Reviews | Imagination Works

Alcatel OneTouch POP 10 – 9.6″ IPS Android 5.0 tablet PC with 5 MP camera, 4G and 4600 mAh battery

Company Alcatel presented new large Android 5.0 tablet PC OneTouch POP 10 with 9.6″ multitouch IPS screen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, 4G, 5 MP main camera and 4600 mAh battery. In it following are built in : 4-cores processor Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8916, working on 1.2 GHz frequency, graphical chip Adreno 306, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SDXC flash cards with size up to 32 GB ( probably, tablet PC supports larger ones ) and 1 slot for SIM cards. It can work in phone mode and supports 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; tablet has GPS+A-GPS satellite navigation and acceleration and gravitation sensor.

Tablet Alcatel OneTouch POP 10 has 2 good for tablet PCs cameras : 5 MP main one with autofocusing and Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels video recording and 2 MP frontal one. On external panels it has : Micro USB 2.0 port for battery charging, connection to computer and external devices plugging in via OTG cable; 1/8″ mini jack connector of headsets and headphones; microphone and speaker; as well as power and volume control buttons. It supports wireless Wi-Fi ( IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 for remote communications with other devices and data transfers and does not support NFC connections. Battery charge equals to 4600 mAh, which is good for tablet PCs; device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 244 ( width ) x 146 ( height ) x 8 ( depth ) mm and mass is 406 g.

Package with Alcatel OneTouch POP 10 tablet PC contains : USB cable, recharger, keyboard, warranty card and user’s guide. Tablet PC is functional : with large IPS screen, powerful system, 4G, capacitive battery and good cameras; its price is around 130 USD and not too high for its functions; however for 2 times smaller sum there is ability to buy 7″ IPS Android tablet PCs and 8″ IPS Windows tablet PCs, which are close to this one in some respects and weaker in others. So, if there is no need in specific functions of this tablet PC, then there is ability to look on others for much smaller price.

The King of a Golden Hall ( Rohan, The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER

Music from The Lord of the Rings inspires, lets continue creation of compositions from this film with soundtrack “The King of a Golden Hall ( Rohan )” in a DAW REAPER. MIDI notes I downloaded from Internet, thank you goes to their original author, this time in tracks and notes themselves there was almost no need to change anything : everything already worked. Only for main instruments I applied band compressor ( it compresses only part of frequencies, instead of a whole range ) and applied automation to it to switch it on only in needed parts, so that it will not touch areas, which play good without it. In composition there are only 4 tracks : wind instruments ( sampled synthesizer DSK Brass with preset French Horn, low-pass filter to remove high frequency noise and ringing and reverberation ), violin ( DSK Strings with preset Violin and reverberation ), low frequency string instruments ( DSK Overture with contrabass and cello + phaser + small reverberation ) and additional string instruments, playing only in key parts of composition for its strengthening ( DSK Strings with viola and harp ). Via this link completed composition in FLAC format and archive with project file and sounds can be downloaded : The King of a Golden Hall ( Rohan, The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER.

VST instrument DSK Overture and effects ESI Phaser, Reverberation and Chorus and ReaCompressor in DAW REAPER

For reverberation and phaser I used VST plugins, coming with ESI sound card, for band compressor built-in effect of REAPER and for low-pass filter scripted effect of this DAW. All in all creation of this composition is much easier, than other ones : tracks and MIDI notes are of high quality, there is ability to attach instruments and effects, make small adjustments and strokes and composition plays. I did not added drums to it, because it plays without them and they are excessive in it.

Hybrid VST synthesizer Funxion in DAW REAPER

Then small balancing of instruments’ volumes, so that they play together in composition and do not try to silence each other; in this sound track I did not moved instruments in stereo picture, because there are not much of them and their movement would cause emptiness in other channel. Then small amount of listens, render of the project into FLAC file and composition ready. Next time I’ll continue work in this direction and will create variation of other composition, see you in the broadcast.

