Reviews | Imagination Works

KENEKSI Helios – 5.5″ IPS Android 5.1 smartphone with metallic body and tough glass for 120 USD

Chinese company KENEKSI introduced new Android 5.1 smartphone Helios with 5.5″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 720 × 1280 pixels resolution, metallic body and tough glass. In it following are built-in : 4-cores processor Media Tek MT6735 MP, working on 1 GHz frequency, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards and 2 SIM cards slots. It supports 2G ( GSM 900 and 1800 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks and GPS + A-GPS satellite navigation, in it lighting, proximity and acceleration and gravitation sensors and fingerprints scanner are built-in.

Smartphone KENEKSI Helios ( back panel )

In KENEKSI Helios two average for smartphones cameras are placed : 8 MP main one with autofocusing and flash 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 external panels following can be found : Micro USB port for connection with computer and battery charging, 1/8 mini jack headsets and headphones connector, microphone and speaker, flashlight and power and volume control buttons. Smartphone supports FM radio broadcasts receiving; its body is made from metal, its sizes are 152.9 ( height ) × 77.4 ( width ) × 7.6 ( depth ) mm and mass is 153 g; it is supplied in 2 colors variants : black and gold. Li-ion battery capacity is 2650 mAh : this is enough for 300 hours in stand-by mode and 13 hours of talking, these are average values for smartphones.

Package contains : KENEKSI Helios smartphone itself, USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is good and is notable with its large screen, metallic body and tough glass in a first place, its other characteristics are also good, and with 120 USD price this is a very good and competitive device, which can occupy first places among other Android and Windows smartphones in value/price ratio respect.

Into the West ( The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER

… What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home …

Today we will talk about creation of variation of composition Into the West from The Lord of the Rings film in DAW REAPER. In addition to already confortable FM synthesis and effects we will use VST instruments MDA Piano and DSK Strings and compressor to keep in control dynamic range of main instrument. I took MIDI notes from Internet, thank you goes to their original author; in them there are 13 tracks, with simple MIDI instruments everything sounds more or less good, but with rich in frequencies and movement sounds of DAW there is a mess, so I left only 6 of them. Among them there are : 2 plucked strings instruments ( hybrid synthesizer Xenobioz Funxion with preset Pianoid VeloSens and reverberation effect and it again with Muted String preset and reverberation ); 1 atmospheric and basses instrument ( Xenobioz Funxion + modified preset Flute and DSK Strings with preset Simply Viola, to both of them I applied reverberation, this way one composite sound is produced and it them reflects in the hall, and phaser ); 1 piano ( MDA Piano + preset School Piano + reverberation ); 1 basses instrument ( DSK Strings + Simply Viola + reverberation ); and 1 singing instrument ( Xenobioz Funxion + modified preset Royal + reverberation ). Via this link you can download completed composition in FLAC format and archive with project file and sounds : Into the West ( The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER.

Instruments MDA Piano and DSK Strings in DAW REAPER

DSK Strings generates sound from recorded instruments samples; reverberation is implemented in it in not a best way : when notes are ended and at rapid start of next ones, reverberation does not completes in time and is interrupted with new notes beginning, this creates hearable noise and clips, so it is better to disable built-in reverberation in DSK Strings and use external effect for this. MDA Piano synthesizes sound via FM synthesis, MDA also has VST instruments ePiano and DX10 Synth, which create interesting sounds as well. For reverberation and phaser effects I used VST plugins, which come with ESI sound card : I like them more, there is ability to use built-in in REAPER effects instead of them or download from Internet VST plugins and experiment with their controls.

I did not used drums in this project, because they do not fit to this composition : it is ready and completed without them and they are excessive in it. Also I did not used tracks automation, because it is not needed. Main singing instrument has on 1 – 2 kHz frequencies sounds, which are far too loud, than other sounds, on some notes and start to cut hearing with their loudness; equalizer without automation does not fit well to them, because volume of these sounds is decreased with it in areas, where they are not on the peak. So, I used compressor to them with settings, allowing it to smoothly decrease volume of the peaks and not touch other places of instrument’s playing; all in all it worked out good.

Hybrud VST synthesizer Funxion in DAW REAPER

Then experimenting with balance of instruments volumes, so that they play in symphony and does not try to silence each other, than another small amount of strokes and tweaks and composition sounds, with subwoofer or multi-band speakers or headphones it should be completely good. That is all for today, if you have any questions, then ask them in comments to article. I already know which composition I’ll create next time, see you in the broadcast.

Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE – professional USB audio interface with 192 kHz and 24 bits

USB audio interface Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE

One of the most functional audio interfaces of company Roland is a USB dvice STUDIO-CAPTURE : professional studio interface with support of 192 kHz and 24 bits work mode, 16 inputs, 10 outputs and 12 VS PREAMPs. On its frontal panel there are : 4 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack inputs ( 1 and 2 are instrumental Hi-Z inputs ), state indicators of all 16 inputs of interface with control buttons; preamplifiers control block, consisting of gain control knob and buttons for control of phase, LoCut filter, Auto-SENS function and phantom power +48 V enabling for microphone inputs; compressor control block with enabling button, Threshold setting knob and activity indicator; Direct Monitor control block with enabling button and volume control; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack outputs for monitor headphones and their volume control knobs; display with device’s parameters, buttons for menu control, Direct Monitor volumes indicators and power button. On back panel there are : power adapter input, USB Type-B port for connection with computer, MIDI input and output, coaxial digital RCA input and output, 8 TRS 1/4″ jack balanced linear outputs, monitor XLR outputs ( left and right ) with volume control enabling button, ground connector, 4 TRS 1/4″ jack inputs and 8 additional combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack inputs. All inputs of device are balanced, it is powered from power adapter.

USB audio interface Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE ( back panel )

Noise level of Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE when inputs and outputs are connected is -90 dB, dynamic range of analogue to digital conversion is 105 dB, digital to analogue : 114 dB, these are good characteristics for audio interfaces. Device draws maximum 1.6 A current, for it drivers are released for 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 work with DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Device’s sizes are 284 ( width ) x 162 ( depth ) x 89 ( height ) mm and mass is 1.9 kg, its body is made from aluminum.

Package contains : Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE audio interface itself, USB cable, power adapter, CD-ROM disk with drivers, 2 rack mount angles, warranty card and user’s guides. Interface is very good and functional and delivers for studio all necessary connectors and functions with high components quality; there is also ability to look on top-level devices of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland itself, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production; for small studios there is no need in such amount of connectors and there is ability to buy audio interfaces of these manufacturers with smaller amount of them for smaller price.

Xiaomi Hybrid Dual Drivers – in-ear headphones with 2 drivers types and 20 Hz – 20 kHz sound

Company Xiaomi presented new in-ear headphones Hybrid Dual Drivers, containing 2 types of drivers in each cup : dynamical and 2 armature ones, for more uniform playing of sounds of different frequencies, and supporting playback of 20 Hz – 20 kHz audio. Their sensitivity is 101 dB and impedance is 32 Ohms; to both cups 1.25 m cable is mounted with 1/8″ mini jack connector and microphone and smartphones control buttons in volume control module. Device’s mass is 14 g; package contains : Xiaomi Hybrid Dual Drivers headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are quite good, with 2 types of drivers in each cup for more even amplitude and frequency characteristics, wherein their price is around 14 USD, which is quite good for their functions; also, for the same amount of money in-ear and entry-level over ear headphones of other manufacturers can be bought.

Impression ImPAD 6415 – 7″ IPS Android 5.1 tablet PC with Intel Atom x3 C3230 processor and GPS

Among Android tablet PCs, working on Intel processor, there is a novelty : Impression ImPAD 6415, using Atom x3 C3230 chip with 4-cores and 1.2 GHz frequency, and supporting GPS navigation. In it following are also built-in : 7″ multitouch IPS screen with 1024 x 600 pixels resolution, Mali-450 MP4 graphical chip, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of built-in memory with ability to extend via Micro SDHC flash cards with 32 GB max capacity ( larger ones are, probably, also supported ) and 2 SIM cards slots. Tablet PC can be used as phone, it can work in 2G ( GSM ) and 3G networks, without 4G LTE support; and has GPS satellite navigation and acceleration and gravity sensor.

Tablet PC Impression ImPAD 6415 ( back panel )

In Impression ImPAD 6415 two simple for tablet PCs cameras are placed : 2 MP main one and 0.3 MP frontal one; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n ) and Bluetooth connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its outer panels following are placed : USB port for connection to computer, external devices plugging in and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack connector for headsets and headphones, speaker and microphone and power and volume control buttons. Battery charge is 3000 mAh – this is an average value for tablet PCs, device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 188 ( width ) x 108 ( height ) x 10 ( depth ) mm and mass is 280 g.

