Crave

The Woo WES: eight tubes on top, two in the lower half.

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)

Lucky me, I've reviewed most of the world's very best headphones, including the Audio Technica ATH-W5000, Denon AH-D7000, and Sennheiser HD 800. But now there's something even better: the Woo Audio WES headphone amplifier ($4,500) and Stax SR-007Mk2 headphone ($2,410). The complete review can be found on the Home Entertainment Web site.

Yeah, it's a lot of dough, but the Woo/Stax combo creams the other contenders for world's best headphone sound, and the pair goes for less than the price of a world class, high-end camera, like the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. The camera's great now, but in a couple of years it'll be hopelessly out of date. Great audio is simply a better long-term investment.

Stax headphones use a very different operating principle than dynamic headphones (pretty much every headphone from lowly earbuds to full-size headphones are dynamic designs). Stax has been making electrostatic headphones since 1960 in Japan, and the company's current flagship model, the SR-007Mk2, is what I'm using with the Woo WES amplifier. The Stax is a big and comfy design.

The Stax SR-007Mk2 headphone

(Credit: Stax)

The Woo WES is an all-triode tube drive, fully balanced design; the prototype unit I'm reviewing has a total of 10 tubes (four EL34 power tubes, four 6SL7 drive tubes, and two 5AR4 rectifier tubes), but production models will have 11 tubes. It works with Stax and Sennheiser electrostatic headphones only. The machined, all-metal dual chassis is beautifully crafted.

The WES, like all Woo amps, was designed by Wei Wu, and handcrafted in Woo Audio's factory in New York City. Each WES will be built to order over a four-day period; it's slated for release in October 2009. The preintroduction price is $4,500, and full retail is expected to be $4,990. Woo prices start at $470 for the WA 3. All Woo Audio electronics are sold direct from the factory, the waiting list is three to four weeks.

A look inside reveals no circuit boards; all wiring will be "point to point." That's a very expensive way to manufacture amplifiers, but Woo Audio thinks point-to-point wiring makes for better-sounding amps. The amp also features handmade inductors, and even the machined cone feet are designed specifically for the WES.

The clarity of the Woo/Stax combo with acoustic jazz mimics the way live, unamplified music sounds in a good concert hall or club. The Woo/Stax is the closest thing to being there I've heard to date.

You know a car is famous when a mere clone of it can fetch $300,000.

Such may be the scenario when an Aston Martin DB5 that isn't even connected to James Bond's goes online for bidding on March 12.

Liquidation house Eddison describes the car as "identical" in its "metallic silver grey" (ahem, that should be called "Silver Birch") and leather upholstery, which unfortunately is cordovan rather than the correct black. So much for "identical."

But even if this car trades on the Bond legacy like a distant cousin claiming peerage, it will be easy to forgive the high bidder: real Bond DB5's are the most esteemed cars in pop culture--and worth a lot more than $300,000.

Four of them exist: two film cars from "Goldfinger" and two promotional cars commissioned for the release of "Thunderball." The most desirable of that group is clearly chassis DP/2161/1, the "action" car from "Goldfinger" that had all the gadgets: most notably the ejector seat; most presciently a navigation system.

The Commanders Club (in uncharacteristically causal attire) with chassis DP/2161/1 in Los Angeles in 1992.

(Credit: Commanders Club)

The Commanders Club, of which I am a founder, had the pleasure of inspecting DP/2161/1 in 1992 when it belonged to owner Anthony Pugliese who acquired it via auction at Sotheby's for $275,000 in 1986. We found the magic was in its honest patina as a used but not abused working film car with a direct link to Bondmania. Many of the gadgets like bumper rams, machine guns, and homing screen worked in a rudimentary fashion, but the tire shredders that extended from the wheel hubs were nonfunctional film illusions.

In true espionage fashion DP/2161/1 has been missing since 1997 when it was stolen from a secure hangar in Boca Raton, Florida, where Pugliese stored it when it wasn't touring. The full story is fascinating. Many call the car priceless but it's probably worth $4 to $6 million today if still in good condition, wherever it is.

Of the other three Bond DB5's, two (DB5/2008/R and DB5/1486/R) are believed to be in private collections and one (DB5/2017/R) is at the Louwman Collection at the Dutch National Automobile Museum. They are celebrated cars, but can't approach the value of DP/2161/1.

When it comes to authenticity, however, no DB5 can really claim highest rank in the Bond community: in the novels Bond, like Ian Fleming himself, was a Bentley man.

Bahnhof's new underground high-security data center, called Pionen, is housed in a bunker designed to withstand a near hit by a hydrogen bomb.

