fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Headphone audio cable makers
By: Biton I O
Tags: Cable, Headphones, Iem, Audiophile, Aftermarket

connect audio by Ilmicrofono Oggiono (Creative Common)

If you are looking for the purest, the ultimate, and the top of the line cable, this post is not for you. I don’t deny cable induce a different sound, they do. If you worry about it, you just probably don’t need to read further :-)

On the other hand, if you are on the market to replace your stock/broken/existing headphone cable, I hope this will help you.

Why custom cables?

Before jumping into the index, I would like to assure swapping cable is not for crazy people. Few reasons I came across this exercise:

You need different termination (headphone or amp side). Hell yeah, Good old jack 6.35mm and mini-jack 3.5mm are surrounded by 2.5mm and 4.4mm TRRRS and headphone/earphone manufacturers uses all sorts of more or less exotic connectors.

(headphone or amp side). Hell yeah, Good old jack 6.35mm and mini-jack 3.5mm are surrounded by 2.5mm and 4.4mm TRRRS and headphone/earphone manufacturers uses all sorts of more or less exotic connectors. You need a more comfortable cable , one that doesn’t tangle when you’re taking it out of your pocket, bag/purse or pouch.

, one that doesn’t tangle when you’re taking it out of your pocket, bag/purse or pouch. You’re interested in quality , some stock cable are fragile and will break over time. Aftermarket cables can be made with high quality component and great soldering work.

, some stock cable are fragile and will break over time. Aftermarket cables can be made with high quality component and great soldering work. You need some style! Custom cables come with all sort of color and texture. Just like any wearable.

Aftermarket cables: the list

My researches focused on headphones and earphones only, there are probably a tons of other brands I never heard of, I will be happy to add them here if they have a respectable website.

For those concerned by import tax/fees, I tried to document the country where they usually ship from.

By alphabetical order:

Happy shopping!

Headphone talks

Head (pun) to head-fi.com or join the excellent The Headphone Experience.

Missing cable maker?

Please drop a comment below.
Pairing and connecting your brand new headphones with a new device
By: Riccardo Andreatta
Tags: Sony, Headphones, Bluetooth, Bose, Pairing

Did you bought a brand new Bluetooth headphones but you are not able to connect them to your computer? Or maybe they are working with your computer but your smartphone is not able to find them even if the Bluetooth is activated in both the systems?

The answer is really simple, once the headphone have been paired with the first device, they do not enter in pairing mode anymore when you switch them on again. This is because when you pair a 2nd or subsequent device, the headset has pairing information for other devices.

The re-activation of the “pairing mode” is usually not really clear even if it is illustrated in the user manual included in the headphones box.

The solution is simple and usually the same for every headphones out in the market. So, to activate pairing mode, switch off the headphone and then press and hold the power button from 5 to 10 seconds.

The headphones will switch on in “pairing mode” and you will see the Bluetooth led indicator flashing, for example in the Sony WH 1000XM3, it flashes two times in a row.

For some headphones models, you may will also hear a guidance voice saying “Bluetooth pairing” or something similar, as a confirmation that the pairing mode has been activated.

That’s it! Now you can check again the device that you want to connect with your headphones, and you should be able to see the name of the headphones in the list of the found devices: simply click on it to start pairing.

Repeat this procedure for any new device that you want to connect to the headphones.
Best Wireless Headphones Under 1000 in India
By: Vicky Singh
Tags: Headphone Reviews, Headphones, Wireless Headphone, Earbuds, Earphones

1. Leaf bass wireless Bluetooth headphones with mic..

PRODUCT REVIEW : — Best Wireless Headphones Under 1000 in India…

. Leaf bass Bluetooth headphones comes with 10 hours of battery life for unstopped wireless music experience..

. Leaf bass wireless Bluetooth headphones boasts of powerful 40mm drives for hd sound and our deep bass technology let’s you enjoy your favorite song with better clarity.

. Leaf bass can be connected via Bluetooth or an AUX cable. With the latest Bluetooth technology, it’s also has the ever green Aux port which works even when there is no charge, left in the headphones

. My ratings 3.9 it’s really good and soo, comfortable

. Ultra soft cuhsion Earcubs and headband for superior comfort during prolonged wear.

2. Zebronics Zeb-thunder wireless Bluetooth headphone with mic

PRODUCT REVIEW : — Best Wireless Headphones under 1000 in India…

. Soft and comfortable Earcubs listen to music and more for long hours with soft Earcubs making it super comfortable for daily wear

. Comfortable design : beat the workday blue with music on Zeb-thunder wireless headphone that comes in an ergonomic design a perfect fit and design for long hours use

. Adjustable handband : adjust your headband to your comfortable best while you work listen to music

. My ratings 4.2 it’s really good

. Multi-conectivy option like Bluetooth 3.5mm Aux input, Fm and micro sd card

3. Zinq technologys Erupt super bass Bluetooth On-Ear headphone

PRODUCT REVIEW : — Best Wireless Headphones under 1000 in India..

