Will.I.Am’s Karaoke Machine
Photograph: Parker Hall
LG
Xboom Stage 301
Most of Will.I.Am’s forays into consumer electronics have been legendary in bad ways. But though I wouldn’t buy his iPhone case, two failed smartwatches, or objectively horrific concept car, I am (ahem) happy to recommend his karaoke machine, a collaboration with LG.
If there is anything Will.I.Am knows, it’s how to perfectly set up a singer for accurate lip syncing to cool lights on stage. This small karaoke speaker has lights on the top and bottom, and sits like a stage monitor in front of you. It has a quarter-inch jack for a microphone or guitar, as well as built-in reverb for easy dialing in of vocal tone. It’s a mono speaker, but it manages to sound very full thanks to two midrange driv…
Will.I.Am’s Karaoke Machine
Photograph: Parker Hall
LG
Xboom Stage 301
Most of Will.I.Am’s forays into consumer electronics have been legendary in bad ways. But though I wouldn’t buy his iPhone case, two failed smartwatches, or objectively horrific concept car, I am (ahem) happy to recommend his karaoke machine, a collaboration with LG.
If there is anything Will.I.Am knows, it’s how to perfectly set up a singer for accurate lip syncing to cool lights on stage. This small karaoke speaker has lights on the top and bottom, and sits like a stage monitor in front of you. It has a quarter-inch jack for a microphone or guitar, as well as built-in reverb for easy dialing in of vocal tone. It’s a mono speaker, but it manages to sound very full thanks to two midrange drivers and a big 6.5-inch woofer in the middle. —Ryan Waniata
| Specs | | | —– | | | Battery Life | Up to 12 hours | | Weatherproofing | IPX4 | | Accessories | N/A | | Special Features | Vocal effects, built-in pole mount, cool lighting effects |
Awesome Accessories
Which karaoke accessories you need will depend on what kind of system you buy. For example, if you’re buying a portable Bluetooth speaker that doubles as a karaoke machine with traditional microphone inputs, the first thing you’ll need is a good microphone like the Shure SM58 and a cable (or two). If your device offers only quarter-inch inputs, you’ll want to add an XLR to quarter-inch cable or an XLR to quarter-inch adapter.
That’s a great start, but even if your machine comes with built-in wireless mics, there are some good accessories worth considering to raise the experience a notch or two.
Photograph: Parker Hall
A Mic, Stand, Cable (and Adapter)
The Shure SM58 ($109) is the most popular stage mic on Earth for a reason: they’re bulletproof and they sound great. If you need of a mic, we highly recommend picking up the SM58; they’re probably what you’ve used at your local juke joint.
Our favorite mic stands are from the German brand K&M ($83), but you can totally get away with an Amazon Basics Mic Stand ($23) at home. I like colorful microphone cables like these ($12). If you need one, snag a quarter-inch to XLR adapter ($10 for two) so that your mic can plug into every karaoke machine you find.
Shure SM58 Microphone
Photograph: Parker Hall
A Vocal Effects Box
If you want to mess with the way voices actually sound, or to create cool harmony lines with yourself on the fly, we highly recommend the new Antares Headrush VX5 pedal ($299). This thing can make you perfectly in tune, but it can also do things like stack layers of your own voice on top of or below each other. You can even hook up an instrument and play along with tunes and have it match the key of your axe.
Photograph: Parker Hall
A Portable Projector
If you’re not using a TV in your living room, it’s an awesome idea to grab a cheap but quality portable projector. We like the latest small model from Anker ($530), because it is relatively affordable and includes a decent pair of speakers for when you’re watching movies outside and don’t want to hook up a PA.
A Streaming Stick for Casting to Your TV
If you don’t already have a way to cast content from your phone to your TV or projector, we highly recommend any of the latest 4K streaming devices. These all have a way to share stuff from phones to screens, and you can download YouTube or other karaoke apps.
Cool Lights
Ambience is a key part of a good karaoke party. We really love this light from Soundboks ($299), who also make big party speakers. It can sync to your music and is USB-C rechargeable for off-grid vibes.
Photograph: Parker Hall