Remember these things from back in the day? The “day” being 2002? JBL is bringing back the “Creature” series of computer speakers for the holidays.

Called the Creature III, the system features a more compact subwoofer than previous iterations along with “a more streamlined, airy feel while staying true to its sci-fi roots.” It’s also staying true to its expensive roots — priced at $129.99 – and it’ll only be available at Apple stores and through Apple’s website. What’s that all about?

Looks like the system’s not quite available for purchase yet. Probably shouldn’t be too much longer, though.

They’re Back: The Beloved JBL Sci-Fi Speakers Return [Press Release]

[via Akihabara News and Gizmodo]

I’ve never heard of Waterfall Audio before. I think they qualify for one of my rules in the audio world though: if you’ve never heard of an audio company and they cost more than products from a familiar brand, it’s probably good stuff. Apparently the company made a name for itself a few years ago with a glass-enclosed speaker line. Who knew.

The latest speaker line, Serio, keeps the glass theme alive, but manages to shrink the package down to a satellite-style size. Too bad all that glass and square lines scream the ’90s.

I’m sure they are fantastic speakers. They better be for the price: $5,549 for a 5.1 system which includes a HighForce sub, $1,799 for a 2.1 system, or $249 each. The specs are good too: 150 watts max, 87 dB efficiency, and 180HZ – 20kHz frequency response. Each speaker is about the size of a CD jewel case and weighs 2 lbs.It’s just that they look like something that would have been found in Microsoft’s suits office around the time Windows 95 launched.

[Waterfall Audio via Electronic House]

So by mostly wireless, I mean that you still need to provide power. The subwoofer and speakers will need to be plugged in to work, just not into your computer. You will need to stick a dongle into your USB port however. This sounds ideal for a laptop user or college student, since you can bring your computer back to the speakers and not have to worry about the cables.

The Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 wireless speakers sell for $199, and are only available from the Klipsch website, and only in the U.S.

[via Dvice]

The Stage-Gig speaker system is being debuted at the College Music Journal (CMJ) music festival in New York City. Modeled as a stage monitor, the Stage-Gig gives you a 6.5″ woofer, silk tweeter, all with 40 watts of output power. It has two sets of RCA plugs so you can theoretically chain as many of these units are you could possibly want.

If you don’t have any better speakers, these offer you a simple, plug-and-play upgrade for your game console. XBox, Playstation, Wii, anything that uses RCA audio outputs will work. Look for it in early November and expect to shell out $99.95.

The marketing jargon reads something like this:

“Today LaCie announced high-end speakers, modeled after Cabasse’s renowned loudspeaker technology – the LaCie Sound2 Speakers, design by Neil Poulton. LaCie has partnered with famous acoustic engineering company Cabasse to bring high-quality sound to any computer system or A/V device.”

Which, translated, means “Them’s some big speakers right there.” They ought to be able to push out some decent sound, too, at 15 watts apiece.

You can plug the $99 speakers directly into your laptop via USB or there’s a line-in jack as well in case you want to hook up your Diamond Rio MP3 player or whatever the cool MP3 player is nowadays.

Should be available soon, although LaCie’s product page says they’re out of stock at the moment.

LaCie Sound2 Speakers [LaCie]

Long Version: The Samson StudioDock 3i is a set of professional quality studio monitors that someone installed a iPod dock and a USB sound card in. The result is nothing short of amazing. Computer speakers and iPod docks are normally, shall we say, not of the highest quality. These Samsons really buck that trend, providing an excellent quality sound for a quite reasonable $150.

The 3i version has a 3.25 inch woofer in each side, coupled with a 25mm tweeter. The response is great across the board, no matter if you are listening if you are listening to Jay-Z or Gordon Lightfoot. The front of the right speaker has a volume control, aux stereo input, a stereo headphone output (which mutes the speakers), and a blue LED power indicator. The top of the speaker has a slot and connector for a your iPod. The back of the speaker has a USB cable connection, stereo RCA inputs, and the connection for the wires running to the left speaker. And despite the fact that they’re rated at only 15 watts each, they put out an impressive amount of sound and don’t distort at high volumes. I also think that I should mention that these speakers did in fact come out last year, and were named one of Time magazine’s best inventions of 2008.