. Super bass, Hd clearity, 40mm drives, Battery type- Rechargeable 300mah li polymer battery

. Compatible with all mobile, laptop and tablets

. My ratings 4.1 it’s really nice

. Bluetooth connectivity , playing time up to 8 hours, standby time about 100 hours
best bt headphones under 2000|best headphones under 2000|skmart
By: Sk Mart
Tags: Best Wireless Headphones, Headphones, Earbuds, Airpods, Earphones

Best bluetooth Headphones under 2000

by skmart team

The appearance of bluetooth earphones in the market has altered the music experience for all. Headways in sound innovation have empowered a portion of the top bluetooth earphones to imitate what once unquestionably everything home theater frameworks could manage. The protection and movability that remote earphones offer allows clients to watch their #1 motion pictures, recordings and tune in to their music on their cell phones and PCs in a hurry. Numerous bluetooth earphones nowadays come in lightweight sharp plans and furnish clients with vivid studio quality sound. Some even have dynamic commotion dropping which is extraordinary for when the client regularly goes on boisterous public vehicle or flights.

Because of a quickly advancing computerized world, bluetooth earphones are turning out to be progressively moderate nowadays. Clients approach umpteen number of decisions in the market enabling them to choose the best one for their particular utilize that likewise meets their spending plan. So in case you’re on a tight spending plan and are hoping to buy a decent bluetooth earphone, here are probably the best bluetooth earphones under 2000 to consider.

1. boAt Rockerz 255 Sports in-Ear Bluetooth Neckband Earphone with Mic (Active Black)

more about this ; click here

2. boAt Rockerz 335 Wireless Neckband with ASAP Charge, Up to 30H Playback, Qualcomm aptX & CVC, Enhanced Bass, Metal Control Board, IPX5, Type C Port, Bluetooth v5.0, Voice Assistant(Blazing Yellow)

more about this ; click here

3. boAt Rockerz 385v2 Wireless Neckband with Up to 40H Nonstop Playback, BT V5.0, Qualcomm CVC & aptX, Type C Interface, Magnetic Earbuds, IPX6 Water Resistance, ASAP Fast Charge(Active Black)

more about this ; click here

4. Noise Air Buds Truly Wireless Earbuds with Mic for Crystal Clear Calls, HD Sound, Smart Touch and 20 Hour Playtime — ICY White

more about this ; click here

5. boAt Airdopes 621 Bluetooth Truly Wireless Earbuds with Mic(White Frost)

more about this ; click here

The appearance of bluetooth earphones in the market has altered the music experience for all. Headways in sound innovation have empowered a portion of the top bluetooth earphones to imitate what once unquestionably everything home theater frameworks could manage. The protection and movability that remote earphones offer allows clients to watch their #1 motion pictures, recordings and tune in to their music on their cell phones and PCs in a hurry. Numerous bluetooth earphones nowadays come in lightweight sharp plans and furnish clients with vivid studio quality sound. Some even have dynamic commotion dropping which is extraordinary for when the client regularly goes on boisterous public vehicle or flights.
What are the Important Factors When Buying Bluetooth Headphones?
By: Frozen Thunder
Tags: Buy Bluetooth Headphones, Headphones

When it comes to buying cheap gaming mice and cheap bluetooth headphones, you need to consider some important factors. There are many things you should think of in order to get the value of your investment and use these items for a long time. First of all, let’s discuss some of the most essential things before purchasing cheap gaming mice.

There is no need to speak about convenience as almost all gaming mice are developed to be ergonomically comfortable. If you buy your gaming mouse from a reliable source then you can be sure that the mouse has been checked thoroughly. So the first and most important thing is:

Mouse grip: Each person holds the mouse in different ways. There are many terms to explain how somebody holds the mouse, however, 2 things are very important when considering the convenience of the gaming mouse. They include claw or palm grip.

There are some people who prefer to put their whole hand on the back of the mouse while others prefer to move the mouse around with simply the fingertips. This means that people may like to buy both smaller and bigger sized mice as per their requirements. There are also gamers who like a heavy mouse. Some others want a light mouse. However, when you start using it you get used to it no matter how heavy or light it is. It is also worth mentioning that players did not like to buy mice that were wireless. It was because of the batteries of wireless ones went out quickly and there was a lag in response time. However, today these issues are solved due to the new technology.

Now let’s discuss some important facts about bluetooth headphones. People usually prefer to buy bluetooth headphones yet they always look for quality ones. Before buying, you need to understand your needs and then look for a reliable source. First of all, consider the size. If you are often moving around then in-ear headphones are more perfect options. They will stay on your ears conveniently allowing you to wear them while jogging. However, if you prefer bigger ones then consider headband options and make sure that your headset has music playback keys.

When buying a bluetooth headphone you should also look for such a model that comes with a standard micro USB port. This is a perfect option as it allows you to use your phone, tablet or any other gadget’s charger for your headphone. As a result, you will not carry an extra cable with you every time.
FCC filing leaks Sony WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones
By: Sohrab Osati
Tags: Sony, Headphones, Mobile, FCC, Audio

Beyond the above information, which came from the submitted user manual, there are a few photos to go off of as well, pointing to a near-identical design. That means, as it stands, the big improvement the 1000XM4 headphones offer is increased battery life, which is never a bad thing. As a long time owner of the XM3, the biggest criticism I have towards the headphones is their inability to detect when they’ve been removed and, in turn, pause your music, something that the WF-1000XM3 in-ear headphones support. This leads me to believe that we’ll see that feature make its way to the over-the-ear models as well. Otherwise, I’m not sure what I’d change.

