Jeans Made In The U.S.

• AG Jeans — Los Angeles, California — jeans (only selected products)
• Jean Shop — New York, New York —  jeans
• Levi Strauss & Co. — San Francisco, California —  jeans (only selected products)
• Rag & Bone — New York, New York —  jeans (only selected products)
• Raleigh Denim — Raleigh, North Carolina —  jeans
• Tellason — San Francisco, California —  jeans
• The Stronghold — Los Angeles, California —  jeans
• True Religion — jeans

Accessories Made In The U.S.

• American Optical — sunglasses, eyeglasses
• Bollman Hats — Adamstown, Pennsylvania — hats
• Buffalo Gold – Goodnight, Texas – Bison wool clothing
• David Hart & Co. — New York, New York — neckties
• Dodo Case — San Francisco, California — iPad / iPhone cases
• Edgar Leather — Tallahassee, Florida — leather goods
• Faribault Woolen Mills — Faribault, Minnesota — blankets
• Geier Glove Co. — Centralia, Washington — leather gloves
• The General Knot Co. — Bedford, New York — neckties
• Gfeller Casemakers — Meridian, Idaho — leather goods
• Noble Buffalo — St. Louis, Missouri — leather belts
• Leather Man Limited — Essex, Connecticut — belts, accessories
• Optimo Hats —Chicago, Illinois — hats
• Pierrepont Hicks — Minneapolis, Minnesota — ties, accessories
• Randolph Engineering — Randolph, Massachusetts — glasses, sunglasses
• Shuron — Greeneville, South Carolina — glasses, eyeglasses
• Solesu — Belleville, Illinois — leather belts
• Tanner Goods — Portland, Oregon — leather goods
• Wiley Belts — Charlottesville, Virginia — belts, leather goods

Luggage Made In The U.S.

• Accessories Unlimited — Portland, Maine — bags
• Acorn Bags — California — cycling bags
• Artifact Bags — Omaha, Nebraska — bags
• Bailey Works — Portsmouth, New Hampshire — bicycle bags
• Billykirk — Pennsylvania — bags, leather goods
• Beckel Canvas — Portland, Oregon — bags, tents, etc.
• Buzzline — Fort Pierce, Flordia — bags
• Dandux — Ellicott City, Maryland — bags
• Domke — Hauppauge, New York — camera bags, accessories
• Duluth Pack — Duluth, Minnesota — luggage
• Emil Erwin — Nashville, Tennessee — luggage, accessories
• Estex Mfg. Co. — Fairburn, Georgia — bags
• Equinox — Williamsport, Pennsylvania — bags, outdoor gear
• Frost River — Duluth, Minnesota — bags, tents
• Ghurka — New York, NY — bags, leather goods, accessories
• Goruck — Bozeman, Montana — bags, hats
• Johnson Woolen Mills — Johnson, Vermont — bags, clothing, accessories
• Joshu+Vela — San Francisco, California — bags
• J. W. Hulme Co. — St. Paul, Minnesota — briefcases, bags, accessories
• Klein Tools — Lincolnshire, Illinois — bags, accessories
• LL Bean — Freeport, Maine — luggage (only selected products)
• Makr — Orlando, Florida — luggage, accessories, leather goods
• Mer — Brooklyn, New York — luggage
• Moop — Pittsburg, Pennsylvania —bags
• Port Canvas — Kennebunkport, Maine — canvas bags
• Red Oxx — Billings, Montana—  adventure luggage
• Topo Designs — Denver, Colorado — bags
• Tough Traveler — Schenectady, New York — bags
• Triple Aught Design — San Francisco, California — bags, accessories
• Utility Canvas — Gardiner, New York — bags, accessories
• Wm. J. Mills & Co. — Greenport, New York — bags
• Wood&Faulk — Portland, Oregon — bags, accessories

Clothing Made In The U.S.

