Ultra Cool Gadgets

Polk Audio RM6750 Black Six-piece 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System - Introducing a complete home-theater audio solution for people who crave true cinema excitement without breaking the bank.
The RM6750. The integrated Power Port Bass Vent designed right onto the back of the compact Satellite & Center Channel speakers - the same technology used in full-sized Polk Audio speakers-improves lower midrange response and all-important sub/sat blending, taking the RM6750 beyond the performance realm of any other sub/sat system in this price range. This integrated design reveals midrange with no hole
in the frequencies between the sats and the sub, for male vocals that are rich and full-not thin and weak like other sub/sat systems. The RM6750 comes with its own subwoofer module, an 8 inch long throw driver and high current power amplifier for real ground-shaking bass thrills. The Subwoofer features an 8-inch Long-Throw Dynamic Balance Poly Composite Driver with built-in Subwoofer amp (50 Watts Continuous Power). Dimensions - Fronts/Surrounds - 6-1/2 H x 4-1/16 W x 5 D, 2 lbs / Center - 4-5/16 H x 11-3/16 W x 5-13/16 D, 5.25 lbs / Subwoofer - 15-7/8 H x 11 W x 13-1/2 D, 28 lbs

Technical Details

* Six piece surround sound package that includes 2 front and 2 surround speakers, 1 center-channel speaker, and 1 subwoofer
* Satellite and center-channel speakers utilize 3.25-inch polymer-composite cone drivers for distortion-free midrange
* Features 0.5-inch silk and polymer-composite dome tweeter in each satellite speakers and 0.75-inch silk and polymer-composite dome tweeter in center-channel speaker
* Subwoofer utilizes an eight-inch long-throw dynamic-balance poly-composite driver for longer driver excursion and better linearity
* Satellite and center-channel speakers can accommodate 6.1 or 7.1 channel systems

Customer feedback:

1. The Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 channel home theater speaker system is phenomenal and an outstanding value. I had originally been looking for a home theater in a box system to mate to a newly acquired 37″ LG LCD HDTV. The search was partly precipitated by the demise of the older generation DVD player we owned coupled to a failing 10 year old Onkyo surround-sound system. As I poked around on-line reviews and shopped Circuit City and Best Buy it became clear I could get more value and flexibility buying a receiver, an upscalable DVD player (improved picture with regular DVDs on HDTV) and a new speaker system than with home theater in a box.

2. There are tons of speakers out there, and many of them are quite good. What sold me on Polk was the wealth of information the company publishes for its customers (and prospects) on its website. While some companies will try to sell you on prestige or fancy finishing, the Polk website lays it out clearly and explains the best way to evaluate a system in terms of performance. As a self-proclaimed audiophile, and having worked in professional theatrical sound, I appreciate a company that is dedicated to quality and technical mastery, and less concerned with marketing.
They make fantastic speakers, and their detailed information on the perils of the “sub jack” on most tuners, along with their innovative solution, has me listening to pristine sound with no hassle. This sounds way better than other systems I’ve heard (at friends houses and whatnot) that cost many times more than this. These speakers are pretty incredible for the price.

Games are meant to be experienced in surround sound. Hear your enemies sneaking up behind you or listen for the action in every direction. The G51 brings your games to life with 360 degree urround sound. The G51 is the first G-series speakers, designed specifically for gamers. Besides delivering an immersive surround-sound experience and thunderous bass, it is equipped with gamer inspired features including the weighted, non-skid control pod, independent, easy-to-access mic and audio mute controls, and customizable satellite speakers. In short, the G51 is authentic gaming equipment!
With 155 watts of total RMS (root mean square) power, the G51 speaker system is optimized to deliver high-performance audio experiences. The ported, down-firing subwoofer rumbles with every explosion.

Technical Specifications

* Total RMS power: 155 watts RMS
Satellites: 20 watts RMS x 4 (into 8 ohms, @ 1 kHz, @ 10% THD)
Center channel: 19 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, @ 1 KHz, @ 10% THD)
Subwoofer: 56 watts RMS (into 2 ohms, @ 100 Hz, @ 10% THD)
* Total peak power: 310 watts
* Frequency response: 36 Hz–20 KHz
* Subwoofer crossover frequency: 150 Hz
* Drivers:
Satellites: (2) 2-inch laser-tuned drivers
Subwoofer: Down-firing 5.25-inch high-excursion driver
* Speaker dimensions (H x W x D, inches)
Satellites: 4.2 x 5.6 x 8.5
Center channel: 8.0 x 3.9 x 5.6
Subwoofer: 7.7 x 10.4 x 13.1
* Enclosure: Bass reflex enclosure with tuned port
* Inputs: 6-channel direct, stereo RCA
* Precision control pod:
Non-skid silicone feet
Master volume control
Subwoofer, center, and surround level controls
Matrix surround sound music and gaming modes
Independent audio and microphone mute controls
Headset jack (microphone and headphone)
* Signal-to-noise ratio: >94 dB, A-weighted

