Friday, December 29, 2023

2023 Annual Editor's Choice Awards

2023 has been a bit of a crazy year with the way the markets have been, but it hasn’t stopped companies from bringing out some great quality products.  It’s that time of the year again, for us to reflect back on the best that has come across my desk this year.  Those that have earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  There has been a great variety of products from home audio, car audio, portable audio, as well as gadgets, and even computer products.  This is to further recognize those products, and links to the individual reviews are also provided.

 

Audio-Technica ATH-CK2000Ti IEM

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/04/2023-annual-headphone-shootout-in-ear.html

 

Citizen Smart CZ Hybrid Gen-2 Smartwatch

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/12/citizen-cz-smart-hybrid-gen-2-smart.html

 

Cobra Pro 3000W Professional Power Inverter

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/12/cobra-pro-3000w-power-inverter-review.html

 

Garmin dezl Headset 200 Wireless Headphones

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/03/2023-annual-headphone-shootout-over-ear.html

 

Garmin Tread Audio System

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/06/garmin-tread-audio-system-review.html

 

Image Dynamic ID8 Ultra Low Frequency Subwoofer

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/04/image-dynamics-id8-ultra-low-frequency.html

 

JBL Authentics 500 Home Smart Speaker

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/11/jbl-authentics-500-wireless-smart.html

 

Kenwood Excelon Motorsport XMR-XM500 Marine Digital Receiver

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/07/kenwood-excelon-motorsport-kmr-xm500.html

 

Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX958XR Monitor Receiver

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/01/kenwood-excelon-reference-series.html

 

Kenwood Excelon Reference DNR-1007XR 10.1” Navigation Multimedia Receiver

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/09/kenwood-excelon-reference-dnr-1007xr.html

 

Kicker KPB1 PowerBar

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/04/kicker-kpb1-powersport-review.html

 

Kicker PTRTP 12” Powered Subwoofer Enclosure

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/11/kicker-ptrtp-powered-12-inch-subwoofer.html

 

Master & Dynamic MW75 ANC Wireless Headphones

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/03/2023-annual-headphone-shootout-over-ear.html

 

Nakamichi NDST500A 12 Channel DSP 10 Channel Amplifier

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/05/nakamichi-ndst500a-12-channel-digital.html

 

RBH Signature Reference Series 1212P-SF/R Powered Subwoofer

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/03/rbh-signature-reference-series-1212p.html

 

T-Spec V16 VSW1116  11 Conductor 16 Gauge Cable

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/05/t-spec-v16-vsw1116-speaker-cable-and.html

 

Wāvtech Link1000.1 Mini Mono Amplifier

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/09/wavtech-link-10001-mini-1000-watt-mono.html

 

Westone Mach80 IEM

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/04/2023-annual-headphone-shootout-in-ear.html

 

Withings ScanWatch Smartwatch

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/02/withings-scanwatch-hybrid-smartwatch.html

 

It’s has been a crazy year.  But it has still been a good year, with great products to be had.  These have been the best that we have seen this year.  Thank you all for reading.  There is more to come, so stay tuned for some great reviews to come next year.  And from our family to yours, Happy Holidays!



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Sunday, December 10, 2023

Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid Gen-2 Smart Watch Review

When it comes to making dress watches, Citizen has been making innovative, high quality dress watches for over a century. Their Eco-Drive watches that use light to power the watch is awesome. So it’s no surprise that they also make smart watches. Up for review today is their Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid Gen-2 smart watch, with $425 MSRP.

 

Features and specs:

MODEL: JX2006-52E

MOVEMENT TECHNOLOGY: YF30

Google Wear OS: CZ Smart is powered with Wear OS by Google™ and is compatible with both iPhone® and Android™ phones.

CASE WIDTH (MM): 44

LUG WIDTH (MM): 26

BAND TYPE: Bracelet Stainless Steel

CASE MATERIAL: Silver Stainless Steel

CRYSTAL: Mineral Crystal Impact and shatter resistant

CLASP: Fold Over Clasp with Push Buttons

DIAL: Black

WATER-RESISTANCE: WR [Splash Resistant]

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS: Alarm / Day Date, Calendar, Chronograph / Alarm, Dual Time Zone, World Timer, Backlight, Bluetooth Connectivity, Calendar Event, Notification, Call Connectivity Features iPhone and Android Bluetooth

Vibration Alert: Email

Activity Progress Tracker - track steps, distance, calories burned, sleep, and personal goals

Activity Progress Tracker - track steps, distance, calories burned, sleep and personal goals

Take Remote Photos

Control Music

Volume Adjustment

Ability to track sleep

Digital Display

LCD Display

 

The Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid Gen-2 came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the watch. Opening the box revealed a well-protected watch held in place by custom molded foam. Materials used in the construction was mostly stainless steel, with mineral crystal. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was excellent. Also included is the charging cable and manuals.