Recommendation: Buy ‘em. They are a great set of speakers for a reasonable price. I wish I would have included this in our back to school feature, because they’d be great for a dorm room. In fact, after I sent these back to Samson, I went out and bought a set for my home office. Retail is $150, but I found them on Amazon for $85.

If you’re sick – SICK!!! – of not being able to play your music collection at a moment’s notice for a group of onlookers, and you have a set of keys that grant you access to various secure locations then you, my main man, might want to look into this $11 MP3 Earphone Speaker.

It’s basically an oversized earbud that I can almost guarantee sounds just about as tinny as cranking up the volume and holding your regular earbud up in the air, but this one fits on a keychain and passersby will surely comment on the idea’s novelty.

And where can you purchase such a fine product? Try Things You Never Knew Existed… and other items you can’t POSSIBLY live without! That’s seriously the name of the site.

In unrelated news, I’ll be suggesting to my superiors that we change our site’s name from CrunchGear to The Mildly Popular Blog That’s Mostly About Gadgets With Some Other Random Items That May Or May Not Appeal To People Who Like Technology… and on the weekends there’s not quite as much to read about since some of us take a break!

[via Random Good Stuff]

Behold! A small step forward in multimedia speakers! This one has a built-in 4.5-inch LCD screen and it only costs $99. According to the product description, the screen is a “high definition color display.” According to me, that’s dead wrong. But who cares? It’s a screen built into a speaker! Hurray!

The USB Multimedia Player Speaker from Brando plays back music files in the following formats: MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA, WMV, WAV, and FLAC. If some of those file extensions look like video formats to you, you’re not alone. Let’s move on, though.

For video formats, we’ve got 3GP, AVI, RM, FLV, and RMVB. If we take MPEG (MP1), MPEG-2 (MP2), and WMV from the audio format list above, we might get a clearer picture of what to expect. Might.

Other features include:

• Electronic book with bookmark function!
• Support manifold language!
• Alarm clock!
• Shortcut time display!
• Calendar function!
• SD/SDHC/MMC cards!
• LINE IN!
• Powered by USB or 4 x AA batteries!

I should also note that the product description says the device has a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery, yet further down in the product description we see that it takes four AA batteries. Oh, and there’s this picture too:

So let’s put this product in the “Risky for $100″ category, screen or no screen, since it’s not altogether clear what to expect from this device.

USB Multimedia Player Speaker [Brando]

Fans of Altec Lansing’s Orbit MP3 speaker series may be interested in the company’s upcoming Orbit USB speaker. It ditches the AAA battery requirements and the 3.5mm audio jack for a single USB connection. Needless to say, this one isn’t for your MP3 player but more for your laptop, netbook, or speaker-less desktop.

With an MSRP of $49.99, too, it had better sound pretty amazing. Not that most notebook and netbook speakers are hard to beat, but fifty bucks is a lot for a single speaker. Altec Lansing’s press release promises “astounding volume, clarity and depth in a small system,” though, and would a company ever bend the truth in order to sell its products? That’d be outrageous!

The speaker comes with a neoprene case, carabiner clip, and wind-up USB cable storage. It’ll be available in the middle of September. The regular 3.5mm, AAA battery speaker is available now for $40.

[via Gizmodo]

So, two new devices. Both look pretty sweet, I like the glass mount on the speakers and the retro styling on the “boombox” iPod dock. Of course, with Altec Lansing sound quality can be a bit hit or miss, but hopefully you’ll be able to test them before buying. The speakers MSRP for $199.95, and the iPod dock goes for $299.99, so I’d make sure I listen to them first. Reading the press release for the dock however, I just getting the feeling that A.L. is trying too hard, you know? Both are available at your favorite retailer now.

For the speakers:

With 200 continuous watts (RMS) delivered in a dramatic design, the Expressionist Ultra is one of Altec Lansing’s most powerful computer audio systems. Its boom comes from five digital amplifiers powering five separate drivers for an authentically tuned sonic explosion. Each speaker driver — the 3″ midranges, the 1″ neodymium tweeters and the 6 1/2″ long-throw subwoofer — is individually fired and powered precisely as the source demands it. The result is exceptional audio detail and earth-shaking bass that you can genuinely feel. This uniquely designed 3-piece powerhouse takes music, movies and games to a whole new listening level.

