April | 2016 | Imagination Works

Focusrite Clarett 8Pre – Thunderbolt audio interface with 192 kHz, 24 bits, 18 inputs, 20 outputs and 119 dB dynamic range

Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 8Pre

Among the most functional devices of Focusrite company there is a Thunderbolt audio interface Clarett 8Pre with 192 kHz and 24 bits work mode, 18 inputs, 20 outputs and 119 dB dynamic range. On its frontal panel there are : 2 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone/instrumental Hi-Z/linear inputs; phantom power +48 V enabling buttons for inputs 1-4 and 5-8; gain control knobs for 8 inputs with instrumental mode indicators for first two ones and Air function activity for all of them. Then follow : Thunderbolt connection, MIDI connection and device blocking signalers; screen, showing signal levels and clipping of 8 inputs and 2 main outputs; Direct Monitor switch and mute buttons with volume control; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones outputs with volume control knobs; as well as power button with indicator.

Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 8Pre ( back panel )

On back panel of Focusrite Clarett 8Pre there are : power line input; TRS 1/4″ jack digital coaxial S/PDIF input and output; MIDI input and output; Thunderbolt port for connection to computer; optical digital TOSLINK input and output; time synchronization connector with other devices; 10 linear outputs ( 1st and 2nd are main ); and 6 more combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone/linear outputs. Analogue outputs are balanced, all inputs are unbalanced. Microphone inputs of Focusrite Clarett 8Pre have following characteristics : THD+N 0.001 %, dynamic range 118 dB, noise level -128 dB; first two parameters of linear inputs are 0.005 % and 118 dB; of instrumental inputs are 0.001 % and 111 dB, accordingly. Dynamic range of monitor outputs is 117 dB, linear 119 dB, THD+N of both types is 0.0007 %; the same parameters of monitor headphones outputs are 112 dB and 0.0008 %, accordingly. Device’s sizes are 482.5 ( width ) x 43.9 ( height ) x 291 ( depth ) mm and mass is 4.35 kg, its body is made from aluminum with red color.

Focusrite Clarett 8Pre works only in Mac OS X 10.9 and newer with support of Core Audio interface for interaction with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. Manufacturer promises support of Windows in near time. With it following programs are supplied : Focusrite Control ( mixer and device control panel ), 1 GB of sound samples Loopmasters and Focusrite Red 2 and Red 3 plugins package; also package with Focusrite Clarett 8Pre contains : power line cable, disk with drivers, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, audio interface is great and has high-level characteristics and large amount of connectors, it is designed for use in large studios and is a great solution for them. For small studios and in-home recordings there is ability to look on USB audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio, Alesis and other manufacturers production, with the same characteristics and components quality, but with smaller connectors amount and much lower price.

Philips SHE5200 – 8.6 mm in-ears headphones with 10 Hz – 22 kHz and neodymium magnets for 14 USD

One of the novelties among in-ears headphones with not high price is a 8.6 mm device Philips SHE5200 with 10 Hz – 22 kHz sounds frequencies range playback support, neodymium magnets, semi-open acoustic architecture and around 14 USD price. Their sensitivity is 107 dB, impedance is 16 Ohms and maximal input power is 20 mW. Cable with 1.2 m length is connected to both cups, it is plugged to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts. It is additionally reinforced on all its length and in entrances into cups for increased durability; cups are made from metal for the same purpose and decreased chatter, when sound is played back, device is supplied only in white color variant.

Package with Philips SHE5200 headphones contains 3 ears tips of different sizes ( large, small and medium ), warranty card and user’s guide. All in all device is good : it has large for in-ears headphones membranes, wide reproducible audio frequencies range, neodymium magnets, reinforced construction and gold-plated contacts of a plug, wherein its price is quite adequate to characteristics. If device’s compactness is not needed and sound quality is more important, then there is ability to look on 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with not much larger price.

Huawei Honor 4C Pro – 5″ IPS Android 5.1 smartphone with 4G LTE, 13 MP camera, 2 GB of RAM and GLONASS+A-GPS for 180 USD

Company Huawei brought mirth again and released new Android 5.1 smartphone Honor 4C Pro with 4G LTE, 5″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, 13 MP main camera, 2 GB of RAM and satellite navigation GLONASS and GPS+A-GPS for around 180 USD. It also has : 4-cores processor MediaTek MT6735P Cortex A53, graphical chip Mali-T720, 16 GB of on-board memory, Micro SD flash cards connector with 128 GB max capacity and 2 slots for Мicro SIM cards. It can work in 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE ( +LTE-A Cat. 4 ) networks and contains lighting and proximity sensors.

