Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Devialet Announces the Most Extreme And Precise Audio Product Ever: “Gold Phantom” with 4,500 Watts Of A/D Power

June 28, 2016 · Paris  Devialet, the worldwide leader in high-end audio – today announced Gold Phantom™, the most extreme speaker ever made, incorporating:
 
  • EXTREME POWER: Maximum volume of 108db SPL – equivalent to a live rock concert - enabled by 4,500 watts of power - equivalent to eight regular Phantoms and an unmatched THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) level of .0005%;
     
  • EXTREME JUBILATION: Physical impact of the deepest basses ever reproduced (14Hz) and the unmatched precision of a new titanium tweeter, up to 27kHz, both driven by a new core ADH® (Analog Digital Hybrid amplification);
     
  • EXTREME SOPHISTICATION: 22 kt Rose Gold-finished exterior highlights;

Gold Phantom now represents the highest-end of the acclaimed range of Devialet Phantom audio products, including the original Phantom (750 Watts, $1,990) and Silver Phantom (3,000 Watts, $2,390). Gold Phantom will be available at a retail price of $2,990, with pre-orders starting today on www.devialet.com and shipping beginning (appropriately) on Bastille Day, July 14, 2016.

ABOUT PHANTOM:
Awarded “Best of CES” from Wired®, Rolling Stone® and USA Today®, the 3000-watt PHANTOM is a compact and beautiful spherical component incorporating 10 years of R&D (with a $30M budget), 88 patents and a team of leading product designers. From sub-bass at 16hz to ultra-sharp treble at 25Khz, PHANTOM creates the ultimate sound with zero distortion, zero saturation and zero background noise through unique Devialet-created technology.

Offering power, precision and unmatched musicality, PHANTOM is the first sub-€2000 sound center that is totally wireless (WiFi and Stereo Bluetooth™) and replaces all other audio components to provide a physical and emotional sound experience like no other.

Capable of reproducing the soundstage and musicality of speakers 20x its size, this is achieved by increasing the maximum air pressure inside the PHANTOM enclosure to the level associated with a rocket launch. By using speakers that are flush with the surface of a perfect sphere, PHANTOM also offers a unique portable design entirely derived from the laws of acoustics and providing a combination of the best music reproduction with an optimal sound directivity pattern.


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Saturday, June 18, 2016

JBL Xtreme Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

It’s summer time! Usually that means it’s time to head to the pool! It is nice to take a dip and cool off, but it’s a lot more fun to hit the pool when you have some tunes. Enter the JBL Extreme. It’s a wireless speaker that is also water resistant, so it’s safe around your pool.

Features and specs:
·         Bluetooth Wireless Streaming
·         10,000mAh high capacity rechargeable battery
·         Speakerphone
·         Splashproof
·         JBL Connect
·         JBL Bass Radiator
·         Audio Specifications
·         Signal-to-Noise Ratio
·          
·         80 dB
·         Frequency Response
·          
·         70Hz – 20kHz
·         Speaker Specifications
·         Transducer
·          
·         Woofer 2 x 63 mm
·         Dimensions
·         Height
·          
·         126mm
·         Width
·          
·         283mm
·         Depth
·          
·         122mm
·         Weight·          
·         2112g

The JBL Extreme came in a nice printed box with photos of the speaker and its specs and features. Opening the box revealed a well protected device held in place in custom sized Styrofoam. Pulling out the speaker, I was extremely impressed! It felt like a Tank, being very well made. It appeared to be mostly plastic with some rubber, and a blue cloth knit kind of cover. Quality of materials used was excellent, as was the fit and finish. It’s JBL’s premium portable Bluetooth speaker, and it shows. The speakers are hidden underneath the blue cloth, except for a passive radiator that can be seen on each end. Also included is the owner's manual, charging cord and shoulder strap.


I love the clean, simple look of the JBL Xtreme. It’s a blue cloth covered cylinder, with the controls on top. Also on top are the loops to attach the shoulder strap for taking the Xtreme on the go. Also on the back are the connections for power, auxiliary in, multiple USB ports, and a service port. All of these connections sit behind a water resistant zipper. It isn’t waterproof, but it appears JBL takes it’s being water resistant seriously.

I also noticed it is a completely sealed system. Pushing in one of the passive radiators caused the other one to push out. JBL apparently cut a lot of thought into its design. After all, the amazing look is not worth much if it doesn’t sound good. But I have a feeling JBL managed to do some audio wizardry in the JBL Xtreme. Let’s see if I’m right.