Package contains : Impression ImPAD 6415 tablet PC itself, USB cable, recharger, warranty card and user’s guide. Tablet has good enough quality and is different from other entry-level Android tablet PCs only in use of Intel processor, so Windows operating system can be installed on it.

HTC One M9s – 5″ Full HD 1080p Android 5.0 smartphone with 4G LTE and 13 MP camera with HDR

Company HTC presented new top-level smartphone One M9s with 5″ multitouch screen with Full HD 1080p resolution and tough glass, 13 MP main camera with HDR and 8-cores 64-bits processor MediaTek Helio X10 MT6795, under OS Android 5.0 operation. In it following are built-in : graphical chip PowerVR G6200, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via flash memory cards with 2 TB max capacity and 1 Nano SIM cards slot. Smartphone can work in 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; it has support of GLONASS, GPS ( +A-GPS ) and BDS satellite navigation systems and lighting, proximity, acceleration and gravity and magnetic field sensors with gyroscope and compass.

Smartphone HTC One M9s ( black color variant )

In HTC One M9s two good for smartphones cameras are placed : 13 MP main one with HDR support, double LED flash and 28 mm lens with f/2 diaphragm, optical image stabilization ( OIS ) and autofocusing and 4 MP frontal one with HDR, 27 mm lens with f/2 diaphragm and 1/3″ sensor. It supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot ), Bluetooth 4.1 ( A2DP and apt-X ) and NFC connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices; device can receive FM radio signal. On its external panels following can be found : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headset and headphones connector, microphone and speaker and power and volume control buttons. Charge of built-in Li-pol battery equals to 2840 mAh – this is an average value for smartphones; device’s body is made from metal. Its sizes are 69.7 ( width ) x 144.6 ( height ) x 9.61 ( depth ) mm and mass is 158 g.

Package contains : smartphone HTC One M9s itself, USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. It costs around 400 – 450 USD, from one side this an adequate price for its functions, from the other : there is ability to buy Windows or Android smartphone not so oriented on photos and videos making ( because smartphones cameras will not give high quality photos and videos due to small sensors and lenses ) with similar characteristics and good novice or entry-level professional camera with interchangeable lenses and receive much better photo and video quality with all smartphones functions.

Rave La Marseilleise in DAW REAPER : Viva La France!

Lets create today Rave variation of La Marseilleise in DAW REAPER, using the same FM synthesis, effects and tracks automation. MIDI notes I downloaded from Internet, thank you goes to their author; then added to basses accords, so that they’ll sound better and richer, for them I used preset Pentagon of hybrid synthesizer Xenobioz Funxion with effect phaser. For melody I created a couple of instruments and added to all of them small reverberation effect : first one, looking like “Non, je ne regrette rien …” ( Xenobioz Funxion preset Phonetic2 ); other one looking like tensioned string, which is plucked by one hand and being hold by the other, so that sound is short and completes fast ( Xenobioz Funxion preset Muted String ); and third one, sounding like lite electro-guitar ( Xenobioz Funxion preset Uranium ). Via this link there is ability to download completed composition in form of FLAC file and archive with project file and sounds : Rave La Marseilleise in DAW REAPER.

Hybrid VST synthesizer Funxion in DAW REAPER

Then I balanced instruments volumes, so that they’ll not try to silence each other and ‘ll not fight for the first place in composition, but played together; and added to it hasteless drums rhythm of drums and hi-hats, which plays in harmony with basses; added small amount of syncopation. Then I applied tracks volume automation, so that tracks would start and complete smoothly, without abrupt volume changes. Some amount of final strokes and tweaks and composition is ready. If you have any questions, then ask them in comments to the article, I already know which composition variation I’ll create next time, see you there!

Philips SHE3205 – in-ear headphones with 14.2 mm membranes, neodymium magnets and 8 Hz – 24 kHz frequencies

Another one novelty of Philips company among dynamic headphones is an in-ear devices SHE3205 with 14.2 mm membranes, neodymium magnets, 8 Hz – 24 kHz sounds frequencies and open acoustic architecture. Their impedance is 32 Ohms, maximal input power 30 mW and 107 dB sensitivity. To both cups 1 m not detachable cable is mounted with 1/8″ mini jack plug with nickel-plated contacts for connection to sound source, in its volume control unit microphone and smartphones control button are built-in.

Cups of Philips SHE3205 are created with accounting of anatomy of humans ears, which provides their comfortable and tide placement in ears. In each cup there is only 1 driver, in places of mounting to tips cable is additionally reinforced with resin tubes for increased wear resistance and durability during bending and tear-off forces application. They have no active noise cancellation function, as some monitor headphones have; device is released only in black, white and blue color variants. Package contains : Philips SHE3205 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide.