Customer feedback:

1. With some relucatance I ordered the G51. I set them up yesterday, and so far I’m very pleased with them. The soul-searing hiss present on the z-680 is mercifully gone, and the system sounds excellent. The bass is sufficient without being overpowering (provided you turn it down a notch or two from the default setting), and the control pod is sensibly sized and sports a great, logically laid out interface. Mids and highs are perfectly acceptable for a relatively cheap computer speaker set. The matrix mode works surprisingly well (though I think it’s likely nothing that revolutionary, just a re-imaging if their existing stero x2 mode) for both games and music.

2. Before this I used a 2.1 system, and thought it was pretty good. Well, the G51 blew it away with its’ smooth audio that envelops you and adds a powerful and unique audio experience to any system. It sounded great in games, and music takes on a whole new dimension. I watched some TV shows on my Slingbox and the G51 made my room sound like a professional audio entertainment room.
The controller makes it easy to adjust the volume as well as the individual channel volumes (surround, center, bass). It also provides convenient microphone and headphone jacks at your fingertips. The mute button is also a handy addition to the control panel. The G51 has ample speaker cables, but a little extra length on both the front and rears would be welcome. Even better, if they could make this system wireless - it would really open up speaker placement options.

The PCMCIA Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook opens a new era of possibilities for the notebook user. This sound card delivers features previously only available to PC users but now available to notebook users (even those that are highly mobile). This is achieved by combining crystal clear audio with advanced, hardware-accelerated features all in a tiny PCMCIA format card! For instance it delivers THX certified 24-bit ADVANCED HD audio quality playback with incredible 104dB SNR, allowing for audiophile quality playback with support for DVD-Audio at up to 24-bit/192kHz and Windows Media 9: 24-bit multi-channel audio format.
The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook also provides encompassing 7.1 surround sound for Dolby Digital EX as well as DTS-ES supported DVD movies; any DirectSound3D games and CMSS 3D virtualized 7.1 stereo music. Gamers will love the hardware accelerated EAX 4.0 ADVANCED HD that not only brings games to life, but delivers maximum performance! Musicians will also enjoy true 24-bit recording and low latency ASIO support for the ultimate audio recording platform. Notebook audio just got very, very interesting!

Technical Details

* Superior Home Theater sound quality for all your music, movies, and games
* Rich, high-fidelity, 24-bit audio with 256 times the clarity of your basic notebook sound
* Enjoy music, movies and games in virtual surround on headphones or full surround on 5.1 or 7.1 speakers
* Make your digital music sound dramatically better with EAX ADVANCED HD Music Tools
* Experience game sound effects so realistic that you’ll feel like you are actually in the game

Customer feedback:

1. most new laptops come with Good Enough sound quality. Most speaker systems will Fake high quality. Don’t be hasty and buy a card before you’ve tested your laptop with your speakers. If it isn’t good enough, then look at something like this. But it’s so much cheaper to get the right soundcard integrated in the first place… what kind of laptop are you buying anyway if you’re willing to spend 99bucks on audio for it, but not willing to fork it out in the first place?

2. This is my second card, the first was stepped on by a youngster. I have a very high end laptop, but the sound is terrible. Using this card and decent pair of headphones does the trick. Good quality and easily installs. I think creative did a good job with this product.

Running out of audio jacks? Now, with ICUSBAUDIO, you can add headsets and microphones to your computer without the need to unplug other devices! Compliant with USB 2.0 and USB audio device specification 1.0, this USB to audio adapter couldn’t be any simpler to install. Compatible with Windows 98SE and up, as well as Mac OS 9.x and later, ICUSBAUDIO integrates into any computer environment, providing superb sound quality and convenience that can’t be matched. The StarTech ICUSBAUDIO USB 2.0 to Audio Adapter turns a USB port to audio jacks and lets you to add headsets and microphones to your computer without needing to unplug other devices. The adapter is USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 compliant and supports the USB audio device specification 1.0. Installation is as simple as plugging it in and the sound quality it outstanding.