With no major events planned, it’s likely that Sony will surprise announce these at some point in the near future, though who knows. My track record on them hasn’t been so great, so maybe they’ll wait till IFA 2020 in the fall to unveil them. 🤷‍♂️

What upgrades would you like to see in the Sony WH-1000XM4?

Update:

Thanks to the reader who sent this in. It’s not exactly the FCC that accidentally leaked the 1000XM4 and instead, the Brazilian version of the FCC.
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 are coming with improved battery life
By: Yashdeep Raj
Tags: Surface Headphones 2, Microsoft, Headphone

The new Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 will arrive on May 11, one day before the new Surface Go 2 and the Surface Earbuds. These new Surface Headphones will arrive with the same design as the original Surface Headphones, but these new babies will give you improved sound and battery life.

You can already preorder the new Surface Headphones 2 directly from the Microsoft store. These wireless headphones will cost you $249.99, and you can choose between a Light Gray or a Matte Black color option. You will get a total of twenty hours of non-stop playback, which means five more hours than the previous model, improved Omnisonic sound, touch, and fingertip controls with 13 levels of active noise cancellation. These new headphones have also been upgraded to Bluetooth 5.0 and now support Qualcomm’s aptX Bluetooth codec.

Microsoft claims up to 20 hours of battery life and almost an hour’s worth of usage with a five-minute charge. The headphones will be available in black or platinum priced at $249 (approximately Rs. 18,990) starting on May 12.

https://blog.foneman.in/microsoft-surface-headphones-2-are-coming-with-improved-battery-life/
Why you should invest in Noise Cancelling Headphones
By: Shifani Ram
Tags: Headphones, Noise Cancelling, Productivity, Bose, Invest

Why you should invest in Noise Cancelling Headphones

Photo by Minh Pham on Unsplash

I’ve always loved working in a peaceful environment. Two years ago I moved into a bigger city for college. It has been a great experience for me except for the fact that I find it very noisy where I live now. Often times the noise is unbearable.

Then I started searching for ways to solve the problem. Yeah, libraries are great but it’s not always feasible when you have tons of assignments to do and a lot of deadlines. Moving to another place was also not a good idea because the place that I currently live is near my college, has all amenities and is affordable as well. I learned about Noise Cancelling Headphones and did a lot of research about it. Well the main problem with them is that they are way more expensive than normal headphones. But now that I’ve started using them I know they are a great investment for anyone who wants to upgrade their productivity and get more shit done! I saved up for a few months so that I could buy them and if you are a college student too then I definitely recommend that you look into it and consider investing into one.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Turn off the background noise. Nowadays finding yourself in a noisy environment is common, be it the noisy commute, chit-chatty co-workers at your workplace or having an apartment on a noisy street. It is hard to get anything done without getting irritated in such an environment. I’ve noticed that using noise cancelling headphones has seriously amplified my productivity level.

Peace of mind. Most people have this misconception that you can’t just use noise cancelling headphones to simply cut out the noise and you have to listen to something otherwise it won’t work. But that is not true. Most users just switch on their headphone’s ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) to relax and unwind after having a tiring day at work without listening to any music or audio.

Save your ears. When the background noise is present we subconsciously increase the volume in our headphones without realizing it but we all know that listening to music at higher volumes can seriously damage our precious hearing. Noise cancelling headphones allow you to listen at a much lower volume even when you are in a noisy place.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

The music is better. Without the background disturbance, you can enjoy your audio-books, podcasts, and music more clearly.

And of course, you can switch off the noise cancelling at night if you don’t need it and use your noise cancelling headphones like normal headphones.

The one which I bought was Bose qc 35 ii from Amazon which has great Noise Cancelling quality. Make sure to look for ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) when looking for noise cancelling headphones. Other popular brands are Sony and Sennheiser which also have good noise cancelling features. There are other new models from Bose as well which have additional features.
Enjoy Wireless Freedom and Best-in-Class Sound with Bluetooth headphones
By: Aditi Mishra
Tags: Wireless Headphone, Best Wireless Headphones, Bluetooth Headphones, Headphones

Groove and shake and twirl to the party song of the year with the Blaupunkt Wireless Headphones. It comes with active noise cancellation so that you can swiftly mute the world around you and immerse yourself in a musical journey with yourself. Its soft-cushioned ear pads settle comfortably on your ears without hurting you in the least so that the musical experience can continue for as long as you want. Its sleek and sophisticated design gives you a smart and cool appearance that will inevitably make other music lovers jealous.

Extra Bass and Noise Cancellation

These Bluetooth Headphones enhance all your low and high frequencies with unbelievable bass that gives you a theatre-like feeling whether you are on-road or in public transport or somewhere else. A dedicated bass duct on the headphone housing and increased air-tightness between the driver units and eardrums help to create precise, punchy rhythms that lift every track. But the design is so intelligently done that the clarity of the voice is never compromised due to the bass. The perfect noise cancellation allows you to quieten the world around you and create a personal zone for yourself.

