Category Archives: Audio

Optoma GT5500 Projector Review – Ultra Short Throw at its best!

Audio, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my review of the Optoma GT5500 Ultra Short Throw Projector which retails for about £1,100. This is one of Optoma’s top end projectors.

Key Specifications

– Display Technology – Single 0.65” DarkChip 3 1080p DLP® Technology by Texas Instruments
– Native Resolution 1080p 1920 x 1080
– Brightness1 (Bright Mode) 3500 ANSI Lumens
– Contrast 25,000:1
– Lamp Life2 Eco+/Dynamic/Eco/Bright 6500/5000/5000/3000 (hrs)
– Throw Ratio 3 0.25:1
– Zoom Type Fixed
– I/O Connectors 2 x HDMI (1.4a 3D support), 2 x VGA (YPbPr/RGB), Composite, 2 x Audio In 3.5mm, Audio Out 3.5mm, VGA Out (Shared with VGA2), RJ45, RS232, USB remote mouse/service, 12V trigger, Mic In, USB-A Power, 3D-Sync
– Keystone Correction ± 20° Vertical
– Weight (kg) 4.78
– Dimensions (W x D x H) (mm) 385 x 310 x 120
– Aspect Ratio 16:9 Native, 4:3 Compatible
– Offset 118%
– Projection Screen Size 2.03 – 2.54m (80” – 100”) Diagonal 16:9
– Projection Distance 0.45 – 0.59m
– Projection Lens F/2.4; f=3.72mm, Fixed Zoom
– Computer Compatibility UXGA, SXGA, WXGA, HD, XGA, SVGA, VGA, Mac
– Video Compatibility PAL (B, D, G, H, I, M, N, 576i/p), NTSC (M, 4.43/3.58 MHz, 480i/p), SECAM (B, D, G, K, K1, L) HD (1080i, 720p)
– 3D Support Full 3D – The 3D features of Optoma projectors can only be used with compatible 3D content. Typical applications include use with 3D educational or 3D design and modelling systems. 3D TV broadcast systems, (SKY in the UK),
– Blu-ray 3D™ and 3D games from the Sony® PS3 or Microsoft® Xbox 360 are now supported as part of the HDMI v1.4a specification.
– 3D Compatibility Side-by-Side:1080i50 / 60, 720p50 / 60
– Frame-pack: 1080p24, 720p50 / 60
– Over-Under: 1080p24, 720p50 / 60
– Security Security bar, Kensington lock, password protection
– Standard Accessories AC power cord, VGA cable, remote control, battery, quick start card, CD user manual
– Optional Accessories 3D glasses, wireless
– Warranty 2 Years

The only way to understand just how good this projector performs is by watching the video review below. Enjoy.

Video Review

Conclusions

The Optoma GT500 is all about image quality and the ability to project a huge image from a mere 30cm away from the screen or wall. It also allows projection in daylight as the image is really bright. Recommended.

Useful Links

More info & latest pricing on the Optoma GT5500 Projector
Optoma GT1080e Projector Review

Moshi releases its new Vortex Air Bluetooth Headphones 

Audio, Headphone, Tech News,


Moshi Vortex Air Bluetooth headphones retail for £110. 

With these headphones you can enjoy and share your favourite tunes with Moshi’s Vortex Air wireless earbuds. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, these high quality earphones give you 8 hours of playtime so you can listen to tracks and answer calls throughout the day, all on a single charge.

 Vortex Air also lets you share good times with a friend thanks to Moshi’s DJ4two™ feature which streams music to a second Moshi headset. Utilising the same drivers and proprietary RigidBody™ steel housing as Vortex, Vortex Air retains the beloved sonic signature of its wired counterpart featuring deep articulate bass without distortion.

 The details:-

· The drive units consist of high-definition Neodymium drivers housed in sintered steel alloy to minimise cavity-induced colouration.

· This design not only vastly improves low frequency extension, but also renders silky smooth highs.

