SoundCtrl » gear

SONOS has raised the bar in easy-to-use home audio with PLAYBAR

SoundCtrl — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:11:57 +0000

Nowadays, anyone involved in the music and audio tech industries seems to have a lot of their work cut out for them. Products are expected to be interesting but understandable, powerful but compact, and trendy but lasting. The end result has to be easily obtained by people with all levels of electronic know-how, not just the engineers in the room.

California based Sonos Inc. has taken a new stab at this everlasting desire for improvement with their newest product, the PLAYBAR. Its imminent March 5 launch was announced last week in a press release.

Years ago, when it came to high end audio products in the home, not as many names were around to give consumers pause for consideration. Large, overarching tech companies accompanying brand names like Sony and Bose have been around far longer than the young Sonos, which was only founded a little over a decade ago in 2002. However, company age does not carry as much implied weight of superiority as it used to, seeing as how Sonos has become a fairly recognized brand in its own right and has quality product that manages to go toe-to-toe with that of a company like Bose.

The Playbar adds to Sonos’s repertoire of strong products through the fact that this one machine has layers of offerings often coveted in a single instrument. An audio playback device defined as a “full wireless Hi-Fi system,” from a technical standpoint, users gain a tool with single-step installation and control compatibility across Macs, PCs, i-devices and Androids. Moreover, because one person’s home entertainment made be laid out differently than another’s, regardless of the orientation that the Playbar is placed in, internal sensors alert the system to modify the EQ and the placement of the channels so that users always get the optimal sound for their arrangement. The raw power of the Playbar comes from a set of nine separate speakers that lie just beneath a covering of speaker fabric that cover the sound spectrum from low basses to high trebles. At a 6:3 ratio respectively.

Setting up the Playbar only involves one optical cable meant for one’s television and it will automatically register to work with the playback of anything also connected, from set top boxes, to gaming consoles and blu-ray players. Audio formats accepted by the Playbar span those most common with televisions, including Dolby Digital sound. Recognized music file formats cover just about any file type you would encounter, as listed in Playbar’s technical specifications.

Aside from playing back music on one’s own mp3 player, Playbar can also patch into streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, the Amazon Cloud Player, the EU’s WiMP and several others.

Going with the rising trend of universal control, free app software also allows users to manipulate Playbar using their smart phones in addition to standard television remotes and if users already have Sonos products in their homes, much like Apple cross connection capability, other Sonos speakers can be integrated with the Playbar to enhance the range of frequency playback or even create a 5.1 surround sound environment.

The price for Playbar currently stands at $699 USD, €899 EUR and £599 GBP and is available for pre-order now.

Below is a description/demo video for the Playbar:

Kira is an old school music nerd with a love for all things creative; always searching for music’s common ground. She graduated with an M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. Drop her a tweet @shadowmelody1

Video: CataCombo Coffin Sound System

SoundCtrl — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:56:31 +0000

Swedish music store operator Fredrik Hjelmquist has created a sound system designed for a coffin so that the dead may “listen” to their favorite tunes in the afterlife. The CataCombo, which boasts “god-like comfort,” even allows friends or relatives of the departed to send a them a song via Spotify. If you absolutely have to have it, the CataCombo Sound System starts at €23,500 (~31,000 USD)

For more information, visit catacombosoundsystem.com, and watch the demonstration video below:

Gear Review: Logitech Ultimate Ears 9000 Wireless Headphones

SoundCtrl — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:31:48 +0000

By Brian Kecskemety

This week I got a chance to sample the new Logitech Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears 9000 – the top tier in Logitech’s line of over-the-ear headphones. These noise-canceling phones feature wireless connectivity via Bluetooth, and unlike some other noise-isolating phones, the ambient-reduction feature doesn’t need to be turned on – the UE 9000s are always actively canceling out surrounding noises to to help the listener focus on the music. That coupled with the over-the-ear design, outside sounds were not a distraction, even when playing music at lower volumes. However, there is some noticeable bleeding – if you’re playing music at even a moderately loud level, someone else nearby might be able to hear it. If you’re looking for headphones to blast guilty pleasure music at your cubicle desk, you may want to look elsewhere.

Setting up the Bluetooth with my MacBook Pro was a breeze, and the advertised battery life (10 hours of wireless listening) seemed to be accurate. The UE 9000 includes two ways to affect volume and select music – via the remote on the analog audio cord or via buttons on the actual headphone itself. Unfortunately, only one of these methods will work at a time. If you’re listening via analog, the cord remote will work for you, but not the controls on the headphone. Vice versa if you’re listening via Bluetooth. Also keep in mind that the pause/play button will operate native Apple apps like iTunes or Quicktime, but not other audio players like Spotify, which is surprising since Spotify will respond to the pause/play buttons on the MacBook Pro keyboard.

While the UE 9000s are supposedly “made for” iOS devices, I had no problems connecting these headphones to my (now ancient) Motorola Droid 3. The volume and play/pause controls worked (including with Spotify!) and the transition to taking an incoming phone call was seamless. The included mic on the UE 9000 worked well enough to carry a phone conversation. For both the MacBook Pro and the Droid 3, the wireless range worked up to around 50 feet.

So basically, they work. But how do they sound?

In a word, very good. The UE 9000s have a wide stereo image and a nice round bass response. As a result music sounded powerful without drowning out or overshadowing the vocals, which remained crisp. I’ve noticed a tendency with newer consumer headphones to over-emphasize the bass, but the response with these always felt true to the original mix.

While wireless connectivity is one of the UE 9000s more boasted features, (and the primary way it differentiates itself from its cheaper cousin, the UE 6000), the optimal listening experience with these headphones will come via the included analog cord. Even sitting a few feet away from my computer, there was the occasional pop and click when listening via Bluetooth, enough so that when possible, I would stick with the cord. Additionally, while listening while charging the headphones (via included USB cable), there was very noticeable additional noise, particularly when the cable was agitated. If you’re planning a marathon listening session, (or even if you’re not), it’s best to keep these phones fully charged at all times.

Marathon listening sessions might be physically taxing, as there is a fair amount of fatigue – not in the ears, but in the head. These phones, while fitting snugly, are also heavy, and you might need a quick breather every so often.

The Logitech Ultimate Ears 9000 Wireless Headphones retail for $400. Not a bad value, though if you don’t need the wireless feature, you may want to check out the UE 6000s.

WIRELESS RANGE: 50 feet (15 meters)
HEADPHONE TYPE: Around-the-ear
DRIVER DIAMETER: 40mm
IMPEDANCE: 32 ohms, 1 kHz
SENSITIVITY: 105 dB SPL/mW, 1 kHz
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
CONNECTION: Bluetooth or 3.5 mm (1/8 inch)
NOISE ISOLATION: 14dB
BATTERY TYPE: rechargeable battery pack (included)
BATTERY LIFE: over 20 hours of listening with analog input, over 10 hours of listening with wireless connection

Native Instruments Broadening its Global Horizons, Opens Japanese Office

SoundCtrl — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:56:15 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Manufacturer of hardware and software for DJ and music production, Native Instruments is already a well known and respected member of the music tech community at large. Founded out of Berlin, Germany in 1996, the company has a location in the U.S. as well, situated over in Los Angeles. Our last coverage of the company was an article on the release of their “mixer with a space age-y name,” the Traktor Kontrol Z2.