The JBL Xtreme did not disappoint with its sound!  And syncing it with my HTC One M9 was very simple. It sounded very natural with everything I threw at it.  Journey: Don't Stop Believing provided lots of energy and texture in the vocals, keyboard sounded natural.  Percussion was crisp and the kick drum had nice impact.  Michael Jackson: Don't Stop Till You Get Enough, percussion was crisp and clean with great dynamics.  Vocals were silky smooth with excellent harmonics.  There are A LOT of different instruments in this track, and they all come thru loud and clear. Kick drum had nice impact and low end extension and output.  No Doubt: Hella Good, had very good impact and kick in the kick drum, that played with good authority.  Purcussion was very dynamic and crisp and clean.  Stefani's vocals sounded natural and sexy as they should.  I had to do a double take look at the passive radiators.  They were really working, with in and out excursion.  If I didn't know any better I would think they were actively powered bass drivers.  It provided great bass output for its size.  And to test the other side of the spectrum I turned to Fresh Aire II: Going to Another Place.  The percussion was really crisp with excellent dynamics.  Piano sounded really natural, and the flute was really clean with good air.  Imaging was good.


I'm still floored with the great sound that came out of the JBL Extreme.  It's designed to be outdoor friendly and pool friendly with its splashproof rating.  The included shoulder straps make it portable.  And not only does it get sufficiently loud, it does so with great sound!  JBL also managed to through in some additional great features, like the ability to use it as a speakerphone, and the 10,000mAh battery that can be used to charge your cellphone.  On top of that it is well made to provide years of use.   The $299 MSRP is a good price.  Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Xtreme Portable Bluetooth Speaker has earned our Editor's Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.JBL.com.


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Saturday, June 11, 2016

Prepper Segment Part 4: Enerplex Jumper Slate 10,000mAh Portable Power Bank Review

Last but not least, is the Enerplex Jumpr Slate power bank. Enerplex makes excellent power options for cell phones and tablets. And the Enerplex Jumper Slate has a huge 10,000mAh capacity. For those preppers preparing for the potential crap hitting the fan, this will give you off the grid power for your communications. With its huge capacity, you could charge your cell phone several times.

Features and specs:
  • Dual 2.4 amp outputs allow users to charge two devices, even tablets, at once 
  • Charges smartphones, tablets, cameras, GPS, MP3’s and more. 
  • Binder holes to easily place in folders and planners 
  • Red Dot Design Award Winner 
  • ·         Product Dimensions: 213mm(8.39")/139.6mm(5.47")/6.67mm(0.26")
  • ·         Additional Information: User manuals, data sheets, and other supporting documents can be found in the 'Downloads and Support Tab'
  • ·         Battery Capacity: 10,000 mAh
  • ·         Battery Type: Lithium-Polymer
  • ·         Recharge By: Micro USB
  • ·         Input: Micro USB Port
  • ·         Output:  dual USB Ports
  • ·         Power Output: 2.4 Amps
  • ·         Warranty: 1 Year

The Enerplex Jumpr Slate came in a simple clear plastic box so you can see product. I like the slightly soft finish to it. Materials used in the construction were mostly plastic. Quality of materials used was very good, as was the fit and finish. Also included was a USB charging cable.

I loved the design of the Enerplex Jumpr Slate!   It has a huge 10,000mAh battery capacity, yet it is very thin! There are holes punched through it on its side, so it is perfect for a student to hold it in a 3 ring binder or planner. It can charge a cell phone 3-6 times, depending on the size and battery capacity of your phone. So it is also a perfect item for your bug out bag! Also include one of Enerplex’s solar panel systems, and you have a never ending source of power for your cell phone or tablet.

Using the Enerplex Jumpr Slate proved very simple. There are green LED’s to monitor it’s charging so you know when it’s fully charged. On the one side are all the connectors for the micro USB to charge it, the two USB connecters to chare your devices, as well as the power button and the green status LED’s. It has a high power outputs to quickly charge your devices. Thanks to the dual UBS outputs, you can actually charge two devices at the same time.


The Enerplex Jumpr Slate power bank worked as advertised. And when you think about it, that’s probably one of the best compliments you can give a device!  I was able to charge multiple phones at the same time, and charge them multiple times, confirming the capacity of the Jumpr Slate and getting the full capacity out of it. With an MSRP of $99, it is a great value. It is also an absolute must for any bug out bag.  For the perfect portable device power solution, pair it with one of Enerplex’s portable solar panels. Based on its design features, quality and performance, the Enerplex Jumpr Slate has earned our Highly Recommended Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.goenerplex.com.  


