ASRock has used a gear pattern as part of the design on its flagship Taichi motherboards for a few generations, but as you can see in the video below, now the gear actually spins on the Z590 iteration of the motherboard.
As Chinese publication XFastest demonstrated in its Z590 Taichi review, the gear on the I/O cover rotates in a clockwise fashion. ASRock even added a special option inside the motherboard’s firmware so you can control the spinning interval. Surprisingly, ASRock doesn’t brag about this little design detail on the Z590 Taichi’s product page, so it could just be a gimmick for the review unit. As far as we can tell, the gear serves no practical purpose, and it certainly isn’t going to help you hit higher overclocks.
Either way, at least ASRock is thinking outside of the box and doing something truly different other than simply adding more Christmas lights to the motherboard. The Z590 Taichi also has a set of gears on the passive heatsink for the Z590 PCH – maybe those will be next in line for some spinning action.
The new Z590 Taichi brings a couple of improvements over the Z490 model. Although the Z590 Taichi has lost a power phase in its power delivery subsystem (14 phases vs 15 phases), the new power chokes are rated for 90A instead of the 60A ones on the Z490 Taichi.
Of course, there’s also the PCIe 4.0 M.2 ports and PCIe x16 expansion slots on the Z590 Taichi and the upgraded Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity that aren’t present on the Z490 Taichi.
The Z590 Taichi hasn’t landed at retailers yet, since Intel’s 11th Generation Rocket Lake-S processors aren’t out either. Nevertheless, the Z590 Taichi is expected to debut with a $429.99 price tag. For comparison, the Z490 Taichi normally sells for $369.99. Therefore, ASRock slaps on a $60 premium for the Z590 Taichi compared to the previous motherboard. In reality, considering the feature set, ASRock’s pricing for the Z590 model isn’t asking too much.
And, of course, there’s the spinning gear. As you would imagine, it probably doesn’t serve a practical purpose, but it might be appealing to enthusiasts that like to show off their rigs.
Thumpy, warm sound combined with very good microphone performance and lusciously soft ear cups make the MSI Immerse GH61 a winning choice.
For
Effective DAC and AMP
Immersive virtual surround sound
Quality, microphone
Super soft ear cups
Against
Ear cups get warm after a while
Bass lacking at max volume
We all like our audio a little different. Thankfully, gaming headset vendors love playing with EQ curves to create different sound profiles that can do things like boost your in-game awareness or make your music thump a little bit louder. If you like cans that are heavy on the bass, MSI has a headset for you.
The MSI Immerse GH61 may be one of the best gaming headsets for combining comfort and shameless bass. The ear cups boast baby-soft protein leather, while the drivers deliver distortion-free audio with thunderous bass worthy of my old dance club days. At $109.99 it’s a win for value seekers. The GH61is cross-platform compatible with PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, XBOX, Nintendo Switch, and you can connect either via USB or 3.5mm, coming with a DAC which boosts the audio, allows you to turn on or off the 7.1 surround sound, mute the mic and raise or lower the volume.
MSI Immerse GH61 Specs
Driver Type
40mm neodymium magnet
Impedance
32 Ohms
Frequency Response
20 Hz – 40 kHz
Microphone Type
Unidirectional, retractable
Connectivity
Dual 3.5mm (Consoles)
USB Type-A (PC)
Weight
0.6 pounds (300g)
Cord Length
USB Type-A cable: 3.9 feet (1.2m)
3.5mm cable: 3.2 feet (1m)
Lighting
None
Software
Nahimic for Headset
Design and Comfort of MSI Immerse GH61
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With the dragon logo on the ear cups and angular plastic accents throughout, you can tell MSI designed the Immerse GH61 with gamers in mind. The sleek, angular styling of the swivel mounted ear cups brings style without going overboard. On the right side above where the ear cup and headband meet but stealthily located where no one one else will see it is the Onkyo logo, representing the company behind the Immerse GH61’s drivers. The headset’s left ear cup holds the retractable microphone that smoothly slides in and out of the unit.
Although the Immerse GH61 is mostly lightweight plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap or easily breakable. The plastic also helps keep the headset trim at 0.6 pounds. For comparison among other USB/3.5mm headsets, the Corsair HS70 Bluetooth is 0.7 pounds, and the XPG Precog is 0.8 pounds.
You get a very warm and super soft faux leather covering the memory foam ear cups. The adjustable metal headband is covered in the same memory foam and protein leather for an overall feel that’s oh so soft and lucious. The ear cups snuggle cozily against the ears and feel much better than the fabric you’ll find on some other gaming headsets. However, because the headset uses leatherette, you’ll start to feel warm after wearing them for a while. Thankfully, MSI includes cloth ear cup covers to swap in if that’s your preference, a thoughtful touch.
The Immerse GH61 can lay flat, thanks to its swivel mounted cups, but you’ll enjoy retiring them to the included tailor-made carrying pouch — another value point for MSI.
You can connect the Immerse GH61 via its integrated 3.5mm cable, which is handy for consoles but also works with PC or via USB. For a PC connection you can use either the 3.5mm cable or the USB cable, which includes an ESS Sabre-branded (digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and AMP. You’ll need the DAC (and, therefore, a USB connection) to use the headset’s virtual 7.1 surround sound feature. The DAC also provides handy controls over volume and the mic that relieve you from having to fuss around with your ear cups and, potentially, introduce noise into outgoing audio.
Audio Performance of MSI Immerse GH61
MSI used 40mm neodymium magnet drivers made and tuned by Japanese audio vendor Onkyo. In general, they produce silky smooth, warm audio with fine clarity, depth and ample volume. No matter how high I cranked the volume, there was zero distortion. Bass, on the other hand, seemed to have a healthy limit to prevent distortion when you have the volume maxed out, but the highs never get tinny.
But if you want the Immerse GH61 at its finest, you’ll want to use its DAC. The ESS Sabre DAC and AMP is said to increase the cans’ dynamic range from 90dB to 121dB using ESS’s HyperStream technology. They also boost the signal to noise ratio (SNR) from 100dB to 121dB, while total harmonic distortion and noise (THD+N) decreases, meaning less distortion, from 0.001% to 0.00017%
To test the cans’ gaming prowess, I set it to gaming mode via software. There was subtle difference compared to the out-of-box settings, and the virtual 7.1 surround sound seemed to work well in creating an immersive atmosphere with this mode.
With the DAC, I felt a heightened sense of the sounds around me in Batman: Arkham Knight. In a fight I could hear a goon’s feet shuffle to the left of me as I spun around to punch him and enjoy the audio reproduction of Batman’s jaw breaking punches.I could even tell which direction combatants were coming from, thanks to the virtual surround sound, which allowed me to turn quickly in response. Even Catwoman’s voice came through very clearly and distinctly from a distance, and I was able to tell how far she was based on the sound.
The Sabre DAC and AMP really helped make the audio experience lovely. Listening to the heavenly violin mastery of Julia Fischer playing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major was beyond exquisite. When the orchestra’s bass strings came into play, the creaminess of the bass was simply delightful. Julia’s violin strings were hauntingly melodic as the Immerse GH61 picked up every note change. The occasional wind instrument floated in to deliver gravitas and tonal changes that the DAC’s virtual 7.1 surround sound enhanced. Music often doesn’t take well to virtual surround sound, but on the Immerse GH61 pressing the 7.1 button took me into a concert hall. With the DAC, the experience was still high quality but lacked the fine-tuned concert hall feel.
The inviting, slow, melodious guitar solo that kicked off System of a Down’s “Toxicity” was reproduced harmoniously with 7.1 surround on. When the driving guitar kicked in, the Immerse GH61 handled the quick switch from sweet harmony to driving heavy metal angst with aplomb and joy. Serj Tankian’s rangy powerful voice belting out poetic political truths came through the swivel mounted, plastic ear cups. The 40mm drivers made me feel like I was in a live concert.
Without virtual surround sound, “Toxicity” still sounded fierce and powerful but, again. without that amazing inside a concert venue feel, where it felt like music was bouncing off the walls, massaging the sound and energizing the crowd.
The Immerse GH61’s drivers also support Hi-Res audio, which is audio that has a higher sampling frequency and/or bit depth than a CD, which is at 16-bit / 44.1 kHz. There isn’t much in the way of gaming that supports this audio format, but audiophiles will appreciate the inclusion, especially at this price.