• Anderson-Little — Tamarac, Flordia — navy blazerslected products)
• Berle Manufacturing — Charleston, South Carolina — trousers
• Beyond Clothing — Seattle, Washington — outdoors clothing
• Bill’s Khakis — Reading, Pennsylvania — khaki pants, clothing
• Brooks Brothers — New York, New York — clothing, sportswear, footwear, accessories (only selected products)
• Bemidji Woolen Mills — Bemidji, Minnesota — clothing, blankets
• Camber — Norristown, Pennsylvania — tee shirts, sweatshirts
• Carhartt — Dearborn, Michigan — workwear, outerwear (only selected products)
• CC Filson — Seattle, Washington — outwear, bags, accessories (only selected products)
• CEGO — New York, New York — custom shirts
• Commonwealth Proper — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — shirts
• Centralia Knitting Mills — Centralia, Washington — outerwear
• Crescent Down Works — Seattle, Washington — outerwear
• Ebbets Field Flannels — Seattle, Washington — jackets, jerseys, accessories
• Engineered Garments — New York, New York — clothing, bags, accessories
• Epaulet — Brooklyn, New York — shirts, ties
• Gitman Brothers — Ashland, Pennsylvania — woven shirts
• Hamilton Shirts — Houston, Texas — custom shirts
• Hart Schaffner Marx — Chicago, Illinois — tailored clothing
• Hertling Trousers — Brooklyn, New York — pants
• Homage — Columbus, Ohio — tee shirts, sweatshirts, accessories
• Individualized — Perth Amboy, New Jersey — woven shirts
• Langlitz Leathers — Portland, Oregon — motorcycle jackets
• New England Shirt Company — Fall River, Massachusetts — shirts
• Oxxford Clothing — Chicago, Illinois — tailored clothing
• Pendleton Woolen Mills — Portland, Oregon — sportswear, blankets (only selected products)
• Pointer Brand — Bristol, Tennessee — clothing, denim, workwear
• Post Overalls — New York, NY — clothing
• Ramblers Way — Kennebunk, Maine — wool clothing
• REI — Kent, Washington — outdoor clothing  (only selected products – see their “Made In USA” section)
• Rogue Territory — Los Angeles, California — clothing, accessories
• Round House — Shawnee, Oklahoma — denim, workwear
• Self Edge — San Francisco, California — clothing
• Schott NYC — New York, New York — outerwear
• Spiewak — New York, New York — outerwear
• Sterlingwear — Boston, Massachusetts — outerwear
• Steven Alan — New York, New York — sportswear, accessories (only selected products)
• Stormy Kromer — Ironwood, Michigan — hats, clothing, outerwear
• Taylor Stitch — San Francisco, California — shirts
• Thom Browne — New York, New York — tailored clothing, sportswear
• Vanson Leathers — Fall River, Massachusetts — leather jackets
• Western Mountaineering — San Jose, California — down jackets, sleeping bags
• Wrath Arcane — Cleveland, Ohio — sportswear

Footware Made In The U.S.

• Allen-Edmonds — Port Washington, Wisconsin — shoes (only selected products)
• Altama — Atlanta, Georgia — boots
• Arrow Moccasin Company — Hudson, Massachusetts — footwear
• Chippewa Boots — Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin — footwear (only selected products)
• Danner — Portland, Oregon — footwear
• Darn Tough — Northfield, Vermont — socks
• E. Vogel — New York, New York — boots, shoes
• Fox River Mills — Osage, Iowa — socks
• Keen – Portland, Oregon – footwear — (only selected products)
• Limmer Boots — Intervale, New Hampshire — boots
• LL Bean — Freeport, Maine — boots
• New Balance — Boston, Massachusetts — athletic shoes (only selected products)
• Oak Street Bootmakers — Chicago, Illinois — shoes, boots
• Oliver Moore — New York, New York — custom shoes
• Perry Ercolino — Doylestown, Pennsylvania — custom shoes
• Quoddy — Perry, Maine — footwear
• Rancourt & Co. — Lewiston, Maine — footwear
• Red Wing — Red Wing, Minnesota — footwear (only selected products)
• Russell Moccasin Co. — Berlin, Wisconsin — footwear
• Townview Leather — Dexter, Maine — footwear
• Vincent & Edgar — New York, New York — bespoke shoes
• Weinbrenner — Merrill, Wisconsin — footwear
• Wesco Boots — Scappoose, Oregon — footwear
• White’s Boots — Spokane, Washington — footwear
• Wigwam — Sheboygan, Wisconsin — socks
• Wolverine – boots (only selected products)
• Yuketen — Hermosa Beach, California — boots, shoes

Tools Made In The U.S.

