Thursday, June 12, 2014

Shure SE215-K Live Sound Monitor, Black

Featuring Dynamic MicroDriver, the SE215 delivers detailed sound with enhanced bass. A detachable cable with formable wire enables easy replacement and a secure, comfortable fit on-stage or on-the-go. Sound Isolating sleeves in multiple sizes provide up to 37 dB of isolation and a customized fit. Available in translucent black or clear. Comfortable sound isolating sleeves block up to 37 dB of ambient noise. Sound isolation technology prevents outside noise from interfering with your listening experience, whether on-stage or on-the-go. Shure Sound Isolating Earphones require a proper fit to achieve the best sound.The role of the included sound isolating sleeves is twofold: blocking ambient noise and ensuring a comfortable customized fit. Because every ear is different, the Fit Kit includes three sizes (S, M, L) of the flex and black foam sleeves. Experiment with the size and style that creates the best fit for you. A good seal is key to optimizing sound isolation and bass response as well as maximizing comfort during extended wear.


SOUND
I bought these ear-buds along with one of the Dr. Dre Beats headsets to compare the sound. They were both exactly the same price but the Shure earbuds busted a righteous cap in Dr. Dre's pretentious creation.
The rich, creamy sound coming out of these Shure puppies is amazing. It allows for the correct balance between the bass, the mids, and the highs without any distortion at various volume levels. I couldn't believe it! The Beats earbuds had an ounce of more bass to them but the mids and high's had that cheap tin-can sound. People's voices came off flat and isolated in relation to the other sounds and it didn't take long for the off-pitch ringing to hurt my ears. Even when I tested the prescribed bass-heavy Hip-Hop/Rap songs on both earbuds, the Shure's stomped-stomped-stomped the Beats out of the competition. Shure's bass, which is a fraction less than the Beats, was still excellent and provided for the sound that felt truly SURROUND.

After I found that Shure's were the one for me, I submitted the Shure earbuds to other tests.

NOISE-CANCELLATION
Technically, these are "sound isolating" earphones and I don't know how that's different from "noise cancellation" but the one thing is true: these earbuds keep the outside noise out and music in. I drove over to my half-deaf grandmother's house just to test this. She likes to get up close and shout all holy-hell about if you'd like to eat. Cue Shure earbuds and stand in shock as grandmother is transformed into David Bowie singing "Ziggy Stardust" and holding a spatula. Crazy. I could only hear the music.




Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Harman Kardon CL Headphones at 60% off

I can't wait for this headphone to arrive! I just purchase it at 60% OFF! It competes with the likes of B&W P7 but it is now selling at the price of the 1st version of  Creative Aurvana Live!  
Harman Kardon CL Precision On-Ear Headphones with Extended Bass


Update (Received 15th June) : After trying on the set, I think this is only for people who have either extremely small head or have a IRON Head and Ears. The clamping force is terrible ! Your ears feels like they're being deprived of blood and your skull seems to be collapsing after prolong usage(>1hrs). I wouldn't pay more than what I had paid(under $100) for the design and quality of the headphones though. Also, there is a thing to note, the wire comes with a apple vol control. However, if you use the cable on a laptop, you will hear distant sound. You have to press the SPEAK button on the control for the sound to become the intended sound. So the only way you get to enjoy the headphones is to TAP DOWN the "Speak" Button. Yes.. They should have an alternative set of cable for the laptop users.



Enjoy high-performance sound quality with a sophisticated, modern design

Control your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with the CL’s streamlined remote 
Engineered to Outperform.
Harman Kardon CL headphones feature an exclusive acoustic system that integrates superb mechanical design, materials, and electronics. User-exchangeable bows, self-adjusting housings, soft leather cups, and slow-retention ear-cup foam ensure a comfortable fit and an optimal acoustic seal on the ear. Uniquely baffled 1-5/8" (40 mm) drivers enable the CL to outperform other headphones in extended bass response. Sandblasted steel frames and black matte housings create an iconic, modern aesthetic. A blend of sophistication and simplicity, the lightweight, comfortable CL headphones are part of the first-ever line of Harman Kardon headphones. Now you can take beautiful sound with you wherever you go.
Sophisticated, Modern Design
Harman Kardon CL headphones offer high-tech performance wrapped in an elegant package and interface. With its blend of sandblasted steel and black matte housings, the CLs’ design and function complement Apple products while reinforcing the sophisticated elegance of the Harman Kardon brand.
Optimized Sound Quality
High-performance 1-5/8" (40 mm) drivers produce an excellent frequency response (16Hz – 20kHz) for a natural tone. The wide dynamic range reproduces music with realism. A unique baffle creates air flow that extends low frequencies. The CL headphones also incorporate a bass tube that functions like a tuned bass port. It boosts bass performance and helps the headphones produce exceptional bass response at any volume level. As a result, CL headphones provide better bass response than other headphones in their class.

