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Cowon A5 Smart PMP

Price TBC

~ An Elliot Holmes Review ~

PROS

•    The screen is of a decent size for watching videos and browsing the internet. The size also makes selecting options and general navigation pretty simple too.

•    The Cowon A5 features expandable memory so if you fill up the on-board storage you can simply load up a card with media and pop it in to the slot.

•    Despite the generous screen size the Cowon A5 is still fairly ‘pocket friendly’ so should be easy to carry around with you.

CONS

•    The player appears to be made entirely of plastic so while scratches shouldn’t be too much of an issue hard drops will probably cause damage.

•    While the picture quality of the screen is quite high the screen is just a resistive one so you will not be able to ‘pinch-and-pull’ images or use multi-touch.

•    The version of Android which Cowon have used on the A5 is a bit outdated and there don’t appear to be any plans to upgrade this at the time of writing.

First Impressions

Cowon, by and large, are best known for making some of the greatest sounding players going but those of you with an ear (eye?) to the ground will have no doubt noticed the multimedia players they’ve released over the years too. In fact the old Cowon A3 PMP was one of my all time favourite Cowon players, thanks to the large screen, the sheer number of supported file formats and the fact it could record directly from TVs, and it seems that the newly announced Cowon A5 is in a sort-of-similar vein. I’m sure if you know the beast of which I speak you would be tempted to agree.

Gone is the DVR function of the old A3 (mind you I don’t know of a current player which does actually offer this feature) but users will still be greeted with a wide number of supported file formats for both music and video plus the large touch-screen makes navigation a breeze. Also, with the inclusion of Android OS Cowon have opened the player up to a whole world of additional features provided through apps which have been ‘side loaded’ on to the A5 (NB: there is currently no word as to whether direct access to the Android Marketplace will be provided. If we hear anything further about this we’ll let you all know).

Design

Picture a Cowon X7. Then picture a Cowon X7 in landscape mode. That is pretty much the design of the Cowon A5.

Just to be clear that while the above description of the design might come across as being a bit nonplussed that’s not really my intention whatsoever. There is nothing at all wrong with a bit of familiarity between different players from the same manufacturer and for all the niggles people mention with the X7 the overall design is simple and functional so translates well to different players. (on a side note – I’m fairly sure no one has ever taken umbrage with Apple for basically rehashing the same design time after time, time after time).

There are also some nice little finishing touches which Cowon have included which add some handy functionality to the A5. Par exemple le micro HDMI output, tucked away next to the micro USB port, will be a welcome addition to movie fans who might want to spend some time looking at their videos on the big screen. Furthermore, the aforementioned micro USB port is something I am near ecstatic to see as no more will users have to worry about losing a proprietary USB cable and then going through the rigmarole of trying to track down a spare.

There’s also a little slot on the front of the player which hides a basic speaker for those times when using earphones might not be an option, a solid power button and volume control on a rocker switch.

Finally there are some nicely positioned touch-sensitive buttons – Back, Settings, Home and Search respectively – along the front bottom of the Cowon A5. Oh! And there’s a microphone too for voice memos.

One aspect of Cowon’s current design which they could perhaps do without is the paragraph which has been etched on to the back of the player (the new Cowon Z2 also has one) as it seems like a waste of time and an unnecessary production expense. I mean will anyone who is interested in a Cowon player really care all that much that “the curved lines on the front of [the] A5 were inspired by pottery”? I’d put my money on ‘No’ as people buy and love Cowon players for their sonic brilliance not because they look like a porcelain pot.

Performance

Since the Cowon A5 is effectively a Z2 with a larger screen and uses the same Android UI the navigation is the same (it’s fairly easy too for novice users). Like the familiar design this is most definitely a good thing as some of the previous Cowon ranges took a bit of getting used to the first time you picked them up – for example we received a fair few calls and emails from confused Cowon C2 users mostly due to the slightly convoluted UI.

I’m not going to go into a great deal of details about Android as I’m preeeeeeety sure most people know what this is. What I will say though is that similar to other Android devices users are presented with a number of ‘Home’ screens which can display shortcuts to apps as well as widgets, like clocks and so on, and for the most part everything is well laid out and navigation is straight forward.

The really good thing about Cowon moving to Android for their new players is that in many ways it puts them in almost the same league as those newfangled tablets I’ve been hearing so much about lately. Plus with more and more manufacturers moving over to Android, not to mention all the thousands of apps out there for Android devices, this will help keep Cowon current and up to speed with the competition.

The video playback on the Cowon A5 is strong and while the screen might not have the pin-point detail of many tablet devices it’s large enough and has a clear picture so shouldn’t cause any complaints. Since the A5 is geared more towards video playback rather than music the screen size helps matters quite a bit too. This means that users shouldn’t have to squint at the screen to see what’s going on in a video and makes the A5 a decent companion for travel or purely for video while on the go.

What really makes the Cowon A5 worth considering for your video needs though is the format support as it’s pretty generous (AVI, WMV, ASF, MP4, MKV, MPG, DAT, TS, TP, TRP and 3GP are all supported according to their Korean website). A wide format support, I feel anyway, is a definite must have on this type of device and it’s fantastic that Cowon have done just that and give the user so much choice and freedom.

Most of the supplementary features, internet browsing and so on, are just a simple to get to grips with as the OS itself. For example, browsing the internet is a breeze as you’d just need to find a WIFI network to hook in to and then *BOOM* the world of the wide web is at your fingertips. This is by and large the case for every feature on the A5 so whether you want to record a voice memo or view your pictures – find the app, give it a tap then sit back and enjoy (or lean forward and enjoy…whatevs).

Since I’m talking about internet browsing (a feature no doubt many people might be curious about) I’d go so far as to say that this is a feature that the A5 does very well as the browser loads pages quickly and while you can’t ‘pinch-and-pull’ to zoom in on pages double tapping to zoom in, or touching the zoom icon, works almost as well.

The size of the screen, which I constantly seem to be harping on about, might mean that the player is geared more towards video etcetera but if you did decide to pop on some music on too I doubt you’d be disappointed. Like nearly all Cowon devices the audio on the A5 is brilliant and, similar to the video feature, the format support is wide – good news for lossless users -  so will quite happily handle nearly any format you might choose to throw at it.

Conclusion

Summing up the Cowon A5 is a bit tricky as while it’s a nifty player and has some great features I’m not sure what market will help it take off. If it was just a media player then I could see people using it to pass the time while travelling or so they don’t have to squint at a video playing on a small screened device but in reality the A5 is probably getting closer to tablet territory due to the Android OS.

I guess that, like the Samsung Note, the idea is that the A5 will straddle itself between the PMP and tablet markets to offer people who want the functionality of a tablet on a smaller scale a bit of choice. If this is the case then there might be room for the A5 but I can’t realistically see it swaying someone who is looking for an actual tablet device, such as one from the big boys (Apple, Samsung, Motorola and so on).

Moreover, with the large screen Android, iOS and WP8 offerings which have been popping up lately or rumoured for release shortly competition will no doubt become a bit more fierce as the choice available to consumers increases.

So to summarise:

The Cowon A5 is a fantastic media player if you are interested in a well sized device for watching video, looking at pictures, listening to music or occasionally browsing the internet and using Android apps. However, those of you looking for a tablet device might have to consider alternatives which will offer higher quality screens and a more recent version of Android.

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Sleepover Review for the Sony NWZ-Z1060 Walkman MP3 Player

£274

~ An Elliot Holmes Review ~

PROS

• The sound quality is great is far removed from the slightly poor audio and volume performance of some of their previous models.
• 180 day trial of the Music Unlimited (Basic Subscription) so you get instant access to millions of songs and stream them to the player, as well as other devices like a Playstation 3, over a WIFI network.
• Since the NWZ-Z1060 features a 4.3” screen it’s easy to navigate around and is fantastic for watching videos or playing games you’ve downloaded from Google Play.

CONS

• While most users will find the physical size of the player fine a pocket friendly the player may be slightly too big for some.
• The body and screen of the player do pick up finger prints quite easily but no worse than other touch-based devices.
• There is no memory card slot so you can’t expand the storage when you fill up the on-board memory.

First Impressions

I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark here and assume that most of you will know who Sony are since they’ve been forerunners in the electronics world since their inception back in the early 1950s. In fact I suspect that if you look around your home you’ll have at least one bit of technology from them whether it be a Playstation, stereo, TV or even an ancient walkman tape player.

The NWZ-Z1060 Walkman MP3 player is far from their first attempt at an MP3 player but I might be so bold as to suggest that it’s probably their best to date because of the level of detail they’ve gone to and also due to the nifty features they’ve crammed inside; which we’ll cover in good time.

Design

The style of the new Sony Z Series doesn’t tread too far from the blueprint laid out by previous generations. This does go some way to generate a sense of familiarity (more so among existing Sony users) and straight away it’s apparent that this is a Sony player.

While Sony may not have strayed from their design path, and I guess we can put this down to the old “if it ain’t broke…” mantra, I’d have to say that the Z Series does look lovely with it’s nice sleek body and front plate nearly entirely taken up with the 4.3” touch-screen.

I’m not totally sure what materials Sony have used to make these players but it does appear that the foot of the screen and sides are metal while the back seems to be plastic. As you might expect the metal parts of the player, along with the touch-screen, will pick up fingerprints fairly quickly; although this can be easily remedied with a quick wipe down with a cleaning cloth.

Moreover, Sony have been nice enough to include some solid volume buttons, a shortcut key to quickly take you to your music, a power button, an HDMI output (may require a specific accessory) and a small speaker which is housed on the vivid purple back plate. Also present is Sony’s composite USB connection port, a space to attach a lanyard and a standard 3.5mm headphones jack.

Sound

Sony, as some of you might know, took a little bit of a bashing in gadget blogs and the like for a few of the players which they had out before this one as while the sound was good there was a distinct lack of volume which spoilt the overall experience and hamstringed what could have been solid music players. Thankfully it seems Sony have been paying close attention to the feedback and have released a player with a sound deserving of the Sony badge.

Sound quality is a tricky thing to describe (it’s one of those things that’s easier to hear, boom boom) but I’d be so bold as to say the sound from the Z Series is strong, rich and is pretty ‘warm’. There could perhaps be a tad more detail when playing back music but that’s a small niggle considering how long we’ve waited for a Sony player where you didn’t need to whack the volume on full to get anything out of your earphones.

The Z Series also comes bundled with some pretty sweet and expensive looking MDR-EX-something-or-other (I tried to find the model number but gave up, sorry) in-ear earphones as well; which is a real rarity nowadays where manufacturers are cutting back on bundled accessories rather than giving you little treats like this.

In short while the overall sound quality of the new Sony won’t really be able to compete with the likes of the Colorfly C4 or iBasso DX100 (there’s a reason these players are so damn expensive after all) it’ll easily measure up to Cowon and Samsung plus might even exceed what you’d get from an Apple iPod.

Extra! Extra!

Who really wants a music player for, you know, just listening to music nowadays? If your MP3 player doesn’t make you a cup of tea while scouring the internet for pictures of cats in hats then you might as well just give up and join the Amish (it’s alright, with my beard and standard MP3 player I’m almost there myself).

While it’s tricky to argue that the apps you can download from Google Play are an extra,  as they’re just part and parcel of owning an Android device really, there are quite a few nifty little features which Sony have included to add functionality to the player.

The feature which most people will find a lot of use for is the ability to ‘throw’ content from the player to other devices which are DLNA compatible. There’s lots of televisions and HiFi systems which offer this so if you’re lucky enough to own one of these devices you can effectively do away with audio cables and enjoy wire-free listening.

Moreover, users are provided with a 180 day trial of Sony’s Music Unlimited basic subscription service where you can receive instant access to millions of songs so you can download away and pop them on the player (if you sign up for this check the small print as many of these services automatically move over to a paid for subscription once the trial period ends, unless cancelled).

Plus if you’re a karaoke fan like me (when I’m drunk anyway) then you’ll enjoy the lyric feature of the player which allows you to copy across lyrics files and then sing along to your hearts content – just make sure that you’re not receiving odd stares from people on the street.

Verdict

You have no idea how glad I am that Sony have now released the first Walkman MP3 player which I’ve actually been excited about since the old NW-A3000 range were kicking around several years ago.

Sure the whole Android side of the is nothing new really, considering that Archos and Samsung have had Android MP3 players out for while now, but it is something Sony do very well. However, what really makes the new Z Series shine is when it comes to sound. Gone are the days of straining your ears to hear your music and instead there’s a lovely impressive and rich sound which should put much of the competition to shame.

In short if you like your MP3 player to not only blast your ears but to offer you internet browsing, apps aplenty and be nicely wrapped up in an attractive package (not to mention all of the other features offered) then the new Sony Z Series should tick all the right boxes.

For further information on the Sony NWZ-Z1060 click here.

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~ An Adam Caruth Review ~

FiiO from the latin; sanus sonitus salvus, carmen camena. Meaning loud music.

When I wasn’t asked to review the FiiO E11 headphone amp, I got straight to it.  And don’t worry there will be no pictures of Raleigh the dog in this review!

If you have never read one of my reviews, this is a good a place to start as any.  And don’t worry I don’t let technical mumbo jumbo get in the way of a good ramble, and I rarely say the bass was muddy!

Headphone amps were news to me as little as a year ago, I had no idea they were being made or how good they could be.  Now I’m an expert! ” sadly not on headphone amps”

For standard issue civilians who like portable music, good headphones can really make the difference!  However the addition of a headphone amp can push the performance to the sublime.  These pocket music powerhouses can also make cheaper headphones sound better e.g. I have used them to good effect on large DJ style cans and the inexpensive beanie hat with built in headphones.

To save you the time of doing your audiophile NVQ, I will impart some digital music facts to help.

1: digitally compressed music (mp3/AAC ) has a dip from CD quality

2: mp3 players and iPods etc. typically do not have a massive power output to juice your music.

3: earbuds/in-ear style, as a rule require less power than big on-ear/over ear style.

So the question remains, do I need a headphone amp?

I started out with a FiiO E1 and an E5.  The E1 has the Apple style connector (which can provide better data transfer from the player than a standard audio port) and at the other end your 3.5mm jack plugs into a wee box with volume controls, stop, next and previous track buttons.  The E5 is about the size of an older sized iPod shuffle and has a similar style clip on there, it’s on-board battery is charged up with electricity (mini USB) (and not pixie dust) it is connected via standard audio cables and has a bass button!

Both of those amps are less than £20 and are a great foot in the door to the university of audiophile.

As I’m a gadget freak, when I got wind of the FiiO E6, I had to have it, I’m not going to delve into the details of it as my full review of it is not available in shops.

Now that I’m armed with an E1, E5 and an E6 I started my breading program.  The E1 was just not interested, think he was a bit “light on his loafers” if you know what I mean! So it turns out the E5 and E6 were rampant and I couldn’t keep them apart, so in December 2011 the little bundle of joy arrived; the FiiO E11. (but in the interests of facts, my dad bought me it for Xmas they are in the £40 – £50 price bracket).

The E11 is a step up in almost every way, it is physically bigger, makes more noise, has a better build quality and at no extra cost it even costs more.

FiiO E11

The FiiO E11 has a wee black band to help you carry it with your chosen player!  Stretchy usefulness! Unlike the E5 & E6 the E11 is powered by pixie dust so make sure you have plenty (if you don’t have pixie dust electricity will probably have to do).

What do the buttons and knobs do, Adam?

“Well alright then” the best button is actually a knob! And it is the loud controller, it even has a safety bar to help prevent accidental increase/decrease of your noise.  This little beauty also turns the amp on with a satisfying click (like the ones when Marty Mcfly turns the big speaker on, in Back to the Future) strangely though the dial goes up to 8 but in reality the noise goes up to 11. The true test of the power was letting my sister ramp up the volume with a pair of Shure 750DJ, she could only manage 4, which is some going as she is no respecter of her ear drums!  There are also two slider type buttons one is a basic equaliser setting and the other is pure audiophile, don’t even touch it unless you are qualified or wearing a tanktop!  It’s the “gain” apparently it is to do with frequency and impedance of your headphones, one side for high and the other for low, but I found one side for loud and the other for louder!

There you have it! Facts-a-plenty and no pictures of my dog!

Prices

FiiO E5 – £16.99

FiiO E6 – £18.99

FiiO E11 – £45.99

Continue reading »]]>Sony NWZ-A866/67

~ An Elliot Holmes Review ~

At a Glance

PROS

•    The new Sony A range feature a sleek and attractive design which couples a touch screen interface with solid buttons for controlling music and track selection.
•    Astonishingly easy to navigate around the device thanks to the simple menu design.
•    High quality of sound due to the S-Master MX Digital Amplifier.
•    Bluetooth functionality means you can send photos and videos from your mobile phone to the player and listen to music wirelessly through your bluetooth headphones.