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Prepper Segment Part 3: Eton Field Radio Review

Next up is the Eton Field Radio. It does not have the versatility as the Eton FRX5. It does not have all of the extensive power options as the FRX5, such as solar or hand crank. But it will work on D size batteries, so as the name of the product states, it can be taken out in the field for all of your radio listening needs.

Features and specs:
• AM/FM/SW bands 
• FM with RDS (Radio Data System) 
• Dial-in-dial coarse/fine digital tuning 
• Treble/bass control 
• RF gain control 
• Wide/narrow bandwidth selection 
• 50 memory stations 
• External AM/FM/SW antenna connections 
• Local/DX switch 
• Rich orange LCD display 
• Line-in/line-out and headphone jacks 
• FM telescopic antenna 
• Carrying strap 
• Reset/lock button 
• Power supply: 7V DC adapter or 4 D batteries (sold separately) 
SHORTWAVE BANDS AM 520 – 1710 kHz FM 87.5 – 108 MHz SW 1.711 – 29.999 MHz

The Eton Field Radio came in a nice looking box with photos of the pictures and its features and specs. Opening the box showed a well protected product. Materials used were mostly plastic. But the quality of materials used were very good, as is the fit and finish. It felt in hand like a well made product. Also included was the power cord and owners manual.

Having experience with Eton’s products, I was excited to see how the Field Radio would perform. I was pleasantly unsurprised at the performance of the Eton Field Radio. It performed very well, as is Eton’s reputation for excellent products. I loved the fact that is also has inputs on the back for external FM on SW antennas. So if you’re serious about pulling in those stations and have a roof mounted antenna, it will plug right in.

Even without using an external antenna, the built-in telescopic antenna worked very well, as did the tuner. Living out in the country and surrounded by mountains, radio reception is difficult. It’s a perfect environment to weed out quality tuners from the basic. Stations that typically come in, come in crystal clear. And stations that typically come in, came in crystal clear. And stations that typically don’t come in were able to be tuned in and sounded good.  With the digital display there is even a signal strength meter, so you can see the signal strength of the station you are trying to pull in.

The Eton Field radio also came with the controls to get the best result from your reception, such as a selectable gain, and for the best sound, with adjustable bass and treble. I also like some of the other options, like presets, alarms, and multiple timers. The connectors on the side for a line in, line out, and headphones are also cool.


The Eton Field Radio is a great product. And being able to receive communications from all over thanks to the short wave tuner capability is very cool. For those preppers preparing for a potential time when crap hits the fan, the short wave can provide news from all over so you are in the know.  With an MSRP of $189, it is a good value.  Based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the Eton Field Radio has earned our Highly Recommended award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.etoncorp.com.


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Tuesday, June 7, 2016

HyperX Refreshes Predator DDR4, DDR3 DRAM

HyperX Refreshes Predator DDR4, DDR3 DRAM

Fountain Valley, CA – June 6, 2016 – HyperX®, a division of Kingston® Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced a new fierce look to its Predator DDR4 and DDR3 DRAM. The aggressive design offers greater heat dissipation to optimize reliability while the black aluminum heat spreader and black PCB complement the look of the latest PC hardware.
HyperX Predator DDR4 DRAM delivers fast frequencies and low latencies with speeds up to 3333MHz matched with low CL15-CL16 latencies to keep enthusiasts and gamers in the lead. HyperX Predator DDR3 DRAM is available in speeds up to 2666MHz with low CL9-CL11 latencies for an overall faster system.
HyperX Predator DDR4 and DDR3 is 100-percent factory tested at speed and backed by a lifetime warranty, free technical support and legendary reliability.
HyperX is the high-performance product division of Kingston Technology encompassing high-speed DDR4 and DDR3 memory, SSDs, USB Flash drives, headsets and mouse pads. Targeted at gamers, overclockers and enthusiasts, HyperX is known throughout the world for quality, performance and innovation. HyperX is committed to eSports as it sponsors over 30 teams globally and is the main sponsor of Intel Extreme Masters. HyperX can be found at many shows including Brasil Game ShowChina JoyDreamHackgamescom and PAX.
For more information visit the HyperX home page.
HyperX Predator Refresh DDR4 Features and Specifications:

