We’ve always loved the iconic amplifier style of Marshall’s Bluetooth speaker lineup, because they all look just as cool as they make your music sound. And yet, despite their retro looks, new models of the speakers are continually being released with future-ready features.

Their new Emberton III and Willen II portable speakers are perfect examples of this philosophy.

Both of them are Bluetooth LE audio-ready, which itself will enable Auracast functionality — meaning, you can connect your phone to one of the speakers via Bluetooth and it can then broadcast that audio to all other Auracast-enabled speakers/headphones nearby. You’ll feel like a walking radio station.

(Note: Auracast functionality is expected to be rolled out via an over-the-air update.)

The speakers also deliver surprisingly powerful sound for their size.

The Emberton III, the larger of the two, comes packed with “True Stereophonic” sound, offering rich and full 360° audio that fills any room or outdoor space with ease over the course of ~32 hours of battery life per charge. Meanwhile, the still more portable Willen II offers harder-hitting bass and improved drivers over its predecessor and delivers up to 17 hours of playback.

Both speakers boast an IP67 dust- and waterproof rating, meaning they can each handle dust, dirt, and being submerged in water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1m/3ft. These things are excellent travel companions for even the most rugged adventures.

Get the Emberton III for $170 and the Willen II for $120.

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Alright, you picked up a fancy new audio interface and you think you’re ready to record…but instead of getting a dynamic mic that naturally cuts out background noise, you opted for a condenser mic because you wanted to pick up every little detail of your recordings.

Normally your options would be to rent out a studio recording space somewhere or concoct some home-brewed audio treatment setup. However, those of us living in small spaces may not have that luxury, and other people may just not feel like going to all that effort.

That’s why Eric Chiu started a company called Poroso, where he sells a product invented out of his own frustration: the SOBO portable sound booth.

Essentially, the SOBO is a PVC pipe-and-joint frame covered by sound-diffusing thick blankets that attach with velcro straps, and it comes with a couple wireless LED lights, a phone/tablet holder, and a duffel bag. Nothing you couldn’t assemble yourself if you wanted, but it sure saves you all the time and effort of sourcing materials and tools, cutting pieces to size, sewing on straps, etc.

Fully assembled, it stands at 80″ (6 feet 8 inches) tall, with a width of 38″ (3 feet 2 inches) in all directions. The whole thing goes up in just a few minutes, and after recording, you can simply deconstruct it for storage.

This is a perfect solution for musicians, podcasters, voice actors, and voiceover artists who require pristine, professional-level audio for their work assignments and personal projects, but don’t have access to a full studio space (especially while traveling).

Get the SOBO for $400 on Amazon.

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To go with that 4th gen Scarlett audio interface I recently wrote about, I recommend using the iconic Shure SM7B microphone for all your vocal recording needs, now that the preamps offer more than enough gain to power it so you no longer need an inline booster like the Cloudlifter.

In case you’re unfamiliar, the SM7B has been an industry-standard mic for decades, seeing use across every imaginable field of professional vocal audio capture, from radio/TV broadcasting to music-making to voiceover work to podcasting to livestreaming and beyond.

The fact that it’s a dynamic mic with a cardioid pattern rather than a condenser type makes it extremely good at rejecting ambient noise (i.e. anything that isn’t your voice directly in front of it), which is especially useful for those of us who don’t have an acoustically treated space to record in but still want the clearest possible capture.

The other shining point is its max SPL of 180 dB, which allows it to handle extremely loud sound sources without distortion, whether it’s drums, horns, the loudest screamiest metal vocals you can imagine… practically anything short of setting the mic directly behind a live jet engine.

There’s a reason the SM7B and its predecessors have been trusted for so long, and once it’s in your hands — or rather, on your favorite mic stand or boom arm — you can rest assured that all your vocal recording needs will be met with aplomb.

Get it for $399 on Amazon.

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When it’s time to take your solo music recording to the next level, Focusrite’s 4th-generation Scarlett 2i2 is a 2-in/2-out audio interface that’s ready to capture every nuance of your performance.