Alesis V25 – compact USB MIDI keyboard with 8 drumpads

One of the MIDI keyboards of Alesis company is a compact V25, which has 8 velocity and pressure sensitive drumpads. It has 25 full-sized velocity-sensitive keys, 4 assignable knobs and 4 assignable buttons, octaves control buttons and modulation and pitch-bend wheels; all controls, except of keys, have backlight. It is powered only from USB connection, on its rear panel there is also TRS 1/4″ jack sustain pedal input; keyboard works in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.7 operating systems without additional drivers via Plug and Play technology, in which it tightly interacts with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others, and their VST instruments and effects.

USB MIDI keyboard Alesis V25 ( back panel )

With it following software is supplied : DAW Ableton Live Lite 9 and AIR Music Tech Xpand!2. Package with MIDI keyboard Alesis V25 contains : USB cable, warranty card and user’s guide. Keyboard is very compact and has full-sized keys, 8 drumpads, modulation control and pitch-bend wheels and other assignable controls; wherein it has one of the smallest prices among MIDI keyboards, so it can be viewed as entry-level very functional device in this direction.

Huawei GR5 – new 5.5″ IPS Android 5.1 smartphone with 8-cores processor and 13 MP camera

Company Huawei presented new Android 5.1 smartphone GR5 with 5.5″ IPS multitouch screen Full HD 1080p resolution, 8-cores processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939 and 13 MP camera. In it following are also built-in : graphical chip Adreno 405, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in memory with ability to extend via flash cards and 2 SIM cards slots. Smartphone supports 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; it has GLONASS and GPS+A-GPS satellite navigation and proximity, acceleration and lighting sensors, digital compass, magnetometr and fingerprints scanner.

In Huawei GR5 two good for smartphones cameras are placed : 13 MP main one with autofocusing and 5 MP frontal one with fixed focus; it supports wireless Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n ) connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its external panels there are : Micro USB port for external devices plugging, connection to computer and battery charging; 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones connector and microphone and speaker, as well as power and volume control buttons. Battery charge is 3000 mAh – this is a good value for smartphones; device sizes are 76.3 ( width ) x 151.3 ( height ) x 8.15 ( depth ) mm and mass is 158 g; it is supplied in gold, gray and silver color variants.

Package with Huawei GR5 contains : USB cable, charger, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is very functional, with powerful system, large IPS screen and good cameras, its price is around 280 USD, which is adequate to its functions; but there is need to note, that there is ability to buy much cheaper good Windows or Android smartphones and tablet PC or quality photo camera with it. So, everybody decide on their own : whether he or she needs this smartphone and whether it is woth its money.

Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 – Firewire audio interface with 8 inputs, 6 outputs and 96 kHz and 24 bits

Firewire audio interface Focusrite Saffire Pro 14

One of the Firewire audio interfaces of Focusrite company is a Saffire Pro 14 – device with 8 inputs, 6 outputs, support of 96 kHz and 24 bits work mode and 2 Focusrite preamplifiers. On its frontal panel there are : 2 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone/linear/instrumental Hi-Z inputs; 2 their gain control knobs with signal and clip indicators; phantom power +48 V switch for both inputs with indicators of its activity and instrumental mode of both inputs; main outputs volume control knob; power, Firewire connection and device locking indicators; as well as TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones output. On back panel of device there are : coaxial digital SPDIF input and output; power adapter input; MIDI input and output; Firewire port for connection to computer and powering ( audio interface can work in mobile mode without power adapter ); 4 analogue linear TRS 1/4″ jack outputs; and 2 the same type inputs.

Firewire audio interface Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 ( back panel )

Part of parameters of work of Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 are controlled through Saffire MixControl Application; connectors of device have following parameters : microphone inputs ( THD+N 0.001 %, noise level -124 dB amd impedance 2 kOhms ); linear inputs ( THD+N 0.001 %, noise level -90 dB and impedance more than 10 kOhms ); instrumental inputs ( THD+N 0.004 % and noise level -87 dB ); analogue outputs ( THD+N 0.001 % ); channels isolation is a 100 dB. Dynamic range of analogue to digital conversions is a 109 dB, digital to analogue 106 dB. Audio interface works in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, accordingly, via which it works with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. With it following software is supplied : Focusrite VST/RTAS/AU ( compressor, reverberation, Gating and equalizer ), DAW Ableton Live Lite 8, AU and VST versions of synthesizer Novation Bass Station and around 1 GB of free samples Loopmasters and Mike the Drummer. Device’s sizes are 215 ( width ) x 45 ( height ) x 220 ( depth ) mm and mass is 1.5 kg.