CONS

•    The volume may be slightly too low for high-end audio users; although this can be significantly improved with a portable headphone amplifier (we recommend the Fiio E5).

Verdict:

A simple to use and great sounding player. If all you really want to do is enjoy your music and aren’t fussed with apps or internet browsing then you couldn’t ask for a better player.

Full Review

Nearly everyone, even those of us only half familiar with modern technology, will know Sony products very well as they’ve been a household staple for decades now. True, nowadays their name is more synonymous with games consoles rather than MP3 players but they are working hard to change that.

Many of us will remember the Sony X Series fondly as a wonderful MP3 player (sadly too short lived) and it’s great to see Sony getting back in to the game with a solid and strong sounding device.

Refreshingly Sony hasn’t tried to bring out yet another iPod Touch beater like so many before them (and let’s not forget all of the iPod Shuffle/Nano comparisons which preceded the Touch). Let’s be honest here: Yes there are many great players out there which probably are better than the iPod Touch BUT quite often it seems people buy into the Apple brand rather than simply buying a player. Surely it’s better to focus on making your product stand out because it’s great at what it does rather than being dragged along on Apple’s coat-tails? Thankfully this seems to be what Sony are doing.

The new range from Sony are beautiful looking bits of kit with a smooth case and feature a well sized 2.8” screen. There’s a few solid buttons for controlling volume and tracks but other than that the whole body is sleek and looks great. The screen quality is fantastic, considering there’s no fancy retina/AMOLED/et al technology in sight, with pictures and videos looking bright and crisp. Yes it’s true that the size of the screen may mean that you’re potentially going to have to abandon your plans to watch the entire series of your favourite TV show back-to-back while on the move but it’s large enough to comfortably watch a few episodes before surrendering to chronic eye-strain.

So next stop: ease of navigation. I can’t complain at all about the menu navigation a,s like with the main player features, Sony appear to have decided that simple is best. This is definitely a good thing as it means users can tear around the player and quickly get to where they need to be. Those of you already familiar with Sony players won’t notice any real change here but the outstanding ease of use should appeal to anyone interested in buying their first MP3 player. No, I don’t predict too many of these player being defenestrated for being tricky to use.

With most of the market scrambling  to release the next ‘do everything’ device non-essential features, such as internet browsing and playing with self-destructive birds, sound quality is frequently forced to take a back seat. While there are a few features on this player which most of us would never use (do we honestly need to encourage people to sing along to their music badly with a karaoke feature? OK – if you say so) Sony have remembered that they’re producing a music player so have made sure that the sound quality is high on the agenda and have included a bag of tricks, like their S-Master MX Digital Amplifier, to ensure that all the music sounds great.

There are of course players which will aim to deliver premium sound, and don’t get me wrong players like the Cowon range sound unbelievable, but most of us would be more than happy with the sound from the new Sony A range without question.

Moreover, there’s a side dish of bluetooth functionality so you can expect to connect the player to your bluetooth earphones or car stereo for wire-free playback. Interestingly you can send photos and videos from your mobile phone to the player via bluetooth so you can enjoy them on that lovely screen. Oh and there’s an FM radio.

If I were awarding stars then the new Sony range could expect four out of five. In place of that though let me finish by simply saying this:

“Want an easy to use, great sounding player which looks good to boot? No problem, check out the new range of Sony players – we’re sure you won’t regret it”.

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NUFORCE ICON IDO

~ An Adam Caruth Review ~

£149

As usual ohms, kHz , and impedance are unlikely to feature here.  If they do, I’ll do my best to use technical jargon so it sounds like I know what I’m talking about and not plain English so everybody understands!

To start with, the nice people at nuforce are good enough to provide a pamphlet on “good sound” which is not the same as “loud sound” (loud sound seems weird to me but “loud music” doesn’t work!  Just go with it, thanks). They explain that quality sound systems do not have to shake the skin off your bones! (that is not a direct quote, I just don’t want to plagiarise their work) the crux of it is quality does not have to be loud! “I’m inclined to agree” To start with, depending on your budget depends on whether or not you think anything is good value, cheap or expensive!  If you enjoy a particular activity, typically you bend your budget in that direction to justify your spending.  Seeing as I have purchased and been gifted headphone amps, I have been drawn into a world where my music listening needs now come attached to amps!

To start with, For the record I bought the FiiO E1, E5, E6 and got an E11 as a Christmas gift, depending on how much digging about on the amp3 site you want to do will determine whether or not you read my reviews/comments on those products.    All of those products were less than £50 some even less than £20.  The iDO is in a larger price bracket, it is £200+ on the amp3 site.  If I didn’t already have four headphone amps I would find it hard to justify the price. So to start with, the FiiO E1 vs nuforce icon iDO; FiiO E1 30 pin connector; Icon iDO 30 pin connector. One point each! FiiO E5 case made from black metal; Icon iDO case made from black metal. One point each! FiiO E6 connects to headphones via 3.5mm port; Icon iDO connects to headphones via 3.5mm port. One point each! “I’ll do the totals at the end as the scoring system is complicated” FiiO E11 big knob for volume; Icon iDO big knob for volume. To start with, I like music on the move so a portable music player and portable amp is the right solution for me, but it’s still far from perfect as you end up with spaghetti junction in your pocket with all the wires etc.

The nuforce icon iDO  is designed to amplify music from iDevices (iPod, iPad, iPhone) to headphones or to a larger home system!  The fact of the matter is, with compressed music formats there can be a degradation of quality, amps go a long way to redress this situation and the nuforce worked very well and sounded great with a range of headphones.  As I’ve said on other reviews headphone amps really help power those big cans! (industry term for over ear headphones) so I’ve used Shure 750DJ, Bose quiet comfort 2, v-moda crossfade for the over-ear style all to good effect, for in-ear I used Shure 315′s also nice sounding (one song I particularly like to use is “good times” by INXS & Jimmy Barns, as the Shure 315′s and iPod deliver a poor rendition of this song, but attached to the amp it’s awesome!) I have to say that other songs on the iPod with the Shure 315′s without the amp are great, just in case you thought there was something wrong there.

To start with, you spend your hard earned money and what do you get?  Well from the picture, it is a black box with a massive knob on top!  It feels nice in your hand too and goes “dugdugdug” when you rotate it. As with all the amps I’ve used, turn up the iDevice to max volume, then control the output from the amp itself.  There is a rubber holder for the amp to keep it in place when you are fiddling with the knob, a USB to 30 pin connector, a power adapter and best of all a little blue light goes up and down when ok the wee light goes up and down to indicate volume when you play with the knob!

To start with, this is a quality product no matter what way you look at it! For me, I’ve fallen into a world where headphone amps are portable, and when I listen to music at home it is normally not through headphones so the icon iDO is not on me shopping list. Seeing as I’m not the boss of the world it’s not up-to me to decide how music is listened to. The nuforce has got connectivity to headphones and larger systems so if that floats your boat then the iDO can do! To start with, let me explain the premise of these reviews iDO.  I’m a bit like an over excited waffly mate who can’t explain things quick enough without getting side tracked.  I do research and read reviews and techno babble about products I’m shopping for, to ensure I get the right product for me, FOR ME!  I’m not going to tell others that this is a must for them or that they should only go with this.

That’s all for now, see you next time with more no-facts and no techno jargon.

For more information and pricing on any of the FiiO amplifiers, click here. For further information on the Nuforce Icon iDo, click here.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best 5 Earphones Below £50

Here at AMP3 we understand that not everyone wants or can afford to spend hundreds of pounds on earphones, which is why we’ve selected 5 of the best earphones under £50 to help people find earphones that meet their requirements and don’t break the bank!

Denon AH-C360 In-Ear Stereo Earphones (£29.99)

Firstly, we’d like to introduce you to the Denon AH-C360. We’ve been fans of the full Denon range for many years now, and tend to recommend their products to people who enjoy mostly classical, acoustic and pop music types, but don’t want to spend a fortune. We recommend these to people with these sorts of tastes in music because of their balanced sound and accurate reproduction. At just £34.99, these are very popular.

What makes the Denon AH-C360 In-Ear Stereo Earphones great?

•    The radial cascade damper helps prevent cable-noise being transmitted.
•    The acoustic optimiser helps minimise muffling in the lower frequency range, and reduces modulation effects in the mid-higher ranges.
•    Frequency response range of 5Hz – 24kHz – allows for a wide soundstage and open and natural sound.

What isn’t so good?

•    Despite having a decent bass-response, they are best for non-bass-heavy music types.
•    Cable length – some users may feel the basic cable is too short, however they may find it too long with the extension cable attached also.
•    Some may find the sound reproduction a little ‘coloured’

See the Denon AH-C360 In-Ear Stereo Earphones here.

Brainwavz M4 IEM Earphones (£44.50)

Another hugely popular model are the Brainwavz M4. Whilst they do handle various music types very well, we more often than not recommend these as a good budget set for rock fans, as they particularly suit wailing guitar solos, thunderous guitar riffs and raw rock vocals.

What makes the Brainwavz M4 IEM Earphones great?

•    Crisp, detailed sound and a wide soundstage.
•    Plenty of bass.
•    Excellent handling of dynamics.

What isn’t so good?

•    Driver units are quite heavy.
•    Thin cable feels a little flimsy.
•    Not suitable for all music types, these are ideal for rock music, however.

See the Brainwavz M4 IEM Earphones here.

MEElectronics SP51 Sound Preference In-Ear Headphone with Sound Tuning (£29.99)

The Meelectronics SP51 are another model we often recommend to those looking for a decent set of earphones within this price-range. These allow for greater user-customization more than most other sets, by allowing you to tune the sound to your own individual taste.

What makes the MEElectronics SP51 Sound Preference In-Ear Headphone with Sound Tuning great?

•    Bass-levels can be set to the users’ preference.
•    Comfortable fit.
•    Lots of accessories.

What isn’t so good?

•    Not great for eclectic music tastes, as each bass setting will not be suitable for all genres.
•    Changing the rear tuning ports can be a little fiddly.
•    Slightly recessed mid-range takes some detail and motion away from the reproduction.

See the MEElectronics SP51 Sound Preference In-Ear Headphone with Sound Tuning here.

SoundMagic E10 In-Ear Earphones (£34.99)

The Soundmagic E10 are by far our most popular set of earphones below £50, and in fact are one of our top-twenty selling products from our entire range. They offer fantastic sound and have excellent detail. They’re also available in a range of colours so stand out from the crowd well.

What makes the SoundMagic E10 In-Ear Earphones great?

•    Excellent handling of dynamics
•    Superior level of detail
•    Extremely comfortable

What isn’t so good?

•    Some other models within this price range do offer a wider soundstage.
•    The cable is quite thin – and may tangle easily.
•    Some have commented they sound a little harsh at very high volumes.

See the SoundMagic E10 In-Ear Earphones here.

Etymotic mc5 Stereo In-Ear Earphones (£49.62)

Another very popular set are the Etymotic MC5 due to their balanced sound and good attention to detail. They may not be the beefiest sounding earphones on the market at the moment but for the price they are well worth considering.

What makes the Etymotic mc5 Stereo In-Ear Earphones great?

•    Good level of detail
•    Balanced sound.
•    Excellent noise isolation.

What isn’t so good?

•    Due to their very accurate response, they might be a little too ‘cold’ or ‘clinical’ for some tastes.
•    Long driver units may not be comfortable for some.
•    May be a little bass-light for some users.

See the Etymotic mc5 Stereo In-Ear Earphones here.

Continue reading »]]>

Cowon Z2 Android 3.2 ‘Gingerbread’ MP3 Player with 3.7″ OLED Screen

Price – 16GB: £219.00 32GB: £259.00

~ An Elliot Holmes Review ~

PROS

•    The Cowon Z2 features a 1GHz ARM CORTEX-A8 CPU for speedy operating and app handling.

•    The player runs on Android (Version 2.3.5 on our demo model) so you can install apps either through ‘side-loading’ or by installing free Android apps with the Android Marketplace third-party app.

•    Since this is a Cowon player you can expect the same exceptional sound as the rest of their range.

CONS

•    Google certification would be lovely so you can gain direct access to the full Android Marketplace but this seems pretty hard to obtain. Hopefully this will happen in the future.

•    Due to the glossy plastic front you will have to deal with some smudges and fingerprints so you might want to stock up on microfiber cloths to combat this.

•    While the screen is clear and well sized you do need to be a bit firmer with your presses, for example sliding to different home screens, to make it respond.

First Impressions

Cowon is a name which has long been synonymous with high quality sound and if you’ve ever been fortunate enough to have a go on one of their range you’ll know exactly where this reputation comes from. However, in today’s market being the best sounding isn’t always going to guarantee that people will buy your products simply due to the sheer level of competition.

If you wanted to test this theory all you need to do is type ‘MP3 player’ in to a search engine and you’ll be greeted with row upon row of players which all claim to be the ultimate choice (in my search using Bing Shopping 8,793 results were returned and there were 2,780,000 in Google Shopping). Plus there’s always Apple kicking around who are quite often the first port of call for newcomers to the world of MP3 Players because of their mastery of advertising (and because they make some good products I suppose).

To tackle this Cowon joined the current trend of smooshing an MP3 player with a mobile phone and released the Cowon D3 which used the Android mobile phone operating system. The D3 was alright as a first attempt at getting in on some Android action but was slightly marred by a slow processor and no access to Android Marketplace. Thankfully they have not made the same mistakes with the Z2.

Design and Under the Bonnet

The best way to describe the looks of the Cowon Z2 is to imagine that the Cowon J3 has had a baby with the Nokia Lumia 800 as the two look very similar – to my eyes anyway – except for the fact that the Z2 has sharp edges while the Lumia is rounded.

Cowon dub this style ‘Floating Design’ because when the player is laying flat on a surface it looks like it’s…well…floating but there’s more to the design than meets the eye (just like the Transformers). They sum this up best with the script on the back of the player which says “…the straight lines and dynamic curves of [the] Z2 are slim yet provide an easy grip to its users”. Now if you’re forever dropping your player or phone like me this does come in very handy, as you can grip it better, and makes the player pretty easy to use one handed.

The Cowon Z2 is predominantly a capacitive touch-screen based device and while it doesn’t have a fancy retina or AMOLED display the screen is well sized and the picture is crisp. The screen is also pretty responsive to touches and presses. There’s also some handy solid buttons on the right hand side of the player which control volume and tracks. Moreover, there’s the normal touch sensitive list, home and back buttons which you’ve no doubt seen before on Android based phones.

Finally, tucked away at the bottom of the player beneath a plastic flap, which doubles as a stand for when you fancy watching a video, there’s a mini USB port, Micro SD expansion slot and mini HDMI out. All very handy – especially the mini USB port since the other recent Cowon models have featured a proprietary Samsung USB connection.

Earlier I mentioned that the Cowon D3 was quite badly let down by the slow processor (seriously the poor thing could barely handle Angry Birds) well this certainly isn’t the case with the Z2 thanks to the 1GHz ARM CORTEX-A8 CPU which Cowon have included. The benefits of the faster processor is immediately apparent as during my fiddling with the Z2 I’ve not encountered any pauses or crashes and every app I’ve tried runs smoothly and without jitters or graphic glitches.

Usability and Features

Some people have mentioned before that they find Cowon players difficult to navigate at first and with some of their quirkier players, such as the Cowon C2 with its strange menu layout, I can certainly see why this might be; although I’ve usually found that just having a good old play will soon remedy this. Honestly I can’t see anyone saying anything similar about the Cowon Z2 and really it couldn’t get much easier.

The main reason why I doubt anyone would struggle to navigate the Z2 is because of the Android operating system. This makes using the Z2 simple and everything feels very familiar to first time users and old hands alike. For example, clicking the apps button on the bottom right of the screen will load the full menu and allow you to select music, or videos, internet and so on. You can also drop apps from this menu on to one of the ‘home’ screens to make getting around a bit quicker.

There is also a built-in G Sensor so the player knows when you’re holding it landscape or portrait and will flip the image around as necessary. This comes in more handy when browsing the internet as opposed to anything else as quite often browsing while holding the player sideways won’t squash websites down quite so much and makes reading text online a bit easier.

I’m not going to talk too much about the navigation as it’s basically the same as navigating an Android phone and there’s far more interesting things to talk about, like access to Android Marketplace.

Cowon aren’t fully Google Certified so like the Cowon D3 there isn’t any ‘native’ access to the Marketplace (interestingly I found out recently that it took Sony over a year to become fully Google Certified so it seems to be quite a long winded process) unfortunately. However, all is not lost and Cowon have come up with a workaround so you can still access the free Android apps, such as Facebook and Gmail, by installing an app they’ve created. This is a huge plus point as it means you won’t have to browse for .APK files on the interwebs and then side load them on the device.