Inside it are a pair of studio-grade, ultra-low-noise mic preamps with a 69dB gain range — and 120dB dynamic range on the output side — meaning you can record your vocals and an instrument (guitar, keys, drums, whatever) with radio-ready clarity. You also have access to some powerful features:

• Auto Gain: Automatically sets your gain levels at whatever’s ideal for the music you’re recording.
• Clip Safe: Checks those gain levels up to 96,000 times a second (!) and automatically tweaks them if you’re in danger of clipping, ensuring you never lose a great take.
• Air Mode: This is actually two modes in one — “Presence” mode, which boosts your signal’s high-end for more intimate vocal/instrumental recordings, and “Harmonic Drive” mode, which boosts mid-range harmonics to add a bit more punch to specific inputs.

The 4th-gen 2i2 also supports loopback recording, meaning it can capture audio from within your computer and virtually “record” it into your recording software on a separate channel alongside your mics and/or instruments. In short, there’s quite a lot of power in this little red box.

As of July 23rd, 2024, the Scarlett 2i2 is on sale for $170 on Amazon (down from $250) so snap up this deal quick!

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For some of us, the shower is where we do our “best” thinking. For others, it’s where we put on our absolute best singing performances. I feel like I fall into the latter camp. (In fact, as soon as I finish writing this, I’m off to perform in the semi-finals of a local karaoke competition. Wish me luck!)

If you’re also the type who never wants to be without your tunes (or podcasts or audiobooks) even in the shower, then the water-resistant SoundBot SB510 speaker should serve you nicely. It suctions to the shower wall and pairs with your streaming device via Bluetooth, allowing you to listen to and control whatever audio you like — and even take calls when needed, thanks to the built-in mic.

It’s not the loudest shower speaker in the world, but for the price, it does a pretty fair job. Get the SB510 for just $15 on Amazon in one of six colors.

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Bookshelf speakers are an excellent way to immerse yourself in your favorite music albums, films, video games, and more. However, dealing with running cables to audio jacks isn’t always what you want to be doing.

Which is what makes the Edifier R1700BT speakers so appealing. They’ll still fill a room with warm, punchy sound that seems rather surprising given their relatively humble size and price, except they also have Bluetooth connectivity for a ridiculously smooth and breezy setup.

Whether you want to clearly hear the dialogue in movies or you enjoy pumping some bassy tunes you can dance to, these speakers do it all admirably.

Get them for $180 on Amazon in your choice of black/walnut, plain black, or white/silver.

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Released just a few weeks ago, the new Boom 2 portable speaker from Anker’s Soundcore brand already promises to bring all the noise you need for your beach and pool parties this summer.

This spiritual successor to the Motion Boom pumps out an insane amount of bass-driven sound for its size, featuring up to 80W of clear, heart-pounding output with the “BassUp 2.0” mode turned on. It really packs a punch, no joke.

Meanwhile, a pair of passive radiators (one at each end) provide a colorful, customizable RGB light show that syncs to your music to heighten the listening atmosphere — day or night.

All of this comes in a rugged IPX7 waterproof and floatable shell with an integrated carry handle that makes it easy to bring the party absolutely anywhere, rain or shine. You can even use it as a power bank by plugging your phone into the USB-A port on the back to keep it charged while it streams music.

Thumpy bass, a built-in light show, and easy portability. What more could you ask for?

Get the Boom 2 for $130 on Amazon in your choice of Phantom Black, Adventure Green, or Explorer Blue.

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If you’re serious about gaming and streaming, it’s time to say goodbye to generic mics and level up your setup with the SteelSeries “Alias” series. Designed specifically with gamers in mind, these two broadcast-grade microphones — aka the Alias and Alias Pro — aim to take the sound quality, versatility, and control of your audio setup to new heights.

Both mics are built around a custom-made 1” condenser capsule that’s 3x the size of those found in other microphones on the market, capturing a wider range of vocals as a result and ensuring your voice is always crystal clear. Meanwhile, a cardioid polar pattern keeps background noise and feedback to a minimum.

Additionally, both models come equipped with a shock mount that reduces unwanted vibrations and ensure clearer sound. The shock mount is compatible with each mic’s included desktop stand, or you can pick up the series’ specially made boom arm for an even more professional setup. ($100, sold separately)

As for the differences between them, the Alias is a USB mic that features a 5-stage LED indicator on the front that provides real-time mic monitoring and mute status at a glance:

It also has customizable RGB lighting underneath so you can personalize your streaming setup to match your style:

The Alias Pro on the other hand is an XLR mic that provides superior audio performance and versatility for professional-level streaming setups. Rather than having LEDs on its face or an RGB downlight, it comes with a separate XLR stream mixer with RGB lighting of its own:

The mixer enables advanced audio mixing and customization options for up to five audio channels to create immersive streaming experiences for your audience. One of its neatest features though is the optional ability to stream from two computers simultaneously.

