hi-fi

Jeep made great strides with the new Grand Cherokee, coming up with a premium SUV showing off very nice cabin trim and full-featured electronics. What really impressed us is the Grand Cherokee's comfortable on-road manners, and its ability to tackle very rugged terrain. We weren't quite as impressed with the power train, which lags behind other automakers' level of technology. And the cabin tech interface is a little rough. But features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, and an available Wi-Fi hot spot show that Jeep is looking toward the future.

Check out our 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 Limited review. … Read more

Automakers started using the term crossover this decade referring to vehicles that combined the comfortable ride of a car and the carrying capacity of an SUV. But Porsche's idea seems to have been to combine SUV qualities with the handling of a sports car. The new Cayenne S uses an array of handling and stability technology to attack turns with almost the aggressiveness of a 911.

The 2011 Cayenne S sees some important tech updates, such as the inclusion of torque vectoring on the all-wheel-drive system, putting a little more twist on the outside wheel when cornering, and some … Read more

Although maligned as a boring, suburban family hauler, the minivan offers undeniable utility. The new Honda Odyssey rolls out as a very tech-friendly vehicle with new looks that may be hard to take for some. We like the angular styling, but found the rear section, which looks like it's falling off, disconcerting.

Tech highlights are the ultra-wide-screen rear-seat LCD, which includes an HDMI input, the first installation we've seen in a production car, and an advanced voice command system that not only lets you dial phone contacts by name, but also request specific artists and albums from an … Read more

With its simple styling, the 2010 Challenger is an excellent take on a classic Dodge muscle car. But more impressive here is the update to the driving tech. Boasting 425 horsepower in SRT trim, the Challenger is surprisingly drivable. It does equally well crawling through a parking lot or blasting down a country road. Far less back-breaking than other modern muscle cars, it exhibits European refinement in ride quality.

Tech-wise, it looks a little rough, but it is feature rich. We didn't like using the graphical interface for the navigation system, but voice command worked very well. iPod and … Read more

Convertibles are a blast in sunny weather but lose their charm on cold, rainy days. Mercedes-Benz couldn't do anything about the rain, but the E550 Cabriolet is still comfortable when it is cold out. Heated seats and its Air Scarf technology, a system that blows warm air over your neck from the headrests, coddle the driver and front passenger in a cozy cocoon when the mercury drops.

Mercedes-Benz accentuates the E550 Cabriolet's other luxury appointments with some fairly impressive sport handling, giving the car an exciting edge.

Check out our 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet review.

Pampered was how the Lexus LS 460 made us feel. Its sound-deadened cabin made even the howl of jet engines a distant whisper. It rode over potholes and the remains of road construction with little notice. At the same time, music poured forth from its Mark Levinson audio system with delightful clarity.

Our LS 460 was also dressed up with some sport equipment, but where this car really performed was in fuel economy, showing that a V-8 does not have to be too thirsty. Combine that with a price undercutting flagships from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and the LS 460 looks … Read more

You don't see the phrase "world-class" associated with American-made consumer goods. TVs, iPods, computers, and cameras are mostly designed and built in other countries. The U.S. may be the world's leading consumer state; we just don't make the very best products here anymore.

High-end audio may be one of the few remaining industries where America still designs and builds the very best products. I'm proposing an all-American hi-fi system that could be installed in the White House. It would be the sort of hi-fi the president could, after a hard day's work … Read more

Best. Meetup. EVER! A huge thanks to all The 404 fans that came and hung out last night at The Frying Pan in New York City. We all had a great time drinking and chatting with everyone, and great news: nobody fell off the side of the boat!

There's plenty of pictures already posted on the The 404 Meetup.com page, but we want them all, so click over and share them with us! Thanks again to all the fans as well as the Frying Pan for hooking us up with the $20 wristband deal, but don't worry if you weren't able to attend; this was so much fun that we're already planning another one for next year!

Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg joins us on today's episode with his usual list of things on his mind grapes, starting with a profile of a headphone amp manufacturer with a ambiguously inappropriate name, and it's spelled S-C-H-I-I-T. It's unclear how the founders came up with the name since it's definitely not their last name, but Steve tells us that the amps are certainly of absolute Schitt-y quality.

Steve also gives us a preview of an upcoming Audiophiliac blog post in honor of the President of the United States himself...Mr. Justin Bieber. Steve is putting together a custom Hi-Fi Sound system for our Commander In Chief but he refuses to tell us specifics except that all the products will be made in America. Check back this weekend for the unveiling!

The U.S., England, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, and China all make bona fide high-end audio gear. Korea? I've heard some South Korean gear over the years, but I can't say any of it made a strong impression.

I recently stumbled upon Metal Sound Design's Web site, and while I can't guess what their speakers sound like, they all have a great sense of style and appear to be well-built. The South Korean company has won numerous awards and prizes over the years.

True to their name, the company's speakers are made out of metal, … Read more