Wireless Technology

No longer do you have to spend unnecessary minutes untangling your headphones and your movement will no longer be restricted because of straining the cords. Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Wireless technology together liberates you from the shackle of wires and gives you an unmitigated experience. Simply touch your NFC-enabled device to the headphones for a quick, seamless connection, then start streaming your music collection. In case you don’t have NFC, you can always rely on Bluetooth. For more information visit our website.
Summer Safe Listening: How to Help Kids Protect Their Hearing When Using Earbuds and Headphones
By: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Tags: Handouts, Summer, Headphones, Kids And Tech, Hearing Loss

With children across the country gearing up for summer break, parents and caregivers should be aware of seasonal hearing hazards that could put children at risk for noise-induced hearing loss.

Download these tips as a handout.

One of the biggest concerns is unsafe listening to personal audio devices such a music players, tablets, and smartphones. The risk during summer has always been heightened since children have more leisure time on their hands. But this is especially true now, after a year when many students spent 6 or more hours each day using devices on virtual school alone.

Here’s what parents should know about noisy technology and safe listening:

Volume + Duration: Noise-induced hearing loss can occur when children listen at too-loud volumes, for too long. This damage can build over time.

How loud is too loud? How long is too long? Many earbuds, headphones, and devices have volume output levels of 100 decibels or higher. This is well beyond what is considered safe. The World Health Organization recommends that children spend no more than 40 hours listening to a personal audio device per week, at levels no higher than 75 decibels, to prevent hearing damage. Even many “kid-safe” headphones go up to 85 or 90 decibels.

ASHA recommends these tips for parents:
Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Harman AKG N60NC — Curated by Rosi
By: Rosi Reviews
Tags: Startup, Review, Headphones, Online Shopping, App Development

Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Harman AKG N60NC — Curated by Rosi Rosi Reviews Sep 5·6 min read

Sourced from AKG

Not sure whether it’s worth buying the Harman AKG N60NC? Instead of spending hours scrolling through thousands of reviews, we curated the ten most trustworthy and helpful reviews so you could easily decide if this product is right for you.

Number of reviews and ratings from the most popular websites

Review #1: Positive Review

The last set of headphones you’ll ever buy! I bought these a two days ago and I’m totally blown away! The dynamic range is amazing and distortion free … the noise cancelling was unparalleled. Throw in the comfort of the plush pads, I almost missed my stop! The call quality is crystal clear and the bluetooth connectivity fantastic and the design flawless. As much as I wanted to complain about the £178 price tag, they’re worth every penny. Rating: 5 / 5 By JasonT, sourced from AKG

Review #2: Helpful Review

I searched for reasonably priced headphones with good noise cancelling ability and found the AKGN60NC My review is based on all-day wear in an office environment. Paired with “white noise” sound tracks, tuning out conversations in the vicinity is easily done (higher pitches are more challenging to drown out). The ear pads are comfortable and fit perfectly (not convinced they would fair with someone with larger ears as each don’t completely cup my smaller ears) … The construction is solid, which may contribute to the weight. I’ve gone almost 2hrs and found my head needed a break. Pairing was a cinch. As for the carrying case, it could be improved as the neoprene case doesn’t do much for protection; plus it looks inexpensive. Overall, these are very good headphones at this price point. Rating: 4 / 5 By Amazon Customer, sourced from Amazon

Review #3: Critical Review

Great, until they started falling apart. I liked everything about these when I first purchased them — size, sound quality, noise cancelling, etc. But right around a year after I purchased them (just outside of the warranty period, mind you), the seam on both ear-pads began to rip, exposing the foam inside. Now the cable has also gone bad and the and the audio only plays out of the left side. I did not expect such lousy quality from a premium priced headphone. I’m very disappointed. Rating: 1 / 5 By buddy_richmond, sourced from Best Buy

Review #4: Neutral Review

Great sound but Not so good Build Quality I have been so happy with the sound production from these on ears, but what has let them down for me is the Build quality. From day one there has been a clicking from one of the switches when moving my head, this is due to the slackness of the switch i its mounting, irritating but liveable. But the main issue for me is, after having treating them like a baby for the two years or so in which I have owned them, the connection point to the head band of one of the ear covers has broken. Extremely disappointing. Rating: 3 / 5 By ToonViking, sourced from AKG

Review #5: SoundGuys’ Review
Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Bose 700 Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones — Curated by Rosi
By: Rosi Reviews
Tags: Startup, Mobile App Development, Headphones, Online Shopping, Technology

Although the headphones l ook good and feel fantastic on, I was very disappointed with the functionality . I loaded the Bose Music app on my iPhone and then followed the instructions to pair the headphones. The Bose Music app worked well until the firmware on headphones automatically updated and installed. After that, game over! The Bose Music app could not pair with the headphones … Went on the Bose website and tried to do a factory reset, but that was useless . Bose customer service was also useless .