·         Aluminum heat spreader in fierce new look: The new dense heat spreader in black aluminum provides greater heat dissipation to optimize reliability. The heat spreader and PCB complement the look and design of the latest PC hardware, so you can dominate in HyperX style.
·         Extreme DDR4 performance: HyperX Predator DDR4 complements Intel’s 6 and 8 core processors for faster video editing, 3D rendering, AI processing and of course, gaming. It’s available in speeds up to 3333MHz and 4GB–16GB modules and in certified kits of 8GB–64GB rigorously tested for compatibility and performance.
·         Optimized for Intel 100 Series chipset and X99 motherboards: HyperX Predator DDR4 is designed for compatibility and the highest performance for Intel Core i7 HEDT processors along with the 100 Series Chipset and X99 motherboards. Hand-tuned profiles let users easily overclock and attain higher performing frequencies and lower timings.
·         Lower power consumption than DDR3: At 1.35V for all parts, HyperX Predator DDR4 takes full advantage of the power efficiency brought by DDR4 for lower power consumption over DDR3. Less power draw results in less heat and higher reliability. DDR4 Memory
·         Capacities: 4GB–16GB modules in kits of 8GB–64GB
·         Frequency Speed: 3000MHz, 3200MHz, 3333MHz
·         CAS Latency: CL15–CL16
·         Voltage: 1.35V
·         Operating Temperature: 0°C to 85°C
·         Storage Temperature: -55°C to 100°C
·         Dimensions: 133.35mm x 42.2mm
·         Compatible: with Intel 100 Series Chipset & X99 motherboards
HyperX Predator Refresh DDR4
Part Number
Description
HX430C15PB3K2/8
8GB 3000MHz DDR4 CL15 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX430C15PB3K4/16
16GB 3000MHz DDR4 CL15 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX430C15PB3K2/16
16GB 3000MHz DDR4 CL15 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX430C15PB3K4/32
32GB 3000MHz DDR4 CL15 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black
HX430C15PB3K2/32
32GB 3000MHz DDR4 CL15 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX430C15PB3K4/64
64GB 3000MHz DDR4 CL15 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX432C16PB3K2/8
8GB 3200MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX432C16PB3K4/16
16GB 3200MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX432C16PB3K2/16
16GB 3200MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX432C16PB3K4/32
32GB 3200MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX433C16PB3K2/16
16GB 3333MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 

HyperX Predator Refresh DDR3 Features and Specifications:

·         Aluminum heat spreader in fierce new look: The new dense heat spreader in black aluminum provides greater heat dissipation to optimize reliability. The heat spreader and PCB complement the look and design of the latest PC hardware, so you can play — and win — in HyperX style.
·         Extreme DDR3 performance: HyperX Predator DDR3 complements Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processors for faster video editing, 3D rendering, AI processing and of course, gaming. It’s available in speeds up to 2666MHz and 4GB and 8GB modules and in certified kits of 8GB–32GB rigorously tested for compatibility and performance.
·         Optimized for Intel 9 Series chipset and X79 motherboards: HyperX Predator DDR3 is designed for compatibility and the highest performance for Intel Core i5, Core i7 and Core i7 HEDT processors along with 9 series Chipset and X79 motherboards.
·         100-percent factory tested at speed: To keep you in the lead, HyperX Predator DDR3 is 100-percent factory tested at speed and backed by free technical support and legendary reliability.
·         Capacities: 4GB–8GB modules in kits of 8GB–32GB
·         Frequency: Speed 1866MHz, 2133MHz, 2400MHz, 2666MHz
·         CAS Latency: CL9–CL11
·         Voltage: 1.5V–1.65V
·         Operating Temperature: 0°C to 85°C
·         Storage Temperature: -55°C to 100°C
·         Dimensions: 133.35mm x 41mm
·         Compatible: with Intel 9 Series and X79 chipsets

HyperX Predator Refresh DDR3
Part Number
Description
HX318C9PB3K2/8
8GB 1866MHz DDR3 CL9 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX318C9PB3K2/16
16GB 1866MHz DDR3 CL9 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX318C9PB3K4/32
32GB 1866MHz DDR3 CL9 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX321C11PB3K2/8
8GB 2133MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX321C11PB3K2/16
16GB 2133MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX321C11PB3K4/32
32GB 2133MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX324C11PB3K2/8
8GB 2400MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX324C11PB3K2/16
16GB 2400MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX324C11PB3K4/32
32GB 2400MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 4) XMP HyperX Predator Black 
HX326C11PB3K2/8
8GB 2666MHz DDR3 CL11 DIMM (Kit of 2) XMP HyperX Predator Black 

HyperX can be found on:
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hyperx/videos
About HyperX
HyperX® is a division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world’s largest independent memory manufacturer. Established in 2002, HyperX is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, USA. For more information, please call 800-337-8410 or visit http://www.hyperxgaming.com/.


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