Awesome Audio

Synesthesia’s Pipes is a compact and affordable audio sample player. It supports 24-bit, 48kHz audio with 64 stereo voices, and loads even massive sample files with nearly zero lag. It has digital and analog outputs as well as MIDI and USB inputs.

Devialet’s one-of-a-kind Phantom speakers are as huge as they are pricey. But the entry-level Phantom Reactor is at least within a mortal’s reach. The speaker packs the same room-filling, distortion-free sound as its bigger brothers, but in a smaller and less costly package.

Razer’s new Nari Ultimate gaming headset has vibration motors that let you feel sounds from a wide range of frequency, making gaming sessions more immersive and tactical. Its padded ear cushions have a cut out to accommodate eyeglasses.

Marshall’s Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker has a multi-directional sound design, allowing it to output audio from both its front and back sids. Inside the water-resistant case is a 20W woofer and a pair of 8W tweeters. It lasts up to 20h per charge.

Plextone’s in-ear headphones have tiny vibration motors on the earbuds to enhance bass. It also has a detachable mic that weigh only a total of 0.6 oz. The optional control unit provides virtual 7.1 surround sound and an option to emphasize gunshots and footsteps.

JBL revisits one of its most famous and bestselling speakers, updating its cabinet and drivers. The L100 Classic looks strikingly like the L100 bookshelf speakers from the ’70s, but it has an improved tweeter and dome. Available with an orange, black or blue grille.

Soundwave toy inferior, DIY Soundwave boombox superior. I Like to Make Stuff made a boombox-sized Bluetooth speaker that looks like his favorite Transformer, the Decepticon’s Soundwave. As he said, you can choose to tackle the project in a simpler way than he did.

Sony’s WH-1000XM3 has four times better noise cancellation than its predecessor. It still has adaptive noise control, which lets you let background noise in so you can still be aware of your environment. It’s also more comfortable and has improved audio and microphones.

Bang & Olufsen’s typically stylish Besound Edge is a disc-shaped dual sided speaker that has a 10″ woofer as well as a 4″ driver and a 0.75″ tweeter on either side. Its volume can be adjusted by a remote control or by rocking the speaker. Drops 11/2018 for $3500.

Sony’s truly wireless headphones are both waterproof and dustproof. What’s more, they are actually standalone music players. With 4GB of onboard memory, they can store up to 21h of music. They can also connect to devices via Bluetooth or NFC.

Get the warm analog sound of a tube amplifier on the go with this portable headphone amp that packs two tiny Raytheon vacuum tubes. Ths palm-sized amp has a built-in rechargeable battery, and connects to your audio source via a 3.5mm input jack.

The ATH-CKR7TW are Audio Technica’s first truly wireless in-ear headphones. True to the brand, they didn’t skimp on audio quality. The 11mm drivers are constructed with materials that reduce distortion, and it has a built-in DAC and amp to ensure depth and clarity.

Part of Bose’s new line of smart speakers, the Bose Home Speaker 500 supports Amazon’s Alexa, so you can fire up your favorite music or podcasts using your voice. It can stream music over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and it also has a 3.5mm aux input.

Grado’s upcoming GW100 combines the convenience of Bluetooth with the unrivaled depth and soundfield of open-back headphones. The GW100 has a 32 ohm dynamic transducer, a 15-hour battery and a built-in microphone. Drops soon for $250.

DIY Perks shows us how to make a beautiful, vintage-looking Bluetooth speaker and LED lamp using cheap parts and electronics. There is a bit of 3D printing and soldering involved though. If you’re up to the task, check out the video’s description for the relevant links.

Master Replicas Group is making an officially licensed 1:1 scale prop replica of the face of 2001: A Space Odyssey‘s HAL 9000. The replica also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker. If you’re willing to pay extra, there’s a variant that comes with a voice-interactive wall-mounted console.