 

I love the design of the Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid smart watch. The case is beefy and extremely solid, the quality that Citizen is known for. The face is covered by an attractive yet tough mineral crystal to combat scratches. The band is an elegant looking stainless steel, which unlike cheap bands has a smooth and unhindered movement to the links. The censors are located on the back of the case. Buttons are on the right side of the case, to control the functionality. And there are other bands available, such as leather and silicone, that can be switched out, depending on your preference and wardrobe.



One of the main keys of the design is its hybrid functionality. Most smart watches have the entire watch face as a beautiful color display. But that requires power, which often times needs to be recharged every few days. The Citizen design features analog hands, like the rest of their dress watches. But instead of the power-hungry color display, it features a digital and LCD display. This gets you battery life up to 18 days.

 

For the design, Citizen used the best of both worlds. There are a lot of smart watches to choose from, but most look like just regular cheap watches. Citizen took the look of their beefy and luxurious watches, and added a smart watch to it. Hence, the best of both worlds. You get the smart watch functionality in an excellent dress watch!

 

Whether you are new or experienced with smart watches, Citizen has you covered with smart watch functionality. You get your typical watch functions such as alarm, calendar, chronograph. You also get the smart watch notifications for call, texts, email, etc. Then there is the fitness functionality, such as steps, distance, calories burned, personal goals, sleep, etc. There’s even multimedia features, such as taking remote photos, music control and volume adjustment.

 

Citizen has been innovative in their dress watches with Eco-Drive. The innovation continues with their smart watches. You get traditional smart watch functionality, but through Citizen you will have access to additional innovative and unique functionality. Citizen incorporated technology from NASA and IBM Watson to create a wellness app proprietary to Citizen called YouQ. YouQ basically over around 10 days will learn your awake and sleep patterns. Through the apps AI, the app learns your sleep and awake patterns, and is then able to recommend “Power Fixes” or activities to increase your alertness and reduce fatigue. This helps you be more productive. It’s definitely an innovative feature!

 

Unlike some products, the owner’s manual was easy to read. It was also easy to follow, and therefore installation of the app on my smartphone was simple. And so was pairing the watch to my smartphone, through the app. The Quick Start Guide walked you through it. If anything, the Quick Start Guide may have been a little too simple with not much details that some users may need. It worked for me, and there is the customer service number for those that need assistance. Now that it’s set up and paired with my smartphone and app, let’s see how it performs.

 

Using the app is very simple. Even on the main page of the app, it shows your step count, minutes of activity or exercise, calories burned, heart rate, sleep time and blood oxygen percentage. Tapping on the icons, you can see tracking for each for day, week and month. Through the app you can also set up alarms, change the look of your watch face, set-up notifications, as well as set up your preferences.

 

Through the app, you also set up the watch’s functionality. You’ll need to update your gender, height and age, and weight, so your calorie burning is more accurate. There’s goal setting for daily steps, active calories, active minutes, and sleep time. You can even set up what apps connect to it. Thru the app you can also check that your watch is connected, battery life, and firmware version.

 

There’s a lot you can control and monitor from the app, but you will also need to use the watch itself. To control it you’ll use the three buttons on the right side. And you’ll really want to download the instruction manual. It goes through not only all of the features, it also explains the function of each button for each feature. So downloading and studying the manual is really critical. That way when you want to check a text, answer a call, or control your music, you’ll know how.

 

While these are all great features, there is one area where I feel like Citizen missed the mark. That would be with the SPO2 blood oxygen sensor. It measures your blood oxygen level in a percentage. This is a great tool for sleep apnea. It’s been estimated that approximately 1 in every 15 Americans suffer from a case of sleep apnea. That’s just in the US. You figure that globally, and that’s a lot of people. But only a small percentage get diagnosed. Studies also show that if you have a close family member with sleep apnea, you are at a higher risk for developing it.