Technical Details

* Adapter turns USB port into two audio jacks
* Supports the USB audio device specification 1.0
* Compliant with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1
* Compatible with Windows 98SE and up, and Mac OS 9.x and later

Customer feedback:

1. I have a Dell laptop (Precision M20) with pretty poor sound quality - lots of background noise and hiss no matter how I adjust the volume. I often like to listen to headphones both at work and at home to avoid distractions, but the poor sound quality of the built in sound card made the experience barely tolerable. I took a chance on this StarTech product and have been very impressed. I just plugged it into an unused USB port and after about a minute Windows XP had found a driver (did not have to use the included CD) and told me it was ready to go. I plugged in my headphones and immediately began to enjoy great sound. It also has a mic port which I have not used. Also included is a short 6″ USB extension cable which may be handy in some applications. Very happy with the purchase.

2. I ordered this for my Acer laptop when the built in sound-card broke. The adapter itself is too big to fit into a USB port without blocking access to another, but they realized this and included a small USB extension cord, which is convenient & completely solves the problem. I’m running Vista, and upon plugging the device in, it was recognized automatically without the need for any manual driver installation. The reports from other reviews about it being rather loud are true, but I noticed no distortion and was able to get it to a perfectly reasonable level. I had no issues with audio latency either.

Manufacturers have made it increasingly easy to connect a host of FireWire and USB devices to your computer, but often at the expense of the microphone port and other jacks. Enter the Griffin iMic audio adapter, an affordable USB device that lets users connect microphones, speakers, cassette decks, and virtually any other audio source to their Macs and PCs for recording or playback. Among its many uses are recording voices or instruments for home movies, turning your laptop into a DJ studio, or converting your LPs and cassettes into MP3s or CDs. The iMic includes two 1/8-inch mini-jack ports (one mic/line-level input and one speaker output), along with an RCA-to-miniplug adapter for connecting audio components such as phonographs. Thanks to a small toggle switch on the unit, the microphone input can handle both mic-level recording and line-level signals. In addition, the iMic works with most recording software, and even comes with a CD-ROM loaded with Final Vinyl for Macintosh (for recording LPs), along with trial versions of several other applications.

Technical Details

* USB audio adapter for connecting microphones, phonographs, cassette decks, and other sources to your computer
* Records voices or instruments or converts LPs and cassettes to MP3s and CDs
* 1/8-inch input jack offers both mic and line-level signals
* 1/8-inch output jack connects to headphones or speakers for playback
* Easy to set up and use; compatible with USB-equipped Macs and PCs

Customer feedback:

1. This device is a totally plug-n-play way of adding sound input capability to your Mac. It plugs into a spare USB port and accepts a mini mono mic/line input. G4 Macs, among others, come with a line in audio jack, but they have no mic input and can’t amplify a mic enough to make it audible. So, if you want to use an unpowered mic for direct sound-in to your mac, this is a cost-effective way to go!
The driver came installed with Jaguar, so there was no installing to do - I plugged it into the USB port and the Mac OS immediately recognized it. It shows up in the ‘Sound’ pane of System Preferences and is easy to select. There’s a handy level meter there, so you can twiddle the amplification just right. I’ve used it for a couple months to DJ my live internet radio broadcast, which goes out over the “airwaves” as a 56K internet stream. I’m using it with a cheap Radio Shack combo phones/mic headset (nine bucks), and the sound quality is totally adequate. I’d agree with the manufacturer, though, that you oughtn’t expect to use this for studio-quality sound; although I can’t discern any distortion or hiss from the peripheral over my cheap speakers or headphones.

2. I’ve dubbed bunches of LPs and tapes using this thing. I don’t need it now that my new eMac has an audio-in port, but on my old iBook it’s been great. Plugs right into the USB port and gives me just the right amount of gain for recording my old Lps and tapes. Using Sound Studio, all I do is hit record, clean it up afterward, mark the points between songs and then throw the whole kadoodle into iTunes. Couldn’t be simpler. Uses very little power so I can plug it into my keyboard. The only caution I would give is not to let the computer sleep while using iMic — waking it seems to create a little buzz in the recording.

The Zalman ZM-RSSC External USB 5.1 Sound Card is small and compact, and connects to your computer via a USB interface. Installation is plug-and-play, making it a cinch to use. It supports both optical and coaxial digital outputs along with analog 5.1 channel outputs. Front, rear, and center/subwoofer output channels all have independent level adjustments. (For digital output, volume can be controlled by a volume control on the speaker.) A built-in amplifier provides full sound and ease of use, outputting at 0.6W per channel. The card features the Sonix 5.1 Sound chipset and offers a 16-bit sampling rate at up to 48kHz.

