Leslie Shapiro

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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Revols Earphones: Custom-Molding in 60 Seconds
Leslie Shapiro  |  Nov 16, 2015
There’s no doubt that custom earphones are way more comfortable and fit better than off-the-shelf one-size-fits-all earphones—and that snug fit usually means better sound too. The problem is that customs take a long time from fitting to delivery and are usually quite expensive—around $1,000. Revols, a Kickstarter-funded company is changing that with a proprietary technology that turns soft Nano-composite gel earphones into permanently-molded custom fit wonders for much less than traditional customs and the magic happens in just 60 seconds.

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Smart Speaker Reviews
Riva Concert Wireless Smart Speaker Review
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 17, 2019

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $179

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Audio playback from connected USB drive
Portable with optional external battery
Solid bass performance
Minus
Narrow soundstage at close range
Treble could be more transparent

THE VERDICT
The Concert is an affordable, feature-packed smart speaker with natural, warm sound.

The first smart speakers were cute little gadgets; no one mistook them for serious audio playback devices. Soon, they started getting bigger and somewhat better, with more attention paid to sound quality. Riva, a company known for multi-room speakers, just introduced the Concert, a compact smart speaker that combines the convenience of voice control with sound that can be taken seriously. Finally, a smart speaker worth listening to.

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Grace Notes
Roger Daltrey's Hearing Loss: Who's Sorry Now
Leslie Shapiro  |  Mar 18, 2018
At a recent solo concert in Las Vegas, Roger Daltrey urged his fans, “I advise you all, all you rock’n’roll fans, take your f***ing ear plugs to the gigs.” Daltrey, age 74, admits that he's “very, very deaf” and relies on reading lips. While most people lose some hearing as they age, years and years of loud music has most likely caused profound hearing loss in The Who's lead singer. Sadly, it's a condition that is preventable. “If only we had known when we were younger.”

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Grace Notes
Rule Britannia, Rule Sony
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 09, 2013
“When Britain first, at heaven's command, arose from out the azure main, this was the charter, the charter of the land, and guardian angels sang this strain: Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves!”

Those lyrics, set to rousing music by James Thomson in 1740, declared that Great Britain was the emerging world superpower. Fulfilling the patriotic acclaim of the song, Britain did indeed soon rule the waves, and in fact, the sun never set on the British Empire. Similarly, Sony Corporation ruled the waves of consumer electronics....

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CES 2016Grace Notes
Samson Jumps From the Professional Studio to the Consumer
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 06, 2016
Samson is known in the studio world and educational forums as a supplier of good, solid, reliable headphones. At CES 2016, they’re showing off a new line of headphones that cater to both the artist and the end-user.

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Grace NotesAudio Video NewsNew Products
Samsung Flaunts Flexibility with Bendable 105" Ultra HD TV
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 07, 2014
Samsung has a mind-bending new product that’s shaping up to be a real breakthrough, just revealed in Berlin at IFA 2014. Sure, Samsung’s new focus on curved TVs is exciting. But in addition to a complete lineup of 17 new curved TVs, including one that’s 105-inches (debuted at CES 2014), Samsung has announced a revolutionary 105-inch bendable TV. Yup—bendable! Stand back Gumby, step aside Elasti-Girl, Samsung’s flexing some serious muscle with this bad boy.

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Grace Notes
Samsung Galaxy S4: Safe and Sound?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 14, 2013
We love our devices. Love ‘em! When we first get them, we baby them. But the reality is, sooner or later, life happens. Phones slip through our fingers, fall out of pockets, and drop into water or worse. And heaven help them from the atrocities inflicted by active folks—rain-soaked armbands, sweaty bike jersey pockets, damp backpacks, and the occasional boogie board ride in the Atlantic. One solution is to encase them. Thus “protective covers” abound. Unfortunately, those cases often muffle or kill the features we use the most. What to do?

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Grace Notes
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+: Significantly Superior Sound
Leslie Shapiro  |  May 07, 2018
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.

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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Samsung to Acquire Harman International
Leslie Shapiro  |  Nov 14, 2016
This morning we can take a break from the post-election fallout and concentrate on a news item that is less contentious, and certainly more interesting. Electronics powerhouse Samsung is set to acquire Harman International for approximately $8 billion when the sale closes in mid-2017. While we at Sound&Vision know Harman from their home audio brands, the bulk of their business has been in the automotive world. Samsung sees the future of connected cars and this acquisition is their foot in the proverbial car door. This is the biggest acquisition in Samsung history, and one that marks a concerted effort to grab a huge piece of the automotive industry.

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Grace Notes
Satellite Radio's Sounds of Summer
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 13, 2011

The beaches are deserted, the kids are back in school, and I just finished driving home across the country at the end of my summer vacation. Sad, I know. Luckily, I had my trusty travel companion - my SiriusXM radio blasting away in my car. But was I alone in my adoration of those satellites?

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