Sony BDV-F7 Home Theater System Review

Sound bar home theater systems have always intrigued me – I’ve always had systems with the most speakers I could fit in my house, so why would I want to drop down to only one?  Still, I had heard from a number of friends that the technology behind the sound bar system really works, and it can trick you into thinking you’re really listening to a full on surround sound system.  In order to test it, I decided to try out the Sony BDV-F7 model, and while my experience wasn’t enough to make me get rid of what I have now, it definitely made me rethink future purchases.

The BDV-F7 is an extremely sleek and sexy looking system, that would do well with any decor.  The use of right angles makes it just look slick as hell against other audio video components, and if you’re running all Sony products then it will fit right in.  The sub woofer also looks neat, with how it is raised off of the ground slightly, but most everyone I know puts their subs behind the TV or behind the couch for more effect so it won’t be as highlighted as it could be.  One thing I didn’t like, is that I couldn’t use my standard speaker cables with this system.  I’ve seen different systems using proprietary connectors before, and it’s always annoying – especially when you’re used to running very large gauge speaker wire.

Even with using smaller speaker wire than I’m used to, I found the sound that this system produced to be quite pleasing.  The sub has quite a decent punch to it – especially when playing any sort of game (Battlefield 3 sounded amazing on it), and there’s no distortion or rattle at higher levels.  The sound bar itself is also quite impressive, and I’ll have to admit that it did an extremely good job of tricking me into thinking I was listening to a real 5.1 surround system.  Trying movies on my normal surround, and then switching to the same movies on this showed very little difference, and I really had to strain myself to notice anything “off”.  The sound bar also is very thin, and fit undr my TV with no issues, and wasn’t even close to covering up any of the actual screen.

The BDV-F7 system is also loaded with a lot of audio technology – Dolby, DD+, DDTrue HD, DTS, and 3D Pass Through are all included here.  While I did not have a 3D TV or 3D monitor to test it out on during the course of my examination (I’m not super huge into the 3D scene), I have talked to a few other people that have this model and who have used that feature – they all said that it worked as well as you would expect it to, but you need to make sure you have the right HDMI cables for it.  That means running the 1.4 HDMI cables would probably be your best bet with this system (although 1.3 would probably work in a pinch).

The reason this system isn’t for me though doesn’t have to do with what it has, it’s all about what’s missing.  You see, I have a lot of crap hooked up to my system now – Playstation 3, XBOX 360, Wii, and an OnLive Micro Console are all standard components in my living room, with the occasional hook up of my Dreamcast.  The problem here is that three of those things run with HDMI on my system, and the BDV-F7 only has a single HDMI in port.  I don’t want to continually have to reach behind everything just to switch what system is currently being played – likewise I don’t want to spend a boatload on an HDMI switcher (I know there’s cheap ones, but they generally suck and only switch right for video).  Had this system shipped with three HDMI in ports, I would be much more excited about picking one up for keeps.

Another thing with this system that’s a double edged sword, is the ease of set up; let me explain.  The BDV-F7 is pretty much plug and play right out of the box.  There’s no fuss with wires, as everything is clearly color coded, and most people will be happy with how the sound is without messing with the settings.  If you’re into sound though, you’ll want to make the sound as good as you can by tweaking options, and that’s a bit of an issue.  The menus aren’t very easy to navigate, and there were a number of times I changed the wrong option and had to find my way back once I realized that.  Again, this isn’t that big of a deal for a normal user – just for those of us that know exactly how we like our systems to both sound, and “feel”.

The Bottom Line:  The BDV-F7 is a nice entry piece if you’re thinking about getting a sound bar; it’s small and compact, and ridiculously easy to set up – if you have a lot of additional components to hook up though, be warned that this probably isn’t your best option.

Pros:

• Extremely well designed look; the BDV-F7 is refined and elegant no matter the setup it’s paired with
• The sub hits a lot harder than others I’ve tried that were the same size, with no discernible distortion at even the highest levels
• The ease of setup is pretty much out of this world – my father could set this up without issue

Cons:

• Only one HDMI input is a tremendous problem for anyone with more than one add on in their audio video repertoire
• Proprietary speaker connectors are very annoying to work with if you’ve invested a lot in other wires (like Monster cables)
• The menus aren’t the easiest to navigate, but again the normal user won’t feel the need to delve into them

You can pick up the Sony BDV-F7 Home Theater System from Amazon the decent price of $297.98

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Xtrememac Tango Bar

 

At this point everyone knows the best way to sell an accessory of any type is to position it against an Apple product.  Or in the case of Xtrememac, all of your products play complement to Apple’s line of products.

