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World's most amazing subwoofer has no woofer

We all know subwoofers make bass. Big subwoofers, like the $799 Epik Empire, can sport massive 15-inch woofers and a Class D 600-watt power amplifier, all packaged in a 22x18x24-cabinet. The Empire's 120-pound weight might be a not-so-subtle indication that it's solidly built.

But Eminent Technology's TRW-17 Rotary Woofer ($12,900) doesn't have a cone-type woofer or a box or cabinet. No, the TRW-17 looks like a high-tech fan. And when you turn it on, the fan's blade spins just like a fan, but it's a bona-fide subwoofer. It produces deeper and more powerful … Read more

Safe and sound

In just a few short decades we've become dependent on the Internet to manage large portions of our lives, from our finances to our friendships, our entertainment to our exercise routines. With all these online resources come slews of passwords, and we don't think we're the only ones who have trouble keeping them straight. KeePass Password Safe Portable is a lightweight program that lets users keep their passwords handy and secure.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive. Users are first prompted to set a master password that controls access to KeePass. Then it's simply … Read more

Direct directories

Sometimes the best programs are those that don't contain a lot of bells and whistles, but that simply do a specific task easily and efficiently. Directory List and Print is one such program. This basic utility lets users create, save, and print lists of the files on their computers. It's not fancy, but that's the point; it's made to do one thing well with as little fuss as possible.

The program's interface is plain and easy to navigate, with panes displaying the user's directories and the program's output. Check boxes allow users to … Read more

Simple project planning

Many people learn about project management in business school, but plenty of others have to pick up project management skills on the fly. RationalPlan Single Project is a great program for both experienced and novice project managers. This full-featured project management tool walks users through the entire management process, making it a perfect solution for novices who need some guidance, but its capabilities are befitting an experienced project manager.

The program's interface is plain and not particularly attractive, but it's extremely easy to navigate. Each step of the project management process is listed in a tree hierarchy on … Read more

A speaker so good it doesn't sound like a speaker

I've probably listened to and reviewed a thousand speakers, and truth be told, the majority of them never sound like live music. They sound like speakers.

The "problem" with box speakers is that you're always aware the sound is coming out of a box, but Magnepan speakers don't have a box. And they don't have dome tweeters or cone midrange or woofer drivers, either. Magnepan technology is radically different than what you find on box speakers, so the 1.7's sound "floats" free of the speakers themselves.

The new Magnepan 1.7 ($1,995 per pair) looks a lot like the model it replaces, the 1.6, which was regarded by many of the world's high-end audio critics, including me, as one of the greatest less-than-$2,000 speakers on the market. The 1.6 stayed in the line for more than 10 years, and I have every reason to believe the 1.7 will be a standard bearer for just as long. And speaking of value, Magnepan also offers a factory-direct $599 (per pair) panel speaker, the MMG. The technology isn't as advanced as the 1.7's, but it's miles ahead of any other $599 speaker I can think of.

The 1.7 panel is 64.5 inches high, 19.25 wide, and just 2 inches thick. Magnepan builds all of its speakers in White Bear Lake, Minn., and almost all the 1.7's parts that aren't fabricated in-house are sourced from U.S. suppliers. I reviewed the 1.7 for Tone Audio magazine, where you can read the complete review.

The 1.7's technology is unprecedented for Magnepan; the speaker is the company's first "full-range ribbon" design. It's also worth noting that what makes a well setup pair of 1.7s so special isn't just something that only dyed-in-the-wool audiophiles would notice; pretty much anyone with ears will immediately grasp what's going on. Their box-free sound is astonishing.… Read more

Guided project planning

We suspect that there are probably people out there who have been thrust into the role of project manager with no real idea what they're doing. RationalPlan Multi Project is the perfect program for such people; it's a full-featured project management tool that walks users through the entire management process. Although its capabilities are befitting an experienced project manager, it's the perfect solution for novices who need some guidance.

The program's interface is plain and won't be winning any beauty contests, but it's extremely easy to navigate. Each step of the project management process … Read more

New tricks for Photoshop, death throes for LimeWire

Photoshop Creative Suite 5 roared out of Adobe's coding lab with a slew of feature changes that spell out actual improvements (unlike the last release's mostly visual overhaul) in this decades-old premium powerhouse of an image processor.

Features that automatically correct your lens and improve the way the editor processes high dynamic range (HDR) are two significant additions. Enhanced 3D image tools and a more effective algorithm for filling in image holes with information taken from neighboring parts of the photo are two others that help make this version of Photoshop a must-have for serious image-manipulators. Get a … Read more

Top 10 must-have audio bargains

"Good enough" audio is the order of the day, but here at The Audiophiliac it's all about great sounding gear, which can get really expensive. Usually, but not always, so here's a Top 10 list of great gear that won't break the bank. Prices run from $8 to $1,995, and seven of the ten are under $650. All are truly exceptional performers, affordably priced. (Just note that these are my personal picks; see CNET's list of best home audio products for the editors' official recommendations.)

Grado SR60i headphones ($79). Grado long ago set the standard for unbelievably great-sounding, full-size budget headphones with the original SR60. The SR60's sound had weight, detail and punch far beyond the capabilities of most under $100 'phones. Jim Austin, over at Stereophile magazine, recently reviewed the SR60i, and he thinks Grado's upgraded design surpasses the original SR60.

Ikea Lack hi-fi component stand ($7.99) It's made of particleboard and ABS plastic, and it comes in a variety of painted colors (and "birch effect"); it's 21.3 inches wide and deep, and 17.75 inches high. Ikea doesn't present the Lack as audio furniture; it's a side table, but audiophiles all over the world have used it to support their prized possessions. Build quality is surprisingly sturdy.

Sony XDR-F1HD HD Radio ($100). I guess most of you don't listen to radio anymore, but if you're lucky enough to still have a great NPR or college station nearby, you gotta hear this radio. Plug it into your computer or hi-fi and it'll sound better than Internet radio by a long shot.

Samsung HT-C6500 home theater in a box system ($649, pictured at top). I've probably reviewed more HTIBs than anybody, but this new Blu-ray Samsung HTIB really stood out from the crowd. First because it doesn't have the feeble, thin sound I associate with the petite speakers that come with most HTIBs. The sound is rich, full, and thanks to the HT-C6500's potent subwoofer, powerful.

Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra MX6021 PC speaker-subwoofer system ($200). I checked out Altec's mighty PC sound system when David Carnoy was working on his CNET review. Wow, this thing rocks! It's remarkably clean-sounding, and the subwoofer goes really deep, without the boom and bloat so common to computer speaker systems. Face it, you're never going to get great sound out of pipsqueak speakers, the Altec system's subwoofer is 15.8 inches tall by 15.1 inches wide by 10.2 inches deep, and the satellites sport 3-inch midrange drivers and 1-inch neodymium tweeters. It's easily the best sounding $200 speaker/subwoofer package on the planet! … Read more