“We take pride in understanding our customers’ wants and needs, and in creating products that fit their lifestyle,” said Don Milks, Senior Manager of Product Management at Altec Lansing. These days, more people are keeping all of their music and entertainment on their computer. So sound quality is very important to them. They want an audio system that sounds great and plays loud without distorting their favorite artist, movie scene or video game. The Expressionist Ultra speaker system fits the bill beautifully.”

The unique design of the Expressionist Ultra breaks rank from the traditional form of other speakers. It is designed to be showcased, rather than hidden away in an office. The contemporary industrial design of the satellites emphasizes visible drivers set into a translucent bezel. The subwoofer features a distinctive trapezoidal design that breaks up standing waves and delivers the deep bass that brings multimedia to life. The Expressionist Ultra speaker system is the perfect complement to today’s stylish computers, and with power output and sound quality rivaling many home stereos, it can also be positioned for use with TVs and gaming consoles.

Features

– 200 Watt powerhouse – Separate amplifiers for bass, midrange and
treble provide exceptionally clean power for listening at any volume.
– Full, accurate sound – Each satellite delivers clear, full-spectrum
sound from a 3″ midrange driver and a 1″ inch neodymium tweeter.
– Seriously deep bass – Low-frequency bass you can feel from the 6 1/2″
front-firing, long-throw woofer.
– Fingertip control – Full-function Power, Volume, Treble and Bass
controls in a separate controller.
– Audio Alignment™ technology – Drivers, enclosure and electronics
are balanced for optimum sound.
– Connect additional devices – The AUX IN jack and RCA adapter let you
connect additional devices like your TV, game console, MP3, DVD and CD
player at the same time your computer is connected.
– Headphone jack – For private listening.

Specifications

– Two 3″ mid-range [Intl: 75 mm] and two 1″ [Intl: 25 mm] high-frequency
neodymium drivers
– 6.5″ long-throw woofer [Intl: 165 mm]
– Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 106 dB
– Total Continuous Power: 200 Watts RMS
– Midrange driver: 33 Watts per Channel @ 4 ohms @ 10% THD @ 150 Hz -
2.5 kHz
– Tweeter: 33 Watts per Channel @ 4 ohms @ 10% THD @ 2.5 kHz – 20 kHz
– Subwoofer: 68 Watts @ 8 ohms @ 10% THD @ 40 Hz – 180 Hz Single Channel
Loaded
– System Response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz (-10 dB)
– Signal to Noise Ratio @ 1 kHz input: > 75 dB
– Dimensions:
Satellite: 5.35″ (W) x 6.18″ (D) x 8.69″ (H)
Satellite: 135.8mm (W) x 156.9mm (D) x 220.6mm (H)
Subwoofer: 10.24″ (W) x 15.06″ (D) x 15.75″ (H)
Subwoofer: 260.0mm (W) x 382.5mm (D) x 400.0mm (H)

And for the iPod dock:

“The MIX is the genuine ‘next generation’ boombox for the way music enthusiasts are playing their music today,” said Ed Benforado, Product Category Director. “With rugged style and high end sound, the MIX is perfect for those ‘unofficial DJs’ who like to start their parties with sound. They can ‘mix it up’ between three music player inputs — a 30-pin dock connector for the iPhone and iPod and also two front-facing 3.5mm jacks — so everyone can jump in with their jams. And we’ve included heavy-duty carry handles and battery operation to take the MIX on the road or around the house just as easily.”

Geared to keep the party jumping, the MIX drives your favorite music through specially engineered horn-loaded tweeters and mid-range drivers. The 5.25″ side-firing subwoofer and 5.25″ tuned passive radiator pump out natural roaring bass, further enhanced with XdB technology for extra heavy punch. A digital 7-band graphic equalizer allows music lovers to quickly tailor the sound to their preferred taste. True to its retro boombox roots, the MIX runs on AC or gives 30 hours of play time on 8 D-cell batteries, even sporting a built-in battery life display.

Made for iPod and Apple-certified to “Work with iPhone,” the MIX is engineered to be immune to GSM signals, therefore preventing the speakers from picking up potential intermittent noises emitted by the iPhone or other mobile devices. The music pauses and resumes play before and after taking a voice call without ever switching the iPhone to airplane mode.

