Seattle-Sound

Beats by Dr. Dre vs. Bose QuietComfort 15

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:55:53 +0000

I love when I get to buy something new. It makes me all giddy inside. It does not even matter what it is exactly, if it is new, I get pumped. This week I get to purchase some new headphones. I am definitely stoked about that.

Picking out headphones is like getting new running shoes. First of all you do not want to get something that is not compatible to what your primary goal and functions are. Second, you are really going to have to like them because good headphones are not cheap and it would be a waste of money not to love the ones that you purchase.

Right now I have it narrowed down to two options. The first option are the Beats by Dr. Dre. I really like the look of these and I have not tried them on yet, but they look comfortable. The other option, the Bose QuietComfort 15, also look really comfortable. I also know that I love all of my other Bose products, so I figured I would love these too.

Alas, I am still in the choosing stages, so I cannot yet make a pick. The video below though shows a comprehensive comparison of the two headphones and I really like the feedback he gave. Check it out.

Cycle Audio Systems

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:16:13 +0000

Finding the right sound system for your motorcycle can be a grueling process. You know you’re going to need something loud, that you can actually hear above the roaring wind that races past you as you drive along the highways. That isn’t always easy to achieve, especially if your bike didn’t come with a high quality stock audio system. Even if it did, sound systems that are exposed to elements wear faster than enclosed ones, so chances are you will eventually need to upgrade, or replace, your cycle sound equipment.

Many of the top sound systems allow you to listen to your iPod or MP3 player as you ride. Plug-n-play satellite radio tuners are also popular selections for the modern stereo systems used by people while traveling on their motorcycles. The systems most often include an amplifier, at least two speakers, and a mount for an iPod or MP3 player. Today we have a video by a fellow installing the Shark Cycle Audio amps on his motorcycle. The video is lengthy but very informative, and will have you installing a better sound system on your bike in no time.

Bring On The Noise

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:09:48 +0000

Sometimes we do not think about all of the sounds that we hear throughout the day unless they cause us some annoyance or to cringe and cover our ears. If you are like me then you spend most of your day with ear buds in your ears listening to pleasant music instead of listening to yourself and all of your co-workers plucking away at the keyboard. While you don’t spend your time thinking about sounds and noises, today we are going to! So, let’s learn about sounds and bring on the noise.

The infographic below is full of some really interesting information about noises. I really liked finding out what level of sound all types of things were producing. A fun fact for you–sound is measured in decibels. A decibel is a tenth of a Bel. The word “Bel” is from Alexander Graham Bell, the guy who so smartly invented the telephone and other useful things. Some interesting noise levels:

Your home security alarm – 120 dB
Lawnmower – 100 dB
Typical light bulb hum - 13 dB
Breathing – 10 dB
Blue whale – 188 dB
Loudest human scream – 128 dB

Learn some more from the infographic below. You might be surprised at some of the things you will find out!

Choosing Marine Audio

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:56:04 +0000

Your boat is not just a vehicle for you to cruise around on the water with. It is probably a tool for you to enjoy some of your favorite hobbies. You know like you might use you boat for fishing or water sports. Because it is more than just a boat to you, should you not have in it more than just a typical audio system? Audio on your boat is just as important as your fleet tracking systems for you business and the motor fleet that you have. So when you set out to choose the audio system that you will have on your boat be sure of what it is that you are looking for.

Things that you need to consider are the size of the new speakers and the dash stereo. If you look for sizes that are currently on your boat, then install will prove to be much easier. Also think about how much power you will be expecting to come from your new audio system, and find out how many speakers you will need to achieve that power. Other features like the weather and waterproofing and inputs are also factors that need consideration.

With all of that said, watch the video below to see what your boat could sound like. You have got to love that serious audio booming from the speakers.

Sound, or Noise?

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:39:49 +0000

It’s a fact that human ear can only tolerate so much sound. Sound waves that enter the ear cause the tympanic membrane (also known as the eardrum) to vibrate. Humans are capable of hearing sounds waves with frequencies between 20 and 20,000 Hz. The three bones inside the human ear (called the malleus, incus, stapes) send these vibrations on to the cochlea, which is a snail-shaped structure filled with fluid that is located in the inner ear. All of this we tend to take for granted, hardly knowing or really caring how it works. And yet, there are certain things it is important to know about the ear, to avoid damage caused by sounds that can actually harm your hearing, or even destroy it over time.

