Craving the luxury of JVC’s wooden housing headphones, but can’t afford the $1,110 price tag for the HP-DX1000? A solution is on the way. The HP-DX700 has a frequency range of 5Hz to 30kHz, with 64-ohm impedance and 101dB per mW. That’s all we know in terms of specs, but audiophiles say it’s the wood that makes it good, adding a richer, warmer tone. JVC hasn’t revealed a price or release date, so there’s no telling how much money you’ll save over the DX-1000 or how long you’ll have to wait. [Akihabara News]

In these hard times, you can’t expect Internet radio to pump out music without a means of paying the higher-than-real-radio royalty rates, so Pandora Radio’s addition of 15-second ad spots is no surprise. Founder and CEO Tim Westergren said this is just one revenue model that the company is trying out, and in any case it’s still “a fraction” of what you hear over the FM airwaves. “The fears people have about it overtaking the listening experience are unfounded,” he told the California Press-Democrat. Indeed, an ad for Fox’s new show “Lie to Me” plays after 10 songs, then again after another 20. That’s not bad for a radio station that adapts to your personal interests. [Press-Democrat via Ars Technica]

“What’s that?  Can you speak up a bit?”  If you’re havin trouble hearing from your iPhone’s built in speaker, a bit of passive amplification might be just the ticket.  SoundClip naturally amplifies the sound coming out of your iPhone like a speaker cone on a classic record player.  There’s no complex gadgetry to it, it just makes your iPhone more audible when you need it to be– and we’re quite happy to hear that.  (say hello to the fellow snapping the picture in the iPhone’s reflection!) [via gizmodo]

While on the surface it may just look like a blinged out cassette tape, this is actually a pretty stylin pocket-sized audio mixer that allows you to combine sounds from two different audio devices. The Mix Tape Portable DJ Mixer allows you to attached to iPods (or whatever else you want) to the two inputs and then fade between the two similar to a traditional DJ mixer. The stereo output lets you listen to your creation via a pair of headphones, or connect up a speaker system to share them with the world. [via TechnaBob]

Long famous for their iPod docking stations, iLuv came out with something new for the end of the year, the stylish i9500 sound system. It features an AM/FM radio with an alarm clock, plays MP3 and WMA files from up to 4 CDs, docks your iPod and iPhone and goes well with your SD cards and USB storage devices. Fashionably wrapped in black with a somewhat sizeable subwoofer, the i9500 outputs 45W of power and should be available from May 2009. Expect more details at CES in January. [via Engadget]

Speaker systems tend to look more ordinary than extraordinary, that’s not the case with the newest speakers from Aux. The speakers have flexible installation, are easily transportable, have live dynamics with no distortion, have RCA and minijack inputs, and a compact solid wood bass reflex design. Aux describes the speakers as “an engineering masterpiece – facilitating countless installation options and yet still permitting a compact all-together form. It also holds the electronics and their cooling surfaces. And it’s wicked tough.” The speakers are set to be officially unveiled at CES next month…we’re excited. [AUX]

Have $10,000 to burn? If so, consider the new top end of the Sonic Touch Chair line your seat of choice. This spherical wonder features integrated speakers to truly envelop you in sound. Talk about a sweet spot. ”Shake that ass” takes on a new meaning as the back of the chair delivers powerful bass. The sound’s not the only thing high-end: top grade leather exterior, faux-suede microfiber interior and a stainless steel pedestal with all wires integrated. Works with nearly every input you could imagine.  Another option is the addition of an iMac Touch on a built-on swivel. The fact that it serves as desk, chair and stereo system may dull the price pain a bit, but not that much.  [via ubergizmo]

Cheaper and smaller are not usually terms you like to hear in describing speakers and audio equipment. However, in the case of Philips new line, it may be just what you crave. In light of the economic downturn, Philips is slimming down its line of offerings and keeping it price-conscious. In fact, Philips skipped the fanfare of a big CES production and announced these in a small gathering at San Fran office space. Here’s some of what you’ll find come 2009.   Check out the details on the full line after the jump, including networked music players, an iPhone boombox, the speakersystem shown above and more…

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Most speaker systems, however impressive, are inevitably dragged down in visual appeal by a network of unruly wires and cables. Not so with the I24R3 wireless speaker system, which includes a dock for iPods and iPhones, plus a USB transmitter for streaming from an iMac. This product debuted at Tokyo Designer’s Week earlier this year, and should be available for purchase in 2009. We don’t have an exact date or pricing. Check out the gallery below for more pictures.

When the i24R3 does come around, just make sure you’re using a white iPod, otherwise it’s just tacky. [Michael Young via SwissMiss]