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If you consider yourself a mobile creator and you’re not using some sort of dedicated microphone, you might be holding yourself back. We’re not judging, but your audience likely is. Audio, especially dialog, is often overlooked, but if you want true, high-quality content, you need good sound. There are many, many options for the home or office/studio, but there are a surprising amount of mobile-specific (or at least, mobile-friendly) solutions out there to elevate your on-the-go recordings be that for social, a jam session, live streaming, making movies, podcasting and beyond.
What “the best mic for your iPhone or Android” is will vary depending on the task you need it for. If you want to record a TikTok or a podcast or even a jam session, all have slightly different needs but the selection below covers most bases (and maybe even a few you didn’t think of yet) for recording high-quality sound with little more than a mobile phone.
This guide is all about recording on the go, free from the constraints of a studio or office, but also far away from luxuries like power outlets, acoustically friendly rooms and a full-size PC. As such there are two styles of microphone that really shine here: Lavalier (lapel) and shotgun. We’ll be covering a few other types, too, but between those, most tasks are covered.
We’ll also show you how you can use the USB mics you may already have with your phone and even ways to connect heavy-duty studio classics (XLR) to your humble handset, but all that will be through accessories. For now, let’s start with the classic clip mics.
The obvious benefit of a lapel mic is size. Their small profile makes them perfect for presenting to the camera with the flexibility to move around while maintaining consistent audio quality. If you’re a budding TikTok or YouTube creator it’s definitely worth having one of these in your bag.
The main trade-off, however, is that they’re only good for recording the person they’re attached to. If you have two people talking and only one is wearing the mic, you’ll only get good audio for one half of the conversation, so for multi-person recordings you’ll need a mic for each guest and a way to record them at the same time, so costs can go up quickly.
Fortunately, lapel mics have become a very competitive market with good, viable options costing as little as $14.95. For an absolute bargain with a long cord and some connectivity accessories, the Boya BY M1 is hard to argue with. But, while these budget choices are great value, if you want something that should either last longer, is more versatile or just sounds better it’s worth paying a little bit more.
Rode’s Lavalier II is a slick-looking low-profile lavalier that sounds great. At $99, it’s somewhere in the sweet spot between budget and higher-end clip-on options. It’s easy to recommend the Lavalier II just on its sound alone, but it comes with a rugged case and a good selection of accessories. For even more flexibility you can pair this with Rode’s AI Micro interface ($79) which provides easy connection to an iPhone or Android (or even PCs) and adds support for a second mic – perfect for recording podcasts or interviews.
At $60, Sennheiser’s XS (USB-C) lav mic is fairly affordable, sounds great and plugs right into your phone (or laptop) without needing an adapter. This not only makes it convenient but reduces the overall cost as you don’t need a headphone adapter for your phone. What’s more, the XS has a 2-meter long cable which gives you plenty of scope for movement or framing.
Recently there has been an explosion in mobile-friendly wireless systems but there are two we really like. The first is Rode’s Wireless GO II. Arguably the original defined this category, but the second generation improves on it with two wireless transmitters making this podcast and interview friendly. This wireless microphone is also incredibly versatile as it doubles as a standalone recorder, can be mounted in a camera cold shoe and even has its own “reporter” mic adapter. Oh, and you can make any 3.5mm mic (including the lavaliers above) wireless by plugging it into one of the receivers.
The second is the Mikme Pocket. This Austrian-designed pack is a high-end wireless lavalier microphone system designed to be particularly mobile-friendly. There’s a comprehensive app for both video and audio recording and internal storage so you won’t ever experience dropouts. It also means you can enjoy a practically infinite range. At $399 it’s a higher spend, but if high-quality audio and near-infinite range are what you need then this is the one.
So we’ve already touched on this with the AI Micro, which is an adapter of sorts. One of the first things you might bump up against when dealing with mobile audio accessories is TRRS vs TRS connectors. Simply put, 3.5mm TRS is what you might know as the age-old classic headphone connector while TRRS became common for its support for headsets and inline mics. You can easily tell them apart as TRS connectors have two black bands on them while a TRRS has three.
For you, the budding creator, it can be a bit of an annoyance as many 3.5mm lavaliers are going to be TRS and won’t work when plugged into your phone’s headphone adapter. Sometimes your lavalier might include what you need in the box, but otherwise, you’ll want to pick up a TRS to TRRS adapter like this. Of course, some smartphone-specific mics have TRRS connectors already – for those, you’ll want a cable that goes the other way should you want to use it with other devices like a DSLR.