This is true especially as it applies to your sound system, whether in your car or your home. If you know how much your ears can withstand of any kind of sound, you are less likely to suffer hearing loss or permanent hearing damage. Check out this great infographic that illustrates the science of sound and human hearing. Thanks Fixr.com.

Mac Versus PC: Who is Winning in the Sound Department?

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:54:37 +0000

When you think of sound systems, it’s likely images of gigantic woofers and speakers come to mind. You know, the kind that can bounce you three blocks if you aren’t holding on to something grounded when they thump. That’s usually in cars, or in someone’s house or apartment. But a lot of us these days spend more and more time enjoying multimedia not only on our home stereo surround sound systems and car radios, but on our computers. That’s where we use iTunes. That’s where we download our music and album art, make favorite playlists, and sometimes (if we’re lucky) even play music out into our homes. You can’t hope to get the same sound quality from a tinny-sounding set of stock PC laptop speakers that you could from stock Mac speakers. There are other things to consider as well.

Have a look at the following infographic highlighting what’s good and bad about Macs and PCs, particularly the parts about multimedia and sound. You might be surprised at who’s really coming out ahead in late 2011. Click to expand your home security network.

iPod Sound in a Honda Accord

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:51:53 +0000

I was surfing some videos this morning looking for easy ways to integrate my iPod into my car stereo system without having to resort to cables or adapters, etc.. I wanted it native, just like it had been built in. Sometimes these things are hard to find out, but YouTube has just about any “how-to” you can imagine, with step by step instructions for most things. It’s really cool, and this video takes you through all the steps including the tools you’ll need and how to do the installation. It’s completely awesome and you never have to wonder if you’re reading a book of instructions with fine print in Korean or Chinese that you couldn’t read even if you did have a high powered microscope nearby.

Here it goes, enjoy it:

Be sure to find out what’s shaking on Direct Satellite TV this month with great deals and promotions in your area.

History of Portable Sound

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:55:34 +0000

Do you remember way back in the day when a big old Boom Box was on every shoulder out along the streets? That was cutting edge slickness, back then. You could carry around your music and it would sound good when you played it out into the air. My friend and I once sold a Boom Box at the pawn shop to get money to buy a dog from the pet shop, no kidding, and that was worth something back then. I think it was 1984. Anyway, it got me thinking about all the crazy contraptions people have devised over the years to make taking music with them possible. Most of us can’t really remember life before the iPod, but there were some fairly comical predecessors. The infographic below is an overview of the history of portable sound, so check it out. You might remember something you’d forgotten all about.

Home Theater Sound Basics

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:37:50 +0000

Before you go out in search of the best sounding speakers for your home theater, there are a few things about surround sound formats that you need to know, especially if Blu-ray is on your list of things to get this year. Movies on Blu-ray discs consist of more than just higher-resolution video at 1,080 lines of horizontal resolution, compared to the nere 480 lines on standard DVDs. Blu-ray discs also offer higher-resolution soundtracks. Audiological science studies have demonstrated that the human mind’s perception of video quality is impacted by the quality of the sound accompanying it. Someone who watches a Blu-ray film with sound played back through an inferior sound system, who then watches the same movie later with the sound played through a top notch audio system, will determine that the second viewing of the same film with identical video quality was preferable to the first, even though the only difference was in sound.

The basis and foundation of all home theater stereo is surround sound. Surround sound is different from stereo. The purpose of stereo is to put you in a prime listening center, make you an engaged audience member and give your ears a treat. But the purpose of surround sound is to bring the environment of the movie’s sounds — all of them — out and around you. This puts you in the midst of the sound and all sound effects, such as crackling fires, chirping crickets, explosions and gunfire, and lasers.

Stereo along cannot give a directional sound experience. With Surround Sound, you can hear different actors’ voices coming from directions around you: slightly to the left and behind you, for instance. Or up ahead. This is something you need a good surround sound system to experience fully. Once you buy this surround sound system, you will need to be sure your home is protected with a home security system, too, because everyone will want to come check out movies at your house.