Orb Audio is roundly seen as being a company that produces decent to excellent mini speakers at a price that is, at the very least, acceptable to a wide strata of the speaker-buying public. We reviewed a set of Orb home theater speakers and our reviewer found them excellent for cinema playback. The company, seeing a niche, has just released the Orb Audio Booster kit, a $356 package with two basic speakers and a little amp, for computer use.

Installation is dead simple: you plug in the speaker wires into a port on the back and then connect the speakers using simple, push-type mounts. You can then add up to four inputs – two RCA and two mini-jacks – and an optional $299 Super Eight subwoofer. Orb, to their credit, screws the speaker wire to the small green connector cage out of the box.

The front has power, volume, and mute buttons along with a light to indiciate current inputs. A clipping indicator rounds out the package. It has a “large/small” switch for use with the “Mod2″ configuration (two Orb spheres on top of each other, daisy-chained).

The Good
Orbs have excellent clarity. What do I mean? Well, when gaming and watching movies over my PC I often found cheaper speaker systems – most notably a Logitech set with tiny subwoofer – to mash most of the instruments and effects into one dense miasma of sound. These on the other hand, offer extremely distinct audio reproduction, allowing for a perceived separation of sound.

Even at high volume these little balls won’t distort and coupled with a Orb’s own subwoofer they create a sound-field that is unmuddied and quite listenable. They’re solid, American-made speakers that look fun and offer excellent reproduction for the price. They are all hand-polished and finished and contain a 3-inch driver.

Because of their small size and simple mounting system you can place these nearly anywhere in a room without much fuss. I usually hate setting up home theatre gear but because the Orbs are small, light, and surprisingly configurable I had no problems with this kit.

The Bad
Without the subwoofer you had better really enjoy the high-end. These speakers offer excellent separation and high-end reproduction but absolutely no bass without a subwoofer. If you have a powered subwoofer lying around the house – perhaps from an old stereo – you can quite simply add it to this kit and experience a considerable improvement in audio.

The Super Eight I tested is a 200 Watt BASH amp with a solid 12x12x12 cabinet and 8-inch driver. This subwoofer, when not tuned correctly, can really shake the room. Thankfully Orb includes a well-written manual so that novices can set their crossover frequencies and set the volume correctly.

That said, you can survive without a sub, but $300 extra will make you much happier.

Finally, one little problem keeps bothering me: the Booster itself. While it’s a handsome device – metal-clad and clearly labelled – it looks surprisingly generic. At CES each year there is a whole hall dedicated to OEM hardware straight out of the assembly lines in China. While the audio sounds fine, it would be a shame to discover that Orb is selling a $10 audio amp at a considerable mark-up and, given the generic nature of the device, I’m sure someone will find an example of it on monoprice or alibaba.com. I’m well aware of the value proposition of commodity hardware but folks who spend nearly a thousand dollars on audio gear may take umbrage at cost-cutting.

Orb Audio states that isn’t the case at all: rather, the Booster was designed and made in the United States, and sports a few features (subwoofer output, four inputs, large/small speaker switch) that are still uncommon on some other amps.

Bottom Line

High-end audio is, arguably, a maze. “Cheap” solutions abound and every audiophile will look down with disdain on your choice, citing various nebulous forum quotes in order to salt the ground before they begin their own exegesis on the value of carbon fiber over composite and how Amp X is better than Amp Y. But most of us just want our music to sound decent.

At $356 for two speakers and a Booster you’re not paying very much for excellent sound. For example, I’m a big fan of a pair of M-Audio studio monitors that are priced at about $800 and offer a full range of audio in a fairly small package. These little Orbs, on the other hand, offer similar sound in a much smaller package and with far-superior bass reproduction, provided you go the Super Eight route.

Orb audio deserves a look – they’re a strong, small company dedicated to direct-to-consumer sales of good audio gear. They aren’t “audiophile” speakers, whatever that means, but they are a far sight better than what came out of the box that your Dell came in and they’re far superior to anything you can get from your average pair of PC speakers.

Click to view slideshow.
Product Page

Short version: A solid pair of laptop or desk speakers, unremarkable but warm and powerful, with an understated and attractive design. More attention to detail would help justify their price, though.