You may be more familiar with shotgun mics when it comes to video recording. It’s the style of microphone most often found atop a DSLR or mirrorless camera, but they make great companions for other portable devices too, your cell phone included.
The benefit of a shotgun is that they tend to be highly directional, which makes them perfect for podcasts, recording instruments, foley sounds and much, much more.
For us mobile recordists, another benefit is that they tend to be light and portable, perfect for slipping into a backpack or even a laptop bag. Even better, there are some great mobile-specific options.
You shouldn’t buy a mic just because of how it looks, but the MKE 400 from Sennheiser ($200) definitely makes its rivals look wimpy. More important than aesthetics, though, is how it sounds and the MKE 400 records very cleanly without obvious coloration to the audio. What’s more, the battery-powered mic won’t steal power from your phone or camera, and with three gain levels to choose from you can boost things when needed, or avoid clipping on louder subjects. The MKE 400 also comes with both TRS and TRRS cables for compatibility with a variety of devices.
The MKE 400’s physical gain controls and high pass filter (unlike the other two below that are updated via an app) take the stress out of worrying if your audio source moves or changes volume as you can adjust that on the fly. If you’re a musician looking to record loud drums and then softer vocals on the move, for example, these tactile gain settings are a massive plus.
When we tested the VideoMic GO II we were surprised at just how good it sounded right out of the box. At $100 it rivals many desktop microphones that cost three times the price. You’ll need a companion app to change settings, otherwise this performs well across the board.
Not to be confused with the older MV88 that plugged directly into a Lightning port, the MV88+ is a mini shotgun mic made with the smartphone in mind. Often sold as a vlogging kit ($249) with a tripod and phone grip, the MV88+ has modular cables for connecting directly to Androids and iPhones.
Mobile-specific mics are great, but there’s nothing stopping you from using your phone mic or another you might already have (if it’s somewhat portable). You’ll definitely need to do a little dance with some adapters, but that’s half the fun. Below are a couple of recommendations for “regular” microphones that pair well with a phone and then the cables and adapters that you’ll need to get setup.
Arguably, there are few microphones that are could be described as "mobile-friendly" than the HypeMic from Apogee. While it looks like a regular handheld mic, it's actually deceivingly small, making it very light and portable. It also comes with cables to directly connect it to iPhones and Android handsets — no adapters needed. Don't let the small size deceive you though, the HypeMic has a big trick up its sleeve: a built-in analog compressor for professional-sounding vocals. Whether you record podcasts, vocals or instruments there's a setting on the HypeMic just for you. At $349 it's a little on the spendy side, but you get a very versatile device that's just as useful for the desktop too.
This dynamic mic is a favorite with podcasters, with many production companies using it as their standard mic to send out to remote guests thanks to its excellent quality to value performance. The Q2U features both USB and XLR connectivity making it versatile for both desktop and mobile applications, but it’s the former we’re interested in here as that’s what allows you to connect it to your phone with nothing more than a USB cable and an adapter (see below).
What’s more, the Q2U is solid enough to endure a little bit of rough and tumble, so will happily live in the bottom of your backpack ready for when you need it. Meanwhile, the handheld design is versatile enough it can turn its hand to singing/instruments, podcasts, interviews and more.
You may not be familiar with the name, but Tula snuck into our hearts with its versatile, vintage inspired debut microphone. From a mobile perspective, the Tula connects to Androids directly over USB-C or iPhones with the right USB-C to Lightning cable (more on this below) or a USB “camera kit” adapter. What makes the Tula special is that it’s also a desktop mic and portable recorder with lavalier input and 8GB of storage and even features noise cancellation – perfect for cutting down on outside background sounds. With the Tula you could theoretically have one mic for home, mobile and standalone recording.
If you already have a stash of XLR mics or really do need a studio condenser mic with phantom power then the iRig Pre 2 is a portable interface that will feed any XLR mic into your phone. It runs off two AA batteries which it uses to supply phantom power when needed and won’t drain your phone. There’s also a headphone port for monitoring, gain controls and LEDs to help prevent clipping.