• All American Pressure Cooker — Wisconsin — Pressure Cookers
• Ambruster Tent Company — Springfield, Illinois — Canvas Tents
• Annin & Company — Roseland, New Jersey — Flags
• Baxter of California — Los Angeles, California — Men’s Grooming Products (only selected products)
• Benchmade — Oregon City, Oregon — Knives (only selected products)
• Buck Knives — Post Falls, Idaho — Knives
• Estwing — Rockford, Illinois — Axes / Wood Splitting
• Field Notes — Portland, Oregon — Notepads, Writing Instruments
• Fisher Space Pen — Boulder City, Nevada — Writing Instruments
• Klhip — Ketchum, Idaho — Nail Clippers
• The Good Flock — Portland, Oregon — Technology Cases
• Jacob Bromwell — Tempe, Arizona — pots, pans, accessories
• Klein Tools – only selected products
• Leatherman — Portland, Oregon — Multi-Tools
• Luma Labs — Portland, Oregon — Camera Straps
• PortaBrace — North Bennington, Vermont — Camera Bags
• Pocket Pin High Pro – Knoxville, Tennessee — Golf training equipment
• Rada Cutlery — Iowa — Kitchen Utensils
• School House Electric — Portland, Oregon — light fixtures, home accessories
• Scout Books — Portland, Oregon — Notebooks
• Springbar Tents — Salt Lake City, Utah — Canvas Tents
• Snap On Tools – only selected products
• Steelcase —  Grand Rapids, Michigan — Chairs
• Streamlight — Eagleville, Pennsylvania — Flashlights
• Surefire — Fountain Valley, California — Flashlights
• The United States Playing Card Company — Cincinnati, Ohio — Playing Cards
• Vornado Fans — Andover, Kansas — Fans
• Wiggy’s — Grand Junction, Colorado — Sleeping Bags, Outerwear
• Wilson Bohannan Co. — Marion, Ohio — Padlocks
• Woodman’s Pal — Boyertown, Pennsylvania — Machetes
• W.R. Case & Sons — Bradford, Pennsylvania — Knives
• Zeroll — Fort Pierce, Flordia — Ice Cream Scoops
• Zippo — Bradford, Pennsylvania — Lighters

Audio Gear Made In The U.S.

• Audio by Van Alstine — Woodbury, MN — preamplifiers, amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters, and phase inverters
• Ayre Acoustics, Inc. — Boulder, CO — full line of audio and video components
• Audeze — Headphones
• Car Audio Factory — Richmond, TX — subwoofer enclosers
• Carr Amplifiers — Pittsboro, NC — guitar amplifiers, made by guitarists for guitarists.
• CI Audio — Port Hueneme, CA — headphone amplifiers, monoblock amplifiers, and power supplies.
• Fargen Amps — Sacramento, CA — all tube (not solid-state) guitar and bass amplifiers
• Grado Labs — Brooklyn, NY — high-quality headphones and phono cartridges (their SR80-i is one of the best headphones under $100)
• KCS Loudspeakers — Sun Prairie, WI — custom horn loudspeakers
• Klipsch –  Hope, AR – audio gear
• Koss Headphones – Milwaukee, WI – headphones
• Manley Labs — Chino, CA — Hi-Fi and professional recording gear
• McIntosh Labs — Binghamton, NY: fine audio and home theater sound systems
• Mohu, Inc. — Raleigh, NC — makers of the LeafTM, a USA-made indoor HDTV antenna
• Moog Music — Ashville, NC — miniMoog Voyager analog monosynth, MoogerFooger guitar pedals, and Etherwave theremin
• Ohm Acoustics — Brooklyn, NY — high-end speakers for audio and home theater applications
• Orb Audio — Sherman Oaks, CA — Mod1 and Mod2 satellite speakers for flat screen and home theater applications, handmade in the USA. “Small Speakers for Smart People”
• Schitt Audio – Audio Gear
• Synthesizers.com — Tyler, TX — modular analog music synthesizers, assembled in USA with domestic and imported components
• SVS — Ohio — speakers and subwoofers for music and home theater
• Wavefront Technologies — Los Angeles, CA — theremin musical instruments and accessories
• Westone — Colorado — Earphones
• Woo Audio — New York — amps
• Zinky Electronics — Flagstaff, AZ — electric guitar amplifiers & accessories

Camping Equipment Made In The U.S.