Furthermore, if you’re willing to risk voiding you warranty (Cowon haven’t yet confirmed whether this will affect the warranty but it’s likely) there is a hack to ‘root’ the player and receive full Marketplace access; which was uncovered recently by www.anythingbutipod.com. However, this is quite a laborious process and involves downloading and using various different pieces of software, copying data across and generally fiddling with the player and your PC. In this case I’d be tempted to say that it might be better to just use what Cowon provide and only risk this method if you have a burning desire to tinker with the Z2 or if you have to use paid-for apps.

If you wanted to check out the process then you can read the original article at the following link: http://anythingbutipod.com/2012/02/got-root-the-cowon-z2-already-does/

Sound and Picture

With all this Android sorcery it can be easy to forget that the Cowon Z2 is, at it’s heart, a portable media player – and one which works very well indeed.

Sound-wise the Z2 delivers what we’ve come to expect from Cowon at this point meaning that music sounds great and as the player supports a fair few lossless formats you really can squeeze some impressive quality out of the Z2. Moreover, as the player uses a simple drag and drop method for copying tracks across you don’t have to worry about struggling with software to set the player up. This drag and drop method also appears to copy over album art and track information provided you have everything saved and embedded in the file.

While playing back music you’re given quite a few option to tweak the sound as Cowon include 48 presets and allow users to create four of their own. So if you don’t like the sound signatures which Cowon have created you can generate one of your own simply by selecting a user EQ and using the graphic equaliser to change the frequencies around. This can come in very handy if you listen to a particular genre of music as you can create a general user EQ and easily apply this to all of your tracks; although it has to be said that the bundled presets to a tremendous job across the board too.

Cowon also bundle in the latest version of JetEffect (version 5.0) and while most features remain unchanged there are some new modes for increasing bass and generally improving the playback quality. You might want to have a fiddle about with these settings but in most cases the base sound, or a user defined EQ, will probably do just fine.

The only negative thing I have to say about the sound of the Cowon Z2 is that it doesn’t seem to have quite as much output as some of their other range. I suspect that this is due to fact that the EU volume limit is applied by default whereas their other players, like the J3 and X7, only apply this after you select an EU country when first turning the player on. However, there was still plenty of volume and if you’re not using premium earphones the Z2 should drive them well. If you do have some high quality earphones though you might need to consider a portable headphone amp down the line to really make the most of your set-up.

Videos can be copied to the Cowon Z2 in the same way and again the player supports a decent range of formats. The player handles video well and has a clear picture on the screen and while the size of the screen might mean the player doesn’t lend itself to three hour long epics it’s fine for TV episodes or home movies (you can of course watch a three hour epic but you might get a bit of eye-strain after a while just as you would with screens of this size).

The Cowon Z2 also handles pictures well so you can copy a load across and enjoy them or show to friends at your leisure. There’s also quite a few free digital photo frame apps available so used in conjunction with the built-in stand you can quickly turn the player into a portable photo frame.

Video Review

We’ve filmed a short review of the Cowon Z2 so if you want to see it in action head on over to our Youtube channel

Verdict

Cowon players have been known for their near-unrivalled sound quality for a number of years now but in today’s ever changing market that isn’t always enough. With the inclusion of the Android operating system, internet browsing and an HDMI output, along with that epic sound, it’s clear that Cowon are aiming to keep up with the features users want and not be left at the back of the pack.

The Cowon Z2 player is a must if you’re on the lookout for a premium sounding player with a generous smattering of other handy features.

Right, I’m off to play Angry Birds while listening to phat beats before they take the Z2 away from me.

Continue reading »]]>Sleepover Review for the Cowon Z2 MP3 Player

16GB £219

32GB £259

~ An Elliot Holmes Review ~

PROS

• The Cowon Z2 features a 1GHz ARM CORTEX-A8 CPU for speedy operating and app handling.

• The player runs on Android so you can install apps through ‘side-loading’ or by installing free Google apps through an Android Marketplace third-party app.

• Since this is a Cowon player you can expect the same exceptional sound and the rest of their range.

CONS

• Google certification would be lovely so you can gain direct access to the full Android Marketplace but this seems pretty hard to obtain. Hopefully this will happen in the future.

• Due to the glossy plastic front you will have to deal with some smudges and fingerprints so you might want to stock up on microfiber cloths to combat this.

• While the screen is clear and well sized you do need to be a bit firmer with your presses, for example sliding to different home screens, to make it respond.

Initial Verdict

Cowon players have been known for their near-unrivalled sound quality for a number of years now but in today’s ever changing market that isn’t always enough. With the inclusion of the Android operating system, internet browsing and an HDMI output, along with that epic sound, it’s clear that Cowon are aiming to keep up with the features users want and not be left at the back of the pack.

The Cowon Z2 player is a must if you’re on the lookout for a premium sounding player with a generous smattering of other handy features.

Continue reading »]]>Audioengine A5+ Review

Thanks to Advanced Headphones www.advancedheadphones.co.uk for the sample (AMP3’s sister site)

First impressions: Okay, next to the A2 there things are friggin’ huge.  Not sure I’m loving the in white look but if id paid money for them are you may or may not then you only get white if you want it.  I’m not sure I’m loving the off centre tweeter, I know many do it but I just don’t like that.  What I do like is the packaging, it’s a nice touch to have everything in little bags but as a friend pointed out “so why didn’t they put the plug in one too?”  I suspect it’s because it’s a UK plug, not that it matters but why not it?  All the cables and such are in there which is a very nice touch.  I think an all in one solution should be just that and there is nothing worse than not having that cable you need when you buy a new toy.

First listening and its not really doing it for me.  Granted these are literally fresh out of the box so nothing is definitive.  However I’m not sure I like how these are tuned.  Seeing as Audioengine suggested giving them 50 hours to open up I guess I’d better get started.

Set up: Computer to FiiO E9 and E7 combo feeding the line out into the A5+.

Lows: Hmm, not to my tastes.  I really don’t know why these have been tuned how they have as it seem unnecessary to me, they have a big bombastic low end  and frankly it gets in my way.  It’s a big hump of punch and rambunctiousness that just constantly wants to go wild.  It’s like a teenage dog (in dog years) that pretty much fully grow, yet has so much boundless enthusiasm that it cannot stop from pulling on the lead.  It yearns to go run and play.  It’s cute on a dog on a speaker it’s not.  Granted I’m a bit of a boring old fart and I tend to prefer music that’s a little bit boring.  I don’t want a party beast blasting out Lady whomever, Christina what’s her face or that Perrier woman.  It loves to take pre-eminence and it shouldn’t.  Frankly it really annoys me.

You’ll notice I haven’t said anything fit quality yet.  Now given I dislike how it’s tuned and behaves, if I can set that aside the technical abilities of it are reasonable.  There is little softness or bass bleed.  It likes to hit hard and move quickly so that ability deserves praise but it’s not a flavour I want.  I can’t help myself, but it’s just all party bass.  Every song it plays its wants to do with party levels of exuberance and I’m sorry but for lots of music it’s just wrong.

Mids: Meh.  They are good when you can hear them but they clearly are in third place in a 3 way race.  Thos familiar with my stuff will know I love mids, I feel its where all the most important stuff takes place.  Bands don’t stick the drummer at the front of the stage now do they?  Vocals

here are acceptably good and they never get entirely lost but they sit behind the lows and highs.  I know many love a big V shaped sound signature but I cannot find the love for it.  If I was back being 18, in Halls and wanting to party every night then hell yeah!   That V shaped sound is just what you want.  I know I shouldn’t be judging it as an audiophile product as it not but I am and it is hard to be utterly objective on such a subjective subject.

Tonally they a touch on the liquid and warm side.  Male vocals in particular seem to get a little boost in the low end that they really should not.  Nothing awful but shouldn’t be there.  Girly vocals do better.  Warmed and softened a touch, not so good though at airy and breathy stuff.

Highs: Crispy.  Shimmer and shine these don’t do so well but they really aim more a sparkle and dazzle approach.  The highs cut through crisply and cleanly and it gives a great dramatic impression.  As I said previously with these speakers its party time all the time.  Detail retrieval is pretty good but that crisp edge dominates and overshadows things in a way I don’t like.  It feels like a stage magician; look over here not over there.  Again there isn’t really anything I’m going to say is bad, these are just coloured to a point some things work well and some doesn’t.  For the money I can’t fault their treble ability but as I’ve said with much else, if you can’t nail it then maybe you better to dial it down rather than make you short comings readily apparent.

Soundstage: Here they do rather well, the bigger a speaker the bigger it usually sounds.  These are big enough to sound impressively room filling.  These in that sense are proper stereo speakers rather than “desktop” speakers like their siblings are.  If I was so inclined I’d have no problem with these being the rooms only audio outlet.  Still they are rear ported so remember that means even though they may get called bookshelf speakers you cannot put them on a book shelf.  They need at least 12 inches of air behind them.

Dynamics: These have no problems whatsoever in rising and falling with aplomb.  In fact I’d say they thrive on it, they love soaring and roaring with the most dramatic sense of urgency.  Is it fun?  Oh hell yes.  Do I like it?  No.  They like much of the rest of the sound of them are all energy and enthusiasm.  That sort of thing does definitely have a place in the world but that place is not in my home.  Still if you give these a bit of welly then they have a grand dynamic range.

Power: These are clearly built for American homes.  These can go stupid loud with stupid ease.  Actually not only can they go load, they yearn to.  Like a greyhound that longs to given an open field and allowed to go for it.  These have too much power bottled up inside them that it just constantly wants to burst forth and I find it somewhat annoying.  I don’t want a greyhound I want a Jack Russell, happy to sleep all day on the sofa yet capable of incredible energy when it’s appropriate.  These need a big space and if I’m honest, living in a detached house.

Aesthetics: Right off all I can comment on is the white ones.  Now I don’t know anyone who actually has a home that these would look appropriate in, sure many way love the Apple esq white minimalism thing but who actually has that?  Still if you want white that’s your business.  I can’t deny the finish on them is very nice and visually I can see not the slightest imperfection anywhere.  What’s nice is they don’t leave fingerprints so there should be no trouble maintaining their prettiness.  Could be good for their potential student Hall’s life?

Build and Durability: Okay these are solid, weighty beasts, super solidly constructed.  Their weight suggests you have an item of substance here.  I cannot actually fault anything as a mistake of construction.  However what gives me pause is the no grill up front.  The FAQ on their site declares the woofers are hardy and tough, Kevlar don’t you know, so you don’t need one.  Well maybe I don’t “need” one but I would rather it my choice.  Otherwise it’s all great and I’m sure they will cope well with the rigors of student parties.

Value: Well it seems to me that these are often placed in the category of ipod dock rather than anything else.  These really aren’t an ipod dock, for a start they have nowhere to put one, sure there is the usb charging socket so you could very cheaply use one.  This is something more versatile.  It’s a good set of computer speakers too, let’s face it there is no one in the western world who doesn’t have a computer, add this and boom you have an instant HiFi.  A pretty much proper HiFi too, sure it’s aimed at a certain market but you could have this as your desktop speakers as much as you could have this as your full stereo.  Add in a CD player and there you go, grown up HiFi.  No reason why you couldn’t have it hooked into your TV’s audio out.  All flat screen thin TV’s have god awful sound and these could be used to turn it into something very capable.  Sure it’s not 5.1 but many don’t want the clutter or cables for that.  That we have a super versatile little set up is undeniable.  For that alone I’d be inclined to pick this over any dedicated ipod dock like the rCube or Zepplin.  They have basically one use and no stereo separation.  That these cost £288 to me seems rather a bit of a bargain.  They are extremely versatile in the potential applications and have a power and ability that would shame any £300 stereo you’ll find on the high street.  You could do much worse than buying a pair of these.  Pretty damn good value if you ask me.

Oh and the included remote control is super handy.

Conclusion: So, I’ve just said how I think these are good value, would I buy one?  No.  Would I want one?  No.  I like a grown up, more sedate sound especially from a speaker and these just want to have party time.  They are filled with energy, power and a boundless enthusiasm, screaming at you, goading you to crank the volume dial.  I don’t want that.   So there is no mistaking that these and I did not get along well and I found myself skipping songs left, right and centre because they just didn’t work for me.  A friend who was round yesterday however found their sound to be just his cup of tea, he is so much more fun than I am, he goes out clubbing on a very regular basis where I go once a quarter if I truly must.  I wanted the A5+ to be a grown up, mature sound that would be happy to anything I asked of it.  A desktop speaker to let me sit and work with some Norah playing softly.  No.  These just can’t do that sort of music, they really rather have a bit of a vacancy in the midrange and what I hear constantly is the music not the vocals.  I want the vocals.  They also really don’t do slow, they just forever want to go faster, punchier more dynamasism, and more volume too.

No matter what I listened to I never felt like bursting into song and that’s not me.  It’s what I like about speakers and these just frustrated and annoyed me.  Frankly I wanted something grown up and these are 18 year olds.  Party, party, party.  If that sounds like a bit of something you’re interested in then you will probably love these and I do think they would make the perfect student system.  It’s versatile, solid, dynamic and dramatically awesome in every sense.  Just don’t ask it to do mellow and boring, it can’t.

Continue reading »]]> 

Audioengine A2 Review

£135

Thanks to Advanced Headphones www.advancedheadphones.co.uk for the sample (AMP3’s sister site)

First Impressions: Well F me, these things are tiny.  I knew they were small but it’s not until now it becomes apparent how small.  It’s even more apparent next to their siblings.  Given what I’ve read of their bass response I must say I’m concerned.  Packaging was nice and what not but seems a little over kill for something so small, also slightly saddened by the external power supply.  Erm, where is the volume control?  No, that can’t be it, that dial on the back, no surely not.  Who puts the volume control on the back?  Oh that’s going to tick me off, I can tell.

First listen, which is right after hearing the A5+, okay its clear there is rather less low end but I like it.  Actually I really like it.  I really had fears about a giant mid bass hump but no.  Okay a bit but I can live fine with it.  God the mids sound so open in comparison.  Can I be liking the little, half the price one more after only 10 minutes?

Set up: Computer to FiiO E9 and E7 combo feeding the line out into the A2.

Lows: Let’s not beat about the bush.  These have little teeny drivers and we have all see the video on youtube that knocks the cards down with the bass.  I must confess I expected these to be crap.  I expected they had been tuned to squeeze stupid levels of mid bass out the poor little driver and I expected the ensuing chavtastic sound to grate on my nerves.  I expected I would hate it. The reality is they don’t do that at all.  Sure there is a bit of a hump but these pretty much just accept small means they move less air and will produce less bass.  I love it.  I love the honesty of it and it runs out I love how it sounds.  These have just enough punch and expansion to let you know all that’s going on, for the most part.  On “Your Father and I” they do begin to show what they can and can’t do but they cope just soooooooo much better than I thought they would.  There was another song that escapes me now that they did rather just fail at as the lows were too low which I think is a good thing.  Better to not try than mangle everything in the process and still fail.  The bass does became a bit limited in tonal variance; it always feels a touch monotone.  Clearly it can’t give you a bass dominant sound but the bass keeps up remarkably well.  It’s rather fast too, unsurprising given the driver size but it’s about as fast a low end as you could hope for.  Think quality and well manneredness rather than abundance though.  While they spit out a good amount for the size these are not bass monsters, that said I have no desire to hook up a sub.  I will offer the caveat that these I think are more primarily desktop speakers.  If you want them to give up room filling scale then I could see a good case for adding a sub.  Especially if you’re in an American size living room, here in the UK its less of an issue in the shoe boxes we live in.

Mids: Looking at other reviews of these I see much comment that they are coarse or grainy, I think I would sooner say they were a little dry.  Sure this makes for a slightly more raspy sound but in this case it also makes for a much more open sound.  They feel so much more open and expressive than the 5.  What’s more, I can hear them!  They are so clear and present no matter what else is going on the vocals still cut through everything.  Love it, love it, love it.  Okay I’m maybe loosing objectivity here but these are friggin’ awesome.  This is about the most fun you’re ever going to ever have with a 2 inch anything.  They do especially well with female vocals rather than a male, they just deal with higher better than lower frequencies.  It’s not like they can’t do male, Mr Johnson still comes through beautifully but I could possibly argue he sounds a touch light.  These do favour the dry vocal over the liquid but only a little bit.  However it is probably more than many are used to.  The Head-Fi crowd has more experience with balance than does the sort who has only ever heard the sort of Sony, Phillips or JVC HiFi’s they flog in the likes of Comet.  They tend to have a very thick, heavy liquid set of vocals so this in comparison will seem very dry.

Quantity wise these have an almost Etymotic like balance mids are clear and centre stage but ever so slightly in the shadow of the treble.  There is no way vocals’ are getting lost behind anything though.