Features:

• Custom drivers and digital signal processing
• 3.5mm and digital optical inputs
• 2-speaker setup, no subwoofer required
• MSRP: $200

Pros:

• Classy design
• Simple setup and operation
• Pretty great sound for a compact system

Cons:

• Volume knob/on-off switch feels cheap
• Can overemphasize mid-lows (though that may just be my setup)
• Automatic off might annoy some

Full review:

When it comes to PC speakers, the go-to brands like Harman-Kardon, Klipsch, Logitech and so on provide good, predictable performance. I saw these speakers announced a little while back and felt it’d be good to take a break from the usual suspects. I’m glad I did — Audyssey’s LES speakers aren’t a knockout or anything, but they hit a nice Goldilocks zone of size, power, and fidelity.

The design is meant to evoke the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I’m not sure how or why, but whether you see that neighborhood in the speakers or not, you can at least agree that the design is straightforward, handsome, and understated, perhaps to the point of being plain. The speaker enclosure itself, with its red rubberized stripe gripping the one-piece stand, is nicely done and reassuringly speaker-shaped. The stand, while sturdy and partially rubberized, doesn’t seem as considered.

On the right speaker you have a red/green power indicator LED, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the volume knob, which you press to power the speakers on or off. The indicator is tastefully dim and of an olive hue, not the traffic light green often found on devices. I was not impressed with the quality of the volume knob: there’s very little weight to it, and lots of wiggle. And the volume level notch is so shallow as to be nearly imperceptible most of the time.

They have 3.5mm and optical audio input on the back, and the speakers connect with standard speaker wire. Might have been nice to see something more substantial as a connection method.

As you have no doubt figured out by now, this is a two-speaker setup, not 2.1. Normally two-speaker systems are budget items, given away with cheap laptops or plugged directly into your iPod. The LES speakers are different, more like bookcase speakers on your desk than anything. They’re powered, with decent-sized drivers; Audyssey claims “Small speakers that can’t produce bass, speaker cabinets that make noise, distortion, or even poor sound quality at low volumes are all problems that are solved by Audyssey Smart Speaker technology,” and “We don’t boost the bass and distort the sound, we actually enhance the performance of the driver to give you deeper sounds.” They won’t be blowing your windows out or anything, but it’s safe to say they’re well beyond the capabilities of your average two-speaker set.

I actually prefer these over the Logitech Z623s I recently reviewed, which sound great, except I’m always worrying about whether I’ve got the sub at the right level — and at any rate, separating the low end into a separate channel has always kind of bothered me, though it’s really only a problem when the falloff between the satellites and the sub isn’t well thought out. The LES speakers have a nice level response throughout the spectrum, and while you won’t be getting teeth-rattling bass, that’s not really the intention of compact speakers like these.

Some experimentation led me to the discovery that these speakers sound best on a flat EQ, or something close to it. Depending on what you’re listening to, you might want to bump or scoop it a little bit, but for the most part they produced an even, rather warm sound that easily reached up into the highs and descended into lows without distorting or falling off too much. If anything I felt that a certain bit of mid-low spectrum was overemphasized, taking over the rest of the sound during this or that part of a song, though I’m starting to think that’s a resonance issue with my desk. At any rate I don’t have the same issue with other speakers.

They get plenty loud, though the sound is fairly directional and you’ll want to stay in the sweet spot if you can. Movies and games sounded good.

One quirk I wish Audyssey had thought twice about is the auto-off feature. If you don’t use the speakers for a while, they turn off automatically. No problem, you think, saves a little power. But they don’t turn back on when you come back and hit play again. I know, it’s a small problem to have to hit the button and turn them on, but I wish they’d just implemented an auto-on feature as well.

I also think that treble and bass adjustment knobs wouldn’t be out of place. I know you can EQ stuff, but it’d be nice to do that on the back of the speaker as well for when they’re in a less customizable audio environment.

Conclusion

For apartment living or use in, say, a studio environment, these are a great choice. Or for a dorm room, where space is at a premium and subs just irritate your neighbors. They’re tastefully if not beautifully designed, produce good sound with plenty of power, and provide a simpler and perhaps more faithful audio environment than 2.1 setup. If you’re confident enough to tweak your sound a little so it’s sending the right stuff to these, I’d say they’re a great choice for personal audio. But I hope they’ll consider paying a little more attention to the user experience details in the next version.