I needed no more convincing that the MSI GH61’s were worth every penny of their $109.99. I will close by saying I listened to Prince’s “Purple Rain” and ended up standing and dancing fully enjoying the entire experience. MSI really made a smart move by combining the Onkyo speakers with the DAC and Nahimic software.
Microphone on MSI Immerse GH61
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
One of the Immerse GH61’s more unique features is its retractable microphones housed in its ear cup. At first I was worried that this would be a failure, either due to durability issues or by introducing noise into my audio. But I used the mic all day during many CES Zoom and Google Meets and to record a podcast and was pleasantly surprised.
I learned the hard way that retracting the microphone does not mute it, as my daughter heard me spew a choice word at an incoming news story on my screen. Then. I had to explain to my daughter that it’s not funny and not language to be repeated, to which she replied, “I’m almost 12 years old and I hear worse at the supermarket.” So please remember to mute, unless you want an unruly child picking up new, colorful imprecations.
Many attached mics do not pick up subtle tone changes very well, but the Immerse GH61’s did a nice job of doing just that when I recorded a podcast appearance. The mic caught all the bass and nuances in my voice as I bounced around from topic to topic, changing my voice levels to suit the mood. There was no distortion to report and, once again, the Nahimic software also was helpful which I will get into next.
The mic is specced for a frequency response of 100-10,000 Hz with a sensitivity of -38 dB. It’s well engineered and operated very smoothly with no hiccups. I must’ve slid it in and out 100 times in a row to see if there would be any catches, but that would never happen. Again, nice work team, Maybe next time make it able to retract and extend automatically? Ok, maybe I’m being a little lazy.
Features and Software of MSI Immerse GH61
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The Immerse GH61 works with Nahimic for Headset, which is a very user-friendly and simple application. The user interface is nicely designed with warm neon-like aqua colored tones. You can use the app to tweak the bass and treble levels, as well as select from presets for music, movie, communication and gaming modes. You can also choose to turn the effects off altogether and adjust the microphone settings.
Nahimic for Headset offers adjustments for the mic gain, and you can also minimize variations in volume by using the Voice Stabilizer section. There is also an excellent static noise suppression section, which improves communication clarity when you’re shouting commands in Call of Duty or on Zoom calls. It also removes a fair amount of background noise, including computer fans.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The MSI Immerse GH61 arrives with baby bottom soft ear cups, a simple, yet stylish, design and excellent audio and microphone capabilities. It adds value with an excellent pouch for storing the lightweight thumpers. They cans are also somewhat versatile, offering both 3.5mm and USB connection and virtual surround sound, making them great for console and PC gamers alike.
At max volume, bass takes a hit, and it’d be great if the mic would mute when retracted. But overall, there’s not a lot missing here. (Most of us can still live without RGB on our headsets, right?)
If you want a gaming headset at a good price that’s thumpy and warm and offers wonderful spatial quality, the MSI Immerse GH61 should be high on your list.
Sonos is preparing for the release of a new product that, according to FCC documentation, is likely to be the company’s second portable speaker with a rechargeable battery. The unannounced device, listed at the FCC as model number S27, is shown in testing diagrams to have a wireless charging dock and offer both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) wireless technology.
FCC diagrams reveal a wireless charging dock.Image: FCC
The mandatory FCC label reveals that this new product uses less power than existing Sonos speakers like the Sonos Move, lending more credence to a smaller overall size. The circular label design, and the fact that Sonos says the label is visible on the bottom surface of the product hints that this Sonos speaker could feature a cylindrical design similar to Bluetooth speaker mainstays like the UE Boom.
Image: FCC
The current Sonos Move’s size and weight help it to put out strong sound, but they also make it a less practical speaker for taking on the go. At a hefty 6.6 pounds, it’s something you’d bring from inside out to your porch, maybe, but Sonos still lacks a speaker portable enough for tossing into a bag and traveling with. S27 might just be the answer for that. The original Move, which was leaked soon after its own FCC filing, is model number S17.
The current Sonos Move is far larger than many portable Bluetooth speakers. Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
This would also be the first speaker from Sonos to include Wi-Fi 5; the Move supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). Bluetooth would come into play more often when using the speaker outside somewhere, but improved Wi-Fi could help performance when playing it around the home as part of Sonos’ multi-room systems.
Other products that Sonos is rumored to be actively developing include a pair of premium headphones. But a line in one of the FCC documents seems to rule out that we’re looking at those. “For satisfying FCC RF exposure compliance requirements, the device must be used with a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons,” it says. So all signs — especially that wireless charger — point to a small, rechargeable device. As much as I’d love to see a Sonos shower head speaker or something a little unconventional, I’m banking on a Move Mini. And hopefully for a price significantly lower than the $400 Move.
Most people who have used the Apple TV Siri remote have probably craved something that isn’t so darn frustrating to use — but most of us haven’t modded a Game Boy Color to work as one (via Gizmodo). That’s exactly what Italian YouTuber Otto Climan did, and while his project looks sleek as all get-out, it’s surprising how well it works using the Game Boy’s original hardware.
Wow, that custom case.Photo by Otto Climan
That screen is looking nice.Photo by Otto Climan
First off, we have to talk about the case he used. It was apparently made by a company called Retro Modding, specifically for the project, and it looks incredible with its blend of ‘90s Apple and Nintendo aesthetics. (Embarrassingly, it looks better than the actual video game console Apple worked on in the ‘90s.) If you’re familiar with the Game Boy Color, you may notice that the screen on Climan’s looks a bit crisper and better backlit. In addition to replacing the case, he also gave the screen an upgrade using what looks like another Retro Modding part.
The IR blaster is actually original equipment.Photo by Otto Climan
Apart from giving it an incredible aesthetic upgrade, though, there wasn’t a ton of hardware hackery needed. The Game Boy Color comes stock with an IR blaster, which the newest Apple TV set still supports. Of course, some custom software was needed to map the buttons to the IR controls.
Climan’s UI for the ROM is clean and minimalist. Photo by Otto Climan
Even the Game Pak is custom-made and beautiful.Photo by Otto Climan
Of course, there’s a time period-appropriate clear version.Photo by Otto Climan
I wouldn’t have blamed Climan for using a standard custom ROM cartridge, but of course he had one made that matches the Game Boy’s aesthetic. He loaded a ROM that he programmed with the Apple TV’s IR codes and button mappings, and there you have it: a Game Boy Color that can control an Apple TV. And because it has real directional buttons and not a feisty touchpad, it’s probably better at that task than Apple’s actual remote.
Pictured: a reasonable navigation UX.Photo by Otto Climan
I need this in my life.GIF by Otto Climan
While this project is absolutely incredible, I have an idea for the next iteration: using a Nintendo DS. That way, you can have the touch input if you really want it along with a microphone for Siri support. It doesn’t have an IR blaster or support for Bluetooth like Apple’s remote, but maybe you could add it in with the Game Boy slot, Guitar Hero style.
(Pocket-lint) – Cambridge Audio has been around for donkey’s years and has built something of a tradition in the world of home audio equipment. But in the world of headphones, it doesn’t quite draw the attention as much as the likes of Sony, Bose or Sennheiser. So when it launched a pair of true wireless earbuds, the Melomania 1, that was something of a surprise.
Even more of a surprise, perhaps, was that the Melomania 1 was both great-sounding and very affordable. So the follow-up pair had a high bar to meet. Can Cambridge Audio blow us away with great, affordable buds for a second time? Here’s how the Melomania Touch fares…
Design
Touch controls
IPX4 water resistance
Faux leather coated case
Available in black or white
3x ear fin and 3x ear tip sizes for fit
Cambridge Audio launched its first pair of true wireless earbuds in 2018, and stood out from the market for a couple reasons. One of those was the design, which reminded us of little foam-tipped bullets. Of course, this shape wasn’t necessarily the most ergonomic or practical for in-ear fit, but the lightweight and easy-to-wear finish helped counter that.
Pocket-lint
The Melomania Touch looks nothing like the first-gen model and doesn’t feel the same in the ears either. It’s a huge change in direction, and one that has its benefits and its drawbacks.
The new warped teardrop-shape design of the Melomania Touch means these ‘buds are designed to fit and almost fill the inner part of your year, holding onto the middle ridge with an in-ear fin. That means, by their very nature, the individual ‘buds are a much more secure fit than the looser-fitting predecessors.
