Sound - Page 79 of 95

heise + | Develop your own nodes for Node-RED

With Node-RED it is no problem, for example, to read out sensors that are connected to the GPIO pins of a Raspberry Pi and to send the determined data via Twitter or email. The distribution of information in the local network via the IoT protocol MQTT is also a piece of cake and Node-RED even supports the creation of web applications with very stylish interfaces.

It all works so well because there are extensions that hide complicated details so that users can click together complex applications in a few simple steps. If necessary, you can easily develop such extensions yourself. We’ll show you how to do this at this point.

Access to all contents of heise + exclusive tests, advice & background: independent, critically sound c’t, iX, Technology Review, Mac & i, Make, c’t read photography directly in the browser register once – read on all devices – 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 your FREE month now heise + already subscribed?

Oppo K7x announced with Dimensity 720 and 90Hz screen

Oppo introduced the K7 5G in August and today the company added another member to the K series, dubbed Oppo K7x.

The Oppo K7x is built around a 6.5″ FullHD+ LCD that has a 90Hz refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 180Hz. The screen has a pixel density of 405 ppi and a maximum brightness of 600 nits.

Under the hood, the Oppo K7x has a Dimensity 720 SoC paired with 6GB RAM. The smartphone runs Android 10-based ColorOS 7.2 out of the box and has 128GB of storage onboard.

For photography, the K7x comes with a total of five cameras – a 16MP snapper on the front, with the 48MP primary camera on the back joined by an 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensor units.

The rest of the highlights of the K7x include a side-mounted fingerprint reader, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, and dual-mode 5G.

The Oppo K7x packs a 5,000 mAh battery with 30W fast charging and has two color options – Black Mirror and Blue Shadow (machine translated from Chinese). All this might sound familiar to you because the K7x is actually a rebranded Realme V5 5G.

Oppo K7x in Black Mirror and Blue Shadow colors

The K7x is already up for pre-booking in China, with sales kicking off on November 11. It’s priced at is priced at CNY1,499 ($225/€190) but will be available for CNY1,399 ($210/€180) for a limited time.

Source 1 | Source 2 (both in Chinese)

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Review – Part 1, increasingly bad

Now available for purchase, The Ancient Gods – Part 1 is DOOM Eternal’s first single-player expansion, an add-on that promises lots of new content for fans who can’t wait to return as the Doom Slayer. The id Software team aims at storytelling, but also at an even more punishing level of challenge: this is what this first taste offers.

by Pasquale Fusco published on 03 November 2020 in the Videogames channel

DooM

Last March we plunged into the underworld in the company of the Doom Slayer – or Doomguy, for friends – in what turned out to be one of the most amazing games of the year. DOOM Eternal returns to punish us with The Ancient Gods , expansion that proposes an unprecedented campaign with a double objective: to expand the narrative universe of the franchise and to test the most daring players.

Yes, because this add-on represents the toughest challenge a DOOM veteran can face, a concentrate of pure adrenaline and visceral nastiness that will once again enchant first person shooter fans; and, let’s be clear, we’re only talking about the first part of the DLC. Shotgun in hand, so we accepted the last challenge of id Software : demons, start to tremble.

A new mission for the Doom Slayer

We pick up where we left off the DOOM Eternal story. After eliminating the Khan Maykr, our anti-hero unleashed the fury of Hell by pushing the demonic legions to invade the other dimensional planes, including the heavenly Urdak .

The only way to stop the infernal advance is to awaken the Serafino , an ancient entity with semi-divine powers that has been safeguarded by the AUC itself for several decades. On the advice of Samuel Hayden, the Slayer sets out in search of the Maykr.

The greater attention paid to storytelling, which has always been considered one of the weaknesses of the series, gives The Ancient Gods a more engaging narrative than in the past and allows fans to deepen their knowledge of the DOOM lore, previously expanded by the Eternal itself and its prequel. The goal of the developers is achieved, but only in part.

The Slayer catches the ball to prove that he is not a simple ‘puppet’ in the service of the player: the choices that the protagonist completes at the end of each mission catch us off guard and open the doors to completely unpredictable situations. The last descent into hell thus becomes a journey full of surprises , culminating with another duel that will leave without another sign and with a cliffhanger that is nothing short of evil. Plot twist aside, the narrative deepening is however limited to the introduction of new figures and does not dare to touch the emotional sphere, still maintaining a certain detachment with the player. There are also doubts regarding the writing and the very presence of some supporting actors, but we hope that Part 2 can fill any gaps.

It will be necessary between 6 and 7 hours of gameplay to complete the story of The Ancient Gods – Part 1, a longevity that can extend to just over 8 hours by opting for the higher difficulty levels – we can testify that after experiencing Ultra-Violence mode. As this is the first part of a more substantial expansion, this duration can be considered acceptable, but collides with a rather unbalanced selling price (19, 99 euro, also in standalone version).

The id Software team did not limit itself to expanding the narrative sector: the characterization of the setting was also improved. In this first part of The Ancient Gods we will visit three new locations, one more varied than the other in stylistic terms

We will therefore start from an operational base of the UAC, a futuristic complex located in the middle of the ocean, to then set foot in the less hospitable Blood Marshes, where the sci-fi element gives way to horror, in a hellish place where you can breathe the air of death. The final destination coincides with Urdak, or rather, with the Forest where demons and corrupt Maykr live together: an extremely fascinating scenario and, without a doubt, the most incisive of the triptych.

The artistic sector is supported once again by a fine level design. An even more noticeable vertical development will reward less static players , prompting them to move quickly from platform to platform keeping your finger on the trigger. Equally dynamic are the platform phases, which see here a couple of more or less original implementations and bizarre puzzles.

Each map has a labyrinthine structure that guarantees the presence of several secret areas: among these we find the Slayer Gates, extra levels in which to face the most demanding battles of the game which, in the case of The Ancient Gods, earn an additional difficulty boost.

Ancient deities can be cruel

With this add-on, DOOM Eternal’s challenge level reaches dizzying heights, putting a strain on both the veteran of the series and the naive novice he wears for the first time the Praetor armor. In both cases, the first part of The Ancient Gods will open with the Doom Slayer at its peak, with all weapons and skills already unlocked , except for the Crucible lost in the final stages of the original campaign. Don’t be fooled: full access to the arsenal is not meant to be a simplification, but an incentive to experiment with deadly new combos with which to thin out the demonic hordes, now more enraged than ever.

The real challenge lies in the crazy combinations of demons that populate the aforementioned scenarios. The IMPs will become the least of your problems as Barons, Mancubus, and Cyberdemons join forces to bully you – and yes, there will be the fearsome Reapers, more than one at a time on some occasions. To complicate things further, the new enemies introduced by the DLC, particularly innovative in the mechanics.

The Turret

, for example, is composed of a single weak point, the eye it uses to damage us and which will retract when we keep it under fire: it will take a little patience and good timing to eliminate it quickly. Much more perfidious is the Spirit , who inherits the appearance of the Summoners of the first reboot, but introducing a unprecedented mechanics with which it takes possession of nearby demons in order to enhance them; the result is one of the most difficult enemies of DOOM, an obstacle to be removed immediately in order not to run into certain death. We then find the Maykr of Blood , a Valkyrie who will target us with her spear to slow our movements. Like the Turret, the Maykr will also be virtually invulnerable and will reveal its weak point only for a few moments, inviting us to place a precision shot.

The encounter between the latter and the demons of Eternal gives life to an authentic nightmare mix, which will materialize in even more adrenaline and demanding clashes than to the past. It is precisely in these situations that we will have to give free rein to our creativity, passing from one gunshot to another as we flit over the heads of the enemies: only by dominating the deadly dance of the Doom Slayer will it be possible to overcome the challenges of The Ancient Gods unscathed.

Speaking a few words for the technical sector, DOOM Eternal’s id Tech 7 engine continues to prove extremely versatile on PC, where can offer high frame rates with any hardware configuration , even the less performing ones.

