Company JVC released new sportive in-ears headphonesHA-EBR25 with 13.5 mm membranes, 16 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, microphone and neodymium magnets. Their maximal input power is 200 mW, mass is 13 g, without wire accounting; manufacturer does not tell anything about their impedance and sensitivity; cable with 1.2 m length is mounted to both cups, it is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts, compatible with Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad, as well as with Android and BlackBerry mobile devices.
Headphones JVC HA-EBR25
JVC HA-EBR25 have ears band with adjustable size, protected from sweat and moisture, which is useful for sports exercises, and have microphone and mobile devices control button, built into volume control module. They are released in 4 colors variants : white, blue, black and red; package with JVC HA-EBR25 contains : warranty card and user’s guide. Their price is around 26 USD, which is adequate to their functions; but, in the same time, there is ability to buy similar in-ears headphones cheaper and, by adding small sum, there is ability to buy 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones, providing better sound quality, if compactness is not needed.
Xiaomi acts big and releases Android 6.0 smartphoneMi Max with 6.44″ IPS screen with Full HD 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and tough Corning Gorilla Glass 4, 4G LTE, 16 MP main camera and 4850 mAh battery. From other modules it has : 8-cores processor Qualcomm MSM8976 Snapdragon 652 or 6-cores Qualcomm MSM8956 Snapdragon 650, depending on modification; 3 or 4 GB of RAM; graphical chip Adreno 510; 32, 64 or 128 GB of on-board memory, also depending on modification; bay for Micro SD flash cards with 200 GB max size; and 2 Nano SIM cards slots. Smartphone can work in 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 and CDMA 800 and 1900 ), 3G ( HSDPA 850, 900, 1900 and 2100, CDMA 2000, 1xEV-DO and TD-SCDMA ) and 4G LTE ( 2100, 1800, 2600, 1900, 2300 and 2500 ) networks, supports GLONASS, GPS+A-GPS and BDS satellite navigation and contains acceleration and proximity sensors, gyroscope, electronic compass and fingerprints scanner.
Smartphone Xiaomi Mi Max
Xiaomi Mi Max has 2 very good for smartphones cameras : 16 MP frontal one with autofocusing, HDR and double LED flash, as well as 5 MP frontal one; it supports Full HD 1080p and HD 720p video recording with frame rate up to 120 per second. Smartphone can establish wireless connections Wi-Fi ( 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-Band, Direct, DLNA and Hotspot ), Bluetooth 4.2 ( A2DP and LE ) and NFC for remote data transfers and communications with other devices; also it can interact via infrared port. On its external panels there is ability to find : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer, battery charging and external devices plugging in via OTG and USB Host; 1/8″ mini jackheadsets and headphones connector; microphone and speaker; as well as power and volume control buttons. Xiaomi Mi Max works on MIUI 8 platform, based on Android 6.0 operating system, there is ability to acquire Android applications for it in Google Play, Yandex.Store and other shops.
Mobile device’s sizes are 173.1 ( height ) x 88.3 ( width ) x 7.5 ( depth ) mm and mass is 203 g; its body is made from metal and battery charge is 4850 mAh, which is a good value for smartphones. Package with Xiaomi Mi Max contains : USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is very good : having large IPS screen, operating system Android 6.0, 4G LTE, high-level cameras, powerful system and capacitive battery; it should appear in shops in May of this year, its cost will be according, but, taking into account company Xiaomi prices policy, there is ability to anticipate, that it’ll be one of the smallest among similar to it smartphones.
Company Behringer released new USB audio interface of entry level U-PHORIA UMC22, supporting 48 kHz and 24 or 16 bits work mode ( manufacturer does not tell which precision it supports, but, probably, it should support 24 bits ) and having MIDAS preamplifier, 2 inputs and 2 outputs. On its frontal panel there are : combined XLR/TRS 1/4 jack microphone/linear input; TRS 1/4 jack instrumental Hi-Z input; their volume control knobs with signal and clip indicators; Direct Monitor function switch; outputs volume control; power and phantom pwer +48 V indicators, as well as TRS 1/4 jack monitor headphones output. On back panel of device there are : USB port for connection to computer and powering, phantom power switch, Kensington Lock slot and left and right TRS 1/4 jack linear outputs.