Because of the various sizes of fin and ear tips, we did find it took a couple of tries to get the right fit for us. Trying out a couple of different combinations we eventually settled on one that was comfortable but with a decent seal and with minimal pressure. Essentially just stepping down a size from the default fit. As we talk about in the sound section later on, getting this right fit is essential for good audio.
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Even with a better fit for this generation you can still tell those tips are in your ear. As the tips are the standard shape and size for earbuds, you can always feel them in there and don’t quite get to that almost undetectable level you’ll find with wider cone-shaped tips. The Touch’s feel isn’t uncomfortable though, so you’ll be fine for a couple of hours at a time – too much longer and you will start to feel some sensitivity.
As we’re sure you gathered from the name ‘Touch’, these in-ears outer surface is touch-sensitive but of course, so you can use it to control various features, such as playing and pausing music or skipping tracks. Like most earbuds that feature this, it’s useful when you’re needing to use it on purpose. Most of the time we interacted with the Touch, however, it was accidentally.
The problem with such a large area being touch-sensitive is that if you try to adjust the fit, reach to remove the buds, or frankly do anything that involves touching them, it’s quite finicky trying to avoid that touch-sensitive area and inadvertently playing or pausing music.
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The charging case is a nice upgrade for this second-gen model. Rather than looking like a small pack of dental floss made from the beige plastic cast-off from a 1990s desktop PC, this cases is pill-shaped and coated in a soft faux leather. It’s a lovely looking and lovely feeling case, although we found the docks for each earbud could do with having stronger feeling magnet, to ensure that each ‘bud was absolutely in the right position to charge.
Performance, features and voice calls
Bluetooth 5.0 and AAC
Qualcomm aptX, TrueWireless Stereo Plus
7 hours music playback (33 hrs in case)
50 hours total maximum battery life (in low power mode)
Cambridge Audio has equipped the Melomania Touch with a lot of the modern tech you’d hope to find in true wireless earbuds. There’s aptX for lag-free connection with most Android phones. In addition there’s Qualcomm’s other tech: TrueWireless Stereo Plus. This connects each earbud to the Android phone independently and to each other, rather than use one ‘bud as the primary and have the other feed from it.
There’s also Bluetooth 5.0 and AAC support, so Apple iPhone users are catered for. The Touch even uses Qualcomm’s tech for enhancing the clarity of voice calls, so while Cambridge Audio is something of a traditional British audiophile company, it’s had the sense to try and utilise expertise from available tech to make these ‘buds convenient for the day-to-day user who will want to use them for calls.
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However, we did struggle at times with the wireless connectivity. It started with the initial setup, where we struggled with pairing and for the ‘buds to be discoverable – to the point where we went through the factory reset guide. Even then we could only get one ‘buds to pair – something that a firmware fix attempt couldn’t sort.
Given that all controls, including the reset process, are activated using that shiny touch-sensitive surface no physical feedback, it’s not exactly easy to perform such tasks. We’d much rather the Touch adopted a similar approach to the companies that have a single physical pairing button on the case itself, rather than trying to press-and-hold a touch-sensitive area on two earbuds simultaneously that’s curved and naturally slippery and may or may not respond as it’s supposed to. It’s finicky to say the least.
So we ended up seeking a replacement pair of the Melomania Touch just to make sure everything checked out. Which, generally speaking, has been the case. Once paired with replacement ‘buds, our connection has been reliable during our testing. With music playing, we’ve had no issues with the audio cutting out once it’s got going.
But connectivity didn’t seem to be quite as on the ball in all areas: upon initial connection, having removed the ‘buds from the case, the music would start in one ear before the other by a second or so. That wait isn’t the norm these days.
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Battery life is strong, even in its normal usage mode. Up to seven hours out of the case at a time is more than enough for anyone, even if you’re taking a long journey. Cambridge Audio says you can get up to 50 hours total battery time if you’re happy switching to low power mode, but the process on how to do that isn’t exactly obvious or easy within the app, and really we’re just not sure it’s worth the hassle.
Getting up to 33 hours of total battery – including the charges in the case – is more than the average from most true wireless buds, so that’ll do just fine in our. Plus, you don’t have to put up with the lower quality sound you get from low power mode, which is actually this pair of ‘buds biggest plus point.
Sound quality
7mm drivers
Melomania app for EQ
As we’ve mentioned, the sound is highly dependent on the fit. For instance, if you have too snug a fit the bass will get a little too ‘boomy’ – particularly in songs where there’s some significant bass or bass drum powering the rhythm. As examples, the bass in Hoping by X Ambassadors or the kick drum in Dopeness by Black Eyed Peas. Some people might really like that high impact bass though. In a lot of songs it is highly enjoyable, but in others it just gets a tiny bit too much for our taste.
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Thankfully, there’s a manual equaliser (EQ) to adjust the sound to your own preference. This is found within the app, where you can also enable and adjust the transparency mode to let in external audio, so that you’re not completely blocked off from the world.
Use a fit that’s less pressured and the sound changes a little to become a lot more natural and less bass heavy. Bass is still quite prominent, but it doesn’t detract from the rest of the frequencies. In fact, the 7mm drivers in these ‘buds are some of the most detailed you’ll hear at this price point.
So with the right fit you get loud and prominent bass, but also all of the subtleties elsewhere in the mix Jangly piano is still bright and clear, as is subtle guitar string plucking, while vocals are delivered with clarity. Nothing is ever drowned out by those punchy bass notes. So all in all, it’s a dynamic sound that’s impressive at this end of the earbud market. And that’s what really matters.
Verdict
After loving the sound that came from the original Cambridge Audio Melomania 1, we had high hopes for the follow-up pair. And there’s no denying, the audio from the Melomania Touch is super – vibrant, punchy and hugely enjoyable.
But the earbuds suffer from connection issues and a design that’s just not hugely practical. Whether it’s the frustrating pairing process, or the fact that – at times – the connection to one of the ‘buds failed or was delayed, the experience lacked the polish we’d come to expect given the success of the first outing.
Still, once you have the Melomania Touch in our ears and are listening to music – and not touching them, because that touch-sensitive panel is easy to hit by accident – the music is so good.
In this price range you’re unlikely to find anything that sounds as dynamic and clear as these. We’re just wary given the connectivity ups and downs.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Jabra Elite 75t
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As reliable a pair of true wireless ‘buds as you’ll find. These in-ears are small, comfortable to wear and deliver a sound solid.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Sony WF-SP800N
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These sporty in-ears offer a lot of Sony’s smart ambient sound control and the noise-cancellation tech is the real star. Battery life is only average though, which is surprising given the (massive) size of the case. Overall these ‘buds sound great and offer plenty of customisation.
What if you need a mobile system with more than three screens? Well, Expanscape has developed a prototype of a laptop with as many as seven screens, and it is already selling the prototypes to interested customers. It also comes packed with an impressive amount of power on the compute side to match.
The Aurora 7 Prototype indeed comes with four 17.3-inch monitors featuring a 4K resolution (two working in landscape, two in portrait mode) as well as three auxiliary 7-inch screens featuring a 1920 x 1200 resolution. All the monitors fold or swivel out of the primary chassis, making it a transformer of sorts, and no on-site assembly before deployment is necessary. The whole system weighs around 12 kilograms, so it is not easy to carry, but it is naturally easier to transport than a laptop along with six extra displays.
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With more of us working from home due to the pandemic, multi-display setups are becoming the norm and are widely used for a variety of applications. Setting a multi-monitor configuration at home or in an office is easy, and while attaching two more displays to a laptop is also possible, it gets slightly more complicated.
Expanscape’s Aurora 7 Prototype laptop computer is built for very particular applications and audiences in mind (such as security operations centers, data scientists, content creators) that traditionally use multi-display PCs, but who at times need to transport and deploy them quickly. The creators wanted their seven-screen laptop computer to be portable, structurally rigid, and capable of running demanding programs.
As far as internal hardware is concerned, the Aurora 7 is powered by Intel’s Core i9-9900K processor that is accompanied by 64GB of DDR4-2666 memory, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, two PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 SSDs, one 2.5-inch MLC SSD, and a 2TB 7200RPM hard drive. The PC has all modern connectivity technologies, including Bluetooth, GbE, Wi-Fi, and USB. Since the Aurora 7 uses a fairly spacious chassis, the developer says that it can use different platforms, including AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X or Intel’s Core i9-10900K.