 

In the app under SPO2, it shows and tracks your weekly average for blood oxygen percentage. It also shows your daily low, high, and average blood oxygen percentages. This is all great to know, just shy of the mark for sleep apnea. But Citizen seems really close to being a game changer for sleep apnea. The watch is clearly able to take the measurements. If Citizen made a change to the software to show the measurements at the time of the day, it would be more beneficial. You would be able to tell if any of the low readings were during your sleep. You would be able to track how often it happens. And if you need to see medical help for it. The feature works great. But with some tweaks, Citizen could have a real game changer on their hands that could help literally millions!

 

The Citizen YouQ app is also very innovative.  You start using the app by taking some Alert Checks.  You do that a couple times a day for the first 7-10 days until your chronotype is identified by analyzing your natural sleep and activity patterns. Once your chronotype is identified, you will see your energy levels at different times during the day.  The app will not only help show you your energy levels, but also help with energy fixes, ways you can boost your energy.  The app actually works well and is pretty cool.  Doing what I do working from home, it’s not really needed for me.  But I can see that depending on what you do for work, this could be extremely beneficial.  It’s definitely worth using, as it could help.  And I haven’t seen anything else like it before.

 

I absolutely love the look of the Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid Gen-2. It has the elegant and classy look of an analog dress watch with the functionality of smart watch. And it has the excellent build quality that Citizen is known for. It’s a classic example of synergy, where the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Now you can get all dressed up for a night out on the town or wedding with a great looking Citizen dress watch, and still get the vibration on your wrist so you don’t miss that important text. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Citizen SZ Smart Hybrid has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.citizenwatch.com.



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Monday, December 4, 2023

Cobra Pro 3000W Power Inverter Review

When you think of Cobra Electronics, you may think of their radar detectors. But they have also been creating a name for themselves in other car electronics, like dash cams. They also have high quality power solution products. Up for review today Is their best power inverter. It’s their Cobra Pro 3000W. MSRP is $379

 

Features and specs:

Dimensions

Product Depth (in.): 13.07 in

Product Height (in.): 4.72 in

Product Width (in.): 10.47 in

Details

Amperage (A): 26

Features: Overload Protection, USB Port

Frequency: 60

Included: Cord Set, Wireless Remote

Number of Outlets: 4

Product Weight (lb.): 7.83 lb

Returnable: 90-Day

Running Wattage: 3000

Start Type: Remote

Starting Wattage: 6000

Voltage (V): 115

 


The Cobra Pro 3000W came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the power inverter. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product held in place by custom molded foam. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included is the remote controller, power and ground controls, mounting kit, and user guide.

 

I really like the design of the Cobra Pro 3000W. It’s a professional grade power inverter, with enough power to run just about anything. And the remote controller simplifies it’s use. Through the controller you can not only monitor the inverter, it also has fast charge ports. You can quick charge smaller devices such as smartphones or tablets.

 




While the remote controller adds some great useability, the brawn of the inverter is in the main body. It included 4 GCFI outlets, an LED display and comes with 2-gauge power and ground cables. That should tell you most of what you need to know about the Cobra Pro 3000W. It packs a punch. 3000 watts continuous, or 6000 watts peak. That’s enough to power just about anything. Appliances such as a microwave, fridge, or even power tools. No wonder it’s called professional grade!


 

For the installation, the user guide was easy to follow. Not all owner’s manuals are easy to read and follow. This one was. Installation was rather straight forward, and simple. Now that’s it’s installed, let’s see how it performs.

 

There’s not a whole lot to the Cobra Pro 3000W. The large red LED next to the outlets showed the voltage of my truck’s battery. The remote controller in blue LED showed both the input voltage from the battery, as well as the output in watts. The remote controller worked great at charging my smartphone. And the inverter had no problem powering a saw, and an impact wrench. When all is said and done, that’s probably the best compliment that can be given: that it performed as advertised. And that’s just what the Cobra Pro 3000W did.

 

Sometimes we need power on the go. Some of us may need more power than others. And it’s smart to be prepared for what you may need, and the Cobra Pro 3000W will have you covered. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Cobra Pro 3000W has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.cobra.com.






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Sunday, November 26, 2023

JBL Authentics 500 Wireless Smart Speaker Review

There are a lot of speaker manufacturers. Some are better than others, and some are legendary. JBL is one of those manufacturers that have had legendary models. They have tapped into the styling of legendary speakers with the look of the new Authentics Line. Up for review is the new Authentics 500. MSRP is $699.

