speakers

I read the sad news yesterday of the death of jazz drummer Max Roach, he was 83. He played on the first bebop records with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker in the 1940s and later worked with Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and many, many others. He remained active until fairly recently.

I literally bumped into Max Roach at the Tower Records store near Lincoln Center in the early 1980s. We were both deep in browsing mode when we collided; I looked up and immediately recognized him. We each excused ourselves while I tried to remain calm as we … Read more

As we continue this week's summertime outdoor entertainment theme, today we turn our attention to the ever-popular waterproof MP3 speaker. Yes, we've featured poolside models before, but for some reason they've often resembled ice buckets.

Net Japan's waterproof "Juke Tower MP3 Speaker," however, is as sleek and small as a shampoo bottle (see photo) at just over 7 inches tall--which GeekSugar says makes it perfectly manageable for the shower as well as the patio. The $129 wireless speaker, which stores up to 2GB of tunes on a detachable USB drive, runs on three AA … Read more

Given that the iPod seems to have spawned more accessories than any other invention known to humankind, it stands to reason that we can expect the same from the iPhone. In fact, we're surprised it's taken this long--all of six weeks since its debut--for the first speaker dock to appear.

That, at least, is the claim made by U.K.-based Logic3 for its "i-Station Traveler," a portable 4-watt dual speaker system that can accommodate the iPhone, whether it be in an upright or supine position. Once comfortably ensconced, according to SlipperyBrick, the speakers slide … Read more

This whole thing started weeks ago when fellow Craver Tim Moynihan posted a story on a vintage NES game controller and cartridge that had been modded into an MP3 player and portable speaker. Not to be outdone, I realized that my homebrew MP3 player, the Little Professor, needed an equally nostalgic portable speaker system. A quick look through my closet produced the most worthy candidate imaginable--a malfunctioning vintage Texas Instruments Speak & Spell, manufactured the same year as the Little Professor--the year of my birth, 1978. Excellent.

Transforming the Speak & Spell into a portable speaker system wasn't nearly … Read more

In a move that just might reignite Mr. T's breakdance career, Lasonic has announced plans to update their classic '80s full-size boombox design to meet the demands of the iPod-toting modern world. That means no more flipping tapes over between headspins and popping routines. It also means that you can fit the soundtrack to Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo and several Africa Bambaataa mixes onto your Nano to keep the party rockin' 'til the break of dawn.

Wondering if this thing has a mic input so you can bust your rendition of "Rapper's Delight"? Of course … Read more

Contrary to popular belief, we don't think that all loudspeakers are depraved or trying to conquer humankind. To prove it, today we offer a pair that we truly admire, at least from an aesthetic perspective: Dynaudio's limited-edition "Sapphire" line.

This special pair, released at the 2007 Hong Kong High End Audio Visual Show to commemorate the German company's 30th anniversary, have Danish maple cabinets finished with heavy lacquer and house a 28mm tweeter, 15cm subwoofer and two 20cm woofers, Gadgetell says. But what really stands apart is their unique design, which resembles an uncut crystal … Read more

We should have known this was coming. It's been months since we last heard from Cabasse, the French loudspeaker specialist--or, at least, that's what they claim to be. In reality, we suspect it's a front for a growing population of aliens that have taken the form of eyeballs.

The latest pair of ostensible speakers, the 5.1 "Eole" system, features five "spherical satellites" (translation: UFOs) with a 250-watt amplifier and 8-inch woofer. It's based on the design of Cabasse's $150,000 "La Sphere," including its orb-like shape, Gizmag says.… Read more

We're not judgmental sorts at Crave, as we believe fully that people should have the right to have whatever gadgets they want behind closed doors. Still, we can't help but wonder what's behind a trend we've detected lately: speakers that are into leather.

They're certainly not the only items to drape themselves in animal hide, of course, but we're curious if there's a particular reason to use leather on speakers--on second thought, perhaps we don't really want to know. In any case, the latest example comes in the form of Audio Pro'… Read more

Boston Acoustics today launched a new series of home audio products for the fall, along with a new logo and slogan ("Play Smart") designed to reinvigorate the storied brand. The trio of new product announcements are as follows:

TVee Model Two (September 2007, $400): Add Boston to the parade of brands offering a single-speaker audio solution. Instead of a virtual surround solution offered by the likes of more expensive models from Yamaha, Philips, Nirotek, and Polk Audio, the modestly priced TVee (Television Entertainment Enhancement System, pictured above) is more in line with that of earlier Zvox and SoundMatters … Read more