• American Outdoors — coolers, boat totes, camp chairs, etc.
• Arc Flashlight —Phoenix, AZ — LED pocket flashlights that run on a single AAA battery
• Awl for All —Arlington Hts., IL — indispensable wooden-handled awl for repairing leather, canvas, and vinyl outdoor gear
• Butler Bags —Cedar City, UT — sleeping bags, bedrolls, and gear bags
• Cascade Designs —Seattle, WA — manufacturer of camping gear of all sorts (including Therm-a-rest self-inflating camping mattresses, MSR camping stoves)
• Equinox. —Williamsport, PA — makers of ultralight backpacking gear, including sleeping bags, tarps, ponchos packs, and totes
• EZ-Sales and Mfg. —Gardena, CA— American-made hammocks, folding aluminum camp chairs, cots, and canteens (only selected products)
• Feathered Friends —Seattle, WA — sleeping bags, outwear, and comforters
• Fuerte Cases —La Mesa, CA — waterproof protective cases for laptops, PDAs, firearms
• Kirkham’s Outdoor Products —Salt Lake City, UT — manufacturer of Springbar and AAA canvas wall tents
• Nalgene —Rochester, NY — water bottles, bike bottles, travel mugs, and other “hydration necessities” (only selected products)
• Northern Lites —Wausau, WI — high-tech, lightweight snowshoes for all uses, from racing to hiking
• Open Country Campware — aluminum camp ware kits, plates, pots, and canteens made by Metal Ware Corp. (Two Rivers, WI)
• Outdoor Research —Seattle, WA — shelter systems, headwear, gaiters/footwear, and storage systems/stuff sacks (only selected products)
• Princeton Tec — headlamps, outdoor gear, bikes lights
• Purcell Trench Mfg — Addy, WA —ultra-lightweight camping grills and tarp shelters
• REI — Kent, Washington — outdoor equipment  (only selected products – see their “Made In USA” section)
• TarpTent —Redwood City, CA —ultralight, mobile shelters made with US materials in Seattle, WA
• Tektite —Trenton,NJ — LED flashlights and lanterns, divelights, and marker lights

Bikes Made In The U.S.

• Ahearne — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• A.N.T. Bicycles — Holliston, Massachusetts — bicycles, bicycle accessories
• Bilenky Cycle Works — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — bicycles
• Brooklyn Machine Works — Brooklyn, New York — bicycles
• Calfee Design — La Selva Beach, California — bicycles
• Courage Bicycle MFG Co. — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Cygolite  — bike lights
• Davidson — Seattle, Washington — bicycles
• Fast Boy Cycles — New York, New York — bicycles
• Gunnar Cycles — Waterford, Wisconsin — bicycle frames
• Hufnagel — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Independent Fabrication — Somerville, Massachusetts — bicycles
• Ira Ryan Cycles — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• J.P. Weigle — Lyme, Connecticut — bicycles
• Lightspeed — Chattanooga, Tennessee — bicycles
• MAP — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Metrofiets — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Moots Cycles — Steamboat Springs, Colorado — bicycles
• NiteRider  — bike lights
• Outlier — Brooklyn, New York — cycling clothing
• Pereira — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Phil Wood —San Jose, California — bicycle components
• Princeton Tec — bikes lights
• Richard Sachs Cycles — Chester, Connecticut — bicycles
• Seven Cycles — Watertown, Massachusetts — bicycles
• Signal Cycles — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Six-Eleven Bicycle Co. — Roanoke, Virginia — Bicycles
• Steelman Cycles — Redwood City, California — bicycles
• Strawberry — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Tet Cycles — West Branch, Iowa — bicycles
• Townsend Bicycles — Monrovia, California — bicycles
• Waterford Precision Bicycles — Waterford, Wisconsin — bicycle frames
• Worksmen Bicycles — Queens, New York — bicycles

The post A List Of Goods Still Made In The USA appeared first on Reactual.

A soundbar is a thin bar with multiple drivers. They point the speakers directly at your couch, with different tweeters and woofers replicating highs and lows. Newer soundbars include wireless connectivity options, making them hassle free compared to a full surround sound system. No soundbar will ever compete with the fidelity of traditional speakers, the drivers are just not large enough, but they can fill a small room with lush noise. These are the best soundbars available right now.

Best Overall Soundbar of 2016: Samsung HW-K950

The Samsung HW-K950 is the biggest leap forward in soundbar technology of the year. Released in summer 2016, the soundbar boasts Dolby Atmos, 4k/HDR, and 5.1.4 channel surround sound. One big drawback: it does not offer DTS-HD. So if you want the best possible sound quality out of a soundbar and don’t plan on playing Blu-rays on an older player, this is the soundbar for you.

Most soundbars simply can’t replicate the immersive multi-directional sound of a proper home theater system. Samsung shortens the gap with one of two soundbars released this year that features Dolby Atmos (the other is the Yamaha YSP-5600, which has DTS:X support but suffers from poor design). For those who don’t know, Dolby Atmos is an audio format designed to deliver three-dimensional sound. It’s what makes makes you think a helicopter is actually whirling overhead, or what clues you in to the sound of footsteps approaching from a distance.