Connecting USB microphones directly to phones is rarely as simple as just one cable, although that’s starting to become more common. In general, Android makes this simpler, but also, thanks to the wide range of manufacturers and software versions you can’t always guarantee things will work smoothly.
The iPhone is a whole other situation. USB microphones have a good chance of working via the USB camera kit we mentioned earlier, but that’s still inelegant sometimes. Frustratingly, some USB-C to Lightning cables will play nice with microphones, but sadly most will not – including Apple’s own. One confirmed option is this cable from Fiio or this generic alternative. These are inexpensive enough that it’s worth having a couple around if you work with audio a lot (they of course can also be used to charge your phone as a bonus).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-mobile-microphones-for-recording-with-a-phone-154536629.html?src=rss
The best microphones for iPhones and Android
A phone surrounded by microphones that are particularly suited to recording on the go.
The last time math performance was this low for 13-year-olds was in 1990.
Maggie Tokuda-Hall declined Scholastic’s offer to license her book, “Love in the Library,” on the condition that she edit her author’s note to remove a description of past and present instances of racism.
The dip in civics performance was the first decline since the test began being administered in the late 1990s.
Digital dilemmas: feminism, ethics, and the cultural implications of AI [podcast]
Skynet. HAL 9000. Ultron. The Matrix. Fictional depictions of artificial intelligences have played a major role in Western pop culture for decades. While nowhere near that nefarious or powerful, real AI has been making incredible strides and, in 2023, has been a big topic of conversation in the news with the rapid development of new technologies, the use of AI generated images, and AI chatbots such as ChatGPT becoming freely accessible to the general public.
On today’s episode, we welcomed Dr Kerry McInerney and Dr Eleanor Drage, editors of Feminist AI: Critical Perspectives on Data, Algorithms and Intelligent Machines, and then Dr Kanta Dihal, co-editor of Imagining AI: How the World Sees Intelligent Machines, to discuss how AI can be influenced by culture, feminism, and Western narratives defined by popular TV shows and films. Should AI be accessible to all? How does gender influence the way AI is made? And most importantly, what are the hopes and fears for the future of AI?
Check out Episode 82 of The Oxford Comment and subscribe to The Oxford Comment podcast through your favourite podcast app to listen to the latest insights from our expert authors.
Look out for Feminist AI: Critical Perspectives on Algorithms, Data, and Intelligent Machines, edited by Jude Browne, Stephen Cave, Eleanor Drage, and Kerry McInerney, which publishes in the UK in August 2023 and in the US in October 2023.
If you want to hear more from Dr Eleanor Drage and Dr Kerry McInerney, you can listen to their podcast: The Good Robot Podcast on Gender, Feminism and Technology.
In May 2023, the Open Access title, Imagining AI: How the World Sees Intelligent Machines, edited by Stephen Cave and Kanta Dihal publishes in the UK; it publishes in the US in July 2023.
You may also be interested in AI Narratives: A History of Imaginative Thinking about Intelligent Machines, edited by Stephen Cave, Kanta Dihal, and Sarah Dillon, which looks both at classic AI to the modern age, and contemporary narratives.
You can read the following two chapters from AI Narratives for free until 31 May:
Other relevant book titles include:
You may also be interested in the following journal articles:
Featured image: ChatGPT homepage by Jonathan Kemper, CC0 via Unsplash.
It's no secret that the built-in speakers in most TVs are trash. They don't project enough sound out to the front so you can hear well — especially subtle details. Thankfully, you don't have to splurge for a five-speaker (or more) surround-sound system to fix the problem. In most living rooms, a single soundbar and maybe a subwoofer will suffice. To help guide your shopping spree, we've compiled a list of everything to look for when searching for the best soundbar for you, along with a list of the top picks for a range of budgets.
When it comes to features, the more you pay the more you're going to get. Most affordable options ($150 or less) will improve your television's audio, but that's about it. Step into the $300 to $400 range and you'll find a smart soundbar with things like built-in voice control, wireless connectivity, Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They're all helpful when you want to avoid looking for the remote control, but the best sound quality is usually only in the top tier and the formats those premium devices support. I’m talking about things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-resolution audio standards. These are what you'll want to look for if truly immersive sound is what you crave for your living room setup. And not all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you'll need to look at the finer details carefully before you break into the savings account.
