Hi-Fi

Logitech X-540 Surround Sound 5.1 Speakers for $99

2006-10-13T01:30:00.000-07:00

This seemingly low-end X-540 surround set from Logitech certainly doesn't look low end, with its nice black finish and fairly stylish satellite design. So why is it available for under $100? We honestly have no clue—most likely from skimping out on features. However, the center speaker does feature a clip to hook onto your flat-panel LCD or plasma TV screen, which is pretty cool.

Other than that, there's talk of Logitech's Frequency Directed Dual Driver technology and 70 watts of RMS power. What's really important is the $99 price tag, which makes it a nice entry-level surround system for students or poor people. Yes, I said it! – Jason Chen

Press Release [Logitech via Digital Media Thoughts]

Edifier E1100 2.1-Channel Speakers Look Really, Really Nice

2006-09-21T01:25:00.000-07:00

Way back in August we first mentioned the Hermione speakers that were due to hit Korea. Now, the sleek speaker system is about to hit Japan, this time with a new name and some actual stats for you. Now known as the Edifier E1100, this 2.1-channel speaker system's two satellite speakers each have a 4.5W power output, while the subwoofer has a mighty 12W. Like we opined when we first laid our eyes on it, the Edifier would be an excellent addition to an all black computer system or the New Zealand ruby team's facilities.

For a change, having something that looks nice won't require to you to get a second mortgage, since it retails for around $42 right now in Japan. Over there, it's marketed by Evergreen. – Nicholas Deleon

Edifier E1100 2.1 channel speaker [Ubergizmo]

Ever Green Home Page (in Japanese) [Ever Green]

Pioneer HTP-GS1: Home Theater Audio for Xbox 360, Just in Time for HD DVD

2006-09-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

Now that the HD DVD player for the Xbox 360 is forthcoming in November, let's set up a home theater around that sucka. Here's a 5.1 home theater audio system designed specifically for the Xbox 360, the Pioneer HTP-GS1. It supports DTS, Dolby Digital, NR and Pro II, and even has a special setting for MP3s, making those substandard audio files sound butta-smooth. No release or pricing info was available yet, but we're betting this system will be around the same time that HD DVD peripheral drops. – Charlie White

Pioneer HTP-GS1 home theater for Xbox [Akihabara News]

Kensington FX 300 Portable Speakers

2006-09-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

The Kensington FX 300 Speaker to Go combines a flimsy speaker and an even more flimsy traveling case to great effect. It's one of those, "Wow, I can take this anywhere!" kind of devices that really have limited use. Users stuff their MP3 player into the appropriate spot inside the case which in turn activates the speaker. Yes, it's all very high-tech. The case even has storage compartments for all your credit cards and Cialis!

The volume adjustment knob is on the outside and the batteries last 10 hours. It'll retail for $30 when it comes out in the near future. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [Kensington via Fareastgizmos.com]

Altec Lansing FX5051 USB-Only 5.1 Surround Speakers

2006-09-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

Why USB Only? That's a question we'd like to ask Altec Lansing after we saw these 5.1 Surround Speakers. The FX5051 has an auxiliary port and headphone jacks, but they're stereo-only, which would negate the point of buying a 5.1 system.

The whole system costs $249.95, and relies on you to have at least Windows 98 SE to take advantage of the USB connection. We're not sure about Mac support, but it does come with a remote, which is actually pretty useful so you don't have to reach or crawl to fiddle with the volume. – Jason Chen

Altec Lansing's USB (only) 5.1 Surround Speakers [Everything USB via Crunchgear]

JVC Pulsating Sphere Speaker - Round Like Epcot

2006-09-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

JVC has designed a round speaker that isn't just for poor decorating taste. The "pulsating sphere" surface (all 12 patents-worth) actually produces the sound and distributes wavelengths equally in all directions. The result is supposed to be a highly natural sound that you don't link to one particular speaker. We are interested to see how they expect these speakers to fall into the standard surround sound system built on principles of directional sound. On one hand, strict speaker angles may be a thing of the past. On the other hand, too many spheres in a small room could be acoustic chaos. JVC's first sphere speaker was from 1967 - did they even have spheres back then? I thought it was just circles. – Mark Wilson

News Article [via therawfeed]

Klipsch Wall Subwoofer RW-5802 Drives Rats Insane

2006-09-15T00:27:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea—build a subwoofer into a wall to save some space, and turn the deadspace behind your drywall into a resonating chamber. Actually, I'm not certain these subs aren't sealed around the back. It would make more sense if they were, because any serious thumping could start pushing fiberglass out your wallsockets.

Two 8-inch subs with special aluminum cones anodized to give it a ceramic coating. Supposedly second in strength only to diamond. Rigidity = good for nice, taut, bass. Oh, all that room you're saving? You'll need to use to rackmount the 500-watt RSA-500 amp that powers it. $500 for the sub, $750 for the amp. Oh CEDIA, you're sooooo for rich guys.–Brian Lam

Klipsch Wall Subwoofer RW-5802 [audioholics]

Pioneer S-1EX-LTD Affordable, Not Gimped Speakers

2006-09-13T01:08:00.000-07:00

Pioneer is releasing the S-1EX-LTD, a pair of speakers that share much of the same fancy audio technology as their TAD-M1, but for about one-fifth of the price. The speakers have a response range of 28Hz to 100kHz and can output up to 89.5dB. There's a whole host of other, audiophile-friendly terms, but for normal human beings, many of these numbers mean very little. Plus, Pioneer has a habit of using weird metaphors in their press releases that aren't exactly kind to machine translation. Just know that Pioneer is touting the speaker's signal-to-noise ratio and something called "Acoustic Balance Drive," which "holds down the occurrence of the unnecessary standing wave inside the enclosure of speaker system." Why are speakers so complicated?

The S-1EX-LTD will be released late October for around $5,300 per speaker. – Nicholas Deleon

Press Release (in Japanese) [Pioneer via Akihabara News]

Fiber Optic HDMI Cable

2006-09-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

When digital ain't good enough to transfer your AV, you might as well get all wonky and tranfer it using pure light. Once the digital signal is translated by a fiber optic converter, it's immune to signal noise. That means they can run up to 100 meters, without a problem. One problem, however, is the price. With swappable HDMI/DVI ends, the cable runs $550 for a 10 meter batch. Brothers and sisters, you don't want to know how much the 100 meter cable is.–Brian Lam

Fiber Optic HDMI Cable [DVIGear via Audioholics]