Electronics | Imagination Works

Oysters T104 WSi – 10.1″ IPS Windows 10 tablet PC with 5800 mAh battery and 1 GB of RAM

Among Windows tablet PCs there is a novelty : device Oysters T104 WSi with 10th version of this OS, 10.1″ multitouch IPS screen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, 5800 mAh battery and 1 GB of RAM. In it are also built in : 4-cores processor Intel Atom Z3735G, working on 1.8 GHz frequency; graphical chip Intel HD Graphics ( Bay Trail ), built into CPU; 16 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 32 GB max capacity ( larger are, probably, also supported ); and SIM cards slot. It can be used as phone and supports 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ) and 3G networks, without 4G LTE support. It has no satellite navigation systems and has only gravity sensor.

Tablet PC Oysters T104 WSi ( back panel )

In Oysters T104 WSi two weak, even for tablet PCs, cameras are placed : 2 MP main one and 0.3 MP frontal one; it supports wireless connections Wi-Fi ( IEEE 802.11 b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On external panels of device there are : Micro USB port for battery charging and external devices connection, 1/8″ mini jack headset and headphones connector, microphone and speaker and power and volume control buttons. Device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 258 ( width ) x 173 ( height ) x 11 ( depth ) mm and mass is 600 g. Battery size is 5800 mAh – this is a very good value for tablet PCs.

Package contains : Oysters T104 WSi tablet PC itself, USB cable, recharger, warranty card and user’s guide. Tablet is very good : has large IPS screen, Windows 10 OS, 5800 mAh battery and powerful system and costs around 120 – 130 USD. There is need to note, that for 2 times smaller sum there is ability to buy 8″ IPS Windows and Android tablet PCs with approximately the same other features and 2 times smaller mass.

ESI Dr. DAC nano – mini USB audio interface for analogue signal output and conversion into optical one

One of the smallest devices of ESI company is a Dr. DAC nano – USB audio interface for analogue signal output or conversion into digital optical with support of 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample work modes. On frontal panel of device there is combined 1/8″ mini jack connector for analogue or digital optical S/PDIF signals output; on back panel there is Mini USB port for connection with computer and powering. In interface there are : DAC AKM AK4421 with support of 192 kHz and 24 bits internal work mode and 103 dB dynamic range; headphones amplifier Analog Devices AD8397; and solid tantalum electrolytic capacitors. Device works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X without additional drivers with Plug and Play, also for it drivers are released for Windows with support of ASIO 2.0 interface, via which it can work with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others.

USB audio interface ESI Dr. DAC nano ( back panel )

ESI Dr. DAC nano can power headphones with 16 – 300 Ohms impedance; its sizes are 60 ( depth ) x 45 ( width ) x 17 ( height ) mm. Package contains : ESI Dr. DAC nano audio interface itself, USB cable, warranty card and user’s guide. For its purposes interface is very good, if it is bought only for compact high-quality audio playback or conversion into digital optical signal; but if it is bought for other purposes also, then it is better to add not big amount of money and buy entry-level studio audio interface of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI itself, M-Audio or other manufacturers production.

Philips SHL3850NC – new 32 mm foldable monitor headphones with active noise canceling

Legendary non-overbranded in headphones area company Philips released new model of its production SHL3850NC – 32 mm foldable monitor headphones with active noise canceling and drivers’ neodymium magnets. They can reproduce sounds in 10 Hz – 22 kHz frequencies range, have 16 Ohms impedance, 30 mW max power input and 105 dB sensitivity. Cups architecture is closed, active noise canceling removes up to 97% of external sounds and is powered from AAA battery, charge of which is enough for 50 hours of stand-by and 40 hours of music playback. 1.2 m cable is connected to one of the cups, it receives signal via 1/8″ mini jack connector. Package contains : Philips SHL3850NC headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all headphones are good, have wide frequencies range, neodymium magnets and active noise canceling; there will be need to look on their price, when they’ll be available in shops : if it will be around 30 – 40 USD, then they can be bought ( however for the same amount of money there is ability to buy 40 and 50 mm monitor headphones without active noise canceling ), if it will be higher, then is there sense to pay such amount of money for active noise canceling?