Features and specs:

 

General Specifications

Sound system: 3.1 & Dolby Atmos Music

Power supply: 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz

Total speaker power output (Max @THD 1%): 270W

Transducer: 3 x 25mm aluminum dome tweeter + 3 x 2.75" midrange + 6.5" subwoofer

Networked standby power: < 2.0 W

Operating temperature: 0 °C - 45 °C

 

Audio Specifications

Frequency response: 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB)

Audio inputs: 1 Audio in, Bluetooth/WIFI, Ethernet and USB (USB playback is available in US version. For other versions, USB is for Service only.)

 

Dimensions

Dimensions (W x H x D): 447 x 240 x 255.7 mm / 17.60" x 9.45" x 10.07"

Weight: 7.8 kg / 17.20 lbs

Packaging dimensions (W x H x D): 515 x 322 x 315 mm / 20.3" x 12.7" x 12.4"

Packaging Weight: 11.4 kg / 25.1 lbs

 

Control and Connection Specifications

USB port: Type C

USB rating: 5V DC, 1A

Supporting ­formats: mp3,WAV

MP3 codec: MPEG 1 Layer 2/3, MPEG 2 Layer 3, MPEG 2.5 Layer 3

MP3 sampling rate: 16 - 48 kHz

MP3 bitrate: 80 - 320 kpbs

Bluetooth version: 5.3

Bluetooth pro­le: A2DP 1.3.2, AVRCP 1.5

Bluetooth transmitter frequency range: 2400 MHz - 2483.5 MHz

Bluetooth transmitter power: <17 dBm

Wi-Fi network: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz/5GHz)

2.4G Wi-Fi transmitter frequency range: 2412 - 2472 MHz (2.4 GHz ISM Band, USA 11 Channels, Europe and others 13 Channels)

2.4G Wi-Fi transmitter power: <20 dBm

5G Wi-Fi transmitter frequency range: 5.15 - 5.35GHz, 5.470 - 5.725GHz, 5.725 - 5.825GHz

5G Wi-Fi transmitter power: <23 dBm

 

The JBL Authentics 500 came shipped in a nice color printed box, with photos and specs of the speaker. Opening the box revealed a well-protected speaker held in place by custom molded cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. But quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was excellent. Also included was the power cord and Quick Start Guide.

 

I love the design of the JBL Authentics 500. For looks, they revived the retro look of the L100 from the 70s. For the sound, they tapped modern innovations, such as use of Dolby Atmos. This also includes a 3.1 design. There is a left channel, a center channel, and right channel. Those three channels comprise of separate tweeter and midrange drivers. The point one of the 3.1 design is the down firing subwoofer. So in JBL fashion, thanks to the 1 inch tweeters, 2.75 inch midrange, and 6.5 inch subwoofer and 270 watts, you will get high quality room filling sound.

 

Most users will use the built-in Bluetooth or wi-fi to access their music. But there is also an ethernet port, so you can actually use a hardwire connection. Through this internet connection, you can also access Alexa or Google Assistant, for use as a smart speaker. Additional input connections are 3.5 mm auxiliary input, and USB.

 

Last but not least, there’s also the JBL One App.  The app walks you thru setting up the Authentics 500.  It was a breeze.  The EQ also worked well, although was much simpler than I would have liked for such a great speaker.  Rather than just bass mids and highs, it would have been nice to have something with more frequency points like a 10-band graphic EQ.  But before I knew it, I was up and listening to music from the Amazon Music app on my phone.

 

All of this design comes together in a synergy for an excellent smart speaker. You get solid smart speaker connectivity thanks to the Ethernet port.  Separate tweeter, midrange, and subwoofer ensures your music will sound amazing, and it’s 270 watts makes sure its room filling. Its multiple inputs makes sure the source of your music isn’t limited. And the app lets you tailor the sound to your liking. And connecting the JBL Authentics 500 to my home network was simple. Now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Given us being in the Holiday season, I turned to some of my favorite Christmas music from one of my favorite bands Manheim Steamroller.

Deck the Halls:  cymbals were really crisp and clean with very good resolution.  Snare drum was very dynamic. Bass drum had very good low-end extension and played with authority.  Horns were silky smooth with excellent harmonics without being too brassy. Strings were also smooth like honey with good resolution of the bow.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman:  tambourine was extremely crisp and clean. Piano sounded very natural with excellent texture of the strings coming thru. Horns were silky smooth, as were the strings. Cymbals were also crisp and clean. Kick drum had excellent low-end extension and played with a lot of authority. There were a lot of instruments. And not only were they resolved extremely well, they were also placed correctly across the soundstage.  