Huawei Honor 4C Pro has 2 good for smartphones cameras : 13 MP main one with autofocusing and flash and 5 MP frontal one. On its external panels there are : 1/8″ mini jack headphones and headsets connector, Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer and battery charging, power and volume control buttons, as well as microphone and speaker. It supports wireless connections Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n, +Direct ) and Bluetooth 4.0 for remote data transfers and communications with other devices and does not support NFC. Battery charge is 4000 mAh, which is a very good value for smartphones; device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 71.8 ( width ) x 143.1 ( height ) x 9.7 ( depth ) mm and mass is 160 g.

Package with Huawei Honor 4C Pro contains : USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is great : it has 4G LTE, large IPS screen, powerfull enough system, very capacitive battery, satellite navigation GLONASS and GPS+A-GPS, modern wireless connections, good cameras and it is not overpriced for its functions. If such functions are not needed, then there is ability to buy much cheaper optimal Windows or Android smartphone and tablet PC.

Upcoming meeting in Doha about oil productions amounts freezing and possible sell-off of USA’s obligations on 750 billions USD

At this Sunday 17th April in capital of Katar – Doha will be held meeting of oil-producing countries, some of which are members of OPEC and some are not. On it possibility of oil production level freezing will be discussed, which will allow to stop its prices falling and then lead them to growth and stabilization. Countries set their requirements : Saudi Arabia will freeze its production only if other countries will do the same, but Iran does not want to do it and wishes to rise its production level to pre-sanctions level. So, it’ll be hard to come to agreement, but possible still; if this will happen, then oil prices will start to slowly grow and stabilize; economics of Russia and ruble will follow it; if not, then ruble exchange rates with other currencies will have large volatility and new meetings on the same theme will be held. Both scenarios can be thinkingly used for personal benefit.

On this week it became known, that Saudi Arabia threats to sell USA‘s obligations on 750 billions USD, if congress will approve law, that allows to bring to responsibility SA’s government, which, presumably, is involved in acts of terrorism in USA at 11th September of 2001 year. It will be hard to do this technically, but, if part of these threats will be implemented, then this can decrease USA’s economy growth; however, there is possibility, that USA will freeze these funds and confiscate part of them later, as compensation on SA’s government involvement in 11th September 2001 year acts of terrorism. There is some wrestling between these countries go on : Saudi Arabia tries to run down shale oil production in USA, USA answers, as it can, SA threats to answer in its turn and so on. All in all, for Russia it is profitable for those countries to not cooperate tightly and to not be able to make strong influences on world economy areas, which directly affect country’s economy. So : let them wrestle further and pursue their own interests. This is all for today in economics area.

Alesis VX49 – USB MIDI keyboard with 4.3″ LCD screen, 8 drumpads and large amount of adjustable controls and programs

The most functional device of Alesis company with medium amount of keys is a USB MIDI keyboard VX49 with 4.3″ LCD screen, 8 velocity and pressure sensitive drumpads with RGB backlight and large amount of adjustable controllers and programs. As it follows from its name, it has 49 velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch function, as well as : 8 programmable knobs; dedicated drumpads sounds banks selection and transport and octaves control buttons; arpreggiator, pitch-bend and modulation control wheels and other controls. On its back panel there are MIDI input and output, TRS 1/4″ jack inputs of expression and footswitch pedals, USB port for powering and connection to computer and power adapter input, which allows to use device with tablet PCs and notebooks without load on their batteries.

Alesis VX49 can be used as stand alone MIDI controller or operate modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others and their VST/AU instruments and effects. With keyboard program Virtual Instrument Player is supplied, which allows to connect to it any VST instrument and work with it without DAW. After purchase there is ability to download from manufacturer’s website programs DAW Ableton Live Lite, Vacuum Pro, Loom, Hybrid 3, Xpand!2, Velvet, Transfuser and Eighty Eight Ensemble. With Alesis VX49 package contains : USB cable, cards with codes for programs downloading, warranty card and user’s guide. Device is great and has all instruments for long-time professional creative development; as all Alesis devices have, this one has one of the smallest prices among USB MIDI keyboards with simillar functionality. Wherein, if such functionality is not needed, then there is ability to buy much cheaper devices with entry-level characteristics and close keys amount.