ZTE Blade Q Lux 3G – Android 4.4 smartphone with 4.5″ IPS screen, 2-cores processor and 512 MB of RAM

Company ZTE recently released new not pricey Android 4.4 smartphone Blade Q Lux 3G with 4.5″ multitouch IPS screen with 480 x 854 pixels resolution, 2-cores processor MediaTek MT6572M with 1 GHz frequency and 512 MB of RAM, which costs around 60 USD. In it also are built-in : 4 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 32 GB max capacity ( larger are, probably, also supported ) and 2 Micro SIM cards slots. Smartphone can work in 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ) and 3G networks, without 4G LTE support; it supports GPS satellite navigation system and proximity, lighting and acceleration sensors.

Smartphone ZTE Blade Q Lux 3G ( back panel )

In ZTE Blade Q Lux 3G two not bad for smartphones of such price cameras are placed : 8 MP main one with LED flash and autofocusing and 2 MP frontal one; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 3.0 ( +EDR, +A2DP ) for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its external panels following are placed : Micro USB port for connection with computer and Li-ion battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headset connector, microphone and speaker and power and volume control buttons. Battery charge is 2200 mAh, which is enough for 16 hours of talking or 308 hours of stand-by time; its body is made from plastic, its sizes are 67.5 ( width ) x 134.5 ( height ) x 10.3 ( depth ) mm and mass is 144 g.

Package contains : ZTE Blade Q Lux 3G smartphone itself, recharger, USB cable, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. For its price – this is a good smartphone, for approximately the same amount of money there is ability to buy entry-level Windows Microsoft Lumia smartphones and Android or Windows tablet PCs with larger screens, powerful systems and ability to be used as phone. So, among them there is need to chose, based on personal taste and convenience of use.

Nektar Impact iX – 49 and 61 keys USB MIDI keyboards with pedal input

Among classical USB MIDI keyboards there are Nektar Impact iX 49 and 61 with according amounts of velocity-sensitive keys and TRS 1/4″ jack input for sustain pedal. There is ability to use for keys one of 4 velocity sensitivity curves or one of 3 fixed values; devices have octaves control buttons, pitch bend and modulation control wheels, one 30 mm slider and 4 transport control buttons. On back panel there are : Kensington Lock slot, TRS 1/4″ jack input for sustain pedal and USB port for connection to computer and powering. They can be connected to Apple iPad via optional USB Camera Kit module.

MIDI keyboard Nektar Impact iX ( back panel )

MIDI keyboards Nektar Impact iX 49 and 61 work in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, Mac OS X and Linux without additional drivers and allow to control modern DAWs ( FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others ) and their VST instruments and effects. Nektar Impact iX 49 mass is 2.2 kg and 61 is 2.7 kg. With devices DAW Studio One Artist is bundled. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Nektar Impact iX 49 or 61, USB cable, optical disk with programs, warranty card and user’s guide. MIDI keyboards are functional, have classical set of controls and adequate price; there is ability to wish for drumpads and powering from power adapter for work with tablet PCs, which are present in other MIDI keyboards models.

Philips Xenium V377 – new 5″ IPS Android 5.1 smartphone with 5000 mAh battery and 5 MP camera

One of the mobile novelties of the end of 2015 year – beginning of 2016 is an Android 5.1 smartphone Philips Xenium V377 with 5″ multitouch IPS screen with Full HD 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, 5000 mAh battery ( which is very good for smartphones ) and 5 MP main camera. In it are also built in : 4-cores processor MediaTek MT6580, working on 1.3 GHz frequency, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD and Micro SDHC flash memory cards with 32 GB max size ( larger, probably, are also supported ) and 2 Micro SIM cards slots. Smartphone can work in 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ) and 3G networks, without 4G LTE support; it has GLONASS, GPS and A-GPS satellite navigation systems.

Smartphone Philips Xenium V377 ( side view )

In Philips Xenium V377 two cameras are placed : 5 MP main one ( which is average for smartphones ) and 2 MP frontal one; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its outer panels following are placed : USB port ( for connection with computer and battery charging ), 1/8″ mini jack headset connector, microphone and speaker and volume control and power buttons. Battery charge is 5000 mAh, which is very good for smartphones, it is enough for 29 hours of speaking and 1152 hours of stand-by mode; device’s body is made from plastics, its sizes are 74 ( width ) x 145 ( height ) x 10.9 ( depth ) mm and mass is 188.5 g.

