Audio Visual Gear

Hisense Has Sharp New Televisions, Projectors, and Soundbars in Store for 2022

If there’s one thing we’ve learned after a prolonged pandemic, it’s the increased importance of a good television in our everyday lives. Well, hopefully, we’ve also learned the importance of washing hands regularly, but two years of binge-watching has definitely led to a new love for the glowing box that streams the world to our living rooms. If you think it’s time to improve your setup, Hisense has you covered with some amazing new announcements at CES 2022.

News

Lovesac Sactionals StealthTech Sound + Charge System Brings Invisible and Immersive Harman Kardon Sound to Your Home Theater

When you think of home theater set-ups, you usually picture a soundbar under the TV with speakers and a subwoofer set up around the room. That all changes with the Lovesac Sactionals StealthTech Sound + Charge System, which puts the home theater audio components inside your sofa, for a deep and immersive Harman Kardon sound experience that you can feel and hear but don’t see.

Reviews, Outdoors

iLive Indoor/Outdoor Dual Bluetooth Speakers Review: Small Speakers That Offer Great Sound Anywhere

I don’t have a huge living space, so I’ve never bothered with surround sound or big speakers. Still, sometimes you just want to enjoy music in a 360-degree experience, so I was very excited to check out the iLive Indoor/Outdoor Dual Bluetooth Speakers. How did they handle my space? Read on to find out!

News

Shure MV7X Podcast and MV88+ Stereo USB Microphones: Perfect for Content Creators

Shure makes some of the best microphones on the market, and their portfolio just got a bit bigger. They’ve just introduced two new microphones, the Shure MV7X Podcast Microphone and the Shure MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone. Each serves a different kind of creative and, if past experience with Shure microphones holds as I expect it will, both will be awesome.

Gear Bits, Music Diary

Fender x MoFi PrecisionDeck Turntable Combines Fender Style with MoFi Sound

With the resurgence of vinyl as a popular audio medium, so too are the devices to play those records. Amazing sound mixed with classic style is always a great thing. Fender has announced a partnership with Mobile Fidelity Electronics (MoFi), the legendary foremost audio technology company, to offer the Fender x Mofi PrecisionDeck Turntable to play your favorite recordings.

News

Roku Rolls Out Big Software Updates and New Hardware Just in Time for Fall TV

Roku is an incredible company in many ways. They’re not Amazon, Apple, or Google, yet they’re the heavyweight in the streaming world because they’re a neutral party. They don’t care what you watch, but they do care deeply that your experience finding and enjoying what you watch is the best one possible. And they want to keep that exacting standard with new OS updates and hardware for your fall viewing enjoyment!

Gear Bits

LG XBOOM 360 Combines Sound and Light in a Sleek Speaker That Will Look Great Everywhere

Need a classy-looking portable speaker that can also function as a light? Take a look at the LG XBOOM 360. Made to radiate sound in all directions for up to 10 hours when on battery power, the LG XBOOM 360 is one of the more sleek and stylish portable speakers we’ve seen. Inside the LG XBOOM 360’s conical-cylindrical body, there is a 5.25″ glass fiber woofer and a 1″ titanium horn tweeter; LG says that the reflector structure of the tweeter and woofer will deliver 360 sound with minimal distortion indoors and outside. Available in four colors, including Burgundy, Peacock…

News

Upgrade Your TV Watching Experience Just in Time for Labor Day and Fall Football with Roku

Roku is America’s number one TV streaming platform and a favorite brand among Gear Diary staff because of its easy-to-navigate UI that’s found on multiple manufacturer’s smart TVs as well as Roku’s affordable smart speakers and stand-alone streaming hardware. With Labor Day coming up soon as well, along with the fall football season, we wanted to point out some of the ways you can upgrade your TV enjoyment without necessarily replacing your television — although there are excellent Roku deals to be had on smart TVs right now, too!

Reviews

Movo MA5L Review: An Omnidirectional External Microphone for Apple Lightning Devices – UPDATED

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing the Movo MA5L; it’s an omnidirectional condenser microphone that plugs into a Lightning port so that it will work with iPhones and older iPads. It promises to make your Zoom calls sound a bit clearer for the person listening, but there is a major caveat that you should consider before purchasing this particular model.

Reviews

Anker Nebula Capsule II R2-D2 Smart Mini Projector Review: Project the Force Nearly Anywhere

Earlier this year, Anker announced the limited edition Anker Nebula Capsule II R2-D2 version of their popular Nebula Capsule II smart mini projector to positive reception in this galaxy. We were able to get our hands on one of the 1000 units, and while it might become a collectible in the years to come, it’s also an excellent smart portable projector that you can enjoy right now.