USB audio interface Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 ( back panel )
Dynamic range of Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 equals to 100 dB, all its connectors work only in un balanced mode; audio interface can work in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, accordingly. Which allow it to interact 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 website program for work with sound and more than 150 VST/AU instruments and effects. Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 sizes are 46.45 ( height ) x 163 ( width ) x 125 ( depth ) mm and mass is 0.5 kg, its body is made from aluminum for increased durability and reduced electro-magnetic interference.
Package with Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 contains : USB cable, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side, audio interface is good enough, has entry-level studio characteristics, connectors and controllers and small sizes; from the other side, there are more functional compact audio interface, for example, ESI UGM96. So, this audio interface can be recommended for purchase only, if its price is much less than of competitors; otherwise it is better to look on other entry level audio interface of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio, Alesis and other companies production.
View from 1905 year square, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 year
Yesterday I attended Day of the Victory of 9th May celebration in Yekaterinburg : there were lots of people, especially at morning and daytime. At morning it was quite cool, but on the entrance into city weather became real mayish. In the whole city there were different events and concerts went on, center of Yekaterinburg was closed for cars and was given to pedestrians and bicycles riders. Most of people were located in historical square, central squares and large parks, where concerts went on and on large screen war-times movies were shown.
City Administration building, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 year
First I visited 1905 year square, then rode to Mayakovskiy Park, from it to Black Tulip, after it rode over October Square and then again into CPCaR Mayakovskiy. There are places, where I can ride on the bicycle and for a whole day concerts went on. I wished to stay till evening and look on the fireworks, but closer to 8 p.m. o’clock and sunset it started to be colder and inner felling suggested to me, that at evening and closer to night it will be even colder and in light clothes on high speed, especially away from city and in a low-altitude areas, it’ll be real cold. If I’ll stay till fireworks, then on the way to home at night beginning I’ll complete freeze, so at 8 o’clock before sunset I rode to home, receiving holiday impressions and positiveness and cheerfulness charge till next event.
Main city dam, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 year
At evening temperature fell down quite strong and on high speed in low-altitude areas of Polevskoy highway hands were blown by wind quite strong. All in all I arrived at home without problems, but next time in such rides, when closer to evening and beginning of night it will be still ( or already ) cold, I’ll take with me additional warm clothes. Now I’ll more frequently visit Yekaterinburg and will use these days for a full extent – its enough from me of loneliness in the mountains, I received, what I rode there for, periodically I’ll continue to ride to mountains to stay in fit, but I’ll not invest my whole life into loneliness in wilderness. Mainly it’s better to be closer to civilization and society. This is all for today, stay in the broadcast.
Central street of city, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 yearCity founder monument Tatischev and de Genin, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 yearBalloon, flying into sky, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 yearBlack Tulip, Yekaterinburg, Day of the Victory celebration at 9th May of 2016 year
Iran tells, that it is ready to join to oil production levels freezing agreement, because country reached its pre-sanctions production and export levels. So, now there are no big controversies for this agreement signing and, probably, in close months it’ll be accepted. Ministry of Economical Development of Russia forecasts light industry growth in country on 4 % per year level in 2017 – 2019 years; also it reports, that ruble exchange rate influence on inflation ( 6.5% ) equals to 1.3 – 1.5 %, next year it will be negative and ‘ll be equal to -0.1 – -0.2 %. Foreign investors start to invest money again in Russian economy, because now there are the most favorable conditions for this : economics passed crisis downturn minimum and starts to grow, world economy in perspective promises to be stable and will slowly grow and cheap ruble lowers rent and salary payments. This is profitable to both investors and Russians.
In USA amount of oil and gas derricks lowered to minimum : 415, while 1 year ago there were 894 of them – this way low oil prices and no need of further deposits exploration, because there are enough known deposits for medium term perspective, affect this. Partly because of this oil prices strengthen, which leads to ruble strengthening, in its turn. USD becomes cheaper in comparison to Euro on the background of published labor market statistics in USA. IMF informs, that China now should tighten its monetary politics, instead of softening it, because corporate debt of country equals to 160 % of GDP and further key percent rate lowering with other monetary politics softening measures can aggravate this situation. However China’s economics growth rate lowering is not foreseeable at this time. This is all for today in economical and connected political and society events of this week, follow the releases.
One of the most compact USB MIDI keyboards is a NovationLaunchkey Mini with 25 velocity-sensitive keys, 16 velocity-sensitive drumpads with color backlight, 8 knobs and other controllers. It also has : 2 octaves control buttons, 2 tracks selectors, 2 navigation buttons, InControl activation switch and 2 round buttons with color backlight. In addition to them there are Kensington Lock slot and USB port for connection to computer and powering are placed on keyboard.
