360 DEGREES Weblog

German manufacturer of premium Hi-Fi devices, Loewe, introduces it’s powerful docking station SoundVision. Inside the obviously sleek corpus made of polished anodised aluminium work six speakers and two subwoofers of the upscale Loewe quality. Alongside the crisp sound, the iDevice dock features a multi-touch 7.5 inch touchscreen, web and FM radio, good ol’ CD slot, WiFi, Ethernet and an integrated music recognition service named Gracenote, and AUPEO! recommendation service, if you want to spread your aural wings.

$2000

The Swiss audio experts, and one of the first supplier of iPod hi-fi devices, Geneva introduces the Model XS, which, as its name implies, grants ut the world’s first truly portable audio system on an adequate sound level. Inspired by those timeless travel clocks of the late 20s, the XS exhibits a leather-look clamshell case, which easily finds a spot in your briefcase, when closed. It features stereo speakers including a woofer, an amplifier, FM tuner and bluetooth connectivity, an alarm clock, and the good ol’ 3.5mm jack.

 $250 or € 199

Looking for a new set of reference-quality cans? These Audio-Technica 50th Anniversary Headphones ($1,400) should suffice. Created to celebrate the company’s golden anniversary, they feature Asada Hokkaido cherry wood housing with an Echizen traditional Japanese lacquer finish, 53mm drivers built with stronger magnetics than previous models, special lambskin earpads for exceptional comfort during long listening sessions, and a gold 1/4″ plug that’ll look great plugged into the matching Headphone Amplifier ($2,900).

Combining old school inspiration with a stark design full of sharp lines and a matte finish, iHome’s iP4 boombox simultaneously makes nods to the outlandish, button crazy gadgets of the past, and the flat, minimal designs of the now. I think I’m swooning.

The tonal colorway and the seemingly matte finish give the iP4 the look of something created in a 3D modeling program, or mocked up as a prototype in an R&D lab. But then iHome had to go and offer it in pink.

Anyways, let’s just pretend that never happened and talk specs. In addition to housing an iPhone, the iP4 has an FM radio and an Aux In jack, giving you some source options for tunes. And if you’re really feeling nostalgic, you can pop in six D batteries to power the 4-inch woofers and 1-inch ferro-cooled tweeters as you walk down the street. You can buy it now for $200.

Its name might lead you to think it was a music venue, but the Cantata Music Center (£6,000, roughly $9,700) is actually one of the world’s best — and most expensive — USB-based Digital Audio Converters. Able to handle a variety of sources, from CDs via the built-in player to digital audio files stored on your Mac, PC, or NAS, the Cantata can also handle wireless or wired links via the Pont Neuf add-on, outputting its pristine audio over XLR or RCA outputs. The worst part? It’ll probably end up in an entertainment center, where the gorgeous body and LED display will be hidden from view.

It’s not exactly audiophile-grade equipment, but Bose’s stuff is legendary for its ear-pleasing audio and retina-pleasing styling — which is exactly the combination you want in a soundbar. The Bose CineMate Soundbar System ($1,500) doesn’t disappoint in this regard, offering up full simulated surround sound from a sleek bar that knows if it’s mounted against a wall or on a table, and adjusts the audio accordingly, as well as a wireless subwoofer to give everything from music to explosions the added punch they need.

Logitech’s Harmony division has long made some of the very best universal remotes. But their latest product turns the very best smartphones and tablets into a great universal remote. Meet Harmony Link and the Harmony Link App.

The Harmony Link hardware is a disc that’s placed near your entertainment system and provides the link between the new controller and the equipment using a local WiFi network. Tiny IR Blasters snake from the backside of the sleek disc to your cable box, TV and A/V hardware — just like every other Harmony remote. This not only facilitates communication but also allows owners to place all the unsightly hardware in a closet, enclosed cabinet, or like in my house, a basement room underneath the living room. Logitech says the Harmony Link can replace up to eight remotes.

But this hardware isn’t the fun part. Nope, the real magic comes from the iPad app. The Harmony Link App turns the iPad into a universal remote, but one with a touch of flare. Instead of just being a touchscreen remote with the usual assortment of playback controls, the iPad app turns the chore of finding a TV program into a fun excursion. Slide through the interactive TV listings and just press Watch Now to engage the magic of Harmony Link, which will switch your TV to the appropriate station. Of course the app also features all the normal device controls and activity functions generally associated with Harmony remotes.

At launch, only the iPad will feature this interactive programming guide. The iPhone and Android app will only display activity buttons and device controls. Expect the Harmony Link in stores next month with a $99 MSRP.

Placing a sound bar direct in front of/below your TV isn’t the greatest idea if you still want to use your remote control. Unless the sound bar is the Yamaha YAS-101 Front Surround System ($300). Thanks to a unique IR code pass-through feature, the YAS-101 will ensure that your channels are changed and sleep timers set, and it also sounds — and looks — great thanks to a dual-driver design with a built-in 60-watt subwoofer, Air Surround Xtreme technology for virtual 7.1 surround sound, Dolby Digital and DTS support, UniVolume for consistent volume, and a living room-friendly piano black finish.

Remember back in the ’80s, when pundits predicted that in the future, we’d enjoy our entertainment via holographic 3D displays that we wore like sunglasses? You do? Good, because that damn near explains the Sony 3D Head Mounted Display ($TBA). It uses twin HD OLED displays to provide you with an immersive visual experience, while the integrated virtual 5.1 surround sound does the same for your ears, and since it connects via HDMI, you can hook up anything from a PS3 to an iPad, sit back, and enjoy.

If 3D, we want it glasses-free, or at least with Clubman-style shades. Guess what, Toshiba brings behemoth-sized 3D TV to your entertainment room. The 55-inch ZL2G provides the ambitious cineaste with a LED-backlit QuadHD resolution and Toshiba’s proprietary CEVO processor, which also finds use in professional studios. Further features are SMART-TV apps, USB recording, and personal profiles.