This is a big one. A lot of the more affordable soundbars have limited options when it comes to connectivity. They either offer an optical port or one HDMI jack and, if you're lucky, both. Things get slightly better in the mid-range section, but that's not always the case. The Sonos Beam, for example, is $449, but only has a single HDMI port. If you want to connect your set-top box, gaming console and more directly to your soundbar for the best possible audio, you'll likely want to look for an option with at least two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are essential for things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-res and immersive audio formats. And with the HDMI 2.1 spec, soundbars can support HDR, 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to make these speaker systems an even better companion for a game console.
Another big thing you’ll want to pay attention to is channels. That’s the 2.1, 7.1.2 or other decimal number that companies include in product descriptions. The first figure corresponds to the number of channels. A two would just be left and right while a more robust Atmos system, especially one with rear satellite speakers, could be five or seven (left, right, center and upward). The second number refers to the subwoofer, so if your new soundbar comes with one or has them built in, you’ll see a one here. The third numeral is up-firing speakers, important for the immersive effect of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled units have them, but if they do, the third number will tell you how many are in play.
Most soundbars these days offer either Bluetooth, WiFi or both. When it comes to WiFi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice control (either built-in or with a separate device), Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Depending on your preferences, you might be able to live without some of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are essentials, but the rest I can live without. Those two give me the ability to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps without having to settle for — or struggle with — a Bluetooth connection.
This one might seem obvious but humor me for a minute. Nothing is more soul-crushing than getting a pricey soundbar in your living room only to discover you have to rearrange everything to find a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Yes, that speaker is absurdly large (and heavy), and most soundbars aren't nearly as big. I learned a valuable lesson: Make sure the space where you want to put a soundbar will accommodate the thing you're about to spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on.
Basically, it all comes down to the TV you have (or are planning to get) and what the primary goal is for your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Do you want the best possible sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you just want to be able to actually hear your TV better? Or do you want to turn your living room into an immersive home theater system with surround sound?
By paying attention to each of those areas, you should have a good idea of what to look for in a soundbar, soundbar/sub combo or a more robust setup. With that said, we've put numerous products through their paces at Engadget and have a few favorites for best soundbar at various price points to get you started.
Sony has a long track record of excellent high-end soundbars and its latest is another great-sounding product. The A7000 is a robust Dolby Atmos soundbar, capable of immersive 7.1.2 audio thanks to Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Field Optimization, vertical surround technology and S-Force Pro front surround. There’s a lot of tech at work here, and I haven’t even mentioned 360 Reality Audio or DSEE Extreme upscaling, both handy when it comes to listening to music. Speaking of audio, you’ll have the option of using Chromecast, Spotify Connect or Apple AirPlay 2 to send your tunes to the A7000.
Two HDMI eARC inputs mean you can hook up multiple streaming boxes or gaming consoles. And thanks to HDMI 2.1 support, you can expect 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to your television, so the A7000 is a great option for gamers. This soundbar is expensive at $1,198 and it doesn’t come with a separate subwoofer (though it does have one built in). However, Sony does give you multiple options for both a sub and rear satellite speakers. The SA-SW3 sub is $298 while the SA-SW5 is $699. For rear speakers, the SA-RS3S is $350 while the truly wireless (and much better looking) SA-RS5 set is $598. If you’re looking to save some money on the soundbar itself, Sony offers the HT-A5000 for $999 (although we’ve seen it on sale for $798 recently). It packs nearly all of the same bells and whistles as the A7000, only in a 5.1.2-channel configuration.
The top end of Sonos’ home theater lineup was well overdue for a refresh by the time the company introduced the Arc in 2020. This unit replaced the Playbar that debuted in 2013, offering directional sound via Dolby Atmos support as the main upgrade. The Arc sports a more modern design, stellar sound quality and all of Sonos’ smarts – including the ability to automatically calibrate to your living room and when you add more speakers.
The $899 price doesn’t include a sub, but the Playbar didn’t come with one either. And sadly, Sonos doesn’t include a second HDMI jack for directly connecting devices other than your TV. As is typically the case with the company’s wares, expansion gets expensive quickly as the wireless sub is $749 and satellite One speakers are $219 each. However, the combination of the Arc and a sub will get you pretty far sound-wise, even if they are separate purchases. Plus, the smaller and more affordable Sub Mini works well with the company’s most premium soundbar, and it clocks in at $429.