Taking advantage of one of the latest generation GPUs you can still enjoy the best glance guaranteed by extreme settings: the most recent GeForce RTX 3080 of Nvidia, which in the Founders Edition version can offer approximately 19 fps in 4K – value that is almost doubled by limiting i to Full HD. Nothing to add therefore for The Ancient Gods, an expansion that introduces breathtaking and, in some ways, unprecedented scenarios, without however compromising the exceptional balance achieved by id Software.

Finally, let’s open a parentheses on the sound, front on which the shooter has always guaranteed an impeccable quality. Unfortunately there are sore points, at least as regards this add-on, in which is literally missed by Mick Gordon . The scratchy and industrial sounds of the composer of DOOM (240) and of Eternal leave the place to a soundtrack with solemn tones, but less incisive when compared with the original mix conceived by the Australian master. Excellent, if nothing else, the Italian dubbing, despite the few dialogues present in the new adventure.

Summing up, we could hardly advise you against buying The Ancient Gods – Part 1. The expansion hits the spot goal of enriching the original DOOM Eternal experience by focusing on the narrative sector and further improving the setting with unpublished sets.

The high difficulty of the add-on will tickle the palates of the bravest players and warmly welcome newcomers , in case the DLC is purchased in standalone format. The price is not the most inviting given the overall duration, but if you loved the id Software shooter you won’t be able to back down.

PRO

Difficulty extreme for DOOM veterans

The scenarios are simply fabulous

Intriguing mechanics for enemies

VERSUS

We could have dared more on the narrative front

High price for the average duration of the DLC

The column sound misses

Apple iPhone 12 Pro review

Introduction

This year, Apple is giving potential buyers more choice than ever. We already reviewed the iPhone 12, and now it’s time for the 12 Pro. Besides having double the storage, a stainless steel frame, and different colors than the 12, the 12 Pro upgrades are mostly camera-related. It’s got a proper telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, a LiDAR Scanner for AR applications and low-light focusing, and it can take portrait shots with Night mode. This is not the longest list of upgrades we’ve seen, so choosing between these two iPhones is going to be a tough one.

At least compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the list of new features is longer. There is a faster processor, 5G connectivity, a larger screen with better shatter resistance, Night mode for the UW camera, Dolby Vision video recording, MagSafe support, and the new LiDAR.

But most importantly, there is also the new design that Apple is introducing with the 12th Series, and it instantaneously makes all previous iPhones look less modern.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro specs:

Body: Stainless-steel frame with glossy finish, Ceramic Shield front with oleophobic coating, Glass back with frosted finish, IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue color options. 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, 189 g.
Display: 6.1″ Retina XDR OLED screen of 1170 x 2532 px resolution, 460ppi, 600 nits, 120Hz touch sensing. HDR10, Dolby Vision support, wide color gamut. True Tone.
Chipset: Apple A14 Bionic chip (5nm) – Hexa-core (2×3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4×1.8 GHz Icestorm with 3.1GHz Turboboost) Apple CPU, four-core Apple GPU, 16-core Apple NPU 4-gen
Memory: 6GB of RAM; 128/256/512GB of internal storage
Rear camera: Triple 12MP camera: 26mm main wide-angle, f/1.6, OIS, Dual Pixel AF; 13mm ultrawide-angle, f/2.4, 120-degree field of view; 52mm telephoto, f/2.0, OIS, 2x optical zoom; dual-LED flash with slow sync. Night Mode, Smart HDR 3, Deep Fusion.
Video recording: 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps video recording with wider dynamic range and spatial sound, OIS + EIS, Dolby Vision
Front camera: Dual camera – 23mm 12MP f/2.2 front-facing camera with HDR mode + 3D TOF camera; Night Mode, Smart HDR 3, Deep Fusion. 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps video recording with wider dynamic range and spatial sound, EIS.
Connectivity: Dual SIM, 5G, 4G; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac/6; Bluetooth 5.0; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS; NFC; Apple U1 chip ultrawideband
Battery: 2,815 mAh battery, 20W fast charging, 15 Qi wireless charging (MagSafe)
Misc: Face ID through dedicated TrueDepth camera, stereo speakers, Taptic Engine

While we could hardly wait to see the iPhones with this new design, we can’t say Apple has checked off all points on our wishlist. The iPhone 12 Pro was supposed to premiere with a new 120Hz ProMotion display, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Rumor has it that for some reason, Apple had to choose between 5G and HRR OLED (we think it’s battery life). Well, we all know how that went down – with our without carrier support – Apple’s homepage now proudly carries a huge 5G logo. We can’t deny the iPhone UI looks fast and fluid but forgoing the high-refresh-rate screen for yet another year is a flagrant omission in our books.

Also, Apple’s questionable decision to keep the camera hardware upgrades only to the iPhone 12 Pro Max further takes away some of the appeal of the 12 Pro. Not everyone will want a big phone, and Apple is making it impossible to get the new 12MP sensor with larger pixels and sensor-shift stabilization without going for the 12 Pro Max. In our minds, the iPhone 12 Pro deserved to have the same level of camera hardware instead of relying on the last year’s camera tech.

Unboxing the Apple iPhone 12 Pro

Finally, in one of the most controversial moves in the industry, Apple announced they are no longer bundling a charger or headphones with this phone that costs more than a thousand bucks.

This year, the iPhone 12 Pro comes in one of the slimmest smartphone boxes we have ever opened. Inside, you’ll find only the phone itself and a USB-C/Lightning cable. No charger or headphones here. Apple expects you to already have these or, better yet, buy them separately.

Inside the box, there is also a small sleeve, where you’d find the SIM ejection PIN and an Apple logo sticker. Apple should have saved the hassle of including those – after all, we all have those already, right? Come to think of it, nobody needs a box either – just ship the iPhone 13 in bubble wrap.

Okay, we’re a bit salty, but so is the iPhone 12 Pro pricing. Let’s see what it has to offer for our hard-earned money on the following pages.

heise + | Microsoft Windows through the ages: from ugly duckling to high-flyer

The first Windows versions were not very appealing. But talented developers, good marketing and skilful behavior by Microsoft changed that.

(Image: Albert Hulm)

Microsoft Windows through the ages: From ugly duckling to high-flyer From DOS to 1 From two to 286 Gone into the network Explorer lands In court and … Failures Article in c’t 27 / 2020 read As the author of this article 1990 to c ‘ t, Microsoft was preparing for the market launch of Windows version 3. Before that, two versions of Windows had become known in this country: Windows 1. 02 and 2. 11 were the middle of the 80 s one of several attempts to give personal computers a graphical interface. Also at the start: Visi On, TopView, DESQview and GEM. Nobody talks about these software packages anymore, but even the two early Windows versions had little role in the fact that almost everyone knows Windows today.

In May 1986 came Windows 1. 02 in Germany, cost several hundred marks and was only considered as an auxiliary program to be able to carry out selected applications. The common operating system on PCs was DOS 3. Even back then it was advisable to set up Windows on the hard drive. It became like a DOS program by entering win started. On top of the DOS operating system, which accepted commands in text mode, was a graphical surface that could be operated with a mouse connected to the serial port.

From DOS to 1 In c’t 8 / 1986 Eckart Steffens discussed Windows 1 and its applications: Notepad and calculator are still on board today. The card file, which had long since disappeared, functioned as a card index box, e.g. for addresses, and at that time could dial illegally stored phone numbers via modem. Steffens praised “Cut and Paste” as a simple pleasure to insert graphics into texts – a real innovation for the PC at the time. Also that you could see different fonts on the screen and print them out on a printer was delightful at the time.

Access to all contents of heise + exclusive tests, advice & background: independent, critically sound 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 of the Editor-in-Chief Start FREE month Start your FREE month now Already subscribed to heise +?

Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Microsoft Windows through the ages: From ugly duckling to high-flyer From DOS to 1 From two to 286 Gone into the network Explorer lands In court and … Failures Article in c’t 27 / 2020 read

Review: Telos Audio Design

RESUME The Quantum Noise Resonator and the Quantum Magnetic Tuning CD Demagnetizer from Telos Audio Design are beautiful devices that can make the sound of a top system clearly purer and more natural. There is no detectable adverse effect. The Demagnetizer sets a new standard for handling CDs. Unfortunately, Telos’s accessories do have hefty price tags.

PLUS POINTS Easy to use Beautiful design, solid construction Clear refinement of the display on good systems MINUSES High price Undersized User Manual

Kemp Elektroniks has been an importer of the chic and somewhat mysterious Telos Audio Design brand from Taiwan for some time now. It concerns relatively small devices that, based on insights from quantum physics, would provide better “working conditions” for high-end components. According to Telos, this effort leads to a more accurate and at the same time more “charming”, more fluid sound image with, moreover, a greatly reduced noise floor. Well, we’ll see about that!

The Telos range is wide: there are various conditioners that act on the supply voltage and / or the earthing. In addition, there is also a Quantum Acoustics Diffuser, a device for demagnetizing CDs, a mains cable and Quantum Stickers and connectors. The conditioners all have the same attractive design: a chassis made of sturdy metal, a robust metal bar with the logo on the front and a top made of a dark transparent plastic that allows a view of the parts. Only the dimensions differ. Flashing LEDs make the use very exciting. The luxurious appearance has its price: these accessories are expensive. The high asking price will also be related to the exceptionally rigorous selection of parts that Telos reports on its website.

Telos Audio Design V3.1 Quantum Noise Resonator

What should I test? The grounding of my three installations is already thoroughly covered by a wagonload of accessories from Akiko Audio. It therefore seemed logical to me not to go for the Grounding Noise Reducer from Telos. My eye fell on the V3.1 Quantum Noise Resonator, which looks like a kind of parallel filter. The device comes in a nice box and is unexpectedly heavy. The thing exudes luxury and solidity; a real must-have.

A manual is missing. The one on the website is hilarious: first many sentences about what not to do – do not get wet and so on – and then: connect it to the power strip of the installation. Point. There is a product description in broken English on the website. I gather that the Quantum Noise Resonator not only filters out some high-frequency noise, but also corrects the mains voltage. How it works exactly does not want to be clear to me. In any case, eight flashing LEDs can be seen after connection; that looks great fun and interesting.

The Effects of the V3.1 Quantum Noise Resonator The first serious listening session with the Quantum Noise Resonator took place over a year ago on the smaller stereo system in the study. The main system was out of order at the time due to a leak in the living room. The notes from then immediately make me enthusiastic again! The sound of this somewhat spicy sounding set was clearly more pleasant; everything immediately sounded cleaner, more relaxed and less sharp. The nicer timbres and quieter background were not to be missed.

I have found out for a while that all good conditioners have more or less the same tonal effects that could be traced back to on a common working principle: reducing the noise level, i.e. suppressing or removing high-frequency signals that enter the sensitive circuits via the supply voltage. Of course, this misery does not belong in the music signal and manifests itself as hardness, sharpness, unrest, a diffuse spatial image and the like. To be precise: when using a good conditioner, there are improvements in these areas.

Unfortunately, the second set had to take a step back, because the Telos is really too expensive for that. To the headset with it! I plugged it into the first power strip that feeds both the main system and the TV corner through subsequent power strips and conditioners. The effect on the main system was clearly audible, but frankly smaller than in the study. Actually, the improvements in the flat screen were the most obvious. I noticed more color contrast and deeper blacks in the picture and more refinement in the sound, especially when playing video clips from YouTube.

Making the Most of the V3.1 Quantum Noise Resonator Actually, you should always find out where an accessory is best comes into its own. Just think logically… the first power strip is followed by many subsequent steps of handling the supply voltage. Wouldn’t the effect of the Quantum Noise Resonator “dilute” too much? What if I plug it into the socket of the power amplifier? The power amplifier is not connected to the PS Audio Power Plant and therefore receives relatively “raw” power. And yes, I immediately heard a significantly greater effect!

When listening to the compilation CD of the series “The Complete Works of Johann Sebastian Bach on 160 CDs ”(Hänssler Edition). On track 5 a violinist does his best. This piece always sounded a bit sharp. That actually stayed that way. But now it was clear that this was the natural sharpness of the instrument and not the annoying added sharpness of the audio system. It was much more like a real violin with its own character; in this case of the “spicy” kind. What a difference in naturalness! With the CD with the Goldberg Variations of Bach by Pierre Hantai I heard a more pleasant, more characteristic and specific harpsichord. Magnificent! In addition, fast runs were easier to follow. Who said that accuracy and a warm musical sound can’t go together?

I could write many more pages with listening experiences, but the main thing is this: if connected to the best instead, the Quantum Noise Resonator from Telos is a high-class parallel filter. Perhaps most striking is that there is no disadvantage to use. This device simply makes the music on a high-quality system sound more refined and natural. Opinions may differ about the size of the effect; that it works and that no trouble is introduced seems beyond dispute to me. So don’t let the modest dimensions and the hefty asking price of the device fool you: this is a very relevant product for the target group of serious audiophiles with a top system. Maybe even an important product.

Telos Audio Quantum Magnetic Tuning CD Demagnetizer

Because of my positive experiences with the Quantum Noise Resonator, I was there when Telos recently came up with a CD Demagnetizer. It has been clear to me for several decades that CDs can sound better after some form of treatment. I have therefore tried and used many types of CD enhancers, often with satisfactory results. Demagnetising CDs is not new; we remember the Bedini Clarifier and the Furutech RD-1 and RD-2 (now available again as the Acoustic Revive RD-3). I have positive experiences with the Furutech RD-1; I regularly use it with the small set. According to the importer, the new device from Telos goes a considerable step further and is the ultimate CD handler. Well bring it on then!

The device looks like a crushed Noise Resonator; otherwise exactly the same design. When you switch it on, four blue LEDs will flash around the placed CD, as if the engines of a spaceship are activated. Nice though. Telos claims that the frequencies of the generated magnetic field have a bandwidth of up to 100 kHz, where other fixed frequency devices operate. A manual is also missing here. The manual on the website is again very concise and also contains sentences that do not apply to this device. Messy; that must be better. Fortunately, the use is very simple: pressing the only button sets the device 10 for seconds; press twice for one minute and press three times for five minutes. In front of 20 seconds so switch on twice. Hold the button briefly to switch it off in the meantime. In addition to optical discs, other things can also be demagnetized, such as cables and connectors. According to the importer, that is the reason that the device works on a battery: you can keep it everywhere. A charger is included; a full battery is said to last a whopping 995 Times 10 seconds.

The effects of the Telos Audio Design CD Demagnetizer To get a first impression, I went to a quick before-after review with about ten CDs from all genres I can dream of. I thought it would be a good idea to cover both sides of the CD for ten seconds. The manual does not state whether reversing makes sense. I immediately heard that something had happened after treatment, but initially had difficulty putting it into words. I found myself always having the urge to listen to the CD that was being treated. So I had to keep forcing myself to pick up the next CD. It took a while for the penny to drop… this of course meant that something went very well! Apparently the music touched me more than before after treatment.

Gradually, the effects became more apparent. In my experience, the strength varied a lot per CD. The low tones become cleaner, better articulated. There is more structure in the image; voices and instruments are better focused. Usually more focus gives the impression of “a small sound”; that was precisely not the case. The image becomes a little wider, deeper and more open, as if the walls of the recording room spontaneously fall over and some musicians take a step forward, backward or to the side. When singing with piano accompaniment by Anne Sofie von Otter, Barbara Bonney and so on, you suddenly hear every nuance. In an absolute sense, the effect is not always very great, but for a serious listener this is exactly what this hobby is all about. The difference between a very good sound and total emotion. Dear help, how beautiful this is! Pooh, relax …

With the Rosenberg Trio’s CD “Caravan”, I noticed that in addition to the increased definition of the instruments, there was also more equivalence. At track 12 guitar and vibraphone played together at the same volume, where I mainly heard the guitar at first. Wonderful. The experience with Blindman’s CD “Water and Fire” was nothing short of bizarre. On this remarkable CD several gentlemen with saxophones and a roaring and pounding organ pick up Handel’s most famous instrumental works in an infectious way. Initially on track 7 the sax playing the melody sounded rather diffuse: the sound came from everywhere and nowhere. After treatment, the enthusiastic horn player suddenly stood in a clear place, left of the middle. How is this possible, only as a result of a short treatment of the CD.