Presently, the news at hand is all about the manufacturer’s decision to branch out and expand its international team of staff. Native Instruments now has a branch location active in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. Japan being one of the most technologically driven nations in the world, it is not surprising that the company would want to place an office in the country, which will allow them to better connect with existing and potential new consumers, as well as business colleagues. The move is being described in a press release, as a way for Native Instruments to “expand [its] footprint in the crucial Japanese market for music production and DJ equipment.”

Even with an existing customer and business base in Japan, refining market strategy to fit a specific demographic after a physical move is not as quick or easy as flipping the door sign to “open.” Things are starting with a careful level of ambition, despite the existing arrangement of using a localized distributor, which has been the mode of operation for Native Instruments’s interfacing with Japan for the past 15 years. The team on site is currently at a staff of 10, plus the new General Manager, Koh Suzuki and the new location is being referred to as “Native Instruments Japan K.K.” The company CEO, Daniel Haver, has expressed a humble recognition for Japan’s positive relationship with his business and highlights why a permanent position in this territory is a beneficial advancement:

Japanese artists and music enthusiasts have always appreciated our products and technological vision especially well, and we are excited to now move much closer to this highly inspiring environment. Our [new] Tokyo branch has profound strategic importance for our future business.

Equally respectful and optimistic is Suzuki, who is “honored to represent [what he refers to as] one of the most prominent and pioneering leaders in creative music technology.” Taking charge as the leader for this new undertaking, Suzuki is aiming to “make [patrons'] ‘NI experience[s]‘ even better” going forward.

Seeing the interesting, uncommon and sophisticated products Native Instruments is already capable of creating, the addition of a team now applying Japan’s unique technological and aesthetic point of view could considerably enhance the existing originality of Native Instruments as a whole.

CES 2013: Geeking Out Over New Music Technology

SoundCtrl — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:00:44 +0000

By Carolyn Heneghan

This week, CES 2013—or the Consumer Electronics Show—has been going strong in Las Vegas with an extraordinary amount of innovations and presenters all hoping to be the next “it” technology. From 4K and UltraHD TVs to the latest in smartphone, tablet, and mobile technologies, CES is the show for techies and electronics buffs alike. Amidst the more common themes of the show, however, are plenty of new products in the music realm, some of which we’ve introduced below.

Waterproof Phone Cases

Want to continue listening to your music underwater or lounging on a pool raft or river tube? Coupled with water-proof headphones, these waterproof phone pouches make rocking out underwater possible. Several companies offer different models, such as DiCAPac, SEaLABox, AquaPac, and Ecases from Cascade Designs.

Smart Watches

The I’m Watch is a wrist-friendly Android device that, among other things, supports features like cloud connectivity and on-demand music for wrist-held music on-the-go. The Pebble, in addition to being water resistant to five atmospheres and lasting for a full week on one battery charge, can seamlessly control your device’s music player.

Headphones

Rapoo’s H9080 Home Entertainment Wireless Headphones are made of leather and produce deep bass, clean treble, and a pure, mellow sound. There’s a charging cradle that juices up the headphones for 10 hours of use after just three hours.

Speakers

Disco Twin from SuperTooth is a pair of Bluetooth speakers with up to 10 hours of battery life and 16 watts of RMS power coming from each unit. Heavy and durable, the speakers are powerful enough to fill up large, spacious rooms with clear sound at maximum volume.

Pure’s self-powered wireless speaker system Jongo pairs physical connectivity with integrated content via the unlimited jukebox capability that comes with the speaker set. Users can play streaming content from the Internet via Wi-Fi or from a laptop, smartphone, or tablet using Bluetooth, and users can synchronize all speakers in one household using the Pure Connect app. The streaming service is akin to Spotify, Pandora, and the like, but it comes at a $5/month subscription rate for streaming and $10 for downloading.

Retro Music Players

At CES 2013, retro music players made a comeback as well, from suitcase record players and speaker sets to old school phonographs, jukeboxes, and western-style wooden record players with a cabinet-style radio grill.

gTar

We highlighted gTar last year, but the gadget is making more headlines this week at CES.

Remember Guitar Hero? Developer group Incident has taken the power of the virtual guitar to the next level. They’ve created a guitar that hooks up to your iPhone with an actual responsive fret board and strings and that allows you to learn how to play the guitar with the help of the latest app technology.

Watch gTar’s demo video here.

Porsche Music Integration

Through its partnership with Aha, enabled Porsche vehicles will be able to connect to the car company’s new partner through their smart phones, which will allow music streaming from the app. You can listen to a song in the car and then pick it right back up on the phone later. They combine radio stations and Slacker online media service for a fuller music experience.

Dexim Music Stylus

Dexim’s Bluetooth stylus allows you to listen to music while you write, with hi-fi stereo music performance. There’s a 3.5mm audio port for your headphones and even a microphone to act as a pen phone.

And Finally… Music Massages?

Ever feel the bass in your core or chest while you’re listening to music? iMusic BodyRhythm is an iOS-controlled, Bluetooth device that “massages” your shoulders with a series of tiny taps in time with the music that’s playing. The massager itself looks like a leather life jacket, and it allows you to physically feel your music as you listen to it. You can also tap the screen of your iDevice to make your own virtual drumming rhythms.

Inside Will.i.am’s New iPhone Camera

SoundCtrl — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:41:07 +0000

Last month, the Black Eyed Peas rapper/entrepreneur released his new line of iPhone camera attachements branded as i.am+. The devices, which range from ₤200-₤300, have interchangeable lenses and purport to significantly enhance the look and sharability of photos taken with an iPhone 4 or 5. The full line is not yet available, and many models are only currently available in the UK, but look for the full line i.am+ attachments to hit stateside soon.

Watch Will.i.am. talk to Fortune about i.am+

The Cynaps Headset: Much more than a hands-free accessory

SoundCtrl — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:22:35 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

When it comes to products for audio playback and headsets, everyone has different preferences for what is both most effective in function and most comfortable for use. Even the most sophisticated studio headsets are no good if they become painful on a person’s ears after only 20 minutes.

The everyday consumer usually doesn’t go in search for these high end products though. Those who are busy multi-tasking their lives with kids, work, exercise… these activities are not like the environment of a stationary commute where there’s all the time in the world to look at one’s device. Max Virtual LLC, an independent audio/video tech company, has recently designed a discrete device that will be both functionally and comfortably ideal for those who have their hands full; making music and phone calls less of a distracting labor.

Currently up and active on indiegogo.com, Cynaps, the bluetooth, bone conduction headset in a hat, is the young company’s first major project. Bluetooth has been around for a while, so what is the big improvement about Cynaps? The difference being promoted by Max Virutal is a completely wireless experience that also removes hardware from the ears, “giving you back all of your senses,” as described in the campaign. The physical premise is quite ingenious. If one purchases a fully outfitted Cynaps hat, all that is required to do is sync the hat with your device and wear it to be able to hear music or calls. There are no wires and no ear pieces of any kind. Aptly named Cynaps, as a play on “synapse” –a type of connector in the human brain– the hat is designed like an average baseball cap and delivers sound to the ear using vibrations against your bone, hence the full product name.

The package Max Virtual is offering seems quite reasonable given the time and research that was needed to make the Cynaps functional. Backing levels go from $15 for mini headlights and a regular hat, to $150 for a total backing package of all the products and accessories. Basic purchase of the tech needed to outfit any existing hat is only $50 and that includes three months of “warranty” coverage, lest anything breaks. Other rewards among the donations include USB battery backups, (the initial battery life of Cynaps is 6-10 hours depending on volume use) extension cables, longer warranty coverage and desktop vibration speakers for a little extra experimentation with sound.