Highs: If there was anywhere that coarseness could be an accusation thrown at it it’s here.  There treble like that on the 5 its all about its crispy edge than it is about true accuracy or dealing well with delicate detail and shimmer.  Okay so they went for a bit of a fun sound and let’s be honest, their target market won’t have the ears that I have.  (If they did Beats wouldn’t sell anything) so yeah, crispy energetic enthusiasm.  I feel that given its similarity to the 5 I should be bashing it a little but the mids are so much more prominent the highs don’t stick out so.  They are as gritty and lacking in utter refinement but these are cheap little things.  They do a stonkingly good job.  The detail is pretty great if edgy.  These aren’t really meant for detailed critical listening, they just happen to be about good enough that you can sit at your computer while you work and do so.  It’s not perfect but it’s really good.

Soundstage: Coming right from the 5 these instantly sound small.  They are small.  They do sound bigger than you would expect though for their size.  These cannot do room filling with scale and authority but I don’t think they are meant to.  These being sat on my desk at arm’s length and they fill my horizon with ease.  They can go loud of course, too loud.  Loud to the point it just sounds stupid and ridiculous.  It never takes on that room filling presence, maybe it would do so with a sub attached.  Frankly I feel that’s not really what these are meant for, if they had a remote control for the volume then maybe.

Dynamics: These can rise and fall rather well for something so small but they don’t have the vast range that the 5 has.  These want more to kept within a power range as when you ask them to go too loud they just sound loud and can be a touch impolite.  These do a most impressive effort but they are still very small and I do somewhat feel the need to work the volume dial.  They do make up for it somewhat with their terrific sense of enthusiasm.  They like their siblings can run with the energy of a Jack Russell which thankfully are of a size you can either let them or reign them in with ease.  Oodles of fun.

Power: Well not so much power, these little babies can’t move that much air and never take on the drama and presence as only can something the same size as you.  These just don’t have that sort of power; they can do volume and loudness but not true power.  As I said before these I feel are desktop speakers and they perform that role superbly.  They are not going to fill Westminster Abbey.

Aesthetics: Okay so they are in white and I can’t say I’m loving that.  The only other white things I have have all been relegated to the kitchen (why I ever bought white speakers and a white computer I don’t know.)   Other than that, what’s not to love.  The things are tiny, I mean friggin’ tiny.  They seem to have a different gloss to the 5’s and the edges are less rounded.  They seem if anything whiter than the 5.  If they weren’t so white they would basically melt away on my desk.

Build and Durability: These feel very solid and to the eye seem very well finished.  Much like the 5 the only think I feel in can raise as an issue is the lack of grills but Audioengine say you don’t need one.  The woofer is Kevlar so you probably don’t “need” one but personally I’d just feel happier with one.  Still I’ve never heard of anyone breaking them so it’s probably not really an issue.  I’d just feel more comfortable.

Value: Excellent.  Not only do I love how these sound they are so small yet so impressive sounding.  As a pair of desktop speakers these, to many, are probably thought of as very expensive, you know the £20 creative things buying segment.  Or if you’re spending it’s so you can get a big ass sub to make games roar and explode.  That is not what these are, these are serious proper grown up speakers.  These are impressively good and mature sounding, they just happen to belong either side of a computer.  These are for people who want something good and desk space demands it must be small.  That they don’t need an amp taking up yet more desk space is just icing on the cake.  These are stunning value in that situation.  Just be sure that’s what you’re after.  These can go loud and they can rail enthusiastically and throw down at party time if that’s what you want.  If you want the room shaking bass that the 5 or things with a sub offer then that’s not really the A2.  The A2 can go wild but it really deserves to offered more beautiful things.

Conclusion: I really like these.  I really honestly expected not to given what I had read of them, oh and the card video on YouTube.  I thought oh god they are going to be so chavtastic they will drive me insane.  They can go there if you want to EQ the hell out of them but naturally these are quite beautifully tuned.  As I sit here with Tori Amos’s new album (which btw music industry, should not have been cheaper for me to buy from the US and ship halfway round the planet than to buy it in the UK) and those familiar with the woman will now what to expect.  Her a piano and lots of rising and falling.  Everything sounds fantastic, so clear such great separation that these have been nothing but a pleasure to hear.  Everything I’ve heard on them I have pretty much loved.  From the slow and mellow to the youthful exuberance of the Busted CD I recently bought (don’t ask) and that’s a fantastic versatility.  I honestly think I could have these as the only speakers in the room and I’d be happy with them.  Okay maybe I would need a sub to give them greater scale, maybe.  These are just so versatile and accomplished at everything I’m super impressed.  I don’t want to give these back.

These are however what they are and they are small.  These are desktop speakers.  If nothing else than the sodding volume control being hidden on the back means you’re meant to use your source, i.e. computer to do so.  These aren’t going to be used as your HiFi it would just be an awkward pain in the behind.  I’m not saying you couldn’t just that you won’t buy them with that intention.  You’ll buy them for your desk.  Now in that role they excel, they offer a real grown up taste of quality and by god I like it.

I just really wish it had a remote and volume control on the front.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best 5 portable speakers

X-Mini Kai Wireless Capsule Speaker With Integrated Mic (£69.00)

Of all the speakers on this round up this is one of the smallest yet most sophisticated. X mini are renowned for making small speakers that pack serious punch. With the KAI you get that as standard but what crowns this as Best Portable Speaker and sets it apart from the stiff competition is the Bluetooth function built  in to this uniquely shaped speaker. This makes the speaker wireless and therefore controllable from up to 10m away using a smartphone or Bluetooth enabled device.

Read reviews here.

What makes the X-Mini Kai Wireless Capsule Speaker With Integrated Mic great?

•    Buddy Jack means you can connect to different models in the X mini range and control the whole fleet wirelessly.
•    Built in mic – for conducting conference calls.
•    Smart design.

What isn’t so good?

•    A little pricey.
•    Mic isn’t good for picking up sound unless quite close.
•    Wobbles when at full volume.

Verdict: The X-Mini Kai speakers are great if you have a decent collection of music on your phone or bluetooth enable MP3 player as you can avoid cables. Moreover, with a built in microphone you can even use the KAI for conference calls or as a hands free kit.

Check out the X-Mini Kai Wireless Capsule Speaker With Integrated Mic here.

SoundScience QSB – 30W USB Desktop Speakers with NXT DyadUSB Technology Rated 5/5 by What HiFi (£109.00)

These are fantastic desktop speakers that are easily connected and disconnected. Once you get everything plugged in and the novelty wears off you’re less inclined to unplug it all again if it involves any amount of effort. With the QSBs these plug right into a USB slot, which is where they source their power, and act as a soundcard for your laptop or computer. Clever and convenient. They sound awesome with good capacity for volume.

Read reviews here.

What makes the SoundScience QSB – 30W USB Desktop Speakers with NXT DyadUSB Technology Rated 5/5 by What HiFi great?

•    Clean sound.
•    Loud.
•    Minimal cables to restrict portability.

What isn’t so good?

•    Not the best looking in the round-up.
•    Portable but a little chunky.
•    Not great with bass heavy tracks at full volume.

Verdict: The SoundScience QSB speakers bring a whole new level to portable speakers. When used with a laptop they act as a sound card and put out some impressive sound. The only downside is that they can’t be used away from a laptop or computer.

Check out the SoundScience QSB – 30W USB Desktop Speakers with NXT DyadUSB Technology Rated 5/5 by What HiFi here.

foxLv2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Integrated Mic (£159.00)

This is one for the audiophiles among us. It’s not often you find a high fidelity sound emerging from the tiny walls of a portable speaker but with the foxLv2, this is actually realised. From the compact and stylish speaker emerges the best sound heard from this round-up. All this supreme technology is encased in neat housing featuring a smart grille on the front.

What makes the foxLv2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Integrated Mic great?

•    High quality sound.
•    Stylish design.
•    Best sound.

What isn’t so great?

•    Battery drains surprisingly rapidly when connected to Bluetooth.
•    A lot to pay for portability.
•    Prone to jumping around at full volume.

Verdict: With it’s lovely sound and bluetooth connectivity the foxlv2 is a great choice for a highly portable and decent sounding speaker. You might need to get your recharge on if you’re using the bluetooth feature though.

Checkout the foxLv2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Integrated Mic here.

X-Mini V1.1 Capsule Speaker (£24.99)

The next speaker is another X mini.  These speakers are the height of portability and while they don’t have as much output as their larger brethren it wouldn’t be right to exclude them from this round up. This v1.1 comes with 2.5watts of punch and is one of the most easily transported models in the round-up. The v1.1 X mini speakers do the basics right and if you’re after a cheap portable speaker that ticks all the boxes, this is the one for you.

Read reviews here.

What makes the X-Mini V1.1 Capsule Speaker great?

•    Buddy Jack option.
•    Selection of colours.
•    Expands and collapses making it very portable.

What isn’t so good?

•    Not Bluetooth enabled.
•    Doesn’t cope well when at full volume.
•    Battery life not as long as other models on round-up.

Verdict: These are the smallest speakers in the current X-Mini line up but still sound great and are loud enough for personal listening while on the move. If you’re short on carry space but want some speakers then they’re definitely worth considering.

Check out the X-Mini V1.1 Capsule Speaker here.

Sony SRSBTV25 Bluetooth Speaker with 360 degree sound (£149.00)

This is a sleek model that will fit into any room without disturbance. It offers loud, room filling sound that has 360° dispersion. This kind of dispersion is often overlooked when it comes to portable speakers despite their tendency to be placed in the centre of a room as opposed to bookshelf or wall mount.

Read reviews here.

What makes the Sony SRSBTV25 Bluetooth Speaker with 360 degree sound great?

•    360° sound dispersion.
•    Lightweight.
•    Room filling sound.

What isn’t so good?

•    Poorest battery life on the round-up.
•    Expensive.
•    Looks odd.

Verdict: While these speakers are the most expensive and least portable in our guide they do sound gorgeous and are well worth the money. Sure they’ll take a lot more effort to carry around but if you’re using them at home moving from room to room is easy enough.

Check out the Sony SRSBTV25 Bluetooth Speaker with 360 degree sound here.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best Travel Accessories

Holidays are great – no matter whether you are jetting off to a tropical island paradise or adventuring on a hiking holiday. So what could be better than getting away from it all and enjoying some much needed relaxation? Well being able to enjoy some technology while you’re away for one thing.

There are plenty of gadgets which are great for your breaks away – everything from underwater cameras to record deep sea explorations or some little speakers so you can enjoy your music out loud – and here at AMP3 you can see our pick of the bunch in this handy little guide.

Soundasleep Pillow (£14.99)

Now taking your own pillow away with you might seem a bit strange, especially when you consider that hotels provide these to you quite happily, but you need to bear in mind that this is no ordinary pillow.

The Soundasleep Pillow is a great idea as it allows you to connect an audio device to and listen in comfort without headphones getting in the way. Moreover, as the speaker is built in to the soft hollow fibre filling you won’t feel it inside the pillow and means that you won’t disturb your partner with your music.

Simply connect your MP3 player, mobile phone, laptop and so on to the pillow through the handy 3.5mm jack, press play and enjoy.

Read reviews of the Soundasleep Pillow here.

What makes the Soundasleep Pillow great?

•    Easily connect any audio device with a 3.5mm earphones jack to pillow.
•    Great if you have trouble sleeping or if you experience tinnitus.
•    When you’re not using the pillow at home or in a hotel it makes a great companion for long car journeys.

What isn’t so good?

•    If you want to drift off to music you have to plan out a playlist on your audio device and make sure it’s set to not repeat and to turn off after a certain length of time.
•    The pillow can only realistically be used by one person at a time.
•    You can’t wash the pillow in a washing machine.

Verdict: The Soundasleep Pillow is a great idea and should come in handy for anyone who wants a more comfortable method of listening to music in bed; even while travelling.

Check out the Soundasleep Pillow here.

X-Mini MAX II Capsule Speakers (£29.99)

These little beauties have been out for a little while now and have received a lot of much deserved praise from users and reviewers alike.

The speakers are incredibly simple to use as all you need to do is connect your audio device through the built in audio cable and away you go. The speakers are provided in a pair and provide stereo sound – they also put out a healthy volume which is more than strong enough to enjoy in a car or by the poolside. Moreover, the speakers feature a rechargeable battery, through USB, so you don’t have to worry about juggling batteries while travelling (a USB to AC adapter might well be handy addition though).

Read reviews of the X-Mini MAX II Capsule speakers here.

What makes the X-Mini MAX II Capsule Speakers great?

•    Since the speakers connect through a built-in 3.5mm audio cable you can connect nearly any audio device to them.
•    Rechargeable batteries so you can top the power up at your discretion.
•    The speakers neatly clip together with magnets when not in use and have a handy carry pouch.

What isn’t so good?

•    If you aren’t near a PC or have a USB to mains adapter you could well run out of battery power and be left without music until you can charge them again.
•    While the volume is strong they are portable speakers and as such don’t have the highest output so if there’s lots of noise in the background you might struggle to hear.
•    As the surface the speakers are sitting on can affect the sound less resonant surfaces can affect the sound.

Verdict: The X-Mini MAX II speakers are one of the most portable speakers going at the moment and, considering their small size, sound great. These are ideal for travel and use nearly anywhere you’d want to listen to music.

Check out the X-Mini MAX II Capsule Speakers here.

Vistaquest Digital Single Use Camera (£9.99)

There’s not much worse than losing or breaking your expensive digital camera while travelling as even if you can recover the pictures from the memory card you’re still going to be left looking at the expensive pieces of your camera. This is where the Vistaquest Single Use Cameras come in very handy.

The idea behind these cameras is quite straight-forward as users can snap away without any worries about breaking their expensive equipment and then enjoy their photos when they get home. Moreover, as theses cameras are so inexpensive they are great for giving to the kids so they don’t miss out on the photo taking fun.

Read reviews of the Vistaquest Single Use Camera here.

What makes the Vistaquest Digital Single Use Camera great?

•    They are an inexpensive way of taking photographs without the worry of breaking or losing your expensive digital camera.
•    Great for kids so they can take their own photographs.
•    Simply connect the camera to your PC when you get home and view your photos instantly.

What isn’t so good?

•    The shutter button needs to be pressed fairly hard to ensure that a photo is taken; otherwise the counter moves forwards but no image is recorded.
•    The resolution is not going to match your standard digital camera.
•    While the camera breaking won’t hurt your bank account you would have no way of recovering the pictures since the camera doesn’t use a removable memory card.

Verdict: A nice little idea for those who worry about losing or damaging expensive equipment. The pictures might not have the best resolution but the fun you can have with these cameras is hard to beat.

Check out the Vistaquest Digital Single Use Camera here.

Archos G9 Key, 3G USB Stick Adapter (£46.00)

This little dongle could come in very handy while travelling as it means you don’t have to be without internet on your laptop or tablet (assuming your tablet supports these dongles). Just pop in a pay as you go or contract 3G sim card, insert the dongle in to a USB port and browse away.

What makes the Archos G9 Key, 3G USB Stick Adapter great?

•    Easy to use since you just need to insert a 3G sim card and then connect to your laptop or tablet.
•    Great if you’re not wanting to pay over the odds for a 3G enabled tablet or just want to use the internet away from a WIFI connection from time to time (you’ll need to check the tablet supports 3G dongles still).
•    The dongle is fairly small so will not take up much luggage space.

What isn’t so good?

•    If you don’t want to take up another contract for a 3G sim you’ll either have to swap around the sim card from your phone or purchase a pay as you go 3G sim card separately.
•    With free WIFI hotspots being available, along with cheap paid-for ones in airports, you might not get a whole lot of use out of the dongle.
•    Since web browsing would be handled by 3G it may not be a quick to load pages as you might like.

Verdict: These dongles are perfect if you’re travelling and don’t want to rely on WIFI hotspots for your internet browsing needs. However, they might be better to consider if you travel more for business than recreation so you’re never without internet when you need it the most.

Check out the Archos G9, 3G Stick Adapter here.

GoPro HD Hero 2 – Outdoor Edition (£280.00)

The GoPro range of cameras have been around for a little while now and have really gone from strength to strength – no doubt helped by the high quality videos they put out of cars corkscrewing over rivers and naughty seagulls stealing the camera.

Nowadays there is a GoPro camera suitable for most uses, covering everything motorsports to downhill mountain biking, and while the quality of the videos remains the same the bundled accessories are tailored for you specific needs.

The Outdoor version of the GoPro HD Hero 2 camera has lots of clever tricks up its sleeve, such as being waterproof up to 60m, but the real highlight is the full 170° wide angle 1080p video recording and 11 megapixel still camera. Hurtling down a huge hill has never been more fun.