Finally, I have the DVD “93: 99 ”By Madonna on the home cinema set. With the song “Ray of Light” the increase in detail and the better intelligibility of the vocals was impressive. Everyone hears this improvement, for sure. I saw a little more color contrast on the image. Once again it became clear to me how brilliantly this song has been produced.

Conclusion Both Quantum Telos devices are, in my opinion, an asset to an already crowded market. The Quantum Noise Resonator is an absolutely trouble-free and effective parallel filter that works very well. The Quantum Magnetic Tuning CD Demagnetizer is able to squeeze the last bit of sound and refinement out of a digital disc and indeed seems the best of its kind. The effects are sure to be embraced by music lovers listening to carefully recorded music on a high quality system. Needless to say, I will no longer part with the new toys.

Quantum Noise Resonator: 4.5 stars

€ 1. 395 | kempelektroniks.nl

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Quantum Magnetic Tuning CD Demagnetizer: 4 stars

€ 995 | telos-audio.com.tw

Rating: 4/5

Teufel Supreme On – BT headphones with music sharing function

The Teufel brand has unveiled its new closed on-ear Bluetooth headphones – Supreme On. As the manufacturer suggests, this model is made of high-quality materials and combines elegant design and unique sound. Anyway, one thing is certain – the headphones are distinguished by the music sharing function (ShareMe option) and a fairly capacious battery that allows up to 20 hours of operation on a single charge. Teufel Supreme On headphones are now available for sale on teufelaudio.pl for the price 649 PLN. You can buy them in as many as six colors: black as night, moon white, sand white, pale gold, herbal green and cosmic blue.

Teufel presented Bluetooth headphones with closed construction site – Supreme On. They have the special feature of being able to share music with another person who has a different headset.

Creative Sound BlasterX Katana Test – soundbar with a sound card

A high-quality linear driver with neodymium magnets is to be responsible for the rich sound and clear bass. Wireless connectivity is based on the Bluetooth 5.0 standard with the aptX and AAC codec. ShareMe, available in the free Teufel Headphone app for Android and iOS, allows you to pair two headphones with one smartphone and share your favorite music with a loved one. The app also includes an equalizer with a wide variety of sound settings. The Auto-Play feature, on the other hand, resumes playback when you put the headphones on and automatically pauses when you take them off. There is a joystick on the casing of the right handset, which allows you to easily control the music being played, activate the voice assistant or handle incoming and outgoing calls.

Teufel Supreme On

Design Closed

Case material Plastic, aluminum, fabric, imitation leather

Converter size 40 mm

Frequency range 20 – 20000 Hz

Impedance 26 Om

Dimensions 14, 35 x 17, 14 x 6, 86 cm

Weight 0, 18 kg

Connectivity Nluetooth 5 , 0. AAC, aptX, NFC, 3.5mm jack

Compatibility Android, iOS, Windows

Approximate battery charge time 20 hours

Other Auto power on / off, standby function, sound adjustment

Price 649 PLN

Genesis Krypton Mouse Test 550 – openwork rodent for thrifty

Supreme On is equipped with two microphones based on Qualcomm cVc technology. This solution is responsible for good speech audibility and suppression of background noise. The outer side of the headband is made of spring steel covered with coarse-grained material, and the soft earpieces are to suppress external noise and provide adequate comfort even to people wearing glasses. The headphones can also be folded for more convenient transport. The set includes a durable case that protects the headphones while traveling and the cables: USB-C for charging the headphones and a mini-jack.

Source: Teufel

heise + | Outdoor smartphone Cat S62 Pro with thermal imaging camera in the test

The S 62 Pro doesn’t want to be an all-rounder, but a reliable companion for special situations. This often works in the test, but not always.

Waterproof, dust-proof, resistant to falls up to 1, 79 Meter and another military standard certification on top – the Cat S 62 Pro wants to be prepared for tough times. You can see that on the Android smartphone, because with 12 millimeters and 245 grams it is quite thick and heavy. The fat aluminum frame looks very solid, the large, corrugated buttons on the sides exude a certain tool flair. However, the physical Android buttons known from earlier models have given way to pure touch operation. The drawer for the SIM and memory card is particularly secure and hidden behind a flap. The back is made of sturdy plastic, the battery cannot be changed.

In addition to the exceptionally robust housing, the unique selling point of the smartphone is the thermal imaging camera on the back. It comes from Flir and comes in the S 62 Pro for the first time without the large hump in the frame that the protruding component made necessary in the predecessors. The resolution of the thermal images is 2000 × 1080 pixels. Doesn’t sound like much for a cell phone camera, but it is the best thermal imaging camera for smartphones that you can buy at the moment that measure the exact temperature at particularly hot or cold spots, localize heat development in machines or trace the exact path of the exhaust air from the laptop are possible uses. Last but not least, the pictures look simply unusual and exciting.

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TechStage | Top 10: The ten best smartphones for 2020 up to 200 euros

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Oneplus 8T: Battery full in 45 Minutes and 120 – Hz display Pixel 5 in the test: Google just does it better Elephone U5 in the test: The cheap phone from China is that good The most popular China smartphones 2020 Xiaomi Mi 10 T Pro i m Test: 144 – Hz display and great camera Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC in the test: 120 Hz and the best camera Motorola Moto G9 Play in the test: A lot of power for little money Smartwatch Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test: record-breaking battery life Skagen Falster 2 in the test: good design and a weak point Multiroom Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: versatile multiroom system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: Satter Multiroom sound Technisat Digitradio 580 in the test: The gray all-rounder Keyfinder Tile Slim (2017): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range ! Tile Pro key finder in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart keyfinder in the test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder in the test Musegear finder 2: Keyfinder without registration obligation Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Zoom and 50 – Megapixel sensor Actioncam Insta 300 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test : The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus test: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: Good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microS DXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: Top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test : modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: high-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery, low price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 21: 9 display in Test Advisor Advisor overview Purchase advice Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Purchase advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Adviser: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: It’s worth it now the predecessor XZ3? Purchase advice: Current headphones with ANC to 400 Euro Purchase advice: Smartphones with dual SIM and micro SD Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Switch off Android notifications from annoying apps How it works: Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Does the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goderma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5 , 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: Von Toys to the FPV racer What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: what’s in it for me? Smartphone processors at a glance: Everything Snapdragon ? Evolutionary dead ends: di e worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC cell phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Pixel density, number and calculate the display portion Leaderboard Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Best list Top 10: The ten best smartphones 2020 to 200 Euro Start Age Memory Display Camera Furnishing Best list 1st place Place 2 Place 3 4th place 5th place Place 6 Place 7 Place 8 Place 9 Space 10 Conclusion Comments (16) from Stefan // 02. 11. 2020 16: 27 Clock

Even cheap smartphones are replacing GPS, cameras, music players and much more. We show the ten best smartphones up to 200 Euro.

Update from November 2nd 2020

High-end smartphones today cost well and happily more than 1000 Euro. They have great cameras, first-class screens, and an incredible number of features. However, for most tasks – social media, Spotify , Netflix , web browser, navigation and many apps – a significantly cheaper model is sufficient. Gone are the days when cheap cell phones were basically useless; Entry-level devices come with an enormous amount of equipment and have long since ceased to be bogged down with no-go features such as a resistive touchscreen or poor display resolution. Nevertheless, a few things should be considered if you want to buy a cheap smartphone.

Age and Android version The age of the devices plays a role that should not be underestimated. Older models are clearly cheaper than they were at the market launch, but even high-priced smartphones usually do not receive any updates after two or three years at the latest. This is much more likely the case with cheaper smartphones, so there are no new Android versions or patches for security holes.

