Tag Archives: Boston Acoustics

Why I like the Sonos PLAY:1… (part 2 – adding stereo and bass)

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In my earlier blog article I commented on the first rate fit and finish of the new Sonos PLAY:1.  This time I want to share some of my experiences combining different Sonos pieces – I wanted to configure different systems for more functionality and performance compared with typical usage of the Sonos products.  What I found was that the products were surprisingly configurable.  This aspect of Sonos system capability is admirable and probably not accidental – I think it a result of their considering all the possibilities and testing them exhaustively.

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In this article I will share my experiences setting up a Sonos 2.1 system (pair of speakers plus a subwoofer) including some less-than-obvious configurations combining Sonos and non-Sonos equipment.  Continue reading →

Passive loudspeakers – why do they still exist?

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A walk around last week’s135th Audio Engineering Society Convention at the Javits Center New York reminded me again of how passive (non-self-amplified) speakers seem like antiques, despite their continued dominance in high end home audio. Studio monitor speakers are pretty much all self-amplified “active” designs.

At a basic level, amplified sound consists of electrical amplification, to make the electrical signal “bigger,” and speaker transducers, to turn that signal into sound waves. The first step is purely electrical; the second is electrical and mechanical. There is no law that says these must be together or separate, so why does it matter? Continue reading →

Juggling Remotes (or How to Really Piss Off Your Family)

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From the Boston Acoustics Blog Archives (circa 2011)

OK, I have to admit, as a product designer I try many products out, including my competitor’s products. Because I try these products – like home theater gear – in my real life (a.k.a. my real living room), I am not the only test subject. So imagine what happens when I leave my wife and two kids with a new system, with a new remote, and no me to keep it running. TROUBLE! I get calls, usually when I am boarding an airplane or walking into a meeting: Continue reading →