The HW-K950 delivers Atmos sound from 15 built-in speakers. Most of those drivers come from the main soundbar itself, a minimalist 47 inch unit with metal grills and brushed metal dim plates. It has 3 forward firing channels, with twin mid-range drivers and a wide-range tweeter engineered just for the soundbar. Atop the wide bar are two upward firing full-range drivers that provide front overhead effects.  The rest of the sound comes from two wireless rear speakers with front and upward firing speakers and a wireless 160W sub-woofer. All drivers come with their own amplifier.

The sound is extremely crisp and expansive on Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1 compatible files. It is extremely clean and captures everything from dialogue to bass-heavy music in a way you thought a soundbar could not. The set up is easy and, unlike many previous-generation high end soundbars, it comes with 2 HDMI plugs. So unlike the popular SONOS soundbar, your audio isn’t rerouted through a optical port.

There are two big drawbacks to this soundbar. The first is the price. It’s an expensive package, but it includes the sub-woofer and rear speakers. You can definitely find better quality used home theater equipment for the same price range, but you lose all the convenience and connectivity the soundbar offers. So it depends on your needs. If you’re building a home theater, look elsewhere. If you want three-dimensional Dolby Atmos sound in your apartment without a receiver and a bunch of speakers, this wireless setup can’t be beat.

The main drawback, and this is a huge one, is that it does not support DTS-HD Master Audio, the most common format for many Blu-Ray movies. Newer Blu-Ray players do support Atmos, so you will have to check your player.

Best Value Soundbar: Vizio SB3851-C0

If you don’t want to spend a grand on a soundbar but still want a powerful upgrade from your TV speakers, check out Vizio’s SB3851-C0. For less than $300 you get 5.1 sound with a wireless sub-woofer and 2 rear satellite speakers.

This model captures engrossing Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, faithfully replicating highs and lows. The 6″ driver on the sub delivers a serviceable bass, definitely the best you will experience at this price range. It has an impress 100dB sound with less than 1% total harmonic distortion. Connect music directly with a Bluetooth. The setup is easy, and the 38 inch aluminum accented soundbar looks nice in the living room.

Unfortunately the unit lacks an HDMI connection. It also lacks EQ options to satisfy an audiophile.

The post The Best Soundbars of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The reputation that USB tables are junk doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that they are USB. It has everything to do with the cheap materials that they are made from. A turntable consists of many precision parts, including the arm, the platter, the plinth, the motor and the cartridge. Most USB turntables are all about style (or budget) over substance. So long as it looks good in a sepia-filtered Tumblr photo, does it really matter how the thing sounds? The problem isn’t just that they look and sound cheap (many play music at an abysmal 128Kbs). But some of these players, like the Crosleys you see at Urban Outfitters, use non-changeable ceramic cartridges that have a heavy tracking force that damages records. Why even spend the extra money?

In other words, most USB turntables are not made with the audiophile in mind.

Best USB Turntable For Digitizing Vinyl: Sony PSHX500

So what happens if you are sitting on boxes of vinyl that need to be converted to digital for posterity’s sake? That’s where the Sony PSHX500 Hi Res USB Turntable comes in. Its cartridge isn’t the best on the market and it isn’t packed with a ton of features, but this is the first device that converts to digital in high resolution.  The PSHX500 is also almost completely customizeable, a fact that sets it apart from most other USB turntables.

So how good are the recordings? Sony uses a patented circuit that the takes the record’s signal and converts it into a digital audio data stream using a Burr-Brown PCM4202 analog to digital converter. You can record files in everything from WAV to  double DSD (although good look finding a vinyl that will rip at 5.8MHz).  After you rip a track, the file appears on Sony software, which lets you choose the file format. It also lets you do some basic manipulation, like rearranging the tracks.

Now, you don’t always get a perfect recording. Some reviewers noted a faint humming in the background. But this is bar-none the best commercial option available for getting those rare options off wax and onto silicon. The process is also incredibly streamlined. You just plug the USB from the device into the computer, drag the needle, and hit play. Finally, you can digitize your records.

I like the minimalist matte black design for home use. It’s modern and goes well with polished dark wood cabinets and exposed brick and all the other staples of 2o10s interior decorating. The bare-bones approach means you are forgoing DJ staples like reverse function and pitch range. You get two speeds: 33 and 45 rpm(78 is missing, so don’t plan on converting those).