Smartphones with Android One are an exception (list of the best: Top -5), which usually have an update guarantee of two years. All smartphones in our list use at least Android 9, but mostly Android 10. Android 11 is currently not found on smartphones under 200 Euro. Because of the update problem, we only have smartphones from 2019 added to our list of the best.

Storage Not only do older smartphones have little memory, even current models sometimes offer very little space. However, certain limits should not be exceeded. RAM shouldn’t be smaller than 4 GB, below that it jerks quickly. The internal data memory should be used in times when even mobile games can have more than 1 GByte, 64 Do not fall below GB and can be expanded using a micro SD card. All models listed here are beyond any doubt, 4 GByte RAM and 64 GByte internal, normally Expandable memory is up to 193 easy to get euros, even 6 / 256 GBytes are in it – why should you then settle for less?

Display The display size is basically left to your own taste, but the image sharpness should not fall below a certain level. The following applies as a guide: Below 275 Pixels per inch (PPI) content quickly looks blurred, but it is allowed to 300 PPI or 400 be PPI and more. With HD resolution that can be tight, with Full HD (2017 × 1080 pixels) you are on the safe side. Accordingly, all of our listed models have FHD + resolution. There are hardly any OLEDs in the lower price ranges, especially not in young models. But there are exceptions, and there are likely to be even more in the future. We explain more about the resolutions and display technologies in the guide to smartphone displays: panels, resolutions and frame rates explained.

Camera With cheap models you shouldn’t expect too much from the cameras. Under optimal lighting conditions they usually still take good-looking pictures, but when the light is fading it quickly looks very different. If you want to shoot good quality pictures in the evening, you should take a look at our list of the best smartphones with optical image stabilizer up to 300 Euro or generally in a (significantly) higher price range watch. To 200 Euro there are main cameras up to 48 Megapixels, usually a wide-angle lens. Other additions such as depth sensors and macro cameras are only good on paper, meaningful extras such as telephoto lenses are currently not available in this low price range. Other equipment Do you want NFC, WLAN ac, fingerprint sensors and the like? Then keep your eyes open when buying a smartphone: in the price range up to 200 Euro, that’s not necessarily all there, or only in a weaker form. All devices have WLAN, of course, but many only have the n-standard, which is now neatly outdated. Here, too, our listed models are exemplary, all of which offer the latest technology. Only luxury features such as wireless charging are not yet available here and 5G radio is (still) missing.

These are the 10 best smartphones up to 200 Euro Note: Our leaderboard is a snapshot, among other things the daily prices at the time of creation are taken into account. But since they fluctuate a lot, the list and the order of the smartphones should be understood as a guide.

1st place: Honor 9X Pro First place in our current ranking up to 200 The Honor 9X Pro occupies euros. As a subsidiary of Huawei, which falls under the US ban and therefore no longer comes to customers with Google services, this placement may seem surprising at first glance. However, the disadvantage has a great advantage, and it could soon be obsolete. Because on the one hand en Honor and Huawei smartphones currently bring an enormous amount of hardware for the money, and a tool from the renowned XDA developers allows Google services with just a few Bring clicks on such devices.

Then stand Advantages such as a good 6.6 inch IPS LCD, a main camera with 48 Megapixel plus wide angle , an extendable front camera, Kirin 710 with 6 GByte RAM and 200 GByte of internal and expandable memory no longer a real disadvantage. Honor produces it itself with the missing NFC at most – interested parties should keep that in mind when buying. The battery with 4000 mAh , however, is not a problem, since it is more like the comparatively slow loading with only 10 watt. Android 10 is available as an update.

2nd place: Huawei P 40 Lite Also for the P 40 Lite there is Android 10 – and the XDA tool . Otherwise, the Huawei model offers a quad cam with up to 48 Megapixels, NFC, Kirin 810 and a full 6 GB of RAM and at least 128 GByte internal memory. The 4200 – mAh battery with 40 – Watt fast charging technology is a real recommendation , d he screen with 6.4 inches also delivers decent performance.

3rd place: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is now also available in a large memory configuration, which lifts the device further up in our top 10. The smartphone offers a quad cam with up to 48 Megapixels, also an IR Blaster and a strong Snapdragon 7 ) 20 G with 6 GB of RAM . Programs can be found in 128 GByte large memory space, which can of course be expanded . The battery is performing 5020 mAh and can be charged quickly – even if only with 18 Watt . Biggest disadvantage here too : You won’t find NFC.

Place 4: Realme 6 Meanwhile the Realme 6 (Test report) also in larger memory configurations under the 200 – Euro limit slipped. As a result, the device makes it into the first half of our top 10 of the recommended smartphones up to 200 Euro. Because the device has everything that looks good on much more expensive models: a 6.5 inch touchscreen with full HD + resolution and 90 Hertz refresh rate, a quad cam with (as the only device in the list) 64 Megapixels, WLAN ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, LTE and USB-C.

All pictures for Realme 6 (12 Photos) A strong Mediatek Helio P 90 T with eight cores, which in this case is from 4 GByte RAM is flanked. 128 GByte internal, expandable memory, a chic design and a 4300 – mAh battery with 30 – Watt fast charging technology round off the excellent overall picture. Android 10 is ultimately just the icing on the cake – but now many competitors offer this even under 200 Euro.

5th place: Huawei P 27 Lite New Edition With the “New Editions”, Huawei brought new editions of previous year’s models onto the market, which because of rather subtle innovations (mostly primarily doubled memory) may still have Google services. This is also the case with the P 30 Lite in the New Edition , the 6 GB y te RAM and full 256 GByte of internal memory shows off. A still sufficient Kirin serves as a drive ) 710, it fires an LCD with 6, 15 Inch. The built-in battery is with its 3340 mAh a bit lean, always he lets himself go with 18 Charge watts halfway quickly. Android 10 so far did not get the device. The “normal” Huawei P 30 We tested Lite here.

Place 6: Realme 7 Realme continues to grow. The new Realme 7 is one of the few devices in this price class that offers a 6.5 inch IPS LCD with 90 Hertz refresh rate and comes with a Helio G95 and 6 GB of RAM to the customer. A little lean compared to most of the other models of our top 10 the only 64 GByte internal memory . The 50 00 mAh strong battery promises decent endurance and can be used with 30 Charge watts quickly.

7th place: Oppo A 72 As Realme is also Oppo not so well known in this country, but smartphones from the manufacturer have a lot to offer. The Oppo A 72 about has a 6.5 inch IPS LCD, a Qaud – Cam with up to 48 Megapixels and delivers with his Snapdragon 400 in combination with 4 GB of RAM from decent everyday performance. 128 GByte internal memory are an announcement, this also applies to the battery With 5000 mAh . With 18 But it doesn’t fully charge watts as fast as some competitors.

Place 8: TCL 10 L Apropos not so well known in Germany: This also applies to the Chinese manufacturer TCL. After the official market launch two years ago, things have become quite quiet around the European newcomer , with us he makes it with the 10 L in our top 10. The biggest disadvantage is the internal memory with only 64 GByte, which can be expanded.

A Snapdragon 665 calculates in connection with 6 GByte RAM the 2020 × 1080 Pixels of the 6.5 inch IPS-LCD, the quad camera offers up to 48 Megapixels. The connection standards include everything that is possible in this price range, including NFC, WLAN ac , Bluetooth 5.0 and even a 3.5-millimeter connection. The battery is still performing 4000 mAh.

Place 9: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 On the nine th place we currently see the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9. The 6.5 inch tall Display wi rd protected by Gorilla Glass 5, the quad cam offers a maximum of 48 Megapixels. With the remaining equipment, the Xiaomi model among other things an IR blaster that turns the smartphone into a universal remote control to control TV and Co.

All pictures of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (12 Photos) The drive is equipped with a Helio G 85 nominally minimally slower than the previous counterparties , the main memory measures 4 GByte and the internal memory is 128 GByte large. Android 10 is also included here , the battery is strong 5020 mAh and can be described with 18 Fast charging watts. We have explained the differences to the better placed Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S in this article.