The MIX also includes a clip-on carabineer remote control so you don’t lose it at the party. Between parties, a built-in cubby secures the remote so it can always be found.

Go to www.alteclansing.com/fallpk2009 for the full MIX “inspiration” story.

Features

– Crystal-clear high end – Specially engineered horn-loaded silk dome
tweeters designed for smooth, wide dispersion.
– Full mid-range – Two custom-designed drivers push room-filling mids
and mid bass.
– Fierce bass – XdB bass-enhanced side-firing subwoofer and tuned
passive radiator deliver formidable bass.
– Audio Alignment™ – Drivers, enclosure and electronics are balanced for
optimum sound.
– Digital FM radio – Tune in to clean reception with telescopic antenna
and four station presets.
– AC or battery-powered – Plug in or lose the wires with up to 30 hours
of play with 8 D batteries. Battery life is displayed on LCD.
– Dual AUX IN jacks – Connect up to two additional audio players via
front-facing 3.5mm jacks.
– Clip-on remote – Enhanced wireless carabineer remote provides song and
playlist navigation.
– Music Pause – Automatically pauses music when a call is received on
the iPhone.
– Interference Free – Unique design is immune to mobile phone
interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode.
– At-A-Glance LCD – Track, artist, album and station display.
– Customizable EQs – Multiple EQ modes let you adjust your sound,
including 7-band graphic equalizer, four EQ presets and separate Bass and
Treble controls.
– Onboard controls – Control most functions from the unit.
– Universal dock for iPhone and iPod – Recharges while it plays your
tunes.

The only reason I’m writing about this is because it looks ridiculous. It’s the “Retro Cassette Stereo Mini Speaker for iPod/iPhone,” and it’s exactly as it sounds. Plug your iPod in there, and off you go.

Will it revolutionize the industry? No. Does it represent a “paradigm shift” of some sort? No, sir. Does it sound good? I haven’t heard it, but I would guess it’s not going to win any awards.

That said, it probably will net you some sort of hipster cred, along with that GameBoy you’ve got wrapped around your neck:

Happy trails, America.

You can pre-order them starting in September, and pre-preorder at the designer’s site. At just 10W per speaker, they’re not going to be filling a room, though for a desk they would be both sufficient and efficient due to their small footprint.

[via Cool Hunting]

Truth be told, I actually like the looks of this old-timey speaker very much. And it’d go perfectly with my newfangled “digital” music collection. It’s only $29, too, which may or may not mean that the actual sound quality is poor to quite poor.

The “USB Retro Wooden Speaker + MP3 Player Cube” plays music files off of USB drives as well as SD and MMC memory cards. It also features a 3.5mm input for use with standalone MP3 players. It’s powered via USB and, as a bonus, has an internal lithium ion rechargeable battery so you can use it in the middle of a very large room that, let’s say, only has computers in the corners and no USB cord is long enough to stretch to the corners so you have to rely on battery power. Something like that.

There’s a remote control, too, so you could walk to one of the faraway corners of the big room and still control the music.

USB Retro Wooden Speaker + MP3 Player Cube [USB Geek via Engadget]

It’s a 115-watt rear-port sub with a frequency response of between 35 and 140 Hz packed into a somewhat manageable 16.9″ by 15″ by 11.8″ and weighing just over 35 pounds. Might make a good addition to your home theater if you’re looking for a little more oomph.

Velodyne Acoustics VRP1000 Powered Subwoofer [Amazon via dealnews]

The old version.

I just realized I still have my MP3-CDs from my iRiver days… probably filled with the weird stuff I was listening to in college.

$250 is a bit pricey, I’d say, and if you’re sure you’re not going to be using a few of those inputs, you can probably get more power for less price. Might be really nice in a shared area, though; housemates or family members can have their own SD cards or thumb drives with their selections for dinner music. How domestic I’m becoming!

Unlike standard PC speakers that use forward-firing drivers, the four new Logitech multimedia speaker systems feature 360-Degree Sound, or omnidirectional acoustics, which creates a substantially wider sweet spot – an especially helpful feature if you often move your computer around your home or office. With speaker drivers that face forward and backwards in each satellite, these four new speakers are designed to transmit sound more consistently over a wider range of space so you never miss a beat no matter where you are in the room.

