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JVC SP-FT is a drool-inducing, 31mm thin home theater speaker system

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 14th 2009 at 9:13AM

We know, life's tough. You want to buy the latest ultraslim HDTV, but find that your home theater speakers will look monstrously bulky sitting alongside it. JVC wouldn't want to cause you such headaches, which is why it's trotted out the above pair of 31mm thin speaker satelittes -- known as the SP-FT1 in black and SP-FT2 in their white garb -- and the AX-FT amplifier squeezed in between them. While you should probably not expect Telos 5000-like output, the amp will deliver 80W of total output over 4 independent channels, and has support for Dolby Digital, DTS and AAC formats. Prices are expected to be around ¥24,000 ($267) for the amp and ¥20,000 ($223) for the speakers when their black iterations hit Japan later this month, with the willowy white option showing up in November.
[Via Akihabara News]

Boston Acoustics' SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system -- think "extra small," not "excess"

by Steven Kim posted Jul 6th 2009 at 9:26AM

Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system
With each of the five satellite speakers measuring less than 4-inches (on a side) each and missing any obvious Goldmund badging, we're going to go out on a limb and guess that the "XS" in Boston Acoustics' SoundWare XS 5.1-channel speaker system stands for "extra small" rather than "excess." We have to take issue with calling the 2.5-inch driver in each satellite a "woofer," and just hope that Boston Acoustics isn't trying to get into a race for the "smallest speakers available that don't fit in your ears" title. Boston Acoustics mercifully adds an 8-inch, 100-Watt subwoofer module to restore any tones below a few hundred Hertz for the psychologically safe price of $499, your choice of black or white.

Aperion Audio rolls its new Bravus 8A Subwoofer into a sub-$1000 speaker system

by Steven Kim posted Apr 4th 2009 at 6:37PM

Aperion Audio Bravus 8A subwoofer
Aperion Audio just took the wraps off its new budget-priced Bravus 8A subwoofer, a $319 model featuring a ported 8-inch aluminum cone backed by a 100-Watt amplifier and a adjustable (40 - 160Hz) crossover that promises to deliver quality bass for your bucks. That's a tough price point for standalone subs, but luckily Aperion has another way to get the new model into living rooms -- incorporating it into the Intimus 4B Harmony SA 5.1-channel speaker system. Take one Bravus 8A (in either cherry or gloss black), mix in four Intimus 4B satellite speakers and top it all off with a 4C center channel, put it on the menu for $999 and let people take a taste test in their own home. Sounds good to us, so let us know if you take the plunge. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Aperion Audio rolls its new Bravus 8A Subwoofer into a sub-$1000 speaker system

Paradigm "Phantom" Cinema Gaming speaker system review

by Steven Kim posted Oct 23rd 2008 at 11:53AM Featured Story

Paradigm Phantom Cinema Gaming speaker system review
Paradigm has a long history of offering speakers that provide a big slice of audiophile-approved sound at reasonable prices. Its speakers aren't the cheapest and they can't be found at every big-box retailer, but chances are that if you seek out a Paradigm dealer, you'll be rewarded with some great-sounding gear at a fair price. Follow us past the break to see how much of the high-end Paradigm delivers with its latest entry-level offering, the Cinema Gaming speaker system.

Continue reading Paradigm "Phantom" Cinema Gaming speaker system review

Paradigm Cinema Gaming speaker systems target double-duty living rooms

by Steven Kim posted Sep 2nd 2008 at 3:07PM

Paradigm Cinema Gaming speaker system
Paradigm strikes an uncanny balance with its speakers, covering a wide gamut of price points while maintaining audiophile cred at each one. Recognizing that gaming consoles play an increasing role in HT setups, the company is introducing pre-packaged speaker bundles with its Cinema Gaming systems. Let's see -- a high-end badge, value-conscious pricing and single-SKU convenience? Sounds good to us. First up is the Micro system ($894), consisting of a pair of Paradigm Micro bookshelf speakers and Cinema ADP surrounds, a Cinema 110C center channel and a PDR8 sub. If you need to fill a little more volume with, er, volume, there's the Phantom system ($1474) with a pair of Phantom floorstanding speakers and Cinema ADP surrounds, a Cinema 220C center channel and a PDR10 sub. These 5.1-channel systems are also available in 2.1-channel flavors -- just leave out the surrounds and center channel -- bringing the prices down to $487 and $977 for the Micro and Phantom setups, respectively. Available now from authorized Paradigm dealers, so hop to it! Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Paradigm Cinema Gaming speaker systems target double-duty living rooms

Meridian $3K F80 home entertainment system gets reviewed

by Darren Murph posted Jul 23rd 2008 at 7:44PM


Before you unload $2,995 on anything, you're likely going to want the opinion of someone who has had a chance to try things out beforehand, no? Working under that assumption, we present to you a review of Meridian's stratospherically priced F80. Proudly called "the most expensive tabletop music system in the history of the civilized world," this unit was seen as a "model for all tabletop systems," with the reviewer even begging everyone else to look at this before starting up design on yet another ho hum alternative. The critic also noted that this unit pulled off what he thought was impossible: "identifiable left- and right-channel sound from a system that measures only 16-inches wide." As expected, the F80 was indeed the "best" he had ever heard in this category, but the omission of an iPod dock was a sore spot. For those with more disposable income than they know what to do with, this one seems a surefire winner; for everyone else, it's not worth going into debt over.

Meridian's Ferrari-branded F80 home entertainment system priced at $2,995

by Darren Murph posted May 17th 2008 at 2:49AM


We fully expected that Ferrari logo and lacquered paint job to add a stuff premium to Meridian's F80, but this is undeniably insane. The "transportable home entertainment system," which has been hovering about since last March, is at long last ready to be purchased. Finding prospective buyers, however, will likely be challenging. The unit is now available in silver, yellow, white, black and the obligatory red, and each one will set you back a dumbfounding $2,995. We're thinking the unit itself would go for around three bills sans branding, but apparently Italian ponies aren't cheap.

LG unveils HT972TR HTIB, favors Chocolate

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2007 at 2:26AM


If you thought LG had milked the Chocolate for all it was worth, you've got another thing comin'. That thing would be the HT972TR HTIB, which includes five satellite speakers, a 225-watt subwoofer, 1,000 total watts of amplification and a DVD player that handles 1080p upscaling as well as DivX. Moreover, the system boasts HDMI, DTS support, an AM / FM tuner and a USB port for loading up portable media. Not a lot of details beyond that just yet, but do yourself a favor and check out two more delicious shots waiting after the jump.

[Via Electronista, images courtesy of Le Journal du Geek]

Continue reading LG unveils HT972TR HTIB, favors Chocolate

GEAR4's HouseParty Blu system handles iPods and A2DP streaming

by Darren Murph posted May 11th 2007 at 8:01AM

There's iPod sound systems, and then there's Bluetooth streaming music stations, but GEAR4 is looking to meld both worlds together with its new HouseParty Blu. The multifaceted speaker station allows dock-connecting iPods to flank the top and recharge its battery while cranking out the jams, and moreover, it doesn't shun the elegant A2DP audio streaming capabilities of your BT-enabled music phone in the process. As with most portable sound systems, this one also includes a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary input for every other music source in the world, and specs wise, you'll find a pair of stereo drivers, 30-watts of amplification, touch-sensitive backlit buttons, and a wireless remote. So if you've been keeping an eye for a noise maker that would natively play nice with your Pod and mobile, you can snap up GEAR4's latest for a reasonable £79.99 ($159) right now.




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