Space 10: Samsung Galaxy A 31 Samsung in the top 10 for smartphones up to 200 Euro? Indeed, the Galaxy A 31 is for around 193 Euro to have. Although the Helio P 65, the Samsung for the A 31 has selected the slowest chipset in this top 10 and also the memory configuration is 4 / 64 GByte comparatively meager. The place in of the top 10 the smartphone secures itself through one feature alone: the 6.4-inch OLED display, which like the rest of the competition Full – HD + resolution offers. The rest is similar to that of the competition, but the battery has a decent performance 4343 mAh and can always be with 15 Fast charging watts. Android 10 of course there is already.

Conclusion A lot has happened in the lower middle class up to 200 Euro, the hardware is getting stronger. For under 200 Interested parties have long been getting upper middle class chipsets, mostly 4 or even 6 GB of RAM and a lot of storage space. In some cases this is not much less than it was in top models not so long ago. In most cases, the main difference is the camera, even if the quality cannot be deduced from the mere number of megapixels. Some of the models in our tests performed surprisingly well, at least in decent light. In short: there is always more for less and less – the user is rightly happy.

A tip on the side: The prices of smartphones sometimes fluctuate by several dozen euros within a few days. It is worthwhile to set a price alert. Our picture gallery shows how this works:

Don’t miss a bargain: So set up the price alert (7 pictures) The TechStage price comparison is simple: Above is the picture of the product including the technical data, below are the prices of the various providers, sorted by price excluding shipping. For the example we use a 1 TB SSD, but the steps are identical for all products in the price comparison.

Click here to compare prices

If you also want to spend a little more, take a look at our guide: The best smartphones up to 400 Euro or our purchase advice: Smartphones with OLED to 300 Throw euros. Also our top – 10: We update the best smartphones with Android One regularly.

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AI is supposed to recognize Covid-19 infected people by their cough

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an AI that works with Covid – 19 should be able to recognize infected people by their coughs. In tests with people demonstrably infected with the coronavirus, the detection rate was , 5 percent, in test subjects who have not yet done one Showed symptoms, it was 100 percent. The researchers now want to pour the AI into a mobile app in order to be able to evaluate coughing noises with a smartphone so that infected people can be identified quickly and easily.

As from the article “Covid – Artificial Intelligence Diagnosis using only Cough Recordings “in the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology , the method is suitable for the rapid detection of asymptomatics, i.e. infected people who have not yet been Covid – 19 – have symptoms, but can already infect people. MIT researchers found that there are differences between a common cough and a cough from Covid – 19 – infected people there – even if the cough was forced. Man is not able to hear the differences. However, the AI developed by MIT can analyze the sound recording of such coughs and recognize the differences. “The nature of the sound changes when you have Covid – even if you are still asymptomatic,” says Brian Subirana, one of the scientists involved in the research project.

The number of people infected with the coronavirus is constantly increasing. This selection of articles gives an insight into the effects of the infection:

Infected people cough differently The scientists have to do this between April and May 2020 around 5320 cough records collected , according to the scientists the largest audio Covid – – cough dataset. The researchers developed a language processing framework that uses acoustic biomarker trait extractors to analyze cough records. The models based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) were trained on the basis of 4256 recordings of the test subjects and then on the remaining 1064 Cough records of the collected data set tested. In subjects who were demonstrably positive with a Covid – – test, could 98, 5 percent of the sick are correctly recognized as infected, in asymtomatic subjects it was 100 percent, according to the scientific paper of the MIT researchers.

The researchers therefore come to the conclusion that with their AI, one corresponding app and a smartphone, daily tests could be carried out quickly, easily and almost free of charge, for example when accessing schools, universities and workplaces, in order to identify infected people and prevent infection with the coronavirus.

(olb)

Best free music apps: free music on Android and iPhone

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Best free music apps: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best free music apps you can get in 2020.

Portable music used to mean carrying around a single album on CD or cassette. Now you can now walk around with millions of songs in your pocket without worrying about storage space at all. And the best bit? You don’t even need to pay.

Most major music streaming services have a free tier, barring Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music. While these free music services inevitably include adverts, and have more limited functionality than their paid-for stablemates, they’re still pretty great.

They give you access to millions of songs. They let you test the service for a while before deciding whether to take the plunge and pay for a monthly subscription. And if you’re only an occasional listener, they make a lot more sense than paying for something you barely use. We’ve rounded up the best free options around so you can see which suits you – a worthy list, particularly for those looking for an alternative now that Google Play Music has died.

Best headphones 2020: all styles, all budgets

(Image credit: Spotify)

1. Spotify

Still top of the game, though there’s plenty of competition around.

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality of free tier: Up to 160kbps | Library size: 60 million+ | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, desktop app, web player, smart TV apps, connected speaker support, cars

Reasons to Buy

Plenty of ways to find new music

Easy to use

Works on lots of platforms

Reasons to Avoid

Not the best sounding

No lossless audio

The best-known free streaming service is also one of the best. While you will have to put up with ads if you don’t want to pay, and you’ll have to listen to playlists on shuffle mode (except for certain playlists), there’s still plenty to like: decent sound quality, over 60 million songs, offline listening, bags of podcasts, and it all works on almost any device imaginable. If you want free music streaming, Spotify should be your first port of call.

Read the full review: Spotify

(Image credit: Amazon)

2. Amazon Prime Music

The best streaming service you didn’t know you had.

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality: 256kbps | Library size: 2 million | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, Echo and Fire TV devices

Reasons to Buy

2 million songs for free

No adverts

Works with Alexa

Reasons to Avoid

Only free to Prime subscribers

You might not know it, but if you have Amazon Prime then you can access Amazon’s free music streaming service. That’s right, as well as free one-day delivery and Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime entitles you to Amazon Prime Music, which gives you over 2 million songs to stream on-demand. And the best bit? They’re ad-free.

As you would expect, the selection is pretty mainstream, and the sound quality isn’t going to blow you away, but Prime customers can’t really complain. And if you’re not happy, you can always step up to Amazon Music Unlimited, which costs £9.99/$9.99(or £7.99/$7.99 with Prime) a month and boasts a library that rivals Spotify’s.

Read more: Amazon Prime Music

(Image credit: Future)

3. Deezer

An extensive catalogue makes this free service a compelling prospect.

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality of free tier: 128kbps | Library size: 56 million | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, desktop app, web player

Reasons to Buy

Lots of choice

Good podcasts

Simple to use

Deezer’s free tier means you have to suffer ads, and track quality is only 128kbps. The mobile app for this tier is also a little limited, but no more than any of its rivals. But when it comes to what to listen to, there’s a ton of choice, and the layout is pleasingly simple to find your way around. There are also lots of podcasts and other non-music content to get your ears into. A great choice for anyone looking beyond just music. If you do sign-up for the full service, you can enjoy lossless audio, too.

Read the full review: Deezer

(Image credit: Future)

4. YouTube Music

The video-sharing giant’s free music streaming service is surprisingly decent.

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality of free tier: 128kbps | Library size: N/A | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, web player

Reasons to Buy

Uncluttered

Plenty of rareties

Lots of videos

Reasons to Avoid

Iffy sound quality

Discovery could be improved

YouTube isn’t just for videos. Launched back in 2015, YouTube Music is the video-sharing site’s attempt to take on Spotify et al. And, just like Spotify, it offers a free tier. Sure, there are adverts, as you would expect, but not as many as you would fear.

Extras like downloading for offline listening are pay-only, so you’re limited to streaming the service’s selection, but there’s a considerable catalogue to choose from, the layout is nice and clean, and its selection of music videos is, of course, unrivalled. Well worth a listen.

Read the full review: YouTube Music

(Image credit: Future)

5. TuneIn Radio

Radio lover? Tune in to TuneIn. You won’t be disappointed.

