Digital Channel

When it comes to top-shelf stereo receivers, Yamaha’s new RX-Z11 sets a high bar for feature-rich high definition amplifiers. Sure, it’s got your XM-HD, HD Radio, Dolby True HD, and neural surround. Yeah it’s Made for iPod, XM Ready, and it’s got network connectivity for getting your Windows Media Player on. But those are all just table stakes for modern HD-capable receivers, and the RX-Z11 is a high roller. It’s got support for HDMI 1.3a, and it can upscale video all the way to 1080p, or drop the res down to 480. It’s also the first receiver on the market to use THX Loudness Plus — a back-end audio feature designed to let you play movies at low volumes without sacrificing any surround sound details. (Typically, movies are optimized for theater-level volumes — not living room.) Although we were initially skeptical, this worked quite well, letting us pick up intricate spatial details of our favorite flicks without blowing out our eardrums or making enemies of the new neighbors. [Read the rest of this entry…]

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We want a set of desktop speakers to do two things: look hotter than an Icelandic supermodel and rupture eardrums like a low altitude sonic boom. Trouble is, most 2.1 systems score big in the aesthetics department but cough up a fumble when it comes to serious sound. That was until we got a hold of a set of THX Razer Mako speakers. This 2.1 desktop system is one of the finest we’ve ever laid eyes or ears on. First off, the giant mushroom black matte speakers are gorgeous — they’re striking enough to amp up even the most grayscale office drone cubicle. Plus this unusual design serves an actual purpose. The rounded 100-watt satellites produce what’s called omni directional sound. Unlike traditional speakers that spew audio in one narrow direction, the Mako’s shoot sound waves downwards and outwards in 360 degrees. Result? Audio from your movies, music, and games can be heard from virtually any direction. Especially clear and resonant are high and mid ranges. But it’s at low fidelity where the system runs into a bit of trouble. Bass response is a tad disappointing, especially when considering the sub’s specs: 100 watts with a 120Hz crossover frequency. In an effort to improve low-end thump, we tried moving the woofer onto different surfaces (concrete floor, carpet, hardwood) but it didn’t make much of a difference. Four hundred bills may be a lot to ask for speakers designed to sit atop a desk, but if you’ve got the scratch, there’s nary another 2.1 system that can match the Mako’s performance. Trust us, your ears will thank you — your cube-farm neighbors just might not. —Daniel Dumas

WIRED Easy to install. Easy to set up. Easy to calibrate. Easy listening. Excellent audio performance with diverse separation at mid and high ranges. Gaming performance is exemplary — gunshots and explosions had us ducking for cover. Omni directional sound fills a room up with equally balanced sound.

TIRED Touch sensitive controller is beautiful but often unresponsive and ambiguous. Ho-hum bass performance is a head-scratcher. We want to feel our Barry White, not just hear him.

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Eschewing the one-sound-fits-all headphone paradigm, personal audio newcomer Sleek Audio sets the mark for sound customization and modular design. Created by Mark Krywko, a 30-year veteran of hearing-aid design, these mini concert halls are built around a tiny superwide-band single-armature driver with interchangeable treble tips and bass ports, and they sport a detachable cord.

Straight out of the box the SA6 delivered luscious fidelity. But why stop there? I fiddled with the bass and treble in each ear for a few days. The trial-and-error paid off in spades, yielding a setup that’s cochlea-opening ear candy.

Like most of the expensive in-ears there’s plenty of power in these baby rockers, but the biggest revelation was hearing the subtleties in the music. From crackling guitar riffs to concert-hall classical and Sinatra standards the SA6 delivered an incredibly pleasing depth and range.

Not merely content to sound smart, Sleek Audio is looking after your audio investment and the future. They’ve integrated a detachable cord with an adjustable bolo that takes the big stress out of damaged, frayed or torn connections and paves the way for wireless. Accidentally snap, stretch or snip your cord, and you needn’t gouge your eyes out for ruining hundreds of dollars worth of sound. Just drop $25 and you’re back in business.

Plus, how ’bout the “no cord” option? Krywko and his henchmen are in the midst of cooking up Bluetooth functionality that’ll let you go 100 percent Lt. Ohura on the rest of the world. - Jackson Lynch

WIRED Amazing, tunable sound. Wonderfully comfortable fit from the tapered flange ear tips. Hang down or over-the ear cord routing. $25 replacement cords now, and colored cords on the way.

TIRED Spare ports and tips could go missing pretty easily.

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Brandon Holland has finally released his Skype plugin for the Apple TV, a hack that has been in the works for some time. The plugin packages an Apple TV friendly interface with the Mac OS X Skype application, allowing you to make calls, set up account preferences and the like. Available for download now as a beta, and destined to break when Apple finally ships the Apple TV Take 2 update.

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Apple is famous for its packaging, and rightly so. The company seems to put as much thought into the box as it does the product inside. But was it always this way? Almost. Dan Budiac picked up a mint Apple IIc on Ebay. The box was still sealed, but he went ahead and opened it anyway, and posted the resulting unboxing photos on Flickr.

Most notable are the stickers. Apple shipped its computers with Apple stickers in the box back in the 80s, just like it does today. Only then, they were a lot more colorful.

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