Among the impressive peculiarities of the Expanscape’s Aurora 7 Prototype are two internal batteries. The primary internal battery features an 82Wh capacity and powers the system itself. The secondary internal battery has a 148Wh capacity and is used to power the screens. The battery life for the whole system is about 2 hours 20 minutes, but at high clocks under high loads, it will get lower.
Technically, all of Expanscape’s seven-screen Aurora 7 machines are just prototypes that do not look or feel like commercial products, yet the company can build them to order and sell to interested parties who agree so sign a contract and pay a hefty sum of money.
UK Audio specialist, KEF, has just introduced the Mu3: the company’s first set of true wireless headphones that also boast noise cancelling. They’re designed by Ross Lovegrove – of KEF’s high-end Muon speakers and bijou Bluetooth Muo fame – and engineered by the firm’s Maidstone acoustic team.
2021 sees KEF celebrating its 60th anniversary too, so why not mark it with some new high-spec wireless headphones to rival Apple’s AirPods Pro? The audio performance benefits from KEF’s specially tuned active noise cancellation technology, promising to eliminate external noise without altering the details that bring your music to life.
Each of the Mu3s’ sculptural enclosures contain an 8.2mm full-range dynamic driver and the ergonomic design also promises a comfortable and secure audio experience. The Mu3s are apparently balanced in the ears by smart weighting, which KEF assures us stops them from falling out. They also come with a choice of four subtly different sized ear tips to give the most tailored fit for your ears – ie. the perfect seal for noise isolation and security.
The Mu3 also boasts Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity further enhanced by the introduction of simultaneous transmission, where both earphones receive a signal at the same time (rather than the more common approach where audio is sent to one earpiece and relayed to the other, therefore running the risk of latency) for improved true wireless audio on both Android and iOS devices.
(Image credit: KEF)
KEF promises a simple setup, automatic pairing and an ambient mode too, where at the touch of a button active noise cancellation is disengaged and instead, the audio picked up on the microphones is filtered in, providing the wearer with instant awareness of their surroundings. The IPX5 splash-proof rating actually beats the AirPods Pro’s IPX4 rating for water ingress and the high-capacity, quick-charge batteries boast a full day’s listening (a claimed nine hours of playtime with a further 15 hours in the charging case) even with noise cancellation engaged.
They’ll be available by the end of February, priced at £199 ($230, AU$300) – slap bang in AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3 territory. Are they set to become the best AirPods alternatives on the block? There’s tough competition at that level, but we’re very interested to find out…
MORE:
Read all our KEF reviews
See our pick of the best wireless noise-cancelling headphones 2021
Touch of insomnia? Peruse the best headphones for sleeping 2021: wired wireless and noise-cancelling
(Pocket-lint) – Huami has been turning out various smartwatches that sit under its Amazfit brand, with the square-shape GTS 2 sitting at the top of its fashion watch category.
That GTS family also includes the cheaper GTS 2e and the GTS 2 Mini. If you want the best in terms of features and a stylish design then the GTS 2 is the one to look at.
Along with making some welcome changes in the design department, the GTS 2 also performs more like a smartwatch than the original GTS did, bringing smart assistants and a music player into the mix. But that’s also seen the price creep up, so does it warrant its worth?
Design & Display
Display: 1.65-inch, 348 x 442 resolution
Measures 42.8 x 35.6 x 9.7mm
Size options: 42mm only
5ATM waterproofing
Like the original GTS, the GTS 2 goes square – much like an Apple Watch – but you certainly wouldn’t mistake if for a Series 6 or an SE.
That doesn’t mean you don’t get an attractive smartwatch for your money, though. There are notable improvements with the materials used and the design of the display that gives the GTS 2 a more stylish look compared to its predecessor.
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You’re getting a 42mm watch case with a matte titanium alloy used around the display, with plastic on the back where the sensors and charging points lie. That’s paired up with a removable 20mm silicone strap.
There’s the pick of black, grey or gold looks, which does mean you have fewer colour options to pick from than the first GTS, but you do still have that option to switch up things in the strap department if you prefer to go for an overall more formal watch look.
What has really elevated the look of the GTS 2 is its display, which is made from 3D curved glass that creates a more unified look with the watch case. Overall it just makes it feel like a much nicer watch to wear.
That screen measures in with the same 1.65-inches and offers the same resolution as the GTS and, again, it’s a really good quality display. It’s nice and responsive to swipes and taps, isn’t a fingerprint magnet, and offers great sharpness and colours. The viewing angles are strong too, plus there’s an always-on display mode option if you want that screen on full-time.
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Away from using the touchscreen, there’s a solitary button that sits closer to the watch body to help create that more streamlined look. As a package it’s got the same 5ATM water resistant rating, which means it’s safe to swim and shower with it (as that rating is good for 50 metres depth).
While the first GTS definitely had a more sporty look and feel to it, that curved screen and titanium addition certainly makes the GTS 2 a more attractive proposition. It’s no Apple Watch, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction for the GTS range.
Software & Performance
Customizable watch faces
Works with Android and iOS
Once again, Huami is using its own operating system to run the software and doesn’t divulge details of the processor or components. The performance is satisfying on the whole, whether that’s getting around menu screens or putting its key features to work.
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The software experience hasn’t dramatically changed over the first GTS. The selection of customisable watch faces have certainly been better optimised for that curved display and getting to menu screens or your notifications are done in the same manner. There’s widgets to show off elements like your daily activity stats and weather forecasts.
Best Garmin watch 2021: Fenix, Forerunner and Vivo compared
By Chris Hall
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Huami’s smartwatches are generally very easy to get to grips with and that doesn’t really change with the GTS 2.
When you need to sync your data or tinker with settings you can’t access on the watch, you’ll now have to head to the Zepp companion app, which is a rebranded Amazfit app. Huami now owns Zepp, the sports tech brand that made its name using sports tracking sensors for baseball and golf.
Getting setup is pretty straightforward, especially if you take the QR code scanning route to pairing it with your phone. We used it with Oppo and Realme Android phones and didn’t have issues with syncing or pairing. While it’s a device you can use with iPhone too, pairing with an Android device will give you the optimal experience.
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The two most important area of the app is the main Homepage where you can delve deeper into your health, fitness and exercise stats. The dedicated devices page is where you can adjust settings, such as notification support, set health monitoring modes, and get hold of more watch faces.
Sports & Fitness Tracking
GPS and Glonass satellite systems
Automatic exercise recognition
Built-in heart rate monitor
24/7 fitness tracking
Blood oxygen read
Like the GTS, the GTS 2 is well equipped as far as tracking your health, fitness and exercise. It has added a new improved heart rate sensor – BioTracker 2 PPG – and ramped up the number of sports with exercise recognition support also in tow.
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On the sensor count, there’s GPS and GLONASS to accurately track outdoor activities, and the same motion sensors as included in the GTS. Huami’s new sensor can read blood oxygen (SpO2) levels – but that blood oxygen sensor, much like the one on Huawei, Garmin, Fitbit and Apple’s smartwatches, is not designed for medical purposes.
That sensor delivers resting heart rate, continuous monitoring, and heart rate during exercise. It also powers its PAI Health Assessment, which shifts the emphasis on raising your heart rate regularly as opposed to focusing on nailing your daily step counts.
There’s no 90 sports modes, which is significantly up from the 12 included on the GTS. That includes core sports like running, cycling and swimming (pool and open water), along with tracking support for skiing and climbing.
In terms of that tracking performance indoors and outdoors, accuracy definitely feels better suited to someone who has a more casual approach to fitness. Accuracy for things like GPS and heart rate feel better suited to steady paced workouts. As soon as you up the intensity, whether that’s running or riding for longer distances, those key sensors do have a tendency to falter. Heart rate testing against a Garmin HRM Pro heart rate chest strap monitor showed that the GTS 2’s sensor struggles to handle the sudden spikes and drops in heart rate with high intensity training.
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It definitely does a better impression as a daily fitness tracker if you care mainly about steps, continuous heart rate monitoring and tracking sleep. Daily step counts were in the ballpark of the step counts we tracked on a Fitbit Sense and you’ll still get those inactivity alerts buzzing you to keep moving during the day.