Package contains : Philips Xenium V377 smartphone itself, USB cable, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is good : with high-capacity battery, large 5″ IPS screen, powerful system and good enough for smartphones cameras, wherein its price is around 130 USD; for smaller sum there is ability to buy similar Windows and Android smartphones and the same way for smaller sum there is ability to buy Windows or Android tablet PCs with larger screen, powerful system and ability to be used as phone. So, here choice is between device’s compactness and battery size between similar smartphones.

ESI U22XT – new USB audio interface from German manufacturer with 96 kHz and 24 bits

Company ESI recently released new USB audio interface U22XT with support of 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample precision. It has 2 inputs and 2 outputs and it is fully powered from USB connection, without need in additional power adapter. On frontal panel there are : combined microphone XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack input, gain control knob and phantom power +48 V switch for it; instrumental Hi-Z TRS 1/4″ jack input and gain control knob; inputs for use selector microphone/instrumental/both, clip indicators and mix control knob; main outputs volume control knob, power indicator and TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones output with volume control. On back panel there are : 2 RCA outputs ( left and right ), inputs selector frontal/back panel; TRS 1/4″ jack balanced left and right linear outputs; Kensington Lock port and USB 2.0 connector for communication with computer and powering.

USB audio interface ESI U22XT ( back panel )

Dynamic range of analogue to digital conversions of ESI U22XT is 102 dB, digital to analogue : 108 dB; for device drivers are released for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 with support of ASIO 2.0, MME, WDM and DirectSound ( +DirectWIRE ) interfaces; in Mac OS X it works without additional drivers with support of Core Audio interface; through them it interacts with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. After device connection and its drivers setup its parameters can be controlled through U22 XT Control Panel program, which allows to set separately recording and playback channels volume levels and mute them, if needed. Also it can set latency ( buffer size ) and DirectWIRE connections, which allow to route sound signals between different analogue and program connectors and interfaces.

With device programs Image-Line Deckadance LE and DAW Bitwig 8-Track are supplied. First of them is a DJs’ console and mixer, which can work as stand-alone program and as VST plugin with connection to DAW or other program. Second of them is entry-level DAW, which allow to work with sounds and MIDI notes on up to 8 tracks with ability to record analogue audio and connect different VST instruments and effects. Also it has sounds and presets, selected from professional Bitwig Studio Library, and supports automation and built-in Open Controller Scripting API for advanced control and processing. Bitwig 8-Track is a simplified version of Bitwig Studio and takes 5 GB of disk space, it downloads additional modules from Internet during setup. ESI U22XT’s sizes are 17.5 ( width ) x 12 ( depth ) x 4.5 ( height ) cm and mass is 0.75 kg, its body is made from polished aluminum with beautiful and offbeat for ESI scarlet color.

Package contain : ESI U22XT audio interface itself, USB-cable, disks with drivers and software, warranty card and user’s guide. Interface is good with characteristics, ports and their amount on the level of small studio; there is ability to anticipate adequate price for device, because ESI usually does not overprice its devices, the same way as Steinberg and Behringer do; while Focusrite, Roland and M-Audio can set high price for their devices.

Company ESI was founded in Germany in 2006 year, mainly it produces audio interfaces, loudspeakers and other sound equipment. Its products are notable for high quality and acceptable prices, currently offices and facilities of company are located in a couple of countries of the world.

JVC HA-SR225 – new 30 mm on ears headphones with microphone and 10 Hz – 24 kHz sound

One of the novelties, released by JVC company at the beginning of year, are on ears headphones HA-SR225 with 30 mm membranes, microphone and ability to reproduce 10 Hz – 24 kHz sound. Membranes are moved by neodymium magnets, their sensitivity is 103 dB/mW, impedance 32 Ohms and maximal input power is 500 mW. To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector, in its volume control module with microphone remote answer button is built in, compatible with Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad, Android and BlackBerry. Headphones mass without cable accounting is 128 g, they are supplied in 4 colors variants : blue, black, maroon-pink and white; device is 2-ways foldable : compact mode and flat one. Package contains : JVC HA-SR225 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, headphones are good, with wide frequencies range, neodymium magnets and built-in microphone, their price is 20 – 30 USD and it is adequate to their functions; however for approximately the same amount of money there is ability to buy larger 40 and 50 mm headphones of other manufacturers, so here is the choice between compactness and lightness from one side, and better basses reproduction from the other.