News

Fire-Up Your Festive July 4th Party Plans with These Products

July 4th is when we celebrate our awesome country and spend time with friends and family. Good eats, good drinks, and a good time outdoors are what we most like to partake in. With that in mind, here are a few cool products that will spice up your July 4th party plans.

Reviews

SOUNDBOKS 3 Review: The Portable Outdoor Speaker Made for the Summer Party Season

We’ve previously covered SOUNDBOKS speakers, so when the latest SOUNDBOKS 3 Bluetooth Speaker arrived at my doorstep, I already knew this wasn’t the typical “Portable” Bluetooth speaker. Built for performance, the SOUNDBOKS 3 speaker looks more like a monitor you’d see in front of a stage at an outdoor summer concert. It’s truly a massive speaker at 31.5″ tall by 19.69″ wide by 15.75″ deep, and it weighs about 35 pounds. The SOUNDBOKS 3 has carrying handles built on two sides — perfect for dragging it to the pool or toting from the parking lot to the beach to truly turn up…

Reviews

Periodic Audio Rhodium DAC Review: Ups Your Audio Game Without Breaking the Bank

When Apple removed the 3.5mm headphone jack from their mobile devices, we saw explosive growth in the wireless headphone market. Sadly, it was also another step toward prioritizing convenience over audio quality. As we have seen, some wireless headphones deliver exceptional sound but, there are times when you want the BEST sound. That’s where the Periodic Audio Rhodium DAC comes in.

News

Roku OS 10 Announced Along with New Rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro, Roku Express 4K+, and Roku Streambar Pro

I had one of the first Roku streaming devices when they first came on the scene but, over time, had moved to Apple TV. Last fall, I bought one of Roku’s current streaming devices, and was impressed by how much the platform has evolved; it’s fantastic! Never one to rest on their laurels, Roku has just announced Roku OS 10 as well as their latest hardware, the Roku Voice Remote Pro, Roku Express 4K+, and Roku Streambar Pro.

Gear Bits

SKYWORTH Announces Five New Series of Smart TVs

Every CES, I learn about new technology and new brands and am always amazed that I never checked them out. One of those brands is SKYWORTH. The Chinese brand has been making products since 1988, and they have just announced their upcoming TVs.

News

JBL Releases New Bar 5.0 MultiBeam Soundbar and Charge 5, and Reimagines Two Collectable Classics

JBL’s products are everywhere. In fact, at their press conference, they mentioned having sold over 100 million pairs of headphones and portable speakers. To mark their 75th anniversary, they are releasing a pair of limited-edition classics that have been reimagined for 2021. But that’s not all. There is also a new JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam soundbar and a new JBL Charge 5 on the way too!

Events, News

Samsung Goes Greener and Offers More Accessibility with New TVs

At Samsung’s (virtual) press conference presentation yesterday, the company announced new products and initiatives that reflect their commitment to innovation. Televisions that are more immersive than ever were on display, as were innovations that can make entertainment more accessible to more people. Here’s a look at some of what they shared.

Reviews

LG XBOOM Go P7 Speaker Review: All You Need for a Quarantine Solo Dance Party

One thing that’s truly been missed out of 2020 is the ability to party with family and friends. With the holidays in full swing and the New Year looming, you don’t want to end the year without having a bit of fun. And why not do so safely at home with the LG XBOOM Go PL7 portable Bluetooth speaker?

News

Lenovo Helps the Office Embrace Video Conferencing No Matter Where You Are

We’re hopefully going to see an end to the COVID-19 pandemic soon, but there will be some lasting changes to how we work. Even when people go back to work, it’s unlikely we’re all going to be mingling like the before days. Lenovo is all set to make this transition easier, whether it’s working from home or holding virtual meetings across the world, with a line of adorably tiny computers, webcams, a soundbar for better audio (no more “I hear feedback, is it you or me? Hello?”), and ThinkSmart Manager to make the whole thing run smoothly.

Reviews, Sponsored

Vizio V-Series Delivers Smart Affordable Entertainment #ad

Vizio currently offers several television lines; their OLED line starts at $1299.99, the P-Series starts at $1199.99 for a 65” television, and a 40″ M-Series starts at $399.99. By contrast, you can get a 40” V-Series television for just $229.99. The V705x-H1, which I was sent for review, has an MSRP of $659.99 and is currently available for $549.99.

Reviews

Roku Ultra and Roku StreamBar Both Bring Powerful and Enjoyable Streaming Experiences

Roku prides themselves on their laser focus — it’s all about making streaming the best possible experience for their users. Their interface is simple, their devices are plug and play, and their entire ecosystem is built around offering multiple options at every price point. We took a look at the Roku StreamBar and new Roku Ultra and came away very impressed!

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