Build your own touchless soap dispenser with music and hand washing timer Soap dispenser from the drugstore Open device Conversion measures Background music Read article in Make Magazine 5 / 2020 Not only in the bathroom and during Corona times, a touchless soap dispenser is also often in the kitchen Worth gold, as you usually have rather sticky hands when cooking and baking and can avoid soiling the soap dispenser. And if music is still playing during the timer countdown, washing your hands also puts you in a good mood.
Soap dispenser from the drugstore We use a battery operated soap dispenser which is suitable for 6, 99 € (with batteries and 250 ml of soap) under the Name Sagrotan No Touch is available in drug stores. There are several versions with different soap scents as well as a special kids edition, but they are all identical.
The soap dispenser already has appropriate sensors to be able to remove soap without contact. We use this instead of the proximity sensor module described in the article “Hand washing timer with contactless switch”, so that the hand washing timer starts automatically as soon as soap is removed. We also use an MP3 player module, which is also controlled by the sensor and plays music.
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Breaking down the best gaming headsets we’ve tested (Image credit: Zivica Kerkez/Shutterstock)
Finding the best gaming headset is arguably nearly as important as choosing the best graphics card or the best gaming keyboard. After all, the sound of your virtual world and how you communicate with your friends all depends on the device you wear on your head.
But choosing the best gaming headset for you isn’t easy, partially due to the sheer amount of market saturation we’re facing right now. With the ever-rising popularity of eSports and the relative simplicity of combining off-the-shelf audio hardware with cushy earcups, a sprinkle of software wizardry and maybe some RGB, PC gamers are now offered more options than ever, whether they’re planning to plug their headset into one of the best gaming PCs or the best gaming laptop. A quick search of a few popular online retailers will yield hundreds of choices across dozens of companies, ranging from under $10 (£8) to over $600 (£460).
If you’re headed back to school or work in a virtual situation, now’s a great time to invest in a quality headset and clear mic. You may already know how much your willing to spend on a pair of cans, but there are still plenty of other things to consider.
Luckily, we’ve been testing piles of gaming headsets (to see every model we’ve tested, check out our gaming headset reviews page). Below are the best gaming headsets we’ve tested.
Here are some things to keep in mind when searching for the best gaming headset for you:
Wired or wireless? Wired headsets generally cost less and don’t need to be charged. Therefore, if you typically game at your desk, you may want to stick to wired options to keep things cheaper and simpler. A wired headset also won’t die on you mid-battle. On the other hand, there’s no denying the convenience of being able to run to the kitchen for a drink without having to remove your cans.
Headbands and earcups. Comfort is more subjective than measuring audio output and input, but generally speaking you should be wary of plush gaming headsets with thick bulges, cheap foam and cloth covers. When we’ve tested these types of headsets ,we’ve often found disappointing acoustic performance. Ear-cushion material can make a huge difference in what your ears ultimately perceive.
Audio and mic quality. These are very important if you want the best gaming headset, but impossible to evaluate on the one or two floor models. We focus on these aspects in detail in our reviews. In short, detailed reproduction and good spatial resolution, specifically when it comes to complex noises and environments with multiple sound sources, are more important than any attempt at simulated surround sound.
A key Bluetooth spec: aptX. If you do go wireless and opt for Bluetooth (no USB dongle needed), look for headsets that support Qualcomm’s aptX tech, a compression tech (codec) that’s been leveraged for decades in TV and movie voice-work, movie theater audio and thousands of radio stations. If you’ve heard Bluetooth audio in years past and hated it (it definitely was bad for a long time), give an aptX-enabled headset a listen. As long as the underlying hardware is good, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the sound output.
Best gaming headsets at a glance:
1. Best Gaming Headset Overall: HyperX Cloud Alpha
2. Best Wireless Gaming Headset for Most: SteelSeries Arctis 7
3. Best Budget Gaming Headset: Asus TUF Gaming H3
4. Best Virtual Surround Sound Gaming Headset: HyperX Cloud Orbit S
5. Best Gaming Headset for RGB Lovers: Patriot Viper V380
6. Best-Looking Gaming Headset: Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE
7. Best High-Res Gaming Headset: SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC
8. Good Price, Great Mic: Corsair Void RGB Elite USB
9. Best Splurge: SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless
The Best Gaming Headsets You Can Buy Today
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is the best gaming headset for the typical player. (Image credit: HyperX)
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is the best gaming headset for most gamers, offering nearly perfect sound quality. Noise reproduction with these cans sounds natural, with the drivers avoiding flaws like overly aggressive bass or highs. It’s not revolutionary headset, but it’s a fantastic value, especially if you can find it for cheaper than $100.
In terms of long-term wearability, the headset earns its Cloud branding with a light, comfy fit built with quality materials. This includes thick memory foam padding on the headband and earcups and HyperX’s decision to opt for aluminum over plastic in some important areas. The overall look and feel is one of quality.
If you like the Cloud Alpha’s design but want something with some more features, there’s also the HyperX Cloud Alpha S. It’s basically the same headset but with 7.1 virtual surround sound, an inline controller and bass sliders on each ear cup. The black-and-blue or all-black color options (instead of the Cloud Alpha’s black and gold or black and red) add more options too.
Read: HyperX Cloud Alpha review
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 is the best wireless gaming headset for most, due to its price-to-value ratio. (Image credit: SteelSeries)
Wireless cans can cost you well over $200, but the latest model of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 lands at a more affordable price while offering louder audio than its predecessors. Meanwhile, high volumes are distortion-free, and the overall audio is clear and rich, despite a less than snug fit.
We’d prefer stronger performance at lower volumes, and the bass isn’t as good as what you’d hear with the HyperX Cloud Alpha above. However, besides games, the Arctis 7 is also fit for light video editing and mixing. DTS Headphone:X v2.0 virtual surround sound also boosted gaming audio details, like footsteps.
Just like prior versions of SteelSeries’ Arctis 7, the current model sits as a reliable wireless headset for PC gamers. If you need a cheaper wireless option, consider the Cooler Master MH670, which is currently $40 cheaper than the Arctis 7 or the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for $100. For more colorful, there’s the Logitech G733 Lightspeed, and for ultimate comfort, consider the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro.
Read:SteelSeries Arctis 7 review
The Asus TUF Gaming H3 is the best gaming headset for good quality that won’t break the bank. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Advertised virtual 7.1 surround sound is Windows Sonic, usable by any 3.5mm headset
The Asus TUF Gaming H3 is the best gaming headset for preserving your budget. These can be hard to find, but you can typically spot it selling for about $50. Despite the lower price, you still get a headset that fits well and sounds good right out of the box. That means you can get right to gaming without having to fiddle around in software. When we tested the cans, performance was comparable to pricier rivals, including the Asus TUF Gaming H7. We attribute a lot of that to the H3’s comfortable fit with leatherette contact points preventing sound leakage.
The downside is these aren’t particularly pretty. And if you’re excited about virtual 7.1 surround sound, note that the H3 is a 3.5mm headset that only uses Windows’ Sonic spatial audio, which any 3.5mm headset can use.
But when it comes to gaming and hearing sound cues like weapon switches, this headset gets the job done without effort on your part or heavy damage to your bank account.
Looking for a cheap headset without virtual surround sound? Check out our Roccat Elo X Stereo review.
Read:Asus TUF Gaming H3 review
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S stands out with powerful and immersive 3D audio with effective headtracking, (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. HyperX Cloud Orbit S
Best Virtual Surround Sound Gaming Headset
Driver: 100mm neodymium | Impedance: Not disclosed | Frequency response: 10-50,000 Hz | Mic: Unidirectional condenser | Connectivity: 3.5mm, USB Type-A, USB Type-C | Weight: 0.8 pounds(362.9g)
Immersive and loud 3D audio
Soft, squishy headband and ear cups
Good battery life
Accurate head tracking
A little heavy
Head tracking’s audio impact varies depending on game
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is an expensive, premium pair of cans and the best gaming headset for splurging. It gives you a discernible gaming advantage, thanks to its customizable 3D mode with head tracking. When you’re gaming with head tracking, the location of enemies is apparent and the auditory environment moves with you. You can also use head tracking as game controls, freeing up your hands for more action. (For another head tracking option with premium features, check out the similarly priced JBL Quantum One).
There are lower-priced headsets with true surround sound (instead of the Orbit S’ virtual surround sound) and wireless capability. But the Orbit S, which bears the same cozy memory foam headband and earpads as other headsets in HyperX’s Cloud line, provides a gaming edge you’ll actually notice.
We also love the versatility of this headset. In addition to offering hi-res, virtual surround and 3D audio, you can use the headset with a 3.5mm jack, USB Type-A port or USB Type-C port.
Read: HyperX Cloud Orbit S review
With tasteful lighting, the Patriot Viper V380 is the best gaming headset for RGB fans. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Virtual surround sound can be helpful for games, movies
Environmental noise cancellation mic produces quality sound
Fair price
Software is basic
USB Type-A connection only
RGB isn’t as prominent in the headset world, likely because it’s hard to see lighting sitting on your ears. But if you plan on streaming, video chatting or just like the comfort of having as much RGB as possible (have you seen our best RGB mouse pads list?), the Patriot Viper V380 is the best headset for you. It has one ring of programmable RGB framing each earcup. That’s just the right amount of color, and, somehow, the headset still manages to look tasteful.
The Viper V380 has more to offer than just pretty lights. It boasts a mic that successfully limited background noise during testing, as well as virtual 7.1 surround sound that enhanced how voices sounded in FPS games. Volume is also more than sufficient with the headset’s 53mm drivers that are larger than the 50mm average. Just be sure you have an available USB Type-A port, because there are no other connectivity options.
The Viper V380 has some of the best RGB implementation we’ve seen in a headset. But if you’re looking for something that’s even flashier, the JBL Quantum One has three RGB zones programmable with some wild effects.
Read: Patriot Viper V380 review
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE headset will cater to your vanity. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is one of the rare headsets that looks as good as it sounds. It offers premium quality audio that enters audiophile territory and looks pretty and shiny instead of clunky and heavy. The SE version of the Virtuoso RGB boasts gunmetal-colored aluminum stamped with a touch RGB via the Corsair logo. Overall, it looks as expensive as it is.
