Frequent travelers know the challenges of taking music on the road. Headphones can be fatiguing. And with luggage space at a premium, hauling a decent set of speakers is out of the question. Up to this point, portable speakers have been horrible sounding. However, the Altec Lansing inMotion travel speakers set a new standard for portable audio. Utilizing the MaxxBass technology from Waves (yes, the same stuff from the plug-in), these diminutive speakers create the illusion of a full-range sound from a larger system. The unit is lightweight (15 oz) and folds to the size of a paperback book (about 8 x 5.5 inches). It can be powered by four AA batteries or via a wall-wart power supply. When using AC power, the inMotion can serve as a charging station for an iPOD, as well. Although the inMotion is designed for the Apple iPOD, it has an auxiliary input jack for connecting other devices. At $150, the inMotion is not cheap. But I had no reservations, given my travel schedule and the impressive sound of this unit. Many Apple dealers have them on display. So go hear for yourself. ($149 MSRP; www.alteclansing.com)
Amplifiers, Monitoring | No. 51
Reference Amplifier A500
by Kyle Bittinger, Bryan Cord, Nick McCarthy, Ramsey Tantawi
The A500 is one of Behringer's newer products, and it's their only standalone amplifier aimed at the recording and post-production market. Sporting 2 x 230 Watts of power into 4 Ohms and a fanless,...