Natural Acoustic iPhone Amplifier

 

The Natural Acoustic iPhone Amplifier is a remarkable example of  Italian design that combines aesthetic beauty with classic handcrafted porcelain materials and at the same time, bridges a previous “time gone by” generation of passive acoustic technology with the newest generation of modern technology.

The Acoustic iPhone Amplifier is a passive ceramic amplifier manufactured in Italy designed to amplify the music from an iPhone or iPod. It works on the same resonant acoustic principle as the old-fashioned Victrola phonographs. Now there’s some imagery from the past.

In exquisite Italian fashion, the amplifier is handcrafted of slip-cast ceramic fired in Vincenza. Located in the north-eastern Italy, Vincenza has been distinguished since the 18th century for traditional high-quality ceramics that have been compared to the finest Chinese porcelain. The porcelain is  made from clay that comes from Montelupo Fiorentino. This area in Tuscany has been the focal point of Italian ceramics production going all the way back to the Renaissance period.

The curvature of the ceramic horn creates a passive audio amplifier that augments the resonant tones emanating from the iPhone speaker. The passive acoustic amplifier doesn’t require any auxiliary power or external speakers, this is purely a natural acoustic function. You simply place your iPhone or iPod in the cradle of the ceramic horn. And the beautifully crafted walnut base supports the ceramic horn with minimal contact for optimal acoustic performance.

Natural Ceramic Acoustic iPhone Amplifier Demonstration

 

Because the technology is purely acoustic (no electronic interface), iPhone compatibility is not an issue. This beautiful ceramic acoustic iPhone amplifier will work with all iPhone and iPod versions including iPhone 4, 4S, 3G, 3GS, iPhone, iPod touch 1-4th Gen, and the iPod touch with cover. The dimensions of the acoustic iPhone amplifier are 17 3/4 inches in length, by 12 1/2 inches in width by 13 1/4 inches in height, and weighs 5 1/2 pounds.

As much a beautiful work of art and conversation piece, the Natural Acoustic iPhone Amplifier will make an exquisite and unique addition to your home.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $499.95

Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver

 

Do you ever find yourself getting frustrated over little inconveniences like figuring out a way to connect your iPhone, iPod or other MP3 player to your home stereo or home entertainment so you can listen to music that you keep on your mobile phone, iPod, MP3 or other portable media players? To alleviate this inconvenience the Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver makes it possible for users to listen, play and control their music media from their favorite audio sources wirelessly.

The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver connects to your home stereo or entertainment system through the standard audio cables provided. Then you’re able to stream your favorite music, podcasts and other media from your iPhone, mobile phone, iPod, MP3 player or any other portable media player over a standard wireless Bluetooth connection and play the audio straight through to your home stereo or home entertainment system.

The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Receiver is a convenient, small footprint portable device that measures 1.875 inches across and about 0.25 inches thick. This is roughly the size of a the lens cap for an SLR camera lens. And the Kanex device is attractively styled with a smart, soft-touch matte black finish.

You can wirelessly control your favorite playlist or podcasts anytime, anywhere through your vehicle, speakers or home stereo as long as you are within the Bluetooth transmission range of 33 feet. You simply connect the Kanex Airblue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver to the audio system using the 3.5mm audio cables (or mini USB connector) and then pair your media source (iPhone, iPod, MP3 player, mobile phone, etc.) with the Kanex AirBlue Bluetooth receiver. Then, you’re able to receive streamed audio with the same audio output via the analog audio connection.

And the fidelity is quite good. The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Receiver employs a Bluetooth v2.1 receiver with EDR which enables the highest music fidelity and premium sound over a Bluetooth connection. The device is also easy on the battery and is able to deliver an average of 10 working hours on a full charge. The internal rechargeable battery is easily recharged using a simple USB connection and cable and you can also use the device while it is charging.

The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver is a handy portable, reliable, and convenient wireless solution to stream your favorite media for use at home and when you’re on the go.

Available: Amazon

Price: $49.99

Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus Speakers – The Ultimate Audiophile’s Speakers

 

Here at Mint Gadgets, we like to present the full range of great gadgets that you can find out there. Now bear in mind, many of the finest gadget innovations are not necessarily the most expensive items to buy. In fact, most of the gadgets we talk about fall within the more affordable price range of the spectrum.

However, some gadgets that we feature actually do come in as some of the most expensive innovations that you can find. And most assuredly, these audio speakers from Wilkins & Bowers are definitely an example of the latter. In the spirit of the “best of the best”, the Wilkins & Bowers Nautilus Speakers come in at the “top of the top”, the absolute most sophisticated audio speakers money can buy.

And yes, I did say these speakers are expensive! But it’s fun to look, right?

Bowers & Wilkins is a world class innovative audio research, engineering and manufacturing company located in England. Innovation is a premier hallmark at Bowers & Wilkins, and the research and development project that led to the Nautilus speaker product took over 5 years to accomplish. The engineers at Bowers & Wilkins explore every avenue in the relentless pursuit of true and accurate sound, borrowing many lessons directly from nature to achieve the pinnacle of audio loudspeaker design.

