Mini Ninjas is a fun and fast paced action adventure game that is sure to entertain players of all ages. The charming narrative spins the tale of a ninja and his friends on a quest to thwart the plans of an evil samurai bent on world domination. The game features tight level design, great art […]
Smaller than ever, yet more powerful and versatile. Apple recently updated the Mac mini, a sometimes forgotten gem. As we replaced all of the outdated Mac minis in the South Burlington store, we really gained an appreciation of all of the upgrades the little guy has received. The new 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor […]
A fun test of the new iPhone 4’s video camera. Pretty much the best case scenario – filming out in the bright sunlight. We didn’t edit with the iMovie iPhone app, as we wanted to get the footage uploaded ASAP. We’ll do another video edited with the app!
When I witnessed the unveiling of the iPad five months ago, I immediately recognized the device as a way to satiate my desire to live in the future. So far, my 32GB Wi-Fi+3G model has delivered. My experience has brought me to look upon my 7 month old MacBook Pro as a dinosaur and to enjoy […]
This leather folio iPad case is a huge hit here at the SDE offices. Here is a quick video review showcasing some of its coolest features. The Verso retails for $59.99 and can be purchased here
As I have said a million times, my 5th generation (most current) iPod nano ($149.99-$179.99) is my favorite product ever. It’s the perfect size for on the go, great screen size (things are very clear and easy to see), and the fact that it is made with flash memory—instead of a hard drive with moving […]
I’m psyched for iOS4 update later this summer. In anticipation of that release I just upgraded my 2nd generation 32GB iPod touch to a 3rd generation model of of the same size. Since only the newest 32 and 64GB models will fully support multitasking and the other features of the new OS, I wanted to […]
For an avid music fan, nothing beats a good set of speakers to enjoy your tunes on. These days it’s easier than ever to get high quality sound out of a compact size set of speakers, and the new Duet II system by JBL is no exception. Sporting a stylish, slim profile and almost minimalist […]
So after very little consideration and based solely on emotion I picked up a 16GB WiFi iPad. I knew it was going to be an exciting new mobile product and would be on the forefront of opening up lots of people to the idea that there is a world beyond the mouse for machines other […]
I’ve put off buying new speakers for months. I just could not justify the expense of them, and did not want to waste money on cheap speakers with poor quality. There had, however, been a set of speakers I’ve listened to and sold extensively in-store that interested me. After moving into my new apartment, I decided my bedroom would not be complete without them.
I realized that when buying my computer, I put a huge amount of effort into making sure my operation of it went unburdened, but scrutinizing monitors, keyboards, mice and mousepads. But I never considered my ears as important in being one of the senses that uses the computer. Boy was I wrong.
The Studiophile AV 40s are a set of studio reference monitors sold by M-Audio. As studio monitors, they have a very precise sound that most home computer speakers can’t match, and the clarity is generally botched by cheaper hardware. They also, being more precise, don’t fill a room in the same manner other 2.1 subwoofer/satellite speaker combos do. As M-Audio outlines right in their included comic-book style instructions, there is a very specific way to configure them on your desk based on your room and sitting position. This said, cranking them is certainly capable of filling my entire house with clean, crisp music and decent bass. The AV 40s also sound fabulous on their quietest setting, for listening to podcasts at 7AM when your housemate is asleep.
Their precision has also led me to turn off my iTunes EQ entirely, I don’t think I’ll ever use it again. Lastly, because they’re so precise, I’m finding that they’re incredibly great for gaming, as they convey the virtual world your mind is struggling to become a part of so well. Sounds like rifle shots are far different than grenades, or a peaceful flowing waterfall, which other speakers can’t put such a space between.
The packaging is pretty basic, but does the job. I like the minimal, wasteless packaging. M-Audio was also good enough to include rubber pads to adhere to the bottom of them, so they don’t slide on my glass desk. The enclosures are a soft black, with pretty solid mesh protection over the cones. On the front of the left speaker are two jacks, one for aux-in and one for headphones. This way I can conveniently connect a laptop or iPad to them when I want to switch computers. Of course, they’re classy enough to include a blue LED on the volume knob, so they’re a perfect match for my monitor, keyboard and mouse!
I give these a huge thumbs up.
$149.99. For more information, “click here”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/73166 to check them out!