Announced yesterday, the  Tango Bar speaker is designed to fit perfectly under an iMac or Apple’s Cinema Display.  Packed inside is a six speaker configuration with dual dome tweeters, midrange/bass drivers and passive radiators that Xtrememac says delivers a “best in class audio” experience and twice the output (10 watts) of most if not all USB powered computer speakers.

What makes this setup particularly nice, aside from the fact that is sits neatly underneath your iMac’s screen, is that it’s powered purely off your computer’s USB port, which should deliver the audio as well.  That means you’re two less cords away from a rat’s nest.  And it doesn’t hurt that the volume knob is backlit in Xtrememac’s branded colors and includes a headphone jack, a sub-woofer out for those seeking more oomph in their tunes and a line in jack.

The Xtrememac Tango bar is retailing for $99.99, though a 3rd party is already selling it on Amazon for about $70.

Source :

gadgetreview.com

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SoundFreaq Sound Stack

SoundFreaq is back and their latest device, the Sound Stack, is bigger, badder and more freaky than the first.  Those are all good things, despite their negative conenatation, and here’s why.

The Sound Stack has a 2.2 speaker configuration.  Most systems, if at all, have a 2.1 speaker setup, but in the case of the Sound Stack we’re talking two full range driver and two subwoofer.  This should result in killer bass and an all together full sound.  They’ve also infused it with their proprietary UQ3 spatial enhancement processor that is said to enhance the sound even further.

You can dock your favorite iOS device or plug in your Android handset using a USB cable.  Alternatively, there is Bluetooth, and while the sound quality won’t be on par with Apple’s Airplay, it means that any device that supports the A2DP protocol can connect with these speakers.  Download their smartphone app and you can also access an FM radio.

In terms of additional controls, there are a set of touch-sensitive button mounted on top of the unit, as well as a credit card sized remote which stores securely away in a magnetic cabinet hidden on the side.

The SoundFreaq SFQ-03 is available at Crutchfield for $400.

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iHome iP4 Boombox

 

During the 80s the Boombox was one of the hippest audio devices on the market.  That and the Sony Walkman.  It was composed of an FM/AM radio, tape deck and a set of over sized speakers that produced enough sonic boom to hopefully set off a dance party.  It was also a portable audio system thanks to the built-in handle, though more often than not break dancers and those alike would just sling the system over their shoulder and strut their swagger down the street.

The 80s might be well and gone, but the boombox is here to stay, that is if iHome has anything to say about it.  The iP4 replaces the cassette player with, what else, a 30-pin dock for your iPod or iPhone.  To keep with the retro feel they’ve added 5 adjustable EQ sliders with an LCD graphic equalizer.  In the sonic department there are 4″ carbon composite woofers and 1″ ferro fluid cooled tweeters backed by a class D amplifier. 

The iP4 can be powered off the wall or 6 D batteries.  However, note that the latter power option is ultra 80s.  For those of you without an iPod or iPhone, iHome has included an AUX input, though you probably won’t even begin to consider this device if the case is such.  iHome is also tossing in a remote that magnetically sticks to the player, which hopefully means you won’t lose it when you travel from location to location on the Venice boardwalk in your roller skates.

The iHome iP4 is available now for $199.99

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Yamaha PDX-11 Rugged Portable Speaker

What’s this, another portable speaker system?  Yup.  This product category is heating up faster than a Victoria Secret model in a sauna.  Entering the fray is Yamaha with their PDX-11

This octagon shaped speaker houses a unique two-way speaker system and a large 4-inch woofer, which the company says produces strong bass, solid mids and uniquely high notes thanks to the dedicated tweeter.

Clearly, Yamaha is targeting the urban crowd who is always on the move.  In addition to coming in a variety of colors that range from black to a neon green, the PDX-11 sports a metal handle, a perforated steel grille, 6 AA battery slots (it can also be powered of an AC pack) that provide up to 8 hours of playback, a credit card sized remote and an iPhone dock.  If an iOS device isn’t your thing, you can opt for the 3.5mm stereo input jack.

Keep in mind that the PDX-11 weighs 3.3lbs and measures 8-1/4” x 9-3/8” x 9-3/8”.  So, we wouldn’t exactly call it backpack portable, but nor is Yamaha claiming that it is.

Expect the Yamaha PDX-11 to start showing up at retailers this month for $99.95.