What I like:-Aesthetics: presentation, packaging, beautiful and unique sophisticated design, nice pleather carrying case-Option of 2 sizes (small vs large) of metallic headbands-Magnetic leather earpads are easily removable and thus replaced-Balanced sound, more than capable (though not booming) bass. Suitable for movie-watching and all sorts of music (instrumental soundtracks, vocals, hip-hop, pop, haven't tried rock yet)-Easily driven by Galaxy Nexus using PowerAmp app with slight boosting of the treble, no amp necessary-On-ear design makes music more vivid than around-the-ear design of other headphones. It also does a fair job of passively isolating noise (good enough to drown out 70% of engine noise during air travel)-Minimal sound leakage-More premium sound and design than direct competitor B&W P3. $100 cheaper than B&W P5, and after a quick test I could not tell the difference, probably only a very discerning audiophile could
What I don't like:-Unlocking mechanism for earpieces may disengage them from the headband if you rotate them 360 degrees inadvertently-Comfortable for half an hour but then clamping pressure on ears causes them to start throbbing-Cable is proprietary. It also has a straight end rather than an L-shape to connect to device-A little bit of noise when you move around, whether from squeaky leather or rubbing the metal headband
Sound and comfort when compared to Klipsch Image One, Harman Kardon CL, B&W P5, Bose QC15, Sennheiser Momentum:-Klipsch Image One is too bass-heavy. Comfort is merely OK because the cushions are so small they straddle the line between circum-aural and on-ear-UE6000 will have more prominent bass with active noise cancellation function turned on with better clarity in the mids and highs with noise cancellation turned off. It is very comfortable, superior to CL due to plush memory foam. However the UE6000's earpads cannot be replaced at all, and it is somewhat heavy/bulky especially with 2 AAA batteries installed. Plus you may noticed a "hiss" due to the noise cancellation-B&W P5: Although this was by far the best-looking out of all the headphones, I found it to have a somewhat hollow sound especially when compared to the Harman Kardon CL. A very tight (and unadjustable) clamping force made listening very uncomfortable even for brief periods. That, plus the questionable durability (just go into any apple store and see how beat up the leather pads get over time), made me feel this was overpriced at $300-Bose QC15 have best active noise-cancelling effect (and does not generate any hiss/white noise). In terms of sound quality, however, it is the worst of the bunch as bass is one-tone and highs sound shrill and hurt my ears. Its plush ear cushions make it the most comfortable around-ear headphones I have ever used-Sennheiser Momentum has crisper highs and has less bass. Comfort is superior as long as your ears fit into the plush cushions, and overall weight is a barely-there 190g
For sound quality I would rank Sennheiser Momentum>Logitech UE6000=Harman Kardon CL>B&W P5>Klipsch One=Bose QC15For comfort Bose QC15>Sennheiser Momentum>Logitech UE6000>Harman Kardon CL=Klipsch One=B&W P5For noise isolation Bose QC15>Logitech UE6000 (active mode)>Harman Kardon CL>Sennheiser Momentum>B&W P5=Klipsch One


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Racing Steering Wheelstand for Logitech G27 / G25 Wheels, V2 -Deluxe, Original Wheel Stand Pro Stand


A Perfeeeect Father's Day Gift!


Wow! This stand is the kind of thing I would have built in engineering school if we had the G27 in the early 90's. It's incredible. I'll go over all the great things first and then the very few minor irritations that don't detract from the product at all. 


Pros: Build quality - It's 18lbs of tubular steel and while that doesn't sound like much, I doubt anyone could make this shift on the floor while using it. Since the frame connects the steering and the pedals, you actually make it more solid with your feet on the pedal floor and your hands on the steering wheel. It is like a rock even playing more spirited games like the Need for Speed series. Mounts - I was worried about limiting each component to two mounting screws, but that has proven to be plenty. The components don't shift on the plates even with heavy use. 


Foldability - I've attached pictures, but you can fold the unit down easily because of the quick clamps. If you don't want to press your brake pedal down, you can clamp it shut just before it hits. If you don't mind holding the pedal down, you can use a piece of foam to protect the pedal. Ease of use - the quick clamps were a great touch. It really makes getting the whole thing "closet ready" a snap. I can set it up in less than a minute and take it down in the same time.

 Cons: The power brick solution - The "solution" to hold the power brick isn't great since it's just a friction hold on the underside of the pedal unit. Can't really fault WSP for that, though. Height - I'm not tall but my desk is, so while this is the perfect height if you're sitting on the couch, it's a little low for high desks like mine (32"). An extra four inches on the center tube would have been great, but it's still perfectly usable. 

One missing quick clamp - the top plate that holds the steering wheel and shifter needs two wrenches to set the angle. While this isn't something you would adjust as much as the height or folding axis, it's still a pain. A quick clamp for that plate would have been nice. However, since the tube is so thick and the contact area between the plate mount and tube is so small, this probably wasn't a viable option. 

Overall, I would almost consider this a required purchase if you buy a G27 and don't want to build your own stand for it. Sure, it's expensive, but it's worth every single penny. It is put together well enough to survive the next 50 years, and if I ever get another wheel it will be relatively easy to just drill new holes wherever required. This stand is that solid.

Xbox One - Loving iT!

It arrived on Titanfall's launch. It has a $500 console(Which runs you about $530+ if you buy in a store), comes with a $60 game($65 if you buy in a store), and ships it to you for $499, with no tax, in two days.

Edit: After having the console for a few days, I'd figure I'd update. First off, Titanfall is the most fun I've had in a FPS since maybe Halo 3. Love that it's an exclusive. Microsoft is packing a punch the old fashioned way, having games that only IT'S hardware has.(Like Nintendo and Sega in the 90's) It took me a longggggggg time to download it, but I have 2 mbps internet, so that's on me.

As for the console, except for a few little gripes, it's exceeded my expectations in all ways. It runs quiet, looks very sleek and glossy, and the Kinect is a very nice piece of technology. Not only is the video chat quality pretty good for when you're skyping, but it does stuff I didn't even know it could, like sign you into your gamertag when you walk into the room(Awesome)

I didn't really use the Kinect on 360, but it's a lot more of a viable product now. Voice command this time is not only more accurate, but it's more practical since this system was designed with Kinect in mind. Being able to just say "Xbox, go to Titanfall" at any moment(Since it's a digital copy) to go to your game is awesome. It's very much like using a Windows 8 computer, while you're switching between apps/desktop browser/etc. And it's dope how you can do something like watch Netflix or use Internet Explorer, while your game is loading or matchmaking, and you can go back to your game like you never left it after a few minutes.

Very happy with the One.