· Vortex Air comes with 3 different sizes of hybrid-injection silicone ear tips as well as a set of memory foam ear tips that can effectively block out external noise while providing hours of comfortable listening.

· Also included is a convenient magnetic clip to secure Vortex Air in place.

Key specification – 

– Sensitivity 100 +/- 3db
– Impedance 18ohm
– Passive noise isolation up to 23db
– 3 Button in Line remote
– Bluetooth 4.1
– Profiles HSP v1.2, HFP v1.6, A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.5
– Paired up to 8 devices
– Microphone MEMS
– Microphone sensitivity-39dBV/PA @ 1kHz
– Battery 100mAh
– Talk Time/Music up to 8 hours @ 50% volume
– 100 hours standby time
– 2 hours to charge using micro USB port

Moshi’ products also include a larger range of headphones, the Arcus multi function backpack, Moshi Spatia which is a wireless airplay sound system that looks rather stylish and a range of USB C cables and adapters. 

More info & stockist details – Moshi

Moshi products on Amazon UK

Sennheiser Momentum In Ear Headphones – Review

Android, Apple, Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News

Key Specifications

– Custom machined stainless steel acoustic pipes for more accurate sound
– High quality dynamic speaker system and enhanced attenuation of ambient noise
– Personalised fit directly into the ear canals
– Available in two variants with a three button in-line remote with an integrated mic optimised for either – Apple iOS or Samsung Galaxy smart devices
– Convenient high carrying case included
– Wearing Style Ear canal
– Transducer Principle Dynamic
– Frequency Response 15 – 22,000 Hz
– Impedance 18 Ohm
– Sound Pressure Level (SPL) 118 dB
– Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) < 0.5%
– Cable Length 1.3 m 1.3 m
– Mic Pick-up Pattern Omni-directional
– In the Box – Ear-adapter set (XS, S, M, L) / Premium carrying case

Video Review

Useful Links

Latest pricing & more info on Sennheiser Momentum In Ear Headphones

Optoma NuForce NE800M In Ear Headphones – review

Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News

Key Specifications

– Frequency response 10Hz – 40kHz
– Sensitivity 113dB+/-3dB
– Cable length 1.37 M
– Driver unit 8.6mm
– Impedance 16 Ohms
– Maximum input sound level 120dB S.P.L
– Connections input 3.5mm (4-pole stereo)
– Connections output 8.6mm driver Titanium coated diaphragm
– Weight 18g
In the Box – Carry case, 3x pairs of single silicone earbuds (sizes S, M, L), 2x pairs of Comply™ earbuds (sizes M, L)

Video Review

Useful Links

More info & latest pricing on the NuForce NE800M In Ear Headphones

Optoma NuForce uDAC-3 AMP/DAC Review

Audio, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my review of the Optoma NuForce uDAC-3 amp and DAC which retails for around £90.

The Optoma NuForce uDAC3 is an A-synchronous, full 24-bit, 96 kHz, high-performance USB Digital to Audio Converter (DAC) and combined headphone amplifier that upgrades any computers sound output.

To use the NuForce uDAC-3 you simply connect it to your computer’s USB port. The idea is that the DAC improves the sound quality of your digital music collection. As you can imagine, most Macs, computers and laptops are generally not engineered to deliver the best quality sound. This can result in subtle errors in the conversion and amplification processes which affects the audio quality. All of my headphones sounded better with the uDAC-3 than just using the headphone out with my MacBook Pro.

The uDAC3 provided a fuller sound with better clarity and a deeper and more powerful bass, more detail and separation. It is amazing the difference this made with streaming services and YouTube. The other aspects that is good about the uDAC-3 is its small compact size and that it gains all its power from the USB port of your computer.