To round things out, the mics are powered by Sonar, SteelSeries’ free studio-grade software suite for streamers that offers all the tools you need for high-quality audio production right at your fingertips.

Elevate your gaming and streaming experience with the SteelSeries Alias ($180) and SteelSeries Alias Pro ($330) microphones and sound like a pro without being a pro.

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Released just this morning — happy Leap Day 2024, by the way! — Razer’s Seiren V3 Chroma RGB microphone adds a touch of visual flair to your gaming setup and/or streaming studio, with 16.8 million colors and countless vibrant lighting effects that can dynamically react to in-game events and stream alerts.

On top of its ability to amp up both your showmanship and gaming immersion, the Seiren V3 Chroma makes use of a supercardioid condenser with a tight pickup pattern to capture every nuance of your voice with exceptional clarity, while suppressing room noise, typing, and mouse clicks alike.

Whether you’re coordinating with teammates or chatting with your audience, this microphone ensures every word is heard with precision.

The mic also sports a multi-function tap-to-mute sensor that adds convenience and control to your streaming experience. With just a simple tap, you can adjust audio output and lighting, toggle the microphone’s digital gain limiter, and even check mic monitoring levels — all without interrupting your flow.

Lastly, the Seiren V3 Chroma is a plug-and-play device that doesn’t require any special software or drivers to operate, and it’s compatible with popular streaming software such as Discord, OBS Studio, and XSplit. Once it’s hooked up, you can start using it within seconds — it’s that easy.

Add an extra layer of excitement to your content by picking up the Razer Seiren V3 Chroma mic for $130 on Amazon.

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In a world where music is the backdrop to our every moment, having the right pair of headphones is essential. And with the release of their all-new ACCENTUM Plus wireless headphones today, Sennheiser are aiming to keep you energized and immersed in your favorite sounds for days on end.

Building upon the success of the beloved MOMENTUM 4 series, the ACCENTUM Plus combines cutting-edge functionality with remarkable battery efficiency to provide uninterrupted listening pleasure for users on the go.

With an impressive 50-hour battery life — and the ability to enjoy an additional five hours of playtime with just a 10-minute quick charge — you can say goodbye to the anxiety of a drained battery mid-song. You’ll feel totally comfortable all the while too, thanks to the headphones’ luxuriously soft headband and cushioned earcups.

The ACCENTUM Plus uses angled transducers to create a rich and immersive soundstage, while adaptive hybrid ANC technology dynamically adapts to changes in the ambient noise environment to ensure crystal-clear sound even in noisy or busy places.

You can further customize your listening experience with Sennheiser’s Smart Control App, where you can tinker with the built-in 5-band equalizer to create a unique sound profile tailored to your preferences.

Lastly, the headphones can be gesture-controlled via an intuitive touchpad interface, allowing you to adjust volume levels, control media playback, and activate transparency mode as needed.

Get the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus headphones for $230 on Amazon in your choice of white or black.

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The shower can be a fun place to have your best singing performances, especially if you’ve got some musical accompaniment to go with it. You could go through the trouble of setting up a Bluetooth speaker near the shower, or better yet, you can have the music (or podcasts, if that’s more your thing) be pumped out through the shower itself.

That’s right, I’m talking about the Kohler “Moxie”, a luxurious-spray showerhead that doubles as a removable wireless speaker tuned by none other than the highly respected and influential audio brand Harman Kardon. Your showers will never feel fancier.

The speaker offers up to five straight hours of playback on a charge and features support for Amazon Alexa for hands-free voice control. Tuned by Harman Kardon to sound great amidst the loud running water, the Moxie features built-in microphones to tune out background white noise so your voice commands are always clearly heard.

When it’s time to charge the unit — or simply if you want to take the audio playback elsewhere — the speaker detaches from the magnetic showerhead base and can be put back later just as easily.

Elevate your everyday shower experience by picking up the Moxie showerhead speaker for $88–$111 on Amazon depending on your choice of color (there are three options) and pressure (1.75 or 2.5 GPM).