For sleep, the GTS 2 posted similar sleep duration periods as the Sense and similar breakdowns of sleep stages, including REM sleep. There’s some nice additional insights and tips to improve sleep quality and is definitely one of the GTS 2’s strengths.
Smartwatch features
View notifications
Built-in music player
Offline voice assistant
Microphone and speaker
Phone calls over Bluetooth
The GTS was pretty light on smartwatch features, so thankfully that’s changed with the GTS 2.
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You still have notifications that are still not actionable while multiple notifications from the same app can still bunch up as was the case on the GTS. There’s also weather forecasts, the ability to set alarms and access to music controls, with the latter accessible during workouts.
Huami has added in a microphone and speaker, which brings a collection of new features into the mix. It means you can now take phone calls when connected to your phone via Bluetooth. More interestingly is the introduction of a smart assistant that works without a data connection.
The new offline voice assistant will give you control of core watch features like turning settings on and off or to start a workout. The commands supported are all listed on the watch and the assistant can be woken up in a variety of ways including turning it on as soon as you raise your wrist. It’s an assistant that works well and is responsive to commands, making it a useful feature to have when you’ve got your hands full.
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The other big feature is the built-in music player, giving you 3GB of storage to fit in roughly 300-600 songs. To get that music onto the watch, you’ll need to sync it over from the Zepp companion app. Currently, it only supports music you own and doesn’t work with any music streaming services. If you own a lot of music and it’s already piled onto your phone, then you’ll no doubt appreciate its inclusion as a feature. Hopefully though, Huami will add some streaming service support as well to make it even more useful.
Battery Life
Up to 20 days in basic watch mode
Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode
3.5 days in heavy usage
Huami has included a bigger 246mAh battery on the GTS 2, which is capable of giving you around a week of use in typical scenarios – and up to 20 days when you disable features like Bluetooth and heart rate monitoring. If you put features into play like the always-on display mode, that battery is likely to drop to around three days or so.
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Based on our experience, you can get that week of use, but if you’re making use of all of those new features, it’s more likely to be a few days shorter than that. Features like continuous heart rate monitoring, advanced sleep monitoring, keeping the screen bright and having a steady stream of notifications, will see it fall short of that seven days. If you’re willing to compromise on what features are enabled, you can go further.
GPS tracking battery life is an impressive 25 hours, which betters a lot of more expensive GPS-packing smartwatches and sports watches. Putting that GPS to good use doesn’t horribly drain the battery either.
When you do hit zero there’s an identical charger to the one used on the GTS to get things powered back up. It takes 2.5 hours to get to 100 per cent, though, which certainly doesn’t make it the snappiest of chargers.
Verdict
While the first GTS offered great value for money at a price point where it stood up well against the competition, the GTS 2 is promising to be a better smartwatch – but a pricier one too.
It certainly steps things up in the looks department, while features such as the offline voice assistant is a great new addition. However, the music player is going to have limited appeal until it can partner up with some streaming services. And while fitness tracking is once again solid, you won’t get high-end accuracy for tracking sports and active heart rate.
All in all, the GTS 2 is a transformation for the series – and a decent one at that. But at the now elevated price point you’ll be able to find a more complete smartwatch experience elsewhere, which is why the original GTS scored better than this follow-up.
Also consider
Fitbit Versa 2
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While not its latest product, this watch offers richer music and notification features, plus all the great fitness tracking and health features you would expect from a Fitbit watch.
Read our review
Huawei Watch GT 2e
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Huawei offers a step up in sports tracking features and is capable of giving you weeks of battery life with its full gamut of features in play.
Corellium, a software company specializing in virtualization solutions, has managed to port Linux to an Apple M1-based PC and even succeeded in making almost all the system peripherals work. In the process, Corellium discovered several interesting details about Apple’s M1 processor and the system architecture.
A couple of weeks ago, we reported that a startup called Corellium had managed to run Linux on an Apple M1-based computer. Back then, the operating system ran, but it did not support many things, essentially making the PC unusable to a large degree. Recently the company finally managed to make most of the things (including Wi-Fi) work, which means that Linux can now be used on the latest Macs. But the whole project of running a non-Apple OS on such computers has an interesting side effect as it reveals how different Apple’s SoCs are compared to other Arm-based architectures.
Loads of Proprietary Technologies
It’s no secret that Apple has focused on building its own Arm-based microarchitectures to offer unbeatable performance with its iPhones and iPads for quite a while now. Unlike its rivals, the company did not throw in more cores, instead improving its cores’ single-core/single-thread performance. In addition to custom cores, Apple apparently uses a highly custom system architecture too, according to Corellium.
(Image credit: Apple)
When virtually all 64-bit Arm-based systems bootup, they call firmware through an interface called PSCI, but in the case of the M1, the CPU cores start at an address specified by an MMIO register and then start to run the kernel. Furthermore, Apple systems also use a proprietary Apple Interrupt Controller (AIC) that is not compatible with Arm’s standards. Meanwhile, the timer interrupts are connected to the FIQ, an obscure architectural feature primarily used on 32-bit Arm systems that is not compatible with Linux.
To make various processors in an M1-powered PC interact with each other, the OS has to provide a set of inter-processor interrupts (IPIs). Previously IPIs were handled just like traditional IRQs using MMIO accesses to the AIC, but in the case of the M1, Apple uses processor core registers to dispatch and acknowledge IPIsas they rely on FIQs.
Apple’s oddities do not end there. For example, Apple’s Wi-Fi/Bluetooth controller connects to the SoC using a non-standard PCIe-based protocol (which fortunately was supported by Corellium virtualization software). To make matters more complicated, Apple’s PCIe and the integrated Synopsys DWC3 USB controller use the company’s proprietary input–output memory management unit (IOMMU) called device address resolution table (DART). Furthermore, Apple’s I2C has a custom firmware that uses an exclusive protocol, which thwarted using the USB Type-A ports.
Complications
Using a proprietary system architecture is not something new for Apple, but it will make it much harder to port other operating systems to its platforms as well as running those OSes in virtualization mode. Recently a developer managed to make Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10X run on an Apple M1-based system using QEMU virtualization, but this OS is not yet final, and it is unclear how stable it is. Furthermore, Windows 10X does not run Win32 apps, making it less valuable for some users.
Running Windows 10 or Linux on an Apple Mac may not be crucially important for most Mac owners. But a complicated system architecture featuring multiple proprietary technologies will likely make it harder to develop certain kinds of software and hardware for Arm-based Macs.
Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound Level is the Danish brand’s latest battery-powered connected speaker. It supports voice controls via Google Assistant, Bluetooth, and you can also stream to it via the AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Spotify Connect standards. B&O says the Beosound Level uses a modular construction that it claims will make it usable far into the future. It’s a welcome feature, considering the speaker’s high $1,499 (£1,099) starting price.
While many stereos and amplifiers from the middle of the last century can still be used today, the average lifespan of modern integrated audio systems is far shorter. If your music system contains a computer, then it’s inevitable that it’ll eventually become outdated. B&O’s hope is that the modular design it’s using for the Beosound Level will help the company keep it supported for longer, as well as making it easier to repair when components fail.
Central to this modularity is the Beosound Level’s streaming module, which houses the speaker’s digital signal processing (DSP) chip, wireless connectivity tech, and antenna array. It’s B&O’s first speaker to use it, but the company says it won’t be the last; it’ll be standardized across its future lineup of home speakers. B&O says there’s enough processing headroom in the hardware that ships with the Beosound Level that it should be able to handle updates in the immediate future. But when the hardware reaches its limit, the company plans to offer an upgrade service for users who are prepared to send their device in to the company to have the streaming module replaced.
The Beosound Level’s battery is also modular, and unlike the streaming module, it’s user-replaceable. However, its form factor won’t be standardized across B&O’s speaker lineup, so replacing it will require a battery made specifically for the Beosound Level. Battery life is rated at up to 16 hours with volumes at moderate levels, dropping to four hours at max volume.
Other features include a built-in accelerometer that allows the Beosound Level to adjust its sound depending on whether it’s standing vertically, horizontally, or hanging on a wall. (A wall bracket is available separately for $119, or £89.) Internally, the speaker has five drivers: two 4-inch woofers, one 2-inch full-range driver, and two 0.8-inch tweeters.