The Sony PSHX500 is outfitted with a moving magnet cartridge that is fit at the top of the arm. It is a fine cartridge, but audiophiles will want to switch in their preferred one. It also has a built-in phono preamplifier with RIAA curve, which is a nice feature for a turntable in this range. If you would rather play through your own phono EQ, just switch off the built-in one. It also has a removable lid and and integrated shell for solid stabilization.

All in all it is a durable piece of equipment, with a belt system that uses spindle-bearing construction. The platter is aluminum die cast and the mat is rubber, so that’s good. The spindle hinges are worrisome. I don’t recommend this unit for DJs who are going to be transporting their equipment around, but it will hold up in a stationary environment for a long time.

Best USB Turntable For DJs: Audio Technica AT-LP1240

Hauling a turntable around to parties and shows necessitates a device that can withstand wear and tear. The Audio Technica AT-LP1240 is a professional quality DJ turntable that is equipped with an internal stereo phono pre-amp and a high-torque motor. The thing is built to last and weighs like it.

If you are drawn to turntables for their retro aesthetic, then the blue LED lights and the slick pitcher and controls on the LP1240 won’t appeal to you. The turntable platter is made with die-cast aluminum, an S-shaped tone arm with counterweight, and anti-skate adjustment. These quality components are held together in a futuristic black and silver design. The LP1240 is a 3-speed fully manual and comes with plenty of ways to keep your speed accurate. It also has a a high quality brake. DJs also get a target light for dark clubs, two start/stop buttons, a reverse function, and a pitch change that goes to 50 percent over or under record speed.

You can plug right in to your laptop via USB and record using Audacity software. It doesn’t come with a cartridge so you will have to supply your own. You won’t find a better turntable in this pricerange, USB or otherwise.

The post Convert Vinyl Records To HiFi Digital Recordings appeared first on Reactual.

Update September 2016: The SVS SB-1000 is now our top recommended subwoofer under $500.

Polk Audio PSW505 ($200)

Pros:

• Powerful enough to fill a large room
• Flexible input options
• Impeccable build quality

Cons:

• Too much bass for small spaces

Top Review Sources:

• Amazon 5.0/5.0 (200+ reviews)
• Newegg.com: 5.0/5.0 (225+ reviews)
• AudioEnz: “A fine sense of extension, tactile impact and all round bass weight and authority”

The Polk Audio PSW505 is an established and respected player in the large-room subwoofer game. Its performance is class-leading, with deep reserves of thundering bass and incredible precision. The PSW505 is a 12-inch woofer with a frequency range of 23 to 160Hz. It is solidly-built, measures 16-1/8″ H x 15-1/8″ W x 18-3/16″ D, weights 43 pounds, and is wrapped in black, real wood veneer. Features include an adjustable low-pass crossover, volume control, and a phase switch. This sub is magnetically shielded against interference and has an auto on/off switch to conserve power. Inputs are 5-way binding posts, line level (filtered), and LFE (unfiltered); output is a pair of 5-way binding posts. The PSW505’s 300 watts of power and big volume potential make it best suited for large spaces.

Amazon sells the Polk Audio PSW505.

Polk Audio PSW10 ($94)

Pros:

• Solid construction
• High value
• Clean and clear sound

Cons:

• No LFE input
• Might be insufficient for large rooms

Top Review Sources:

• Amazon: 4.5/5.0 (375+ reviews)
• CNET: 3.5/5.0 “It pounds out home-theater thrills and musical bass with equal prowess”
• Newegg.com: 5.0/5.0 (225+ reviews)

The low-price, high-performance Polk PSW10 makes it difficult to justify building a home theater without a powered sub. For $100, this subwoofer delivers 50 watts of continuous power through a 10-inch composite polymer speaker, producing rich bass with plenty of punch. Equally skilled at enhancing music, movies, or television, the PSW10 does its job without becoming boomy or muddled at high volumes. Its solid construction contributes to its great sound: 26 pounds of medium-density fiberboard measuring 14-3/8″ H x 14″ W x 16-1/8″ D. Included are speaker-level and line-level inputs, plus a speaker-level output. Frequency response is 35 to 200Hz. You also get on-speaker volume, crossover, and phase controls as well as an auto on/off switch. The PSW10 is built for small- to medium-size spaces. It is available in black or cherry finishes.

The Polk Audio PSW10 is currently available on Amazon.