LG K10 K410 – 5.3″ Android 5.0 smartphone with 8 MP camera, 4-cores CPU and 1 GB of RAM

Company LG recently released new smartphone with slightly strange name K10 K410, with 5.3″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 1280 × 720 pixels resolution, 8 MP main camera, 4-cores processor, working on 1.3 GHz frequency, and 1 GB of RAM. In it also following are built in : 16 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via flash memory cards with 32 GB max capacity ( larger cards are, probably, also supported ), 2 SIM cards slots and GPS and A-GPS satellite navigation. Smartphone supports 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ) and 3G networks, without 4G support.

In LG K10 K410 two relatively good for smartphones cameras are placed : 8 MP main one and 5 MP frontal one with support of photos and videos recording via hands gestures; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct ) and Bluetooth 4.1 LE connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its external panels following are placed : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection with computer and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headset connector and microphone and speaker. Device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 74.8 ( width ) x 146.6 ( height ) x 8.8 ( depth ) mm and mass is 140 g; smartphone is released in 2 colors variants : blue indigo and white; battery charge is 2300 mAh, which is not much for smartphones.

Package contains : LG K10 K410 smartphone itself, USB cable, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all smartphone is good, its price is around 200 USD, mainly it is due to functional for smartphones cameras, large screen and powerful system. There is need to note, that there is ability to buy smartphones with simillar characteristics, but not so advanced cameras for much smaller price; and for smaller price there is ability to buy Windows and Android tablet PCs with ability to be used as phone, larger screens and powerful system.

Audio interface Behringer FIREPOWER FCA1616 – heavy studio artillery from Behringer

Company Behringer is one of the leaders in sound studio equipment production, as in overall quality level, so in value/price level, among its audio interfaces there are very professional devices, designed for work in large studios, for example, Behringer FIREPOWER FCA1616. Device can work with 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample, supports connection with computer via USB and Firewire interfaces, it has 16 inputs and 16 outputs and to its microphone inputs MIDAS preamplifiers are connected. On frontal panel of audio interface following are placed : 4 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone/instrumental Hi-Z inputs; gain control knobs and instrumental mode, compressor, +48 V phantom power and PAD function switches with indicators for all of these inputs; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones outputs with volume control knobs, mono mode switch and source selector for second input with indicators; inputs and outputs work lights, digital and analogue inputs mixing balance knob, outputs volume controller with channels selector for it with LED activity light; and indicators of power, USB or Firewire connection, digital inputs and outputs, MIDI input and output and work of coaxial, optical, ADAT and S/MUX connections with digital interface selector. On its back panel there are : power adapter input; Kensington Lock slot; MIDI input and output; USB and Firewire ports; digital optical and coaxial inputs and outputs; 8 TRS 1/4″ jack linear balanced outputs ( 1st and 2nd are main ones ); 8 TRS 1/4″ jack Inserts ports; and 4 the same type balanced linear inputs.

Audio interface Behringer FIREPOWER FCA1616 ( back panel )

Dynamic range of frontal inputs of Behringer FIREPOWER FCA1616 is 102 dB, impedance is 1 MOhm in instrumental mode and 3 kOhms in microphone mode, with +18 – +60 dB amplification and maximal input signal level 14 dB; inputs on back panel has following characteristics : 100 dB dynamic range, 47 kOhms impedance, 14 dB maximal input signal; Inserts : 47 kOhms impedance and 21 dB maximal input signal; analogue outputs : 200 Ohms impedance, 8 dB balanced maximal output signal; headphones outputs : 10 Ohms impedance and 22 dB maximal signal level. Device has 20 W max power consumption; its body is made from aluminum, its sizes are 50 ( height ) x 482.6 ( width ) x 161 ( depth ) mm and mass is 1.8 kg. For Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 for audio interface drivers are released with ASIO 2.0 interface support, in Mac OS X it works without additional drivers with Core Audio interface support, via which it interacts with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. After purchase there is ability to download from manufacturer’s site DAW Tracktion and large amount of VST instruments and effects and sounds samples.

Package contains : Behringer FIREPOWER FCA1616 audio interface itself, USB and Firewire cables, disks with drivers and software, warranty card and user’s guide. Audio interface is great and it is designed for work in large studios, for them it is one of the best devices. For small studios such large amount of connectors is not needed and there is ability to buy audio interfaces with smaller connectors amount and price and the same level of components quality of Steinberg, Behringer itself, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production.

Tag: Electronics