Charging is either handled via a USB-C port on the speaker itself or by attaching a small magnetic plug (which is powered over USB). The speaker has an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, touch controls, and it’s available with wood or fabric finishes.
We’ve seen companies try to take modular approaches with their devices before, but success has been elusive so far. Modular smartphones have never really gotten off the ground, and Alienware’s promises about a modular future-proof laptop fell apart after just one year. Bang & Olufsen tells me it hopes to support the Beosound Level for years after it eventually stops producing the speaker, so it might be some time before we see if it’s able to deliver on its goal.
(Pocket-lint) – The headphone jack might just be dead – when Apple first got rid of it, the outcry was widespread, but we’ve now come to accept its absence as the default. Many Android phone makers are opting for Bluetooth and USB-C audio instead.
Removing the jack enables phones to be made thinner, use fewer connectors and be made waterproof more easily. However, the adoption of USB-C headphones has been slow because many opt for Bluetooth headphones instead.
There are advantages to using wired though; a digital connection can help improve audio quality, as headphones can be made with dedicated DACs integrated into them, such as the Audeze Sine and iSine that use the Lightning port on the iPhone.
Best in-ear headphones: 10 great wired, wireless and wire-free earphones
So we’ve rounded up the best USB-C headphones we’ve found – there aren’t huge numbers of options, as you’ll see.
Best USB-C headphones to buy
Moshi
Moshi Mythro C
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These well-rounded USB-C earphones sound great and bass reproduction is decent. That’s thanks to a built-in DAC and four in-line buttons with a mic and a DJ Boost mode. As with many other earphones, you also get many different ear tips, as you’d expect.
Note that while these headphones say they are compatible Google Assistant compatible, they don’t have the assistant built-in, as with some other devices (such as the Pixel headphones below).
Libratone
Libratone Q-Adapt In-ear USB-C
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Libratone already has a pair of Q-Adapt in-ear headphones for the iPhone and has also released a pair with a USB-C connector too. They were made specifically for the Google Pixel 2 and fall under the “Made for Google” program.
They’re sweatproof, so can be used when exercising, have in-line controls for controlling music playback and even have a noise-cancellation mode when taking phone calls with power coming directly from the USB-C port.
Google
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds
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Google released these earbuds alongside the Pixel 3, and, while they aren’t as good as wireless options, they are dirt cheap.
They also have native compatibility with Google Assistant so you can hear your notifications (just press and hold the volume up button) and get real-time translation from Google Translate.
Razer
Razer Hammerhead
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Earbuds aren’t purely useful for music and chatting, though, and can be great for immersive gaming, too. R
Razer’s Hammerhead earbuds are slightly pricy, but if you really want the edge on mobile games they’ll do very nicely indeed. We also really like the look and feel of the tangle-resistant cable.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi ANC Earphone
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Bringing ANC to the table are these earbuds from Xiaomi which offer a nice alternative to the set from Libratone above, especially if those older buds are out of stock. These have an unremarkable design but do everything you need them to very well.
OnePlus
OnePlus Type C Bullets
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OnePlus rounds out our list with these really solid, incredibly simple earbuds, which aren’t particularly noteworthy but equally are priced pretty sensibly and sound really good for the price, too.
While we thought its radio sources need a little tonal attention, the highlights here are playback from CD, from streaming music services and Bluetooth.
For
Compact music system
Endless paths to music
CD and streaming
Against
Edgy sound on radio sources
Variable results for ‘3D audio’
Sound+Image mag review
(Image credit: Future)
This review originally appeared in Sound+Image magazine, one of What Hi-Fi?’s Australian sister publications. Click here for more information on Sound+Image, including digital editions and details on how you can subscribe.
We don’t recall a product ever ‘coming good’ during a review to the quite same extent as did the Ruark R3 Compact Music System. It positively alarmed us when we first turned it on. But by the end of our time with this streaming tabletop music system we were using it daily for pleasure as much as for assessment. Join us in our journey with this timeless design from a UK company which has made this genre of smart radiogram-like music system something of a specialty.
Build & facilities
The R3 is a table-top audio system (£629, $790, AU$1299) which stands some 42cm across and 17cm high, bringing together CD replay, reception of DAB+, FM and internet radio, streaming via network and Bluetooth (with aptX), Spotify Connect, Tidal and other music services… pretty much everything, in short, that the modern music world has to offer.
You can plug in additional sources – there’s one optical and one analogue input, also a minijack headphone output and a ‘line out’ at full level, so you could run the whole gamut of sources into a hi-fi amp or a recorder.
Ruark’s great skill is in offering this potentially overwhelming profusion of sources in a friendly box – old-style, you might even call it, with its grey cloth grille and walnut casing, though a more modern-looking soft-grey lacquer finish is also available.
On top is the company’s longstanding Rotodial for control, while a small infrared remote is also included, along with app control from a smart device. And if it’s going bedside, you can avail yourself of the useful alarm clocks, snooze and sleep timer functions.
Ruark’s other skill is sound quality. This is a company we can still remember of old as Ruark Acoustics, making fine British loudspeakers with thrusting names like Sabre and Swordsman through the 1980s and 1990s. Then in the 2000s when digital radio was trending, Ruark developed the little R1, which the UK’s Sunday Telegraph hailed as “the Aston Martin of DAB radios”.
Such was the R1’s success that traditional loudspeakers fell by the wayside (though “never say never”, says owner Alan O’Rourke), and the reinvented Ruark Audio now has a range of radio and streaming solutions, from the latest Mk4 version of the R1 ‘deluxe’ up to a large four-legged radiogram of the future, the highly desirable R7 Mk3.
So Ruark has a heritage of hi-fi sound, and we’ve enjoyed many of its players in the past, so were looking forward to this new R3.
(Image credit: Ruark Audio)
Setting up
We had no problems setting up the R3; we gave it Ethernet and attached the antenna required for radio reception; this may confuse newbies by flopping around loosely, but we knew from previous Ruark visits that there’s a special aerial spanner in the packaging for this very purpose!
We began our listening by sampling its skills with radio. We selected digital radio and, being fresh from the box, the R3 scanned Sydney’s airwaves and found some 70 available DAB+ stations all awaiting selection via a shuttle of the R3’s top Rotodial. And all were sounding pretty unpleasant – very spitty in the treble, artificial-sounding, with voices thin in their midrange content, and music lumpy in the bass.
We changed to internet radio – it was no better, indeed slightly worse on low-resolution stations. We were worried by this, to be honest: it was not the sound we expect from Ruark devices, which normally present a warm friendly radio sound.
We hastened to the tone controls through the menus. There are four elements to the tone controls: bass and treble adjustment, a loudness option which was ‘on’ by default, and – ah! – a ‘3D’ option. This 3D option was also on by default. Switching it off went a long way to removing the artificial spittiness from the radio sources.
We further tamed the treble by a few notches, left the loudness on, and kept the bass in its central position. This brought the radio sections back to what we’d expect from Ruark – full and friendly, just a teeny bit fizzy up top but no longer distractingly so.
The remote control has three large preset buttons, which are available separately for each source, so three for FM, three for DAB+, three for internet radio. You store them by simply pressing and holding the button when listening to a station.
But in fact there are 10 presets for each type of radio; you can access the rest by pressing and holding the ‘preset’ button then pressing the left-right buttons to reach presets 4 to 10. Recall them the same way, without the holding. It’s easy, versatile, and very useful.
Best hi-fi systems 2021: micro, hi-fi, vinyl
App control
For those with less than 20/20 vision who can’t read the small lettering on the front display across the room for source selection (let alone the tinier menu options), there’s a handy free app available for control. This is Undok, the control app from Frontier Silicon, maker of the smart module within the R3.
We’ve long enjoyed Undok, and are pleased to see it back after an unexplained hiatus. Undok controlled the R3 effectively, though not entirely. For example, there’s access to bass, treble and loudness, but not the all-important ‘3D’ option, for which you’ll need to use the remote and/or Rotodial to switch on or off.
App quirk two: we tried to rename the R3, but it refused to change to ‘Ruark R3’… yet when we jokingly tried ‘Simon’, that was OK. Turns out that you can only pick a one-word name, e.g. Ruark.
App quirk three: the bass slider in the app was glitchy, advancing a few notches, then jumping back again, up then back – very odd.