Product page: Audyssey Lower East Side Speakers

Sony’s Walkman may have lost the portable music player market in Japan and the rest of the world to Apple, but that doesn’t stop big S from releasing accessories for their rival. In Japan, Sony announced [JP] two new DSP speakers today, the SRS-GX50IP and the portable SRS-GM5IP.

The bigger model comes with 20W×2ch output, while the portable device features 2W×2ch output. For both speakers, Sony throws in a mini remote control. They support the iPhone 3G/3GS/4, the iPod classic/touch, 5th gen iPods, and nanos (generation 2-6).

The SRS-GX50IP is already on sale in Japan (for $245), while the portable SRS-GM5IP (pictured above) will cost just $99 when hits stores over here on June 21 (Sony didn’t make any announcements regarding international sales plans).

• 150 watts (25/satellite, 100 in sub)
• 3.5mm, RCA, Optical inputs
• “3Dsst” virtual surround sound
• MSRP: $200

Pros:

• Very clear sound
• Plenty loud
• Unique look

Cons:

• Missing out on the midrange
• Relatively small “sweet spot”
• Virtual surround you can take or leave
• No headphone output, aux/mic input on puck

Full review:

These funky-looking speakers debuted a while back with a big promise: a powerful new virtual surround system that analyzes the stereo signal and places the sounds in a “3D sound field.”

The look is certainly unique, though I can’t say it’s particularly functional. The satellites are fitted with little cones around the speaker elements that I’m pretty sure don’t help distribute the sound properly and only serve to make the speakers look bigger. The honeycomb grill is cool, though. The subwoofer is an unassuming front-firing unit.

For normal usage, which is to say the daily consumption of music, YouTube videos, and so on, the Rockus 2.1s work just fine. I’d say that they have a definite dip in the midrange, or rather a natural emphasis on the low and high end. The high end is definitely clear, but sibilants are hissy and stab through the sound. The low end is powerful and fairly punchy, but also tends to rumble a bit, suggesting the sub is carrying the low end of the mids. Mids like neutral voices seem softened compared to the high end, and are often overpowered by things like accompanying snares and high hats. In games it’s the same story; machinegun rattle and things like footsteps in gravel or water tend to obscure the mid sounds of atmospheric noise.

It’s not an unpleasant listening experience, in fact some of my songs sounded better with this EQing, but it’s not really “true”; speakers should be objective and neutral, rather than imparting their own sound.

The “sweet spot” isn’t tiny, but it ain’t big, either. These are definitely made for sending sound to one person, though of course with a twist of the dial they can get plenty loud — loud enough to bother your neighbors without distorting, I think.

The 3D sound is hit-or-miss, and besides that a matter of taste and situation. I’ve been playing a lot of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and I legitimately can’t decide which setting is better. The 3D mode definitely widens the soundstage and stereo cues seem further towards their sides, but there’s also a huge loss of clarity and shift to the low end. It makes driving a tank or jeep a very visceral experience, but out and about it made the world sound like my character had water in his ears. You know that feeling, where everything is a bit indistinct? It’s like that. Don’t even think of turning it on for music; I’ve known virtual-surround systems that have enhanced music, and this one definitely doesn’t.

There’s also a lack of the useful stuff we like to have on speakers. The volume/input puck is nice, but why isn’t there a headphone port on there, or mic? And there’s no way to tell how high the volume is set, since the volume dial just spins forever.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, with great speakers like the Logitech Z623s or classics like Klipsch’s Promedia 2.1s going for $50 less, I just can’t recommend these Antecs. Looks like the longtime hardware maker still has a lot to learn about making a compelling speaker set.

Product page: Antec Soundscience Rockus 3D Speaker System

• Two 6-inch speakers plus 6-inch subwoofer
• FM/AM, USB (drive/iPod), 3.5mm, RCA, 1/4″ inputs
• Adjustable EQ
• 35 watts RMS
• MSRP: $499.95

Pros:

• Great, unique look
• Big, powerful sound
• It’s just cool

Cons:

• USB port music doesn’t seem to play well
• Could use an SD slot/li>
• Displays could be bigger
• Twelve D batteries?

Full review:

The first thing that needs to be said is that this isn’t a question of value, exactly. Or rather, it’s not a question of whether you should buy this boombox or another boombox. Who even buys a boombox these days? Generally you have your computer speakers on your desk, and perhaps a surround sound system or hi-fi attached to a mixer/entertainment center. But a boombox?

