Consider yourself blessed if you can’t tell the difference between low-end speakers and Bose or Bang & Olufsen, because this sexy Altec Lansing setup will only cost you $100. The Expressionist Plus includes a pair of 2-inch, 4-watt speakers with adjustible bases for directing the sound, plus a 5.25-inch, 20-watt desktop subwoofer that can be stashed virtually anywhere. An auxiliary in jack makes it easy to connect iPods or other portable players in case the party tires of your music collection. As for sound quality, you’d have to hear it to be the judge, but if looks and price were everything, we’d call this system a keeper. [via Altec Lansing]
Zune HD – You know Microsoft’s leak culture is bad when its announcement of a new portable media player is not really an announcement, but a “confirmation.” Yes, the oft-rumored and even pictured touch screen handheld is real, and there are bare-bones specs and (more) pictures to prove it. Obviously rivaling the iPod Touch, the Zune HD — we don’t yet know if that name is final — will have a 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 OLED multi-touch screen, with an HD Radio tuner and HD video playback through a dock. It’ll also include Wi-Fi and a special version of Internet Explorer to browse the Web, running on a modified version of Windows CE rather than Windows Mobile. Over on Xbox Live, a Zune-branded store will replace the Xbox Video Marketplace, so expect a lot of cross-branding down the line. As for gaming, Microsoft’s being cheeky, saying we’ll have to wait until E3 to find out how the new Zune plays into that — unless something leaks first. [via Electronista]
With the help of a Belkin Rockstar multi headphone splitter, one intrepid DJ has created a tapestry of digital sounds using a Nintendo DS Lite running Electroplankon, a DSi running Korg DS-10, an iPhone, an iPod Touch and a Kaossilator. The result is, well, meh. But think of the possibilities. I’d love to see what a talented chiptune artist like Nullsleep could do with an elaborate setup of Game Boys, and even an average listener might have fun mixing in and out of different iPods at a party. At $20 for the splitter, it certainly beats splurging on an expensive mixer. [via YouTube]
The idea of glass speakers conjure imagery of opera, woman singing soprano, easiliy shattering every window pane in near proximity. Now, you can duplicate that anxiety at home with Kenwood’s SP0001 glass speakers. Fortunately — and perhaps for this reason — the the SP0001 is weak on performance, with only 10W per speaker and 8? output. If you’re in Japan, get a pair for 100,000 Yen (roughly $1,000) or pay a little more for white and blue LED lights to make the setup even prettier, save for those tacky gold knobs in the back. There’s no word on whether the SP0001 will make it outside of Japan. To opera-loving countries? Probably not. [via Akihabara News]
Start thinking of all the places where you’d want to listen to Internet radio but don’t have a computer. If you come up with a sizable list, the Livio might be for you. The little box has a built-in speaker and Wi-Fi connection for playing Pandora — the Internet radio station that chooses music based on your preferences. As with the Web site, thumbs up and thumbs down buttons help weed out unwanted artists and genres. Livio says it can listen to “a comprehensive list of validated Internet radio stations,” but doesn’t specify which. At $150, you might want to buy a more versatile speaker if you’ve got an iPhone or some other way of getting connected. But as the company suggests, it’s priceless for all those barbecues and pool parties you’ll be having. It’s available now in the US. [via Livio]
Every so often, we see an audio product that has us wondering, real or fake? (The AT-AT Walker Boombox comes to mind.) File Pete Verrando’s CD Turntables under that category, because if an idea like this was practical, it would’ve been filed a while ago — like, last decade. Still, there appears to be a patent on this thing, plus a few prototype photos in different colors, so perhaps Verrando’s serious after all. The other possibility is that this is just a plain old CD player with a nifty design. In that case, sign me up. No DJ skills required! [Pete Verrando via BB Gadgets]
Let’s see, a full-featured version of Ableton Live inside a 20-pound aluminum casing with a touch screen and a plethora of buttons and knobs? No, I’m not surprised by the $4,000 price tag. Still, you’ve got to admire Open Labs’ work here. The DBeat features a 12-inch touch screen and integrated trackball, plus drum pads, a DJ crossfader and an iPod-compatible cradle. On the software side, there’s Open Labs’ GURU beat maker and a proprietary virtual instrument host called Riff. Combine that with Ableton’s 14 GB of pre-loaded sounds and you’ve got a palette of 10,000 sounds to work with. USB turntables can be connected directly, and the DBeat is compatible with other software such as Reason and Traktor. About that price tag: Pre-order now and Open Labs will knock $500 off the sticker price. How does that sound? [via DBeat]
Though it may create retro sounds, Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 Synth has that “Apple White” look that’s perfect for modern times. It’s not in production yet, but the feature list makes this pocket synth seem like a blast. It’s a perfectly functional controller and sampler when hooked up to software like Ableton Live or Reason, but it can kick out the jams on its own as a stand-alone device with a built-in speaker. The OP-1 includes eight synth models, eight samplers, a microphone, an arpeggiator and an FM radio; imagine creating grooves on the fly with whatever’s coming over the airwaves, combined with old-school drones and mic’ed in samples. I’d be in heaven, if only I knew how much this thing will cost and if it will ever, in fact, become a commercial product. There will be a beta test, but with only 100 sign-ups available, that ship probably sailed a long time ago. [Teenage Engineering via Engadget]
Japan will sound a bit richer next week when Onkyo’s GX-500HD speakers become available. They use the latest generation of VL Digital technology and include two 40W cabinets. Made with the PC specifically in mind, control dials are placed conveniently on the front of one cabinet, and the speakers include both optical and analog-ins. The low end’s a little bit high at 50 Hz, but there is a subwoofer pre out if you’re looking to add some rumble. High frequency reaches 100 kHz, so hide the dog before rocking out. Given that the GX-500HD only supports 100V in its current incarnation, we’re not expecting these in stateside anytime soon, but the asking price currently equates to $515. [via Akihabara News]