Bowers & Wilkins introduced its first Dolby Atmos soundbar back in March, filling a void in the company’s existing home theater lineup. The Panorama 3 has a 3.1.2-channel configuration, but it packs 13 total speakers – including two subwoofers – and 400 watts of sonic power. For that reason, the company doesn’t think you’ll need a dedicated sub. Indeed, the Panorama 3 does offer ample bass, but it’s not nearly on the level as a standalone unit. This smart soundbar does have a low-profile, refined design alongside voice capabilities, “hidden until lit” touch controls and support for aptX Adaptive, Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. Most importantly, it’s currently available for $200 less than the original MSRP at $799.
Solid sound quality? Check. Dolby Atmos? Yep. Compact and easy to set up? Uh huh. Compatible with other Sonos products for a more robust system? You betcha. The first-gen Sonos Beam has been one of our favorites since it arrived in 2018, but there was one thing it didn’t have: Dolby Atmos. That was the big addition to the 2021 model, though it’s a bit limited since the Beam doesn’t have any upward-firing speakers. Sonos manages to make things seem more directional by tweaking audio timing and frequency instead of adding more drivers. The new Beam still only has the one HDMI port which means you won’t be connecting a gaming console or set-top box directly to this. It also means that if you have an older TV with an optical jack, you’ll need an adapter.
Samsung’s mid-range Q700B will cost you $700, but it comes with a bundled subwoofer. This model also supports wireless Dolby Atmos connectivity with the latest Samsung smart TVs over WiFi and the 3.1.2-channel configuration includes up-firing speakers for proper immersive sound. The Q700B supports Q-Symphony which allows you to use both the soundbar and your TV speakers for a more robust surround sound setup on some 2021 and 2022 Samsung TVs. SpaceFit Sound automatically calibrates the soundbar/sub combo to a room, Adaptive Sound optimizes audio for specific content types and Tap Sound allows you to send tunes from a Samsung phone to the Q700B with a simple tap. HDMI eARC connectivity is here as well, and so is voice control, AirPlay, Chromecast and a gaming-specific audio mode.
Sonos’ latest soundbar may be its most affordable to date, but at $279, it’s not exactly a budget pick. Especially when you consider there are cheaper options that come with a subwoofer. Still, the compact design doesn’t command a lot of space in front of your TV or on your TV stand, making it a great option for smaller living spaces. The Ray is easy to set up and provides great sound quality for both TV and music. There are some trade-offs when it comes to the immersive nature of the audio, but it’s a good option for upgrading your TV sound with minimal fuss.
If you’re looking for a way to improve your TV sound on a budget, Vizio has some solid options. With the V21t-J8, you get a 2.1-channel setup in a compact soundbar and 4.5-inch wireless sub combo for $160. This would be a great choice if you don’t want your add-on TV speaker to take up a lot of space. There’s no WiFi connectivity, but that’s really the only sacrifice when it comes to the basics. HDMI ARC/eARC and optical connections link to your television while a 3.5mm aux jack and Bluetooth allow you to play music from your phone or another device. DTS Virtual:X compatibility offers some of the effect of surround sound without a bigger unit or additional speakers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-soundbars-143041791.html?src=rss
Does the author-read audiobook offer a perfect confluence between person, authorial persona, voice, and aesthetic form?
The post Finding Your “Voice”: Author-Read Audiobooks appeared first on Public Books.
Richard D. Kahlenberg, whose hero is Robert Kennedy, wants to build a multiracial progressive coalition.
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Cory Doctorow just launched a Kickstarter campaign to create a self-produced audiobook of his new book, Red Team Blues. It's a high-tech heist novel — the first in a new trilogy — about a Marty Hench, a middle-aged forensic accountant on the hunt to find his buddy's missing cryptography key before any number of crime syndicates, shady Silicon Valley financiers, or Intelligence Community Alphabet Boys catch on. — Read the rest
My audiobook trilogy is on sale through Apple: all 3 books for $5!!!
It’s a… steal.
A current first grade history lesson in use in Florida.
Apple's Beats Fit Pro wireless earbuds are a good option for folks who dislike the fit of regular AirPods, but don't want to pay the price for AirPods Pro. If you've been waiting for a deal on them, now's the time to act because they're back on sale at an all time low price of $145 (28 percent off) at Woot.