But otherwise the app is very useful for local control, for switching sources, for saving presets. One tip for internet radio: if there’s a station you can’t find (our local community station, for example, was not listed), you can head to Frontier Silicon’s site https://smartradio.frontier-nuvola.net, set up an account, link your R3, ‘manage favourites’, and enter the URL manually. The station then appears under ‘My Favourites’. Nice flexibility!
Best Bluetooth speakers 2021: portable speakers for every budget
Radio listening completed, we switched to music streaming. For Spotify you use the Spotify app and point it at the Ruark for playback – we were pleased to find this works with free Spotify as well as paid (which isn’t the case for many streaming platforms and products).
And it was immediately evident that for all the other inputs – music services, CD, Bluetooth streaming – the R3’s sound balance was completely different. Gone was all the spittiness, gone the bass lumpiness. So we headed back to the tone controls, put the treble and bass back to zero, left the loudness on – and turned the 3D sound on.
And with these sources you should definitely try the 3D sound option. It gives the sound a real lift, a widening, an additional enjoyability, though it still occasionally has deleterious effects on certain tracks. We played Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al from Spotify Free and all was good.
But on the next track, Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard, the janglier right-channel guitars became nastily edgy and artificial until we turned ‘3D’ off again. We tried the same track from our own CD-quality collection sent by Bluetooth (which supports both AAC and aptX), and this softened the edginess somewhat, but it still sounded better with 3D off.
The more we played, the more songs reacted badly to the 3D setting, and we ended up keeping it off, with one notch down also on the treble slider to prevent residual fizziness in the treble.
So for best sonic results, adjust the tone options whenever you switch from file-based playback to radio, and vice versa – especially disabling the 3D sound for radio sources. It’s a shame the R3 can’t remember your tone preferences for each source (as it can for input levels, which are trimmable for each analogue and digital input), and we’d go so far as to suggest Ruark should simply disable 3D sound entirely for FM, DAB and internet radio sources, as its effects there are particularly nasty. Better still, a big ‘3D Sound’ button on the remote control would allow easily toggling of this sound mode, as on, say, a soundbar.
But if you’re happy to pop over to the R3 and switch this manually each time, you can enjoy the best which the R3 has to offer, which is considerable. It’s a delightful CD player, for example, those full-quality files filling the room with well-balanced sound. And the louder you play, the happier the R3 seems to be; the bass available from the two 75mm drivers is remarkable as you raise the level; its response begins in the 40s of hertz and rises impressively smoothly.
Soft recordings get a boost from the treble lift of the sonics here; Paul McCartney’s My Valentine has rarely sounded so well-defined. And as with all Ruark units we’ve tested, the R3 is adept with classical music, and we blasted forth the London Musici’s 1991 Conifer/Technics recording of Prokofiev’s ‘Classical’ symphony to confirm the R3’s adherence to this track record, pushing up the bass a tad to underpin this dynamic piece.
The R3 proved equally enjoyable from streaming music services. From Apple Music we streamed Neil Finn’s 2010 solo concert at Sydney’s intimate Seymour Centre, and the Ruark did a lovely job of presenting Finn’s voice and the decay of both artificial and venue reverb as he switched from guitar to piano, serving the latter with both percussive attack and pianissimo softness, as required.
There is a ‘Music Player’ option which you can use to play either from USB or from music shares on the network, although unfortunately the R3 couldn’t see our NAS drive of music (only our PVR, from which it bravely offered to play episodes of Home and Away etc., but of course couldn’t). From USB it was able to play MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV and FLAC, the last two up to 24-bit/48kHz, so no support for higher-res PCM or DSD.
Note that Ruark has chosen to include not a standard USB-A slot but rather a USB-C 5V charging connection, very up-to-date of it, except that you can’t plug in normal USB sticks and drives. USB-C sticks are widely available, so that’s what we used. Adapters are also available, though when we tried one, the R3 announced that ‘USB hubs are not supported’. Sticks must also be formatted in FAT-32 format.
(Image credit: Ruark Audio)
Verdict
So quite the journey we enjoyed with this versatile music system. While we thought its radio sources need a little tonal attention, its highlights are playback from CD, from streaming music services and Bluetooth, and overall it’s an impressively easy-to-use and attractive table-top unit which accesses pretty much every kind of music under the sun, delivered effectively under local, remote or app control.
Best AirPlay speakers 2021: wireless streaming for Apple devices
aApple just yesterday released its latest update for macOS Big Sur with improved Bluetooth reliability and a handful of bug fixes. And today, it’s rolling out the first beta of macOS Big Sur 11.3, which will bring further refinements to Safari, Reminders, Apple Music, Apple News, and other apps. This update will also try to improve the experience of running iPhone and iPad apps on M1 Macs, which can still be a little awkward at this early stage (and without a touchscreen display).
iPadOS apps will now appear larger than before — if your screen size allows for it — and beta testers will find a new preference pane for iPhone and iPad apps that’ll let them better personalize the “touch alternatives” keyboard commands. Touch alternatives allow for “keyboard alternatives for tap, swipe, and drag gestures, and enables multi-finger gestures using the option key and a trackpad.”
Big Sur 11.3 will make Safari’s start page more customizable, letting you rearrange the different sections (favorites, Reading List, Siri suggestions, etc.) to your own liking. Developers will gain the ability to make extensions that run on the new tab page, and they can also take advantage of a new web speech API to integrate speech recognition on their web pages.
As for the Reminders app, you’ll be able to sort your reminders based on title, due date, priority, or creation date. And with this update, Apple will let you easily print your reminders if a paper copy might prove helpful when running to the store or completing other tasks.
Apple Music gets small tweaks like a shortcut to your “Made for You” personalized playlists and mixes. Live and upcoming special events will be highlighted in the For You tab, as well. The Apple News app is undergoing some design improvements in the Apple News Plus tab to make your magazines and newspapers easier to reach (and download).
And like the upcoming iOS 14.5 update, macOS Big Sur 11.3 adds support for the latest Xbox and PlayStation DualSense controllers; the same compatibility is coming to Apple’s mobile devices as part of iOS 14.5.
Oculus has detailed what’s coming in its v25 software update for Quest and Quest 2 headsets. The most notable change for both developers and users is App Lab, a new method for distributing in-development VR apps that doesn’t require Oculus Store approval and also doesn’t require sideloading. Think of this software as the equivalent of early access for VR.
Oculus shared in its press release that it wants to keep the bar for quality high for its store, so it’s splintering off App Lab apps from its main storefront. But it wants to foster a community where developers can openly and easily share their in-progress creations with Quest owners.
After a developer submits their App Lab app to Oculus, users can access it easily through a URL, or they can be found by searching for their exact name in the Oculus Store. SideQuest, a popular site that hosts applications and games that can be sideloaded onto the Quest headset, will also host App Lab apps. Presumably, many of the apps and games hosted there might soon get App Lab support, making it easier for people to try some of the experiences hosted there without sideloading.
App Lab grants developers the ability to broadly open their apps up to the general public to try or to generate unique keys if you want to only allow certain people to access them. And from the user’s perspective, any App Labs apps you download can be found in your Quest library of apps and games.
These apps have debuted on App Lab.Image: Oculus
Oculus says that over 10 App Lab titles have launched, including the experiences pictured above. Though, the site presented an error when I clicked them at the time of publishing.
Several other features are coming in this update, including Messenger for VR, allowing you to keep Facebook chats going while you’re immersed in your Quest headset. The Oculus release notes also mention “Stationary Guardian 2.0,” bringing some more quality-of-life improvements for when you want to safely use VR while in a stationary location instead of using roomscale.
Whether you use VR software in roomscale or stationary mode, Oculus’ Passthrough shortcut is now easier to access and no longer buried in its experiments settings. The feature allows you to see your surroundings through the Quest or Quest 2’s outward-facing cameras by double-tapping the section where the headband meets the headset.
In case you’ve ever wanted to pair a Bluetooth mouse to your Quest headset, you’ll soon be able to do that, too. To find this feature, head to settings, click “Experimental Features,” and you should find it there soon.
(Pocket-lint) – Each year Xiaomi’s Redmi offshoot – known for its budget phones – updates its latest and greatest with a mid-cycle ‘T’ variant, adding a little more to proceedings. In the case of the Redmi Note 9T the goal was to step beyond the already impressive Note 9 – which we found to be a stellar affordable 5G phone.
