Sound and Vision Magazine

Burbling quietly as it rolls down the back of the flatbed truck, the Panamera appears an expansive stretch of undulating blue sheet metal. With nary a paper to sign, the delivery driver hands me the keys and says, “have fun” with a wry smirk.

Because it amuses me (and probably my neighbors), I park it next to my 1975 Porsche 914, which cost me a hair north of 1% of the sticker price of its great-great-grand sibling.

It’s going to be a good week.

You gotta say this for House of Marley: They keep their branding consistent. The new Bag of Rhythm iPhone/iPod dock isn’t some sleek, silvery concoction designed for some baldhead to keep on his credenza while he’s dreaming up new ways to exploit the working class. Nope, the Bag of Rhythm is built to sling over your shoulder, carry to the park, and play reggae tunes when your drum circle takes a break.

Many audio manufacturers have addressed the changes that room acoustics afflict on our sound systems. But until a week ago, I knew of no audio manufacturers who’ve addressed the changes that our hearing causes on sound.

Here’s a product that had three strikes with me before I ever heard it. First there’s the name, which seems more appropriate for a Frito-Lay product. Then there’s the lineage: JBL’s smaller, less-expensive docks never impressed me. Last, Maroon 5 appears in the ads. What, I ask rhetorically, would the creators of “Moves Like Jagger” know about sound quality?