Buy Beats Fit Pro at Woot - $145The Beats Fit Pro scored a solid 87 Engadget review score based on their excellent ANC performance, good sound quality and comfort. For the latter, the "fit wing" tip can bend to a wide range of ear shapes while keeping the buds firmly in place. They also offer physical buttons to answer calls, control volume, play/pause music and skip tracks.
The sound quality is "balanced and powerful" with punchy bass as you'd expect with Beats earphones, while also offering great clarity. They support Apple's spatial audio, giving you the ability to listen to Dolby Atmos Music content in Apple Music, or TV/movies on Apple TV. They also have Adaptive EQ that adjusts low- and mid-range frequencies depending on ambient sound to keep audio quality consistent. The ANC is powered by Apple's H1 chip and does a good job of blocking distractions.
The main downside is the $200 price, double that of the regular AirPods, but at $145, they're one of the cheaper wireless ANC earbuds from a major brand. Bear in mind that while Woot is owned by Amazon, it doesn't have the same return policy. If you do want a pair of 2nd-gen Apple AirPods Pro wireless ANC earphones, those are still on sale for $200 at Amazon.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beats-fit-pro-anc-headphones-fall-back-to-an-all-time-low-of-145-090305318.html?src=rss
Beats Fit Pro ANC headphones fall back to an all-time low of $145
Beats Fit Pro ANC headphones fall back to an all-time low of $145
Clarion University in Pennsylvania, now part of PennWest. Its student body has dwindled by nearly half since 2009.
The University of Pennsylvania law school has been roiled by the statements of a law professor.
If you happened upon the new Sonos Era 300 straight on you might be inclined to shrug, albeit approvingly. Viewed head on, the newly announced Era 300 looks very much the part of the Sonos audio speaker family, down to the typographic palindrome logo and its characteristically perfectly perforated minimalist oblong profile. But veer just a little to the left, right, or from any angle really, and things get a little… different. You’ll then notice the Era 300 looks nothing like any other Sonos product before it, and there’s a good reason behind this unusual hourglass design.
“The Sonos Era 300 is a ‘blank sheet of paper’ design,” explains Dana Krieger, VP of hardware design at Sonos when asked about the cinched form during a video call with Design Milk. “There are six transducers positioned around the product: one facing forward, two tweeters on the left and right, two woofers on each side, and one in the center aimed upward.”
At its core the Era 300’s form is conceived to direct sound not just optimally toward the listener from the front and sides, but also audibly from above, with an up-firing tweeter engineered to produce engaging and immersive spatial playback.
The Era 300 also features a newly designed capacitive volume slider with a subtle shallow channel that intuitively communicates, “Slide your finger here.”
The Era 300 is joined by the release of a smaller Era 100, “a remastering of the best-selling
Sonos One.”
“According to our audio team, the optimal position is somewhere between zero and 20 degrees off the vertical axis,” says Krieger, “And this design positions that [center-top] transducer right at 10º. So taking that 10º angle and wrapping it all around the product puts each of those six transducers in their best location for a spatial experience.”
The Era 300’s design may be configured for the best spatial experience, but it’s safe to say its design may prove aesthetically divisive, an issue the Sonos brand has generally been able to avoid because its existing lineup is so tastefully minimalist. Primarily made up of extruded cylindrical forms that have proven time and time again supremely adaptable to most any room setting, the Era 300 is very much that same signature Sonos form, but with a cinched center that hits a bit different.
Where the Sonos Era 300’s immersive capabilities become a most intriguing proposition is when paired with the Sonos Arc and Sonos Sub. We plan to report about the Era 300’s spatial and Dolby Atmos performance in the coming weeks to determine whether a pinch of new design proves a good thing for the Sonos brand.
Sonos is betting brand devotees and new customers will become quickly acclimated to the divergence in design, instead focusing more upon the wow-factor delivered via the speaker’s spatial audio performance, a proposition that becomes even more interesting and convincing when two Era 300s are configured into a multi-channel Dolby Atmos surround sound rear setup. Paired alongside the brand’s Arc or Beam sound bar and Sub, this twice-as-nice configuration should conjure a convincingly immersive aural realm in 360 degrees from above and around where other up-firing speakers can only half-heartedly perform.
The Era 300 and Era 100 will be available globally starting on March 28, 2023 for $449 and $249, with each listed for pre-order today at Sonos.com.
This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!
