MARSHALL LONDON As the decades go by, the stylings of the Marshall guitar amp have remained constant, and at gigs their presence is a reassuring reminder that our experience is likely to be loud. Marshall has now incorporated those stylings into an Android phone; its case is textured a bit like a 4x12 cab and it has a handy wheel to allow us to turn the volume up to 11. It’s a bit pricy (£399) for a low-spec phone by today’s standards, but if you value style over substance – and in this case I include myself in that category – who cares?
3D SOUND ONE “Achieving” surround sound usually involves a protracted set-up, trailing cables and hiding a speaker behind the sofa. These 3D headphones replicate systems like Dolby Atmos without all that fuss, although the claims made for their enhancement of stereo music are faintly absurd. “The sound no longer stays trapped in your head,” it says on the website. “It does not arrive directly in your ears but seems to come from speakers around you for a less tiring listen.” Beware the blurb! www.3dsoundlabs.com
AEROBULL SPEAKER What, you may wonder, is the legacy of Jean Michel Jarre? Gentle synth soundscapes? Firework-illuminated outdoor performances? Or a big red dog that sits in your living room? Incredibly, you could now argue for all three; the Aerobull, made by Jarre Technology, stands 56cm high, has an iPhone docking station on his head, a USB socket in his bum and delivers 100W of power to anyone sitting in close vicinity. It costs £1200, and apparently “makes a statement”. www.jarre.com
