Maximum PC speakers RSS Feed

Carbon Nanotubes may be the Secret to New Generation of Flat Speakers

Andy Salisbury — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:01:43 -0600

According to Chinese researchers, sheets made of carbon nanotubes will act like a loudspeaker when charged with a varying electric current. This discovery could lead to a new era of cheap, flat speakers.

Shoushan Fan of the Tsinghua University in Beijing and his team have been working alongside a team of researchers at Beijing Normal University (a name that truly inspires confidence), to create the first speaker sheet by aligning numerous 10-nanometer-diameter carbon nanotubes. When an audio frequency current was sent through the sheet they found that it acted as a loudspeaker. While the reaction causes the sheet to heat up to temperatures of 80°C, it’s expected that consumer use will only cause the sheet to rise slightly above room temperature.

According to Kaili Jiang, a member of Fan’s team, the speakers have a great deal of potential in them for uses that you wouldn’t see from a conventional speaker. The team has found that the flexible sheets can be stretched until they become transparent. They could then be attached to the front of an LCD screen to replace standard speakers. They even mentioned the possibility of singing and speaking jackets.

EOS Wireless Multi-Room Audio System

Michael Brown — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:38:03 -0500

It’s usually a bad sign when the first feature a manufacturer mentions about their new product is its low price tag. The EOS Wireless Multi-Room Audio System starter system includes the base unit with an iPod dock and speakers, a remote control, and one satellite speaker. The price? Just $250, and you can add up to three more satellites for $130 each. It must sound like crap, right? Well, it’s definitely not high fidelity, but neither is it rubbish.

Axiom Audio Audiobyte Speakers

Michael Brown — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:28:26 -0500

Axiom Audio’s Audiobyte speakers have convinced us it’s time to retire the M-Audio Studiophile LX4 system we’ve long used as a reference point for speaker reviews. They also surprised us in a number of ways: They’re made in Canada, not China; the amplifier comes in its own enclosure, as opposed to being hidden in one of the speaker cabinets; and the subwoofer is passive! We think we're in love.

Audioengine A2 Speakers

Michael Brown — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:06:34 -0500

If you think deploying a subwoofer is a prerequisite to obtaining big-time bass, you haven’t heard Audioengine’s A5 speakers. And if you’re convinced you need huge cabinets for thumping bass, you haven’t heard the company’s new diminutive A2 system.

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Soundcast OutCast Outdoor Speaker

Michael Brown — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:33:11 -0500

Soundcast has embedded its wireless iPod streaming technology inside a fantastic battery-powered, self-amplified outdoor speaker. It’s pricey, but building a good wired outdoor system would cost as much—even if you do the work yourself.

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Tannoy i30 iPod Speaker Dock

Michael Brown — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:18:38 -0600

It’s been 10 years since my first Tannoy encounter. I auditioned the company’s exquisite studio monitors as an associate editor at Electronic Musician, and the acoustic bliss I experienced then lingers still. With that remembrance renewed, I couldn’t wait to hear Tannoy’s i30. Boy, was I disappointed.

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Logitech Z-Cinema Speakers

Michael Brown — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:05:34 -0600

We’ve been around long enough to never say “never.” That’s why we decided to take a look at Logitech’s new Z-Cinema speakers. They tap your PC’s audio through its USB port, and they rely on digital signal processing trickery to deliver a good audio experience—two of our biggest pet peeves with “multimedia” speakers. But we like ‘em anyway.

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Audioengine A2

Michael Brown — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:26:05 -0600

If you think a deploying a subwoofer is a prerequisite to obtaining big-time bass, you haven’t heard Audioengine’s A5 speakers. And if you’re convinced you at least need cabinets as big as those of the A5, you haven’t heard the diminutive Audioengine A2.

Click Read More for more.