You won't have to buy a HomePod to listen to Apple Music spatial audio in your living room. Sonos has confirmed that its speakers will support Apple Music's Dolby Atmos playback from March 28th. You won't need the new Era 300 to experience the more immersive format, either. Sonos also says the Arc and second-gen Beam soundbars will also handle spatial audio tracks.
Play-series speakers and older Sonos soundbars unsurprisingly won't support spatial audio as they were built around conventional stereo and surround output. You'll need to upgrade if you want the grander audio experience, unfortunately.
The news makes the Era 300 considerably more appealing. Before today, Sonos was only committed to supporting spatial audio through Amazon Music Unlimited. This effectively doubles the potential audience. Statista notes that Amazon had 13.3 percent market share in the second quarter of last year, while Apple Music had 13.7 percent. Unless you're a Spotify die-hard (where spatial audio isn't really an option as we write this), there's a real chance you can try this feature yourself.
It's not certain if other speaker brands will support Apple Music spatial audio. We've asked Apple for comment. For now, though, this gives Sonos an edge over competitors that might not offer Atmos music at any price point. Whether or not it fares well against Apple's own hardware is another matter. If you're looking for spatial audio support at the lowest price possible, the $299 HomePod is decidedly more affordable than the $450 Era 300. We won't be surprised if the Sonos model sounds better, but it also represents a larger investment.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-speakers-will-support-apple-music-spatial-audio-starting-march-28th-161505844.html?src=rss
Sonos Era 300 speaker
Sonos Era 300 speaker
For the last few years Sonos has focused most of its efforts on two categories: portable speakers, like the Move and Roam; and home theater products like the affordable Ray and more extravagant, Atmos-capable Arc soundbars. The company’s main pair of music-focused speakers, the One and Five, still sound great but are getting a little long in the tooth.
That changes today with two new options: the Era 100 and Era 300. The $250 Era 100 is a totally redesigned replacement for the One with a number of improvements over its predecessor, while the $450 Era 300 is the first Sonos speaker capable of playing spatial audio. As with most Sonos speakers, you can use a pair of either of them in stereo or as rear surround speakers in a home theater setup. If you have the Sonos Arc or gen-2 Beam and Sub, adding a pair of Era 300s as your rear surrounds gives you a wild 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos experience. (If you’re willing to spend roughly $2,600 for that setup, anyway).
The Era 300 looks unlike any speaker Sonos has released before, though it still has the company’s familiar clean design language. Its somewhat unusual knocked-over hourglass shape is largely functional: it allows for the upward-facing tweeter to fire at a slight but specific angle, which the company says will deliver more room-filling reflections for spatial audio. There are three more tweeters: one dead-center and forward-firing as well as two pointing left and right. Finally, a pair of woofers on either side of the speaker provide plenty of bass.
The Era 100, on the other hand, is more obviously a tweak to the Sonos One, itself acoustically identical to the Sonos Play:1 that was released all the way back in 2013. Put another way, an upgrade was long past due. The Era 100 features a pair of tweeters for left and right stereo channels in a single speaker, as well as a woofer that’s 25 percent larger than the One’s. It may not have the spatial audio capabilities of the Era 300, but it’s still a significant update to its predecessor.
Despite the very different price points and capabilities, both of these speakers have a lot in common. Both feature USB-C ports that let you plug in a turntable or other audio equipment with an optional line-in adapter. More significantly, they both also include Bluetooth, the first time Sonos has put the feature in a non-portable speaker. They also have a redesigned set of touch controls on top – instead of taping on either side of the play / pause button to adjust volume, there’s now a little ridge you can swipe your finger across as well as dedicated forward and back buttons. Sonos also included a physical switch to disconnect the microphones. This actually cuts the connection to the mic for additional security, rather than just muting it via software.
Both the Era 100 and Era 300 also can use those microphones for Trueplay tuning, which optimizes audio for where you place the speakers in your living space. Previously, Trueplay required an iOS device; its microphone was used to listen for optimizing the sound. If you used Android, you were unfortunately out of luck. But even though Sonos has been putting microphones in its speakers for years now, you couldn’t use them for Trueplay. This new feature means a lot more people will likely take advantage of the feature – that’s good news, because Trueplay does make a big difference.