Read reviews of the GoPro HD Hero 2 – Outdoor Edition here.

What makes the GoPro HD Hero 2 – Outdoor Edition great?

•    Easy to attach to your helmet or bike through the handy bundled mounts.
•    High quality video recording means that your exploits will be captured in high definition.
•    Live streaming of your videos and photos to the web through the camera itself.

What isn’t so good?

•    The camera is pretty expensive so you’d really have to make good use of it.
•    Since the cameras are designed for sports and other activities it won’t come in too handy for trips to the beach.
•    While the camera has housing to protect it you can still damage the camera during use, for example if you have a bad tumble from a bike.

Verdict: If you’re in to adventure holidays or outdoor sports then these cameras are fantastic for recording your exploits so you can share them with your friends, family and with people online.

Check out the GoPro HD Hero 2 – Outdoor Edition here.

Liquid Image Summit 335 (£199.00)

The Liquid Image Summit 335 is ideal if you’re in to winter sports as it allows you to record your exploits on the slopes for enjoying and sharing later. Built in to the nifty looking goggles the camera is capable of recording 720p HD video and features a 136° wide angled lens.

While the goggles only have 32MB of flash memory this can be easily increased with Micro SDHC cards up to 32GB in size meaning you won’t run out of recording space in a hurry. Best of all though is that the camera lens has a hefty amount of protection thanks to the iridium coating plus it is weather resistant, shock proof and even freeze proof.

What makes the Liquid Image Summit 335 great?

•    Record high definition video while snowboarding or enjoying other winter fun without having to faff around with camera mounts.
•    The goggles will accept a 32GB Micro SDHC so you can record tremendous amount of video.
•    You can submit the Liquid Image Summit 335 to some fairly rough treatment thanks to the iridium coated lens and tolerance to the elements.

What isn’t so good?

•    Since the camera is housed within the goggles you can only really use it while wearing them whereas other ‘action’ cameras can be used normally as well as mounted.
•    You can only expect around 1.5 to 2 hours of use out of the battery while recording HD video.
•    If you are travelling over rough terrain you could well see a lot of shake in your videos.

Verdict: If you’re in to winter adventures on the slopes then these might be worth a look at. After all sharing holiday photos with family and friends is nice but showing them a video of you hurtling down the piste is so much better.

Check out the Liquid Image summit 335 here.

Made By Zen NA50 Compact Air Purifier (£21.99)

In general most hotels will have a pretty high standard of cleanliness but what about if you suffer from allergies or have concerns about airborne foreign bugs? Well then you might want to consider taking one of these Made By Zen NA50 Compact Air Purifiers with you in your luggage.

There isn’t a whole lot to this little gizmo as all you need to do is plug in the purifier and then sit back and enjoy some nice clean air. Furthermore, as the purifier doesn’t release any chemicals it doesn’t rely on refills like plug in air fresheners do and have a very low energy consumption rate of only 3 watts.

What makes the Made By Zen NA50 Compact Air Purifier great?

•    The purifier is effective up to 30 cubic meters which is more than enough for most hotel rooms.
•    Effective against odours, such as food or cigarette smoke, as well as airborne allergens and pollutants.
•    Small and light so you can easily take it with you from place to place.

What isn’t so good?

•    Will possibly be of more benefit in the long run when used in your home; although it’s still going to be effective for freshening up hotel rooms.
•    While the design is neutral, so the purifier blends in well with your home décor, the purifier does look a bit ‘plasticy’.
•    Possibly better for allergy suffers who want to protect themselves while travelling as opposed to general use.

Verdict: This little gadget is great if you suffer from allergies and are about to travel to a foreign location since it removes impurities and other nastiness in the air and should help you relax in comfort when in your hotel room.

Check out the Made By Zen NA50 Compact Air Purifier here.

iFuzen HP-1 Portable Headphone Amplifier, Battery Extender and Protective Carry case for iPhone 4/4S (£69.00)

The HP-1 could quite easily be considered to be one of the most helpful carry cases for the iPhone on the market at the moment. Not only does the case protect the back and sides of the iPhone it also acts as a headphone amp and will even increase the battery life of the iPhone through the battery conditioner.

The iFuzen HP-1 is also rechargeable (good for 500 full charges), features twin jack outputs for connecting to a stereo or so a friend can connect their earphones at the same time and has a nifty touch panel for controlling volume.

With one of these genius cases on your iPhone you’re guaranteed to be able to enjoy high end sound no matter where you are in the world. Plus you’ll protect your iPhone while travelling to far flung locations.

Read reviews of the iFuzen HP-1 Portable Headphone Amplifier, Battery Extender and Protective Carry case for iPhone 4/4S here.

What makes the iFuzen HP-1 Portable Headphone Amplifier, Battery Extender and Protective Carry case for iPhone 4/4S great?

•    The battery extender will come in very handy for travel since you can coax a bit more life out of your iPhone.
•    Take premium quality sound with you on your travels.
•    The battery is rechargeable and as the charge port is mini USB you can attach the case to a generic USB to AC adapter while away.

What isn’t so good?

•    Unless you take a USB to Ac adapter away with you could run out of juice before your holiday ends.
•    The case adds significant bulk to the iPhone.
•    If you don’t want to enjoy the increase is sound quality through earphones you’ll need to bring along a portable speaker.

Verdict: This case is fantastic if you travelling thanks to the battery conditioner and amplifier for improving sound quality. If you can put up with the added bulk on your phone the case should make an ideal travel companion.

Check out the iFuzen HP-1 Portable Headphone Amplifier, Battery Extender and Protective Carry case for iPhone 4/4S here.

Continue reading »]]>

Revo Heritage G2 DAB/DAB+/FM/Wi-Fi Radio and Docking Station

£249.00

~ A Nicola Hay Review ~

Pros

•    Small and compact.
•    Crisp, punchy sound, high volume output.
•    It’s gorgeous!

Cons

•    Not easily portable- no handle.
•    Mono speaker – sound not quite as expansive or detailed as others on the market.
•    Rather pricey.

First Impressions

We at AMP3 have been Revo fans for many years now, and not just because they’re a fellow Scottish company! We stocked the previous version of the Heritage which proved to be very popular, which did mean we had high expectations for the newer, improved version.

Having been awarded a Red Dot Design Award, this was also listed as one of 50 ‘Best Gadgets’ by The Independent Newspaper.

Well-packaged in a sturdy aqua and white-coloured box, the Revo Heritage looks rather unassuming at first glance. I like the fact that there is no polystyrene used within the packaging, yet it was still well-protected within the box by two sturdy corrugated cardboard trays. The box isn’t too bulky either, just the perfect size for a nosy cat!

The only supplied accessories are the remote, power adapter (with 3 different fascias) and two packs of dock inserts to hold you iPod in place. It does come with a thick, detailed manual (in numerous languages), which is a nice feature as so many companies nowadays include a ‘quick-start guide’ only, and expect the customer to trawl the internet for any other information they require. Whilst I didn’t actually look at the manual until I’d completed testing, it is very informative, and I’m confident this would be of great help to any ‘novice’ unsure of the various features. The warranty information sheet is in there too.

Design

Small and neat, this easily fits into any room; irrespective of how limited it is space-wise. Aside from being a nice-looking bit of kit (yes, everyone likes a bit of eye-candy, but good looks will only get you so far!), it is actually very well designed. My only complaint in this area is the lack of handle. It’s small and light enough to be portable and carried from room to room, however having no handle it is just a little awkward to transport.

The buttons to control the docked iPod/iPhone are positioned on the top, next to the dock, away from the other controls. Aside from the iPod-control buttons on the top, there are a few along the bottom which are used to control every other aspect of the radio. On the bottom left are the keys used to scroll through the various menus and select which mode to use the radio in, and setup the wifi connection etc etc.

I like the idea of it being relatively minimalist button-wise, as this not only allows for ease of use, but adds to the cool, clean, retro styling of the radio.

With a finish of real walnut wood veneer, aluminium and rubber, it has a good, solid feel, and certainly lives up to the build-quality we’ve come to expect from Revo.

The screen is large, crisp and clear, and even with my dodgy eyesight was readable from a distance. Whilst I’d be lying if I suggested it were the best or highest resolution-screen on any radio on the market, it certainly is of far better quality than some others.

The remote, whilst it worked very well, was not to my personal tastes. It’s slim, lightweight, and feels a little flimsy. Whilst it coincides nicely with the design of the radio, I’m not sure it is on par with regards to the build-quality of the radio itself.

Having a built-in alarm function makes this even more versatile, and really does help make it suitable for any room in the house. The ‘snooze bar’ along the top of the radio  is an excellent idea, and a feature of many of their previous models.

Usability

With the Heritage G2 offering a plethora of functions, one might assume it would be complicated to use. But no, every aspect was simple and straightforward.

It took literally seconds to connect to my wifi network, and gives three ways to pair the two together. I searched for wireless networks, selected my own, entered my password, and that was that, I was connected within seconds. Once connected to a network, you can play files from a PC or DLNA-compliant device. Not only was the search to find my NAS drive quick and painless, but the playback was seamless, smooth and clear, not laggy as one might expect, especially given the distance between my NAS drive upstairs and the radio downstairs at the opposite end of the house.

The search for DAB in internet radio stations was quick and simple also, and easily done using the buttons on the radio itself, but also by using the Radio Control app for i-devices that can be downloaded free.

The inclusion of instant access to online music server Last.FM is great too. Having an existing account, I was able to sign in quickly and easily, and play music by ‘similar artist’ or genre. For those who haven’t tried Last.FM, it’s brilliant for those moods when you want to listen to music of  some sort, but can’t really decide who or what to play specifically – it’s great for parties! Many of these come with a voucher for a free trial subscription to this service (jolly kind of Revo!), which is a nice touch.

It detected a USB drive when inserted, and played back the files on there with no issue at all. The titles of the music files are displayed on the G2 screen, and the buttons on the G2 are used to navigate through the folders and select tracks. I liked the fact that when playing tracks from a USB-connected device, it displays the file name and artist info, as it does with iPod music-playback.

The aux-in on the back works well too, taking the standard 3.5mm jack, and allows playback from an infinite number of sources. Obviously, when a device is connected via aux, the playback content must be controlled by the device itself.

Unfortunately I was unable to test the composite video-out function, due to an incident involving three cats who eat phone chargers, cables and anything they can get their mischievous paws on. However, according to other users, this is relatively easy to setup, and simply involves changing the ‘TV out’ setting on the iPhone to ‘on’, selecting ‘PAL’ output, and then playing the video. I will be testing this feature in due course, and will update the review as soon as possible.

Sound Quality

In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting to be ‘blown away’ by the sound quality, whilst I’ve always found Revo to be great products –very popular and reliable due to their great build-quality- I’d always favoured the sound output from other radio manufacturers. However, I was pleasantly surprised during testing.

The 7W mono speaker on the front offers a surprisingly high volume output, with the sound easily filling my kitchen despite the extractor fan being on whilst I was cleaning. The sound didn’t really seem to distort at all until it was at seriously high levels (or levels too high to play in a semi-detached house at 10pm on a Tuesday evening!), which was rather impressive.

With it having only one mono speaker, the sound staging isn’t quite as wide or expansive as some stereo-speakered radios, however it certainly does ‘make the most of what it’s got’, so to speak.

I found it handled all music types well, and gave a good level of detail. Overall the sound signature is driven and energetic, with a crisp, punchy bass response.

Verdict

My favourite aspect of the Revo Heritage G2 is the simplicity, the ease with which everything ‘just works’. Having tested many more troublesome and complicated products in my time at AMP3, it was nice to test something that appeals to many and caters to a wide range of tastes.
I’m very much of the opinion that Revo’s sound quality has greatly improved over the last few years, and listening to this was a real pleasure.
Whilst at first I felt the price-tag was rather steep, having now used the G2 and enjoyed the wide array of functions and features, it now seems a bargain.

If anyone asks for a feature-rich, modern radio, I’ll be sure to recommend the Revo Heritage G2.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best Sports Earphones and Headphones

Jaybird Freedom – Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones (£99.00)

Top of the list are the JayBird Freedom wireless headphones. Intuitively made by sports people, the Freedom headphones provide comfort, secure fit and no wires – why have them if you don’t need them? Throw in some expert sound engineering and you’ve got crystal clear audio and an inbuilt microphone to boot.

You can read customer reviews here.

What makes the Jaybird Freedom – Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones great?

•    No wires, no fuss.
•    Lifetime guarantee against sweat.
•    Lightweight and great for the gym.

What isn’t so good?

•    A little pricey.
•    Microphone not so great.
•    The battery life could be longer.

Check out the Jaybird Freedom – Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones here.

SoundMagic E30 Pro-Fit In-Ear Earphones (£39.00)

These headphones are suited to a more conservative budget but their winning qualities far exceed the expectations this price point suggests. Their sound is well rounded and their noise isolating ear buds mean you’re blocking out the unwanted noise of the gym or elsewhere.

You can read customer reviews here.

What makes the SoundMagic E30 Pro-Fit In-Ear Earphones great?

•    Durable and built to last.
•    They are quite inexpensive.
•    Provided with ear hooks to keep them in place during use.

What isn’t so good?

•    Cord a little on the short side.
•    Aesthetics clearly sidelined to keep cheap.
•    There have been a few reports of the buds falling out easily.

Check out the SoundMagic E30 Pro-Fit In-Ear Earphones here.

SwiMP3 1GB Waterproof MP3 Player 2nd Generation (£101.99)

This is one for the aquatic athletes among us. This is mostly an MP3 player but it is so extraordinary it needed to be included in the list. It uses your bones to conduct sound and creates surprisingly high fidelity underwater sound.

What makes the SwiMP3 1GB Waterproof MP3 Player 2nd Generation great?

•    Incredible engineering.
•    Unobtrusive and lightweight.
•    You can attach the player easily to goggles.

What isn’t so good?

•    Underwater use only.
•    Not a huge amount of memory.
•    There are cheaper alternatives, such as the Speedo Aquabeat, available.

Check out the SwiMP3 1GB Waterproof MP3 Player 2nd Generation here.

MEElectronics M6 Stylish Sound Isolating Sports Headphones (£19.95)

These are headphones that provide the utmost in security. Designed specifically to stay in your ears during even the most rigorous of exercises you won’t need to worry about tugging them loose just as you’re about to break through the wall. Fantastic sound too.

You can read customer reviews here.

What makes the MEElectronics M6 Stylish Sound Isolating Sports Headphones great?

•    Stylish and well designed.
•    Hassle free – even with cords!
•    Plastic coated cable to avoid tangles.

What isn’t so good?

•    Sound quality not the strongest
•    Can be awkward getting used to them
•    The built in ear hooks might be an issue if you wear glasses.

Check out the MEElectronics M6 Stylish Sound Isolating Sports Headphones here.

JayBird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones (£89.00)

Adamant at first that sports earphones should be strictly that – earphones, the Sportsbands quickly persuaded me otherwise. Though they are over ear which suggests lack of security, their adjustable strap means they will fit snugly around almost any size of head. Their sound, like the Freedoms, is clear and the Bluetooth connection seamless.

You can read magazine and customer reviews here.

What makes the JayBird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones great?

•    Pleasingly stylish.
•    Reliable Bluetooth connection.
•    Track control built in to the headphones.

What isn’t so good?

•    You need to charge them.
•    Foam covers soak up sweat.
•    They can slip off during use.

Check out the JayBird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones here.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best Wireless Earphones and Headphones

Wireless earphones and headphones are a great idea as you can obviously escape the annoyance of becoming tangled in cables or having to pick apart knots every time you want to listen to music.

Many will be familiar with wireless earphones and headphones already as Bluetooth has been around for quite some time now. However, while there have been various wireless sets available for a while from a number of different manufacturers it is only really in more recent years that there has been a decent enough leap in sound quality to warrant splashing out your hard earned cash.

Sure there was always the convenience of not having to worry about cables but the sound was never really as good as it could have been. Nowadays we have Bluetooth protocols, such as APT-X, and other features which improve range and most importantly sound quality so finally wireless sets and beginning to look like an attractive choice when considering earphones and headphones.

In this guide we have listed a few choices which we think are worth a look and you can certainly expect more suggestions in the future as newer models are released.

JayBird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones (£89.00)

Jaybird have been around for a few years now and are at the forefront of the wireless headphones and earphones market. The Sportsband 2 headphones is one of their more popular lines and it’s easy to see why.

The sound quality is very good and thanks to the generous Bluetooth range (up to 10m) you can quite happily wander away from your player or phone while still enjoying your music. Moreover, you can also handle phone calls over bluetooth and the Sportsband 2 Headphones have handy controls built in to the earpiece. These controls, as well as allowing you to answer phone calls, mean that you can skip tracks, pause music and adjust the volume at your leisure without touching the player itself.

