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It’s the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Aug 26, 2024  | 
Attention all preppers! Today’s column is right up your alley — or, more precisely — your tunnel to your underground bunker. Put down your MRE. Lay aside your auto-loading shotgun. This is important. We are discussing your favorite topic: Armageddon.
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iXOOST Wants to Rev You Up
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 10, 2016  | 
Referring to the sound of the 12-cylinder engines in Ferrari cars, conductor Herbert von Karajan said it was, "a melody that no conductor would ever be able to reproduce." Considering that the maestro was not modest when speaking of his abilities, that is quite a compliment. He was right, of course; some engines, tuned with the right exhaust, yield a glorious sound. With further tuning, apparently they can also yield glorious music.

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I’ve Discovered a Sad, New Use for the CD
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 27, 2020  | 
Alas, poor Compact Disc! My heart is heavy, I cannot lie. It's come to this. Birds. Angry Birds.

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JBL Charge 2: Is Two Better than One?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Sep 16, 2014  | 
When I reviewed the original Charge last year, I wrote, “Long playback time, decent sound quality, compact size, and last but not least – the ability to keep your phone charged - the Charge does it all. Amid a sea of small speakers, this one merits a look and a listen.” Apparently millions of people, well, thousands, or perhaps hundreds, or at least more than a handful, agreed. That prompted JBL to capitalize on the success of the original to bring out a successor, the Charge 2. JBL is of the opinion that it is new and improved. I agree that it is new, but is it improved?

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JBL Shows the Link View with Google Assistant
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 10, 2018  | 
Smart speakers are popping up left and right, wack-a-mole style, one virtually indistinguishable from another. But, some are very distinguished. Take, for example, JBL's Link View.

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Just Don't Call Them Hearing Aids
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Sep 09, 2019  | 
You are a multi-billion-dollar audio corporation. Starting small, you grew big, then you bought out your competitors and got even bigger. You dominate entire segments of the audio market. Good work! But where do you go from here? How do you get even bigger? You create an entirely new audio category.

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Ken Gets a Beat Down
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 11, 2014  | 
Ouch! Thank goodness for the Affordable Care Act, because now I’ve got a pre-existing condition called Bruised Ego. Man, oh, man&mdashdid I get a beat down. Even after all the stitches and bandages are removed, I’ll probably always walk a little wobbly.

I made the cardinal error of dismissing two high-rez audio formats. You can tell a man that his wife is hot, you can tell him his horse is ugly, you can even tell him his car is slow. But you should never, ever, tell him his audio format is obsolete...

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Kicker Makes a Splash at CES
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 12, 2018  | 
Sometimes the headlines write themselves. Nevertheless, I have a certain fondness for wireless waterproof speakers. I take them out in the back forty. When it starts to rain, I don't care.

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King of the Road
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Aug 04, 2011  | 

From far away, you hear it coming. The sky clouds up and you notice that birds are flying away as fast as possible. Your glasses begin to fog up, and then tiny cracks appear in the lenses. Slower birds fall from the sky like rocks. The sheet metal on your hood buckles under the intense sound-pressure wave front. Women faint.

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Lenovo Shows Smart Displays with Google Assistant
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 11, 2018  | 
The smart speaker revolution is raging. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is either showing smart speakers or else waving their hands and saying how soon theirs will be available. But there is already a mutant version rapidly emerging - the smart display.

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Listen to the Charge of the Light Brigade
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 30, 2020  | 
You've read the poem, and maybe recited it yourself. But would you like to hear a recording of the bugle call that sent the troopers of the Light Brigade into the Valley of Death, played by the bugler who rode with them?

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Listen to the World's First Genderless AI Voice
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 09, 2019  | 
"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." [Genesis 1:27]

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Logitech's Alexa-Powered Harmony Express: A Remote You Can Live With
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 23, 2019  | 
Once upon a time, when you wanted to change channels on your TV, you had to actually get up, walk across the room, and twist a dial. While you were there, savvy users also wiggled the rabbit ears a little bit, and for good measure, whacked the side of the (wood) cabinet. Times have changed.

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Long-Play Comfort Sounds
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Dec 04, 2023  | 
What does a roaring fire, crispy bacon, a rainy day, and an LP record have in common? I'll give you a moment to ponder that. Meanwhile, on a related note, let me opine that the best thing about LPs isn't their high sound quality. It's their lack of it. Let me explain.

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Loose Lips Sink Ships
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 17, 2024  | 
Of course, seeing is no longer believing — especially if you're watching anything on video. You've seen the deepfakes of celebrities and politicians and everyone recognizes the potential societal harm that is brewing here. But, this AI AV cloud has at least one silver lining.

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