The models include the Z320 ($69), Z323 ($69), Z520 ($129.99) and Z523 ($99) sets.

Enjoy Music, Movies, Games Anywhere In Your Room with the Logitech Speaker System Z320, Logitech Speaker System Z323, Logitech Speaker System Z520, or Logitech Speaker System Z523
FREMONT, Calif. — July 14, 2009 — Today, Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced a significant extension to its line of multimedia speakers, delivering four new systems with 360-Degree Sound – including the Logitech® Speaker System Z320, Logitech® Speaker System Z323, Logitech® Speaker System Z520 and the Logitech® Speaker System Z523. Whether you’re at work using a desktop computer, at home using a laptop, whether you use a Windows®-based or a Mac®, computer, all four of Logitech’s new speakers just work – and sound great.
Unlike standard PC speakers that use forward-firing drivers, the four new Logitech multimedia speaker systems feature 360-Degree Sound, or omnidirectional acoustics, which creates a substantially wider sweet spot – an especially helpful feature if you often move your computer around your home or office. With speaker drivers that face forward and backwards in each satellite, these four new speakers are designed to transmit sound more consistently over a wider range of space so you never miss a beat no matter where you are in the room.
“Many PC speakers focus sound in one direction, which is fine if you’re always sitting in the same spot,” said Mark Schneider, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s audio business unit. “But now with 360-Degree Sound, whether you’re listening to your favorite song on iTunes®, watching a video on YouTube™ or playing your favorite game, you can enjoy rich, sound and minimal distortion throughout your room.”
2.1 Speakers Systems: Logitech Speaker System Z523 and Logitech Speaker System Z323
You can transport yourself into your music, movies and games with the Logitech Speaker System Z523. The Z523 speaker system includes two sleek satellites and a 6.5-inch down-firing subwoofer, which delivers deep lows for rich bass you can feel. With 40 watts (RMS) of power, the Z523 system can fill your room with bold, dynamic sound. And in case the neighbors call to complain about the noise, the Z523 system offers convenient on-speaker controls so you can quickly turn down the volume.
If you don’t need the walls to shake but still want good bass, the Logitech Speaker System Z323 is for you. With 30 watts (RMS) of power and a ported, down-firing subwoofer, you’ll have everything you need to create big, bold sound that puts you in the moment.
For your convenience, both the Logitech Z523 and Z323 multimedia speakers include an integrated dual RCA jack and a 3.5 mm jack so you can connect headphones, your Logitech® Squeezebox™ network music player, a gaming console, DVD player or iPod® with ease.
Stereo Speakers: Logitech Speaker System Z520 and Logitech Speaker System Z320
Whether you’re working or rocking out, Logitech’s new stereo multimedia speakers – the Logitech Speaker System Z520 and the Logitech Speaker System Z320 – are stylish and can fill a room with sound when you don’t want to make space for a subwoofer.
The Logitech Speaker System Z520 brings your music, movies and games to life thanks to an amplified two-way design and 26 watts (RMS) of power. The Z520 speakers are loud enough for a small party and detailed enough for subtle tones.
Ideal for laptops, the Logitech Speaker System Z320 can be plugged in wherever you work – and fill your office, or cubicle, with 10 watts (RMS) of sound. When you want to enjoy tunes from your iPod or listen to your headphones privately, simply plug them into the auxiliary jack – you won’t even need to unplug the Z520 or Z320 speaker systems.
Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Speaker System Z320 and Logitech Speaker System Z323 are expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe for a suggested retail price of $69.99 (U.S.) in August and September respectively. The Logitech Speaker System Z523 is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in July for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (U.S.). The Logitech Speaker System Z520 is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in July for a suggested retail price of $129.99 (U.S.).

It seems Japanese papercraft art isn’t limited to Origami or Pellermodels but also has something in store for us gadget fans. Case in point: The Paper Speaker [JP], announced yesterday by Tokyo-based Princeton for use with your PC (or any device sporting a USB port).