Great audio, connectivity and comfort issues

These work great for this “new normal” of teleworking with multiple people in the house. Being able to turn the level of noise cancellation to three different levels … is great. Audio quality seems very good. I have some occasional connectivity issues. … What happens is when the phone is dialing out I hear the dialing etc… through the headphones, but as soon as someone picks up it flips over to regular phone audio unless I change it back to bluetooth manually. This happens maybe 10% of the time. I have a very large head … I have to have the headphones maximally extended to fit (which is OK) but after a couple of hours of continual use the cartilage around my ears hurt and I can get a bit of a headache … they are not at all comfortable to drop them down to wear them around your neck when not in use … the earpieces apply pressure to the side/front of my neck. Not comfortable and feels like they could fall off.

Rating: 4 / 5

By The Dude, sourced from BestBuy
Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Bowers&Wilkins PX7 Wireless Headphones — Curated by Rosi
By: Rosi Reviews
Tags: Startup, Review, Headphones, Technology, Mobile Apps

How do I even start to share how awesome is the music coming out from my #bowerswilkins #px7? Definitely a legend on its own. My travel and audio editing buddy.

By @danieltaiwh, sourced from Instagram

It’s lighter than the PX and P7 thanks to the new carbon fiber design in the headband arms.

Battery life of the PX7 is up there with the best in this class. You can get up to 30 hours of playback with a 15-minute quick charge giving you 5 hours of playback. Also, the method of charging is via USB-C.

The PX7 has excellent noise cancelling which is about as good as that of the Bose NC 700 but not the Sony XM3.

The have excellent detail but there was something lacking in the mids (I suppose) where vocals seemed a bit washed out. Also, the sound quality took a dive when the ANC was turned on.

The ear cups fold in but they are not flat in relation to the headband so if the headband is flat on a surface then the ear cups are raised quite a bit. Carrying these on your commute will IMO be a burden and for me it is odd as the key use case for ANC headphones is surely ‘On the move’.
Bored Ape NFT Collectors Are Invited to Bid on SOUL’s One-of-a-Kind Custom Headphones
Tags: Nft Collectibles, Headphones, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Nft, Nftart

Bored Ape NFT Collectors Are Invited to Bid on SOUL’s One-of-a-Kind Custom Headphones SOUL Sep 2·2 min read

SOUL, the leading maker of affordable high-quality audio, noise cancelling, and wireless products, invites Bored Ape NFT collectors around the world to participate in its private auction. To be hosted on the OpenSea.io platform, the auction will only be open to individuals who already own a Bored Ape NFT from The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). The highest bidder will be awarded a physical pair of one-of-a-kind wireless headphones customized with a Bored Ape NFT design from the owner’s collection.

“We’re elated to announce SOUL’s very first private NFT auction,” says Gary So, CEO of SOUL. “Since the conception of our brand, we’ve always been at the forefront of design trends. We’re looking forward to celebrating the Bored Ape Yacht Club community and working with the highest bidder to develop a one-of-a-kind NFT headphone that no one else in the world owns.”

Individuals who already own a Bored Ape NFT in their Metamask wallet can register for access to the private auction at nftsoulnation.com. During the auction, participants will bid to win a Golden Ticket NFT, a digital token that the highest bidder can redeem on SOUL’s website to create custom over-ear wireless headphones with their own Bored Ape NFT design on it. During the redemption process, the highest bidder can select a Bored Ape NFT design from their collection. The selected design will be custom printed on SOUL’s EMOTION MAX over-ear active noise cancelling wireless headphones, creating a bespoke NFT-inspired accessory that only the highest bidder will own.

In addition to receiving a pair of custom Bored Ape NFT headphones, the winner of the private auction will receive a digital render of the headphones as an NFT. SOUL’s Golden Ticket NFT can only be redeemed once and is not reusable.

For more information on the auction date and how to participate, please visit nftsoulnation.com.

Media Contact: alexis@tylerbarnettpr.com

About SOUL

For over 10 years, SOUL has provided the soundtrack to life with its high-quality audio, noise cancelling, and wireless innovations. Designed in harmony with life’s hustle to keep you going, all SOUL products are created with power, clarity and comfort in mind. From commuting to hitting the gym, SOUL vibes with your daily grind by ensuring the right song is always playing in your ears. Using the latest technology, SOUL strives to deliver high-quality, high-functioning innovations for the best value. For more information, visit www.soulnation.com.
Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — Curated by Rosi
By: Rosi Reviews
Tags: Startup, Mobile App Development, Headphones, Online Shopping, Technology

Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — Curated by Rosi Rosi Reviews Sep 2·7 min read

Sourced from Sony

Not sure whether it’s worth buying the Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones? Instead of spending hours scrolling through thousands of reviews, we curated the ten most trustworthy and helpful reviews so you could easily decide if this product is right for you.