The only physical interaction needed after putting on the hat is the gesture of a single or double touch on the controls under Cynaps’s hat bill. Playlist navigation, volume control and phone call receiver in a few flicks that are probably no different than when anyone has ever adjusted a hat while wearing it.

The most fascinating promotional aspect in the Cynaps campaign is the connection made to those who live with less hearing:

Bone conduction has been used for years in hearing aid technology. One very cool advantage of Cynaps is that many people who cannot hear well enough to talk on the phone now have a good chance of hearing clearly on a phone or being able to listen to some good music! Check with your doctor to find out if Cynaps can help.

Cynaps might not be a major medical breakthrough but, if it works well for some and enhances or eases their everyday use of the phone or music listening experience, it is hard to see the downside in getting one. Even the aesthetic look of the caps can be overlooked because this tech is available for self-installation. Cynaps seems to take the lead in style and safety that doesn’t involve the compromise of one’s senses in a way not seen through major competition.

The Cynaps indiegogo campaign will run until February 2, 11:59PM and has a goal of $20,000.

Like the NewKube reported on earlier this week, Cynaps will also be showing at CES 2013 in Las Vegas.

See the Cynaps promo video below.

The first musical building block of 2013: NewKube micro music player

SoundCtrl — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:31:03 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in just under one week, from January 8-11. As one of the most anticipated and innovative events for all things creative, technological, and futuristic, this event is the perfect platform for the US launch of the NewKube –an mp3 player of physically miniscule proportions, measuring out at only one cubic inch. (Think the size of a standard dye.)

A press release from this morning relays the imminent unveiling of this music player, which is being touted as the “world’s smallest.” Yet, considering its lack of physical mass and space, the NewKube manages to pack in a load of features that defy its size.

NewKube is the musical brainchild of Bluetree Electronics, a technology company based in Singapore. The operations for NewKube, that manage its supplies in the US, are run by Ollo Technologies. Additional distributors manage Kube products in the Americas, Asia and Europe as well.

The NewKube is actually a third incarnation of the Kube Player; all of the previous versions also focused heavily on compact size with powerful sound and storage. Despite the widespread purchasing and use of feature packed smart phones, Sem Chong, CEO of Bluetree Electronics, holds the new product in high regard and believes the NewKube will be able to keep up with its competition and find a welcoming consumer demographic, as she explains in the release:

We’re delighted to introduce the NewKube on the stage of the world’s largest consumer electronic event at CES 2013. We believe there is still a huge opportunity for standalone MP3 players because there are so many situations where using the NewKube is preferred to using the music player on a smartphone. We believe the sound from the NewKube is better than any music player on any smartphone.

There are a respectable number of features equipped on the NewKube that were previously unavailable. The kicker to this list is the fact that all the new elements were born out of suggestions by NewKube’s existing customer base.

Lock button – to prevent accidental button pushing

Repeat button – not found in comparable simple MP3 players such as the iPod Shuffle

Jump Folder – allows you to get to the specific song location, also not found in simple MP3 players like the iPod Shuffle.

EQ Pre-sets – lets users select music settings for optimized playback of Pop, Rock, Classical music and other genres.

Chong may be displaying a high level of confidence for this music-only device, but does it really have a chance against the smart phone world and other players the like iPod family?

Regarding content capacity NewKube can hold up to an 32GB external microSD card, containing up to 8,000 songs in MP3 format.

The flexibility to playback files from standard mp3 to Windows-based media gives the NewKube a bit of a tech-friendly edge over Apple. The idea that file capacity is only as limited as the size of any available micro SD card, (the NewKube package includes a tote to hold additional cards for easy switch out and access to more music) makes any perceived shortcomings feel even less like actual limitations. Once CES 2013 is underway, perhaps the stand-alone music player will make a new year’s comeback.

Music Tech Holiday Gift Giving Guide: Thinking Outside the Box

SoundCtrl — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:14:12 +0000

By Carolyn Heneghan

It’s that time of year again where the unending Christmas lists and hours of mulling over gift options returns. For the music tech lovers on your list, you might fall back on more traditional gifts like CDs, DVDs or blu-rays, iPod docks, a new pair of headphones, or a cool new set of speakers. But if you’re looking to go the extra mile—or your giftee already has the aforementioned products—we’ve got a list of some unique tech gifts that may just be right up your alley.

Music Streaming/Subscriptions

One popular gift for music lovers is a subscription to various music services, many of which are very affordable if you’re on a tighter budget. A one-year subscription to Pandora One, for example, includes no ads, higher quality audio, a desktop app, and custom skins for only $36. For Spotify, you can purchase one, three, six, or 12 months of Spotify Premium—which includes streaming to all of your devices, downloadable music to listen to on- or offline, and no ads or commitment—for around $9.99 per month. This gift card can be given via special Christmas e-cards or a printout to put under the tree.

On the subject of Pandora, another unique way to listen to your Pandora playlists is via the streaming box Roku LT (~$50) which lets you access and stream your Pandora account right from your television.

One more cool subscription service is the Flexi of the Month Club from Hifidelics that aims to recreate the idea of penpals for turntable aficionados. When you sign up (or sign up your friend or family member), you’ll receive a new flexi disc-formatted single every month. A flexi is a type of phonograph record that you can play on a turntable. You can purchase a three-month trial run for $24, and proceeds go to charity, which makes for double the gift this holiday season.

Digital Music/Playlists/Apps

What if you want to personalize your music gift, more specifically in the style of old school mixtapes and CDs? From within iTunes, you can gift actual iTunes playlists simply by assembling your playlist as usual from your iTunes library. Once it is complete, click the arrow to the right of the playlist name in the iTunes Source list and select “Give Playlist.” You can give the playlist via email or a printout to put under the tree or deliver in person. You can also send the playlist to multiple recipients and compose along with it a message of up to 500 characters. One drawback is that you can only use songs that are available from the iTunes store, so no songs you’ve specially created or recorded can be included.

Another feature for iTunes gifting is the ability to give specific iTunes apps (prices vary), which is another way to personalize a gift more than a simple iTunes gift card. On the drop-down box from the application’s page next to the Buy button, click “Gift This App,” enter the relevant details, and you’ve got a download code ready to go. So if there’s a music app that your giftee has been eyeing lately, this is the perfect way to give them something they’ve been specifically wanting.

In the spirit of playlist and “mixtape” gifting, the Ion Tape Express Portable Tape to MP3 Player (~$40) converts your old cassette tapes (or mixtapes) to MP3 format so your old collection can live on in the digital age.

Cables / Adapters

Is your giftee always looking for a charger for his or her iPod, phone, or other music playing device? Now with the Roll Up Travel Charger (~$35), which can be found at Restoration Hardware, they’ll have a compact case of various ports and adapters for just about every device you can think of. It simply connects with a power cord, and you can roll up the cords into a convenient case for travel.

Fractalspin’s Electronic Musicians’ Emergency Adapters (~$30) will make sure that you never again miss out on a performance due to mismatched cables and speakers. This extensive set of adapters makes sure you never show up to a gig again without all the adapters you might need. They can be stored in a convenient pouch that comes with the set and that can fit into just about any instrument case or gig bag.

