Mental Media: the Ten best Audio Gadgets you never knew they made

Traditional music devices like HiFis, are so last century. Now all our videos and tunes have gone digital, there are thousands of gadgets that let you do all sorts of things to them, most of which you never knew you wanted to.

In the first of a regular series of Mental Media gadgets, here’s a run down of the ten best audio gadgets you’ve never thought of.

Stay tuned for more lists in the Mental Media series coming soon.

10). DIY iPod BoomBox

What is it?

Having an iPod is great for listening to your tunes, but have you seen the price of external iPod speakers? The DIY iPod Boombox solves that problem and adds a bit of nostalgic street-cred too. Looking like an old 80s boombox, you simply slot your iPod into it and voila - now everyone can hear your tunes (which may or may not be a good thing depending on your music collection!)

Why it’s mental

It’s made from cardboard.

No, seriously, it’s made from cardboard - you have to assemble it yourself, just like you used to with those old X-Wing fighter models you cut out from the back of cornflake packets when you were a nipper (ask your Dad if this sounds like Olde English to you!)

9). Wireless floating speakers

What is it?

“Wireless floating speakers”…now what could they be?

Well, firstly, they’re speakers, and they’ll play music from any MP3 player. Secondly, they’re wireless. They come with a transmitter, which you plug into your MP3 payer or stereo, and have a range of about 150 feet. And thirdly…

Why they’re mental

…they float! Whether you’re in the pool, the bath or even drowning in the park lake, the Wireless floating speakers will always be with you, belting out Stairway to Heaven as you slowly disappear beneath the surface of your chosen body of water.

8). Oono Transmitta

What is it?

Wireless HiFis are becoming more and more popular, but they’re expensive, particularly if you want to stream your tunes to more than one room in the house.

Fortunately Oono have a solution in the form of the appallingly-named Oono Transmitta VII. The Transmitta VII features a transmitter (hence the name), which you plug into any device’s 3.5mm headphone jack or USB port, and a receiver, which you attach to a speaker or amp of your choice via an auxiliary socket. Once complete, you can then transmit your tunes anywhere in the house (well, within a 50 foot range anyway). You can even pipe your TV’s output through to your hi-fi.

Better still, it’s a cheap solution at just £50.

Why it’s mental

Spelling “Transmitter” with an ‘a’ is only marginally worse than calling your company the less than reassuring name “oo no!”

7). Sony Bluetooth Micro System

What is it?

If you can’t keep up with where your music is, but just want to listen to your tunes regardless of what device they’re stored on, how about the gloriously-named Sony CMT-HX70BT Micro System? It’s a complete Micro system complete with CD and radio that really looks the part, with a sleek black main unit and two wooden cabinet speakers.

It also comes complete with an iPod dock, a USB port and a 3.5mm jack, so you can plug just about any MP3 player into it. More impressively, it even comes with Bluetooth, allowing you to stream your tunes from your Bluetooth MP3 player, mobile phone or other Bluetooth gadget, through its powerful 150W RMS amp. If you’ve got your music stored on CD, MP3 player and mobile phone, the Sony Micro System is perfect, as it’ll play your tunes from just about any device, and wirelessly too. Perfect!

Why it’s mental

You mean 150W of audio power from your mobile phone’s music library isn’t mental?! Tough crowd, what more do you want?!

6). Revo Blik WiFi Internet Radio and Alarm Clock

What is it?

Calling the Revo Blik an Internet Radio and Alarm block just doesn’t do it justice. The Revo Blik is, at its heart, a speaker system that just happens to contain Wi-Fi, an iPod dock and some pretty sophisticated software. In particular, it’ll let you connect to over 6,000 Internet radio stations, or just stream your music from your PC.

Most of your tunes on your iPod? Fine, the Blik has an iPod dock and so will play any of those, too.

And yes, it really does have an alarm clock, too, but in addition to waking you up each morning, it’ll also download a fresh set of Internet radio stations, as the list keeps on growing every day, and the Blik will always update itself.

Why it’s mental

It’s a sophisticated wireless streamer that’s marketed as an alarm clock. As marketing goes, that’s not mental, that’s corporate suicide!

Jump to part 2 >>