Jaybird also helpfully provide a lifetime warranty against sweat damage which is nice to hear considering that many people would want to use these headphones while exercising.

You can read magazine and customer reviews here:

What makes the Jaybird Sportsband 2 Headphones great?

•    Simple to pair to other bluetooth devices, be it an MP3 player, bluetooth dongle or mobile phone.
•    Nice punchy sound quality with a decent bass response.
•    Ideal for sport thanks to the lack of cabling and the lifetime sweat warranty.

What isn’t so good?

•    While you can adjust the headband those with smaller heads might experience a bit of slipping with the headphones.
•    For the most part the Sportsband 2 headphones are comfortable, even while sweating heavily, but some may find that the foam pads a bit scratchy on the ear.
•    As they do not encapsulate your ear sound will possibly still leak in over your music – if you’re using them in a gym you might need to crank the volume.

See the Jaybird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones here.

Novero Rockaway Wireless Bluetooth Headset (£64.99)

The Novero Rockaway earphones offer, as you would expect, wire-free listening and call handling and are compatible with nearly any Bluetooth enabled device. They offer a great range at 10m so you can get quite far away from your player or phone before the signal drops out.

However, what sets these apart from many similar sets is their active noise cancellation while making calls with the headset. There are two microphones built in with one picking up your voice and the other soaking up background noise meaning that calls are crystal clear.

The sound quality is decent is comes across as being crisp without sounding tinny. Furthermore, thanks to their in-ear design the buds act as earplugs so you won’t hear a whole lot of noise over your music.

You can read customer reviews here.

What makes the Novero Rockaway Wireless Bluetooth Headset great?

•    The headset features two mics with one focusing on your voice and the other filtering out annoying back ground noise. This is great as it allows you to make crystal clear calls.
•    Thanks to the in-ear design the earphones will not let an awful lot of background noise through so you shouldn’t have anything interrupting your music.
•    Weighing in at only 10g the headset is light and goes a long way in making the earphones comfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time.

What isn’t so good?

•    There has been some slightly negative feedback about the design of the earphones. While the style probably won’t put too many people off we thought it worth mentioning just in case.
•    The remote control, being built in to the cable which runs behind your head rather than an earpiece, can be a bit tricky to get to without fumbling.
•    Some users have reported that the earphones can slip out of the ear after a short time so it would be nice if there was a simple wireloop to keep them in place.

See the Novero Rockaway Wireless Bluetooth Headset here.

Jaybird Freedom – Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones (£99.00)

Jaybird certainly know how to make a well functioning, lightweight and great sounding set of Bluetooth earphones. The Freedom earphones are one of their latest releases and they’ve been taking the world of wireless listening by storm.

The Jaybird Freedom earphones are small, so they sit comfortably in your ears, and pack some serious punch when it comes to sound. They are fitted with high performance drivers which have been specially designed for warm bass, low mids and balanced highs and this really shows when you crank the volume.

Since Jaybird are avid gym fans they know what most people look for when using earphones – and that doesn’t just mean cutting back on cabling – and offer a life time warranty against sweat damage.

The Freedoms grip well in the ear so they shouldn’t fall out too easily if you get a bit sweaty and if you pair them to your phone you can handle phone calls on a whim. Away from the phone you can pair them to a player and control music playback through the earpiece controls. Moreover, if your player doesn’t have Bluetooth built in then there are handy dongles which let you enjoy wireless music on nearly any device.

You can view customer and magazine reviews here.

What makes the Jaybird Freedom – Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones great?

•    They are small and highly portable. This also makes them a fantastic choice for enjoying music in the gym since they are so unassuming.
•    The Freedom earphones come with a decent range of accessories which includes the new Secure Fit Ear Cushions to ensure that they stay in place while you run around.
•    Call handling and music control buttons are built in to the earpiece and helpfully eliminate needing to fiddle about with your player to change the volume or so on.

What isn’t so good?

•    While they do sound very good users who value sound quality over wire-free enjoyment would potentially still be better off with wired, higher-spec earphones.
•    The battery life, when not on standby, will only last for around 6 hours.
•    The microphone is not the best so you might experience a little bit of annoyance during calls.

See the Jaybird Freedom – Wireless Handsfree Bluetooth Headphones here.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best iPhone & Mobile Earphones and Headphones

With the ever-increasing popularity of smartphones, there are a growing number of manufacturers making earphones and headsets especially to accompany them -  but how do you choose which to go for? Making a decision can be mind-boggling, which is why we at AMP3 have decided to create a quick guide to some of the better sets out there.

MEElectronics M9P Sound Isolating Earphones for iPhone/Mobile (£17.95)

We’ll start by taking a look at one of the more budget-friendly sets available, the MEElectronics M9P. MeElectronics are a relatively new brand to the UK market, who offer good sound quality and value for money.

What makes the MEElectronics M9P Sound Isolating Earphones for iPhone/Mobile great?

•    Great for tighter budgets
•    Work with most mobiles
•    Impressive sound quality

What isn’t so good?

•    Mic isn’t as sensitive as on some other earphones
•    Cable-noise.
•    Not compatible with all mobiles

SoundMagic MP21 In-Ear Earphones with Mic for iPhone & Music Phones (£24.99)

Priced just a little higher, the Soundmagic MP21s are another fab set to consider.

The Soundmagic brand is relatively new to the UK, however we at AMP3 are rather fond of them as they offer great quality and value at a pocket-pleasing price.

Offering deep bass, a smooth midrange and detailed trebles, these suit a variety of musical tastes.

What makes the SoundMagic MP21 In-Ear Earphones with Mic for iPhone & Music Phones great?

•    Frequency response of 15Hz – 22kHz
•    Work with most mobile-phones
•    Budget-friendly.

What isn’t so good?

•    Not overly bassy – not ideal for dance or R ‘n’ B music
•    No volume adjustment through in-line control
•    No skip-track function with in-line control

MEElectronics Clarity Series CC-51P Ceramic In-Ear Headphone with microphone and remote for iPhone and smartphones (£45.99)

Another set we recommend often is the MeElectronics CC51P. These are rather unique in that they are made from super-durable ceramic, which also minimises distortion.

What makes the MEElectronics Clarity Series CC-51P Ceramic In-Ear Headphone with microphone and remote for iPhone and smartphones great?

•    Quality ceramic housing – very durable!
•    Decent bass response makes them suitable for a wide range of musical tastes
•    Small in-ear design ensures a comfortable fit for all.

What isn’t so good?

•    Not compatible with all models,- only work with a handful of Android devices at present.
•    Mic button is a little bulkier than that on other models
•    Mic button action can sometimes be a little laggy

Denon AH-C560R “Mobile Elite” In-Ear Headphones with 3-Button Remote + Mic (£59.99)

Here at AMP3 we’ve stocked the Denon brand for many years, and they’ve always delivered excellent quality. Despite being famous for their ‘traditional’ styling and soundstaging, they have recently released some modern ingenuity in the form of the AH-C560R. As these aren’t overly bass-heavy, they may not be ideal for bassy music, but they really do produce something rather special when playing classical or acoustic music. With a built-in 3-button remote and microphone, you can skip track and adjust the volume with these too, which is very handy and sets these apart from many others available out there.

What makes the Denon AH-C560R “Mobile Elite” In-Ear Headphones with 3-Button Remote + Mic great?

•    3-button remote allows for tracks to be skipped without taking your phone out of your pocket
•    Excellent, detailed sound reproduction
•    Supplied with an array of accessories

What isn’t so good?

•    Whilst the mic will work with most handsets, the remote functions are limited to Apple models only.
•    Not too bassy, so not suited to everyone’s tastes
•    They’ll reveal any issues with your files – it’s best to use higher-quality file types.

JayBird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones (£89.00)

A really innovative and popular brand here at AMP3 are Jaybird. Specialising wireless Bluetooth functionality, they really are a force to be reckoned with. Available in 3 funky colours, the Jaybird Sportsband II suit a variety of tastes.

What makes the JayBird Bluetooth Sportsband 2 Headphones great?

•    Wire-free design makes the perfect for ‘on the go’ use
•    Volume and skip-track buttons built-into headset
•    Work with most Bluetooth devices

What isn’t so good?

•    Being wireless, the sound quality isn’t quite as high as a wired set within the same price range.
•    They do require charging via USB every now and then.
•    The headband design might not be comfortable for everyone.

Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 022 with Mic (£89.00)

For those who feel high sound quality is very important,  Swiss brand Phonak Audeo are a firm favourite. Their small, lightweight design combined with dual balanced armature driver units have helped seal their place in the favourites list at AMP3 too. The Phonak Audeo PFE 022 are a mid-range set that combine great value with high quality.

What makes the Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 022 with Mic great?

•    Small and lightweight – very comfortable!
•    Great balanced sound with a tight, crisp and punchy bass response.
•    Mic is responsive, these handle calls well.

What isn’t so good?

•    No skip-track or inline volume controls.
•    Quite high impedance level.
•    Not as budget-friendly as some other sets out there.

Sennheiser IE8i High-Fidelity Noise-Isolating Earphones with Integrated Mic and Smart Remote (£209.00)

Whilst all the afore-mentioned sets are wonderful, we understand you audiophiles out there may feel a little neglected. Fret not, Sennheiser hold the answer! Their IE8i offer the same excellent audio reproduction as their flagship IE8, but with the added bonus of an in-line remote and microphone.

What makes the Sennheiser IE8i High-Fidelity Noise-Isolating Earphones with Integrated Mic and Smart Remote great?

•    Adjustable bass response
•    Superior audio quality
•    Smart-remote offers skip-track functionality and volume control.

What’s not so good?

•    Rather pricey.
•    Unique driver shape may not be comfortable for all.
•    Smart remote does not work with all phone models.

Continue reading »]]>Buyers Guide: Best Audiophile (best sounding) MP3 Players

In this day and age you’d probably be hard pressed to find large numbers of people who don’t know what an MP3 player is and what it does. This is largely due to the massive success of the Apple iPod players back in the day but the inclusion of MP3 players on mobile phones has certainly helped bring digital music players to the attention of the public.

With so many players and different ways of enjoying digital music being available nowadays there is a tremendous amount of choice out there which varies between the cheap and cheerful up to the sublime and pricey.

We’ve been carrying various premium MP3 players for several years now (in fact that’s how the company started all the way back in 2001) and have seen some fantastic players come and go over the years. So if you are interested in a player which is the cream of the crop then take a look at our suggestions below as one is bound to take your fancy.

We’ll be adding more awesome sounding players to this guide going forwards so if these don’t take your fancy check back for more news or feel free to get in touch over the phone or email.

Colorfly C4 Pro Pocket HiFi 32GB 24bit/192kHz Upsampling Music Player (£549.00)

Starting off with the cream of the crop – the Colorfly C4 is probably one of the best sounding players which we currently stock and is effectively a pocket-sized HiFi due to the near-unparalleled sound.

The Colorfly C4 has 32GB of memory built in and considering that many people will want to use a lossless, or uncompressed, MP3 format with this player there is a handy memory card slot (capable of taking 32GB card) for when space is getting low. The player is also very simple to use and the design, while not to everyone’s taste, is well thought out and lovingly put together.

Moreover, the Colorfly C4 features stereo jacks and acts as an amplifier so you can wire it easily in to your stereo and enjoy the premium sound quality at home without the need for earphones.

You can read a staff review here.

What makes the Colorfly C4 great?

•    Fantastic sound quality is the order of business with the player and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
•    Transferring music from your computer is a breeze as you simply need to copy and paste the files straight in to the memory.
•    High quality parts are used both for the guts of the player, the brushed metal front and the real black regius walnut back.

What isn’t so good?

•    The player is quite large, mostly due to the high quality internal components, so can’t exactly be described as the most portable player.
•    While the overall design of the Colorfly C4 is well thought out the looks are possibly an acquired taste.
•    The cost of the player is quite high so won’t be in keeping with the budget for many people.

See the Colorfly C4 MP3 Player here.

Cowon J3 MP3 Player (from £169.00)

The Cowon range of players have been around for quite some time now and no doubt fans of premium MP3 players would have heard their name bandied around the internet. The designs and players have changed quite a bit over the years but the sound quality these players pump out have gone from strength to strength.

The Cowon J3 players have been out for a while now and is probably one of our strongest sellers. The popularity of the J3 is mostly down to the great sound and streamlined interface which makes navigating around the menus straight forward. However, there are a few other clever tricks such as memory expansion (up to an additional 32GB), an extremely healthy battery life of around 64 hours and the lovely AMOLED screen for enjoying photos and videos.

You can view magazine and customer reviews here.

What makes the Cowon J3 MP3 Players great?

•    Amazing sound quality is the order of business for the Cowon J3 and for the price you’ll be hard pressed to find many players which sound better.
•    The player offers a memory expansion slot, which can take Micro SDHC cards up to 32GB in size, so you won’t need to worry about running out of space quickly.
•    The Cowon J3 is lightweight and sized well to fit comfortably in your hand or pocket.

What isn’t so good?

•    There is an ongoing problem with compatibility when using the Cowon products on a Mac, Linux or Windows 7 64 Bit machines so until Cowon resolve this you might experience a few annoyances if you use these systems.
•    Since the Cowon J3 is intended as a high quality music and video player those wanting an all-in-one device with WiFi and so one might need to look elsewhere.
•    There is a folder limit of 12,000 which shouldn’t be too much of an issue but is worth mentioning just in case.

See the Cowon J3 Players here.

Sansa Clip+ MP3 Player (from £25.99)

The Sandisk Sansa Clip+ might seem like a slightly odd choice for this guide but we don’t see it that way. We think of this charming little player as a very budget friendly yet fantastic sounding MP3 player. The Clip+ also has a healthy underdog following on websites and forums such as Headfi.org and we can certainly see why.

While the sound quality of the Sansa Clip+ might not be totally on par with some of the big boys in the high end player market the sound quality is well balanced and there is a decent amount of volume. Moreover, there’s a handy memory expansion slot for boosting the onboard storage and as it clips on to clothing it’s always easy to get to.

You can view customer reviews here.

What makes the Sansa Clip+ MP3 Player great?

•    The sound quality is strong and given the small price the Sansa Clip+ will probably surprise you.
•    The built-in memory expansion slot (supports Micro SDHC up to 32GB) could come in handy for when the internal memory is getting a bit low.
•    Thanks to the handy clip on the back of the player, coupled with the tiny size, you don’t have to waste pocket space – just clip on an press play. Moreover, the clip also makes the player great for exercise.

What isn’t so good?

•    Sound-wise the Clip+ may struggle to totally measure up to some of the other ‘audiophile’ players.
•    The small size could well put some people off with fears of it becoming dethatched from clothing and lost.
•    The screen is very basic so don’t expect to see much more than text on the screen.

See the Sansa Clip+ Players here.

Cowon X7 Portable Media Player (from £199.00)

The Cowon range are normally our first port of call for suggesting premium sounding players as they sound so good and quite often don’t have a ridiculous price tag attached. The Cowon X7 is no exception as it sounds great and will accept most audio formats, including uncompressed ones.

The Cowon X7 also features a hard drive (120GB or 160GB) so you won’t be running short of space any time soon. The player also purports to feature a 100 hour battery life which is quite impressive and the screen is large enough to comfortably watch videos.

You can read magazine and customer reviews here.

What makes the Cowon X7 Portable Media Player great?

•    Generous hard drive sizes allow you to store huge amounts of music and this will be especially handy for users of lossless formats.
•    The large screen means that if you tire of listening to your music you can comfortably enjoy watching some video instead.
•    The sound from a Cowon player is very highly rated so they are a great choice if you want a top end player while not paying over the odds.

What isn’t so good?

•    Some may find that the player is just a tad too bit to comfortably carry around in a pocket. Unfortunately this is a sacrifice you would have to make for the massive storage.
•    There have been a few reports of the touch-screen not being calibrated correctly so sometimes the wrong option might be selected when browsing around the player.
•    Like the other Cowon players there are compatibility issues when using them one Mac, Linux or Windows 7 64 Bit computers.

See the Cowon X7 Media Players here.

Continue reading »]]>

Vistaquest Digital Single Use Camera

£9.99

~ An Elliot Holmes Review ~

PROS

•    Great idea if you’re going away and don’t want to risk losing your nice, expensive camera.
•    Fun little novelty or gift for someone.
•    Would work well for developing an interest in photography for kids.

CONS

•    The picture quality is not fantastic.
•    First time users might be caught out by not pressing the capture button fully.
•    Most people already have digital cameras so may not want to buy a disposable one.

First Impressions

Nearly everyone enjoys taking photographs – they’re a great way of capturing memories and sharing with others – and thanks to the boom in social networks it’s never been easier to get your images out there for the whole world to see. In fact most phones have been bundled with cameras for some time and there’s loads of apps which make uploading photos to social network sites a breeze.