The Virtuoso RGB SE delivered strong audio, including high-res support, in our testing.n Its 50mm drivers also sounded great with gun fights in games like Borderlands 3. The cans’ music reproduction sat in the middle of bass-heavy cans like the Audio-Technica’s ATH-G1 and flatter-sounding ones like the SteelSeris Arctis Pro Wireless listed below.
Topping things off with a 20-hour wireless battery life, Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is a fine pair of cans that both look and sound premium.
Read: Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE review
If you’ve got high-res content, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC are the cans for you. (Image credit: SteelSeries)
7. SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC
Best High-Res Gaming Headset
Driver: 40mm neodymium | Impedance: 32 Ohms | Frequency response: 10-40,000 Hz | Mic: Bidirectional noise-canceling | Connectivity: 3.5mm, USB Type-A or S/PDIF | Weight: 0.9 pounds(426.1g)
High-end materials exude solid build quality
Separate GameDAC does a lot for sound quality and available settings
Well-balanced frequency response
Comfortable on narrow heads
Headband does not fit well over large heads
Artificial limit on output
With a premium build, sound quality and price tag to match, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDac is fit for audiophiles. It uses a ESS ES9018 Sabre32 reference DAC, which is worth money on its own and amplifies the headset’s capabilities. We were sad to find out that the DAC has an artificial audio limit (to help prevent hearing damage). However, the DAC is easily navigable with a lot of settings for tweaking audio for gaming and chatting without opening software.
The Arctis Pro + GameDAC showed deep bass, satisfying mid-range in games and vocals and dominating high frequencies without sounding too metallic.
If you’re looking for a high-performance PC gaming headset (it works with PS4 too), the Arctis Pro + GameDAC is exceptional for games and music — as long as your head isn’t particularly big.
Read: SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC review
Everyone will hear you loud and clear with the Corsair Void RGB Elite USB’s mic. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
If you do a lot of chatting on your headset, be with your Overwatch teammates, work colleagues or Mom, the Corsair Void RGB Elite USB will make sure you sound just like you to whoever’s listening. For this price, we were pleased at the microphone’s quality, which can handily fold up when you need to take a sip of water or sneeze. It’s also Discord-certified and showed better low-end response than rivals.It’s not quite as warm as what you can get with the best gaming microphones or any USB mic, but it’s close.
On the other hand, when we tested the headset with a smaller head, bass was lacking due to sound leakage. Your head size may change things. The Void RGB Elite USB also has virtual 7.1 surround sound, but it didn’t prove to be anything extraordinary.
For chatterboxes, this is the best gaming headset with its mid-range price, cozy padding and splash of RGB. Note there’s also a wireless version of the Void RGB Elite USB. For more mic options, consider the expensive JBL Quantum One, which comes with a unidirectional and detachable boom microphone and a separate calibration microphone.
Read: Corsair Void RGB Elite USB review
If you can afford it, it’s hard to beat the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless. (Image credit: SteelSeries)
9. SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless
Best Gaming Headset Splurge
Driver: 40mm neodymium | Impedance: 32 Ohms | Frequency response: 20-40,000 Hz | Mic: Bidirectional condenser | Connectivity: USB Type-A wireless dongle or Bluetooth 4.1 | Weight: 0.8 pounds(357g)
Comfortable headband design
Peerless swappable battery system
Crisp hi-res audio
Feature-laden base station
Needs base station to charge
Headband durability concerns
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro kicks things up a notch or two over other SteelSeries cans, including the Arctis 7 wireless ones listed above. It’s very pricey, even for a wireless headset. But you get your choice of wireless dongle or Bluetooth connectivity, which means you could use the Arctis Pro Wireless without it occupying a USB port.
The cans offer a large frequency response range and high-res. Lossless titles, like Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, sounded noticeably crisper with a lot of depth on the Arctis Pro. Ultimately, the game sounded more immersive, particularly in the high end, where we could hear the different layers of sound. You also get DTS Headphones:X virtual surround sound via a transmitter base station boasting other helpful features, like ChatMix and general volume control.
Despite its higher price, the Arctis Pro Wireless isn’t vastly more comfortable than the cheaper Arctis 7 wireless cans and don’t offer twice as detailed audio. But the Arctis Pro Wireless has the advantage in its smart design, Bluetooth capability and swappable batteries to keep the party going while traveling.
For a cheaper Bluetooth option, consider the Sennheiser GSP 670 and for the ultimate portability, the Asus ROG Strix Go 2.4.
Best speaker cables 2020 Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best speaker wire you can buy in 2020.
A good speaker cable (speaker wire to our American friends) can’t make your system sound better than it really is, but it can and should ensure that every last drop of performance makes its way from your amplifier to your speakers.
Conversely, a poor speaker cable can definitely make your system sound a lot worse than it really is, so it’s absolutely worth budgeting for decent cabling when buying or upgrading your system. Fail to do so and you’ll end up with cheap, poorly made cables that will waste the talents of the expensive kit on which you’ve just forked out.
Do remember to budget for the lengths of speaker wire that you need (and the number of speakers you’re wiring-up if it’s a surround system) and bear in mind that the cable prices we quote usually don’t include the banana plugs that you’ll see in the pictures, largely because you don’t necessarily have to buy them.
They make connecting, unplugging and reconnecting easier, but they don’t make the sound any better. In fact, many people believe a bare wire connection to be sonically superior.
Whatever your opinion on that matter, it is undeniable that cables make a difference, and these are the best we’ve tested.
20 of the best albums of 2020
(Image credit: Future)
1. AudioQuest Rocket 11
A sensational speaker cable and 2020 What Hi-Fi? Award-winner.
Reasons to Buy
Flexible build
Clean, precise and fluid sound
Excellent compatibility
AudioQuest’s Rocket 11 – on the budget end of its Rocket range at £12.50/m – could just be the hi-fi speaker cable to give your system a new lease of life. We love it so much it’s been a What Hi-Fi? Award winner three years in a row.
AudioQuest has taken a lot of care with the configuration and quality of the conductors used inside the Rocket 11. It uses semi-solid true-concentric conductors and long-grain copper – all to improve performance and reduce any interference that might degrade the sound.
There’s a perceptible improvement in the way systems perform when the Rocket 11 is plugged in, compared with rival speaker cables. Music sounds crisp and clean, with a punchy sense of dynamism that’s a joy to listen to.
Read the full review: AudioQuest Rocket 11
2. Chord Company RumourX
Chord Company hits the mark again, with the excellent Rumour X.
Reasons to Buy
Promotes a lively, cohesive sound
Design is easy to accommodate
Reasons to Avoid
Rivals offer more refinement
The original Rumour was introduced way back in 1996, and at the time was only Chord’s second attempt at a speaker cable. It says much for the original design that, cosmetic changes apart, this audiophile speaker cable has remained pretty much the same until now.
Chord’s development work with high-end ranges such as ChordMusic and Sarum T showed significant improvements could be made to the Teflon dielectric material used. While the subsequent high-end solution of Taylon proved too expensive to use in products such as the Rumour X, a more reasonably priced alternative XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) was found instead.
With the Chord plumbed-in, our systems deliver a crisp, clean and dynamic presentation. We’re impressed at the musically cohesive nature of the sound and the way our systems render subtle dynamic shifts with such finesse. An easy choice for a What Hi-Fi? Award winner.
Read the full review: Chord Company Rumour X
3. Chord Company C-Screen
A brilliant budget option if your system needs an upgrade.
Reasons to Buy
Full-bodied, warm and expressive
Helps your system’s punch and drive
Reasons to Avoid
Some rivals offer more detail/space
Monetary savings are not necessarily accompanied by a reduced level of technology or care on Chord Company’s part. The C-Screen’s specifications are similar to speaker wires further up the hierarchy.
Beneath its white outer jacket, the C-Screen features what Chord Company describes as multi-stranded oxygen-free copper conductors, insulated with low-density polyethylene and arranged in a twisted-pair configuration to reduce interference. The white outer covers a PVC casing designed to reduce mechanical noise and space the conductors correctly.
So what is all of that in today’s money? Essentially it translates to recognisable Chord Company performance, favouring your system’s cohesion and musical performance over outright analysis.
Read the full review: Chord Company C-Screen
(Image credit: QED)
4. QED Reference XT40i
You’ll struggle to get your system sounding cleaner at this price.
Reasons to Buy
Offers system great clarity
Precision and accurate timing
Great price
Reasons to Avoid
Best help tie music together better
QED has always been about clarity, detail and insight, with the Reference XT40i speaker wire being no exception. It will allow any budget-to-midrange system to show off all the information at its disposal, providing it with accuracy and precision. Just what you’d expect from this Award-winning stable.
The nearly 50-year-old British company is introducing its brand new Air Gap dielectric to these 99.999% oxygen-free copper cables, a technology that increases the separation of conductors inside the cable and thus the amount of air between them. In turn, this halves the dissipation and capacitance characteristics inside the cable.
The Reference XT40i also retains QED’s X-Tube formation, where cable conductors are gathered in a tube-like shape around a hollow insulating rod to equalise current densities, delivering low inductance and presenting a consistent and even load to the amp.
Read the full review: QED Reference XT40i
5. Atlas Equator 2.0 (2018)
This nicely built speaker cable is an easy and affordable way to boost your system’s performance.
Reasons to Buy
Clean, detailed delivery
Good weight and balance
Flexible build
Reasons to Avoid
Pricier rivals offer more drive
The increase in clarity and punch when using the Atlas Equator 2.0 over budget alternatives should be lauded, especially at this relatively affordable price. If you think your budget/midrange hi-fi system could do with a sonic spring clean, but not sure what needs upgrading (and don’t want to spend too much), plug this Atlas speaker cable in. You might find it’s just what your system needs.
The cable has a multi-core construction, consisting of a pair of identically matched conductors. Atlas uses oxygen free copper (OFC) conductors in the 2018 version of these speaker cables. The purity and amount of copper used has been increased from the previous Equator version that we reviewed in 2014, too.