TDK is aiming at the nostalgia crowd, a group of people who used to have boomboxes but now have a little disposable income and a taste for design.

Design

So obviously the first thing you notice about this thing is the design. Portland-based Ziba design really did TDK proud here, creating an easily recognizable, almost instantly iconic look, and one that puts the most sound-related features forward: the speakers. They’re uncovered so you can better see them move, but it’s also worth noting that not putting a grill on them makes them susceptible to kids, pets, and feet.

The design has an admirable symmetry, with the volume/power control on the left and navigation/adjustment on the right. There are little touch-sensitive buttons that appear when applicable and disappear at other times, which gives the device a nice minimalist look, though it slightly disrupts the symmetry. There are two displays, a one-line display on the left that shows song data and/or radio station name. The display on the right is used for navigating your directories on a drive, adjusting the station and EQ, and defaults to a spectrum display when not in active use. The volume dial (which goes to 11 — nice one) is weighty and feels good to spin. I love the finish, too:

The color theme throughout is orange and white, and overall it’s very attractive. The piano black finish is attractive but attracts dust and fingerprints, as you can see in my pictures, and I swear I just wiped that thing off right before I took the shots.

The two screens, however, could really stand to be quite a bit larger. Song data is almost always truncated and must be shown in several sequential screens. Not so much a big deal for song and artist display, but navigation can be troublesome if you have more than a few directories. Why not make them both the same size — about 1.5″x4″ would do it, and we’re not talking about some expensive touchscreen here, just a low-res, limited-color display. I know the attention is supposed to be on the industrial design, TDK, but let’s be honest, there’s bright, blinking info at all times and it really should be either bigger or smaller. You can’t make it smaller without making it non-functional — so make it bigger.

Despite the small screen size, navigation really isn’t that bad. Text is clear and attractive, and although I would have preferred it show ID3 tags instead of filenames, that’s really a matter of taste. It doesn’t really “accelerate” if you spin it faster, though, which feels like it would make sense.

It’ll function plugged in, or with twelve D batteries. I guess boom boxes always needed that kind of power, but man, that’s rough. There’s a handle for carrying, which is convenient, and a little grippy rubber pad for you to put your MP3 player on. Good attention to detail all around, and the build quality is hard to fault.

I would have liked an SD card slot, though. Why not? It’s cheap, makes your device more self-contained, and attracts techie types. Integration with over-the-air signals would have been nice, too, although you could easily rig something up through the analog in.

Sound

The predominant sound of this boombox is big, warm, and loud. Wattage ratings aren’t anything to go by, by the way. These three speakers are more than enough to completely saturate a room with thumping bass and serious noise. Depending on your input (more on that in a second) you can really make this thing push air. We’re not talking phone book-shredding or anything, but if you were worried that a (relatively) compact system can’t make enough noise, you can safely shelf those worries.

It’s definitely aimed at booming sound, though: although it doesn’t distort or muffle something like unaccompanied piano, it does universally emphasize the lower end. Fortunately, the EQ (really only adjusting the treble and bass) is easily accessible at any time, and you can switch between party mode and Chopin mode with a couple twists of the wrist. EQ presets would have been appreciated, but it would also have complicated things for only a small convenience. It’s not a mixer or amp, it’s a boom box.

Actually, speaking of amps, it’s also compatible with any instrument with a 1/4″ out. My disused electric guitar worked perfectly well with it, and while it’s no tube amp, it’s an easy setup for practice, though to be honest you might want to increase the single before it goes into the TDK, as the input level seemed pretty low.

The following portion of the review described an issue with the USB input that caused it to clip. TDK has rectified the issue with a patch, and USB sounds fine now. The conclusion portion has been changed to reflect this as well.

For that matter, the line in input level seemed low as well, while whatever controller handles music on USB drives obviously has the input set at maximum. I played the same song on my Zune and on a USB stick after noticing some clipping issues, and not only did I have to set the volume twice as high when using the 1/8″ in, but the sound was clear all the way through, while on the USB drive it clipped almost constantly. I tried a couple different drives, same result. TDK, you need to turn that sucker down. How about a firmware update?

This USB issue seems to extend, unfortunately, to iOS devices, which it supports via the same port (it ships with a 30-pin connector). It’ll even charge your iPhone or iPod, though my iPad would play music but not charge.

