Lets look today in audio part on 32 mm monitor headphonesPhilips SHL3065 with microphone, closed acoustic system, 10 Hz – 22 kHz sounds frequencies reproduction support, 106 dB sensitivity and neodymium magnets. Their impedance is 24 Ohms, maximal input power is 1000 mW and mass is 125 g. Cable is attached to both cups and has 1.2 m length, in its volume control module microphone and smartphones call answer button are built-in, it is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector. Headband is adjustable and cups has soft cushions for comfortable wearing over long time. With Philips SHL3065 package contains : warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great, they have high technical characteristics, microphone and smartphones control button; probably, Philips will not set high price on them, so they can be recommended for purchase, when there is need in compactness and lightness with high-enough sound quality. However, when sound quality is main selection criterion, then there is ability to look on 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones.
Lets look today on smartphone LG K10 K430n, working under Android 6.0 OS operation and having 5.3″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 720 x 1280 pixels resolution, 4G LTE, 13 MP main camera, GLONASS+GPS+A-GPS satellite navigation, 2 GB of RAM and 8-cores processor, working on 1.14 GHz frequency, with price around 250 USD. If also has following modules : graphical chip Adreno 306, 16 GB of on-board memory and ability to use Micro SD flash cards with 32 GB max capacity ( with almost for sure available ability to use larger data storage modules ) and 1 slot for SIM cards. It can work in 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G ( 850, 900, 1900 and 2100 ) and 4G LTE ( 2100, 1800, 2600, 900 and 2300 ) networks.
Smartphone LG K10 K430n ( back panel )
LG K10 K430n has 2 good for smartphones cameras : 13 MP main one with auto-focusing and flash and 5 MP frontal one. It supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n ), Bluetooth 4.2 LE and NFC connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices. On its external panels there are : 1/8″ mini jackheadphones and headsets connector, Micto USB 2.0 port for connection to computer and battery charging, microphone and speaker and power and volume control buttons. Battery charge is 2300 mAh, from one side : this is enough for 400 hours in stand-by mode or 15 hours of talking, but from the other : with intensive use of smartphone it’ll not be enough for long-time work; so, battery is one of its weaknesses. Device’s sizes are 74.8 ( width ) x 146.6 ( height ) x 8.8 ( depth ) mm and mass is 140 g; it is supplied in white and indigo-black color variants.
Package with LG K10 K430n contains : USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : smartphone has advanced functions and optimal price for them : 4G LTE, large IPS screen, good cameras, GLONASS+A-GPS satellite navigation, very powerful system and full set of wireless connections; from the other : it has weak battery and only 1 SIM cards slot. So, it can be bought, if its advantages outweight its disadvantages for specific tasks; otherwise it is better to look on other Windows and Android smartphones and choose from them appropriate one.
ADAT audio interface Behringer Ultragain Digital ADA8200
Among the most functional studio audio interfaces of Behringer there is an ADAT-deviceUltragain Digital ADA8200 with 8 MIDAS preamplifiers for analogue inputs and 48 kHz and 24 bits work mode with Cirrus Logic converters. On its frontal panel there are : 8 sets of XLR microphone inputs and TRS 1/4″ jack linear inputs ( both types can work in balanced mode ) with signal and clip indicators and gain control knobs; synchronization mode indicators ( is it master and is it locked ); phantom power +48 V switch button with backlight and power on button. On back panel of device there are : power line input, digital optical ADAT input and output; synchronization connector with work mode selector; and 8 linear XLR outputs, able to work in balanced and unbalanced modes.
ADAT audio interface Behringer Ultragain Digital ADA8200 ( back panel )
Parameter THD of Behringer Ultragain Digital ADA8200 equals to 0.008 %, channels isolation is 87 dB; device consumes maximum 15 W of energy. It can work in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, via which it works with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Body of Behringer Ultragain Digital ADA8200 is made from metal with black and red coloring, its sizes are 44.5 ( height ) x 482.6 ( width ) x 217 ( depth ) mm and mass is 2.1 kg.
Package with Behringer Ultragain Digital ADA8200 contains : warranty card and user’s guide. Audio interface is oriented on use in large studios and has necessary amount of inputs and outputs and high characteristics for this. Small and middle studios can look on cheaper USB audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production with the same high quality components and technical characteristics.