Atlas believes that less oxygen results in better sound quality, and while OFC conductors are claimed to improve conductivity, the increased purity of copper should result in a cleaner overall sound.
Read the full review: Atlas Equator 2.0 (2018)
6. AudioQuest Rocket 22
A flexible, well-balanced speaker cable that should work well in a wide range of systems.
Reasons to Buy
Refined and informative character
Aids an authoritative sound
Flexible configuration options
The Rocket 22 continues the fine work of its Award-winning sibling and, in a suitably talented set-up, the difference in price between the two can be justified by the improvement in scale, detail and authority.
The design of this audiophile speaker cable mirrors that of the cheaper model, but uses higher quality copper conductors with a polished outer surface that’s claimed to give a ‘sweeter’ high frequency performance. The conductors use strands arranged in concentric layers, where each layer spirals in the opposite direction to the one below it.
The cable also uses AudioQuest’s Noise Dissipation System, which is essentially specially designed layers of shielding that reduce the impact of RF (Radio Frequency) interference and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).
Read the full review: AudioQuest Rocket 22
7. QED XT25
This budget speaker wire allows for impressive levels of clarity and detail.
Reasons to Buy
Clarity and space in abundance
Allows for loads of detail
Encourages dynamics
For the money, there isn’t much to grumble about as far as the XT25 is concerned. It allows for an extremely insightful and detailed sound, which is up there with the very best at this level. Music is encouraged to display an airy sense of openness with plenty of subtlety and sophistication. It’s the kind of cable that would be a good option for warm-sounding, less spacious set-ups.
The XT25 is another beneficiary of QED’s X-Tube technology, which first came to light in the company’s Award-winning Silver Anniversary XT cables more than a decade ago. Along with low DC resistance, low-loss dielectric and its near entirely oxygen-free copper make-up, QED says its cables measure better with audible sonic improvements when compared with other hi-fi speaker cables.
At this price, and in many areas, they are absolutely correct.
Read the full review: QED XT25
8. Van den Hul The Clearwater
This quality speaker cable displays plenty of insight and dynamic ability.
Reasons to Buy
Attractive, durable design
Power with clarity
Refined, detailed sound
If you’re looking for a speaker cable that can fit into tight spaces, then the Clearwater is definitely an option. It’s terminated in attractive dinky plugs and is covered in an almost jelly-like jacket which helps with flexibility.
We were impressed with its ability to keep music sounding balanced, involving and cohesive while it also helps deliver plenty of power and depth from low frequencies. Add natural-sounding vocals and lashings of detail into the mix and you’ve got yourself quite the speaker cable.
We show what you should consider when choosing smart LED decorative strips for mood lighting and how the models differ.
(Image: Berti Kolbow-Lehradt)
Smart LED strips for indoors and outdoors: 12 Lightstrips in comparison Put in the right light Inside or outside Install the smart LED strips In time with music and videos Conclusion Test table Smart light bulbs are great for basic lighting. But if you want to immerse your home or garden in indirect mood lighting, you will quickly reach limits. Comprehensive lighting scenarios can be designed more precisely if you supplement the lighting with flexible LED strips. The two to five meter long, 1.5 centimeter high and half to one centimeter deep silicone strips flank the back and undersides of furniture, nestle against skirting boards or path boundaries and find space in the window frame.
The range of smart light strips has grown just as unmanageably as that of lamps in the classic pear shape. Many large and small manufacturers now have at least one model in their range, sometimes even in several versions. Which smart lightstrip is right for you? What should you pay attention to before buying?
We compare twelve LED Strips from seven manufacturers. The test field includes specimens from relevant manufacturers such as Ledvance (formerly Osram), Signify (Philips Hue) and Apple HomeKit specialist Eve Systems. The devices from Innr and Müller-Licht (Tint) tend to cover the lower price segment. Yeelight is internationally known as a Xiaomi supplier, but is still in its infancy in Germany. In addition, the Chinese manufacturer Lifesmart is trying to gain a foothold in this segment with an LED strip from its Cololight brand.
Access to all contents of heise + exclusive tests, advice & background: independent, critically well-founded c’t, iX, Technology Review, Mac & i, Make, c’t Read photography directly in the browser register once – on all devices read – can be canceled monthly first month free, then monthly 9 , 95 € Weekly newsletter with personal reading recommendations from the editor-in-chief Start FREE month Start the FREE month now Heise + already subscribed?
Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Smart LED strips for indoors and outdoors: 12 Lightstrips in comparison Put in the right light Inside or outside Install the smart LED strips In time with music and videos Conclusion Test table
” TIM Smart Voice with Google ” is extended to the home landline and TIMMUSIC can now be listened to on Google’s smart speaker and display devices. Here are the news made available by TIM for its more tech users.
by Bruno Mucciarelli published 25 November 2020 , at 10: 01 in the Telephony channel TIM Google Nest
TIM , having first integrated the mobile voice outbound service in Europe with the intelligence of Google Nest devices, extends the service ” TIM Smart Voice with Google ” with the new function which allows you to receive and make calls even from the home landline. But not only because to this is added the arrival on Google smart devices of TIMMUSIC, the platform dedicated to streaming music.
TIM and Google Nest: what changes from today?
Important news for users who enter the collaboration started with Google and TIM , thus expanding the portfolio with innovative products and services, especially for the smart home. ” TIM Smart Voice with Google ” will be totally free and exclusively for customers with a fiber connection. It will now allow you to make and receive calls through smart speakers and Google display , using the TIM landline number. Just associate the home line to the Google Nest Mini or Nest Hub and with a simple voice command make and receive calls to and from any landline or mobile number.
How to do? Simple. To initiate the call, simply say “ Hey Google, call mom ” or ” Hey Google, answer the call ”. Thanks to the Google assistant, you can make calls to punctual numbers, to contacts in your Gmail address book and to commercial activities using the Google search. ” TIM Voce Smart with Google ” represents the evolution of the traditional fixed-line call service with the intelligence of Google Nest devices without the need for a cordless phone. TIM consumer customers with fixed fiber lines will be able to use the service free of charge after configuring it from the Google Home App and associated with your line number.
And it doesn’t end there. Another novelty is the arrival of TIMMUSIC , TIM’s platform dedicated to streaming music. From the smart speakers and displays of Google will be able to listen to your favorite songs with a simple voice command. We know that at the moment TIMMUSIC owns 40 millions of songs and all the new Italian recordings and international always updated with songs, albums, complete discographies, playlists. Now it will be within your reach by simply saying the desired title or artist name. To start listening it will be enough to say “ Hey Google, let me listen ?? ” combined with the name of the artist or album and create the right atmosphere or desired musical style.
For all TIM customers in possession of a Google device, access to the TIMMUSIC streaming service included is provided for three months with automatic expiration and at no additional cost. Just create the account through the Google Home App to enjoy your favorite music on the devices. All information available on TIM’s official website.
Popular streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins has announced his next piece of branded gear — a custom $60 hoodie with a “patent-pending” system that’s designed to let customers wear a headset over the hood while still enjoying their music or games uninterrupted.
The hoodie works by featuring a “polymesh” ear hole on each side of the hood, allowing for sound from the headset to pass through instead of getting muffled by the (usually) thick material of a sweatshirt hood.
I’ve always loved wearing my hood up with my headphones whether I’m traveling & listening to music or gaming. So excited to be releasing my patent pending hoodie that allows you to do either of those without changing your sound quality. TOMORROW NOON PST https://t.co/GbfYE4nQgV pic.twitter.com/xiDEI0sSo4
— Ninja (@Ninja) November 24, 2020
The idea isn’t a new one: this year has already seen an also patented gamer hoodie from Champion, albeit one that featured an oversized hood for wearing headphones inside the hood instead of over it. And the concept of using mesh hoods for wearing headphones over a sweatshirt dates back to Betabrand’s Audio Engineer’s Hoodie from 2014.
The Ninja headphone hoodie appears to only be available in a pullover style, with relatively restrained branding when compared to Blevins’ other Ninja hoodies — the headphone model seems to only feature his “Ninja” branding on the pocket and the same icon near the sleeve.
The hoodie will be available in black, pink, and gray colors, with sales set to begin on November 25th at 3PM ET / 12PM PT through Ninja’s website for $60, which is $10 more than the “standard” Ninja hoodies.
The Razer Blade Stealth is confused about what it wants to be. It’s priced as a premium ultraportable and looks like one too. But as a gaming notebook, it’s quite underpowered for the price. While the OLED screen is beautiful, Razer needs to work on the keyboard.
For
Great build quality
OLED screen is gorgeous
Thunderbolt 4 on both sides
Against
Cheaper gaming laptops offer better graphics
Uncomfortable keyboard
There are a few things I can say with certainty about the Razer Blade Stealth ($1,799.99 to start, $1,999.99 as tested). For one thing, it’s built like a tank. Our option had a beautiful OLED display, and Razer doesn’t heap on bloatware.
What I can’t tell you, though, is who this laptop is for exactly. Razer calls it a “gaming ultraportable,” and prices it among the
best ultrabooks
, which are often expensive partially due to build quality. But the mix of an Intel Core i7-1165G7 and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, while they can play eSports games or AAA games, are low-end for a laptop of this price. Competing gaming notebooks with far superior graphics performance can be found for less money. To make it more confusing, Razer has announced
the Razer Book 13
, a non-gaming ultraportable that houses Intel’s Xe integrated graphics.
Among competing ultrabooks, the
best gaming laptops
and in Razer’s own stack, the Blade Stealth feels more niche than it used to. And yet, somehow, it still gets plenty right.
Design of the Razer Blade Stealth
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We last reviewed the Razer Blade Stealth in September with a 10th Gen Intel Ice Lake processor, and the design hasn’t changed a bit in the intervening two months. But for those who aren’t familiar with it, the Stealth is a black aluminum notebook. The lid features the Razer tri-headed snake logo, but at least the company made it black on black, so you can mostly ignore it if it doesn’t fit your style.
The no-frills aluminum build continues when you unfold the laptop. It’s all-black aluminum on the deck, with speakers flanking both sides of the keyboard. That’s the one spot with some color, as the keys are lit with single-zone Chroma RGB. The display is surrounded by a moderate, but inoffensive, bezel.
