Good sound has been freed from chords and no longer depends on the size of the speakers Just a decade ago,a good music system would mean having a giant CD-cassette player encased in an exclusive cabinet,to keep it safe from dust and children,and five large speakers scattered across the room. With the simple formula for good music being larger the speaker equals to higher the PMPO,(Peak Music Power Output),all music lovers worked hard to own one of those powerhouses and secure their place in music heaven. These days,we would not be surprised if a speaker smaller than a Walkman produced sound that would have put those leviathans to shame. Good sound is no longer equated with large speakers. Also,you need not fret about the placement of your six speakers,from left centre to right centre. You can also forget the untidy tangle of wires behind the system. Among the new speakers that personify this drastic change is the ZiiSound D5,the flagship one-piece wireless speaker system from Creative. This stylish sound bar can produce sounds that can fill your living room without occupying most of its space. Hear the sound and you wouldnt guess that this stunner of a box was behind it. The D5 can connect wirelessly to any compatible stereo Bluetooth mobile phone,portable media player,netbook,notebook and just about every Bluetooth A2DP enabled device. Then,it has a dock which can fit any Apple iPod (except the Shuffle). For iPads,which wont be able to find a safe perch on top of the device,there is the detachable transmitter which you plug into to connect wirelessly to the speaker. For everything else,there is the trusty old 3.5 mm aux input jack. But going wireless doesnt mean there will be a crackle or any other annoying noise in your music. The apt-X audio codec (digital audio data reduction technology),and speaker design works with the built-in acoustics tuning and modelling to ensure you have the best sound,always. In fact,the D5 is so self-sufficient that there are no equalisers or bass boost buttons,just a touch-based volume control on top. However,while the dock is ideal for iPod Touch and the iPhone,it gets a bit crammed for the iPod Nano. Plus,after a point you start missing a remote. Still,the D5 is a great option if you are looking for stylish speakers,which will cater to a wide variety of gadgets in your home. The ZiiSound D5 is available at the suggested retail price of Rs 17,999. Creative options INSPIRE S2 WIRELESS: These high-performance satellite speakers with the highly efficient Creative Direct-Throw subwoofer deliver dynamic mid-bass sound. They allow you to plug and play Bluetooth with any USB notebook or PC. It costs Rs 9,499 D200,D100: Provides distortion-free sound at a more competitive price,thanks to the simplistic design,efficient amplifiers and precision drivers. Connects through Bluetooth with most devices. Price Rs 7,499 and Rs 4,499,respectively. Game for sound THE CORSAIR HS1A: This gaming headset is so well-built that once you wear it you feel all set to take on demons and dragons. The memory foam ear cups are soft and wrap around the ears comfortably. The deep dish design also ensure the pads dont touch the ears. This is one headset made especially for rigorous hours of gaming,and everything,even the extra cushioned comfort of the headset,ensure that you are focused on your on-screen goals and not bothered about adjusting your headset. The sound is clear and soft with just the right amount of bass. This unit is designed for use on a high-end PC,for gaming,watching movies or enjoying your favourite songs. So dont bother plugging it into an iPod or a mobile phone,you wont enjoy the experience. The HS1A comes with a rather long twine-coated cable,so that you can lean back on the sofa and enjoy your movie or game and not be distracted by the cable tugging at your ears. The headset costs Rs 4,500 and comes with two extra ear cups.