Synthesizers

For the synthesizer lover on your holiday list, the Korg Kaossilator (~$99), Kaosillator 2 (~$160), or Kaosillator Pro (~$400) is a handheld synth and loop recorder that runs off of either a power chord or AA batteries and is played by touching the small pad/screen that takes up about half of the device. The user can manipulate sounds by either tapping or moving their finger or stylus vertically or horizontally across the screen to change the pitch and otherwise modulate the sound—basically like the track pad on your laptop, which moves the cursor. The Kaosillator’s 100 built-in programs (The Kaossilator 2 has 150, Pro 200) get you started with dozens of different instruments and sound bites, and simple or complex layering can further evolve the sounds this handy mini synth can make. The later versions even include Scale Key and Note Range that eliminates “wrong” notes.

The TC Helicon VoiceLive Play (~$350) is a sophisticated vocal processing effects synthesizer. With 200+ preloaded presets, you can infinitely customize and loop vocals as you wish. You can even hook it up using your computer USB port to work directly with most DAWs.

No matter what the preferences of your music tech gift recipient might be, you’ll be sure to find something for them this holiday season with just a little digging.

Introducing the Dualo – Are you ready for a new mode of MIDI Controller?

SoundCtrl — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:25:01 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Recently there have been many intricate and fascinating MIDI powered tools popping up on the internet for the public’s discovery and purchase. From the QuNexus to the AlphaSphere and the MusixCube, these machine-musical instrument combinations have become a popular source of inspiration for engineers and artists alike, each able to defy today’s existing conventions of structure, science, and sound.

The Dualo, also referred to as “Dualo du-touch,” is no different in that last respect, also being a MIDI controller/instrument but entirely different in just about every other sense. The examples above experiment with physical form and/or performance execution re-imagined though unexpected trigger arrangement, manipulation and response (e.g. with touch sensitive pads, LEDs). The Dualo also uses LEDs and pressure sensors on its five octave, hexagonal ‘keyboard’ interface but, the reasoning behind how its keys are organized is rooted in an entirely uncommon harmonic principle, from which the instrument’s name, functionality and the company of its production, is derived.

Jules Hotrique is the man behind this concept, which he calls, “The Dualo Principle.” As Hotrique describes in a detailed booklet, (Note: linked text is in French) this principle “is based on the fundamentals of tonal harmony and inspired by the African thumb piano.” Translated below from Dualo’s homepage, are outlines of the main benefits to using this new tonal focus:

Facilitates the learning of musical technique: a chord = a design. Two designs are a scale.
Facilitates improvisation: keys that sound good are next to each other.
Accelerates learning music theory: the writing of chords, of scales, and degrees become lines and geometric shapes, [they] become easy to memorize and play.
Facilitates practical fingerings: for scales and chords are the same in all keys.
Allows great virtuosity: the alternation of both hands and the layout of notes, [one] can play very quickly with great precision.
Facilitates the reading of notes: notes on staff lines are played by one hand, notes on spaces by the other hand. The simplified notation is in this way the traditional scope.

Design Nimos is the company behind Dualo’s design and as described on the “instruments” section of Dualo’s website, the keyboard was designed using “a mathematical model [geometrically representing] musical harmony…it shows degrees of the scale better than on a guitar or [with] piano chords, by equating [them] to simple geometric shapes.” The Dualo’s other technical specifications include:

6.35mm jack for line output
Standard 3.5mm amplified headphone jack,
5-pin MIDI DIN connector
USB port, compatible with PCs and Macs.

Packing a memory bank of 116 instruments and multi-effect capability, as well as motion controllers that detect movement of the whole instrument, Hotrique believes the Dualo “opens the way to new musical gestures and unmatched stage presence.”

Most recently, the Dualo was demoed and discussed yesterday, during the first of a three day event titled, “Forum 2.0 – Workshops at the Forum,” which is hosted by IRCAM (Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics and Music), a Paris-based institute and research center devoted to work revolving around music, science and avant-garde exploration.

Below is a clip of Hotrique himself playing the Dualo:

Kickstarter propelled KMI into a successful second project

SoundCtrl — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:28:04 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Kickstarter means a lot of different things to the variety of people and projects mounted on the site for backing. For some it means mere one-time exposure and then ideally a success, for others it means the beginning of an entire long-range company business plan and for still more, it can mean tapping into as many cool independent projects as possible, if for no other reason than to be a part of something from the ground upward.

Surprisingly, despite the massive number of endeavors posted to Kickstarter to date, there had yet to be a company that could launch more than one fully funded project through the site’s crowd funding strategy. Berkeley, California based KMI, (Keith McMillen Instruments) revealed via press release this morning, that they are the first to hit this milestone. The accomplishment marks not only a celebratory occasion for both the instrument company and Kickstarter itself, but also shows a increasing position of reliable consistency for KMI that could reinvigorate how entrepreneurs and consumers look at the platform power of Kickstarter.

KMI considers itself an “innovative hardware and software technology” startup geared toward new methods of musical interface, as explained in their company description. Yet, with the speed of funding completion for their benchmark second product, the QuNexus, KMI comes across more as a firmly established figure in the technology realm. The brand has clearly proven its worth in delivering quality equipment for the tech-oriented musician, as well as being a brand with strong business sense.

The QuNexus, which is an extremely versatile keyboard controller with “smart sensors,” came to Kickstarter already “fully designed and prototyped,” as stated on the campaign page, before KMI even received its first dollar. The product itself is extremely appealing, as the list of its innate functions shows consumer range, not confined to those with specific sets of other tools or experience levels:

QuNexus is the first keyboard controller to unite four generations of synthesis:

MIDI, Control Voltage, OSC and USB.
25 Smart Sensor Keys detect Pressure, Location, and VelocityPolyphonic Aftertouch
7 Octave range
Pitch Bend Pad
2 CV/Gate InputsGate and 3 CV Outputs (16-bit)
Blue and White LED Illumination with 16 levels of brightness
Portable: 14 oz, 3.5″ x 10″ x .5 “
Plug and Play: USB powered, no drivers needed
MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux

At press time, status of the QuNexus’s campaign stands at an excess of approximately $7,200 from its $20,000 goal, with just under a month of time still active for additional ‘gravy’ donations. Its controller predecessor, the QuNeo, which required only $15,000, reached its goal with a shocking excess of approximately $150,900. It remains to be seen if KMI will surpass this little bonus record in the time left. Having Kickstarter at KMI’s disposal is like having a free outlet for additional business and exposure. Knowing there is now a well established relationship of consumer trust, KMI can almost treat Kickstarter as a separate online store but keep the consumer-friendly simplicity and transparency of Kickstarter’s accountability structure.

Below is KMI’s promotional Kickstarter video for the QuNexus. The campaign continues until December 18.

Olive Media Brings Everyday Approachability to HD Music

SoundCtrl — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:30:04 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Olive Media, a young company based out of San Francisco, focuses its work on connecting the desires of audiophiles with an element of approachability for the average consumer, who is not necessarily vested in buying a whole room’s worth of expensive speakers and other audio equipment. The company, who’s slogan is “Save the Sound”, produces hardware for an “HD music experience” in the form of a device meant for home listening.

A press release announcement states that Olive Media is planning the launch of two new HD music systems, called the 4HD and 5HD, to add to the existing 3HD system and 6HD server, that provides audiophile level sound. In addition, the company is pairing the hardware with a solid OS and matching partner app, that lets users create a customized browsing system. According to their official website description, the OS can be “designed by you,” based on many labels like: “artists, genres, albums or tracks [and one can] define their priorities. Within seconds the Olive automatically sorts your library. Play your selection with one simple touch of your finger.”