The left side of the laptop has a Thunderbolt 4 port over USB Type-C, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A and a headphone jack. The right side is the same, minus the headphone jack. I do appreciate that Razer has the ports evenly distributed across the laptop, and you can charge on either side via the Thunderbolt ports.
If you consider the Stealth to be a gaming notebook, it’s small at 3.1 pounds and 12 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches. The
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
, a 14-inch gaming notebook, is 3.5 pounds and 12.8 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches, and even that’s petite for a gaming notebook.
But if the Blade Stealth is an ultraportable, then it’s big. The Dell XPS 13 9310 is 2.8 pounds and 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches, though it does have fewer ports.
2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 3.5 mm headphone/mic jack
Camera
720p IR
Battery
53.1 WHr
Power Adapter
100 W
Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Dimensions(WxDxH)
12 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches / 304.6 x 210 x 15.3 mm
Weight
3.1 pounds / 1.4 kg
Price (as configured)
$1,999.99
Gaming and Graphics on the Razer Blade Stealth
The Razer Blade Stealth comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti for gaming. To put it flatly, that’s not going to get you strong performance outside of some eSports titles, unless you’re willing to bring down your settings.
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I tested out the Stealth playing a few rounds of Rocket League, an eSports title that’s matches the type of game one should most expect to play on this laptop. In a round, I saw frames fluctuate between 177 and 202 frames per second (fps) on high quality mode at 1080presolution. Since our review unit’s screen only has a 60 Hz refresh rate, it really would have made sense to limit the frames.
You may notice that our primary competitor in gaming, the Asus Zephyrus G14, has a much better GPU: an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q. This isn’t an accident — you can get that machine for $1,449, which is cheaper than the Blade Stealth we’re reviewing. What the Stealth offers is better than the integrated graphics you get in most ultraportables, but other, cheaper gaming laptops do offer more power.
On the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, on the highest settings at 1080p, the Stealth ran the game at 26 fps, which is below our 30 fps playable threshold, while the Zephyrus G14 hit 49 fps. Red Dead Redemption 2, at medium settings and 1080p, was also unplayable at 22 fps, while the Zephyrus G14 hit 35 fps.
On Grand Theft Auto V, at very high settings at 1080p, the Stealth played at 35 fps, but the Zephyrus G14 hit 115 fps.
The Blade managed to play Far Cry New Dawn (1080p, ultra) at 47 fps, but the Zephyrus beat it again at 73 fps.
To stress-test the Blade Stealth, we ran the Metro Exodus benchmark 15 times on a loop, which simulates about half an hour of gameplay. On the high preset, the game ran at an average of 29.9 fps, suggesting that you really need to drop down to normal or lower for playable frame rates. It hit 30 fps the first two runs before dropping down to around 29.9 for the rest of the gauntlet.
During that test, the CPU measured an average clock speed of 3.5 GHz and an average temperature of 60.8 degrees Celsius (141.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The GPU ran at an average speed of 1,287.6 MHz and an average temperature of 57.2 degrees Celsius (135 degrees Fahrenheit).
Productivity Performance on the Razer Blade Stealth
We tested the Razer Blade Stealth with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM and a 512GB PCIeNVMe SSD. The package is a formidable workhorse, though other machines in both the gaming and ultraportable space do have some advantage.
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On Geekbench 5.0, the Stealth earned a multi-core score of 4,992, falling to the XPS 13 (also with a Core i7-1165G7) and the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, a gaming machine with an AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS.
The Blade Stealth copied 4.97GB of files at a rate 946.6 MBps, beating the XPS 13 9310 but still slower than the Zephyrus.
On our Handbrake test, Razer’s laptop took 16 minutes and 19 seconds to transcode a 4K resolution video to 1080p. That’s faster than the XPS 13, but the Zephyrus smashed it in less than half that time.
Display on the Razer Blade Stealth
The 13.3-inch FHD OLED touchscreen on the Stealth sure looks nice. The trailer for Black Widow (is it ever going to come out?) looked excellent. When the titular heroine is surrounded by flames in a car chase with Taskmaster, the orange reflections really stood out on a dark road. The villain’s navy suit contrasted with Red Guardian’s, well, red, knockoff Captain America outfit. In Rocket League, the Blade Stealth’s screen made the orange and blue cars pop against green turf.
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Razer’s panel covers 83.2% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, just a smidge higher than the Zephryus’ display. The XPS 13 covers 69.4%.
The Blade Stealth measured an average brightness of 343 nits, while the XPS 13 was the brightest of the bunch at 469 nits. The Zephyrus G14 was a tad behind at 323 nits.
Keyboard and Touchpad on the Razer Blade Stealth
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Earlier this year, Razer fixed a long-maligned keyboard layout that put the shift key in an awkward place. That’s a major improvement, and the next step should be to focus on key travel. The keys have soft switches, and I had a tendency to bottom out on the aluminum frame, which tired my fingers. As I got used to the keyboard, I hit 112 words per minute with my usual error rate, which isn’t bad, but I could’ve felt a bit better doing it with more travel.
It wouldn’t be a Razer device without Chroma RGB lighting. The keyboard is single-zone backlit and can be controlled via the Synapse software.
The 4.3 x 3-inch touchpad is tall, making it more spacious than much of the Windows competition (though it’s still not as luxuriously large as what you see on Apple’s MacBooks). Windows Precision drivers ensure accurate scrolling and gestures. This is definitely one of the best touchpads on a Windows 10 laptop.
Audio on the Razer Blade Stealth
I’ll give the Blade Stealth’s audio this: It gets loud. The twin top-firing speakers immediately filled up my apartment with sound — in fact, I found it uncomfortable at maximum volume. When I listened to Blackway and Black Caviar’s “What’s Up Danger,” I got the best results with audio around 85%. The audio was clear, with vocals mixing well with sirens and synths in the background, as well as some drums. Bass, however, was lackluster. In Rocket League, car motors and bouncing balls were all clear.
Of the little software pre-installed on the system, one you might want to check out is THX Spatial Audio. Switching between stereo and spatial audio didn’t make a huge difference, but there are some presets, including games, music and voice to toggle between.
Upgradeability of the Razer Blade Stealth
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Ten Torx screws hold the bottom of the Razer Blade Stealth’s
chassis
to the rest of the system. I used a Torx T5 screwdriver to remove them, and the bottom came off without much of a fight.
The SSD is immediately accessible, and the Wi-Fi card and battery are also easily available for upgrades. The RAM, on the other hand, is soldered onto the motherboard.
Battery Life on the Razer Blade Stealth
The Razer Blade Stealth’s history with battery life has been mixed, but this iteration with Intel’s 11th Gen Core processors is decent, especially considering it has a discrete GPU. The laptop ran for 9 hours and 11 minutes on our battery test, which continuously browses the web, run OpenGL tests and streams video over a Wi-Fi connection, all at 150 nits of brightness.
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But ithe Razer was outclassed by both the Dell XPS 13 (11:07) and the Zephyrus G14, the longest-lasting gaming notebook we’ve ever seen (11:32), so there’s still room for improvement on Razer’s part.
Heat on the Razer Blade Stealth
Since Razer classifies the Blade Stealth as a “gaming ultraportable,” we took our heat measurements by pushing it to the limits on our Metro Exodus test.
During the benchmark, the keyboard between the G and H keys measured 42.7 degrees Celsius (108.9 degrees Fahrenheit), while the touchpad was cooler at 30.9 degrees Celsius (87.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
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The hottest point on the bottom of the laptop reached 47.3 degrees Celsius (117.1 degrees Fahrenheit).
Webcam on the Razer Blade Stealth
Above the display, the Razer Blade Stealth has a 720p resolution webcam with infrared (IR) sensors. The IR sensors let you use facial recognition to log in to Windows 10 with Windows Hello, which was quick and accurate.
The webcam is passable. It caught details about as fine as a 720p webcam can, like hairs on my head, but the picture was still a little grainy and could definitely be sharper. On a laptop that has so many of the little details right, I’m ready for an upgrade on the camera.
Software and Warranty on the Razer Blade Stealth
You won’t spend much time removing bloatware from the Stealth. The only major piece of software that Razer adds to Windows 10 is Synapse, its hub for Chroma RGB lighting, adjusting performance modes, registering products and syncing accessories.
Windows 10 comes with some bloatware of its own, including Roblox, Hulu, Hidden City: Hidden Object Adventure, Spotify and Dolby Access.
Razer sells the Blade Stealth with a one-year warranty.
Razer Blade Stealth Configurations
We reviewed the $1,999.99 top-end variant of the Stealth, with an Intel Core i7-1165G7, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 13.3-inch OLED FHD touchscreen.
I suspect that those who are using this system primarily for gaming will prefer the $1,799.99 base model, which has all of the same parts except for the display, which is a 120 Hz FHD screen.
Bottom Line
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The Razer Blade Stealth does a lot right, with great build quality, a lovely OLED screen and symmetrical Thunderbolt 4 ports for convenient charging on either side of the system.
If you’re buying this as an ultraportable, it’s expensive at $1,999.99 (with the OLED screen, anyway). But if you’re buying it as a gaming notebook, you should look elsewhere to save money and get better performance. The Asus Zephyrus G14 gives you the best Ryzen mobile processor for gaming around and has an RTX 2060 Max-Q for $450 less at $1,449.99. It doesn’t have Razer’s build quality or an OLED option, but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff in performance and you still get a 120 Hz display.
Razer doesn’t offer a version of the Stealth without the GTX 1650 Ti. That’s saved for the new Razer Book 13, which we haven’t reviewed yet as of this writing. But with that notebook in the wings, and the excellent
Razer Blade 15 Advanced
on the other side of Razer’s lineup, it makes a lot of sense to either spend more for better parts for gaming or spend less for better parts for productivity.
Those who just want to mix in some casual eSports play with work will get what they need out of this laptop, but a high-priced eSports laptop is a bit of a niche. While the Stealth is still a decent laptop, it doesn’t make as much sense as it used to.