Carol of the Bells:  Bells were extremely crisp and clean with excellent tone.  Texture of the rainstick was also very good. Drums were dynamic with great pitch definition. Horns section provided smooth harmonics that were aurally sublime. Bass beats were very deep and played with a lot of punch!

 

I was impressed with the sound quality of the JBL Authentics 500.  The separate drivers for tweeter, midrange, and subwoofer, did provide resolution that revealed subtleties to the music.  And not only was the soundstage pleasantly wide, it even provided depth and height to it.  And imaging was also very good.  It’s subwoofer also seemed to play deeper than it’s published frequency response.  Sound signature seemed to be pretty neutral.  When cranking up the volume, not only did it fil the room with sound, it still sounded really good playing loud.




JBL has done it again with their JBL Authentics 500. It’s a well-made smart speaker that taps into that JBL sound. It yields a sound that is not just room filling, but also excellent quality. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Authentics 500 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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Sunday, November 19, 2023

Kicker PTRTP Powered 12 Inch Subwoofer with Enclosure Review

When it comes to car audio, it’s not the same without a subwoofer. It’s the triangle of sound with bass being the foundation. But depending on your vehicle, you may not have much space available for a subwoofer. And even if you already have a stock subwoofer that came with your vehicle, you can always improve it. My 2023 Chevy Bolt came with the upgraded Bose sound system which included a powered subwoofer in the trunk. While the Bose system sounded good, including the sub, there was room for improvement. Kicker is known for having great subs. They have something for everyone, including for those with limited space. Up for review today it their Kicker PTRTP Powered 12 Inch Enclosure. MSRP is $499.

 

Features and specs:

TYPE: powered down-fire

WOOFER SIZE (in, cm): 12, 30

RMS POWER (watts at 14.4v): 500

PHASE SWITCH: 0-180°

FREQUENCY RESPONSE (Hz): 25-120

S-TO-N RATIO (A-weighted, re: rated power): >90dB

INPUT SENSITIVITY: Low Level – 125mV-5V; High Level – 1V-40V

CROSSOVER: active 12dB/octave, variable 50-120Hz low pass; 12dB/octave, high pass at 25Hz

KickEQ™ BASS BOOST: variable to +6dB, centered at 40Hz

BOX HEIGHT (in, cm): 6-1/2, 16.6

BOX DEPTH (in, cm): 14-5/8, 37

BOX WIDTH (in, cm): 27-1/2, 70

 

The Kicker PTRTP 12 Inch Powered Subwoofer came in a color printed box with photos, and specs of the subwoofer. Opening the box revealed a well-made sub in a solid enclosure. Materials used in the construction is MDF and carpet for the enclosure, metal polypropylene and rubber for the sub, and metal for the amplifier. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, are excellent. Also included was the bass remote, wire for the bass remote, and manual.

 

I love the design of the Kicker PTRTP 12 Inch Subwoofer. It uses a shallow mount subwoofer to yield an enclosure that will fit in most tight spaces. Yet it also boosts performance by incorporating a passive radiator. Enthusiasts may prefer a ported design for its higher output. Unfortunately, ported enclosures require more space due to the higher airspace needed for the ported design. So if you are limited in space, you may have to concede to going sealed.

 

At least you may have thought that was the case. But if you have limited space, going sealed is not the only option. Kicker is known for giving you big bass, and that continues with their Kicker PTRTP 12 Inch Subwoofer. Instead of going just sealed, they added a passive radiator. A passive radiator is just that, passive. That means that it does not require any power. Like a car turbo takes exhaust energy and turns it into extra horsepower for the vehicle, a passive radiator takes internal energy created by the active subwoofer and uses it to create extra output.

 

Using a passive radiator is more of a hybrid design.  You don’t get the output that a ported enclosure can provide. Yet it is not sealed either. Thanks to the passive radiator, the design provides more output. In reality it’s a bit of a compromise. You get an enclosure designed for small spaces like a sealed enclosure, yet you get more output than a sealed enclosure. If you want a lot of output and have the space, ported is still the way to go. But if you want to get the most output from a small space, a sealed enclosure with a passive radiator will give you the most output from a small space.