USB MIDI keyboard Novation Launchkey Mini ( back and left panel )
With Novation Launchkey Mini DAWAbleton Live Lite 9 and program Novation Launchpad are supplied; it can be connected to Apple iPhone and iPad devices via Camera Connection Kit or USB Camera Adapter. MIDI keyboard is powered only from USB port; and can work in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X and integrate with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others, and their VST/AU instruments and effects. Its sizes are 325 ( width ) x 175 ( depth ) x 43 ( height ) mm. Package with Novation Launchkey Mini contains : USB cable, disks with drivers and programs, warranty card and user’s guide.
MIDI keyboard is very compact and at the same time has large amount of controls, which not many larger MIDI keyboards have. But it has its own minuses : it has no modulation control and pitch bend wheels; it is powered only from USB port and has no power adapter input, so it will draw charge from tablet PCs and notebooks batteries; also 25 keys can become not enough for professional work over time. However, in the role of compact and mobile device Novation Launchkey Mini can be very good, especially if its price in shops is lower than of similar competitors.
Lets look on top-level class of professional studio monitor dynamic headphones and meet with 53 mm Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z, having 5 Hz – 45 kHz sounds frequencies playback support, titanium cups, 2000 mW maximal power input and closed acoustic architecture. Their sensitivity is 101 dB/mW, impedance is 44 Ohms, mass is 294 g; speakers baffle is made from magnesium alloy for resonance reduction, cable with 3 m length is mounted to both cups, is not detachable and is connected to sound source via TRS 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts, left and right channels have separate grounds, which many other headphones do not have.
Monitor headphones Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z
Inside of Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z there is a magnetic system German Permendur, coils are wound with use of OFC-7N wire for mass reduction and better signal transmittance, magnets’ yoke is made of pure iron, PCB of headphones is located in their top part for better air circulation inside them – all this together allows to much better and loudly reproduce all sounds frequencies. In each cup there is only 1 audio emitter; headphones are produced with use of Double Air Damping System ( D.A.D.S ) technology, increasing quality and loudness of basses reproduction due to their resonance inside cups; they are released only in silver-black color variant. Device has no active noise-cancellation function, like some other monitor headphones do, however they have very good external sounds isolation. Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z have no smartphones and volume control buttons and microphone.
Headband of Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z has auto-adjustment system to different sizes of heads of different users, earpads are made from soft material for comfortable listening over long time. Manufacturer also tells about implementation of different other techniques for increased amplitude-frequency characteristic uniformity. Package with Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z contains : screw on adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack connector, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great and aimed for professional studio use, they have according characteristics and will have according price at time of appearance in shops : > 680 USD. For high quality sounds and music playback such characteristics are not needed and there is ability to buy much cheaper consumer level or studio entry-level 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with good characteristics.
If from headphones compactness and small mass are needed in the first place, then there is ability to look on in-ears headphones, which do not reproduce audio frequencies as good, as monitor ones do, but they cost much less and have small sizes, are light and comfortably place inside ears. Which is especially important during sportive exercises and trainings, also wire of such headphones often has slider and clip, to prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.
There is also need to note, that Audio-Technica – is a Japanese company, established in Tokyo in 1962 year, as phonographs cartridges producer. Then it started to develop and introduced among its products microphones and headphones, among which now there are wired and wireless models. At current moment it is one of the leading foreign consumer sound electronics and government organizations devices supplier in USA. And in the country of a rising Sun audio devices are usually made with high quality of components and assembling.
Company M-Audio presented its new USB audio interfaceM-Track Eight with 24 bits and 96 kHz work mode support, 8 inputs and dynamic range up to 113 dB. On its frontal panel there are : 2 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone/linear/instrumental Hi-Z inputs; screen, showing inputs signal levels with clip indication, volume controls for inputs 1 – 8 and instrumental work mode switches for inputs 1 – 2; phantom power +48 V enabling buttons; Direct Monitor work mode switch, monitor outputs volume control and TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones outputs ( 1 and 2 ) with channels selectors and volume controls. Additionally there are main outputs volume control knob, power button and mono mode and additional control buttons. On back panel of audio interface there are placed : USB port for connection to computer; power adapter input; grounding connector; monitor TRS 1/4″ jack analogue outputs ( 1 and 2 ); 8 analogue outputs of the same type; and 6 more combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone/linear inputs.