When I got the new LEAK Stereo 130 amplifier with matching LEAK CDT CD transport was first seen a while ago in a press release, my hi-fi heart jumped happily. In 2011 a colleague gave me an old LEAK Delta 30 integrated amplifier. That stubbornly designed little amplifier from the late days of the transition between tube and solid state still worked, and despite showing a few signs of aging I wrote this enthusiastic vintage review about it. LEAK had not existed for a long time, but now this iconic brand is back on the market. Not with the crazy high-end price tags, but affordable and equipped with a number of interesting contemporary gadgets. I had to and would put it to the test, and so it happened.
A Little History  Harold Joseph LEAK founded the brand named after him in 1934 and he became one of the pioneers in the high-quality music playback. Some of his feats were unfortunately a little lost in the dusty recesses of hi-fi history, but it was one of his designs â ???? the Point One amplifier series from 1961 â ???? which was the first to have a harmonic distortion below 0.1%. The company also innovated in speaker technology. The successful LEAK Sandwich speaker out 1961 had a mercenary Don Barlow developed a woofer whose cone consisted of a layer of foamed polystyrene sandwiched between two sheets of aluminum foil, resulting in an extremely light and rigid speaker membrane. A similar principle is still used today by brands such as Podszus-Görlich and Zellaton.
A The classic LEAK Stereo 30 (photo: Rene van Es)
In 1969 sold the brand to the Rank Organization, a British entertainment company that made films and television productions, as well as radios, televisions and copiers – the Rank in Rank-Xerox, for the older young readers. End Years 95, competition from the Japanese audio industry became too fierce, and the LEAK brand name quietly disappeared from the market without much residual glory. Definitely it seemed, but nothing could be further from the truth and a ball can roll in a strange way in hi-fi land. After 40 years in a deep slumber, the LEAK brand name was acquired by IAG (International Audio Group). This Chinese investor has the hi-fi heart in the right place and has previously been successful in bringing other British hi-fi classics back to the market, including Quad, Wharfedale and Mission. And now LEAK.
LEAK Stereo 130 Integrated Amplifier In the past you could count on LEAK amplifiers the type number the power to 8? read: so had the Stereo 32 from 1963 rated at 2x 15 Watt. The New Stereo 130 breaks with that tradition and delivers 2 x 48 Watts per channel in Class AB. I mention the Historic Stereo 30 for good reason, because the design of the new Stereo 130 is based on that in detail. The narrow housing, the black band at the bottom of the otherwise aluminum-colored front, with the original name logo at the bottom left. The rotary knobs with a ribbed black plastic cylinder around an aluminum-colored heart, the volume and source selection knobs on the right and left outside with the knobs for tone control and balance in between, even the (now available at an extra cost) walnut casing. The â ???? New â ???? design is really unbelievably retro, but I am amazed how current it is now 2020 actually still looks, certainly the version without wooden casing that I received for review.
There are also differences. The original rotary knobs had a small tip that made it easier to read the position from the listening seat, and the headphone output – which, by the way, only applies to the LEAK Stereo 30 + appeared – hid behind a small â ???? rotary knobâ ???? that more like a â ???? twist capâ ???? was that you had to remove to insert the headphones. Furthermore, the new Stereo 192 a â ???? directâ ???? button with which you bypass the entire – otherwise nicely subtle – tone control, which also results in a slightly more transparent display. On the far right is the standby button, which lights up softly red at rest and lights up brighter when switched on. The source selector now features a ring of small orange LEDs that indicate which source you have selected. The amplifier comes with a remote control with which the functions of the accompanying CDT CD transport can be operated, more about this later.
At the back you will find the bigger differences. So is the Stereo 192 with a secured IEC net entrance with the real on / off button above it. Where the old Stereo 30 (+) had two inputs for record players is that on the Stereo 130 only one (MM), and the microphone inputs (!) are also gone . Instead, there are two analog Aux inputs and a stereo pre-out available, one pair of speaker connections and an extensive digital connection panel that contains not only a coaxial, two optical and a USB-B digital input, but also a coaxial and optical digital output. A network connection is missing, the LEAK Stereo 192 does not have a streamer on board. The da-converter in the Stereo 192 via USB supports resolutions up to 384 kHz (PCM) and DSD 256, but no MQA. The coaxial and optical connection are capped at 256 kHz. A USB-A port for updates and a 15 Volt trigger input and output top it off. Allows the LEAK Stereo 192 thus form the heart of any modern hi-fi system. As icing on the cake, the Stereo 192 an onboard Bluetooth receiver (with external antenna) that supports aptX and Apple AAC.
On the front is a relatively small but good readable monochrome dot-matrix LCD display with a very wide viewing angle. The control buttons are accurate to use, but I feel that a very little bit of intuitive operation has been sacrificed to the sleek design. It will take some getting used to, but I pressed the eject button several times when I actually wanted to start playback with the play / pause button next to it. To the left of the control buttons is a USB-A input where you can insert a memory stick with music files. There are a few caveats to this. The stick must be FAT 30 or FAT 32 are formatted, and can only contain WAV, MP3, WMA or AAC format files, with a maximum resolution of 50 kHz.
This is a surprising and nice extra function, but I find the operation a bit unclear. Playback starts as soon as you insert the stick into the USB-A socket and with the â ???? inputâ ???? button selects the USB input. Choosing a favorite album or song before playing is therefore not really an option. Via the remote control you can choose with certain keys to search or skip within the main folder or within the currently playing folder, but the display does not show which mode you are in and the displayed metadata is not always clear due to the limited space. My advice is to use this function for example for a stick full of background music, of which the songs are all in one folder, and thus ensure uninterrupted background music enjoyment for a whole party. However, playing files on a well-stocked external drive in a folder structure can cause some frustration.
In Use and Listen Most of the sound assessment took place in my office, because that’s where I listen to music most hours a day. My KEF LS 60 speakers in nearfield setup were connected to the LEAK Stereo with AudioQuest CV-4 speaker cables 130 connected, I connected the CDT with a coaxial AudioQuest Hawkeye digital interconnect, my Mac mini with an AudioQuest Carbon USB and and the Bluesound Node with an AudioQuest Vodka Optical. The devices were within reach in this setup, so I hardly used the remote control. Of course I took a look at how it worked and a few trifles struck me. That the remote control for both the Stereo 192 if the CDT can be used provides a mix of control knobs that takes some getting used to. With the bottom two buttons you first have to choose whether you want to operate the amplifier or the CD transport, which is not useful if you want to change the volume on the amplifier after starting a CD or skipping to another track. I can see why: some buttons have a double function – for example â ???? volume + â ???? for the amplifier, which is also used for “file up” ???? while playing from a USB stick – but you quickly get it wrong and that’s a shame. If you buy both devices, you also have two remote controls that you could use separately. Make sure to mark which squeeze cat is for which device. Anyway, the handling is of course a bit subordinate to how things sound.
I have the Stereo 130 first two days on soft level let the unsurpassed Isotek Burn-in CD play to rinse off the novelty and to stabilize the digital part of the circuit, and then I got down to it. The Stereo 130 may have a typical retro British look, from a dark brown retro appearance that has been used in the years 60 and 70 typified the British hi-fi, however. The LEAK Stereo 130 sounds dynamic, fast and extremely transparent. I can imagine that with a slightly cooler speaker cable and strictly neutral speakers you would go a little bit in the analytical direction, but with the CV-4 and the LS 50 â ???? s was the result is contagious, nice and open and wonderfully spacious. The presentation was a bit more forward than I was from my Peachtree Decco 65 am used to this place, and if maybe something could have had just that little bit of extra color it was low. But you can easily change that with the tone control – albeit with a minimal loss of transparency. Also rhythmically the whole was excellent.
I started with the Bluetooth playback, because that function is especially appreciated by younger users today. The pairing went very smoothly and the reproduction was in my ears pretty good for what you would expect from a compressed digital signal. Tonally it was fine, with a slight emphasis on the midrange, a fair amount of detail and a decent dynamic. However, it was no surprise that it could be even better via an uncompressed digital source, I had not even expected otherwise. The significantly better playback via the Bluesound Node and the CDT drive did not differ much from each other, but I still preferred CD playback via the CDT quite quickly.
A favorite CD to test new hi-fi is still Jan Bang’s And Poppies From Kandahar. This wonderful and fantastically produced album has the war problem in Afghanistan as its underlying theme, but it never becomes finger-pointing or violent. Very exciting, because it is one big musical radio play that takes place in 12 plays mostly instrumental tracks and leaves much to the imagination of the listener. Favorite track? Passport Control, in which a subcutaneous but uplifting beat drives an increasingly full sound image to a long climax at the end of the more than nine minutes long track. Due to the nearfield setup of the LS 50 â ???? s a beautiful and strong bubble of sound was created that completely surrounded me and which I was completely absorbed in.
The somewhat forward placement and the generous spaciousness also remained upright in the large set below on my prototype Kharma speakers. Given the enormous price difference, this is no small achievement. In the big set I tested the MM phono stage, with a simple but excellent performing AudioTechnica AT 95 E element in the Thorens TD 125. I am delighted to say that the discreetly constructed phono stage in the Stereo 130 is of excellent quality, close to the level of the digital inputs. With a better element, even better results can undoubtedly be achieved, but of course also with an external phono stage of some stature. The built-in headphone output is excellent, but here too it is not comparable to a separate headphone amplifier. However, on my AudioQuest NightHawk Classic it performed well, with a sound that resembled the reproduction through speakers: detailed and dynamic, with a slight emphasis on the mid-range and a nice smooth low that was just a tad on the slim side.
The Stereo 130 integrated amplifier is a treat to see and hear. It is well built, sounds modern and open, and offers plenty of digital and analog connectivity options including Bluetooth. As icing on the cake, he has an excellent MM phono stage on board. However, here too, just half a star off, mainly due to the somewhat clumsy mix of functions on the otherwise beautiful remote control with a metal front plate, and the small note regarding the combination with certain cables and speakers. Nevertheless, a more than excellent and well-deserved score. Don’t let its compact dimensions fool you, this punchy performance set has what it takes to become a true retro classic just like its illustrious predecessor.