Key Specifications

Output impedance RCA 100 Ohm, Headphone 5.6 Ohm
Maximum sampling rate 96 Bit resolution 24
Frequency response 20Hz-20kHz,THD+N:.005%
Signal to noise ratio 98db
Total harmonic distortion 0.05%
Power supply USB powered 80mA/5V
Native bit rate 32,16,24,48,88.2,96kHz
Dynamic range 90dB
Headphone power output 80m W x2@16Ohm
Volume control Rotory
USB sampling rates 44.1,48, 96
Connectionsinput USB
Connections output 3.5mm stereo, Coax S/PDIF, RCA L+R
Supported HD audio 96/24
Weight 90g
Dimensions 68 x 38 x 21 mm
In the box USB A-Micro cable, user’s manual

Video Review

Conclusion

For such a small compact device, this is an ideal addition to anyone who likes there music and wants their headphones to sound significantly better than the built in computer headphone audio.

Useful Links

More info and the latest pricing on the NuForce uDAC-3

Polk MagniFi Mini – Doly 5.1 Home Theatre Soundbar – My Review

Audio, Reviews, Tech News,

Welcome to my review of the Polk MagniFi Mini Dolby 5.1 Home Theatre Soundbar review which has a recommended retail price of £349. The MagniFi Mini belts out a far larger sound than its size would allude too. So let’s find out more about the Polk MagniFi Mini.

The Polk Magnificent Mini includes “Voice Adjust” technology dramatically increases vocal clarity and volume level for crystal clear dialogue no matter what you’re watching. The difference with bass heavy films using this tech was so noticeable and made distinguishing voices a dream.

The MagniFi Mini has both wired and wireless. Connection include an HDMI input, connection, digital optical audio input which both support 5.1 audio. You can also use the 3.5mm analog input as well as an ethernet port to connect to your network. For wireless music playback, you can choose bluetooth audio or Google Cast music streaming over Wi-Fi.

It also comes with a handy remote control. Functions include power, volume, sound mode selector, inputs, bass and voice levels. You don’t have to use the remote as there are also controls on top of the speaker.

The internal amp is capable of a room filling 150 watts. It includes 802.11a/b/g/n/AC – 2.4GHz & 5GHz.

Movie, Music, and Sport Modes. One button preset EQ settings for Movies, Music and Sports optimize the sound bar and subwoofer to ensure you get the clearest dialogue, big surround sound and deep bass for the best audio and home theater experience. You can change these on the remote control as well. There is a one button night mode to reduce the bass and not disturb other people.

To understand more about the tech, drivers, power, sound quality and more, check out the video section below.

Conclusion

I really like the power and sound quality from the Polk MagniFi Mini and the on the fly adjustments for voice and bass levels. Recommended.

Useful Links

More info & the latest pricing on the Polk MagniFi Mini

Audeze iSine 20 – In Ear Planar Magnetic headphones – Review of the £599 Hi-Tech Magic

Android, Apple, Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News, ,

The Audeze iSine 20 are a world first in ear planar magnetic headphones. Audeze has loads of patents on these headphones too. There are also the world’s first headphone to include a lightning cable with an in built 24 bit DAC/Amp for iOS users, apart from the included standard 3.5mm cable.

The iSINE 20 features key specifications –

– Planar magnetic drivers for better dynamics and frequency response
– Premium materials for style and durability
– Sleek contemporary design by DesignWorksUSA a BMW group company
– Ear hooks and Earlocks for long listening comfortability
– Fluxor magnetic arrays
– Uniforce diaphragms
– 1.5m audio cable, 1/8” stereo plug input to 2-pin plug output
– 1.5m Cipher cable, Lightning plug input to 2-pin plug output
– Style In-ear, universal fit
– Transducer type Planar magnetic, semi-open
– Magnetic structure Fluxor
– Magnet type High-grade neodymium
– Diaphragm type Ultra-thin Uniforce
– Transducer size 30mm
– Maximum power handling 3W
– Maximum SPL >120dB
– Frequency response 10Hz – 50kHz
– THD <0.1% @ 100dB
– Impedance 24 ohms
– Cable type non-microphonic
– Dimension 31mm x 35mm
– Weight 20g without cable

The new iSINE Series barely weighs 20 grams, contains Audeze exclusive patented technology including power enhancing Fluxor Magnets that nearly double the magnetic driving force on the large, ultra-thin diaphragms with patented Uniforce voice-coil technology that delivers the most accurate in-ear headphones experience ever. The distortion (THD) is less the 0.1% overall even at high volumes, an amazing achievement for in-ear headphone designs.

