|
 |
19 SEPTEMBER 2006 |
|
When it comes to gaming, what you can hear can sometimes mean the
difference between winning and losing. Maybe, its the footsteps
coming from behind or just being able to hear where gunshots are coming
from. These are the kinds of situations where sound can make a big
difference. Theoretically, being able to hear sounds clearly and
knowing where sounds are coming from should allow a player to react and
make better decisions. This is the world of gaming.
More... |
|
 |
06 APRIL 2006 |
|
The makers of the
professional gaming mousepad, the SteelPad, have created a set of
headphones 'optimized' for your gaming experience. With this
statement, we expect that this 'optimized' gaming product can somehow
give us the edge to do better when playing computer games; whether it be
playing online, by yourself, or among other people in a local
areanetwork. With the abundant number of choices when it comes
headphones, it is hard to choose which ones are best for the ultimate
gaming experience. As the consumer's budget increase, the features
and quality of the headphones increase. However, it is not
rational to spend so much money on a pair of headphones.
More... |
|
 |
21 NOVEMBER 2005 |
|
Today, I will be reviewing a set of headphones which claims to be
comparable to the highly praised Bose Quiet Comfort II headphones as
seen in other reviews from different places. What's interesting is that
these headphones don't come from a well-known brand names such as
Sennheiser or Sony. Instead, these headphones were made by a
company called Outside the Box. In fact, these headphones seem to
be the company's only product that it sells. These headphones sell
for approximately $200. The key point for this review is whether
these headphones are good enough to tackle on the Bose QuietComfort
series at a price point which is $100 less. More... |
|
 |
05
SEPTEMBER 2005 |
|
With the abundant number of MP3
players that we have seen, not often do we come across one that
is truly unique. This product is the MobiBlu DAH-1500i.
What makes this portable MP3 player unique is that MobiBlu
claims that this is the world's smallest MP3 player.
What is the point of making the
smallest MP3 player? On one hand, a small MP3 player will
enable the user to carry it wherever they are and easily fit it
in your pocket; perhaps even around your neck or on your
keychain. However, when it comes to something smaller, you
usually have to make sacrifices in features and sometimes
usability. The MobiBlu DAH-1500i is a great portable
player that manages to be small while sacrificing little to
nothing in terms of usability. Packed with quite a bit of
features in a very small package and this product is capable of
becoming the popular choice. More... |
|
 |
05
SEPTEMBER 2005 |
|
Since I enjoy sound, you probably
have noticed the many speaker reviews on the site. I'm
always interested in the unique designs of speakers and of
course in search for better sound. For PC users, the
typical companies that come to mind when talking about
multimedia speakers are Logitech, Creative, Altec Lansing, etc.
Today, I present to you a speaker set that should not be left
out: it is the Harman Kardon SoundSticks II. More... |
|
 |
11 JULY 2005 |
|
The iPod is one of the more popular
choices among hard-drive based players. That doesn't rule
out that there are other competitive hard-drive based mp3
players on the market. The Dell DJ 30 is an excellent
choice for those who simply want to store and play their large
collection of music. Although the product has basic
functionality, the DJ will satisfy most users because it simply
gets the job done while being priced below Apple's iPod. More... |
|
 |
09 JULY 2005 |
|
Noise cancellation technology is
ideal in situations where there is a lot of ambient noise.
Ambient noise is basically the surrounding noise of the
environment. This is can be easily associated to the
situation of inside an airplane. In an airplane, you hear
the loud grumbling of the wind and possibly the engine noise as
well. More... |
|
 |
13 JUNE 2005 |
|
When thinking
about quality headphones, most people think of companies such as
Sennheiser, Sony, Koss, etc. Can we add the company Icemat
Audio to that list? If you haven't heard of Icemat, they
are known for making quality gaming mousepads and they even have
some MP3 players up their sleeve. Based on their past
products, they certainly do know how to cater to the needs of
gamers. I can safely say that the Icemat Siberia is no
exception. This product with its modular design is
composed of headphones, a microphone, and even a volume
controller. This does leads to a lot of wiring, but if you
keep it all organized, you have less to worry about.
More... |
|
 |
01 MAY 2005 |
|
When it comes to 5.1
multimedia speakers, we all know how it can be annoying when
trying to setup the rear speakers. For one thing, the wire
needs to be long enough to reach behind you. Another problem is
finding the right place to place the speakers to get the desired
5.1 sound effect. Some people just don't have the room or the
proper place to place the rear speakers. For instance, I
usually place one rear speaker on my printer on the right behind
me. Behind on the left, I'm forced to place a speaker on my bed
post. Altec Lansing has devised a solution that will eliminate
this problem with the GT5051 multimedia speakers. These
multimedia speakers do involve 5.1 sound, but rather than place
the rear speakers behind you, there were placed on the front
satellites. Let's find out if these speakers are more effective
or worse than a tradition 5.1 setup.