LEAK Stereo 192
LEAK Stereo 130 Silver: 799 euro
LEAK Stereo 130 Walnut: 899 euro
LEAK CDT Silver: 549 euro
LEAK CDT Walnut: 799 euro
Rating: 4.5 / 5
MIKA Distribution | mikadistri.nl
Quad board | quad-raad.nl
Best KEF speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best KEF speakers you can buy in 2020.
KEF is one of the finest purveyors of British hi-fi, with an illustrious heritage that stretches back more than 50 years. It’s had a few ups and downs in that time, but hasn’t lost its talent for engineering classy, superb-sounding speakers.
Most of KEF’s speakers feature the firm’s innovative Uni-Q driver. Rather than having a separately mounted tweeter and midrange driver, the tweeter is set into the centre of the mid. A simple idea – but it’s what sets the company apart from the pack.
More importantly, KEF has kept pace with the times and diversified into wireless speakers, including Bluetooth desktop speakers and wireless all-in-one streaming systems such as the magnificent LSX (below).
With more choice than ever, you might be wondering where to start. The good news is that we’ve done the legwork and rounded up the very best that KEF has to offer.
11 of the best KEF products of all time
(Image credit: KEF)
1. KEF LS50 Meta
These standmounters set new standards at the price.
SPECIFICATIONS
Speaker terminals: Single | Frequency response: 79-28,000Hz | Sensitivity: 85dB/W/m | Dimensions (hwd): 30.2 x 20 x 27.8cm
Reasons to Buy
Exceptional sonic transparency
Subtle and precise presentation
Innovative technology
The KEF LS50 Metas don’t look any different from the LS50s, and in many ways they aren’t. The company considered revising that beautifully made enclosure but concluded that little could be improved.
The one area ripe for improvement was the LS50’s Uni-Q driver array, where the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit. This has been thoroughly reworked, taking in all the refinements that KEF has developed over the past eight years and adding something new in the form of Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) – KEF’s way of coping with the sound that comes off the back of the 25mm aluminium tweeter dome.
It doesn’t take long to realise that the LS50s have improved significantly. While the basic sonic character is instantly familiar, the new ones have gained a level of clarity and finesse the originals only hinted at.
Read the full review: KEF LS50 Meta
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2. KEF LSX
A splendid, rhythmic all-in-one hi-fi system
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 11.5cm Uni-Q mid/bass with integrated 19mm aluminium dome tweeter | Features: Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX codec, Hi-res audio support | Dimensions: 24 x 15.5 x 18 cm (H x W x D)
Reasons to Buy
Class-leading insight
Extensive connectivity
Neat, colourful design
Despite their dinky proportions, these active bookshelf speakers wowed us with their accomplished, expressive and full-bodied sound. There’s much more to them than just sonic supremacy, though, as they double as a wireless all-in-one system capable of handling hi-res files up to 24-bit/192KHz.
They might look like they’ve been zapped with a shrink ray when compared to the LS50 Wireless speakers, their older sibling, but they’re no less impressive. Blessed with Uni-Q drivers, 200W Class-D amplification and a choice of stylish colours that would put Farrow & Ball to shame, these come top of KEF’s class.
Read the full review: KEF LSX
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3. KEF Q350
Elegant, detailed and surprisingly affordable.
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 16.5cm Uni-Q mid/bass with integrated 25mm aluminium dome tweeter | Features: 2-way bass reflex | Dimensions: 35.8 x 21 x 30cm (HxWxD)
Reasons to Buy
Stunning levels of clarity and detail
Huge scale of sound
Good timing
Reasons to Avoid
Lack some punch and drive
Not best at low volumes
Looking for the best sub-£500 standmount speakers? You’re in the right place. Redesigned to reduce distortion and improve performance, the updated Q350s now offer a winning combination of sleek, sophisticated looks and stunning presence.
The sturdy, beautifully-crafted cabinets come in a choice of black or white satin finishes, accented with black or silver Uni-Q drivers. What the the Q350s lack in punch, they more than make up for in clarity, depth and composure. If they’re within your budget, these are a no-brainer.
Read the full review: KEF Q350
(Image credit: KEF)
4. KEF R3
Stunning sonic ability at a reasonable price
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 16.5cm bass and 12.5 Uni-Q midrange driver with integrated 25mm aluminium dome tweeter | Dimensions: 42.2 x 20 x 31.2 cm (H x W x D)
Reasons to Buy
Exceptional insight and resolution
Balanced and entertaining sound
Excellent build and finish
The R3s won our stamp of approval back in 2018 thanks to their exceptional level of detail and insight. You’ll find them sonically balanced and extremely capable. In fact, we think they deliver a big chunk of the performance of the pricer R1s – but at a fraction of the cost.
They’re brilliant all-rounders and pair well with almost any system; give them a decent feed and you’ll discover that they put most sub-£2000 competitors to shame. Well-engineered, outstanding value for money and darn stylish to boot.
Read the full review: KEF R3
(Image credit: KEF)
5. KEF LS50 Wireless
Premium all-in-one streaming hi-fi- system
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 13cm Uni-Q mid/bass driver with 25mm aluminium dome tweeter | Features: Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, Hi-res audio support | Dimensions: 30 x 20 x 30.8 cm (H x W x D)
Reasons to Buy
Great clarity
Impressive bass and dynamics
Brilliant build quality
This impressive all-in-one streaming music system is a bigger, more powerful take on the KEF LSX. Sound quality is nothing short of masterful, delivering effortless clarity and plenty of maturity – especially when it comes to tricky dynamic shifts.
They might be built for the digital age, but KEF hasn’t abandoned its hi-fi pedigree, so you can expect a good array of analogue inputs. Like most wireless active speakers, these aren’t truly ‘wireless’: both the master and slave speaker need to be plugged into the mains, with a cable run between the two. But that’s a small price to pay for this level of performance in a sleek, stylish package.
Read the full review: KEF LS50 Wireless
(Image credit: KEF)
6. KEF R5
These floorstanders are classy and refined performers
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 2 x 13cm bass and 12.5cm Uni-Q mid with integrated 25mm aluminium dome tweeter | Features: Bi-wireable | Dimensions: 103 x 18 x 34cm ( H x W x D)
Reasons to Buy
Weighty and refined sound
Good detail and seamless integration
Excellent stereo imaging
Reasons to Avoid
Lack dynamic subtlety of the best
Impeccably built with sleek design and a bunch of innovative features, there is evidently a lot of work gone into making the KEF R5. You’ll get two bass drivers top and tailing the Uni-Q midrange, both paired with a tuned reflex port, so you can imagine the kind of heft these floorstanders can deliver.
But it isn’t just power the R5s have on their side. There’s brilliant detail on offer and stereo imaging is superb, while those drivers all integrate wonderfully for an even and controlled presentation.
Read the full review: KEF R5
(Image credit: KEF)
7. KEF Reference 1
Proof that British hi-fi rocks
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 16.5cm bass and 12.5 Uni-Q mid with integrated 25 aluminium dome tweeter | Features: Three-way bass reflex | Dimensions: 44 x 20.5 x 43 cm ( H x W x D)
Reasons to Buy
Sonic authority and composure
Revealing yet unfussy nature
Impressive engineering and terrific build
Reasons to Avoid
Cost of dedicated Reference 1 stands
Ready to blow the budget? The Reference 1s deliver a thrilling, beautifully-layered sound that will lift and enhance almost any track. Bass is a particular highlight: refined yet punchy, it underscores KEF’s talent for balancing firepower with precision.
Some high-end speakers tend to suit a certain genre of music, but that’s not the case with the Reference 1s. They’re stellar all-rounders, aren’t too demanding when it comes to positioning, and are constructed to KEF’s exacting standards. If you have a healthy bank balance, they’re worth every penny.
Read the full review: KEF Reference 1
(Image credit: KEF)
8. KEF Egg
Egg-cellent desktop speakers
SPECIFICATIONS
Driver: 16.5cm Uni-Q mid/bass with integrated 25mm aluminium dome tweeter | Features: Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX | Dimensions: 27.4 x 13.6 x 17.2 cm (H x W x D)
Reasons to Buy
Very good integration
Balanced audio
Versatile
Reasons to Avoid
3.5mm input could be neater
These quirky miniature marvels are KEF’s unique spin on desktop speakers. They work equally well as wireless or wired speakers, so they’re a real master of all trades. And since they’re kitted out with a built-in 50W amplifier, they have the necessary oomph to upgrade the sound of your laptop or TV.
When it comes to sound dispersion, the Eggs are no yolk, projecting a surprisingly lively and immersive soundstage. Assuming that their retro, “1960s sci-fi film prop” looks don’t scramble you brain, the Eggs are a cracking buy.
Read the full review: KEF Egg
How to choose the right speakers, part one: research
How to choose the right speakers, part two: buying
How to choose the right speakers, part three: set-up
When I got the new LEAK Stereo 130 amplifier with matching LEAK CDT CD transport was first seen a while ago in a press release, my hi-fi heart jumped happily. In 2011 a colleague gave me an old LEAK Delta 30 integrated amplifier. That stubbornly designed little amplifier from the late days of the transition between tube and solid state still worked, and despite showing a few signs of aging I wrote this enthusiastic vintage review about it. LEAK had not existed for a long time, but now this iconic brand is back on the market. Not with the crazy high-end price tags, but affordable and equipped with a number of interesting modern gadgets. I had to and would put it to the test, and so it happened.
A Little History Harold Joseph LEAK founded the brand named after him in 1934 and he became one of the pioneers in high-quality music reproduction. Some of his feats were sadly lost in the dusty recesses of hi-fi history, but it was one of his designs – the Point One amplifier series from 1961 – which was the first to have harmonic distortion below 0.1%. The company also innovated in speaker technology. The successful LEAK Sandwich loudspeaker out 1961 had a Mercenary Don Barlow developed a woofer whose cone consisted of a layer of foamed polystyrene sandwiched between two sheets of aluminum foil, resulting in an extremely light and rigid speaker membrane. A similar principle is still used today by brands such as Podszus-Görlich and Zellaton.
