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| Product: Boostaroo Audio |
Company: Bowman |
| Web: www.boostaroo.com |
Phone: 800-800-4354 |
| Platform: Audio device w/ mini steero output |
SRP: US$18
Street Price: same |
Cred Rating: | Special Award: |
Here's a fun little gizmo: the Boostaroo, an amplifier and audio line splitter for portable stereo equipment. Let's face it, that tape player you hastily bought at the drug store before your big beach weekend has all the fidelity of a tin can telephone. The battery-powered (two AAs) Boostaroo can help.
The Boostaroo, about the size of a granola bar, plugs into the headphone jack of any audio device that has a mini stereo plug. Your headphones plug into it. Once switched on, the Boostaroo cranks up the decibles (allegedly up to 40%), giving you a brighter, more powerful sound. It doesn't work magic or anything, but it's a noticable difference. I "A/B'ed" it on several of our portable devices, switching between a straight signal to my headphones and one through the Boostaroo. There was definitely an improvement.
The Boostaroo's other feature is a splitter that sends the signal to three audio outputs. This way, you can plug up to three sets of headphones into one poratble stereo without any loss of audio quality. This can be great if you want to share portable audio on a plane, in a car, etc. If you've ever done this, you know that you lose power and fidelity when you split the signal via a "Y" jack.
The manufacturer claims that the Boostaroo also conserves battery life on your portable player, allowing it to pay for itself over time. Their FAQ says that approx. 70% of a portable device's power goes to the mechanics and 30% to the audio output. As the batteries run down, the power is subtracted from the audio first. The Boostaroo allows you to run your player at a lower volume, conserving battery life. The Boostaroo also does not require much juice itself, so you can even recycle AA batteries used to power more juice-hungry devices (like audio players, digital cameras, etc.). This will further extend battery life.
One of the coolest applications of the Boostaroo is on airline audio systems. How many times have you cranked up your seat's volume to "11" and still been barely able to hear the music or the pilot making those "help, we're lost" calls to the tower? The Boostaroo is a big help here. And just think of the points you'll score with your lovely seat mate when you offer to share your improved audio. Don't say we never try to improve your love life here on Street Tech.
- Gareth Branwyn [10/6/99]
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