For iOS users, there is the world’s first 24-bit Lightning cable for higher-resolution sound. Audeze’s award-winning CIPHER Lightning cable specially optimized for the iSINE Series, delivers 24-bit digital audio from iPhone/iPad/IPod to the headphones. The CIPHER cable contains a high-quality inline amplifier, digital-to-analog converter, and DSP. With the powerful DSP capabilities of the Cipher cable, the iSINE headphones deliver a vivid, almost like-you’re-there experience. Customize the sound in real-time with the Audeze iOS App. It features two presets and a 10-band equalizer that changes EQ in real time. Refine the bass levels and tamp down the highs on peaky recordings you still love to hear. The two EQ presets travel with the cable when switching devices.

So now sit back, enjoy my unboxing and then full review of these beast of a headphone.

Useful Links

More info & latest pricing on the Audeze iSine 10 and Audeze iSine 20

Audeze iSine 20 – World’s 1st In-Ear Planar Magnetic Headphones – First Impressions – If Aliens made Headphones

Audio, Headphone, Tech News,

The Audeze iSine 20 are a world first in ear planar magnetic headphones. Audeze has loads of patents on these headphones too. There are also the world’s first headphone to include a lightning cable with an in built 24 bit DAC/Amp for iOS users, apart from the included standard 3.5mm cable.

The iSINE 20 features key specifications –

– Planar magnetic drivers for better dynamics and frequency response
– Premium materials for style and durability
– Sleek contemporary design by DesignWorksUSA a BMW group company
– Ear hooks and Earlocks for long listening comfortability
– Fluxor magnetic arrays
– Uniforce diaphragms
– 1.5m audio cable, 1/8” stereo plug input to 2-pin plug output
– 1.5m Cipher cable, Lightning plug input to 2-pin plug output
– Style In-ear, universal fit
– Transducer type Planar magnetic, semi-open
– Magnetic structure Fluxor
– Magnet type High-grade neodymium
– Diaphragm type Ultra-thin Uniforce
– Transducer size 30mm
– Maximum power handling 3W
– Maximum SPL >120dB
– Frequency response 10Hz – 50kHz
– THD <0.1% @ 100dB
– Impedance 24 ohms
– Cable type non-microphonic
– Dimension 31mm x 35mm
– Weight 20g without cable

The new iSINE Series barely weighs 20 grams, contains Audeze exclusive patented technology including power enhancing Fluxor Magnets that nearly double the magnetic driving force on the large, ultra-thin diaphragms with patented Uniforce voice-coil technology that delivers the most accurate in-ear headphones experience ever. The distortion (THD) is less the 0.1% overall even at high volumes, an amazing achievement for in-ear headphone designs.

For iOS users, there is the world’s first 24-bit Lightning cable for higher-resolution sound. Audeze’s award-winning CIPHER Lightning cable specially optimized for the iSINE Series, delivers 24-bit digital audio from iPhone/iPad/IPod to the headphones. The CIPHER cable contains a high-quality inline amplifier, digital-to-analog converter, and DSP. With the powerful DSP capabilities of the Cipher cable, the iSINE headphones deliver a vivid, almost like-you’re-there experience. Customize the sound in real-time with the Audeze iOS App. It features two presets and a 10-band equalizer that changes EQ in real time. Refine the bass levels and tamp down the highs on peaky recordings you still love to hear. The two EQ presets travel with the cable when switching devices.

I will be providing my review in due course but in the meantime, enjoy my first impressions of these extraordinary looking headphones. They are like nothing you have seen before.

Useful Links

More info & latest pricing on the Audeze iSine 10 and Audeze iSine 20

AirPods vs BeatsX – My Final Verdict

Apple, Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News

AirPods vs BeatsX – Which headphone is my favourite?

