by Mike Connelly
The Sonos Amp replaces a Connect:Amp design that dated back nearly a decade and topped out at modest power output. Our hands-on review includes a full configuration walkthrough of the Sonos Amp in a rack-mounted, multi-zone passive speaker installation. We also take a detailed look at how the Amp handles whole-home deployments that its predecessor could not. Continue reading How To: Sonos Amp Review & Configuration
Here, I describe an advanced network topology that uses Ethernet-connected Sonos Beam soundbars for better Sonos wireless coverage in your home. This approach: (1) provides significantly greater wired line backhaul to your SonosNet network, and (2) shifts the majority of your Sonos speakers to 5Ghz, freeing spectrum in 2.4Ghz for your remaining Sonos speakers. It is also possible to use either the Sonos PLAYBAR or PLAYBASE instead of the Beam, for example in your home theater. However, the Sonos Beam is a much more cost-effective solution, particularly for secondary rooms in a whole home deployment. Continue reading How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos Beams
SonosNet 2.0 operates on a dedicated 2.4 GHz mesh network, entirely separate from your home WiFi, and multicasts audio to every speaker simultaneously rather than streaming individual unicast signals to each one. This article explains how Boost mode works, when a dedicated BOOST hardware device makes sense over an Ethernet-connected speaker, and how to configure up to three BOOST devices for a large installation. Continue reading How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos BOOST
Sonos speakers support Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri simultaneously, letting users mix and match voice assistants independent of their music source or smart home platform. Here, we explain how that flexibility works in practice and what it means for households split across competing ecosystems. A Sonos owner can run an iTunes library, a YouTube Music subscription, and Apple HomeKit controls from a single speaker while still asking Google a question. Continue reading Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 2): Review of Voice Services Including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Apple Airplay 2
Amazon Echo and Google Home are designed primarily to deepen their makers’ advertising and data businesses, while Apple’s HomePod functions as a local iPhone extension. This article examines what each major smart speaker is actually optimized for, and why that distinction matters when choosing one. The Sonos One costs nearly twice as much as an Echo but delivers meaningfully better sound for listeners who prioritize audio quality. Continue reading Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 1): The State of Smart Speakers
The Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard is an advanced foot controller that is designed for hands-free control of Line 6’s Firehawk, Amplifi, and Spider lines of guitar amplifiers. The FBV 3 features five assigned footswitches with color-coded LED rings that synchronize to specific amplifier settings and effects. This guide examines how the hardware integrates with Amplifi systems while managing MIDI software via USB. Continue reading How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier
The P-90 pickup, originally designed by Seth Lover for Gibson in the late 1940s, was eventually displaced by the humbucker it inspired. This review covers the Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO, a limited-edition semi-hollowbody built around a revival of that single-coil design, including its construction, electronics, and real-world performance. The central question is whether the P-90 PRO’s characteristic clean sparkle and overdriven growl justify choosing it over a humbucker-equipped alternative. Continue reading Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review
The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III has a USB output built directly into the guitar body, eliminating the need for a separate audio interface. I describe the exact cables and GarageBand settings required to connect it to an iPhone or iPad for your mobile studio. What makes the setup work is a specific two-cable chain that sidesteps a gap in the adapter market no single off-the-shelf cable currently fills. Continue reading How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio
Upgrading from the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II to the Ultra-III centers on one key hardware addition: a built-in USB output that connects the guitar directly to a digital audio workstation. This review covers what changed between the two models and whether that upgrade justifies the switch. New ProBucker humbuckers, patterned after Gibson’s PAF-style BurstBuckers, are a notable addition alongside the USB interface. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review
Line 6’s Amplifi 150 strips out the physical knobs and replaces them with an iPad app that controls over 70 amp models, 100 effects, and 20 speaker cabinets via Bluetooth. Here, we examine the remote app workflow and the hardware limitations discovered during testing. The amplifier performs differently in home practice versus live contexts, and the app-dependent control scheme is the reason why. Continue reading Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review
Streaming music over back-country roads is impractical when cell service is unreliable. This article explains how to move an iTunes library onto an Android phone’s SD card for fully offline playback while motorcycling, covering the Google Play import option and a more reliable SCP-based transfer method. Continue reading How To: Listening to Your iTunes Music Collection on Your Android Phone While Motorcycling
I recently bought a Yamaha NCX1200R, the guitar that Gabriela of Rodrigo y Gabriela plays on tour. This guitar incorporates construction elements from the handcrafted GC Series including a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back. My review analyzes the build quality, the dual-contact pickup system, and the physical distinctions between the NCX and Rodrigo’s NTX model. Continue reading Yamaha Electro-Acoustic Nylon NCX1200R Guitar Review
The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II routes its acoustic signal through a Nanomag pickup embedded in the fingerboard past the 22nd fret, a design licensed from German maker Shadow. This article covers how the Ultra-II pairs Alnico Classic humbuckers with acoustic-like tone from a chambered body. The same chambering that trims the guitar’s weight is also what gives the acoustic signal its depth and resonance. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review