Conclusion

So is it worth the money? If you plan on using USB media with it, I can’t recommend it. If this USB issue weren’t present, this would make a great sound system for a music-orientated small household or shared area where people are always plugging in their iPods or what have you to provide a collective soundtrack to a home. The sound is great for parties and general non-audiophile use if you use the analog inputs or radio, and the 1/4″ port is appreciated, but without USB it’s not really a complete product. If TDK addresses this issue (or if this review unit can be shown to be an exception) then I’d say get thee to the TDK-ery if you feel you can spend half a grand on a nicely-designed second sound system. Until then, though, hold off.

Conclusion (updated)

Now that the USB issue has been fixed, there’s nothing to stop me from recommending this other than the fact that it’s rather expensive and not for audiophiles who value clarity over power. It’s well-designed, fun, and fairly versatile. Is it worth $500? That’s not something I can decide for you, but let me put it this way: if you think it’s worth $500, you won’t be disappointed with the performance. If you don’t think it’s worth $500, it’s not for you.

Product page: TDK 3 Speaker Boombox

Pioneer announced [JP] the VMS-700-K for the Japanese market today, a wireless speaker specifically designed for elderly people. The idea here is to place the device right next to the user when watching TV so they can adjust the volume the way they like, without potentially harassing other family members.

Pioneer says sound can be transmitted within a range of up to 30m (in the 2.4GHz band). The VMS-700-K features 1W×2ch output, 100Hz～20kHz frequency response and 13 hours battery life (it’s powered by a nickel metal hydride rechargable battery).

The speaker will hit Japanese stores next month (price: $240). Expect to see a lot more elderly-friendly gadgets from Japan in the next few years.

BMW announced today the all-new BMW 6 Series Coupé with a Bang and Olufsen sound system with 16 loudspeakers driven by 1,200 watts of power. There are seven tweeters that come paired with mid-range speakers for consistent sound. The other two speakers are the two massive subwoofers mounted to the car body under the front seats. This method ensures there aren’t any vibrations or rattles from the subwoofers.

Once the sound system is powered on, a speaker grill in the center of the dashboard pops up to reveal a large acoustic lens for projecting 180-degrees of sound. This sounds like the most tuned sound system in a car ever. It’s similar to having a team of professional engineers come install a massive system in our leather covered home theater.

The new Bang & Olufsen system for the new BMW 6 Series Coupé will arrive in fall 2011.

Press Release

To be honest, I doubt the sound is really much different from its predecessor. The new gear is nicer looking, though, and the remote and info display have been simplified. The subwoofer is 165 watts, each satellite has 67, and it’s got six channels of input (RCA, digital optical or coaxial, 3.5mm). It’ll handle Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS, and will virtualize 2-channel sound, though we all know that’s hit or miss. They’re THX-certified, but so’s your mom these days.

Greg’s going to be reviewing this guy as soon as it’s shipping (should be this month), so hang tight and we’ll let you know whether it’s worth spending your hard-earned GP on.

• Extremely compact design
• 360-degree sound distribution
• USB-rechargeable internal batteries
• MSRP: $59.99

Pros:

• Really very tiny
• Cool-looking little guys
• Plenty of clarity in the high and mids

Cons:

• Bass pretty much absent
• Proprietary cable
• Can’t turn off stupid lights

Full review:

^In the corners, there.^

I was excited to check these out when they were first announced, but when they arrived, I was flabbergasted by just how tiny they were. I mean really. They’re very small. As you can see in the photo below, they’re just about half the size of a can of soda. Can these things really produce any sound?

Well, yes and no. You need to control your expectations, but they’re quite effective for their size, and combined with the fact that they’re powered and super-portable, this makes them a pretty decent buy.

I tested them out on a few tracks from my library, and the sound is clear and quite loud, though the low end is pretty much not there. It’s kind of implied in that there’s a pretty smooth fall-off from the higher frequencies, so you can work out what it should sound like, and I didn’t notice any distortion from the speakers trying to hit lower than they should.

We watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, and although of course the lower frequencies of, say, plane propellers and engine noise was only slightly audible, everything else came through loud and clear. Explosions, dialogue, and music all sounded solid, though I think that the mid-highs tended to overpower the rest.