This is all well and good but sometimes you might face a situation where you may not want to risk losing or damaging your precious phone or digital camera. For example if I were doing a skydive (as unlikely as this is considering my dire fear of heights and of plummeting to my death at terminal velocity) I doubt I’d want to take my digital camera or phone with me to photograph my descent as knowing me I’d drop the bloomin’ thing mid-air and then land on it for good measure. Sure there’s a variety of helmet cameras out there for this type of activity but they’re often quite expensive and you’d need to trawl through the video afterwards to save stills. Boring.

So where does that leave you? Well really there’s not a lot of options at the moment in the grand scheme of things. That’s where the Vistaquest Single Use Camera may be very handy indeed since it intends to marry digital photography with the convenience of  a disposable camera. There’s even a little counter to help you keep track of how many photos you’ve taken.

But will it prove effective? We’ll just have to find out…

Usability and Quality

The theory behind the VistaQuest cameras is quite simple as it’s meant to help people enjoy taking photographs without there being too much worry about loss or damage (I’m saying “too much” as it’d still be pretty gutting to snap away on holiday and then leave the camera in a hotel room etc). However, in reality the camera might not as much of a godsend as you might think.

The first annoyance one might face is actually taking pictures and having them capture correctly. In my first tests the camera ended up not capturing a whole load of pictures which was fairly frustrating. After a bit of tinkering I worked out that this was because I wasn’t pressing the shutter button hard enough. If you gently press the button there is a ‘click’ from the camera, at which point I’d say it’s reasonable to assume that a photo had been taken, but it turns out that you actually need to press down hard on the button until it clicks twice and even then you have to keep the button fully held down for a couple of seconds before the image is captured.

Now bear in mind that I do have a fair bit of experience with cameras (thanks to my A Level in photography and my own interest) so it seems bizarre to me that shoddy design could potentially mean you take all of these wonderful photos, get home, connect the camera to your PC and are then faced with the sudden realisation that you’ve not actually saved anything. I don’t even mind so much that this isn’t mentioned in the manual – mainly as I’ve lost count of the number of manufacturers out there who seem to write manuals without actually knowing how to use their product – but I simply cannot forgive the fact that the counter still moves around one notch without actually taking a photo.

So now armed with this knowledge I took another round of pictures and connected the camera to my PC ready to enjoy silly photos of my desk and sneaky ones of my colleagues.

Honestly I wasn’t expecting earth-shattering, hi-res pictures to load before my eyes but I have to confess that I was a tad disappointed. The pictures are largely poor resolution and lack any depth or vibrancy (think VGA camera phone efforts and you won’t be far off mark). The colours are a bit off as well, as you can probably spot in the picture below, and while our office lighting may be partly to blame here I can’t help but think that mostly it’s down to the camera itself.

My other complaint with the quality of the photos was the amount of blur which the pictures showed. I strongly believe that this is related to the issue I mentioned slightly earlier with the shutter button. Since you have to forcefully press the button down you will jar the camera plus the fact that you need to keep the button held down for a few seconds there will be added shake from your hands and pulse (normally your pulse blurring the image should only be cause for concern in low light conditions where the aperture of the lens needs to stay open for longer to record an image). If you want an example of this take a look at the picture below where you’ll no doubt notice the blur as it’s quite bad:

In fact I found that to avoid blur and to record a picture with something close to decent quality I had to position myself directly beneath our skylights and reach a zen like state of meditation to stop the camera shaking even the slightest bit. Under these conditions the photos actually don’t look too bad (see below). But when you consider that these VistaQuest cameras are meant to be a convenient way of snapping away you shouldn’t have to go through this when composing you photographs – after all we aren’t shooting a Vogue cover here people.

However, so you know I’m not being overly critical or negative I have had a little think about some practical uses for the VistaQuest camera. For instance parents looking for a creative activity for kids at a birthday party might fare alright here as kids normally pick things up quickly so could enjoy themselves by running around taking photos with only a little bit of instruction on how to make the camera work correctly. Similarly if you’re a parent and want to help your child develop a rewarding hobby it’s perhaps better to see how they get on with a cheap, albeit poor quality, camera. I could also see these going down pretty well at weddings as you could pop one on each table so guests can snap away. After all these cameras are only £9.99 each so pretty good value for money.

Furthermore, I feel that I should be fair and point out that VistaQuest do have a new version slated for release shortly which is apparently an improved version, and appears to offer a 1.4” LCD screen, so hopefully that should sort out most of the niggles and complaints I’ve mentioned in this review.

Verdict

Perhaps I expected too much from the VistaQuest Single Use Camera or I’ve been spoilt by my own equipment but I wanted it to be…better. You might remember the beginning of this review where I was talking about finding a replacement for those times when using an expensive camera or camera-phone just isn’t practical. While these cameras are probably not going to be ideal for that (to call on my skydiving example of earlier – could you imagine the blur you’d see then based on the photos from my tests?) there certainly are some practical uses.

I suppose what I hope you take away from this review is that these cameras are a decent indication of what may be to come and are certainly a nice idea. In the right hands I could certainly see them being a fun, throwaway novelty or ‘my first camera’. Those looking for a serious disposable alternative to a full digital camera will probably want to watch this space though.

Toasted sandwich while you wait?

Continue reading »]]>My name is Elliot Holmes and I’m the sales supervisor here at Advanced MP3 Players. Primarily I’m here to answer all of your enquiries over email, Live Chat or the phone but also quite often dip my toe in to reviews and whatever else takes my fancy or needs to be done.
I used to split my time between working for AMP3 and touring around the country playing in various bands; although I’ve been enjoying some much needed time off lately after my last band decided to call it a day (there’s only so many empty rooms you can play and being unsigned you’re effectively sleeping rough in a van most of the time).

Best 5 Earphones Above £100

You would be forgiven for thinking that all earphones are pretty much cut from the same cloth as up until recent years there wasn’t necessarily a huge choice of high quality earphones available.

However, with the ever increasing popularity and diversity of MP3 players in today’s market the level of choice for earphones has risen tremendously and can often make it difficult to single out which is going to work best for you.

We’ve been steadily increasing our range of earphones for several years now here at AMP3 and have made a conscious effort to stock something for everyone. All the products listed below are considered to be some of the best money can buy so if you want some earphones with serious punch then these might just be for you.

Shure SE535 Sound Isolating Earphones (£319.00)

Shure is a name many of you might be familiar with as they’re generally considered to make some of the best industry level microphones going. In fact their fantastic earphones are largely descended from ones they used to make for musicians to use on stage as monitors.

The Shure SE535 earphones follow on from highly praised Shure SE530 and like their predecessors they feature three high-definition MicroDrivers and deliver terrific sound. Thanks to the balanced quality of sound most music genres sound great with the SE535s and they come highly recommended.

What makes the Shure SE535 Sound Isolating Earphones great?

•    The extremely strong sound quality really helps make the most of your music.
•    Due to their in-ear design they will passively block out background noise so you will be able to enjoy your music without being interrupted (up to 37dB of ambient noise).
•    The cabling is made from durable Kevlar so should take some fairly rough treatment. Moreover, the cable is user replaceable.

What isn’t so good?

•    Due to their high impedance you’re best using them with a powerful source or in conjunction with an amplifier.
•    The part of the cable which passes over the top of your ear is reinforced and there have been some customers mentioning that this can sometimes make getting a secure fit slightly tricky.
•    While they have a wide soundstage fans of heavy bass might find them a bit too balanced.

Check out the Shure SE535 Sounds Isolating Earphones

Grado GR8 In-Ear Headphones (£269.00)

We began stocking Grado earphones fairly recently as they came very highly recommended by customers – and we can certainly see why. The tonal balance is outstanding and the level of detail really helps make your music shine.

Grado have focused on making the GR8 earphones deliver a high quality sound reproduction and they appear to have succeeded with a rich and vibrant sound and strong passive noise isolation.

What makes the Grade GR8 In-Ear Headphones great?

•    The sound quality is superb and really helps make the most of your music. The soundstage is wide and there is plenty of detail.
•    They are lightweight so should stay in your ear effectively – meaning you can get on with enjoying your music.
•    Background noise will be passively blocked out thanks to their in-ear design so the GR8 earphones are great for commuters.

What isn’t so good?

•    While the GR8 earphones should stay in the ear quite happily they could slip out if they are tugged or you move around too much.
•    The Grado GR8 earphones only feature a single driver and while they still sound brilliant some other high end earphones have a bit more punch.
•    There is a slight lack in what accessories are provided with the earphones. They do include a few sets of various sized tips but other accessories, such as a carry case, would be good.

Check out the Grade GR8 In-Ear Headphones

Westone 4 Flagship Quad-Driver In-Ear Earphones (£315.00)

Westone like a few other brands, such as Shure and Ultimate Ears, made a name for themselves by working with professional musicians. With their years of experience in this field they turned to the commercial market and have been steadily releasing some of the best sounding in-ear earphones going for several years.

The Westone 4 earphones feature four drivers which deliver a balanced, precise and near unparalleled sound. Moreover, they have taken steps to ensure that the earphones are comfortable in the ear at all times – after all you’ll want to enjoy your music in comfort.

Overall the sound quality is clear and thanks to the wide soundstage you’ll be treated to crisp highs, smoother mids and a powerful bass thump.

What makes the Westone 4 Flasgship Quad-Driver In-Ear Earphones great?

•    The wonderfully detailed sound reproduction really drives music to new heights with all the frequencies receiving loving treatment from the earphones.
•    Thanks to the Quad Balanced Drivers the level of detail is astonishing with music sounding detailed and realistic.
•    Due to their ergonomic design the earphones hug your ear to give a secure fit. The cable is also braided to increase robustness and reduce cable noise being transferred to your ears.

What isn’t so good?

•    The impedance is fairly high so you’re best using them with a source with a high output or running through an amplifier.
•    The cost can be prohibitive but if you can afford them then you shouldn’t have any regrets whatsoever.
•    While their sound quality is near unrivalled other high end earphones will do nearly as good a job.

Check out the Westone 4 Flagship Quad-Driver In-Ear Earphones

Sennheiser IE8 High-Fidelity Noise-Isolating Earphones (£199.00)

Sennheiser should be a name which you are familiar with as they’ve been around for over 60 years and are normally found in most high street electrical stores. The Sennheiser IE8 earphones are their flagship model and have been optimised for use with MP3 players and iPods.

The Sennheiser IE8 earphones have a very strong bass sound so are ideal if you listen to a lot of drum & bass or hip-hop where big bass is a massive plus. Users can also tweak the bass sound using a button on the earphones. However, as they are bass heavy anyway they might not be to everyone’s tastes.

They feature a lightweight design so you hardly know they’re in your ear at all and even have user-replaceable cables should the worst happen and you don’t want to wait for them to be replaced under warranty.

What makes the Sennheiser IE8 High-Fidelity Noise-Isolating Earphones great?

•    They have lashings of bass so are fantastic for urban music tastes. Moreover, as they’re optimised for MP3 players you don’t need a huge amount of output power to drive them.
•    Thanks to the sleek, ergonomic design the Sennheiser IE8 earphones are comfortable to wear for hours on end.
•    Users can tweak the bass response through the use of a built-in button on the earphones themselves.

What isn’t so Good?

•    Due to their bass heavy sound those of you with more gentle music tastes might want to consider a different set.
•    While they are very light in the ear there have been some reports of the earphones falling out a bit too easily.
•    The sound quality, while being strong, may not be quite good enough for more high-end audio users.

Check out the Sennheiser IE8 High-Fidelity Noise-Isolating Earphones

Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 111/112 (£119.00)

These earphones are designed with comfort in mind with an ergonomic shape and over ear silicon guides to keep the earphones securely in place. However, as well as being comfortable these earphones also sound very good and will passively block out around 90% of ambient noise.

The interesting thing about these earphones which sets them apart from other models is that users can customise the sound quality through the use of bundled filters. As standard the Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 111/112 are fitted with ‘grey filters’ to emphasize the mid-range frequencies but these can be replaced with ‘black filters’ to amplify the bass and high frequencies instead.

What makes the Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 111/112 great?

•    These earphones are lightweight and ergonomically shaped to make the comfortable during use and the addition of silicon guides near the earpiece will make them easy to get in and out of your ear.
•    Users have the ability to somewhat tailor the sound from the earphones to their individual preferences with different filters amplifying certain frequencies.
•    There is a version of the Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 111/112 which feature a microphone for use with mobile phones.

What isn’t so good?

•    While they sound very decent they might not be quite strong sounding enough for high-end audio enthusiasts.
•    The inclusions of the filters for a near-tailored sound is an impressive idea but if you have a more eclectic taste in music changing the filters as you move from genre to genre may be problematic.
•    Since they only feature a single balanced armature driver unit the soundstage isn’t quite as wide as dual-driver sets of a similar price range.

Check out the Phonak Audéo Perfect Fit Earphones 111/112

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Here is a staff round-up of all the very best headphones for the youth of the nation. Here you’ll find affordable headphones and earphones that range from being big, colourful and full of bass to being in-ear, inconspicuous and protective of your hearing.

db Logic HP 100

£34.99

These headphones are perfect for a younger generation of listeners as they actively protect the listener’s hearing. Using HPL2 Technology sound pressure in the headphones is limited which is the main cause of damage to hearing.
•    Over-ear
•    Crystal clear sound
•    Portable

Skullcandy Uprock

£21

These are smart over-ear headphones that come in a variety of bright colours or the less-is-more all black design. The cable is flat meaning it won’t get tangled up saving huge amounts of wasted time.
•    Lightweight
•    Great sound
•    40mm drivers

Skullcandy Hesh

£34.99

These are chunky headphones that are seriously comfortable. The extra padding makes all the difference when you’re enjoying the dynamic sound these headphones produce. They come with a loud design, like their sound.
•    Unique design
•    Compatible with any mp3 player
•    Lots of bass

Hoodie Buddie

£39.99

The Hoodie Buddie is one of the coolest ways to listen to your music out there. The headphones are incorporated into the drawstrings of the hoody meaning that they will never tangle but are always available when you have an impulse to listen to some music. 100% washable as well.
•    Innovative
•    Convenient
•    Stylish

Shure SE115

£39.99

The best thing about these headphones is their sound. Shure are known for making quality headphones and at a price of only £39.99 you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.
•    Durable
•    Sound-isolating
•    Range of colours

SoundMagic E10s

£34.99

These are great headphones for the listening who likes well defined music but not at audiophile costs. These headphones definitely punch above their price point in terms of audio reproduction.
•    Strong range of sound –deep bass, tight mids strong highs
•    Stylish
•    In-ear

iHat

£19.00

This hat has built-in speakers combining listening to music as easy as keeping warm. Reduce your carry load with the iHat that incorporates good speakers.
•    Convenient
•    Portable
•    Fun

db Logic EP-100

£23.99

The in-ear version of the HP-100 these earphones are more sound-limiting than the above mentioned HP-100. They also include the protective SPL2 technology to ensure hearing is protected at all times. Their sound is clear and distortion free.
•    Smart looking design
•    Comfortable
•    Innovative

Skullcandy Skullcrusher CYMK

£29.99

These  are over ear headphones that have serious bass. The name Skullcrusher comes from the bassy sound these headphones produce. They boast a distinctive design and a distinctive sound signature.
•    Crazy design
•    Durable
•    Portable

Soudmagic PL11

£19.99

These headphones are known to be bass heavy but they are strong in the other ranges producing an altogether dynamic sound. They are in-ear and inconspicuous where they sit comfortable producing the sounds you want to hear but without all the extra material.
•    Light
•    Suits both high quality files and low quality files
•    Long 1.2m cable

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Hoodie Buddie

£39.99

~ A Stacey McKenzie Review ~

Pros

•    Super soft and comfortable.
•    Machine washable.
•    Better quality sound than I expected.

Cons

•    The sound quality could be better.
•    Sizes are bigger than expected.
•    You might receive some strange looks from passers by with the earphones plugged in.

Review

When I first heard about the Hoodie Buddie I thought what a great idea, why hasn’t it been done before? So when we got them here at the shop I had to get one to try it out. It was surprising that they are machine washable even with the built-in earphones, and I thought because of this, the sound quality might suffer. To my disbelief the sound quality was a lot better than I had anticipated. Not the greatest sound quality but not the worst by far.

When I first put it on it was very soft and comfy, and I was happy enough with it then! I was impressed with the design with the jack hidden away in the pockets and the earphones at the end of the drawstrings. I had to admit I was a bit self conscious with how I looked while wearing it, the Hoodie itself was fashionable, but with the drawstrings going up to my ears I thought it looked a bit weird, but that is the only concern I’ve had.