I have now had and used both of these headphones for a while. Both contain Apple’s W1 chip that allows for a seamless connection. Once paired it is connected via iCloud to all your other Apple devices too.The faultless bluetooth connection continues over a vast distance.

These two headphones are vastly different to each other. The BeatsX have more sound isolation and consequently greater bass and depth. They can last 8 hours on a charge. The AirPods allow you to wear them for 5 hours and then the case will recharge them to get up to 24 hours usage in total, by using the case. Both headphones have a 5 or 10 mins quick charge option.

In terms of fit, the BeatsX fit inside your ear canal, whereas the AirPods sit in the ear, but they are not ear canals. For some strange reason, the BeatsX fall out unless whereas the AirPods never fell out. In terms of comfort the BeatsX takes the trump card.

If I had to choose a single pair, it would be the AirPods. I like the fact I can carry on a conversation and hear what someone is saying. I also like the wire free design which do not fall out.

What would be great is if Apple brought out the over the ear Beats headphone with the W1 chip. That would be ideal!

BeatsX Wireless Headphone Review

AirPods review

Useful Links

Latest info and pricing on AirPods
Latest pricing and more info on the BeatsX

Optoma GT1080E Full HD 1080p Short Throw Projector review – Time to Impress your Friends!!

Audio, Reviews, Tech News

Key Features/Specfication

– Create a 100” Full HD 1080p image from just over a metre away
– Lights on viewing – 3000 ANSI Lumens
– I/O Connectors/Easy Connectors – 2 x HDMI (1.4a 3D support) + MHL v1.2, Audio Out 3.5mm, 12V trigger, 3D-Sync, USB service
– 10w integrated loudspeaker
– Carry bag included
– Dimensions (W x D x H) (mm)- 315 x 224 x 114
– Weight 2.65kg
– Security – Security bar, Kensington lock, password protection
– In the box – Carry bag, lens cap, AC power cord, HDMI cable, remote control, 2x AA batteries, quick start card, CD user manual
– Warranty 2 years

The Optoma 1080e is a short throw projector that retails for £599. Optoma kindly loaned the projector for my review.

As this is short throw projector, all I had to do was place it on a coffee table and voila, I had a stunning 100 inch Full HD 1080p image on my wall.

The Optoma 1080e has low latency so I found playing games ideal and I even watched a few football matches too. I connected different devices to it using the array of inputs provided. I even hooked up my iPhone 7 Plus and played BBC iPlayer, home videos, Netflix and more through the Optoma 1080e. As there are 2 HDMI inputs it is possible to connect anything from laptops, PC’s, blu-ray players, media streamers and even a game console. Optoma even sell an optional a smart wireless dongle called the HDCast Pro if you want to go wireless.

I always find that the real test of how good a new gadget is, comes from the reaction of my wife. I demonstrated the Optoma 1080e by connecting my iPhone 7 Plus playing Netflix. The 100 inch image was played beautifully on the living room wall, with great sound coming from the 10w speaker too. So what was the verdict from my wife. “You can buy one if you want”. NEVER has my wife ever given me instant permission to buy a new gadget. During the course of several weeks, I showed off the projector to several friends and every single one of them was impressed.

What about longevity? The expected lifetime of a typical Optoma projector lamp is 6500 hours. So if you watch a two hour movie every day, the lamp should last for almost 9 years. In addition, Optoma state that the image colour quality will remain as good as the day you bought, so much so, that Optoma guarantee it for five years.

Video Review

To really encapsulate just how good this projector is, I filmed a video review showing the projector in more detail, and the great footage with different options on my wall. So sit back and enjoy the video review now.

Conclusion

This is the first projector I have used and reviewed and without a doubt I have been blown away at just how amazing the Optoma 1080e projector has been to use. With the included carry bag, it is so easy to transport the projector to your friend house, watch football on a 100 inch large screen or play the latest games and so much more. The short throw projection is ideal for normal sized living rooms too!

Highly recommended.

Useful Links

Optoma 1080e latest pricing and more info on Amazon
Optoma Website