Problem is, things don’t always go entirely to plan. When we first received the Note 9T it had a software version that we couldn’t then get to update after moving into the phone – which caused umpteen issues with disappearing apps, inability to Cast, intermittent Bluetooth connections, payment verification problems, and more.
But, fear not, it was resolvable. A hard reset later and after installing all relevant apps manually from the Google Play Store, the Redmi Note 9T – on MIUI version 12.0.4 – ironed out the most pertinent of those highlighted problems. But was that initial dark cloud a sign of what was to come, or has our week-long experience using the Note 9T been all sunny skies?
Design & Display
Finishes: Nightfall Black, Daybreak Purple
Build: Glass front panel, plastic rear & frame
Dimensions: 161.2 x 77.3 x 9.1mm / Weight: 199g
Side-positioned fingerprint scanner (in power button)
Display: 6.53-inch LCD, 1080 x 2340 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
It’s all too easy to forget that the Redmi Note 9T is a fairly budget phone. Because, ultimately, it doesn’t look like one. Xiaomi does a decent job in hiding away any real telling signs. No, you don’t get the premium glass rear or other flashy colours as you might further up various ranges, but that’s hardly a concern for a device that isn’t pretending to be a flagship.
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Dressed in its ‘Nightfall Black’ finish here, the Redmi Note 9T is more than befitting of its price point. That plastic rear has a subtle texture that helps to hide fingerprinting, while the protruding circular camera unit – well, ‘designated area’ really, as the top and bottom of the actual protrusion are squared-off absentees – makes the rear panel look altogether more like a case (it’s not, though, as it’s not removable – and, no, don’t try and pull it really hard).
The 6.53-inch screen is the kind of scale that’s very current, delivering decent resolution too. Typically around this price point there’s a fall-out from Full HD to a lower density – look at the Moto G9 Power, for example – but the Redmi holds onto that Full HD+ resolution across its well-proportioned 19.5:9 aspect ratio panel. That’s as sharp as you need.
It’s not the very brightest or most colour-popping LCD panel ever, but you’d never notice that in isolation (as we have a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra running in tandem, however, it’s clear as day – but the Samsung is more than four times the price). Initially we had issues with the 9T’s auto-dimming being overzealous, which is particularly notable when ambient light is low. It’s a long-time issue for the series – and one that Motorola used to have, but since fixed – that we hope Xiaomi’s software will address in the future.
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Rather than opting for an under-display fingerprint scanner sign-in method, the Note 9T has a side-positioned fingerprint scanner, which doubles-up as the power button. While this position has never been our favourite – largely because Android apps now present a massive ‘press here’-style fingerprint on the screen itself, so you’ll typically want to press the screen – it’s largely effective in this setup, responsive the majority of the time, and easy to reach.
Performance & Battery
MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor, 4GB RAM
64GB storage (128GB optional), microSD slot
5,000mAh battery, 18W fast-charging
MIUI 12 software
5G connectivity
Performance is a game of two halves though. That’s the one thing that gets us about the Redmi Note 9T. It always feels as though there’s some jostling between software – battery optimisations and specific permissions, for example – and the hardware on offer. Because MediaTek’s Dimensity 800 is no slouch – it’s a decent enough chipset designed to bring 5G connectivity to a wider audience.
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But the whole package doesn’t always play ball. There’s a lot of tinkering that you’ll need to do with this Redmi to get the most out of it. Whether that’s ensuring per-app permissions are setup to allow, say, Strava to keep tracking – it’s still hit-and-miss anyway – or for the vibration to just dang well stop (it’s on by default in silent mode, which is bananas if you ask us; plus there’s a separate treatment for touch vibration feedback hidden elsewhere in the menus), there’s a sense that Xiaomi’s MIUI software still isn’t quite simple and easy enough.
That was even telling after our first install, with version 12.0.1 fired up, and the numerous issues we had, as mentioned up top in this review. It goes to show just how incredibly important a smooth software experience is – and that’s what we’ve been saying these Redmi devices haven’t quite handled perfectly to date (Xiaomi’s Mi 10T Pro felt like a step down from the 9T Pro to us too). But if you’re OK with knowing what you’re getting then it’s not a big issue, per se, it’s just that competitors like Motorola do better by comparison – if you’re alright with getting a less powerful device for about the same cash, anyway.
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But back to Redmi. The Note 9T has the guts inside to handle a variety of tasks, including gaming. But there are still bugs, especially when it comes to graphics. In South Park Phone Destroyer – yes, we’re a bit obsessed, it’s our standard benchmark for any mobile device review as a result – top layer graphics (i.e. the cards you play in the game) won’t display. Which is a massive problem that means the game is close to unplayable – we’ve only been able to continue on another device. Nothing to do with smoothness or frame-rate – that stuff’s all fine – just an experience with how this hardware and software combination doesn’t quite succeed.
However, get everything arranged as you like – there’s an app drawer or full screen icons options – and the experience is amenable. And it’ll last for a long time – as the 5,000mAh battery on board helps things last an age. We’ve been getting only about half way through the charge over the course of a single day, so two-day life really isn’t out of the question.
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Software plays a major part in that longevity though. And it’s why you’ll need to tell certain apps through background settings that they’re allowed to run at all times, self launch, and do as they please. Which is rather reflective of the Redmi Note 9T experience.
Cameras
Triple rear camera system:
Main (26mm equivalent): 48-megapixel, 0.8µm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture
Macro: 2MP, f/2.4 / Depth: 2MP, f/2.4
Single punch-hole selfie camera (29mm equiv.)
13-megapixel, 1.12µm pixel size, f/2.3 aperture
Last up is the camera arrangement. It’s a triple rear unit – we know it looks like a quad arrangement, but the fourth is the LED light/flash – that, well, only really contains one camera of much use.
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As is typical with budget phones these days there’s the sense that “more equals better”. We don’t think so, though, as it just makes for a more cumbersome looking rear unit, with the 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth sensors most likely never going to be used at all.
Which leaves the main 48-megapixel sensor to do the hard work. It uses pixel binning – that being it combines four into one – to squeeze more colour and detail out of a scene, rendering frames as 12-megapixels by default. But that’s still huge – it’s like a 4K TV with yet another half-a-4K-TV all pressed into the one image. So scale is no issue whatsoever.
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What’s more trying are certain shooting conditions. We got some decent shots in the late evening, with colours still popping nicely considering the lack of light. But there’s some visible grain that detracts from the detail.
The Note 9T’s main camera is perfectly good enough for a phone – results are even better in daylight – and it fits the bill of what to expect here. Just don’t forget to turn off the default watermark otherwise you’ll want to punch yourself after seeing it plastered over every image (why oh why it’s even an option we have no idea).
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To the front is a punch-hole selfie camera, which cuts a circular opening through the screen. It’s a little large and almost casts a shadow onto content sometimes, which is odd, but it’s all par for the course these days. It’s 13-megapixels and can deliver selfies with usable results.
Overall, the Note 9T sounds like it’s got a grand selection of cameras, but it’s an oversell. Disregard the ‘triple’ on the rear – and it’s a bit of a shame there’s no ultra-wide to be found – and it’s got a workable main and selfie camera combination.
Verdict
The Redmi Note 9T represents great value for money. It’s got a big screen with ample resolution, it doesn’t look or feel like a budget phone – yet affordability is very much its key strength.
So what’s the catch? Well, there’s a bit of push and pull with the software. To get the most out of this phone you’ll need to tinker a bit to get some apps to function to their fullest. And while we’ve experienced some typical issues – excessive screen dimming on the software side, the cameras being an oversell on the hardware side – there’s also been some unexpected oddities, such as particular graphics not loading within games.
Given the context of its asking price, however, the Redmi Note 9T is a capable device that will deliver more core power and features than, say, a comparable Motorola device. But we feel there’s so much more just beneath the surface that’s desperate to get out.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Moto G 5G Plus
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It’s a spot more cash, but Moto’s software experience is just that much better out of the box. It suffers some similar hardware issues to the Redmi – the cameras being an oversell, there’s no under-display fingerprint scanner – but, for us, the user experience here is just a cut above.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Redmi Note 9
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Xiaomi is offering massive discounts on the already affordable ‘non-T’ version of the Redmi Note 9. If you can find it for a sub-£/€200 price point then it’s a no-brainer choice, even over the 9T!
Read our review
Writing by Mike Lowe.
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