Philips SHE5305 – 8.6 mm in-ears headphones with microphone, 10 Hz – 22 kHz and neodymium magnets

Company Philips continues to release great devices, this time this a 8.6 mm in-ears dynamic headphones SHE5305 with microphone, 10 Hz – 22 kHz sounds frequencies reproduction support, semi-closed acoustic architecture and neodymium magnets. Their impedance is 16 Ohms, sensitivity is 107 dB and maximal input power is 20 mW. Cable with 1.2 m length and 2.5 mm diameter is connected to both cups and is additionally reinforced with metalized wires for increased durability; in its volume control module microphone and smartphones control button ( compatible with Apple iPhone, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, MOTOROLA, Nokia, Palm, SAMSUNG and Sony Ericsson ) are built in. It is plugged to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts.

Wire of Philips SHE5305 is not detachable, in places of entering into cups it is additionally reinforced with steel springs for increased toughness and wire resistance against bending and tear-off forces; both cups have only 1 driver in them; headphones have no active noise-cancellation functions, as some monitor headphones have. Philips tells about tweaking of drivers for high-quality and loud basses reproduction, in comparison with other in-ears headphones this is so, but they have long way to go to monitor headphones. Cups of device have curved external form for comfortable long-time wearing.

Headphones are supplied only in black and white color variants, their cups are made from nickel-plated steel for increased durability and reduced chatter during sounds playback. Package with Philips SHE5305 contains : 3 ears-tips pairs of different sizes ( large, medium and small ), warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great for internal ones : they have wide range of reproducible sounds frequencies, built in microphone and smartphones control button, as well as high sensitivity. They are oriented more on sportive exercises and trainings, as well as every day compact use. There is ability to anticipate, that Philips will not set high price on its device and it can be recommended for purchase in time of appearance in the shops. There is also need to note, that, if there is need in high sound quality, especially in basses area, over compactness, then it is better to buy 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with approximately the same price, instead of in-ears ones.

Philips – is a company, which were founded in Dutch in 1891 year; now it has 3 large subdivisions, which develop and produce : consumer electronics, medical equipment and lighting devices. At current moment this is one of the largest companies – producers of electronics, in which around 105000 people work in 60 countries of the world. In electronics area it produces wide range of devices : from kitchen appliances to headphones and smartphones. Philips is notable for producing quality devices, providing proper technical information about them without using of large amounts of psychological marketing and for setting of optimal prices for its goods.

Huawei P9 – 5.2″ IPS Android 6.0 smartphone with 4G LTE, 4 GB of RAM, 8-cores CPU, 12 MP camera and 3000 mAh battery

Company Huawei presented its new powerful Android 6.0 smartphone P9 with 5.2″ multitouch IPS screen with Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, 4G LTE, 4 or 3 GB of RAM, depending on modification, 8-cores 64-bits processor Huawei Kirin 955 with four 2.5 GHz cores A72 and four 1.8 GHz cores A53, 12 MP main camera and 3000 mAh battery. It also has : 64 or 32 GB of on-board memory, flash cards connector, combined with second SIM card slot or independent, and 2 or 1 slots for Nano SIM cards, depending on modification. Smartphone works in networks 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE ( +LTE-A Cat. 6 ) and supports satellite navigation GLONASS, GPS+A-GPS and BeiDou; has acceleration and gravitation, proximity, lighting and Hall sensors, as well as gyroscope, compass and fingerprints scanner.

In Huawei P9 two good for smartphones cameras are placed : 12 MP main one with BSI CMOS sensor, lens with f/2.2 aperture and flash and 8 MP frontal one with f/2.4 diaphragm. On its external panels there are : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headphones and headsets connector, power and volume control buttons, as well as microphone and speaker. Smartphone supports wireless connections Wi-Fi ( 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, +Direct ) and Bluetooth 4.2 ( +BLE ) for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. Device’s body is made from aluminum, its sizes are 70.9 ( width ) x 145 ( height ) x 6.95 ( depth ) mm and mass is 144 g; battery charge is 3000 mAh, which is a good value for smartphones. It is supplied in gold, cream white, pink, gold-gray, titanium and silver color variants.