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SuperTooth Disco Bluetooth Speaker Review

Weighing in at under 3 pounds, as soon as you unbox the SuperTooth Disco speaker and see it in its long, sleek velcro carrying case, you almost immediately want to have a barbecue in the park or a backyard party to use it with. In these scenarios, the speaker is ideal, pairing easily to any bluetooth-enabled device to turn the songs you store on your phone into content that can be broadcasted loudly to share with your friends or enjoy while at home. Packaged with a charging cable and a 3.5mm cord to use in a wired environment, SuperTooth prepared for every possible way to use the speaker.

With a 12 watt subwoofer and 2 8 watt speakers, the SuperTooth Disco really does have a powerful sound to it. For personal use, I find it’s more than capable of blasting my music at roughly a quarter of the maximum volume with the bass boost on. Obviously requiring more energy to run with higher volumes, this setting gets me about 15 hours of continuous play, which is certainly more than I’ve ever needed to run in a wireless environment.

Where the battery life gets truly impressive is in the speaker’s standby mode. The Disco goes into standby shortly after sound stops being transmitted through it, and starts back up again a few seconds after sound resumes. In its standby mode, the SuperTooth Disco can stay powered for 1500 hours. Let me do the math for you here: 62 and ½ days. With a full battery, your SuperTooth Disco can sit on standby for two entire months before losing its charge. The device hasn’t been in my possession long enough for me to confirm this exact figure, but I can confirm that I’ve charged it exactly twice since receiving it, once after getting it out of the box and once after testing the continuous play life. Since then I have left it in standby, bringing it out for a few hours every week or so during a get-together, and the speaker just keeps running.

The sound is dominant coming from thisspeaker, as well. There are some minor quirks to it that have made my listening experience less than optimal, however. The subwoofer is located on the back-left of the speaker, meaning that the bass tends to be more dominant on one side than the other, and without the boosted bass, a slight tinny rattle of more treble-focused instruments is easily audible. I was able to fix this problem by putting the speaker in a more acoustic-friendly room with minimal furniture and a tile floor, but these problems keep the speaker from being truly utilitarian.

The speaker looks and works great for the most part however, is easy portable, and can even be gripped in one hand. It’s lightweight, comes with a nice black carrying case with a velcro front for tweaking volume and changing tracks as well as a back velcro flap so that it can be charged or connected to a wired device without having to remove it from its case, as well as a vent for the subwoofer to both draw in and expel air. It pairs very easily to every device I’ve tried to connect it with, including one evening in which I had two people jockeying for the DJ position with their phones. They were able to switch their pairing back and forth quickly without a large lull in the tunes.

The SuperTooth Disco isn’t really a suitable solution for your computer desk or entertainment center, but is just fine to keep you entertained in the kitchen or across the bathroom while you’re in the shower. Out in a public setting like a camping trip or even for an old school-style ghetto blaster experience, the SuperTooth Disco shines head and shoulders against just about any other solution. With one of the most amazing battery lifes I’ve ever encounted and a very powerful blast of audio, the SuperTooth Disco will do wonders as an upgrade from on-board speakers on your phone, tablet, or laptop.

Bottom Line: The SuperTooth Disco is the most versatile, long-lasting portable audio solution I’ve handled. While there are some flaws in terms of actual audio quality, the output and ease of use wows everybody I’ve shown the product off to. Though it may not be perfect, in the areas the Disco shines, it goes well above and beyond expectations every single time.
Pros:

• Incredible battery life that stays preserved through intelligent sleep mode that activates and deactivates dependent upon whether any sound signal is being sent
• Bass boost is very effective, adding to the already impressive volume capabilities that make the Disco speaker ideal for any kind of large room or outdoor situation
• Easy to transport with Velcro case that allows for wireless or wired use, and track navigating controls featured on the front panel

Cons:

• Treble and higher sounds are tinny when using only the speaker, a problem that alleviates itself in the right acoustic space
• Only one subwoofer on the left side can make the stereo effects feel lopsided from time to time when using the speaker
• With only a one-setting bass boost and no other tuning features, audio enthusiasts may not like the Disco’s sound, and are largely unable to adjust it

The SuperTooth Disco is available from Amazon for $117.18.

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Philip Fidelio DS7700 Bluetooth Docking Speaker Review

Jawbone’s Jambox owns the market when it comes to an ultra portable Bluetooth speaker.  But that  leaves plenty of room for the bigger, but still portable speaker docks.  Case in point is the Philips Fidelio DS7700 Bluetooth Docking Speaker.

Before we get into the review, I’d like to point out that I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to the Philips brand, at least in terms of their line of consumer electronics.  They’re not the brand I think of when I need to purchase a new TV, or in this case a speaker dock for my iPhone or iPad.  However, that’s all about (it already has) to change thanks to the Fidelio DS7700 Bluetooth Docking Speaker.