I got a chance to listen to both speakers in a variety of configurations at a Sonos press event last month, and they both unsurprisingly sounded great – but that was in a carefully arranged environment that Sonos had total control over. Obviously, we’ll need to review these speakers to see how they perform in the real world, but I was impressed by the short demo I got. The Era 100 doesn’t sound totally different from the One, but the larger woofer definitely gives it more bass presence. The two tweeters don’t give it true stereo separation, since they’re so close to each other, but they definitely provide more clarity in the high ranges than you hear in the One.
The Era 300, however, sounds quite a bit different. Sonos first showed us its chops playing back standard audio, and it has significantly more volume, bass and presence than the Era 100. Not a shock, considering it costs $200 more and has twice as many drivers. We then got to hear how the single speaker did at playing back spatial audio tracks. They didn’t sound radically different, but did less like they were coming from a single point in a room; instead, the audio was more balanced and enveloping. Of the few songs we got to hear, “A Concert Six Months From Now” by Finneas was the most impressive. His multi-layered focals felt like they were coming at me from multiple angles, but it didn’t feel like a gimmick – it was just a more immersive and more intimate presentation.
Regardless of the competition, Sonos clearly sees spatial audio as the future of music playback. The company said there’s major interest in the format from artists and producers, and claimed that the Era 300 will be the best way to hear the details of spatial audio mixes without needing a room full of audio gear. Of course, there’s only so much we can expect from a single speaker, no matter how advanced its driver array is. So far, Amazon and Apple are the two services that are compatible with the Era 300 for spatial music, though you'd have to imagine Spotify, YouTube Music and others will likely start offering spatial audio sooner than later.
Of course, the Era 300 also is an extremely capable speaker even when playing back stereo mixes. As with the outstanding but expensive Sonos Five speaker, the Era 300 will probably be a more niche product in the company’s lineup. But if the spatial audio wave is about to crest, it makes sense for Sonos to be ready for it rather than play catch-up.
Update, 10:15AM ET: This story was updated to note that Sonos just announced the availability of Apple Music spatial audio in addition to Amazon Music Unlimited support.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-is-betting-big-on-spatial-audio-with-the-450-era-300-speaker-140041530.html?src=rss
Sonos Era 300
The new Sonos Era 300 speaker, the company's first to play back music in the Dolby Atmos format.
The original La Boite concept LX Turntable presented itself as a handsome all-in-one audio system, combining speaker, turntable, and amp onto a furniture-like stand that looked closer to a desk than hi-fi system. Spiritually, its integrated componentry shares the lineage of vintage stereos systems designed to become part of the home decor, rather than impose itself upon the rest of the home. To take this presence further, the hi-fi technologists La Boite concept have paired with textile house Lelièvre Paris for Maison&Objet, in creation of a special edition LX Turntable covered with two fabric options exuding a quintessentially French sense of style and drama.
Available in two fabric sheathed options, the first is the Hera, fabric in a graphic two-tone geometric pattern with rosewood intended to evoke a labyrinth (fans of the show Twin Peaks may be reminded of another mysterious destination).
The second is one sheathed in the Riga fabric, a sporty and chunky dark green corduroy. The dense and supple pile calls out to be touched; fortunately, the fabric itself is “extremely resistant” in texture to endure such temptations.
The Lelièvre fabric-covered turntable itself features a carbon arm tipped with an Ortofon OM10 cartridge, engineered on an integrated anti-vibration board with shock absorbers for optimal stability and to minimize distortion.
Onto the audio system itself: the LX Turntable Special Edition continues to present itself as an audio system designed for those obsessed with details beyond technological specs, a minimalist 4.1 audio system where nary a cable can be found. The desk style design comprises a floating plywood turntable sitting upon an all-black front base with black stained solid beech legs.
Outfitted with two front-firing speakers, two rears placed at the top-back surface, and a woofer, each channel is powered by its own Class D amp; all five channels are rated for a total power of 285 W (1 x 90 watts + 2 x 25 watts + 2 x 20W) – plenty to inhabit a large room with a lively sound.
The entire system is engineered to be a self-contained solution, but can also pair with other traditional and digital sources, including laptops, tablets, CD players, and other wireless protocols via Bluetooth Apt-X, Sonos, Apple Airplay USB, and Google Chromecast. But at nearly $5,000, the Lelièvre Special Edition Concept LX Turntable is every bit a statement piece, intended just as much to be seen as heard.
Photos by ©Mario Simon Lafleur.
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