The Classic LEAK Stereo 30 (photo: Rene van Es)
In 1969 the brand sold to the Rank Organization, a British entertainment company that made films and television productions as well as radios, televisions and copiers – the Rank in Rank-Xerox, for the older youth of readers. End Years 95, competition from the Japanese audio industry became too fierce, and the LEAK brand name quietly disappeared from the market without much residual glory. Definitely it seemed, but nothing could be further from the truth and a ball can roll in a strange way in hi-fi land. After 40 years in deep slumber, the LEAK brand name was acquired by IAG (International Audio Group). This Chinese investor has the hi-fi heart in the right place and was previously successful in bringing other British hi-fi classics back to the market, including Quad, Wharfedale and Mission. And now LEAK.
LEAK Stereo 130 Integrated Amplifier In the past, LEAK amplifiers could have type number the power to 8? read: so had the Stereo 32 from 1963 rated at 2x 15 Watt. The new Stereo 192 breaks with that tradition and delivers 2 x 48 Watts per channel in Class AB. I mention the Historic Stereo 32 for good reason, because the design of the new Stereo 130 is based on that in detail. The narrow housing, the black band at the bottom of the otherwise aluminum-colored front, with the original name logo at the bottom left. The rotary knobs with a ribbed black plastic cylinder around an aluminum-colored heart, the volume and source selection knobs on the right and left outside with the knobs for tone control and balance in between, even the (now available at an extra cost) walnut casing. It ‘new ones’ design is really unbelievably retro, but I am amazed how current it is now 2020 actually still looks, certainly the version without wooden casing that I received for review.
There are also differences. The original rotary knobs had a small tip that made it easier to read the position from the listening seat, and the headphone output – which, by the way, is only available on the LEAK Stereo + appeared – was hiding behind a small ‘twist knob’ that was more like a ‘twist cap’ that you had to remove in order to pierce the headphones. Furthermore, the new Stereo 192 a ‘direct’ button with which you bypass the entire – by the way nicely subtle – tone control, which also results in a slightly more transparent reproduction. On the far right is the standby button, which lights up softly in red at rest and lights up brighter when switched on. The source selector now features a ring of small orange LEDs that indicate which source you have selected. The amplifier comes with a remote control with which the functions of the accompanying CDT CD transport can be operated, more about this later.
At the back you will find the bigger differences. So is the Stereo 130 with a secured IEC net entrance with the real on / off button above it. Where the old Stereo 32 (+) had two inputs for record players is that on the Stereo 130 only one (MM), and the microphone inputs (!) are also gone. Instead, there are two analog Aux inputs and a stereo pre-out, one pair of speaker connections and an extensive digital connection panel that includes not only a coaxial, two optical and a USB-B digital input, but also a coaxial and optical. digital output. A network connection is missing, the LEAK Stereo 192 does not have a streamer on board. The da-converter in the Stereo 192 via USB supports resolutions up to 384 kHz (PCM) and DSD 256, but no MQA. The coaxial and optical connection are capped at 256 kHz. A USB-A port for updates and a 12 Volt trigger input and output top it off. Allows the LEAK Stereo 130 are the heart of every modern hi-fi system. As icing on the cake, the Stereo 192 an onboard Bluetooth receiver (with external antenna) that supports aptX and Apple AAC.
LEAK CDT CD-Transport The LEAK CDT CD transport is not a CD player, but a transport . That means that there is no da-converter and that it therefore has no analog audio outputs. On the rear panel, next to a secured IEC net entrance and the on / off button, we find a pair of trigger connections to synchronize it with the Stereo 130 on and off, and an optical and coaxial S / PDIF digital output. The CDT uses a smooth-running and extremely silent ‘slot-loading’ Red Book CD drive. G éé one CD-ROM drive, as is more or less usual nowadays, but therefore also g one one buffer in which the read data is first stored. Using so ‘ One buffer can be an advantage when playing a badly damaged CD ‘ s or CD recordables that have become less legible over the years, but I have not encountered any CD in practice that did not play properly .
On the front is a relatively small but easy to read monochrome dot-matrix LCD display with a very wide viewing angle. The control buttons are accurate to use, but I feel that a very little intuitive operation has been sacrificed to the sleek design. It will take some getting used to, but I pressed the eject button several times when I actually wanted to start playback with the play / pause button next to it. To the left of the control buttons is a USB-A input where you can insert a memory stick with music files. There are a few caveats to this. The stick must be FAT 16 or FAT 32 are formatted, and may only contain WAV, MP3, WMA or AAC format files, with a maximum resolution of 48 kHz.
This is a surprising and nice extra function, but the operation is a bit unclear . Playback starts as soon as you insert the stick into the USB-A socket and select the USB input with the ‘input’ button. Choosing a favorite album or song before playing is therefore not really an option. Via the remote control you can choose with certain buttons to search or skip within the main folder or within the currently playing folder, but the display does not show which mode you are in and the displayed metadata is not always clear due to the limited space. My advice is to use this function, for example, for a stick full of background music, whose songs are all in one folder, and thus ensure uninterrupted background music enjoyment for a whole party. However, playing files on a well-stocked external drive in a folder structure can cause some frustration.
In-use and Listen Most of the sound assessment took place in my office, because that’s where I listen to music most hours a day. My KEF LS 50 speakers in nearfield setup were connected to the LEAK Stereo with AudioQuest CV-4 speaker cables 130 connected, I connected the CDT with a coaxial AudioQuest Hawkeye digital interconnect, my Mac mini with an AudioQuest Carbon USB and and the Bluesound Node with an AudioQuest Vodka Optical. The devices were within reach in this setup, so I hardly used the remote control. Of course I took a look at how it worked and I noticed a few trifles. That the remote control for both the Stereo 130 if the CDT can be used provides a mixture of control buttons that takes some getting used to. With the bottom two buttons you first have to choose whether you want to operate the amplifier or the CD transport, which is not useful if you want to change the volume on the amplifier after starting a CD or skipping to another track. I can understand why: some buttons have a double function – for example ‘volume +’ for the amplifier, which is also used for ‘file up’ during playback from a USB stick – but you quickly get it wrong and that is a shame. If you buy both devices you have o Incidentally, two remote controls that you could use separately. Make sure to mark which squeeze cat is for which device. Anyway, the operation is of course a bit subordinate to how things sound.
I have the Stereo 130 first two days at soft level the I played the unsurpassed Isotek Burn-in CD to rinse off the novelty and to stabilize the digital part of the circuit, and then I got down to it. The Stereo 192 may have a typical retro British look, from a dark brown retro appearance that has been used in the years 60 and 70 typified the British hi-fi, however. The LEAK Stereo 192 sounds dynamic, fast and extremely transparent. I can imagine that with a somewhat cooler speaker cable and strictly neutral speakers you would go a little bit in the analytical direction, but with the CV-4 and the LS 50 ‘s the result was infectious , nice and open and wonderfully spacious. The presentation was a bit more forward than I was from my Peachtree Decco 65 am used to this place, and if maybe something could have had just a little bit of extra color, it was low. But you can easily change that with the tone control – albeit with a minimal loss of transparency. Also rhythmically the whole was excellent.
I started with the Bluetooth playback, because that function is especially appreciated by younger users today. The pairing went very smoothly and the reproduction was in my ears pretty good for what you would expect from a compressed digital signal. Tonally it was fine, with a slight emphasis on the midrange, a fair amount of detail and a decent dynamic. However, it was no surprise that it could be even better via an uncompressed digital source, I had not even expected otherwise. The significantly better playback via the Bluesound Node and the CDT drive did not differ much from each other, but I still preferred CD playback via the CDT quite quickly.
A favorite CD to test new hi-fi is still… And Poppies From Kandahar by Jan Bang. This wonderful and fantastically produced album has the war problem in Afghanistan as its underlying theme, but it never becomes finger-pointing or violent. Very exciting, because it is one big musical radio play that takes place in 12 plays mostly instrumental tracks and leaves much to the imagination of the listener. Favorite track? Passport Control, in which a subcutaneous but uplifting beat drives an increasingly full sound image to a long climax at the end of the more than nine minutes long track. Due to the nearfield arrangement of the LS 50 ‘s created a beautiful and strong bubble of sound that completely surrounded me and which I was completely absorbed in.
The somewhat forward placement and generous spaciousness also held up well in the large set downstairs on my prototype Kharma speakers. Given the enormous price difference, this is no small achievement. In the big set I tested the MM phono stage, with a simple but excellent performing AudioTechnica AT 95 E element in the Thorens TD 125. I am delighted to say that the discreetly constructed phono stage in the Stereo 130 is of excellent quality, close to the level of the digital inputs. With a better element, even better results can undoubtedly be achieved, but of course also with an external phono stage of some stature. The built-in headphone output is excellent, but here too it is not comparable with a separate headphone amplifier. However, on my AudioQuest NightHawk Classic it performed well, with a sound that resembled the reproduction through speakers: detailed and dynamic, with a slight emphasis on the midrange and a nice smooth low that was just a tad on the slim side.
Conclusion The LEAK Stereo 192 and the CDT CD transport form a classic looking but fully performing two-unit by today’s standards at a surprisingly affordable price. Future price increases aside, you will have for less than 1500 euro – just a little more if you want the stunning walnut console around it – a set that, in combination with the right speakers, really plays the stars of the sky. Obviously, the purchase of the CDT drive is not mandatory, but if you still play CDs, it is certainly worth considering. It works fast and smooth, runs really quietly and in combination with the da-converter in the Stereo 130 for a contagious, spacious and light-hearted display. Due to the somewhat clumsy operation of the USB playback option, it unfortunately loses n é t half a star score.
The Stereo 130 integrated amplifier is a treat to see and hear. It is well built, sounds modern and open, and offers plenty of digital and analog connectivity options including Bluetooth. As icing on the cake, he has an excellent MM phono stage on board. However, here too, just half a star off, mainly due to the somewhat clumsy mix of functions on the otherwise beautiful remote control with a metal front plate, and the small note regarding the combination with certain cables and speakers. Nevertheless, a more than excellent and well-deserved score. Don’t let its compact dimensions fool you, this punchy performance set has what it takes to become a true retro classic just like its illustrious predecessor.