Olive Media's 6HD

What makes Olive’s new hardware worth acknowledging is not in what it can inherently do but how it manages to present its abilities. These music systems provide the kind of user-intuitive interface, listening options and capacity (proportionally speaking), that one would expect of an i-device, with a sleek and non-intimidating design to match. Keeping HD quality is where Olive Media pulls away in stride.

Both the 4HD and 5HD hold up to 6,000 lossless albums/20,000 HD tracks. The Classic Apple iPod, which is the largest capacity music device they currently offer at 160 GB, holds twice the tracks at 40,000 but that’s assuming an average bit rate of 128Kbps. If the Kbps is doubled to 256 –which is still lower quality than lossless or HD quality– the capacity on the Classic iPod is halved. The 4HD and 5HD have consumer tracks, streaming on its own non-stop radio (for the 5HD) to keep the music going and aim to work as seamlessly compatible devices. As explained in the press release,

To unite all your digital music libraries the new product line comes with Olive’s wireless HD docking station feature. Portable devices like the Apple® iPhone®, iPad® or Android smart phones, as well as popular music streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora or Songza can be conveniently accessed via the Bluetooth interface. For wireless HD music streaming[,] the new platform integrates Wi-Fi DirectTM and features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support. Music on your PC, Mac or NAS is automatically recognized and accessible via the UPnP standard.

Currently the new systems are on pre-order, with a countdown of 13 days until launch. In terms of user-friendliness, Olive Media definitely has a working method that transitions average hardware users well for their products. The only factor still somewhat excluding, is the price. While the cost is certainly lower than what it might be for a comparable “room of tech,” starting prices of $1,500, $3,000 and $5,000 for the 4-6HDs respectively, is no small pocket change but might be worth the one time investment.

If you want a more scrutinized breakdown of all Olive Media’s new HD gear, here is their tech spec comparison chart.

Video: Fender’s iOS-Friendly Stratocaster Guitar Comes to Apple Store

SoundCtrl — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:09:06 +0000

Via Mashable

Fender has struck a deal to sell its USB Squier Stratocaster guitar exclusively through Apple Store, starting Tuesday. The $199 guitar is designed to plug in to a Mac or iOS device so you can easily record and send your guitar solos over the Internet.

Watch the demo video below, and read full story at Mashable.com

Gear: Traktor Kontrol Z2

SoundCtrl — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:17:15 +0000

By Hannah Daly

This week popular software Traktor released a futuristic new mixer with an equally space age-y name. Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol Z2 offers artists a compact and portable controller with a whole new world of customizable options. Beyond integrating seamlessly with the most up to date software itself, the Z2 can shift between CDJs and turntables, with the additions of an easy functioning Remix Deck and Transport control.

Traktor bills the Z2 as the first 2+2 mixer. The mixer functions just as well as a standalone without a computer, but the innovation of the tool truly shines through its integration with the software itself. All physical controls are mapped to Traktor’s internal digital mixer, making manipulation of the most up to date software effortless for those familiar with the set up. As opposed to your typical mixers – equipped with two channels – the Z2 ups the game, adding two additional channels, thus the +2. This makes use of a comprehensive palette of fancy effects virtually seamless, only aided by a the buttery smooth crossfader built with luscious Innofader technology.

The added channels allow for quick movement to the four hot cue buttons on either side of the controller. The hot cue is exactly that: in the fervor of live performance, each button holds a specified moment in the track of where the song would be playing without any manipulation to the playback. When a cue points or loop is released, the song jumps right back to exactly where you left off.

The bonus channels also allow for the Macro FX function, which includes no less that eleven sound bending options contained in only knob. Wormhole sucks all frequencies into a housey vortex, Bass-o-matic aggressively chops up the bassline for an easily achieved hard-punching re-slice, DarkMatter lays on a thick fuzzy comforter, sucking the tune into a glittering blur — the special effects go on, all of which are very fun, and more details on the different effects are on the Native Instruments website.

Z2 allows for the addition of the sexy ‘Ready to Remix’ Kontroller F1, which brings an additional interface for quick and slick sampling. Featuring a rainbow bright four by four grid, each cell can hold a loop or sample either from the Traktor, your personal archive, or off the cuff live sampling. The F1 allows for pre-programming by various groups — drums, bass, leads — that opens up the possibility seamless live performance. In a flurry of color and light, you can throw in an almost overwhelming archive samples on the fly, which can sound great and definitely looks cool (as proven here).

Traktor heavily emphasizes the professional quality of the controller. Highly durable, mobile, and flexible, the Z2 is a tool meant for the international DJ, a reality that is becoming more and more prevalent from the underground up. By eliminating the need for Traktor Scratch cables and simplifying connection to other hardware, the Z2 is sleek. Equipped with a 2-port USB hub, your computer can be reserved for e-cigarette charging only. These details drastically clean up the mixing workspace. Yet, though streamlined, the Z2 is adamantly heavy duty, built of “aircraft-grade aluminum” to function perfectly and last through many nights at any club, anywhere.

Check out a demo video of the Z2 featuring DJ Craze:

Dyskograf: Draw your own record?

SoundCtrl — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 19:44:42 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Music playback in the 21^st century has plunged more than ever into ‘digital-this, digital-that.’ Vinyl, which reaches back wholly to the opposite end of the playback spectrum, has made somewhat of a consumer comeback but the usual debates over quality and the constant deterioration of records themselves rages onward. Add the higher price of producing good quality vinyl and from a certain angle, it can be difficult to see the good in their ongoing production.

What would audiophiles and vinyl enthusiasts say though, if records and the music locked inside them, were suddenly made from simple lines drawn on paper, rather than grooves carved into a disc?

This idea is being taken for a budding test drive, thanks to Avoka; an artist and creative collective based in Rennes, France, founded in 2010. Their work is often shown in the form of artistic projects or installations. As explained on Avoka’s website, these works widely “explore [the areas of] interdisciplinary writing, music, video projection, interactive digital arts, theater cinema [and the] manipulation of objects.” Furthermore, backing of both emerging and seasoned artists for work is another of Avoka’s principle philosophies.

The sound installation for ‘drawing your own music’ is titled “Dyskograf.” Each piece of what one would expect to find with a traditional record player is replaced with a more sustainable mechanism or medium. Ordinary, black, felt markers, act as the medium for “composing” what will be heard at playback. Instead of a diamond-tipped needle and arm, the drawings in question are scanned and interpreted with a camera-equipped arm. A specialty software program, undisclosed by Avoka, transforms any drawing into a musically coherent sequence. Other aspects of record playback –RPM switches for the standard 33, 45 and 78 speeds for example– are visible on the Dyskograf player, as well as an additional “Pitch” dial.

Taking into consideration how this machine is designated as an interactive piece of art meant for mass experimentation, Dyskograf certainly balances appeal and education well. The thought of a unique ‘disc print’ holding a one-of-a-kind beat and musical hook, created from the second unique process of drawing and visual imagery, opens the door for all kinds of cross-art correlations. The sequence drawn and demoed in the video below is both striking and yet, still minimal. If this technology were able to hone in on more instrumental tones and if there is any semblance of logistics in creating beats, (e.g. length or shape of line, width and repetition, etc.) then the possibilities for joint visual artist and musician work could explode into entirely new territory where audio-visual collaboration becomes complete audio visual fusion. Let’s not even start imagining the rhythmic control DJs could implement if these paper discs could be manually spun and scratched…

See for yourself in Dyskograf’s demo video below:

Dyskograf from Jesse Lucas on Vimeo.