 

I also love the turn key design of the Kicker PTRTP 12 Inch Subwoofer, which also proves an easy install. Not only does it provide a great driver in the CompRT, it also includes a built-in amplifier. With a 500 watt RMS rating of the driver, they maximized its performance with an amp that puts out 500 watts. All of the connections and controls for the amp are mounted on the side. This ensures not only a simple install, but also it’s easy to tune. All of the controls for gain, crossover, and boost are all within easy reach. Power ground and signal is all that’s needed for install. And installation was a cinch. Now let’s see how it sounds.

New Order- Blue Monday:  at the beginning the beats were really fast, yet they played really tight, with good punch and didn’t skip a beat at all, nor was it dragging.  And when the deeper beats came in, they also were really clean, played with excellent low end extension, and a lot of authority.

Lady Gaga- Starstruck:  bass beats were really clean. They sounded really full and deep, playing with a lot of authority. And they hit like a hammer to the chest.

Branden Beal- Drop That Booty Down Low:  bass beats were extremely deep, played with so much output and authority my rearview mirror was dancing and getting its groove on.  And while it hit so hard like a hammer to the chest, it did it so cleanly!  And when he dropped the booty down low, it took things to a whole new level.  It was so deep it was like an earthquake in my little Chevy Bolt!  And again it did so, so cleanly!

As I mentioned earlier, My Chevy Bolt came with the upgraded Bose Sound System.  It was a small ported sub that was located in the trunk area under the rear hatchback.  While the stock sub provided ok output, and played deep, it felt anemic.  The deep bass just didn’t seem that full.  I like to use the analogy of horsepower and torque.  My other vehicle is a 2017 Nissan Titan with a large 400hp V8.  A much smaller 4 cylinder like in a Honda can be modified with a large turbo to get 400hp out of it, but it won’t have anywhere near the same amount of torque.  It lacks the muscle/power needed to say….pull a large trailer, like my V8 Titan can do.  The Kicker PTRTP 12 Inch powered sub was a night and day difference compared to the Bose subwoofer.  Not only did it provide significantly more output, it was also much deeper with a fullness to the base that the Bose did not provide.

 


I love seeing a quality product that performs extremely well.  I also love it when a company develops a name for themselves for great products, after years of doing so.  But I love it even more when a company with a great reputation doesn’t rest on their laurels, and continues to develop and provide great products. Kicker is one of those great companies.  And their Kicker PTRTP 12 inch subwoofer, thanks to the sealed enclosure with the passive radiator, provided a nice and tight bass yet also very deep with extra output.  Based on their design, features, quality, and performance, the Kicker PTRTP Powered 12 Inch Enclosure has earned out Editor’s Choice Award. Kudos to Kicker on such a great product!  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.kicker.com.

 


 



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Wednesday, November 15, 2023

2023 Annual Holiday Gadget Gift Guide

It’s that time of year again.  Veteran’s Day has past, the chill of Fall is in the air, and stores are stalking their Christmas decorations.  So it’s time for our annual Holiday Gadget Gift Guide.  Getting gifts for our loved ones is a tradition, and not everyone has the same budget.  We tried to give a good range of gift ideas from different categories and price points.  Below are the items in our Gift Guide, with a description of the item followed by either a link to the review, or the schedule for when the review will be published.  We hope it gives you some good ideas.

 


Citizen has an extensively long history or providing excellent quality watches.  Now they also provide smart watches.  With their CZ Smart Hybrid Gen-2 Sport Smartwatch, you get the best of both worlds.  It has analog hands, so it has the look of a dress watch.  Yet the face is LCD, so you get the functionality of a smart watch with a longer battery life between charges.  MSRP is $425.  Check back for the review, scheduled on our website for the week ending 12/10/23.


Cobra is a company well known for their great radar detectors.  But they also make great accessory products.  Some of those are power solution products.  Once of those products is a power inverter designed to power just about any product including power tools, and even a fridge!  It is their Cobra Pro 3000W.  MSRP is $379.  Check back for the review scheduled for week ending 12/03/23.