Definitive Technology SuperCube III ($379)

Pros:

• Small package; huge bass
• Great range
• Solidly built

Cons:

• Will distort at extreme volume

Top Review Sources:

• Crutchfield: Staff Pick “True, accurate, and extremely deep bass in any room”
• Best Buy Customer Reviews: 4.5/5.0 (15+ reviews)
• Home Theater Magazine: “other SuperCube subs…have had amazingly low but very musical bass output—and lots of it. The SuperCube III is no exception”

Definitive Technology’s SuperCube III produces unbelievable bass despite its compact footprint. Its sound profile is defined by its extreme depth—all the way down to 16Hz. The SuperCube III produces an authoritative 650 watts of power, capable of handling the bass duties in small or large rooms. Listeners appreciate the SuperCube III’s versatility; it performs as well when asked to provide a steady, undistorted rumble as it does when the soundtrack demands rapid, staccato bursts of bass. Though this gloss black cube weights a substantial 25 pounds, it only measures 10-1/4 inches in any dimension. It has a signal-sensing auto on/off switch, low-pass crossover, volume control, 5-way binding post outputs, and line level, LFE, and 5-way binding post inputs. Its woofer is 7-1/2 inches in diameter.

You can buy the Definitive Technology SuperCube III on Amazon

The post The Best Subwoofers Under $500 appeared first on Reactual.

The BeoSound 35, made by Bang & Olufsen, is a wireless hi-fi “super soundbar” that stands as an unbeatable “all-in-one integrated music system”.

The Details

Renowned Danish audio products engineers and designers Bang & Olufsen (B&O) have come up with a soundbar that’s not a mere soundbar in the usual sense but something far beyond that, aesthetically and sonically. It’s the pentagonal BeoSound 35, a wireless “all-in-one integrated music system” that I find formidably good among mounted or standing audio systems of this kind.

The BeoSound 35 can deliver clear and powerful sound for 24-bit/192 kHz high resolution audio. Other supported formats include MP3, AAC, AIFF, ALAC playback, FLAC, WA, and WMA (but not WMA lossless). What’s more, support for streaming services including Spotify Connect and the Deezer app is integrated right into the system. Likewise, so is support for AirPlay, BLNA, Google Cast, and TuneIn. There’s connectivity for Bluetooth 4.0 alongside “old school” hard-wired inputs. The company has, characteristically, made sure that it’s simplicity itself to pair up the BeoSound 35 with other B&O audio equipment if you want multi-room audio. According to B&O, all of this makes it a true “all-in-one integrated music system”, and I have to concur.

The unit has an OLED display built in, along with on-board touch controls. You control the volume with a finger swipe.

Behind the face cover, you find a pair of forward-facing 4″ woofers and a pair of 0.75″ tweeters which are angled at 90 degrees to the woofers, each pair driven by an 80-watt Class-D amplifier. The unit’s frequency range is from 45 Hz to 22 kHz.

The BeoSound 35’s aluminum outer shell and elongated pentagonal shape are a seamless blend of optimal function and form. The aluminum simultaneously helps with durability and heat dispersion. The pentagonal shape is much more aesthetically pleasing than the usual “rectangular box” shape of mounted wireless hi-fi speakers, but it also provides additional sound quality. That is, with the unit’s bigger loudspeaker at its center and the smaller tweeters on the ends you experience a well-balanced, 180-degree, room-filling sound without the annoyance or disappointment of hot spots or dead zones.

It has been thoroughly demonstrated that the BeoSound 35 can utterly cascade a room with crisp, high quality audio which doesn’t allow Beats-like bass dominance or distortion — whether you mount the system on the wall or set it up on a table with the included aluminum stand.

At the time of this writing, the BeoSound 35 has only had demo models heard. B&O are putting it on the market in April, 2016.

The post The Best Mounted Wireless Hi-Fi System of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The speakers that produce the lowest bass are tactile transducers — they typically produce frequencies in the 0.5 – 20 Hz range. Tactile sound is not perceived through the ears — it perceived through the body. Most subwoofers are incapable of producing audio in this range.

A good tactile transducer to start with is $150, entry-level Clark Synthesis Silver Edition (TST239) — it provides ample sub-frequency bass for the home user.

The Details

Tactile sound is the sensation of sound transmitted directly to the human body by contact, rather than by sound waves through the ears (tympanic sensation).

More specifically, it is sound perceived through bone conduction, through muscles and deep tissue, and via skin sensation. We perceive the vibrations through our haptic senses which include both kinesthetic (muscle) and touch (cutaneous) senses. We feel both inaudible (infrasonic frequencies) and audible frequencies. Thus, tactile sound is not just brute rumbles and shock waves.