BEARtek Gloves: Making Music Easier and Safer for Listeners on the Move

SoundCtrl — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:57:12 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

With winter fast approaching on the calendar and the temperatures already starting to drop, it’s not unusual to see people digging out their layering accessories. Scarves, hats and gloves are going to only increase in number as the days get shorter and darker.

Winter gloves have never been very gadget-friendly. Touch screen technology made this problem even more prominent and had people choosing between exposing their hands to the cold, wearing fingerless gloves, or waiting to get inside before making a phone call or changing their mp3 player settings. “Texting gloves” helped solve this dilemma but what if keeping your hands warm is a must or your hands are just plain full?

BEARtek Gloves, (which stands for Bluetooth Enabled Audio Regulation), are the premier product of Maryland-based company, Blue Infusion Technologies. The company is out to step up the accessory game; combining winter warmth, technological convenience and a third useful aspect of practical safety to boot.

A fairly young company started in 2010 by CEO and inventor Willie Blount, Blue Infusion Technologies has covered a lot of ground to get an intricate concept like BEARtek Gloves up and running well enough to file for a Kickstarter campaign in just two years. According to a recent tweet from the company’s official Twitter account, the campaign is due to start November 12. A press release specifies that this first campaign will feature gloves…

specifically designed for use during winter sports like skiing [or] snowboarding, while the company’s second glove collection for motorcyclists is set to premier in the Spring of 2013.

Blount being a motorcyclist, and his business partner Tarik Rodgers (COO), being a skier, each of them brings a real perspective to BEARtek’s product potential and application for the everyday consumer. Even if one takes up neither of these activities, it is comforting to know that those who do might soon be keeping more of their attention on steering rather than changing the music on their device.

The bluetooth heart of BEARtek’s capabilities might sound old hat, but to call them “just another bluetooth device” would be naïve. Their press release alludes to the gloves being manipulated by thumb taps to “one of six touches points strategically embedded along the fingers of the glove.” The wireless core might sound familiar but the flexibility of its minimal hardware and accounting for future change means BEARtek can adapt. As advertised on BEARtek’s website,

…We have the ability to make a new module [for BEARtek Gloves to] do almost anything. Let us know what you want… Adding new features is as simple as removing the old module and inserting a new one. All future modules will be based on the notion that the glove is the controller and the module performs the action.

Knowing that Blount and Rodgers want BEARtek to eventually have extensive multi-purpose use, maybe their modules could eventually allow for the elimination of music player interaction altogether. Perhaps one day we’ll be able to dock our devices in a speaker and simply use the glove to completely control the music we play. Anyone for programmable clap rhythms to bring up your favorite song?

Below is a video demo and detailed explanation of BEARtek Gloves and their development:

MusixCube: Rubik’s Style Controlling

SoundCtrl — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:30:11 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Hauke Scholz – a student at the Muthesius Academy of Art and Design in Kiel, Germany – is the mastermind who conceived the idea for what he is calling the MusixCube. This device is serving as Scholz’s B.A thesis project and as stated on his Behance project page,

one focus of [the MusixCube is] the idea of taking the music producers away from the computer and allowing them to take back the music into their own hands.

The MusixCube itself looks and operates like a Rubik’s Cube; colored squares, fully rotatable surfaces and all. The MusixCube is a controller, intended to work in tandem with software like Logic, Reason, ProTools or Ableton Live, among others. Additional input devices like more MIDI controllers can be used with the MusixCube as well.

Interestingly enough, aside from the physical movement for the MusixCube, like what was described in this piece on the AlphaSphere, there is also an element of touch and pressure sensitive surface manipulation; just with screens instead of pads. 40 OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes) provide a slew of options for assigning samples and effects, affected through a series of different movements. Scholz’s explanations allude to the MusixCube being capable of more individual piece adjustment beyond that of a Rubik’s cube.

Despite the limited number of surfaces, MusixCube’s high level of mixing, recording and editing control is achieved through five separate “layers” – Sampler, Options, Group, Levels, and FX. When one uses the cube, just the active top surface lights up. Various color schemes on the individual squares keep different functions identifiable while moving multiple segments. All one color is for sampling while multiple colors is for group function. Squares lit in white are designated to functional controls like deletion, recording and playback.

Each of the layers can be activated depending on the number and size of the turns (90°, full rotation, etc.). Mixing comes to life through the Bluetooth feature that can work between more than one MusixCube and whichever software is on a person’s workstation. Tracks from several cubes can also be mixed, just by placing them in close proximity to each other. Though Scholz does not specify the method to accomplish this, I wouldn’t be surprised if some type of near field communication was being explored.

Thus far, Scholz has constructed two MusixCube protoytpes. According to the information given on his Behance page, only acrylic, varnish, and polyurethane were used for the physical models but a combination of eight software programs –mostly Adobe Creative Suite, among others– went into designing and powering MusixCube’s digital abilities. Similar to the Skube, Wifi and an Arduino board are used tofor partial digital control; at least for the current prototypes.

For a work still-in-progress, the MusixCube shows lots of potential. The total package of convenience in size, artistically pleasing design, and vast blending possibilities presents onlookers with a nonconforming piece of equipment that can add an expressive dimension to the composition and recording process beyond clicking a mouse and pushing record.

Below is a short demo showing manipulations of the MusixCube.

AlphaSphere: The next icon in electronic music performance?

SoundCtrl — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:03:28 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Nowadays, it seems like there is a conference or expo for just about any industry or activity. The idea of, “if you can imagine it, you can make it,” which floats around many of these gatherings is how many promising concepts usually find their place in the world. Technology and free form thought have led to many gadgets and experiments; all capable of doing things previously thought to be only the stuff of fantasy. The Skube, Shimi, Kinectar and writing music with star sounds are each successful and radically creative examples –just to name a few we’ve engaged through SoundCtrl. There is a definite sense of integrating complex science with an intangible element of fun.

A young company out of Bristol, UK called nu desine, (pronounced “design”), has followed this suit with a radically unique, electronic musical instrument called the AlphaSphere. The minds of nu desine include specialists in music technology, hardware design/engineering, software development and electronic engineering.

Literally shaped like a sphere, the AlphaSphere breaks traditional barriers in both form and musical capability. The nu desine team demoed their instrument in April, at Musikmesse, self defined on its website as, “the biggest fair for musical instruments, live music and the music business.” Then in August, the AlphaSphere was nominated by Stuff Magazine for “Design of the Year” as part of the publication’s Gadget Awards. Aside from structural difference though, AlphaSphere’s attractiveness and appeal come from how it is played. Primary engaged through 48 pressure sensitive, circular pads, AlphaSphere.com’s “About” section explains manipulating the interface on as follows:

“Play the AlphaSphere percussively or apply more pressure to unlock another dimension of sound control. The elastic surface provides a haptic feedback that allows you to sculpt and affect the sound, adding a new element to your compositions, productions and performances.”

Flexibility goes even further with the programmable and fully customizable nature of AlphaSphere’s accompanying software, AlphaLive. The sphere can be loaded with sounds from one’s own library or integrated with a DAW. Each pad can be given a different sound and there are no restrictions. Its main connector is a standard USB.

Not only is the audio programmable but how physical interaction occurs (e.g tap v. push) affects the sound and how the sounds are patterned across the sphere. These changes are executed via the sphere’s three program modes: MIDI, Sequencer, and Looper. The AlphaSphere can also be used as a master controller for additional audio devices that reside on the same online network thanks to Open Sound Control output.