Technical Details

* Device Type - Sound card
* Interface Type - USB
* Sound Output Mode - Sonix 5.1 Sound
* Max Speakers Qty - 5.1 channel

Customer feedback:

1. Really nice product. The only annoying thing is the red light. Though is to let you know the card is working, it shouldnt be too flashy. Besides that, the software and the controls are easy to use. Recommended for any notebook user that wish to have good quality 5.1 sound with their system without expending money on a expensive pcmcia(pc card) or express card sound card(that actually requires another adapter for the card to be able to use 5.1 speakers, so yeah, too expensive). This will work on any desktop computer as well, but you can get a better internal sound card at the same price or less. Anyways, newer desktop computers already come with integrated 5.1 sound card, so is not really necessary to add one.

2. If you’re looking for a cheap sound card that works and that you don’t have to install then this is the one. There is a slight lag when the sound card initially receives data which only lasts for half a second or so due to the USB connection. It works great for movies, songs, and games. It is a good buy.

Billed as the easiest way to upgrade from basic built-in PC sound to home-theater audio, Creative’s USB SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit external sound card is an affordable stand-alone audio interface for your PC that hooks up to your computer via a single, simple USB 1.1 connection (cable supplied). The card offers analog inputs for a microphone and an audio component (CD player, DVD player, etc.) and outputs including optical and coaxial digital-audio jacks and a trio of minijack analog audio outs that you can use with 5.1-channel surround-sound speaker systems. Your music and games will never be the same.
Now you can create MP3s from your CDs easier than ever and digitize your old cassettes and LP records, cleaning up the sound as you do so using Creative’s supplied software. (Be aware, however, that LP record playback requires, in addition to a turntable and cartridge, an outboard phono stage or an integrated amplifier equipped with a phono preamplifier; the USB SoundBlaster Live! accepts only line-level analog inputs.)

Technical Details

* High-resolution stand-alone sound card with abundant inputs and outputs
* Simple hookup via USB 1.1 port; no power supply required
* The perfect tool to help you put your LPs and cassettes on CD, create MP3s, and organize music
* Audio enhancements include bass boost, smart volume management, a multi-band graphic equalizer, and audio clean-up (hiss and click removal)
* Encodes and decodes audio at up to 24-bit/96 kHz resolution; offers 5.1-channel output for use with 5.1 speaker systems

Customer feedback:

1. When I ordered this external sound card, I was skeptical, but when I received this card,hooked it up,it sounded fantastic. I had realtek onboard sound. I disabled it in the device manager tab, before i downloaded the drivers for the sound blaster live card, and without any problems. I’m running windows XP, with service pack 2. There is a big difference, no hiss, or distortion,and you can turn the speakers up louder, without sacraficing clarity. I would not hesitate to buy this card, even though you can’t get updated drivers, the ones that come with the CD is just fine, and they are certified by Microsoft.

2. An outstanding and innovative product. What’s cool about this product is that you can place it anywhere near your computer, allowing you to have all your sound ports/jacks and volume controls within quick and easy reach: With its microphone port, in/out line ports, speaker ports, and multiple other ports, you can connect just about any type of audio device directly to the SoundBlaster External Card. The multiple media software applications that are included free (on one CD) is alone worth the price you pay for the sound card. With the SoundBlaster External hardware and the included recording software, you can record anything (CDs, casettes, old vinyl records, your own live voice and music) and easily convert it to a digital audio file. From there you can use the editing software to clean-up and enhance your recording. Once you have saved your sound file, here are some ideas for you: email the sound file, or convert the file to an mp3 for use on a portable music player, or burn the file onto a CD: All of these you can do with the SoundBlaster External Sound Card. And, oh yes, the SoundBlaster External will make your computer sound absolutely great!

Why settle for basic, built-in sound? Your music and movies deserve Xtreme Fidelity. Simply connect the Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 sound card to your PC or notebook and turn your downloaded music into your own personal concert. Adding the USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 sound card is the easiest way to make your music and movies sound their best. X-Fi Technology restores details and vibrance your music and movies lost during compression, making them richer and fuller, and expands stereo into surround sound with headphones or speakers. Plus it includes PowerDVD software via free download for the ultimate PC movie entertainment experience.