Number of reviews and ratings from the most popular websites

Review #1: Helpful Review

Best yet. Sound Quality: Best Sound quality I’ve heard so far … However i did bump into some odd sound and connectivity issues between ps5 controller connected to the controller making the sound quality sound very muffled while pushing out 3D audio from the ps5 … Everything else sound quality is superb. Connectivity: This is where i had some issues, not with all devices but with the ps5 and a midrange Samsung Tv … Comfort: Comfortable enough up to 12hr of none stop playing video games, after that started to feel heavy on my ears causing some pain especially if you wear glasses. If you have some what warm place the do make you sweat … Battery life: Exeptional 30hrs of batterylife , 12hrs none stop video games while of line (no chat) and battery was at 45%. Rating: 4/5 By Memphisreins, sourced from Best Buy

Review #2: Critical Review

Not as good as the reviews/hype I think this is a lazy product from Sony. The noise canceling is not any better than cheap ones I used before. Sure the audio is good but so are less expensive headphones. I bought these for the dual device support, it works but is so annoying. I get a delay for the second device … I guess I have a small head too because the fit on these is kind of loose, when looking down or pick something up they almost fall off. I just think for the price I expected so much more refinement. I use them all day every day but overall disappointed by the lack of customization in the app and overall quality of day-to-day experience. Rating: 2/ 5 By Mrsexytime, sourced from official website

Review #3: Positive Review
Most Honest & Helpful Reviews for Apple AirPods Max — Curated by Rosi
By: Rosi Reviews
Tags: Startup, Mobile App Development, Technology Trends, Headphones, Online Shopping

Comfortable and effortless, with minor issues.

These have proven to be some of the most convenient and comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn. The pads are made with a breathable mesh and my ears fit into them without touching the drivers themselves. The sound is also excellent, with a good dynamic range that highlights details and provides bass without overdoing either. I have a few minor but regularly annoying issues with these headphones. Connectivity: They lack a 3.5mm headphone out, there is no USB audio to use these wired to a device, and they charge with a Lightning cable … For latency-critical work on my MacBook, it is annoying I have to use this cable which does not charge the device unlike comparable headphones … These headphones lack a user-accessible power switch or toggle … They automatically pair with all of my Apple devices and switch between them depending on which device I’m actively using. The latency is good when watching YouTube or other content and they sound wonderful.

Rating: 4 /5

By Alex, sourced from Best Buy
How to fill sandbags FAST and easily!
By: Andrew Kan
Tags: YouTube, Gear, Filmmaking, Sandbags, Lighting Equipment

In this blog post I’m going to teach -you how to fill your own sandbags at home, so you can better secure your filming equipment, and not OVERPAY.

Here’s a video showing step by step:

This video came to be when I realized the price to purchase a Sandbag went up. It use to be a dollar per pound, so a 15 pound sandbag was $15.00 USD. However, since then the prices have changed. You can make multiple sandbags for just the price of ONE pre-filled which including shipping is almost $40.00.

Sandbag pricing including shipping from B&H photo.

I use sandbags to secure lights, Light Stands, tripods, sound blankets, my degree, myself, anything film related really! The last thing you want is to accidentally bump into your equipment, and it falls over and breaks. That’s where the sandbags come in handy!

Supplies List [Amazon Affiliate Store]: https://www.amazon.com/shop/wekangame?listId=2M2C7NCCZHHDZ

Once you have your sandbag items, you’re ready to get started! It’s important that you know the weight capacity of the bags you are using. Be careful, and don’t over fill the bags.

I know my two sandbags are rated for 18 pounds, so I’ll fill one sandbag to 15 pounds [6.8KG] and the other to 10 pounds [4.5KG]. Here’s how to fill the sandbags. Once you know that, here are the steps!

First, I recommend going outside to fill the sandbags! However, if that’s not possible. start by placing a garbage bag under your sandbag filling area, so if you make mistakes you don’t spill, sand or filler of choice.

Place your filler into your gallon bag, remember there are two sides to the sandbags, so whatever the weight of your bag, divide by two. Fill the bags until your desired weight. Since I’m using two sandbags, one for 15 pounds and one for ten pounds. My desired weight for the 15 pound bag would be 7.5 on each side, and for the 10 pound bag 5lbs on each side. Remember to get all of your air out of the bags, and zip them up. I double bag for extra protection, and in case one of the storage bags break. Place the bags into the sandbag, and then you’re done.

Now I have two sandbags for the price of about one filled. You can use sandbags for so many things. I’m using my two new sandbags right now to secure lighting equipment, and even a moving blanket!

Hopefully you can fill your own sandbags, and have multiple for the price of one!

I’m Andrew Kan, and Thank you so much for reading!
Expensive amplifier, cheap guitar…
By: Jonathan Thomas
Tags: Amplifier, Guitar, Gear, Music

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo from Pexels

Expensive amplifier, cheap guitar…

I grew up swearing by this ethos. If I had a good amp, it would pretty much mask anything, old strings, a rubbish guitar made of driftwood, bad technique…okay, not so much, but I’ll stand by the guitar part.

Fact is, a cheap guitar will sound fairly decent on a good amp. A good guitar will sound absolutely awful on a cheap amp.

At least that’s what I grew up thinking. I’ve come to realise nowadays…what is “good”? And who defines “awful”? We have great recordings using small practice amps, nowadays, who cares?

Regardless, in those days I could only afford one expensive piece of gear growing up and amps always intrigued me way more than guitars ever did.