Company Puma presented its new device PMAD6007 – 14.8 in ears headphones with microphone, ability to reproduce 15 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies and protection from moisture for approximately 8.5 USD. Cable with 1.2 m length is connected to both cups, to sound source it is plugged via 1/8″ mini jack connector, in its volume control module microphone and smartphones control buttons are placed; both cups have over ears bands for fixation. Package contains : Puma PMAD6007 headphones themselves, carrying and storage case, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all headphones are good and have great sportive in-ears headphones characteristics for such price. There is also ability to look on other in-ears headphones or, if there is need in sound quality over device’s compactness, then on 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones.
Another one novelty of Lenovo is an Android 5.1 smartphoneA3690 with 5″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, 4G LTE, satellite navigation GPS+A-GPS, 8 MP main camera and Bluetooth 4.0 for 100 USD. It also has : 4-cores 64-bits processor MediaTek MT6735, working on 1 GHz frequency, graphical chip Mali-T720, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory with flash cards slot with 32 GB max capacity ( larger ones almost for sure work too ) and 2 Micro SIM cards slots. It has gravity, proximity and lighting sensors; it can work in 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G ( WCDMA 850, 900, 1900 and 2100 ) and 4G LTE ( 1800, 2100 and 2600 ) networks.
Smartphone Lenovo A3690
In Lenovo A3690 two good for smartphones cameras are placed : 8 MP main one with flash and lens with f/2.2 aperture and auto-focusing and 2 MP frontal one. On external panels of device there are : 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones output, Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer and battery charging, microphone and speaker, as well as power and volume control buttons. It supports wireless connections Wi-Fi ( 802.11a/b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 for remote communications with other devices and data transfers and does not support NFC connections. Battery charge is 2300 mAh – this is a low value for smartphones; device’s sizes are 141 ( height ) x 71 ( width ) x 8.8 ( depth ) mm and mass is 140 g.
Package contains : Lenovo A3690 smartphone itself, USB cable, recharger, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : smartphone is good, with 4G LTE, large IPS screen, satellite navigation GPS+A-GPS, good cameras and modern wireless connections standards and optimal price for such functions. From the other : it has quite weak battery and there’ll be need to recharge it often. So, everybody decide on their own, whether its advantages overcome this one weakness; if there is need in more capacitive battery, then there is ability to look on close Windows or Android smartphones with not very different price.
Among monitor headphones with microphone new device appeared Sven AP-930M with 40 mm membranes, closed architecture, 20 Hz – 20 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range and 95 dB sensitivity. Their impedance is 32 Ohms, mass is 192 g; microphone perceives sounds in 50 Hz – 10 kHz frequencies range, its sensitivity is -42 dB. Cable is mounted to only one of the cups, microphone is located in its volume control module with smartphones control button, to sound source it is connected via 1/8″ mini jack plug; they are supplied only in black and white color variant. Package with Sven AP-930M headphones contain : warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are good enough and do their job, they can be used as headset for phones, for communication in Skype and other voice applications; there is ability to anticipate, that Sven will not set high price for this device. So, if there is need in headphones for doing of set targets, then these ones are quite good; but if there is need in 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones for high quality music playback or professional work with sound, then there is ability to look on devices with higher technical characteristics and price.
Lets start to make small reviews of world economical events to develop in this area and to be in course of things, that happen in it. On this week Ruble continues strengthening relative to USD, Yuan does the same on the funds of Central Bank of China, which invested in economics of country around 22 billions of USD. Due to cheap oil and small revenue from its selling Russia and Saudi Arabia reduce defense spendings, maybe after today’s meeting there’ll be some movements toward agreement about its more moderate extraction, so that its price will stabilize and go to optimal level. Government of South Africa wishes to accept agreement with Russia on nuclear energy development in country, which will be good for its citizens and Russia citizens too. Chinese military forces established first marine forces base in Africa, which signals about increase of interest of one of the economically strongest countries in region; maybe, this will contribute to stabilization of situation on continent and will decrease destabilizing influences of USA on region’s countries. This all for today, next review will be in around 1 week.
Another one novelty of Lenovo is an Android 5.1 smartphoneA5600 with 5.5″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, 4G LTE, 1 GB of RAM, 8 MP main camera, GPS+A-GPS satellite navigation and 3000 mAh battery for 100 USD. In it following are also built-in : 4-cores processor MediaTek MT6735, working on 1 GHz frequency, graphical chip Mali-T720, 2 slots for Micro SIM cards and 8 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via 32 GB max flash cards ( their slot is combined with second SIM cards slot, larger flash drives are, probably, also supported ). Smartphone can work in 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks and has proximity and acceleration sensors.