Technical Details

* X-Fi Crystalizer technology restores the detail and vibrance to your compressed music and movies. All the highs and lows are intelligently enhanced so you¿ll hear everything in crystal clarity.
* Slip on your headphones and X-Fi CMSS-3D technology moves the sound away from your ears and into the space around you. You’ll feel like you’re sitting with your favorite band or in the best seat in the movie theater.
* Expand your stereo music and movies into surround sound with X-Fi CMSS-3D technology. Voices are centered in front of you. Ambient sound appears all around you… just like a live performance.
* Realistic sound effects in games Bullets whiz past your head. Explosions shake the room. Take your games to the next level with EAX ADVANCED HD sound effects.
* Cinematic surround sound from DVD movies Watch your DVDs in cinematic surround sound with PowerDVD software featuring DTS and Dolby Digital -EX decoding (free download with purchase).

Customer feedback:

Using a notebook is kind of hard to have 5.1 sound, this device allows it. Now I can see movies and connect it to powered speakers to have a Home Theater using my notebook.

Why settle for basic, built-in sound from your stereo speakers or headphones? Get ready to turn all of your MP3s into your own personal concert and hear your movies in virtual surround sound. Immerse yourself in audio that surrounds you. X-Fi is the new audio standard from Creative that makes your music and movies way better. X-Fi technology breathes life into songs. It restores detail and expands the music to surround sound. The X-Fi Crystalizer identifies the audio elements that have been restricted/damaged during compression and selectively re-masters them. The X-Fi CMSS-3D converts basic stereo content into multi-channel in real-time to deliver incredible virtual surround over two speakers or headphones. This little device packs a big punch, and it’s always ready. 100% plug-and-play, there are no drivers or software to install. Connect instantly to your notebook, PC or Mac, or even your MP3 player. It’s that easy to get Xtreme Fidelity sound for crystal clarity and amazing surround sound.

Technical Details

* Device Type - Sound card
* Interface Type - External
* Localization - English
* Sound Output Mode - Multi channel

Customer feedback:

1. I’ve had my XMOD for over a week now and I’ve been very pleased with my purchase. I saw a demo of this at my local Best Buy store and was immediately impressed by how simple it was to use. I mainly purchased it to improve the sound of my MP3 music on my Dell notebook and it does a great job of that. There are settings you can tweak, but I just turn both sound improvements on and leave it alone. Every song I play through it sounds better. I kept turning it on and off at first to hear the difference, but after a day or so I just left it on all the time. It’s hard to describe what it does exactly, but basically my music sounds cleaner. The songs have more punch and crispness. I mainly use headphones and I especially like how it makes the headphones sound like a speaker a few feet away from your ear. I’ve also played one DIVX movie (Matrix)that I have and it sounds really cool too. You get a real sense of surround audio. When you go back to the movie with XMOD turned off, it sounds flat and boring.

2. Earlier this year I bought a Creative X-Fi sound card for my desktop computer, and it made the sound quality exponentially better. Therefore, I began looking for a portable one for my laptop and iPod. It does EXACTLY what it says it does, it makes sound quality increase beyond belief. Not to mention, my laptop didn’t get very loud through headphones, now I can’t turn up past the third bar (out of over 10)! I only listened to my music (other than on my desktop) occasionally, now I listen to it all the time through headphones just because of this device. Personally, I only use the Crystallizer for music, but both for movies.

The Zalman ZM-RSSC External USB 5.1 Sound Card is small and compact, and connects to your computer via a USB interface. Installation is plug-and-play, making it a cinch to use. It supports both optical and coaxial digital outputs along with analog 5.1 channel outputs. Front, rear, and center/subwoofer output channels all have independent level adjustments. (For digital output, volume can be controlled by a volume control on the speaker.) A built-in amplifier provides full sound and ease of use, outputting at 0.6W per channel. The card features the Sonix 5.1 Sound chipset and offers a 16-bit sampling rate at up to 48kHz.

Product Features:

* External 5.1 sound card connects to a computer via a USB connection
* Offers both optical and coaxial digital outputs along with analog 5.1 channel outputs
* Independent level adjustments for front, rear, and center/subwoofer output
* Sound chipset offers a 16-bit sampling rate at up to 48kHz
* Device measures 4.2 x 0.6 x 3.2 inches (WxHxD)

Customer feedback:

1. Really nice product. The only annoying thing is the red light. Though is to let you know the card is working, it shouldnt be too flashy. Besides that, the software and the controls are easy to use. Recommended for any notebook user that wish to have good quality 5.1 sound with their system without expending money on a expensive pcmcia(pc card) or express card sound card(that actually requires another adapter for the card to be able to use 5.1 speakers, so yeah, too expensive).
2. If you’re looking for a cheap sound card that works and that you don’t have to install then this is the one. There is a slight lag when the sound card initially receives data which only lasts for half a second or so due to the USB connection. It works great for movies, songs, and games. It is a good buy.