Designed like a retro audio device, the speaker will be shipped to you as a DIY cardboard kit. Buyers essentially get a 3W amp and 1W speaker (mono), just housed in a paper box and ready to be plugged into your PC via USB.

Princeton offers the 60g-kit in three different versions (pictured above) for $22 each. As the Paper Speaker is Japan-only, people living outside Nippon will need to ask the Japan Trend Shop or Geek Stuff 4 U to get one for them (Michael Keferl from CScout Japan/the Japan Trend Shop writes about the kit in his blog, too).

If you have a swimming pool then you, my friend, need this little waterproof floating wireless speaker that looks like the thing that pops up out of the muck in the trash compactor in Star Wars. This one doesn’t have a cool robotic eye, though, just “Rich sounding bass. Crisp treble. And no wires.”

While I can almost guarantee that, being a wireless speaker, it does NOT have rich sounding bass, it would be a nice technological accoutrement to have bobbing around in the water during your next swanky pool party.

Your guests will look on in amazement as the same stale Clear Channel-sponsored Top 40 rotation that’s been playing for what seems like eternity seeps out of the speaker, each song sounding exactly like the one before it — a group of guys yelling “Ayyy!” during the chorus of every song and Lady Gaga’s Pokerface playing every hour, on the hour.

But I digress. The “poolPOD Wireless Floating Waterproof Speaker” is on sale at Newegg for $65. It comes with a 900MHz base station, audio cable, and AC adapter.

CABLES UNLIMITED SPK-POOL 900Mhz Wireless Floating Waterproof Speaker [Newegg]

The following is a short play describing Kerchoonz’s K-Box. It’s a device that turns any surface into a speaker.

Setting: The present. A newlywed couple’s dining room. They’re enjoying tea and light snacks. They’re largely happy.

Jennifer: Honey, did you buy those speakers you said you’d buy for the housewarming party? I reminded you last week but I don’t see any new speakers in the house.

Brad: No, Jen, I did not order the speakers. Too expensive for a one-shot deal.

Jennifer: You know I don’t like being called “Jen.” So what, are we not gonna have music at this party? How exactly is that helpful, Brad?

Brad: Whoa, slow down, tiger. I said I didn’t buy speakers, but I never said there wouldn’t be music. I want you to lift your cup.

Jennifer: What?

Brad: Are you hard of hearing now? I said lift your cup.

**Jennifer lifts her cup**

Brad: There’s your speaker.

Jennifer: What, where?

Brad: Right there.

**Brad confidently knocks on the table, like a man who knows he’s about the prove a point**

Brad: You see, Jen, instead of buying piece-of-junk speakers from the Speaker Shack I bought this instead. It’s the K-Box, made by some company called Kerchoonz.

Jennifer: I said I don’t like being called “Jen.” Anyway, I don’t get it.

Brad: Of course you don’t! You see, dear, all you do is plug this device into your iPod then put it on top of the table. That’s it. Then music starts to play “out” of the table, like it’s a speaker.

Jennifer: So the table becomes a speaker?

Brad: That’s right, Jen. I’ll be damned if I can explain how it works beyond that. I’m not a scientist.

Jennifer: You certainly aren’t.

Brad: Listen, do you want to have this party or not? I’ll happily spend my Saturday playing Street Fighter all day, I don’t care. What do I need to talk to the Robertsons and Freedmans all day for?

Jennifer: “All day” he says! We’re just trying to be neighborly is all.

Brad: Here’s my idea of being neighborly: they stay on their side of the fence, and I’ll stay on mine.

Jennifer: Fine fine, be grumpy all the time then. Anyway, will this speaker-thing sound any good?

Brad: Well, the Web site described it as having “high quality audio,” which seems okay to me. And it also says it has bass response of 40-20 Khz—I guess that’s good?

Jennifer: You bought it, not me.

Brad: Yeah, well. It only cost about $60, so it’s not like I broke the bank or anything. (Under his breath: It’s not like I bought another pair of shoes, especially when the only place we go to is either the mall or your sister’s house.)

Jennifer: What was that?

Brad: I said I wonder what’s going on at your sister’s house. Like, will they be able to make it to the party, or are they busy?

Jennifer: Oh, that’s right! I have to remind her to bring that bottle of wine we saw that day.

Brad: Terrific. Just terrific.

Fin.