124 MacDirectory
PROFILE
UPBEAT AUDIO > REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR IPOD
Love your iPod but hate the way
compressed music sounds? So did Linda
Langs, managing partner and chief
marketing officer at Upbeat Audio
. Upbeat Audio was
started in 2005 because, as Langs told
MacDirectory, "We just wanted to create
some wonderful little pocket
amplifiers…so we were looking for a way
to give a little added power to iPod as well
as…enhance the sound."
Three years later, it is safe to say Upbeat
Audio has more than met their original
goals. Not only do the company's
Boostaroo and Boostaroo Revolution
products amplify sound enough to
eliminate background noise, they also give
you more clarity, increasing volume
without distorting the pure sound of the
music; and, as an added bonus, can save
you up to three hours on your charge.
The response to these two products "has
been tremendous," said Langs, "and best
of all, the success is cross-generational.
Seniors love the fact that they can hear
music at a comfortable volume, and
younger users love the way the units open
up the sound on their iPods. As the word
has gotten out, in fact, even businesses
have gotten in on the act."
Examples of Upbeat Audio's products
being used by businesses include
installations in school video systems,
hospital rooms, and kidney dialysis areas.
A smaller installation and portability is
what drove usage in the schools, while use
in hospitals came about so that patients,
many of whom are seniors with hearing
difficulties, can listen to music or watch TV
at a volume that is comfortable for them,
without disturbing others.
This last application has proven to be
popular enough that Upbeat Audio has
recently come out with a new product for
wireless headphones that gives users
sound separation.
Langs explained, "Many seniors have
trouble separating dialogue from
background noise and music when they
are watching television. With this new
enhancement, dialogue will be "pulled
out" so that it is automatically louder than
the background noise.
But it isn't just seniors who fight with
background noise. Motorcyclists, among
others, also struggle with being able to
hear while driving. So how does Upbeat
Audio answer their needs?
By offering up to six models to choose
from. In the case of the Boostaroo, this
includes a three-way stereo splitter that's
both AC and USB powered, along with a
regular battery powered version.
Providing two times the amplification, it
works with NASCAR scanners, GPS, laptops
and other media.
Boostaroo Revolution provides four times
the amplification and has a special circuit
that "demultiples" the compression of MP3
and MP4 music formats, creating a rich
surround sound effect that "makes it feel
like you're on the stage with the band."
Langs said. It offers two splitters, a feature
that is popular with motorcyclists, as it
grants both the driver and the passenger
access to whatever music is playing.
Boostaroo Revolution's added volume
makes it your best choice for headphones.
It has the power to drive high end head-
phones – yet can be used with earbuds at
a lower volume. The stereo splitter also
allows users to save up to three hours on
their iPod charge, since the Revolution is
used to power and drive headphones. As
an added bonus, Revolution is also much
smaller than the Boostaroo, making it ideal
as an iPod accessory.
By focusing on the pure quality of the
sound, Boostaroo and Boostaroo
Revolution enable users to have increased
listenability – without having to turn the
sound way up. This not only protects your
hearing, Lang said, but also your sanity.
"Parents and college roommates have
used this when gaming systems are being
played and they don't want the games
heard all over the house."
So whether you need extra help to hear
your TV or just want to round out the
sound of your iPod or video games, check
out Boostaroo and Boostaroo Revolution –
it may be the only gift your iPod will want
this holiday season.
WORDS BY JONE DEVLIN
