Grace Notes

Sort By: Post DateTitle Publish Date
Leslie Shapiro  |  Mar 06, 2017  | 
When Apple chose to remove the headphone jack from their latest iPhones, many people (myself included) freaked out. Would I forever be forced into listening to a downgraded Bluetooth signal? Luckily, BEEM United came quickly to the rescue with the BeMe D200 wired headphone with a Lightning jack.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 20, 2017  | 
When JLab Audio launched their new Party Series wireless Bluetooth speakers last month, they quickly created quite a stir. After they won a 2017 CES Innovations award and a 2017 Dealerscope IMPACT! Award, I knew I had to check them out in person. I’m certainly glad I did.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 06, 2017  | 
Nothing steps up your game like a pair of custom earphones. They’re usually priced so high that customs were reserved for only the most devoted audiophiles. Snugs, a company out of London, England is making them accessible to the masses by creating custom ear tips, and partnering with Echobox to match them to the Nomad Titanium Earphones(MSRP $399).

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 22, 2017  | 
Those who grew up in the age of vinyl LP records remember that preparing for the listening experience was an artform in itself. Ceremoniously removing the LP from the sleeve, while gently grasping the edge of the album, fingertips kept oh-so-carefully away from the surface lest a fingerprint mar the surface. The precise application of disc-washing solution to the luxurious velvet of the cleaning pad, followed by the virtuoso swipe of the pad across the grooves. The placement of the stylus on the record required finesse - a person was judged by how silently and gently the needle was placed on the disc.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 09, 2017  | 
While traversing the CES show floor, listening to products is usually an exercise in futility - nothing sounds good with so much chaos around you, and who has time to stop and really listen to anything? Amidst the noise of this CES, however, taking a moment to slip on a pair of the new MrSpeakers ETHER Flow headphones was an escape into musical paradise, and one of the best listening experiences I’ve had in Vegas in years.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2017  | 
Ashley Chloé, a San-Fran-based technology company, combines form and fashion in the Fuse Wireless Earbuds. The Fuse are completely wireless, and come with a variety of different carrying and charging options for fashion-forward convenience.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2017  | 
Noise-cancelling headphones are must-haves for most frequent travelers, and the AKG N60 NC Wireless headphones are the must-have headphones.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2017  | 
Don’t you just hate it when you have the greatest photo op but the lighting is all wrong? Break out the Monster Firecracker Bluetooth Speaker to light up any situation. Monster is bringing back the boombox mentality with a new lineup up portable Bluetooth speakers, and they are most excited about the new little Firecracker, with a built-in flashlight.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 07, 2017  | 
The Explorer audio player from Echobox, crafted from solid blocks of luxurious wood, is easily the most attractive player on the CES show floor. While most companies are making blocky (or triangularly - looking at you, Mr. Young) plastic players, the Explorer looks more like a flask of aged whiskey than a piece of high-end audio gear.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 07, 2017  | 
With Snugs custom eartips, why settle for one-size-fits-all earphones when you can easily go custom?

Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 07, 2017  | 
Who says your ears have to be covered up while listening to music? The JBL Soundgear wraps around the neck, leaving your unencumbered ears free to enjoy a conversation, the sounds of nature, or just to keep an ear on the kids while immersing yourself in music.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 26, 2016  | 
2016 is wrapping up and it was a tough year for music. We lost so many influential musicians: David Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, Merle Haggard and most recently, George Michael. Throughout the year, though, we’ve also had some wonderful musical moments that remind us of why we love music. It makes us laugh, it inspires us, it brings us together. Thankfully, most of my favorite musical moments of the year were captured on YouTube videos, so continuing in the spirit of Christmas, I give you my Top 4 Musical Moments of 2016. Enjoy!

Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 12, 2016  | 
Amid the glitz and glamour of the 2016 Art Basel show in Miami, Florida, Sennheiser, the historic headphone and microphone manufacturer was showcasing for the glitterati in attendance a display of their AMBEO technology with a concert recording utilizing over 120 microphones in a 3D array played back over a 9.1 system featuring Neumann speakers. They were also auditioning the stunning $55,000 HE 1 headphone and amplifier, with a solid Carrerra marble chassis and vacuum tubes that dramatically rise up out of the unit as they warm up. Sound & Vision sat down with the delightful co-CEO’s of Sennheiser, Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser to talk about where they see the company founded by their grandfather 75 years ago heading into the future.

 |  Nov 28, 2016  | 
Cutting the cable is still a dream for most gear addicts. The interior decorator in your household might be more accepting of new gadgets if you can also get rid of the wire clutter. Thankfully, my household is a bit different, because we’re both technology freaks, which makes reducing wires even more critical for us. As promised a few weeks ago, and still in pursuit of the perfect wireless transmission system for my oh-so challenging concrete house, I had a chance to review the Nyrius Aries Pro Wireless HDMI system.

Leslie Shapiro  |  Nov 14, 2016  | 
This morning we can take a break from the post-election fallout and concentrate on a news item that is less contentious, and certainly more interesting. Electronics powerhouse Samsung is set to acquire Harman International for approximately $8 billion when the sale closes in mid-2017. While we at Sound&Vision know Harman from their home audio brands, the bulk of their business has been in the automotive world. Samsung sees the future of connected cars and this acquisition is their foot in the proverbial car door. This is the biggest acquisition in Samsung history, and one that marks a concerted effort to grab a huge piece of the automotive industry.

Pages

X