USB audio interface M-Audio M-Track Eight ( back panel )
All analogue inputs and outputs of M-Audio M-Track Eight can work in balanced mode, except of instrumental mode of first 2 inputs; analogue inputs are connected to Octane Preamplifiers. Microphone inputs have 111 dB dynamic range, 111 dB signal to noise ratio and THD+N of 0.002 %; for linear inputs these parameters are equal, accordingly, to : 112 dB, 111 dB and 0.002 %; and for instrumental inputs : 112 dB, 111 dB and 0.001 %. Monitor outputs have dynamic range of 112 dB and THD+N 0.003 %; linear outputs have the same parameters equal to 113 dB and 0.004 %, accordingly. Device draws 19 V and 2.37 A current, its body is made from aluminum, sizes are 483 ( width ) x 150 ( depth ) x 43 ( height ) mm and mass is 1.98 kg.
M-Audio M-Track Eight works in Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 via special drivers and in Mac OS X 10.7.5 and newer without additional drivers via Plug and Play, with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, accordingly. Through which it interacts with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. With device programs DAWCubase 7 LE and VST/AUWaves Plugin Bundle ( AudioTrack, Eddie Kramer Effect Channel, TrueVerb, L1 Ultramaximizer and Manny Marroquin Delay ) are supplied.
Package with M-Audio M-Track Eight contains : USB cable, power adapter, disks with drivers and programs, warranty card and user’s guide. Audio interface is aimed for professional work in large studios and has large connectors and functions amounts and high characteristics, its price at the time of appearance in shops will be according. For high quality sounds and music reproduction or work in small or medium studios there is ability to buy much cheaper entry and middle level USB audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio, Alesis and other companies production.
Company Audio-Technica released new very professional 53 mm dynamic monitor headphonesATH-A1000Z with 5 Hz – 43 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, 2000 mW max input power, 101 dB/mW sensitivity and closed acoustic architecture. Impedance of headphones is equal to 44 Ohms, mass is 265 g; cable with 3 m length is attached to both cups, in it left and right channels have separate grounds, in contrast to many other headphones, it is connected to sound source via TRS 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts and is not detachable. Manufacturer tells, that there are additional techniques implemented to make amplitude frequency characteristic more even; cups bodies are made from aluminum for reduced chatter during audio playback.
Monitor headphones Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z
Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z are not foldable and have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones do, but they have good isolation from external sounds; each cup has only 1 audio emitter. Coils of drivers are wound with use OFC-7N wire for mass reduction and better signal transmittance, yoke of magnet is made from pure iron, which allows to reproduce sounds with higher quality. PCB of Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z is located in their top part, which allows air to move more freely in cups and also increases quality of reproduction of audio frequencies. Device uses technology Double Air Damping System ( D.A.D.S ), increasing quality and loudness of basses reproduction due to their resonance inside of headphones. Headband and cups are covered with soft material for comfortable wearing during long-time listening; they have no built-in microphone and smartphones and volume control buttons.
Headband of Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z has auto fit mechanism for comfortable use by users with different head sizes; headphones are supplied only in crimson color variant. Package with Audio-Technica ATH-A1000Z contains : screw-on adapter to TRS 1/4″ jack plug also with gold-plated contacts, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are very professional : they have large membranes, very wide reproducible sound frequencies range, very high max input power and good sensitivity, their price is according : goes up to 680 USD. For their characteristics, they are not overpriced, because headphones are oriented for very professional studio application; but they are not needed for simple high quality audio and music reproduction : for this purpose there is ability to buy much cheaper consumer level or professional studio entry level 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones with good characteristics. If compactness and small mass of device is needed the most, then there is ability to buy much cheaper in-ears headphones, which do not provide the same quality of sounds frequencies reproduction, as monitor headphones, but they are very light, comfortable and have small sizes. Which is very important during sportive exercises and trainings; also cable of such headphones often has slider and clip, which prevent its tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.
There is also need to note, that Audio-Technica – is a Japanese company, established in Tokyo in 1962 year, as phonographs cartridges producer. Then it started to develop and introduced among its products microphones and headphones, among which now there are wired and wireless models. At current moment it is one of the leading foreign consumer sound electronics and government organizations devices supplier in USA. And in the country of a rising Sun audio devices are usually made with high quality of components and assembling.