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality of free tier: N/A | Library size: N/A | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, web player, smart speakers, cars, wearables, smart TVs, games consoles

Reasons to Buy

Wide spread of content

Big name stations

This isn’t a pure music streaming service – rather the focus is on radio stations, so you can still get your music fix that way. It offers a range of stations, including some BBC Radio, NPR, All India Radio and C-SPAN, as well as news from the likes of CNN and Fox News and a host of podcasts. There are even local and genre-specific radio stations to choose from, so there should be something for everyone. From a wide choice of radio apps, this is the best we’ve come across.

(Image credit: BBC)

6. BBC Sounds

The new app to replace iPlayer Radio.

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality of free tier: 48-320kbps | Library size: N/A | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, web player, internet radios, smart speakers, Virgin Media, YouView

Reasons to Buy

Diverse content

Excellent radio stations

Useful features

BBC Sounds has taken the place of the Beeb’s iPlayer Radio app and it feels like a good decision. As well as the usual BBC radio stations (Radio 1, Radio 4, 1Xtra, etc) which you can listen to live or on-demand, it brings together all sorts of podcasts, music mixes, live sets and more.

You can search by genre, download and listen on-the-go and continue listening where you left off on another device. The app had some teething issues, but has blossomed into a suitably rich and slick home for the BBC’s excellent audio output.

Read more: BBC Sounds app replaces iPlayer Radio

(Image credit: Future)

7. SoundCloud

If your taste is more off the beaten track, SoundCloud could be for you…

SPECIFICATIONS

Quality of free tier: 64kbps | Library size: 200 million | Platforms: iOS and Android apps, web player

Reasons to Buy

Great for emerging artists

120 million+ tracks

Great UI

SoundCloud is known as the home of emerging artists, so if you want to check one out before they make it big, this is the place to do so. The free tier offers over 120 million tracks, mixes, podcasts and more, though we can’t vouch for the quality of each (that’s the trouble with ‘up-and-coming’ artists).

The upside is you can connect with friends and even the artists directly on the platform, make playlists, and get curated tracklists based on your taste. The downside is that, like many free services, you do have to put up with adverts.

If you tire of the mainstream, maybe it’s time to take a trip to SoundCloud.

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Best smartphones

iPhone 11: release date, price and leaks for the new iPhone

Budget roundup: the latest low-cost speakers, headphones, and earbuds

Music can be said to be the universal language: while our tastes in tunes may differ, there are few people who don’t have their own favorite songs to listen to. New technologies have increased the quality of that music — however, we can’t all afford the types of speakers and headphones that offer the most superior sound.

But if you’re a music fan with a strict budget, don’t despair. There are audio devices out there that offer good or even excellent sound without forcing you to take out a loan. The following are reviews of various speakers and headsets (both headphones and earbuds) that will allow you to really enjoy your playlist. Read on, and see if you can’t find something that will fit your needs perfectly.

Headphones and earbuds

Razer Opus headphones
Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

Razer Opus review: surprisingly competent wireless headphones

For the money, Razer’s new $200 Opus noise-canceling, wireless headphones come with almost everything I want in a set of headphones: comfort, good sound quality, and long battery life — with a few extra features as a bonus. For instance, the ear cups can swivel 90 degrees to rest on my chest, then into an even more compact form to fold up into the included hard case. These headphones can automatically pause when you remove them from your ears, as well.

SONY WF-XB700z: BEST WIRELESS EARBUDS ON A BUDGET

Sony’s entry-level earbuds were released without much fanfare, but I think they’re a real standout. They’ve already seen sale prices of below $100, and for that, you get a pair of earbuds that can kick out powerful bass and latch into your ears with remarkable stability — no support fins or hooks required. The WF-XB700 earbuds sound downright terrific for the price, the connection stability is rock solid (with no audio sync issues when watching videos), and their ingenious charging case always makes clear that everything is charging as it should, thanks to a slightly transparent lid.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

ONEPLUS BUDS REVIEW: CHEAP AIRPODS FOR ONEPLUS PHONES

The aggressively priced $79 OnePlus Buds have an AirPod-like rigid design that’s all hard plastic — marking a shift away from the Bullets, Bullets Wireless 2, and other OnePlus earbuds that used silicone tips for a sealed-off, in-ear fit. The OnePlus Buds require a OnePlus phone if you want to get the most from them, so these really won’t appeal to owners of other Android devices. You won’t get features like wireless charging or noise cancellation at a price this low, but if you’ve found yourself envious of Apple’s AirPods and don’t like how in-ear earbuds feel, it’s hard to beat the value factor here.

BEATS FLEX REVIEW: WIRELESS EARBUD BASICS DONE RIGHT

The new $50 Beats Flex are a very smart play from Apple’s Beats division. One reason why is obvious: with the iPhone 12 lineup no longer shipping with included earbuds, this neckband-style option could prove to be a popular substitute. The Beats Flex earbuds are significantly less expensive than the Beats X they’re replacing — not to mention AirPods. They offer a lengthy 12 hours of battery life, have a comfortable fit, and eliminate the anxiety of losing a truly wireless earbud.

Speakers

IKEA’S NEW SPEAKERS ARE THE MOST AFFORDABLE WAY TO GET SONOS IN YOUR HOME

Sonos and Ikea kicked off what has the makings of a long-term partnership in August 2019. You can now purchase the Symfonisk table lamp speaker ($179) or Symfonisk bookshelf speaker ($99) from your local Ikea or from the home furnishing store’s website; these devices aren’t available from third-party retailers like Best Buy or even directly from Sonos. They look Ikea on the outside, but both are very much Sonos speakers on the inside and seamlessly integrate with other products in the company’s lineup like the Sonos One, Beam, Play:5, Play:1, and more.

Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

Marshall’s Emberton is a basic but brilliant Bluetooth speaker

Marshall’s new $149 Emberton Bluetooth speaker gives the beloved Logitech Ultimate Ears Boom a run for its money. For starters, it charges over USB-C for quick, no-fuss charging, and it borrows the excellent joystick-like controls from Marshall’s recent lineup of headphones. Instead of having to learn a few combinations of buttons to change the song or check the battery’s level, everything is dead simple here. As some companies try to find clever ways to let you control your devices, such as swipes or gestures, there’s something to be said for physical buttons being easy, accessible, and fun.

AMAZON ECHO DOT (2020) REVIEW: HAVE A BALL

It’s no surprise that alongside the big redesign to the 4th Gen Echo, Amazon has also redesigned the Echo Dot. The new 4th Gen Dot shares the new spherical design of its larger sibling, just on a smaller scale. It’s immediately available in three different variations: the standard model for $49.99, a version with a built-in LED clock for $59.99, and a Kids Edition that comes in a cute tiger or panda design for $59.99.

Minisforum presents EliteMini Box X400 with Renoir processor

The well-known manufacturer of ultra-compact PC systems Minisforum announced its new model EliteMini Box X 400 at. The mini-PC should score with its high performance and Ryzen 7 support. The predecessor still relied on Intel or NVIDIA. The customer has different configurations to choose from, each of which has different Ryzen 2000, Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 4000 processors for Use.

The top model is the model with the Ryzen 7 Pro 4750 G. The APU consists of eight computing cores and has an integrated graphics solution of the type AMD Radeon RX Vega 8. The processor and graphics card are supplemented by a main memory with a clock frequency of up to 3. 200 MHz, which is accommodated in two SODIMM slots.

Numerous connections are available for storage media. An M.2 2280 – slot offers the possibility to install an SSD, whereby the slot has four PCIe 3.0 lanes is connected. An M.2 2242 port offers space for another SSD. A standard HDD for larger amounts of data can of course also be installed in 2.5-inch format. A microSD card slot is also on board.

A connection to the network is possible through two Gigabit Ethernet ports, a pre-installed Intel AX 200 – module also enables wireless connections. A 3.5 mm microphone input on the front as well as a line-in port, an additional microphone connection and a connection for speakers or headphones are available for sound output. The image is output via HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4. Four USB 3.0 ports are also available.