I could never find the guitar shape that I identified with, nor did I identify the sound with a particular guitar shape. I did however, identify sounds and tones with particular amps.

Fender amps gave me a very crisp and clear, clean tone. Marshall amps gave me a dirty and full on crunch and Mesa Boogie amps could get metal. Primitive, maybe. But 20+ years on, I now know that this isn’t too far from the truth.

So all this lead to an obsession with guitar amplifiers in my late teens and early twenties. The kind of obsession that kept me up all night.

I’d be thinking about Mesa Rectifier’s and Fender DeVille’s, how I could utilise both to get two extremes. How I could utilise four to do stereo! Ridiculous, really.

It wasn’t until I reached the age of 29 did I spend more than £1000 on a guitar — An American Fender Stratocaster, ’57 Reissue. But from the age of 14 to then, it was all amplifiers. In fact, before my 29th birthday, and before the Strat purchase, I had the following amplifiers:

Laney Linebacker 30w Solid State — my first amp, given to me by a friend at the time, who also gave me my first guitar.

Traynor YCV80 80w Tube Amp — for some reason, the guy at the music shop convinced me that it’d be a great Fender substitute.

Fender The Twin Amp — bloody awful — and definitely not the same as what we all know as a ‘Fender Twin’.

Mesa Single Rectifier

Mesa Dual Rectifier

Laney Lionheart 5w Combo

Not cheap and certainly not your ‘run of the mill’ amps. The Mesa’s were huge and they were great fun to play around with. The Lionheart became one of my favourite amps, ever.

I’ll be controversial and will say that most of the tone comes from the amplifier, not the guitar.

Over the years, I’ve switched out the amps for digital alternatives, and that’s something I never thought I’d do…so I’ve obviously let my standards change (carefully trying to not say “slip”) over the years. But I’ve come to learn that guitars are vital and quality isn’t something you should underestimate with regard to the actual instrument itself.

In fact, I could possibly have changed my whole view on this…Keep a look out for “Expensive guitar, cheap amp…”!

What do you think…expensive amp or expensive guitar?
The Fuji X-T3
By: Francis Fontaine
Tags: Review, Photography, Gear

What a badass system.

I’ve been a long time Nikon advocate and shooter. My first camera was a Canon Rebel 🙊 but then the superb D300, the magnificent D800 that got me more than happy but broke twice and now I’m using a D810. But doing all that lifestyle and sports work, I started to feel like the full frame was a bit overkill and just too big for the place I was going. The system was so heavy that I even stopped doing personal work. Try to tell your family not to mind the camera when you are holding a D810 with a 24–70. The system can be quite intimidating for your 5 year old niece at his birthday.

Both camera with there 85mm equivalent

Doing commercial works, I still need to get the nice D810 resolution. But what about all the rest… I’m thinking about wedding, sports, events, lifestyle, familly, traveling, my own personal work… Was it the time for me to get a second camera? A Fuji? Doing outdoor work is also hard on the gear and I was a little bit stressed about climbing mountain with my only body that is worth 4000$ without the lens…

So plenty of reasons to jump into Fuji world
1 month with DxO One in 2019
By: Uprooted Namu
Tags: Photography, Cameras, Gear

With a month before my Korea trip, I was perusing DPreview, Phoblographer, imaging-resources, etc. to find the perfect camera [^perfectcamera].

Okay, I constantly peruse those sites anyway, but this time, I had a purpose. I wanted the smallest and lightest. camera that could be always in my pocket. But I also did not want to spend more than $600 and a lot of the Sony RX100s with phase-detection seemed to be hovering over the price mark, which, again, justified my product search.

Then my friend came to the rescue. He already had the second generation DxO One (yes, there were two generations) and since he wasn’t going to be using it anytime soon, if ever, he basically gave it to me to try it out. That was a month ago. Ever since then, I always had it in my right pants pocket. My phone is in my left pants pocket. Yes my iPhone X has a decent camera and I only take casual photos, so it doesn’t matter what camera I carry around…. however, *I* see the difference in quality and I am not happy with the phone camera’s images. I do like the convenience of always having it, so that was one of the reasons I decided to try DxO One, besides the fact that it was readily available.

After going through several different use cases multiple times, I find that I usually end up using only the following modes to be worthwhile:
Traveling to take pictures
By: Allison Mahmood
Tags: Travel, Photography, Gear, Pictures

Traveling to take pictures

This has been taken from a post I wrote several years ago. Allison Mahmood Jul 21·3 min read

We all travel from time to time some more often some less and usually there is that idea about interesting pictures that you could take while you are there, but it doesn’t always work out. Here are some tips to improve the photos you bring back from there.

Firstly there is the times when you travel with others (for ex. family). If you are traveling with people who themselves are not into photography than they often expect you to do one thing while you know that is not what you want to do so you either just don’t take as many pictures as you would like or ignore them and go out on your own. A good thing when traveling with people like this is to take as little things as possible a camera and one prime lens is enough. This means that whenever they ask you to take a picture of something than you often don’t have the lens that make a good picture of that thing so they will soon stop after they see that the pictures they asked you to take aren’t anything special and are as good or worse than what they can take with their phone so they will eventually stop. If you happen to have a prime that is one of the more general ones like 35mm or 50mm than this might not work. In a situation like that just sit down with them and explain to them why what they want is not ideal. If this doesn’t work than just leave your camera at home at forget taking pictures while traveling with them and instead plan a trip that you will go to with your fellow photographers or on your own.