(Credit: Bahnhof)

The Swedes, it seems, like to add a touch of flair to everything they do. Take Internet service provider Bahnhof's new underground high-security data center built in a former nuclear bomb shelter. Royal Pingdom says it looks like something a Bond villain would have for his headquarters, and I must agree. I think it looks like a combination of all the levels from the N64 game Goldeneye put together.

I want to live here.

Look at the amazing steam waterfall machines! They can be powered by German submarine engines! If that doesn't evoke Thunderball, I'm not sure what else could.

I haven't had a chance to see Quantum of Solace yet as it just opened Friday, but after looking at the amazing photos of the Stockholm structure after the jump, I'm not sure if I have to. ... Read more

EPISODE 109

Nissan unleashes real world R2-D2 style droids on humanity

Watermill turns humid air into drinkable water

AU BOX offers Web, TV, cell phone convergence for the PC-phobic

Home sentry robot lets you keep a watchful eye from afar

Heated traction mats keep your walkway snow-free

A propos (of) nothing
Turn your hamster into a race car driver

Fug, Round 2!
Lamborghini builds a family wagon

Why didn’t I think of that!?
Good-looking camera carry-all from Acme Made

Pink watch
Blinged up Pentax DSLR anyone?

Kill me (or kill IT)
Elmo’s alive!

Tool Time
Sony release the Quantum of Solace Bond Z Series

The FlashlightDVR awaiting upload to The Matrix

(Credit: Swann)

Well, maybe not quite 007. I mean, for one thing, could you imagine James Bond walking around with a huge flashlight sticking out of his back pocket? Well, maybe the Timothy Dalton 007, but he was never that cool to begin with. Dalton did redeem himself in my eyes with Hot Fuzz, however.

Anyway, before this becomes a huge diatribe about how Daniel Craig is second only to Sean Connery as the best Bond, let's get back to the issue at hand. Swann Communications, a company that specializes in security monitoring devices, today announced a covert surveillance tool, the FlashlightDVR. The tool combines a working flashlight (with three degrees of brightness), color camera and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) all in one. In addition to being able to take pics, the FlashlightDVR also records video in one of two ways. Either internally, via the included 128MB flash memory, or externally through an SD card which is sold separately. The DVR in the device uses MPEG4 and records at a resolution of 640x480. The recorded content can be transferred to a PC via the embedded USB port. The camera also includes a night-vision mode, which is appropriate if you're a Cheaters staff member waiting to record a late-night hookup. There is also a built-in mic if you need just that much more incriminating evidence.

LCD schematics

(Credit: Swann)

At the top of the flashlight are all the controls a poor man's James Bond would need. This includes an LCD screen that gives info on everything from the SD card storage capacity to the battery charging status and several one-touch control buttons for recording, turning on the flashlight and taking snapshots. The flashlight can be powered by either three C-size batteries or rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. Conveniently the flashlight includes a Ni-MH charger with a 12V input.

This is undeniably cool as potentially creepy as it is

(Credit: Swann)

According to Swann, the device is being aimed at police, security guards and PI's, however I feel they're missing their biggest potential market--uber-creepy creeps--as long as they can afford the $500 price tag. Still as potentially creepy as this device is, the idea is undeniably cool and should fit nicely on my belt.

(Credit: Mezzi)

Ever since we saw From Russia With Love and, more specifically, James Bond's super-tricked-out attache case, we've always wanted one of our own. Even without the AR-7 and pop-out blade, it seemed the like ultimate accessory for that age when men were men and neckties were skinny.

That was the first thing that came to mind upon seeing Mezzi's superslim aluminum briefcase on Gear Patrol, which is meant to stow smart phones and GPS receivers instead of tear gas canisters. And with gadgets getting slimmer all the time, you'd be surprised how much you can fit into its slight 3-pound frame. But the capper is its secret compartment, where you can store 50 gold sovereigns just like the real 007.

(Credit: PhoneDaily)

The Chinese manufacturer that came up with this "VIP 007" phone apparently had its decades mixed up when contemplating the retro-styled handset. Either that or it was particularly fond of Roger Moore, because the design of this so-called James Bond phone looks distinctly like one of those caveman versions (sorry, Geico guys) from the early '80s, though 50 or 60 pounds lighter.

True to that unfortunate form, this GSM handset sports a gigantic antenna and has its receiver on the edge of the phone, as shown on Akihabara News, but it does apparently have a color display to bring it somewhat up to date. We doubt that Sony Ericsson, which came out with an offically licensed 007 blower last year, would approve.

(Credit: Luxist)

Porsche may rule the road in many eyes, but it has a ways to go on the open seas. While its much-publicized $300,000 racing yacht boasts a top speed of 88 mph, for example, the new XSR48 claims to exceed 100 mph.

Called "the world's fastest diesel production boat," it will attempt to break various world records this year, according to Luxist. Its speed isn't the only thing that will hasten heartbeats: Its price is estimated at nearly $2 million.