.
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