If you travel with people that share your passion for photography than you should have a good time as long as you are on good relations with them. For what you should take with you it’s simple take your camera and one or two lens. If you need anything else like a tripod take that, but remember they all will also have their gear so there is a high chance that they will have the things that you happen to need, but don’t have with you.

Lastly there is the option of traveling on your own which is the most practical if you belong to the group of people that go out shooting in insane times just because they have a sudden urge to take pictures. Also if you like to spend extremely long times at one place than traveling on your own is the ideal option. You should take just the basic necessities and leave all the excess lenses, back-up bodies and etc. at home, because even if you don’t mind carrying all that gear it will still get in your way.

But the main point of all of this is to have fun even if you are being bothered by people who have no idea about photography or if you are traveling with your friends who love photography and share the same interests as you.
xSolar Charger : Portable Charger With Solar Panel Rolled Inside
Tags: Outdoors, Solar, Gadgets, Gear

xSolar Charger : Portable Charger With Solar Panel Rolled Inside OldnWise Jul 30·3 min read

xSolar is a flexible solar charger that consists of three major components: a large flexible solar battery pack to collect energy, efficient electronics, and a large energy-storage battery. Thanks to its ingenious reel design, all major functions are incorporated into a compact cylinder.

You can easily pull out the solar module lock for collecting energy and withdrawing the lock key for automatically recovering this module. With the foldable design of the solar panels, it is easy to fit the device in a compact bag or backpack.

The device also comes with a USB output port, so it can charge your smartphone while delivering decent power. This solar charger can also offer decent power output even in cloudy weather conditions.

Power output of xSolar charger

You need to make sure that this charger is fully solar-powered to juice up your devices. If you are looking forward to charging one smartphone, it can even work with lower power output.

But for charging a larger electronic device, like a tablet, or multiple devices, you need to let the device solar charger with more power.

xSolar form factor

The size of this cylindrical solar charger is very compact to easily fit in your pocket or bag. Due to the folding solar panels, the lightweight device is easy to carry to any location.

Whether you’re fishing or fishing in the wild, xSolar uses the sun’s energy to continuously charge your smartphone and other devices.

However, don’t just restrict the use of this solar power bank to outdoor areas. You can even use it at the office or home.

xSolar comes with integrated LED lights

In addition, xSolar also comes with integrated LED lights to offer proper illumination at night. So, it’s a perfect device to illuminate your path during camping, trekking, or outside your home.

Xsolar price

Unfortunately, there is no clear information about its price and availability yet. If there is any information about its price and availability, we’ll inform you. So, stay tuned!
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH TRAIL RUNNING
By: Karl Mackie
Tags: Photography, Gear, Running, Outdoors, Trailrunning

For over a decade now I’ve been a professional photographer, I’ve also been a surfer, a footballer and a runner — the last three, albeit on an amateur scale. Back in late 2018, I was commissioned to shoot a trail running retreat in Scotland, happening in March 2019. Fitness-wise it was great timing, I had been training for a trail marathon and I was definitely marathon ready.

Trail running is massive. Having run road races for the past 10–15 years I personally find running the trails hugely enjoyable, definitely challenging and very rewarding. Living in Cornwall my routes are simple, I join the South West Coastal Path 10 minutes from home and keep running, following the coastline until I’ve run my set distance.

Running and shooting commercially was something new

I left Cornwall to make the short drive to Bristol before catching a flight to Edinburgh where I met up with five other runners — all here for one reason; To join Lochran & Light on their Scotland Trail Running Retreat. It was hardcore, it was brilliant and it was challenging. Here’s my advice on how to shoot a running event in the mountains.
7artisans 35mm f1.2 Review: Sonnar on a budget
By: Aloysius Chow
Tags: Review, Photography, Gear, Technology, Lenses

Overview

7artisans has made quite the name for itself as a manufacturer of third party manual focus glass. While its releases have generally been hit or miss, we have seen some very interesting lenses from them, like the 35mm F2 for M-Mount, the upcoming 28mm f1.4 (also M-Mount), and this lens.

Let’s get something straight right off the bat: this lens won’t win any awards for sharpness. Or CA. Or contrast, or almost any other technical measure of a lens’s optics for that matter.

What this lens is, is a character lens. Featuring an optical design that is based off that of a Sonnar, it delivers rendering and bokeh with characteristics not unlike those of a Jupiter-3 or Zeiss ZM Sonnar (although I wouldn’t say it performs up to the standards of the latter).

Build Quality

While this lens is cheap for its specifications, it feels solid and dense in the hand. A full-metal build and a smooth focus helicoid and aperture ring make using this lens an enjoyable experience. It balances well on the Fujifilm X-E3 I’m using, which was the body used for all the sample photos in this review.