The 360-degree sound distribution is sort of a silly feature when you think about it, but it’s a handy way to let your laptop or MP3 player be a quick-setup jukebox in the kitchen, say, or at the beach. The real result, of course, is that half the speakers’ power is being directed away from you, which is just hugely inefficient.

There are blue lights that fade in and out while charging, and just stay on most of the time otherwise. Why can’t I turn them off?! What if I’m watching a movie in the dark!

The cable is a special one from Razer: it’s USB and 1/8″ audio on one side, and two micro-USB plugs on the other, which plug into the speakers and convey sound and power. It’s a little confusing at first, and of course if you lose the cable, you’re screwed.

Fortunately the Feroxes (Feroxii?) come with a cute little carrying case that just fits them and the cable. It’s not pocketable or anything (it’s about pop can-sized), but it’ll easily fit a laptop bag or satchel.

Conclusion:

These speakers are cool-looking, surprisingly compact, and produce a totally usable sound for some situations. On the other hand, if you’re at all interested in using them for serious gaming or media consumption, you’d be much better served spending your cash on a pair of good portable headphones. You can get the Nox Audio Specialist for $70, a great buy. The Ferox speakers are cool, and they certainly aren’t bad, but they don’t really hit the spot they’re aiming for; as a complement to a media player or tablet, they’re nice, but for anything more serious than that, there are better options.

Product page: Razer Ferox speakers (not quite available yet)

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that these speakers from Krator aren’t for everyone, but at least they’ve got a definite design reference, bold lines, and a unique look.

They actually revealed a few different speaker sets over at CeBIT, but Akihabara News has the pictures and info, and I’d hate to just duplicate their content here. Will we ever see these speakers stateside? Anything’s possible, I guess.

These cute little robot looking speakers are actually the Thodio iBox iPod speaker docks. The obscure looking docks offer several customizable features for your ideal setup. Customizable options include:

• Preferred Amplification (2 x 25, 2 x 60 or 2 x 70 watts RMS)
• Body Style
• Wood choice (MDF, oak, mahogany, teak, zebrawood, purpleheart, and others)
• Optional iPod dock (but rather germane to the unit)

If you don’t need to use the iPod dock or want to connect something different, the iBox also has a 3.5mm input jack. Finally, and our favorite, the iBox has a rechargeable battery that’s good for up to 15 hours of playback. Prices start at $490 and you can order them here.

[via digitaltrends]

A new technology called AcoustiVision hopes to put some Boom Boom Pow into your rear window. All car subwoofers rattle the entire car — rear window included — but Magna says their technology can use the rear window to make sound. AcoustiVision uses two exciters at the base of the window with power fed from amps in the trunk, which are said to boost a stereo signal from 12 to 200 volts. After the system is connected, the two exciters use the glass as a membrane to vibrate the window, moving air to create sound.

If the system works as well as my Detroit cruiser then it could mean getting rid of those huge speaker boxes in the trunk. “It is a whole new way to generate sound in a car,” said Magna product director Greg Rizzo. “There are still tweeters up front but the glass replaces a big subwoofer in the trunk.”

Magna hasn’t landed any contracts from any big automakers yet, but says that AcousticVision could be ready for production by 2015.

It’s my understanding, however, that if the air molecules are indeed being excited, that actually is producing the pressure waves we know as sound, and those waves will propagate normally, albeit in a less directed fashion.

That said, I know that focused sound using reflector dishes like these can certainly be created, but you really have to be in the sweet spot to hear it. Maybe these concept speakers manage to make it practical. But do you really want ultrasonic waves being fired at your head all day long?

[via Dvice]

We’ll forgive them for using that phrase. They have acknowledged they have an overstatement problem, and they are going to see someone about it.

So in other words, the speakers aren’t directional, which may or may not be a good thing. Filling a small room with sound will be easy, but you also can’t really be the only one hearing it, which means their usability in public is somewhat reduced. They have rechargeable batteries in ‘em, which are supposed to last 12 hours, which is nice, but also one more thing you have to worry about.

The mechanism that rises up at the top looks impressive, but who knows whether it produces decent sound? At $60 (available nowish) they’re not too much of a risk either way, but we’ll get some to review and let you know whether you should pick some up or just stick to headphones.