 

We like our music, so why not take it with us on the go.  This includes ATV’s.  Garmin may be well known for their GPS receivers, but they also do a great job with audio.  Their Garmin Tread Audio System is an all-in-one system for your ATV.  MSRP is $1,199.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/06/garmin-tread-audio-system-review.html

 

I love jamming to my music in my truck.  There are a lot of options from a multitude of manufacturers.  Image Dynamics is one of the better ones.  And if you like a lot of bass, their subs are excellent!  MSRP is $119.  Check out the review of their Image Dynamics ID8 Ultra Low Frequency Subwoofer here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/04/image-dynamics-id8-ultra-low-frequency.html

When you look at companies with a long history of providing legendary speakers for our music, it doesn’t get much bigger than JBL.  The have used their expertise to create great sounding smart speakers, that also include the epic styling of some of their legendary speakers of the past.  The JBL Authentics 500 is part of a new line that brings back that old school styling. MSRP is $699.  Check back for their review scheduled for the week ending 11/26/23.

 

If you want to take your music with you on the go, like in an ATV or boat, it all starts with the receiver.  Kenwood makes a great one with their KMR-XM500.  It even works in a golf cart.  And the color display looks great!  MSRP is $500.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/07/kenwood-excelon-motorsport-kmr-xm500.html

 

Kenwood has been making great car audio products for decades.  And for decades their best products were their Excelon line.  But now they topped it with a new Excelon Reference line.  The best got better.  And their best of the best car receiver is their DNR-1007XR.  MSRP is $1,900.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/09/kenwood-excelon-reference-dnr-1007xr.html

 

If you like livin’ loud, and taking your music with you on the go, Kicker may be what the doctor ordered.  They make an excellent waterproof soundbar perfectly designed for your side by side.  Not only is it loud, but it sounds great doing it!  And with the built-in amp, all you need to enjoy your tunes is your phone.  The Kicker KPB1 PowerBar has an MSRP if $699.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/04/kicker-kpb1-powersport-review.html


When it comes to car audio, Kicker makes some great products.  Music isn’t the same without a subwoofer.  And Kicker is known for making excellent subs and sub amps.  They are also innovative in getting the best performance out of their subs.  They even have excellent subs that come in an enclosure, and also have a built-in amp.  One of those products, the PTRTP Powered Down-Firing 12” subwoofer even comes with a passive radiator to increase its performance.  MSRP is $499.  Check back on our website for review scheduled for week ending 11/19/23.

 

If you’ve enjoyed car audio as long as I have, the name Nakamichi may ring a bell.  Back in the day, if you wanted the best, it was Nakamichi.  They are back in the US, and again have some great products.  For the best car audio system, you want an active system.  That requires a DSP and amplifiers.  You get them both in one package in the NDST500A.  MSRP is $1,049.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/05/nakamichi-ndst500a-12-channel-digital.html

 

If you like movies, a home theater system may be on your wish list.  There are a lot of great manufacturers to choose from, but one of the best is RBH Sound.  And their best of the best is their Signature Reference Series.  Their top-of-the-line powered subwoofer is their RBH Sound Signature Reference 1212P-SF/R powered home theater subwoofer.  When T-Rex comes, you won’t just hear him coming, you will definitely FEEL him coming!  If you have the means, I highly suggest it!  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/03/rbh-signature-reference-series-1212p.html

 

If you are a gamer, a nice computer system starts with a good case.  Not only does it hold the vital components, it gets power to them and signal to them.  And helps with airflow to keep them cool.  ThermalTake makes great computer components, and that includes cases.  Their ThermalTake Ceres 500TG ARB is one of them.  MSRP is $169.99.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/03/thermaltake-ceres-500tg-argb-mid-tower.html

 

When it comes to great sounding car audio, it’s easy to think of needing great speakers.  But it’s clean power that really wakes up a great speaker and gets it to perform at its best.  A quality amplifier is key.  While they are a newer company, Wāvtech is doing things right.  Their Wāvtech Link 1000.1 mini is a high-quality subwoofer amp.  MSRP is $499.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/09/wavtech-link-10001-mini-1000-watt-mono.html

 

There are a lot great health products.  This also includes smartwatches.  The Withings ScanWatch Hybrid Smartwatch was designed to help monitor your health.  It even features FDA Approval.  And it works in spades.  MSRP is $299.  Check out the review here:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2023/02/withings-scanwatch-hybrid-smartwatch.html

 

We know that holiday gift shopping can be a stressful time.  Everyone has different interests and needs.  And you want your hard-earned cash to go towards a quality product.  We hope that this will relieve some of the stress and give you some good ideas.  Happy shopping!  And from our family to yours, Happy Holidays!!














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