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The WR-7 by Sangean is a vintage-looking Bluetooth speaker + FM radio with a somewhat similar aesthetic to the Tivoli Model One, but at nearly half the price and in a much smaller form factor. That “mini” in the title above is no misnomer.

Don’t let its diminutive size fool you, however. This little guy puts out room-filling sound with crystal clear highs and just the right hint of bass at the bottom end to give a sense of depth without dipping into ‘tinny’ or ‘booming’ territory at either extreme. It particularly excels at playing podcasts, talk radio, sports broadcasts, the audio from YouTube videos…anything voice-prominent.

The built-in FM tuner is impressively good at locking onto local stations if you use it for that, and if not, the Bluetooth and AUX-in connectivity are both rock solid.

However, some people have noted that using the FM side while the radio is plugged into power often results in some static interference, so be aware of that. On that note: When unplugged from power, the rechargeable battery should offer you up to 36 hours of playtime, so that interference thing shouldn’t come up too often.

The Sangean WR-7 comes in your choice of Walnut ($89) or Dark Cherry ($77) colors.

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While they may not have the eye-catching looks of something like those bamboo Audioengine A5+ speakers, the second-generation Eris 3.5BT studio monitors from PreSonus are arguably the better buy for most people, purely in terms of value for the money.

Designed for use in the home studios of music/video producers or in high-fidelity gaming/entertainment setups, the Eris 3.5BT v2’s deliver outstanding, clear sound across the frequency range, from rich, booming lows to bright, refined highs.

They can get real loud before you notice even a hint of distortion, so even professional musicians carefully mixing their next hit can feel confident in the accuracy of the audio reproduction.

In addition to a few different physical inputs — ¼-inch TRS and RCA inputs on the back, ⅛-inch stereo line on the front — the monitors also feature fast and reliable Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity so you can easily, say, pair your iPhone and listen to podcasts.

Here are the other feature specs for audio nerds to look over:

• 3.5-inch, woven-composite, low-frequency transducer
• 1-inch (25 mm), ultra-low-mass, silk-dome, high-frequency transducer
• 50W (25W/side) Class AB amplification
• 80 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response
• 98 dB SPL (Peak, @ 1 meter)
• High- and low-frequency Acoustic Tuning controls
• Balanced, ¼-inch TRS inputs; unbalanced, ⅛-inch stereo and RCA inputs; and integrated stereo headphone amplifier with front-panel ⅛-inch output
• Protection: RF interference, output-current limiting, over-temperature, turn-on/off transient, subsonic filter

You can get the Eris 3.5BT Gen 2 studio monitors for $150 on Amazon.

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Introduced about a month ago, Marshall’s new “Motif II” ANC wireless earbuds bring some key improvements over the original set from 2021, including…

• 10 extra hours of playtime — now up to 30 hours with the included charging case (up from 20).
• Improved call quality.
• Spotify Tap and volume touch controls, in addition to the pre-existing controls for activating ANC/transparency mode, playing/pausing music, and answering/ending calls.
• Support for the LE (Low Energy) Audio Bluetooth standard to make them more energy efficient and future-proof.

Outside of those upgrades, you can expect the same sleek and stylish design, decent noise-cancellation performance, and that crisp, clear audio quality Marshall is known for.

You can get the Motif II earbuds for $200 on Amazon.

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Tivoli Audio, a company with a penchant for making old technology feel new again, has unveiled their new SongBook and SongBook MAX, reimagined successors to the original travel radio of the same name.

Rather than being built specifically for AM/FM radio listening, these retro-futuristic devices are high-quality portable Bluetooth (v5.3) speakers with a refreshingly analog sense of style. Not only can you carry them anywhere boombox-style, you can also tweak the listening experience with the three EQ adjustment sliders (low/mid/hi, each with a +6 / -6 dB range) and enjoy the tactile feel of two manual toggle switches (power and amp/line).

On top of being sweet-looking Blutooth speakers, both SongBook models include a built-in preamp so you can plug in a guitar, a turntable, etc. for an extra sound boost. They also both have rechargeable batteries that last up to 10 hours, with support for Fast PD charging via USB-C.

I know you’re curious what the differences are between the base SongBook and the SongBook Max (so was I), so here’s a quick rundown:

Both models come in your choice of cream + brown or green high-gloss finishes.

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