Popular cartoon cat Hello Kitty is getting another gadget treatment. This time, it’s a super-cute speaker dock for the iPod or iPhone, offered by a Japanese company called CAV [JP]. The dock is an update to a very similar model CAV started offering in August.

Buyers will get a 2.5W×2ch+6W speaker with 60Hz ~ 20kHz frequency response, “Surface Mounting Technology” and “Lossless Energy Amplification Technology” for 360° sound, and a remote control (it’s also possible to adjust the volume by touching Kitty’s ears).

CAV plans to start accepting pre-orders from Japanese customers in November 30 before shipping the dock in early December (price: $180). If you’re interested but live outside Japan, ask specialized online stores like The Japan Trend Shop, Geek Stuff 4 U or Rinkya to get one for you.

Here’s CAV’s promo video:

• Wireless or wired audio transmission
• Simple setup
• Rechargeable battery
• MSRP: $99.99

Pros:

• Setup is a breeze
• Sound is reasonable for the size
• Rechargeable battery is convenient, has good life

Cons:

• Reception issues
• Maybe a little too simple

Full Review:

There’s no shortage of compact speaker solutions out there, but Logitech is shooting for the ultra-simple, $100 mark, which is not to say low-end, but not, let us say, aimed at the audio enthusiast.

The Z515 is a very straightforward little device; it has two inputs, wireless and 3.5mm wired. The wired connection interrupts the wired one, so you can’t do both at once, though I can’t imagine why you would want to do so. There are only three buttons: volume up, volume down, and power. There is no accompanying software or background service: plugging in the wireless dongle simply adds a USB speaker option to your sound outputs control panel, and once that’s selected, it beams it to the speakers.

Setup was super easy. Both on Windows 7 and OS X, the speakers were detected instantly and just a couple clicks made the switch.

Control is limited to turning the thing on and off, or increasing or decreasing the volume. It got about as loud as you can expect a pair of 2″ drivers to get, which is to say enough to fill a room, though at full volume it could be pretty harsh when there were strong highs and mids. Bass there ain’t much of compared to regular speakers, but it’s much better than what you’ve got on your laptop.

Reception, however, was spotty. With the dongle on my desktop in the center room of my apartment, I heard no issues when I was listening to Chopin in the kitchen while doing dishes. But on my bedside table, which was equidistant, with the same amount of wall (or less) between it and the speaker set, there were constant hiccups and loss of quality.

Battery life is quoted as 10 hours maximum, probably rather less in practice, but charging is easy and you can use it while it fills up. The speakers don’t seem to have any auto-shutdown ability, which seems weird. Why not turn off after 10 or 30 minutes of receiving no signal?

The speaker unit itself is understated and rounded, as you can see in the pictures, which makes it difficult to balance on some surfaces but generally isn’t a problem. It feels solid, and weighs about two pounds, I’d say. The back of the unit pops out to reveal a hiding place for the dongle, and the panel becomes a kickstand. There’s no good comparison for size, but it will easily fit into a bag or backpack. It comes with a little case for protection from crumbs and such.

Conclusion

It’s a straightforward device, a good alternative to simply turning the volume up and hoping you can hear it in the kitchen, bathroom, or wherever you happen to be. It’s nice and portable, and compatibility appears to be good. However, it’s far from certain that its reception range will be suitable for your needs; if you can, make sure you are able to return it in case you find that your walls are, as those of my bedroom proved to be, kryptonite to the signal.

Product page: Logitech Z515 Wireless Speakers

We’ve blogged about many Hello Kitty gadgets in the past, i.e. Hello Kitty camcorders, music players, cell phones or even TVs. And today, Japan-based IDEA started listing a new gadget on its online store [JP]: the Dancing Hello Kitty Speaker. Not too surprisingly, the design is very, very cute.

IDEA is offering a version in red and one in pink (for $74 each). A third version, Hello Kitty in black, will follow next month, carrying a $86 price tag (see below). The battery-powered speaker weighs 1.1kg and can be used with any kind of music players, including the iPod.

Contact Japan-based export stores like the Japan Trend Shop, Geek Stuff 4 U or Rinkya if you’re interested but live outside Japan.

Here’s IDEA’s official promo video for the red version:

From the press release:

The Focal Bird isn’t cheap though, the base unit (which includes two speakers and a subwoofer) will set you back $995, and the USB dongle to stream audio from your stereo is $99.99. The system does include a wireless remote and the Focal Kleer that will allow you to stream that audio from your iDevice. The Focal Bird series should be available this coming January.