Headphones are good with large membranes, neodymium magnets and wide frequencies range; probably, Philips will not rise their price too much, but there is need to wait for their appearance in shops to tell for sure : whether they are worth buying or it is worth to look on headphones of other types or manufacturers. At the beginning of August of 2016 year they cost around 22 USD – which is an adequate price for them, however for approximately the same or close money there is ability to buy 40 mm monitor headphones, providing much better sounds frequencies reproduction quality, especially basses; adding acceptable amount of money more, there is ability to buy 50 mm monitor headphones, which are even better in this respect. So, if from device compactness and lightness are not needed, then there is ability to look on this type of headphones.

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.

Lenovo Phab PB1-750M – 7″ IPS Android 5.1 tablet PC with 4G LTE and 13 MP camera

Company Lenovo introduced new tablet PC Phab PB1-750M with 7″ multitouch IPS screen with HD resolution 1280 х 720 pixels, support of 4G LTE networks and 13 MP main camera, under Android 5.1 OS operation. In it following are built-in : 4-cores 64-bits processor Qualcomm MSM8916, working on 1.2 GHz frequency, graphical chip Adreno 306, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash memory cards with 64 GB max capacity ( larger ones are, probably, also supported ) and 2 Micro SIM cards slots. It can work as phone and supports 2G ( GSM ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; in it are built in GLONASS and GPS ( with support of A-GPS ) satellite navigation and lighting, proximity, acceleration and gravity, Hall and vibration sensors and electronic compass.

Tablet PC Lenovo Phab PB1-750M ( sides view )

In Lenovo Phab PB1-750M two quite good for tablet PCs cameras are placed : 13 MP main one with flash and autofocusing and 5 MP frontal one; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 a/b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 connections for data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. It can receive FM radio signal; on its external panels following can be found : USB port for external devices connection and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headset and headphones connector, directional microphone and Dolby Atmos speaker and power and volume control buttons. Its battery capacity is 4250 mAh, this is enough for 20 days in stand-by mode or 24 hours in talking mode; device’s body is made from plastics, its sizes are 97 ( height ) х 8.9 ( depth ) х 186 ( width ) mm and mass is 250 g. It is supplied in 3 colors variants : black, white and blue.

Package contains : Lenovo Phab PB1-750M tablet PC itself, USB cable, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : tablet is good, with IPS screen, 4G LTE, satellite navigation and good for tablet PCs cameras; from the other : its price is around 200 USD, for 80 USD there is ability to buy 8″ Windows IPS tablet PC with more powerful system, but with weaker cameras and without satellite navigation, and for smaller sum there is ability to buy 7″ IPS Android tablet PCs with approximately the same characteristics and only weaker cameras. So, is there sense to pay for cameras of tablet PCs which will not give high quality videos and photos due to small sensors and lenses, when there is ability to buy with tablet PC good novice camera or entry-level professional one with interchangeable lenses?

M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 – miniature MIDI keyboard with powering from USB and good package of controls

MIDI keyboard M-Audio Keystation Mini 32

Among M-Audio MIDI keyboards there are very little devices, for example, Keystation Mini 32 – keyboard with 32 velocity sensitive keys, powering from USB and good set of controls. Among them : volume control knob, buttons Sustain, edit, octaves control ( they can be programmed for other uses ) and modulation and pitch control. On its side there is Mini USB port for connection to computer and powering. Device works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X without additional drivers and allows to record MIDI notes in DAW ( Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others ) and control VST instruments and effects. Its sizes are 418 ( width ) x 105 ( depth ) x 19.8 ( height ) mm and mass is 0.45 kg.

MIDI keyboard M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 ( top view )

M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 can be connected to iOS devices via additional Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit. With it AIR Music Technology Ignite, 275 instruments’ sounds and DAW Ableton Live Lite are supplied. Package contains : M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 keyboard itself, USB cable, disks with programs, warranty card and user’s guide. MIDI keyboard is good : has 32 keys, compact sizes with powering only from USB connection and good set of controls; there is ability to wish for modulation and pitch bend wheels, instead of buttons, drumpads and larger set of controls, however this will dissonate with its compactness. Also it worth noting, that for the same amount of money there is ability to buy larger and more functional MIDI keyboards, including ones with powering from adapter for work with tablet PCs; so, here is the choice between compactness and functionality.

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