The sizes are a lot bigger than the usual small, medium and large so I had to go for an XS ( I guess it’s a compliment really!) I plugged in my MP3 player, and then tried it with my phone. The sound quality was decent and it blocked out a lot of background noise which was very beneficial on the bus home.

Perhaps the Hoodie Buddie could be considered to work better to simply keep you warm, due to the average sound quality, but that said you really can’t beat the convenience of having the earphones built in at the end of the day.

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Marley “Positive Vibration” On-Ear Headphones

£49.00

~ A Stacey McKenzie Review ~

PROS

•    A portion of the funds generated by each sale of a House of Marley product goes directly to 1Love.org.
•    They are comfortable and stay in place well on your head.
•    Manufactured from sustainable, renewable and recycled materials to ensure they are eco-friendly.

CONS

•    The colours are ‘vibrant’ so will not appeal to those with more subtle or subdued tastes.
•    The audio fidelity could be stronger as they don’t always reach the topmost or lowest frequencies.
•    There are some reports that the design of the headband can affect the fit.

Review

Eye-catching design is one of the main features of the Marley Range and while the various colour options definitely won’t be for everyone they certainly stand out!

The Jamaican influence can be clearly seen in the vibrant colours and natural, eco-friendly, materials that have been used to create these on ear headphones. As I mentioned this type of design won’t be for everyone but few would say they aren’t fun looking at the very least.

The Positive Vibration headphones definitely have the cool factor, thanks to their retro closed-cupped design. The cups are also plated in recyclable materials which makes them very eco friendly and helps ease your conscience. Comfort is really down to your own opinion and could differ from person to person. However, I find from my own experience that these fit very well and although they are a little stiff to adjust they are a very snug fit and stay in place well.

Sound-wise the Positive vibration headphones are well balanced and bass is excellent without affecting the highs and lows of the music. Noise Isolation is very good as I could hardly hear a thing when I was listening to my music and travelling.

What is really great about these headphones though is that a percentage of the profits going to the 1love charity who  promote saving the planet and invest in youth – you can be sure that you are giving something back when you buy these headphones.

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Sandisk Sansa Fuze+ FM MP3 Player

4GB: £45.99

~ A Julie Chenh Review ~

Pros

•    Great room for memory expansion, through Micro SDHC cards, at a low price with the potential of an extra 32GB on your MP3.
•    FM Radio for anyone wishing to keep up to date with the latest music.
•    Video is a handy feature if your on the bus or waiting somewhere and don’t feel like just listening to music.

Cons

•    The video quality could be better; although this is most likely limited by the screen itself.
•    The design of the player makes it feel a big strange in the hand.
•    Interface can be tricky to work out during first time use.

Review

The Sansa Fuze+ is the updated version of the Sansa Fuze and features a new interface, colour screen, the same FM radio features as the Fuze, video, and the ability to store audio books. The player comes in different colours and with different built in memory sizes and has sleeker look to it.

When I first started trying to use this, I was extremely confused by the interface; although the slide along feature and the tapping of buttons did seem to get much easier with use so I wouldn’t say that this should really be a cause for concern.

I have had several older customers who had only had 5 to 10 minutes to work this out and I’m ashamed to say, considering I work with MP3 players nearly everyday, that they worked the player out much faster than I did!

I enjoy the quality of sound from the Fuze+ and the bigger screen makes it easier for me to make selections when browsing the list of endless pop songs I have unfortunately added (There’s only so many ballads and girl bands I can listen to).

Most people who do not like the size of the Apple iPod Nano or the Sansa Clip Zip seem to prefer the size of the Fuze+; most likely because they are less likely to lose the player and can easily stick it in their pocket. While this might not be of huge importance it’s worth mentioning as it’s good to know that you won’t need to search around for the player each time you want to use it.

I’d have to say that I definitely prefer the size of Fuze+ to the Sansa Clip Zip. I tried out the clip zip for a day a little while ago and spent nearly all day trying my best to make sure I did not lose it, even though it was attached to me, then I almost put it in the washing machine as it was still attached to my jumper. Clearly very small player are not for me.

This certainly wasn’t the case with the Fuze+ as I found it comfortable to keep in my pocket and worked really well in the gym when I’d popped it in my armband (the quality of music is better than my phone too, and this way I don’t receive any calls and texts when I’m running like crazy on a machine).

When it comes to Non-Apple players this, and the Sansa Clip Zip, seem to be the most popular choices for our customers and with a such a great price and the features provided it’s not hard to see why.

Overall a great, cost effective player which works well for day-to-day use.

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Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Plus Sleep Tracker

£79.00

~ A Nicola Hay Review ~

Pros

•    Small and lightweight.
•    Online food and activity tracker – shows all meals and exercise in handy graphs and charts.
•    Nutritional information on restaurant meals and takeaway foods – very handy!
•    Measures sleep quality – as we all know sleep is very important to health, wellbeing and weight-loss. This is the best feature of the FitBit, and works very well.
•    Accurate measure of steps/floors climbed etc.
•    Motivational – FitBit email you a ‘well done’ when certain targets are reached.
•    Addictive!

Cons

•    Initial setup quite frustrating. Their website proved very handy in this instance, however.
•    Little customization of user account, does not allow for creation of own targets fitness-wise.
•    After buying the unit, they expect another £39.99 for their ‘premium’ service, which has more in-depth customization and goal-setting. I feel this should really be included with any FitBit purchase, especially as one need not even purchase a FitBit to use the online service.
•    Little guidance on their website about how they calculate BMR and calories required. And there is no way to amend this either.
•    No app available for ‘on the go’ use! And their ‘mobile’ site only works with certain devices.
•    You have to manually enter your heart rate onto their website. At £79, one would hope the device (perhaps when attached to the sleep-wristband, for example) would monitor this?

First Impressions

As odd as it may sound, I was very excited about this product before I even had the box in my hands. As a self-confessed gym-bunny, I am quite competitive and am always trying to improve on my circuit times and results in the gym.

I like the clean, minimalist packaging; I feel this represents the product well. Actually getting the tracker fully out of the packaging was a bit hairy – it’s clipped in place with some plastic, I feared I’d end up snapping the device before testing it!

Upon finally wrestling the device from the packaging, I was pleasantly surprised- very small and lightweight, nicely curved.

The sleek design of the FitBit means I hardly notice it sitting on my waistband at all, even with the belt clip attached.

Usability

Actually getting it to sync with the dock/my online account was a bit of a nuisance, I tried several times but to no avail. I eventually resorted to the troubleshooting section of their website. By following their instructions, I was soon up and running with it.

Whilst many functions can be used without reading the manual, establishing certain things such as how to get the sleep monitor working correctly, and what that random flower is etc do need a wee looksie at the online manual. The included manual details the setup procedure only.
General day-to-day use was no problem, and I found it very easy to use the Stopwatch function when training. It works well either sitting on a waistband, in the centre of a bra (not recommended for the male users!), and at the bottom of cycling shorts. For the ladies (or experimental men!), attaching to a dress or skirt does not hinder the use of the device in any way.

After just a few hours use, using the FitBit became second nature, and I instinctively attached it to my clothes every morning and to my wrist every night to monitor sleep. I initially thought having something attached to me all the time would be of annoyance, but it’s been of no hassle whatsoever. With the device being so small, it’s easy to understand how some users managed to wash it amongst their clothes!

Effectiveness

In all honesty, I’m still in two minds about the FitBit. There are certain aspects that are bitterly disappointing, and others that are excellent.

The preset (un-editable) estimations they’d given for my BMR and required daily calorie intake seemed very high, higher than that advised by my personal trainer. The inaccurate BMR meant that FitBit thought I would be burning several hundred more calories per day than I realistically was, even if I’d been sitting at my desk working all day. I suppose I should be flattered it assumed I’d burn off calories so quickly!

Because I am aware of what my body does and doesn’t need, I did not adhere to their advice of eating another 800 calories per day to maintain my current weight (especially on a day with very little exercise). However someone new to health and fitness, who’d perhaps recently taken the decision to lose weight and may be entirely trusting in the FitBit system, may end up disappointed as following such advice would result in little or no weight loss.

One immediate issue I encountered was with their ‘weight goal’ tool. The FitBit system acknowledged I’d created my account on the 19th of Jan, and ridiculously advised that by keeping up my current level of exercise and calorie intake, I’d shed my goal of 7lb in one day. Ludicrous. To shed 7lb in a day I’d need to amputate something! This was not something that changed throughout my fortnight’s use of the device, and every day it advised my weight goal would be reached by that date. Even when I’d input my weight manually, so that it acknowledged I’d lost 2lb in that week, it still stated I’d lose the other 5lb by that day!

On that note, the FitBit system itself seems a little one-dimensional, naive even – the lack of customizable options and information suggests the only ways to improve health and fitness and lose weight are to cut calories and exercise a little more. This is far from the truth. There is no information for users about good foods and bad foods, vitamins, minerals or types of fat etc – all of which are crucial in health and wellbeing.

I also don’t quite understand why this doesn’t have a heart-rate monitor built-in. One has to enter their heart-rate levels manually each day – which requires spending another £25 on something that does exactly the same as this product, minus the sleep tracking function  in order to find your heart rate before, during and after exercise – which entirely defeats the purpose of wearing the FitBit all the time.

Another source of irritation was the FitBit software/website itself. I felt thoroughly taken-advantage-of when I learned you need to pay an additional £39.00 for their ‘premium’ service. That’s right, after paying £79 you still only have access to the basic software. And the real kicker? ANYBODY can create a FitBit account, and can use their food and activity logs online without even buying the FitBit- which is a bit cheeky! One doesn’t need to pay a penny to use these services online – I felt robbed. After £79 you’ve essentially got a glorified pedometer with a sleep tracker. Woop-de-doo.

The fact that there is no FitBit app for iOS or Android was also hugely irritating. It wouldn’t be so bad if their mobile site worked with my phone, but it’s compatibility is very restricted. This therefore meant that to log my foods and activities, I had to spend a lot of time parked in front of my laptop, as opposed to actually exercising. There are other apps that they recommend using with the software, such as MyFitnessPal, which did work fine – but to be honest, I’d rather have one system, from one company, that worked well. It seems a little bit lazy of FitBit to not bother making their own. I did encounter a few issues with my MyFitnessPal account syncing with my FitBit one on a number of occasions, and judging by the FitBit forum, many other users have encountered this error.

The only reason I opted to use this external app from a separate company was because they were the only one I could find who listed British brands and restaurant chains within their nutritional lists. This brings me to ANOTHER major flaw in the Fitbit system. If you can find the time to manually log all the food and drink consumed online, you’ll be in for a rather tedious experience. The majority of foods already saved on the FitBit database are American brands, that are not available in the UK. There are also very few raw or natural ingredients listed – hugely irritating! Most things listed seem to be processed, nasty, unnatural takeaway and ready-meal-type-things. Yuck! If the foods listed are the kinds of foods being eaten all the time by FitBit users, then it is entirely understandable why they need to diet and exercise. According to the forum, FitBit will be adding in more ‘British brands’ and foods onto their database in ‘the near future’-however in the meantime, until they do, I’ve spent hours manually adding in certain brands and foodstuffs, including all the nutritional information, in a bid to make it a little easier for both myself and other UK customers. That’s right; you can now log Heinz Baked Beans thanks to me!

On another note – there are many food entries for baby food on their system. These kinds of unhealthy eating habits should be picked up on by FitBit, is their forum not moderated? –if people are eating baby food, they’re obviously not getting the nutrients an adult needs. Even listing baby food as a foodstuff adults eat is almost encouraging ridiculous diets, the kind of diets that hospitalize and kill people. Again this ties-in with the lack of information on their website, I couldn’t even find a little note anywhere on their website advising someone contacts their doctor before undertaking a serious exercise plan or anything like that. It seems a little irresponsible to encourage exercise but take no consideration for individuals’ health.

However, despite these shortcomings, I still continued to use the FitBit, and found many features to be of great use.

Whilst the online activity log allows you to enter activities manually, there are many activities FitBit will actually track for you anyway, detailing how many calories are burned depending on how active you’ve been. Of course this is all dependant on your BMR, so will only give accurate results if FitBit has this information correct in the first place. Many other users do seem to get on absolutely fine with the FitBit – perhaps I’m just odd.

Wearing the FitBit whilst golfing, running, cycling etc all created a handy graph in my online account, detailing how many calories had been burned and when. It also shows your total distance travelled by foot, which is a nice feature.

One brilliant thing about the FitBit, is the sleep tracker. Using this, I see exactly when during the night I’ve been more active –i.e when I’m not getting decent sleep. By wearing this over the course of a week and looking back at my food diaries, I can see on which days I’ve benefitted from a better night’s rest, and which foods/drinks seem to result in a worse night’s sleep. Obviously my (admittedly heavy) caffeine intake plays a big part, and I’m very aware of nutrition –however, the results do suggest my sleep suffers because of digestion, i.e after eating certain foods (irrespective of how natural, non-processed, colour and additive free they are) my sleep pattern is more interrupted.

I soon discovered that in order to maximise the full potential of the FitBit and its’ software, it’s best to log all food and drink online, as it will calculate how much you can still eat in a day in order to achieve your target-weight. The accuracy of this does of course also depend on FitBit having the right BMR etc stored for you, so whilst I personally didn’t trust this reading at all, many other users find this tool excellent.

The FitBit system also suggests users log in their waist and chest sizes etc, so as to allow you to better monitor your progress, however I didn’t bother with this –whilst I personally didn’t enter these, I imagine this would be a great tool for anyone trying to shed a lot of weight.

Verdict

Reading back my review, it does seem very negative. I’ve been brutally honest, that’s all. Would you believe me if I said I don’t actually hate the product?!

The concept is brilliant, the product pretty good, but the overall experience could have been a lot better. I haven’t read many negative reviews on this product online, everyone seems to love it – perhaps I’m just fussy?! Or perhaps I see so much potential in this product, that I’m frustrated with it as it is at the moment?

If this had a heart-rate and speed monitor built-in, and the premium software was included within the purchase price of £79, this would be great. If there were more customizable goals and targets on their site, more foods listed on the website, and more information with regards to nutrition, exercise and weight-loss –this would be absolutely unbeatable as a product – I’d buy it without hesitation. In fact, I’d be recommending them to everyone I know.

Despite the fact that I’ve used the word ‘irritating’ several times within this review, I’m STILL wearing the FitBit. I’m still enjoying using the FitBit. And I still continue to track my progress. Yes, it’s lacking a lot, but it sure as heck is addictive.

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Sony SRSBTV25 Bluetooth Speaker with 360 degree sound

£149.00

~ A Julie Chenh Review ~

PROS

•    You can connect Bluetooth enabled devices easily to the speaker.
•    The speaker can be made entirely mobile thanks to the internal, rechargeable battery.
•    The design of the speaker means that you can enjoy 360° sound.

CONS

•    The speaker might be considered an odd design by some.
•    The bass response can muddy the overall sound slightly.
•    While the speaker is considered to be portable it is still too big for carrying around with you everywhere you go.

Review

This speaker looks very smart with a stylish, well thought out design. After I took it out of the box and unpacked all the components (which there are not many of fortunately) I found everything easy to set up and before I knew it music was playing away quite happily.

The first test of any speaker is to hear the quality of sound. Without delay I placed it on one of the shelves and paired it with a Cowon J3. Pairing was very easy – all I had to do was hold in the “Bluetooth pairing button”, wait until it flashed very quickly and after that used the J3 to look for Bluetooth devices and found the speaker.

The sound is very clear, and doesn’t have the tinny sound which can happen with some Bluetooth speakers. I noticed that you can control the volume with the paired player, which is really handy because there are no wires to worry about!

So what’s it like in the middle of the room? Well as I hadn’t charged it completely it still needed the power cable in order to work, but the circle aspect of the speaker means that the music is still very full sounding, and the can be heard very easy from any point in the room.

What really I like most about this speaker is the design. Black (or white), small, and compact. Sony certainly haven’t compromised on quality in order to make a highly portable, wireless speaker.

When using the iPod touch with the speaker there’s an app that allows you  to set a timer for music to play in the morning and before going to sleep. This is a great feature as I, like many people, struggle to wake up in the mornings and this powerful little speaker makes waking up that much easier!

A sneaky extra feature that Sony have included is the bass boost button. This is a winning feature for me as I do like a lot of bass in my music and I think with the extra bass this speaker gives me exactly what I am looking for when playing my favorite songs.

The Circle of Sound Sony speaker can also be used to charge phones via a USB cable, and would be able to charge MP3 players or iPods too seemingly. The charge input can be found at the bottom left hand side of the speaker, and cleverly concealed in the design.

All in all a great speaker with a great design and hassle free. I will be buying this to add to my living room collection of bass boosting speakers!