From the press release:

• 200-watt 2.1 setup
• THX-certified
• Integrated headphone jack and 3.5mm input on satellite
• Volume and bass controls
• MSRP: $149.99

Pros:

• Sturdy, attractive speakers
• Plenty of power, perfectly decent clarity
• On-speaker controls and 3.5mm input are handy

Cons:

• Naturally a bit bass-heavy
• Could have used microphone input on satellite
• Sound is more directional than room-filling
• Subwoofer is kind of huge

Full review:

I used the Logitech Z2300 speakers, the Z623′s predecessors, for years and loved them. So I was naturally excited when they came out with this new set. I haven’t been disappointed so far.

The Z623s aren’t a particularly original product; there are a number of speakers at this approximate price and power, and to be perfectly honest, they’re likely to all be pretty decent. After $150-200, I feel you start getting diminishing returns on 2.1 systems, so you get your maximum value at about this price. Hence, much competition. Altec Lansing, Bose, Creative, and Klipsch all have something to offer, so shop around a bit before you decide.

But enough pre-trashing of these things. The Z623s are a great set of speakers for those of us who watch and listen to most of our media on our desktops. Of course, with a 2.1 system, you miss out on surround sound, but with so many excellent surround-sound headsets available, it’s not so easy to justify a full surround system. Obviously these aren’t right for the home-theater set, who will certainly want a 5.1 or above system. No, these are all about the desktop.

The speakers have 200 watts total: 130 in the sub and 35 each in the satellites. It’s definitely enough to wake your next door neighbor if you get that urge. There are three separate inputs: one 3.5mm and one RCA on the subwoofer, and a spare 3.5mm on the satellite speaker. The satellite also has a headphone jack, power button, and of course volume and bass knobs.

The setup is definitely a step up from the Z2300s design-wise. Although I think the “puck” setup can be nice if done right, the on-satellite controls make for less cable clutter, and the Z2300′s puck felt like a piece of junk anyway. These speakers have a much more solid feel, though some may have preferred a screen in front of the grill and prominent THX branding. The matte black finish and exposed grills are nice in their own way, though, and the satellites have a substantial but pleasing shape. The subwoofer is kind of a beast: 12″ wide, 11″ tall, and 9″ deep doesn’t sound so big — until you try putting it under your desk.

And how do they sound? Well, like a powerful desktop system. These aren’t aimed at audiophiles, they’re aimed at providing powerful stereo sound. Consequently, the subwoofer is relatively overemphasized with the dial in its default position. The sound is much better balanced once you turn the bass down and bump the mid-lows to ease the frequency transition between the satellites and the subwoofer. Once that’s done, you have a relatively balanced sound, and although I still felt like the bass was occasionally coming from a different direction than the treble and mids, proper placement means it’s not very noticeable and if you’re not looking for it, the effect disappears.

The rest of the sound is clear, but no more than you’d expect from a pair of $150 2.1s. The highs are certainly there, but I feel they get drowned out somewhat. Again, proper EQing is essential when your speakers have a natural tendency towards the low end.

I feel the Z623s have a relatively small sweet spot, being somewhat directional rather than room-filling. You lose a fair amount of definition outside perhaps a 30-degree cone, which is to be expected. Unlike truly directional speakers, though, you won’t need to sit at a certain angle to enjoy your songs. Stereo separation and location is excellent; these are great for gaming.

The extra input on the satellite is very welcome, especially for parties, when people want to play stuff off their phone or what have you. Just make sure to have a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable handy. The headphone jack is of course nice, but having the option to plug in a microphone as well, as is often necessary with non-USB gaming headsets, would have been killer.

I occasionally got a crackle when quickly turning the volume knob, but I never heard any pops or distortion during regular listening. Update: After a little more use, the crackle is more pronounced and the headphone port has some connectivity problems. I know I had an early run of these, and if I were a consumer I would return this set; Logitech is good about that, so if you get crackles or port trouble, just do your thing.

Conclusion

The Z623s are definitely worth your money, at least if you don’t need surround sound. They’re powerful, can be made to produce great sound with a little tweaking, and are convenient for a desktop setup. Recommended.

Product page: Logitech Z623 2.1 Speaker System