The result is an audio loudspeaker technology that continues to shape the direction of the audio industry today!

Place these loudspeakers from Bowers & Wilkins in your listening room and you’ll be in good company with some of the world’s top-end recording studios including Abbey Road Studios that have used the products since the late 1980′s.

The Nautilus Speakers enable the unparalleled experience to hear music exactly as it was recorded. Every nuance and detail of the music shimmers with vibrant realism. The Nautilus Audio Speaker technology results in the full power and impact of the sound to propagate unencumbered by speaker distortion or cabinet diffraction. For these reasons, the Nautilus is recognized as the first speaker in the world to truly achieve near zero cabinet coloration.

The four-way speaker design provides the clearest three-dimensional sound stage performance available. The Nautilus Audio Speakers accomplish this optimal sound quality by eliminating cabinet coloration which is the unwanted sound that radiates from the back of a speaker driver. Another key innovation is the mathematically precise, tapering wave-guiding tubes that house each speaker unit’s one inch and two inch tweeters as well as the 4 inch mid-range driver.

Rear-traveling sound waves are channeled, absorbed, and dampened, which results in the purest sound emanating from the front while virtually eliminating the distracting and distorting sound radiation from the rear of the speakers. And talk about fancy audio technology, the pattern of sound vibration is engineered to a precision tolerance that falls within 1/3000th of a millimeter using laser-doppler velocimetry.

Now, don”t ask me what “laser-doppler velocimetry” means … perhaps something to do with determining the sound velocity by using lasers to measure the doppler shift?  Who knows, but sounds impressive, don’t you think?

Each speaker enclosure has a powerful 12″ bass driver housed in a curved, spiral-shaped tube that permits the sound waves to travel the length of the tube without reflection. The speakers’ active crossover network enables each driver to operate purely in its own frequency band (unlike typical passive crossover designs) for sound that is crisper, cleaner, and more vibrant.

You should note that this architecture does require four separate amplifiers per speaker which are not included. But at these prices, if you can afford the Nautilus speakers, I’m sure the added expense of a few more audio amplifiers is of little consequence.

And don’t forget the aesthetic quality as well. The Nautilus enclosures are each handmade from a combination of fiberglass and reinforced ABS for durability. And the final product is finished with the same paint and lacquer system used for German luxury automobiles, your choice of three colors off the shelf; black, midnight blue or silver. The brochure does indicate that you can order custom colors if you’re willing to wait a bit longer for delivery.

If you would like to review details about these remarkable Nautilus speakers, you can download the Nautilus brochure here.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $60,000 (ouch, I told you these speakers are expensive!)

The Strumdrumano

 

Have you ever played Guitar Hero and happen to love the game? Is jamming buttons and moving your fingers up and down as if strumming invisible guitar threads something you enjoy? Well, if you do enjoy it, why not take a look at the Strumdrumano?

The Strumdrumano is a truly wicked instrument. At the first glance, most of you might mistake it for a regular Guitar Hero’s guitar and dismiss it from your thoughts. However, if you take a closer look at the device, you’ll notice some very interesting features.

For instance, by extending the folding neck, the device transforms into a guitar consisting of five buttons arranged side to side on a fret board. Whereas, on the body of the Strumdrumano, a strum bar detects movement of the hand and is capable of playing five distinctive and different styles of notes such as electric rock and so on. A whammy bar, on the other hand, modulates the sustained sounds or embellishes in a riff mode, producing impressive trills and arpeggios.

When the neck is folded away, there are four percussive sound effect pads that allow you to put your drumming skills to test, and if you’re not into that, there’s always a choice of flipping over the back to reveal a hidden piano and immerse yourself in various piano tunes. For a price of $69.95, the Strumdrumano offers a choice of three instruments and the ability of playing along with your choice of tunes by connecting it to a MP3 player.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $69.95

The Vertical Turntable

 

I’ve never heard of turntables taking up much space in a house, but here’s a unique turntable that’s designed to be fixed to your wall, playing your vinyl records vertically! The Vertical Turntable defies the laws of gravity, mounting to a wall and securing records with a special locking mechanism with the platter to ensure your records don’t crash onto the floor halfway through a song.

This Vertical Turntable can play your record with a 33 RPM platter speed, or 45 RPM with the adapter included with it, using a two-speed belt drive. It features two built-in 5-watt speakers with volume control and a ruby-tipped stylus to play any record up to 12” in size smoothly with no interruption.

The turntable will automatically stop once a record is finished, and there are literally no wires attached as it runs on 4 AA batteries, so fear not any ugly wires climbing up your wall. Alternatively, you can use an AC adapter to power it if you’re not into changing or charging batteries all the time.

The unique design of the turntable will definitely catch the eye and turn the heads of anyone who sees it, and it appears to be the only wall-mounted, vertical turntable available in the market. It is available at a price of $69.95, and is ideal for small, cramp apartments if you don’t have any space to spare. I don’t think scratching this particular turntable is a good idea though.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $69.94