Icing the impressive cake with a touch of color aesthetics, beneath AlphaSphere’s pads are programmable LED lights that can be manipulated to match varying amounts and types of touches to the sphere’s interface. Once again, the visuals and audio collide with entertaining results. This device offers such personal power that to see it as a new signature tool for the leaders of electronic music and modern composition certainly seems feasible. Maybe DJs will tote around spheres to gigs instead of just turntables or laptops?

Below is a video highlighting the AlphaSphere in action, explained by the creatives behind it. The current model being prepped for release (noted as late 2012 on the website,) is the AlphaSphere Elite, built in black or white. The listed price to buy is £1,000 GBP, shippable internationally. Just put down your 50% deposit here!

Neil Young Expands Pono Digital-to-Analog Music Service

SoundCtrl — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:50:00 +0000

By Patrick Flanary – via Rolling Stone

Aretha Franklin had never sounded so shocking, Flea decided last year, as “Respect” roared from the speakers of Neil Young‘s Cadillac Eldorado. Stunned by the song’s clarity, the Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ bassist listened alongside bandmate Anthony Kiedis and producer Rick Rubin while Young showcased the power of Pono, his high-resolution music service designed to confront the compressed audio inferiority that MP3s offer.

Beginning next year, Pono will release a line of portable players, a music-download service and digital-to-analog conversion technology intended to present songs as they first sound during studio recording sessions. In his book out this week, Waging Heavy Peace, Young writes that Pono will help unite record companies with cloud storage “to save the sound of music.” As Flea raves to Rolling Stone, “It’s not like some vague thing that you need dogs’ ears to hear. It’s a drastic difference.”

Pono’s preservation of the fuller, analog sound already has the ear of the Big Three record labels: Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and Sony Music. WMG – home to artists including Muse, the Black Keys, Common and Jill Scott – has converted its library of 8,000 album titles to high-resolution, 192kHz/24-bit sound. It was a process completed prior to the company’s partnership with Young’s Pono project last year, said Craig Kallman, chairman and chief executive of Atlantic Records.

Read full story at RollingStone.com

BreakBot’s Edible Chocolate Record Redefines “Tasty Grooves”

SoundCtrl — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 20:32:29 +0000

By Alex Galbraith

Parisian Disco-House producer BreakBot has released what may go down in history as the most niche-centric gift ever (or the most delicious marketing stunt).

A fully functional (and fully edible) chocolate record.

BreakBot’s new album By Your Side-released via French electronic music imprint Ed Banger Records is pressed in dark chocolate, making it perfect for a person who collects vinyl, loves chocolate and secretly hates their turntable. The record is one-sided. According to advertisers, the record will play 3-5 times before the needle wears out the records exquisite cocoa grooves. Then, it’s snack time.

The album is not advised for dogs, dog owners, people attempting to watch their figure or Wilford Brimley.

Unfortunately, the chocolate version of the album is only available at the Colette store in Paris (but if you’re the type of person who can afford to mercilessly destroy an innocent turntable and needle with a chocolate record simply because the idea is hella cool, then a spur-of-the-moment trip to the famed City of Light shouldn’t be too hard to swing). Also, it’s advised that you hurry. Only 120 creamy copies were pressed.

Those of us who don’t need actual delectables with our already tasty electro-house grooves can order the slightly crunchier vinyl and CD combo here for £14.99. That’s a little over 24 God-fearing ‘murican dollars. The non-edible release features 14 tracks over four sides.

And if you don’t care about vinyl or candy, By Your Side is also available as a completely tasteless digital version via iTunes.

If you’re curious as to how records would be made on an alternate Earth where all of the vinyl has been replaced with Godiva, check out the promo video:

SoundCtrl Gear: Sound Bed

SoundCtrl — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:34:49 +0000

By Keith Nelson, Jr.

Innovation often boils down to a modernization of tradition. Once people began increasingly traveling outside of the home, music became portable. Once people began increasingly staring at computer screens, books became tablets. With MP3 players in sunglasses and beat machines in cell phones, Time4Sleep innovates the sleeping experience with their latest bedding product: A bed that plays music.

The Sound Bed consists of two speakers and a control panel built into the sides of its cubed bedframe. With a 3mm audio input auxiliary jack and volume nobs as the control panel you literally lay down, reach over, plug in and play to create what Time4Sleep owner Jonathan Warren calls a “private music station.” Powered by a charging adapter, (also in the control panel and included in the package), the Sound Bed ensures continuous usage. Add in the subwoofer, conveniently placed under the headboard, and you may have less reasons to leave your bed for the club on late nights. Time4Sleep even includes a separate headphone jack in the already impressive bedframe which silences out the speakers and subwoofer for a private listening experience.

The Sound Bed’s design screams “unobtrusive” with its stone white bonded leather finish for color neutrality and control panel location for no wire tangling. The bed is supported by sprung wooden slats which are placed above a center rail and support leg for added sturdiness. While a mattress is not included, Time4Sleep promises that the support slat is “suitable for any type of mattress.”

The Sound Bed comes in three standard UK sizes: single bed, double bed, and king size. The prices are set at £299 ($387 in U.S. currency) and up. With high quality bedframes ranging anywhere between £230 ($300) to upwards of £620 ($800), the Sound Bed is priced appropriately, and unlike any of the other bedframes, gives an immersive audio experience at your rested fingertips.

Sleeping on a Sound Bed means those calming cricket noises can sound like they are surrounding you, the Miles Davis Quintet will sound like they are playing for you and your favorite singer will sound like they are serenading you to sleep in your bed. The world is in constant change so the possibilities are endless and Time4Sleep is fully aware of this immutable truth:

“As our bedrooms become smaller, TV beds and indeed the Sound Bed, are a great way to save on precious space and yet add that little bit of luxury to the home.”- Jonathan Warren

Stay progressive, people.

For more information, visit time4sleep.com

Skube – A Boom Box for the Digital Age

SoundCtrl — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:12:35 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

Anyone here remember personal stereos? Those large pieces of self-contained wiring and hardware that allowed people to jam out to music on their front stoops, at the park, in the school yard or basically anywhere else that wasn’t near an electrical outlet? The possibilities were endless!

Fast forward a few decades and we’ve left the often shoulder-slung box in the dust, replaced with music players that fit in the pockets of most jeans. Even when people do find themselves in someone’s home at a party and near plenty of electricity, all it takes in an mp3 player and a dock connected to a speaker and music is good to go. Nary a vibrant NYC party that sees the host/ess thumbing through CDs in a tower for some good tunes to set the mood. Playlists and streaming seem to uncontestedly rule the day with their combined small, quick, and easy hookup.

What if there were a way to combine the discovery and variety capabilities of music streaming with the whole and physical use of a music box?

Enter the Skube.

Denmark’s Copenhagen Institute of Interaction and Design is the academic home to a group of four creative individuals who have merged playback concepts of old with that of new. Students Andrew Spitz, Martin Malthe Borch, Andrew Nip and Ruben van der Vleuten worked together to create a music box that uses the powers of Last.fm and Spotify to provide songs in a jukebox-like fashion.

Here is a succinct list of Skube’s key features:

1. Playlist and Discovery: Two modes of use

(As reported on geek.com, for the Discovery feature, Skube pulls songs from the web by “tapping into the Last.fm API. To actually stream said tracks, though, it connects to Spotify.”)

2. Interconnecting capability. Many Skubes can be placed together and fully utilize all the available speakers (and accompanying playlists of each individual Skube!) enhancing the listening experience and greatly widening variety. No more changing out iPods if your friend has a song that you don’t!