Smartphone Lenovo A5600
In Lenovo A5600 two good for smartphones cameras are placed : 8 MP main one with flash and 2 MP frontal one. On its external panels following are placed : Micro USB 2.0 port for battery charging and connection to computer, 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones output, volume control and power buttons, as well as microphone and speaker. Smartphone supports wireless connections Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n ) for remote connections with other devices and data transfers and does not support NFC connections. Battery charge is 3000 mAh, which is a good value for smartphones; device’s sizes are 76.2 ( width ) x 152 ( height ) x 8.5 ( depth ) mm and mass is 100 g.
Package contains : Lenovo A5600 smartphone itself, USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all smartphone is good : with large IPS screen, middle performance system, 4G LTE, good cameras, satellite navigation GPS+A-GPS, 3000 mAh battery and very attractive price for its functions. So, if there is need in such characteristics, then this device can be positioned as one of the best in value/price terms; if such functions are not needed, then there is ability to buy cheaper optimal Windows or Android smartphone or tablet PC with ability to be used as mobile phone.
Company ASUS presented new 9.2 mm in-ears headphonesEL33 with microphone, support of 20 Hz – 20 kHz sounds frequencies playback and 103 dB sensitivity for 15 USD. Their impedance is 16 Ohms, cable is mounted to both cups and is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack connector; in its volume control module uni-directional microphone and smartphones control button are built-in. Package contains : ASUS EL33 headphones themselves, interchangeable earstips of different sizes ( small, medium and large ), warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : headphones are good enough and have not very big price; from the other : in-ears headphones will not give high-quality sound due to small membranes and for 2 – 3 times smaller sum there is ability to buy similar devices, which are not weaker, than these ones. So, there is ability to look on other in-ears headphones, if compactness is needed the most, or add small sum and buy 40 or 50 mm monitor headphones, if sound quality is the most important.
The most functional audio interface up to date of a Focusrite company is an Thunderbolt deviceRed 4 Pre with 58 inputs, 64 outputs, 2 Ethernet Dante connectors and 192 kHz and 24 bits. On frontal panel of device there are : 2 TRS 1/4″ jack instrumental Hi-Z inputs; channels selectors; volume control knob of chosen ones; 3 displays, showing device’s states ( volume levels and phantom power +48 V for channels, signal levels of 8 analogue inputs with clip indication, and volume levels of monitor headphones with Thunderbolt connection and time synchronization informers ); 2 TRS 1/4″ jack outputs of monitor headphones, their volume control knob with work parameters changing buttons; and power button. On back panel there are : power line input; 2 Ethernet Dante connections; 4 time synchronization connectors with other devices; 2 pairs of optical digital inputs and outputs; 2 Thunderbolt ports; digital coaxial S/PDIFRCA input and output; TRS 1/4″ jack left and right monitor outputs; 2 Primary Port connectors; 2 combined linear outputs connectors; and 4 XLR microphone inputs.
Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Red 4 Pre ( back panel )
Dynamic range of microphone inputs of Focusrite Red 4 Pre is 118 dB, THD+N 0.0009 %, noise level -129 dB; linear inputs have the same dynamic range and differ only in THD+N, for inputs 1 – 4 it is equal to 0.0009 %, for inputs 5 – 8 – 0.0007 %; instrumental inputs have 117 dB dynamic range and THD+N 0.0015 %. Monitor outputs have dynamic range 120 dB, THD+N – 0.006 %; linear outputs have the same parameters equal to 121 dB and 0.0009 %, accordingly; monitor headphones outputs have 115 dB and 0.01 %, accordingly. Device can work in Mac OS X 10.9 and newer with support of Core Audio interface, via which it interacts with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. For now Focusrite does not tell anything about Windows support for device. With it following programs are supplied : Focusrite Control ( mixer ), VST/AU effects set Softube Time and Tone Bundle ( Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor, TSAR-1R Reverb, Tube Delay and Saturation Knob ) and Focusrite Red Plug-in Suite ( modelling real compressor and equalizer ).
Package with Focusrite Red 4 Pre audio interface contains : Thunderbolt cable, power line cable, warranty card and user’s guide. Device has very high functionality, components quality and excellent characteristics; it is oriented to large studios and is a great solution for them. If there is no need in such large amount of connectors, then there is ability to buy much cheaper entry-level and middle-level audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other companies production with the same components quality and technical characteristics.