Design

 

The Fidelio DS7700′s magnetic cover to keep debris out 

The Fidelio DS7700 measures 12.2-inches long, about 4 inches wide and weighs just over 2lbs.  So it’s not tiny like the Jambox, but it will fit in most medium sized backpacks, though after sometime 2lbs can begin to feel beleaguering, especially if you do a fair bit of walking.  While is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad, there is also an AUX input to accommodate non Apple branded devices.

Included is a magnetic cover, which unfortunately doesn’t automatically power the speaker off.  A cool feature nonetheless that will keep lint and other debris from interfering with the iPhone dock and entering behind the speaker grill.  A red power switch sits on the edge, while a set of buttons to control volume and toggle Bluetooth on/off are situated just below the dock.

A built in stand, which opens simply by pulling on it angles the 14 watt Neodymium powered speaker at 45 degrees and simultaneously activates an iPhone stand that stabilizes the device in the 30-pin dock.  It’s finished in a rubber to help reduce vibrations.

While the Fidelio DS7700 scored well in terms of aesthetics and layout, it’s not the most remarkable speaker dock, but clearly well built.  However, I was a bit surprised to see that it doesn’t use a micro-USB or mini-USB port for charging.  Instead Philips opted for a 10V round AC charging port.  So it loses some points in not only the convenience category, but eco department.

Performance

 

The Fidelio DS7700′s power switch 

It might be a bit of an understatement, but the Fidelio DS7700 can easily keep pace with iPhone docks in the same class and even sonically out performed some wall plugin docks I’ve seen from iHome in recent.  As with any speaker dock, connecting via Bluetooth diminished the sound quality, but the Fidelio DS7700 does a good job minimizing the loss, enough so that switching between the two inputs had me guessing which one was playing.

I tested the dock with a variety of music, ranging from hip hop to classical, and couldn’t perceive any noticeable shortcomings given its relatively small size.   Bass was deep, highs we’re crisp and the mids maintained a solid timbre throughout playback.  In short, the Fidelio DS7700 rocked my socks and blew my hair back.

Battery life is spec’d for 10 hours.  While I didn’t ever run low on juice thanks to the fact that you can power it off a wall wart, I’m willing to estimate that you can chop that number in half when amplitude is maxed out.

Conclusion

 

Philips Fidelio DS7700 AUX input and power port 

The Philips Fidelio DS7700 Bluetooth Docking Speaker packs a serious punch that will have contenders in the same class and heavier second guessing their product.  It delivers meaty bass for a dock of its size, boasts solid battery performance and is compatible with the full range of iOS devices.  What more could you ask for?

You can buy the Philips Fidelio DS7700 Bluetooth Docking Speaker from Amazon for $199.99

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality for a portable speaker; deep bass, solid highs
• Up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge
• Works with the full range of iOS devices (and others thanks to the AUX in)

Cons:

• Doesn’t use a micro or mini-USB charger; not Eco friendly in that respect
• A bit large for every day commuters, unlike the Jambox
• If you don’t have the Philips app installed it demands that you do so

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Bose LifeStyle 135 Soundbar

Bose must be nuts, but we already knew that.  They’re asking $2,500 for their newest sound bar system, the Lifestyle 135.

It includes a wireless subwoofer, remote, iPod dock and a wall mountable speaker that fabricates full surround sound.  The remote connects via RF so you can increase or decrease the volume despite not having line of sight to the system.  The wireless subwoofer is a nice touch as well, since you can hide it in a closest, provided of course you’ve got a plug near by.

The Lifestyle 135 is designed to work with up to 6 devices and even upscales DVD players or any video device that doesn’t put out a 1080p signal.  We’re talking 4 HDMI connections and 2 HD audio inputs.  There is also an FM/AM radio.

Inside the Soundbar is Bose’s Flexmount and ADAPTiQ tech.  Flexmount determines if the soundbar is placed on a table or mounted on a wall, which automatically adjusts the audio accordingly.  ADAPTiQ anaylyzes the room’s dimensions and interior, and calibrates the speaker to its acoustics.  So we half expect, based on this tech, that it can produce top notch sound for movies and music.

Despite the fact that Bose is over priced gear, there is no disputing how simple their systems are to setup.  To streamline the installation process Bose has integrated a step-by-step visual walk through that appears directly on the TV screen.  Not the biggest takeaway by any account in terms of its feature set, but a nice addition nonetheless.

The Bose Lifestyle 135 is available now.

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