sound

If glasses are adjusted for varying eyesights, why isn't the same logic applied to our ears? Today, most music players (that's probably your phone) are designed with a one-size-fits-all standard -- the manufacturer adjusts the audio tone and left/right balance to what might suit most people.

It turns out, however, there are differences in our hearing, including unique nuances in balance and processing.

Some phones do let you dig into accessibility settings to adjust left/right balance, but the Galaxy S4 might be the first phone that actually adjusts the audio output to your needs automatically.

Buried … Read more

SoundCloud is a compilation of different tools and features that you may be familiar with in different settings. Designed as a mobile social network for music and audio creators (and their listeners), the service serves as a great way to share your sounds while discovering new ones from friends and artists alike. While its hybrid nature leads to a few limitations, it is ultimately an engaging, exciting way to interact with music and podcasts.

After registering for a new account or logging in with your existing account, SoundCloud takes you to your home screen where you can start recording your … Read more

The sheer volume of options and tools in SoundHound is impressive, if nothing else because it really does its best to immerse you in your music as people tend to listen to it now--live and socially. The tool, itself, is designed to recognize tracks playing in the background and help you find the artist or album in its database; but it goes beyond that, providing music headlines, a list of the recent charts, popular music from its users, and a Twitter stream of top songs.

If you love music, you will love SoundHound. The app is designed to be as … Read more

If sound bars are the everyman's home audio system, the Sony HT-CT260 feels like the everyman's sound bar.

It starts with excellent sound quality, topping last year's sonic champ, the Haier SBEV40-Slim, and holding its own with the best we've heard this year, too. There's built-in Bluetooth, making it easy to wirelessly stream audio from just about every tablet and smartphone, and it throws in decoding for Dolby Digital and DTS for good measure. It has a signature, geometric design that's compact enough to unobtrusively sit under most TVs, but it also has a … Read more

With Macs and MacBook Pros you get used to listening to audio from the built-in speakers, but what if you want better audio? For a quick, easy, and free solution try SoundSource. This app will allow you to use your external speakers without any hassle.

SoundSource enables you to switch your audio input and output sources with a single click. It's a free app and very quick to download. Once opened the app adds a menu-bar item, rather than an icon in the dock below. A small headphone icon will indicate when the app is working. The interface is … Read more

Much as I like sound bars and other compact, affordable audio solutions for the living room, there's something to be said for an old-school speaker setup -- especially when it's still affordable.

From now until May 9, Fluance has the AVHTB 5-speaker surround-sound system for $199.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code AVCNET at checkout. Regular price: $249.99.

When I said old-school, I meant it: this is a five-piece, wood-enclosed setup consisting of two floor-standing towers, two compact surround (i.e. rear) speakers, and a full-size center channel.

What's missing, alas, is a subwoofer, … Read more

Regular Cheapskate readers know of my fondness for sound bars, which supplant the usually sucky speakers built into HDTVs with bigger, better, forward-facing audio.

One gripe with most bars, however, is the lack of bass. Another: price. Typically, these babies ain't cheap, especially if you opt for one with a subwoofer.

Exception! For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Vizio VSB210WS sound bar and wireless subwoofer for $84.99, shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). It originally sold for $349, currently lists for $259.99, and sells elsewhere for as much as $227.

Before … Read more

Alexander Graham Bell is known for inventing the telephone; but for someone so associated with sound, it's curious that no one living has actually ever heard the tenor of his voice.

However, as of Wednesday, anyone can hear what he sounded like. New technology has brought a 128-year-old recording made by Bell back to life, according to Smithsonian magazine.

The artifact, a wax and cardboard disc, has most likely been unplayable for at least a century. According to Smithsonian, Bell worked on several different ways to record sound, including using foil, wax, glass, paper, plaster, metal, and cardboard. Not … Read more

Last Wednesday, I went to the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU to meet with Young Guru. He was in New York with The Recording Academy's Grammy U 13-city tour visiting colleges across the country. The tour started on April 8 in Philadelphia and concludes on April 28 in Memphis. Young Guru has collaborated with Beyonce, Drake, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Snoop Dogg, among others.

I didn't know how much time I would have with the engineer/producer/DJ, so I went straight to the heart of the matter and asked him to define what good … Read more