Awesome Audio

Oliver Wilshen and Niall Quinn aka Signal-to-Noise modded an old Roland DXY pen plotter, covering its bed with strips of magnetic tape, and replacing its pen with a playback head. The result – a strange device that can play back bits of audio based on x/y coordinates.

Pandora’s upgraded streaming music service has a slick new user interface and playlist features. On each of your radio stations, it can make a playlist of tracks you’ve thumbed up. It can also automatically add songs to a playlist based on the ones you’ve already added.

A flat speaker that’s meant to sit and disappear under your big HDTV. It’s meant to serve both as a home theater speaker and as a music playback device just like other Sonos speakers. It has six mid-range drivers, three tweeters, and one woofer. Drops 4/4/17.

A big honkin’ waterproof speaker. Perfect for tailgating or job sites, with up 100w of power, Bluetooth, AM/FM, and analog audio sources. Its battery can deliver 75 hours of sound per charge and can juice up gadgets. A telescoping handle and wheels make for easy transport.

Designed by Paolo Cappelo for Newblack, the Luciano is a handmade ceramic Bluetooth speaker that’s beautiful enough to be a centerpiece. It has a 3″ full range driver powered by a 15W amplifier. Available in different colors, as well as plated in 24k gold.

A great looking and great sounding Bluetooth speaker that also happens to be a great deal. Archeer’s A320 speaker has two 2″ 5W midrange drivers, and a 5″ 15W subwoofer, enclosed in an enclosure made from bamboo. Measures 9.8″ W x 5.2″ H x 3.1″ D.

Podo’s tiny adapter not only adds Bluetooth compatibility to practically anything with an aux input, it can also pair with another Jack to stream audio to two devices at once. It has a built-in clip and lasts up to 12h per charge.

While there are lots of surround sound systems that claim to be “wireless,” all of the ones we’re aware of still require the speakers be plugged into power. ONEaudio’s system uses DECT tech and 2″ rechargeable soundpods to eliminate all wires. Available in 2.1, 5.0 and 5.1 configs.

A truly unique USB condenser microphone for recording voiceovers, podcasts, or other vocals on your computer. Its bold black and yellow swivel boom arm design will look great on your desk even when you’re not using it. Includes a honeycomb filter for reducing “pop.”

Designer Daniel Ballou and Dashdot are working on this cool DIY audio system which lets you take ordinary cinder blocks and turn them into speakers. Apparently, the concrete minimizes vibration and coloration of sound. Ballou hopes to retail the kit for about $150.

The ultimate sound system for utility vehicles and boats. JBL’s weatherproof speaker packs four 4″ woofers and two 2″ dome tweeters, and a Class-D amp with 80W rms per channel. It offers versatile mounting options, an LED work light, and a GoPro mount. Drops Spring ’17.

More than just a Bluetooth speaker, Fabriq is one of the most affordable ways to enjoy Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant. It has a 2″ driver, a 2″ passive radiator, 5W of power and lasts up to 5h per charge, and supports multi-room and stereo playback.

A mini version of People People’s Transparent Speaker. Unlike its big brother, the Small Transparent Speaker has built-in receivers for Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, AirPlay and Google Cast. It has two 2.5″ mid drivers, a 3″ passive bass radiator and an amp with built-in DSP.

What sets this retro-style record player apart from others is its ability to stand as a piece of furniture all on its own. It has a pair of full-range speakers built in, plays vinyl at 33-1/3 and 45 RPM speeds, and has an AUX input for other music sources.

What they lack in contemporary styling, Grado’s premium mahogany-trimmed open-back headphones more than make up for in acoustic quality, offering up incredibly accurate, clean, warm, and rich sounds, without distortion.

Bang & Olufsen’s take on the over-ear noise-cancelling headphone. The H9 is made of aluminum and leather with lambskin leather over its memory foam ear pads. It lasts up to 14h per charge and has a touch-sensitive surface for playback control.

Reference quality desktop speakers designed for clean, unbiased sound. They’re perfect for musicians who want to hear the purest rendition of their recordings, and also great for everyday listening. Full review on Technabob.

HiFiMAN makes some of the best headphones on the market, offering excellent value relative to other audiophile brands. Now for a very limited time, you can grab a pair of their entry-level cans for an unbelievable price, thanks to our friends at Massdrop. (Deal ends 10/27/16).

It might look like something from the 1960s, but it’s a brand new speaker, complete with Bluetooth capability. Wrapped in textured vinyl in colors to fit a variety of decors, and embellished with the classic Crosley logo. Its aux input is perfect for connecting a turntable.

Pyle just took wraps off what could the baddest Bluetooth speaker ever. This beast blasts out an impressive 1,000 watts of power to turn any space into an instant dance party. Supports NFC pairing, and has an FM tuner and 3.5mm input. Plays for up to 5.5h on battery power.

Luxury headphones for serious audio lovers, crafted from carbon fiber, aluminum, and lambskin leather. They sound phenomenal, thanks to their open-back design and beryllium drivers, which offer precise, authentic sound the way it was recorded. Full review on Technabob.

The world’s first planar magnetic on-ear headphones. They’re quite large for on-ears and don’t reduce noise as much due to their open backs. But they produce sound on par with over ear cans while being portable. They come with both 3.5mm and Lightning cables.

Bowers & Wilkins’ flagship headphones now have a Bluetooth variant that lasts up to 17h per charge. Enjoy the P7’s balanced output and wide delivery on a variety of devices. You really should use them with high-end setups as well to hear what they can do.