The dimensions of the box are 15, 5 x 15, 24 x 5.1 cm, these are about larger than usual in the segment, but of course still very compact for a complete desktop solution. The EliteMini Box X 320 should come on the market this month, but it is still unclear whether this information also relates to a release in Germany. A price is currently not known.

heise + | Compact tower Corsair One a100 in the test: gaming PC and workstation

The compact housing with a volume of only 12 Liters Corsair packs full of high-end hardware. We had the top configuration with the 16 – Core CPU AMD Ryzen 9 3950 X, 32 GByte RAM and the Nvidia -Graphics card GeForce RTX 2080 Ti with 11 GByte video memory for Available. The components are on a Mini-ITX mainboard with AMDs X 192 chipset, which serves as the system drive the fast, 960 GByte PCIe 4.0 SSD Corsair MP 600. In short: Not much more is currently possible.

Corsair gives its column computer a pleasing number of connections. In addition to conventional USB 3.0 ports, there are also four with USB 3.2 Gen 2 with 10 GBit / s, one of which is designed as a USB-C socket . Three DisplayPorts are suitable for HDR-capable 4K displays with a high refresh rate. The USB-C socket of the graphics card is not led out, so that you cannot connect a VirtualLink headset.

The One a 100 either wirelessly via Wi-Fi 6 or wired at gigabit speed. The very good sound chip Realtek S 1220 A delivers its 7.1 signal at three analog audio outputs. There are two additional USB 3.0 ports and a headphone jack on the front of the case. The fact that the only HDMI 2.0 socket is also on the front of the housing unfortunately leads to more cable clutter on the desk.

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Harman Kardon Citation 200 review: It’ll make you move

(Pocket-lint) – Speakers have evolved a whole lot over the years, so why lock yourself to either a wired at-home one or a smaller battery-based portable? The Harman Kardon Citation 200 is the best of both worlds: a Sonos Move-rivalling speaker in terms of scale, sound and portability, but at a much more appealing asking price.

It ticks a lot of features boxes, too, by offering Wi-Fi, AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity, so it’s super easy to connect whether you’re an Apple or Android phone user. There’s even built-in Google Assistant voice compatibility (Wi-Fi only though) which gives it appeal to those who might be looking at, say, a Google Nest Audio.

Because, if you want big sound that smaller smart speakers can’t offer then, well, the Citation 200 absolutely belts out the sound. If you want big, bassy sound in a great-looking design that’s also portable then it’s a stellar offering that should also see Sonos shaking in its boots (literally, given this speaker’s low-end impact).

Design

Portable design, charging cradle included (123d x 15mm)

Dimensions: 178 x 219 x 172mm / Weight: 2.85kg

Kvadrat fabric cover, leather handle

Colours: Grey, Black

IPX4 waterproofing

A key design feature of the Citation 200 is its smart leather handle – that’s the bit that says “hey, I’m a portable speaker”. With the grey Kvadrat fabric model, as reviewed here, that handle is an attractive brown colour, while the material covering the body gives a real dynamic texture.

Best Bluetooth speakers 2020: Top portable speakers to buy today

The Citation 200 is also available in black, but that also means the handle is black too and, frankly, we think it looks a lot more boring in that finish. It’s hardly as if picking grey is being bold anyway, eh?

As we said when we first saw the speaker back at its launch at CES 2020, we do wish the product name was a bit more blatant in telling you why you should buy one. “Citation 200” hardly yells that this is a portable at-home speaker, does it? There’s obviously a spectrum to this, though, with Bose going the whole hog with its Portable Home Speaker. But sometimes it helps to state what it does on the tin.

Anyway, now that you know the Citation 200 is indeed portable, you’ll be pleased to know it also comes with its own charging cradle, much like the Sonos Move. Ok, so the Harman Kardon one doesn’t look quite as smart – it’s an oversized grey puck really – but it’s very effective. When the speaker is docked it’s just a normal home speaker. Grab the handle to remove the speaker – without having to fuss with any cables, clips or anything else – and, bosh, job done, it’s now portable.

We did wonder how often we’d use this speaker as a portable. The answer: a lot. Because its sound is so massive we’ve been carting it from the back of the kitchen to by the cooker to drown out the extraction fans; from kitchen to the living room when having a weekend tipple; and even upstairs and into the bathroom when soaking in the tub on a chill-out Sunday.

You might gasp at that last one because why would any sane person get a speaker near to steam and condensation? Well, it doesn’t matter here: the Citation 200 is IPX4 waterproof, meaning it’s protected from splashes in any direction. Just don’t put it in the actual bath. It’s also not dust-resistant, so don’t take it to the beach either. It’s not that kind of portable, though, which you can probably tell from the look anyway.

Sound quality

Battery: 4,800mAh (up to 8 hours playback, 3 hours to charge)

Supports: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, Chromecast

Voice assistants: Google Assistant via app only

1x 25mm tweeter, 1x 120mm woofer

Frequency response: 40Hz-20kHz

Power: 50W

The Citation 200 boasts eight hours of battery life when it’s away from its dock, which is plenty of albums and streams when it’s being used around the house. Or in the garden. Or park. Or wherever it is you wish to use such a speaker. Popping it back onto the stand for a recharge is super easy, of course, although the 3 hour time-frame to get it topped back up to full is a bit slow if you ask us.

As for sound. Wow. The Citation 200 really packs a sonic punch. It’s easy to look at speakers’ specs and see various checkboxes ticked. As one example this Harman Kardon says it can cater for bass down to 40Hz. Sure, so can plenty of other speakers. But when we’ve been testing bass music tracks the sheer welly this speaker gives in the low-end department is stupendous. It’s like there’s a proper built-in subwoofer.

Now, we know, some people will find this degree of bass washing over everything to throw the balance of sound. That could be the case for certain tracks and genres, but we’ve not found it to be of concern or a problem really. All we’ll really say is that the Citation 200 doesn’t quite have that pinpoint precision when it comes to delivering mid-range snap and high-end sparkle to counter the low-end stuff.

Where you place the speaker is also of key importance. Although it looks almost cylindrical, it’s not a 360-degree output, it’s a forward wall of sound by design – because there are only two drivers inside, not the multiples you’ll find in some competitors. Not a problem, of course, just face it in the right direction and ensure it’s high enough – plonking it on a carpeted floor will see the bass take over as the mid-to-highs get adsorbed.

The Citation 200, with 50W of power, is also very loud indeed. You can fill big spaces with this fairly small speaker. All while looking better than, say, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom, which is why the Harman Kardon will be so appealing to many – it looks kind of unassuming, but it delivers sound that’s loud enough to bite.

It’s got its teeth right into us, too, as we love the way it grabs hold of rock’n’roll tracks to provide a solid groove, gives proper thump to kick drums – Black Coffee is our go-to mellow Afro House guy right now – and warbling, impactful bass to any underground productions that dare go big on the low-end.

Connectivity is varied too, with Wi-Fi and AirPlay catering for Apple and Android users alike. We’ve been Casting from Spotify using Google Home no problems. If you’re wanting to use Bluetooth only then you’ll need to forego the voice assistant, but oh well, that’s not a big surprise – and the same with Sonos’ Move.

Verdict

While the name doesn’t scream “portable home speaker” by any means, when you get to hear the Citation 200 you’ll scream at just how massive it sounds for such a device.

As we said up top: this speaker will have Sonos quaking in its boots, as it delivers a similar prospect for a cut of the price. And without real compromise to sound, so long as you’re on board with the big bass.

Writing by Mike Lowe.

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	Teufel Supreme On
Design	Closed
Case material	Plastic, aluminum, fabric, imitation leather
Converter size	40 mm
Frequency range	20 – 20000 Hz
Impedance	26 Om
Dimensions	14, 35 x 17, 14 x 6, 86 cm
Weight	0, 18 kg
Connectivity	Nluetooth 5 , 0. AAC, aptX, NFC, 3.5mm jack
Compatibility	Android, iOS, Windows
Approximate battery charge time	20 hours
Other	Auto power on / off, standby function, sound adjustment
Price	649 PLN