Package with Huawei P9 contains : USB cable, recharger, 2 headsets, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, smartphone is great : it has large IPS screen with Full HD resolution, powerful system, good cameras, 4G LTE, modern wireless connections systems, satellite navigation GLONASS, GPS+A-GPS and BeiDou, large amount of sensors and capacitive battery. Its price at the time of appearance in shops will be according, but, knowing prices policy of Huawei, there is ability to say, that device’ll not be overpriced; if such characteristics of smartphone are not needed, then there is ability to buy much cheaper optimal Windows or Android smartphone + tablet PC + good photo camera with interchangeable lenses.

Mimosa – clipper ship of middle of 19th century, which carried Welsh passengers to South America

Lets begin small descriptions of ships of different types for interest, development in this area and adventures and voyages spirit. First we will talk about clipper ship Mimosa, which in the middle on 19th century carried Welsh emigrants to South America. Clippers is a class of fast sailing ships, which more glide through the water, than furrow it; have 3 masts and large sails equipment; name of type comes from English word clip, which in 19th century also had meaning “sail with high speed“, “cut through the water” and “cut through the air“. Their blossoming was at the beginning – middle of 19th century, when they carried small amount of cargo on large distances with high speed; their appearance mainly connected to need for quick delivery of tea from China and South Asia to Europe and USA. With appearance of a first steamships they started to push out all sailing ships form cargo carrying, because they are able to move without wind; however clippers continued to be used for long-distance transportations, on which copper cost exceeded revenue from goods selling.

Century of the clippers ended in 1869 year, when Suez Channel were opened, which greatly reduced path from Asia to Europe and which is easily passable by steamships and is hardly passable by sailing ships. Mimosa was built in 1853 year in Aberdeen Scotland, initially it was not designed for passengers transportation, but later were reequipped for this purpose. Max water draught of the ship is 540 tons, sizes are 42.6 ( length ) x 7.8 ( width ) x 4.8 ( height ) m. Before sailing emigrants gathered in different cities of England, from which Mimosa took them and carried to South America. In the end of its life span, when ship started to became obsolete and to wear out, it was hulked and lost after that. But some of the clippers survived till present days, thank you to protection measures, and are still in the ranks and glide through the water masses, as they did 150 years ago.

Alesis Core 1 – USB audio interface with 1 input, 1 output, 24 bits and 48 kHz and aluminum body

Among products of Alesis company there are different devices, for example, USB audio interfaces, one of them is a Core 1 – device with 1 input, 1 output, 24 bits and 48 kHz work mode support and aluminum body. On its frontal panel there are : TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones output, their volume control, input gain control, its work mode switch between linear and instrumental Hi-Z modes and USB port for connection to computer and powering. On its back panel there is combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack analogue input.

USB audio interface Alesis Core 1 ( back panel )

Alesis Core 1 works in Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.7 and newer with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, through which it interacts with modern DAWs : REAPER, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and others. It can be connected to Apple iPad and iPhone via Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit; after purchase there is ability to download from manufacturer’s website DAW Cubase LE.

Package with Alesis Core 1 audio interface contains : USB cable, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, this is a good interface of entry-level, which will fit small and in-home studios; taking into account company’s prices policy, there is ability to anticipate, that Alesis will set on it acceptable price and, when there is no need in very functional device and compactness and mobility are needed, then Alesis Core 1 can be viewed as great solution for its tasks. There is also need to note, that other manufacturers : Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and others, also have good entry-level USB audio interfaces with acceptable price.

AKG K52 – 40 mm monitor headphones with 110 dB sensitivity, 18 Hz – 20 kHz and 32 Ohms impedance

One of the novelties among monitor headphones is an AKG K52 – 40 mm device with 110 dB sensitivity, 18 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies reproduction support, 32 Ohms impedance, closed acoustic architecture and price around 50 USD. Their maximal input power is 200 mW, mass is 200 g; cable with length 2.5 m is attached to only one cup, it is not removable and connects to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector; headphones are not foldable and are supplied only in matte black color variant. Earpads are made from leatherette.

Package contains : AKG K52 headphones themselves, adapter to 1/4″ jack connector, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, headphones are good, they have high sensitivity, wide reproducible sounds frequencies range and large enough membranes. From one side their price is not too high; from the other : there is ability to buy cheaper 40 mm monitor headphones with the same or even better characteristics or for approximately the same price 50 mm monitor headphones with better basses reproduction. So, to buy or not to buy there is need to decide by accordance of technical characteristics of these headphones to tasks, that they’ll handle, and by availability of discount in the shops.

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