3. Skube promotes object interaction beyond pressing a play button. More than reintroducing a physical object into the room, to operate the box, users have to use a combination of rotating and tapping of Skube to navigate its functions.

Flip Skube upside down: Discovery mode

Tapping Skube: Play and Track skip

Turn Skube on its front: OFF

4. Easy (and legal!) Sharing. If one hears a song they like from another Skube while they are connected, one tap of the heart button on the back of your own Skube will add it to your Last.fm library.

For a device so clean and simplistic in design, lots of complex tech goes into making it ‘just work well.’

Skube uses the Arduino prototyping platform – single board computer, an XBee wireless adapter and flexible media creation space, Max/MSP.

Skube is a fully functional tool but has yet to reach commercial sale. The gentlemen of Copenhagen see Kickstarter and crowd sourcing as a possible route but nothing official is launched yet. If this does come to need backers though, Skube might just be the thing that pushes me into a better relationship with Spotify.

Below are two videos that demonstrate Skube in action and explain its construction respectively.

Skube – A Last.fm & Spotify Radio from Andrew Nip on Vimeo.

Inside the Skube from Andrew Nip on Vimeo.

The New iPhone 5′s Audio Capabilities, Improvements All Around

SoundCtrl — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:47:39 +0000

By Jason Epstein

Initial details on the Apple’s iPhone 5 EarPods were recently leaked, hinting at improved audio capabilities and boy was it music to our ears. We touched on this recently and are still looking forward to ripping open a package and popping in a pair of the brand new EarPods to try them out, but there’s a lot more in store for the audio and music enthusiasts who are looking to get their hands on the new device. TechCrunch reports that the new ‘pods provide richer sound, better stereo effects, improved bass performance and a snugger fit. They also have an updated microphone which was designed with the inner-ear canal in mind after Apple took 3D scans of hundreds of ears.

The iPhone 5′s audio system has been overhauled in just about every way. There are three microphones in total; one in front, one in back and one on the bottom, lending better voice clarity to phone calls. The device’s speakers are also able to produce clearer sound, which is achieved through the inclusion of additional magnetic transducers (speakers that convert energy into sound). In addition, speakers now include noise-canceling functionality for audio-out and ‘WideBand’ HD-audio which covers more of the audio frequency spectrum to improve clarity during phone calls.

As we’d previously speculated, Apple’s widely used iTunes program is also getting a major overhaul, with an emphasis on built-in iCloud support and a prettier, more graphic approach featuring larger album art. They’re also incorporating a better search function as well as a Spotify-like queue feature for auto-play.

By now, iPhone fanatics are probably aware that the iPhone 5 won’t be backwards compatible with standard 30-pin adapters. So Apple is offering a highly profitable (for them) adapter to their new Lightning adapter. The problem here is that these adapters don’t support audio or video output, meaning that when utilized, your iPhone dock or other iPhone accessories can charge the device, but won’t play any music. Thanks a bunch, Apple.

The iPhone 5 will be available on September 21 in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB iterations for $199, $299 and $399, respectively.

Will the iPhone 5 launch pack a musical punch?

SoundCtrl — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:37:50 +0000

By James Clark

There’s wide scale speculation about the new iPhone that’s about to hit the market. There’s talk of a bigger screen and better resolution, some speak of better battery time, while others are lamenting the obvious exclusion of the NFC. Music lovers on the other hand are wondering whether Apple’s newborn will have something to offer to them, as most iPhone sets in the past have. Apple has verily redefined the music experience on the go and virtually destroyed the need for standalone mp3 players, so expecting the iPhone 5 to have something interesting to offer to music junkies is only natural – and something interesting to offer the iPhone 5 launch most likely will, even if the iPhone 5 itself doesn’t.

Move aside Pandora

News from the grapevine suggests that Apple is in the process of building its own music streaming service, one which will stand up to, and if Apple has its way, knock Pandora out of the top spot. Their aim is to create customizable service which provides internet radio – the service is to be linked to the iTunes so that Apple fans can stay hooked as long as they want.

Getting on board

The tech giant is reportedly working its way into several record labels and bringing them on board with its plans. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that once Apple is done we could be looking at a whole new melodious experience on all Apple devices. The service will most likely stay restricted to iPads, iPods, and iPhones but there’s no telling what Apple might pull out of its magic hat later on for other users. Pandora’s stock fell as the news of Apple’s decision to jump into streaming online music broke – but that was to be expected.

Of course there are some party poopers who’re saying the September 12^th launch will have no mention of Apple’s new plans for their streaming service, while others are adamant that news will break right then and there. Whether or not Apple’s service will knock Pandora off the charts is something that remains to be seen, at this point all we know for certain is that Pandora’s bracing for a storm and Apple is building its own little musical army.

James Clark’s work revolves around tracking apps and software. His most recent stint in cell phone tracking has focused on iPhone spy. Clark’s readers follow this work to get the latest scoop on all things tracking.

SoundCtrl Gear: Sony X Headphones

SoundCtrl — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:53:30 +0000

By Kira Grunenberg

In a press release sent out today, Sony Music Entertainment revealed its newest personal listening product , created in conjunction with music industry veteran Simon Cowell, and in turn, with the FOX network reality show, “The X Factor.” Sony has certainly been in the business long enough where their work with music, entertainment, and tech holds a well established precedent between consumer-friendly and esteemed quality. This answers that initial question of core developer and helps to extinguish any knee jerk reactions of the headset being just another mediocre product with a brand name slapped on the side.

If nothing else, before it would even be possible to pass good or bad judgement on a set of headphones and their effectiveness, finding out who the core developer is for said equipment usually sets the bar in a pretty accurate ballpark for what a person can look forward to for future use.

Depending on how the die-hard headphone user feels about either the former American Idol judge or his current star discovery project, (which doesn’t exactly hone in on the most meticulous of audiophile knowledge), the headset could prove to be an otherwise hard sell. That is of course, until you read a bit further in to the nuts and bolts of the “X Headphones.”

According to Cowell’s statement in the press release, he has “tried all [headphones available.] Literally every single one.” Whether that loaded declaration is 100% true or just a close exaggeration, the technological capabilities loaded into the X Headphones do speak well to the objective of making an impressive product. Here’s a breakdown of the primary tech specs:

Driver Unit: Closed, Dynamic 50 mm driver, dome type (OFC Voice Coil)
Frequency Response: 3 to 29,000 Hz
*Human hearing ranges between 20Hz and 20kHz (20,000 Hz)
Impedance: 24 ohms at 1 kHz
Sensitivity (decibels): 106 dB/mW

Other claimed bonuses include ambient noise reduction, a better seal around users’ ears – allowing for “extended bass” – and a cord that reduces tangle via a serrated design. An in-line mic and track/volume control remote pairs the “X’s” with i-devices for music or calls.

Seeing as this headset is only launching today, a date chosen to prep the public for the premiere of the newest season of America’s X Factor tomorrow, it is not known yet whether Cowell’s work with Sony will live up to both his and Sony’s respective aspirations. Cowell declared that he was “set[ting] out to create the best headphone in the world” and Andrew Sivori, VP of Sony’s Personal Audio Division asserts that “[the] X Headphones are for the true listeners, the music fanatics…”

If these headphones can deliver the auditory goods, it won’t matter that X Factor viewers across the country are inevitably going to see them week after week as the new “official headphone partner” of the show. Marketing safety net anyone?

The X Headphones are now available online from the Sony Store here, will be available in Sony retail stores on the 15th and later in the month at other authorized retailers globally.

Retail price: $299.