More... |
|
 |
19 MARCH 2005 |
|
You might've seen from the
previous reviews on the site
that I'm very interested in
sound. In fact, I'm always
on a quest for better sound.
Today, I will be looking at a
set of earphones called the
Yahba Opus earphones. Yes,
the earphones are made by a
company called Yahba. You
probably have not heard of the
company for probably two main
reasons: the first being that
they are an extremely small
company; second is that they
only offer a single product
which are the earphones which I
am talking about now.
More... |
|
 |
18 MARCH 2005 |
|
In general, there hasn't been
any headphone innovations for
many years now. You have
your typical headphones which
have the usual 2 speakers, one
on the left and one on the right
with a band usually on top of
your head. Companies have
produced alternative headphones.
For instance, I have seen more
portable solutions where the
band wraps behind your head
instead of the top of your head.
Also, there have been
improvements in sound quality
while still keeping headphones
very affordable. Today, I
will be reviewing the LTB 5.1
channel USB headphones.
Yes, that's right, headphones
which incorporate 5.1 channel
sound technology.
More... |
|
 |
22 FEB 2005 |
|
One
relatively unsaid topic
regarding TV's is the quality of
the sound that comes from the
speakers built in your
television. The same can
be said for LCD monitors that
have built in speakers as well.
When buying a TV, people mainly
place a priority on the picture
quality rather than the sound.
If the picture quality on the TV
is good or excellent, there is
no doubt the TV will be
purchased as long as it is
affordable and sounds decent to
the consumer. Compared
with dedicated stereo or
home-theatre speakers, the sound
that comes from a TV is no
comparison.
More... |
|
 |
06 JANUARY 2005 |
|
With the
beautiful and elegant design of
the iPod, it can be difficult
finding the perfect case.
A leather case can easily make
it much bulkier and might not
retain the 'cool' appearance of
the iPod. Today, I will be
reviewing the iSkin eVo2 case
for the iPod. Unlike the
materials you'd might expect in
typical cases, the iSkin eVo2 is
entirely made out of silicone.
As a flexible material, let's
find out if this case has what
it takes to maintain the
elegance and functionality of
the iPod.
More... |
|
 |
05 JANUARY 2004 |
|
With the
outstanding popularity of the
iPod, I thought it would be
appropriate to begin a set of
reviews of the wide variety of
accessories available for the
iPod. We begin with two
different kinds of accessories
by Griffin Technology: the iBeam
and the Earjams. These are
two products which are purchased
separately. The iBeam
allows you to use your iPod as a
mini flashlight as well as a
laser pointer. The Earjams,
on the other hand, attaches to
the default iPod earbuds to
provide bigger and better sound.
More... |
|
 |
04 JANUARY 2004 |
|
As an audio enthusiast myself, I
have always appreciated the
possibilities of achieving
higher sound quality in all
applications. Today, I will be
having a look at a unique set of
earphones called the Etymotic ER
6i Isolator earphones. As the
name implies, these earphones
isolate unwanted sound and are
in the form of small earphones.
There are two types of earphones
that I'm aware of. The first
kind is also known as earbuds,
which are the kind which are
generally placed in the ear. The
other kind are ones that are
placed further in the ear just
like the ones being reviewed
today. It is just like placing
those foam tips in your ear if
you are at an extremely loud
rock concert or event.
More... |
|
 |
16 NOVEMBER 2004 |
|
With the
overflowing amount of MP3
players to choose from in the
market today, it can become a
daunting task to decide which
one to buy. Since there really
has not been any technological
advances in the playing of music
files, the companies' main
concern has been refining the
player. Companies mainly
differentiate their MP3 players
either through design or
features. The design of an
MP3 player includes making it
smaller and more compact. On the
other hand, companies can also
add a unique set of features
such as a longer battery life or
the ability to play multiple
types of media files. Today, I
will be reviewing the mobiBLU
DAH-1200 MP3 player. This
MP3 player is a flash based
player with a maximum capacity
of 256MB.
More... |
|
 |
15 NOVEMBER 2004 |
|
Computers
have now evolved into a media
centre in which you can listen
to music, watch movies, and even
play games. With this is
mind, having a good set of
speakers can make the difference
in your media centre experience.
Decent-sounding speakers can
make music much more enjoyable
as well as games more immersive.
Today, I will be reviewing Altec
Lansing's MX5021 multimedia
speakers. This is a 2.1
speaker configuration (2
satellite speakers and a
subwoofer) aimed at users
looking for full and accurate
sound. Since these
speakers are also THX certified,
you can probably expect that
these speakers will sound just
as great when watching movies.