Package contains : Firewire audio interface Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 itself, power adapter, FireWire cable, disks with drivers and software, rubber pads for device, warranty card and user’s guide. Interface has high characteristics, wide connectors range and convenient controls, there is also need to note, that among USB audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite itself, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production there are similar and even more functional devices.

Pioneer SE-CL712T – 10 mm in-ears headphones with 5 Hz – 22 kHz and microphone

Another one new device from Pioneer company is a 10 mm in-ears headphones SE-CL712T with 5 Hz – 22 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, microphone and closed-back architecture. Their sensitivity is 105 dB, maximal input power is 100 mW and impedance is 32 Ohms. To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with microphone and smartphones control button, built in to volume control module, as well as 1/8″ mini jack connector with gold-plated contacts. Headphones mass is 4 g ( without cable accounting ); they are supplied in red, white, blue, black and pink color variants; package with Pioneer SE-CL712T headphones contains : 3 interchangeable eartips of different sizes ( large, medium and small ), warranty card and user’s guide. All in all headphones are good, with large membranes for in-ears headphones, wide reproducible frequencies range and microphone; their price is approximately 20 USD, from one side they are not overpriced, from the other : for such money there is ability to buy large monitor headphones and receive better sound, so here choice is between compactness and sound quality.

Sony Xperia X Performance – 5″ TRILUMINOS Android 6.0 smartphone with Full HD 1080p resolution and 23 MP camera

Among top-level smartphones there is a new device : Sony Xperia X with 5″ curved TRILUMINOS multitouch screen with Full HD 1080p resolution and 23 MP camera. In it following are built in : 4-cores processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 200 GB max capacity and 2 Nano SIM cards slots. It supports 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE+LTE-A Cat. 9 networks; GLONASS and GPS+A-GPS satellite navigation; and in it orientation and acceleration sensor and fingerprints scanner are built in.

In Sony Xperia X Performance two very good for smartphones cameras are placed : 23 MP main one ( with 1/2.3″ Exmor RS sensor, autofocusing and image stabilization and 24 mm G Lens F2.0 with f/2 diaphragm ) and 13 MP frontal one ( with 1/3″ Exmor RS sensor, image stabilization and 22 mm lens with f/2 aperture ). It supports wireless Wi-Fi Miracast, Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices. On its external panels following are placed : Micro USB port for connection to computer, external devices plugging in and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones connector, stereo microphone and speaker, as well as power and volume control buttons. Battery charge is 2700 mAh – this is an average value for smartphones; device sizes are 70.4 ( width ) x 143.7 ( height ) x 8.7 ( depth ) mm and mass is 165 g; its body is made from metal.

Package contains : Sony Xperia X Performance smartphone itself, USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is of top-level, it has according functions and price, I personally would not buy such device and would buy instead optimal Windows or Android smartphone + tablet PC + good camera with interchangeable lenses and for smaller sum; but if somebody needs exactly top-level smartphone, then this one quite fits this role.

M-Audio M-Track 2×2 – new USB audio interface with convenient controls and 192 kHz and 24 bits

USB audio interface M-Audio M-Track 2x2 — USB audio interface M-Audio M-Track 2×2

Company M-Audio presented new USB audio interfaces M-Track 2×2 with convenient controls on body and support of 192 kHz and 24 bits. On its frontal panel there are TRS 1/4″ jack instrumental Hi-Z input, phantom power +48 V switch button for microphone input and TRS 1/4″ jack output for monitor headphones. On top panel there are : gain control knobs for both inputs, with levels and clips indicators; main outputs volume control knob; source signal switch Direct Monitor/USB; volume control for monitor headphones; switch on button with power and phantom power indicators. On back panel of device there are : Kensington Lock slot, USB port for connection to computer and powering, 2 main ( left and right ) TRS 1/4″ jack outputs of card and combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack balanced microphone/linear input.