Tactile sound can be perceived in high fidelity up to the mid-range frequencies. According to NASA research we perceive 0 to 1 kHz through the sense of touch, 0 to 3 kHz through kinesthesia (the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body), and 0.20 kHz to 20 kHz through our ears. Note there’s an overlap — we can hear the range of 0.20 kHz to 3 kHz both with our ears and through other parts of our body. Also, some hearing-impaired individual can hear sounds up to 5 kHz through their skin.

Tactile sound is a sensation that many seek out. People often buy expensive subwoofers to achieve deep bass effects. In this pursuit, subwoofers are often pushed past recommend levels, resulting in damaged equipment, muddied sound fields, and disturbed neighbors. Typically, subwoofers not produce tactile sound very well. They are designed to transmit low frequency sound through the air, and they don’t usually produce bass below 25 – 30Hz. Correctly installed and enclosed subwoofers can producer lower and louder deep bass, but they will not produce the same level of tactile vibrations.

So what kind of device produces tactile sound? Tactile transducers, or electro-mechanical devices that are built specifically to vibrate objects. They are very similar to a loudspeaker woofer driver minus the cone.

There are two basic flavors of transducer: inertial shakers and linear actuators. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two:

Inertial Shakers

Inertial Shakers operate by shaking a mass in an enclosed housing. The resulting vibrations are transferred to an attached object, like the wooden crossbeam of a couch, for example. Usually, shakers are bolted directed to an object.

Companies that make Inertial Shakers include: Clark Synthesis, Aura Sound, Earthquake Audio, Buttkicker and Sonic Immersion Technologies. These devices vary widely in price — some produce a simple shaking effect, some produce high-fidelity sounds that compliment to a stereo system or home theater (such as those offered by Clark Synthesis, my personal favorites).

A good tactile transducer to start with is $150, entry-level Clark Synthesis Silver Edition (TST239). It will produce solid definition to drum hits, or shake your fillings loose if you so desire. The transducer can be installed in less than an hour. It took me about 45 minutes to bolt it to the bottom of my couch, using the parts provided with the transducer. In my test installation, I removed the fabric from the button of a couch, and bolted the transducer to a crossbeam underneath. Once installed, the entire couch functions as a bass speaker.

But wait, we need to power the tactile transducer! Clark Synthesis sells a $350 customized tactile amplifier to do this, but you can actually use any amplifier that outputs at least 100 watts (check the Clark Synthesis documentation for more info). Well, Cambridge Audio makes good amplifiers, but their entry-level models start at $330. We can instead use an AudioSource amplifier. This is a 2-channel 100-watt (50 watts x 2) power amplifier, which can be purchased for under $100. This amplifier is well-reviewed —  111 reviewers on Amazon gave it an average of 4 out of 5 stars. You attach your amplifier to the tactile transducer using standard speaker cables. You then connect the amplifier to the Sub Out connector on your receiver.

Linear Actuators

Linear Actuators are transducers that push against a hard surface. They apply a force directly to an object, in contrast to Inertial Shakers which vibrate themselves, and then transmit that vibration into another object. Commercially available Linear Actuators usually replace the feet of a chair. They operate by pushing against the floor, and directly lifting and dropping a chair. They tend to be more expensive that Inertial Shakers, and they can be only installed under chairs — they can’t be installed under a floor or in a swimming pool like the shakers above.

Companies that offer Linear Actuator include: Crowson Technology and d-Box Technologies.

See also: The Tactile Transducer FAQ

The post The Speakers With The Deepest Bass: Tactile Transducers appeared first on Reactual.

It’s an open headphone — this mean others around will be able to hear your music. I recommend using a mini-amplifier with these headphones, you intend to use them with a portable MP3 player. I have a Fiio E10 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier and it works well.

Other Options

The only other headphones that can compete at this price level are the Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones.

The post The Best Headphones Under $200 appeared first on Reactual.

The HK 3700 received 4.5 out of 5 stars from CNET, and it’s the highest rated stereo receiver on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars from 72 reviewers.

Note that the HK 3390 is designed for stereo sound reproduction. It can, however, accommodate home theatre devices such as a cable box or gaming system, albeit only via composite video connections. If you are looking for a budget home theatre receiver, the top rated receiver is Onkyo’s TX-SR333 receiver.

You can find Harmon Kardon’s 3390 receiver on Amazon for about $310.

The post The Best Stereo Receiver Under $250: Harmon Kardon 3700 appeared first on Reactual.