LEAK Stereo 130
LEAK Stereo 130 Silver: 799 euro
LEAK Stereo 130 Walnut: 899 euro
LEAK CDT Silver: 549 euro
LEAK CDT Walnut: 649 euros
Rating: 4.5 / 5
MIKA Distribution | mikadistri.nl
Quad board | quad-raad.nl
Several hackers used the present credentials on a huge online database to attempt to log into the Spotify accounts of unsuspecting users. The procedure would have been successful on approximately 300 thousand accounts of the music streaming service
by Nino Grasso published 24 November 2020 , at 12: 11 in the Audio Video channel Spotify
Several hackers would have obtained access to over 300 thousand Spotify accounts using a database of 380 millions of records containing login credentials and personal information collected from various sources. For years, users have complained that their Spotify accounts were hacked and their passwords changed, new strangers added to family plans, or that the playlist list changed without any interaction or permission. And VPNMentor writes that he discovered the methods used by hackers .
In the new report the source describes in the I detail the methods used by cybercriminals to access hundreds of thousands of accounts from the database mentioned above, publicly available online and containing hundreds of millions of entries relating to user login credentials and other data. The database has been actively used to hack accounts for some time , with the source describing some of the methods used by malefactors to break into the defenses of the music streaming service.
A database from 380 millions of rumors used to hack Spotify accounts
One of the most commonly used attacks to hack accounts is through the so-called “credential stuffing” , that is, when threats make use of large collections of data leaked in previous security breaches on other online platforms. These collections contain in some cases the username and password combinations used on other services , but often users use – wrongly – the same credentials to access different online services.
In this way, using the stolen credentials on an “x” service (perhaps secured in the past with a change password), the hacker can access a “y” service with the same data simply by trying to use the first on the second service. Each database record described by VPNMentor contains a username (or specifically an email address), a password, and an entry outlining the chances of success if used to log in to Spotify.
It is not yet known how the 300 millions of entries of the database, but it is likely to be a collection of several previous breaches released on the web for free. Researchers believe records listed in the database allowed attackers to breach from 300 thousand to 350 thousand Spotify accounts . VPNMentor also contacted Spotify on July 9 regarding the exposed database and received a reply the same day.
Spotify initiated a “rolling reset” of passwords for all users involved, VPNMentor argues, so as a result the information in the database should now be out of date and ineffective. The company also reset passwords on all compromised accounts, but is expected to introduce more secure access modes to make these types of attacks much less effective. For example, Spotify does not yet support multi-factor authentication, despite being requested for long periods of time by a multitude of its users.
When The Last of Us first launched in 2013, the game offered an interesting story in a compelling world, leaving many fans wanting a sequel. 7 years later, The Last of Us Part II released, seemingly completing Joel and Ellie’s story arcs. That being said, it appears as though Naughty Dog may still have a lot more planned for the world of The Last of Us, as the game’s composer has claimed that Part II was “just the beginning.”
The nominees for the 2020 Game Awards were recently announced, revealing that The Last of Us Part II received the most nominations of any game, with 10 nominations in 9 categories. To celebrate this, the game’s composer, Gustavo Santaolalla, congratulated the team on Twitter, saying “Happy and grateful! #TheLastOfUsPartII nominated by @thegameawards in 9 categories, among them Best Score and Music.”
Interestingly however, Santaolalla concluded by saying “Thanks @Naughty_Dog and @Neil_Druckmann for inviting me to this adventure. It’s just the beginning!” to which the creator of The Game Awards himself, Geoff Keighley, took note of the closing sentence.
Happy and grateful! ❤️ #TheLastOfUsPartII nominated by @thegameawards in 9 categories, among them Best Score and Music 🎮🎶 Sign in to vote! Thanks @Naughty_Dog and @Neil_Druckmann for inviting me to this adventure. It’s just the beginning!@PlayStation https://t.co/qkkxZ7vveA pic.twitter.com/dVHNprJpZR
— Gustavo Santaolalla (@santaolallaok) November 19, 2020
What this currently means is unknown. As mentioned, though the story of Ellie and Joel has concluded, there is still so much to explore in the world of The Last of Us. That being said, Despite being highly successful both critically and commercially, Naughty Dog are known for putting the integrity of their art before financial gain, allowing franchises to rest when they feel it is appropriate to do so.
We already know that a multiplayer game is on the way, likely not dissimilar to the Factions mode from the first game. It’ll be interesting to see what Naughty Dog is working on following that, and if they will indeed return to The Last of Us, or if they will allow it to simmer as they work on a new IP. Time will tell.
KitGuru says: Would you like another The Last of Us game? What do you think Naughty Dog is working on? What new genre would you like to see the studio tackle? Let us know down below.
(Pocket-lint) – The cars coming out right now, on the bleeding edge, are full to the brim with tech, from integrated displays and Bluetooth to chargers and sophisticated audio systems, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to add.
Best dash cams: The top road monitoring cameras for your car
Whether you’re driving a motor fresh off the line, or have a much older vehicle that could do with some sprucing up, there are a huge ranges of gadgets out there that can help to make your car feel more modern, or to add some amazing features you might need. We’ve brought together some of the very best for you, right here.
The best car/auto gadgets to buy today
Amazon
Amazon Echo Auto
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There’s nothing like going hands-free to make your life easier on the road – it lets you get things done on the move without any risk of undue distraction. Amazon’s Echo Auto has been a mainstay in the US for years and is now available in the UK and EU at long last, letting you take advantage of Alexa’s help on the go.
It makes controlling the radio, setting reminders or timers and doing anything else you’d use Alexa for an absolute doddle, and is super useful on school runs or during commutes to make sure you can still be productive.
Anker
Anker Roav SmartCharge T1
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Another way of going hands-free is presented by Anker, if you’re not embedded in the Alexa ecosystem, or just fancy a great alternative. It’s got some great tricks up its sleeve, too, in the form of a radio transmission system that your car can interpret – this means that you can use it to beam audio from your phone, including phone calls, without needing any ports at all.
That’s great already, but the fact that it just slots into your cigarette lighter makes it even easier to use. This is a great way to get your car feeling smarter without spending much at all.
Pure
Pure Highway 600
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If you’re looking for a car gadget that’s all about the music, Pure’s a great device to help in the Highway 600. Its Bluetooth connection to your phone will let you access radio stations via DAB+, while this version also has the benefit of super-easy Spotify Connect integration, to make playing your tunes a matter of just a tap.
That’s really convenient, but if you’re happy to forego it, the more affordable Highway 400 offers most of the same benefits minus the Spotify hook-up.
asrvita
arsvitaBluetooth Cassette adapter
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As we said at the start, though, we know many people are driving cars where a USB port or even a modern cigarette lighter might be wishful thinking – for many, tape decks are still the norm. That’s where a superb adapter like this one from arsvita comes in – plug it into your deck and just like that you’ll have a Bluetooth device to connect to.
It’ll translate your tunes into a signal that the deck can read, and meld together old tech and new to let you pump out your tunes through a system built long before Bluetooth – that’s like magic, that is.
Tile
Tile Mate
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Tile’s trackers are one of those little innovations that are so useful, in so many different walks of life, that we find ourselves putting them on a bunch of different lists, and no wonder. In this case, slap a Tile tracker on your car keys and you can basically forget about losing them – avoiding that terrible rush where you misplace the keys just as you need to get going.
A finding range of a good distance means that you’ll have plenty of range to play with, while the tracker’s also nice and small to make it totally convenient to have on your keyring. Best of all, it works backwards too, letting you use the tracker to make your phone ring if you’ve actually lost the phone not the keys.
Despite the success of smart TVs with internet connection and software (apps) for all kinds of music and video services, the market for streaming clients and other home theater players in the form of boxes, pucks and sticks continues to grow . Some manufacturers already offer several models.
One of the main reasons for this is the long average life expectancy of televisions of six to eight years. During this time, a number of new services and formats are usually established. However, the TVs are built for the “here and now” and are therefore technically out of date after a few years. Here, feeders are a good and inexpensive solution to bring the televisions up to date.
There are also political reasons for feeders: For example, some services simply cannot be found on some TVs – not infrequently, because the companies behind them are not mutually green or cannot agree on the terms for integration. Smaller TV manufacturers in particular often have the problem that the major services are not interested in working together.
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Admittedly – the tones that come out of this box are rather scruffy. In return, the model-making synthesizer convinces with its original appearance and the clever use of old technology. Because its six buttons belong to a controller that was originally used to control model railways from the East German manufacturer Berliner TT-Bahnen. With photo resistors, LEDs and an oscillator circuit, the Berlin hobbyist Marc has built an interactive instrument out of it that just fits into the original box.
The basis of the synthesizer is a small circuit with a Hex-Schmitt trigger, which we use in Make 1 / 18, from p. 48. The chip contains six identical circuits with which six different tones can be generated and thus fits perfectly with the keyboard. It practically tolerates between 3 and 01 volts and always delivers defined output signals: square waves, one of the basic forms of sound generation . The frequency of the vibrations is determined by the built-in capacitors and resistors. By flipping the console’s buttons, you can set whether or not current flows. The pitch (or frequency) is then changed via the photo resistors, which react to differences in brightness. Six LEDs also visually indicate which tones are currently sounding.
Model building synthesizer (4 images) Test setup of the circuit on a breadboard
(Image: Marc) The circuit is “normal” soldered on a small breadboard, but in order to cram the entire project into the little box, Marc had to get creative with the installation . He shortened the cables so that they could only be connected when the lid was already half closed. So that the contact points do not lead to short circuits, he insulated them with liquid rubber. Heating shrink tubing was not an option in a flammable cardboard box. After all, the 9-volt block also fits perfectly into the box as a power supply. The keypad is firmly attached to the cover with four screws.
Particularly effective music can be elicited from the model-making synth when you Wears black gloves to play with and has a flashlight or flashing bicycle light ready. A mini amplifier is still required, but the project remains easy to transport. Marc has put many pictures, further explanations and of course an acoustic demonstration on his website. Since German is not his mother tongue, he would also be happy to receive help to further improve the documentation. (hch)
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