USB audio interface M-Audio M-Track 2x2 ( back panel ) — USB audio interface M-Audio M-Track 2×2 ( back panel )

Device M-Audio M-Track 2×2 can work in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.8 and newer with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, accordingly, via which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. With it following software is supplied : AIR Creative FX Collection ( 20 AU/VST effects ), AIR Strike, AIR Xpand!2, AIR Mini Grand and DAW Steinberg Cubase LE.

Together with M-Audio M-Track 2×2 package contains : USB and USB-C cables, disks with drivers and software, warranty card and user’s guide. Audio interface is quite good, has 192 kHz sampling rate and 24 bits per sample precision and convenient controls, it is designed mainly for independent musicians and little studios. Because this device is new and, taking into account M-Audio‘s pricing policy, there is ability to anticipate high price for device, so there is ability to look on also on studio USB audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio itself and other manufacturers production.

Philips SHL2605 – 32 mm monitor headphones with neodymium magnets and 19 Hz – 21.5 kHz

Company Philips released new dynamic monitor headphones SHL2605 with 32 mm membranes, moved by neodymium magnets, support of sound reproduction in 19 Hz – 21.5 kHz frequencies range, closed back architecture and microphone. Their sensitivity is 103 dB, impedance is 24 Ohms and maximal input power is 50 mW. To both cups 1.8 m not detachable cable is mounted with microphone and smartphones control buttons, built into volume control module, and 1/8″ mini jack chrome-plated plug for connection to sound source.

In place of entering into cups wire of Philips SHL2605 additionally reinforced with resin tubes for increased wear resistance and durability during bending and tear off forces application. It has no clip and slider for tangling and clinging to clothes and nearby objects prevention. Headphones are not foldable, they have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones have; each their cup has only 1 audio emitter. Headband and cushions of device are covered with soft material for comfortable wearing during long-time sounds and music listening; it is supplied only in black color variant.

Package contains : Philips SHL2605 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. These are good headphones with wide reproducible frequencies range, neodymium magnets and built-in microphone, there is ability to anticipate, that Philips will not overprice its device; there is also need to note, that there is ability to buy for adequate amount of money 40 and 50 mm monitor headphones of other manufacturers. At the beginning of August of 2016 year they cost approximately 22 USD – it is quite adequate for them price, there is also ability to note, that if from device compactness and small mass are needed, then there is ability to buy in-ears headphones, oriented for use during sportive exercises and trainings and everyday compact use. Wherein their cable is often equipped with clip and slider.

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.

Alcatel Pixi 3 8.0 – 8″ IPS Android 5.1 tablet PC with 4-cores processor, 4G and 4060 mAh battery

Company Alcatel presented new Android 5.1 tablet PC Pixi 3 8.0 with 8″ multitouch IPS screen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution and 4060 mAh battery. It has following modules : 4-cores processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, working on 1.1 GHz frequency, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 32 GB max capacity ( larger ones are, probably, also supported ) and SIM cards slot. It can be used as phone with support of 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; it has GPS+A-GPS satellite navigation system and orientation and acceleration sensor.

Tablet PC Alcatel Pixi 3 8.0 ( back panel )

In Alcatel Pixi 3 8.0 good for tablet PCs cameras are placed : 5 MP main one and 2 MP frontal one, it supports wireless Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi ( IEEE 802.11 b/g/n ) connections for remote data transfers and communications with other device, without NFC support. On its external panels there are : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer, external devices plugging in and battery charging; 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones connector; power and volume control buttons; and microphone and speaker. Battery charge is 4060 mAh, which is enough for approximately 6 hours of intensive work – these are good values for tablet PCs. Device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 209 ( width ) x 125 ( height ) x 8,3 ( depth ) mm and mass is 340 g.

Package with Alcatel Pixi 3 8.0 tablet PC contains : USB cable, recharger, OTG cable, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all tablet is quite good with large IPS screen, powerful system, 4G and capacitive battery, its price is around 100 USD, which is adequate to its characteristics. There is need to note, that for much smaller sum there is ability to buy Android tablet PCs with simillar characteristics, but with smaller screen and weaker cameras, or Windows tablet PCs with slightly more powerful system, but without ability to be used as phone, without satellite navigation and with weaker cameras.

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