More... |
|
 |
25 SEPT 2004 |
|
The
JetAudio CW300 was a successful
model due to its small size,
it’s 30 hour playback on a
single AAA battery, and its
incredibly high sound quality
with a 95db signal to noise
ratio. There were also
additional features such as a
built-in FM tuner and a voice
recorder. JetAudio now
continues the iAUDIO series with
its latest MP3 player. Rather
than naming the next device the
CW400, it is simply called the
iAUDIO 4. The iAUDIO 4 boasts
new features such as what they
call ‘Color Sound’ as well as
sound enhancements such as BBE
and Mach 3 Bass ( I will talk
more about these later in the
review). Let’s find out if the
new iAUDIO 4 has what it takes
to be a worthy successor to the
CW300.
More... |
|
 |
18 SEPT 2004 |
|
There are
tons of multimedia stereo
speaker systems available in the
market to choose from. Stereo
multimedia speakers generally
refer to either just two
satellite speakers or two
satellite speakers and a
subwoofer. Although consumers
can choose from other speaker
configurations such as 4.1 or
5.1 channel speaker systems,
most stereo speaker buyers
either just want decent sound
coming from their computer or
just find more than two
satellite speakers unnecessary
to them. Altec Lansing has
released a product that seems to
be in its own niche. With a
MSRP of $299.99 according to
Altec Lansing's website, Altec
Lansing has released the FX6021
speakers. These multimedia
speakers consist of two
satellite speakers and a
subwoofer. More... |
|
 |
12 SEPT 2004 |
|
Ever since
reviewing Logitech’s 5300 and Z-680
multimedia speakers, Logitech has proven
to be more than competent in making
speakers considering that they
specialize in quality mice and
keyboards.
This time I will be
reviewing Logitech’s lower end speakers
called the Z-3 multimedia speakers. The
Z-3 is a 2.1 configuration consisting of
2 satellite speakers and a subwoofer.
These speakers are intended for
individuals who can’t quite afford
Logitech’s higher end speakers and are
on a budget. These speakers retail for
about $100 according to Logitech’s
website. More... |
|
 |
11 SEPT 2004 |
|
Having taken a look
at many of the audio products in
Logitech's multimedia speaker line,
Logitech has again introduced another
multimedia speaker set for gamers on a
budget. It is called the X-530.
The X-530 is a 5.1 speaker setup that is
composed of 4 satellite speakers and a
subwoofer. This speaker boasts an
RMS power of 70 Watts. Although
Logitech currently has other 5.1
multimedia speakers available, this
speaker set is different than the others
because it contains the newly introduced
FDD2 satellite technology
designed by Logitech to bring bigger and
better sound.
Let's find out how well this speaker set
sounds compared to Logitech's higher end
models such as the Z-5300. More... |
|
 |
08 SEPT 2004 |
|
Altec Lansing has been manufacturing
computer and home audio speakers for
quite a long time now. As a
previous owner of Altec Lansing’s ACS54
4.1 multimedia speaker system, I can
safely say from experience that Altec
Lansing manufactures high quality
speakers that produce great sound at
very affordable prices. Today, we will
be taking a glimpse at Altec Lansing’s
latest speaker series, the VS series.
The speakers I will be taking a look at
is a 5.1 speaker setup. A 5.1
setup includes two front channel
speakers, two rear channel speakers, a
center channel, and a subwoofer.
As these speakers provide surround
sound, it makes it ideal for music,
movies, and especially games.
More... |
|
 |
01 SEPT 2004 |
|
Today, I will be taking a look
at the 20GB version of JetAudio’s iAUDIO M3. Although
this is the company’s first hard
drive based MP3 player, they
have had enormous success with
their flash based players such
as the CW200 and CW300.
If you
haven’t heard of JetAudio, don’t
be surprised. Based on the
Korean company Cowon Systems,
JetAudio was established in the
US in September of 2000. The
company primarily focuses on MP3
hardware devices such as the one
I will be reviewing today as
well as their JetAudio
multimedia software. More... |
|
 |
2 JUL 2004 |
|
Logitech was an unheard of brand name
when talking about quality multimedia speakers. When Logitech released
the Z-560 speakers, everyone was amazed at their quality and power with
the reasonable price tag. It proved that the company had potential in
making higher end computer speakers. Logitech has now converged the
home theatre realm into the computer realm with the release of the Z-680
and Z-5300. Instead of the 4.1 setup of the Z-560 speakers, the Z-680
and Z-5300 are a 5.1 setup. Although the Z-5300 set is second from the
top, it doesn’t mean that the quality is diminished. The main
difference between the Z-5300 and Z-680 is the lack of DTS decoding;
otherwise the Z-5300 boasts many great features at an affordable price
tag. More...
|
|
 |
24 MAY 2004 |
|
Would you pay some $160
dollars for a set of earphones?
No, not for headphones but
“just” for in-canal type earphones that you can use on your iPod or
Digital Audio Player.
While that may sound like a
lot of money it may well be worthwhile if you can really hear the
difference.
We’re testing (very
subjectively, I might add) the EARS EM3 Universal Fit Monitor
Earphones from Future Sonics (FSI).
Are we rapt with this
professional product? More...
|
|
|
