Leslie Shapiro

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CES 2015
Raumfeld Stereo M Brings Hi-Res Quality to Wireless Speakers
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 09, 2015
The audio world has recently faced a dichotomy that seems to force listeners to choose between wireless convenience or good sound quality. Thankfully, German manufacturer Raumfeld has produced a line of speakers and receivers that blend Hi-Res Audio with wireless ease.

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Rdio Launches $3.99 Streaming Plan — With a Catch
Leslie Shapiro  |  May 18, 2015
Rdio isn’t new to the highly competitive streaming music market, but they just announced a new price structure that’s garnering some big interest in the music industry. Aiming for the cost-conscious consumer, Rdio has initiated a plan that’s just $3.99 per month, Rdio Select, for an ad-free experience with unlimited skips and 25 downloads. This makes it the cheapest commercial-free subscription streaming service. How does that compare to what they’ve offered before, and why should we care?

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Grace Notes
Real Men Wear Pink (Or Buy Scosche For the Women in Their Life)
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 19, 2015
As you probably know, October is breast cancer awareness month. Hard to avoid the pinking of every product under the sun. While I generally oppose the “pink it and shrink it” mentality when designing products for women, I do appreciate a company that puts their money where their pink is - and donates a significant percentage of their proceeds to a cause. Scosche Industries is partnering with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to create the goPINK for Hope line of audio products and accessories. Scosche is donating 25% of all proceeds from the sale of this product line, and all goPINK products are currently discounted by 25%.

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Recording Academy Establishes New Guidelines for Hi-Res Music
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jul 06, 2015
Standards and guidelines are a good thing. Just ask anyone who’s ever had an 11-inch long Footlong from Subway. (Subway, interestingly enough, claims that “Footlong” is a descriptive name not intended to be a measurement of length. Seriously?) As audiophiles, we need to make sure that what is called Hi-Res music, is indeed high-resolution, and not just a descriptive name. The Producers & Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy (who presents the Grammy Awards) has come up with a set of production guidelines for high-resolution music. (In full disclosure, I’ve been a voting member of The Recording Academy for over 30 years.)

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Headphone Reviews
Review Redux: Bell'O Digital BDH653 In-Ear Headphone
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 27, 2012

After seeing our initial  review of the Bell'O BDH650, Bell'O sent us a replacement, feeling that our review sample must have been a prototype. Yes, we've heard this kind of thing before, but the argument, in this case, did make sense (the 650 doesn't seem to have made it into Bell'O's final headphone lineup anyway). So we took another listen.

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Headphone Reviews
Review: AIRbudz Concept Eartips
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jun 14, 2012

Anyone who's ever been out on a bike path or trail knows the hazard of approaching another runner who's wearing earphones. You know you should announce that you're passing them, but you know they can't hear you. As a cyclist, I always shout out "passing on your left" or even just a friendly "hello" to let someone know I'm behind them.

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Grace Notes
Review: Alan Parsons’ Art & Science of Sound Recording
Leslie Shapiro  |  Apr 15, 2013

Alan Parsons’ Art & Science of Sound Recording is a series of videos available on DVD, online streaming, or download that offer a fascinating look into the recording industry, hosted by legendary producer, engineer and performer Alan Parsons. With years of experience at Abbey Road Studios and credits including Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Parsons is an eminently qualified host.

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Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsWireless Multiroom Speaker ReviewsGrace Notes
Review: Amazon Echo 2nd Gen with Updated Audio
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 18, 2017
Smart speakers are all the rage at the moment, and companies can’t afford to let customers slip away. I had a chance to check out the new Amazon Echo ($100, currently discounted to $80) complete with the updated software that improves audio performance.

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Headphone Reviews
Review: Apple iPod nano 7th Generation and EarPods
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 26, 2012

This summer I learned the hard way that a slightly open Ziploc baggie does not make an effective waterproof case for an iPod nano while cycling for 5 hours in the pouring rain. My beloved 5th generation iPod nano was rendered useless after soaking in water for hours. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I heard the announcement of the 7th generation nano and newly redesigned EarPods earphones. (Get it? Earphones+iPod=EarPod!)

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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?

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