Other | Geektick

Best microphone for gaming

So, from my perspective, video games are a big part of our lives now, or at least the industry of computer entertainment is. Whether you like it or not, video games won’t go away. From numerous consoles and entertainment systems all the way to personal computers, video games have been in our lives for quite a long time now.

When you think about it for a moment, quite a lot of people have actually grown up alongside video games as one of the entertainment types. All the way from the simplest forms such as ping pong, to tetris and now, well, everything. If it weren’t for the entertainment video games have given me, I probably wouldn’t have a life I have right now, just like many others. Then, there are various types of video games and I’m sure in the future, there will be many more categories of them, but I just like to put them as following: singleplayer games and multiplayer games. It’s simple as that, if you ask me, because some of them are made to be simply played alone so you can get immersed in the story and just, enjoy it for a few hours, all by yourself.. and then you have those which are only made for multiplayer entertainment. That means you play it with other people from around the world. It can be your friend from the neighborhood or a random person from a different side of the planet.

Nonetheless, video games have created a brand new form of entertainment that will continue to grow and won’t go away for a long time, for sure.

Now, if you’re playing a multiplayer game, communication is a very important aspect of the game itself, so how do we achieve that? Well, in the distant past, you would have simple interaction dialogues with predefined messages. Then it moved onto an interactive chat interface, meaning you could type your message on a keyboard or using your joystick to communicate with other players.

Now, you have all of those combined, but there is a very big difference. We have voice communication now. I’m sure you already know of this as it’s been around for quite a long time now, if not since the 1990s, but it has since grown into an industry of its own. What do I mean by this? Well, let’s just say that the voice communication industry is a big part of not just video games and entertainment, but every other part of IT.

Taking that into consideration, sure, you could just call up your friend and invite him over to your place so you could play some games together, but imagine if that friend didn’t live near you, but rather in a different city, or perhaps even a different country? Say he was on the other side of the world, right. You can’t just call him up and invite him to your place so you could play some games. Sure, you could still play together online, but that’s not it, right? The laughter, the fun you have together, it’s just not right. Well, what you can do is tell your friend to get headphones with a microphone and say you will do the same. Now you can speak to each other almost exactly the same way as if you were in the same room. That’s perfect, right? Sure, there MIGHT be some drawbacks, but voice communication is very important not just for gameplay, but the entertainment itself.

Due to the fact that I have been in this ‘gaming‘ world for quite a bit now, over ten years actually, I decided to help out similar people around the world by advising them which products to buy in the whole gaming industry. In this article, I will go over some of the best headsets and standalone microphones for gaming. Some of them are inexpensive, some are not, but I can tell you for certain that all of them are good. Some more, some less, but whichever appeals to you the most, you won’t regret the purchase.

[BEST] ASTRO A50 Headset

compatible with PS4 & PC
amazing audio quality
adjustable microphone
Dolby headphone 7.1 Surround Sound
WIRELESS

Well, aren’t they beautiful? I mean, just look at them. Eye catching colors, beautiful design and the best comfort you can get out of headphones. What else could you ask for?

The Astro A50s are built and made with extreme care and precision because they’re made by people who know the industry extremely well and have spent years in it researching and developing the best headphones you could get so you can achieve the utmost gaming experience ever. As we all know, the audio in video games is one the most important things. Whether you’re playing Starcraft or Counter Strike, the sound is of great importance. No matter what game it is, without the sound, it is boring and in some cases, unplayable. That’s why you need great headphones, such as these.

I mean, just look at them. Other than the fact that they shine with elegance and coolness, you actually do get the top notch product out there. Of course, there are other really well made headphones out there which rival the Astro A50 very well, but as far as I have seen, I came to a conclusion that these, really are the best you can get right now. Other than the fact that they are wireless, they are also extremely light, which means you can have them on your head for a really long period of time and you wouldn’t feel any discomfort. Now, of course, video games might not be everything you like, perhaps you like music so you’re looking from that perspective as well.. In that case, these are also a good choice, however, due to the fact that they are wireless, there might be the slightest difference between the wired version and these.

The wired version is, obviously wired, but also half of the price of these. Why? Well, the obvious reason is because you don’t need the additional receiver/transmitter as they are wired so they’re just plug and play, but the other factor is that they’re a bit older than these, meaning you will get a slightly worse audio quality, but as far as I have seen, it’s really not that much of a difference, but if music is of the greatest importance to you, you should look at a different type of headphones then. Back onto the A50s from the technical aspect, honestly, you’re getting the best there is out there at the moment. The microphone on it’s own is a wonder when you see its quality, ability and everything else.

When I’ve tried this headset, I knew I was going to get really good results, but I really wasn’t expecting them to be THAT good. The microphone, not only is it directional, meaning it will pickup YOU and only you, but the quality it gives is absolutely astonishing. Alongside some of the software you can get from ASTRO, you can freely adjust the settings of the microphone using various settings, lowering its sensitivity and similar. You really are given all of the settings you can get so you can fully control this headset. Other than the glorious microphone, let’s not forget the audio you hear. The sound quality for video games is by far the best I have experienced, no matter what game you’re playing. I’ve tested it on Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Battlefield 4 & 1 and really, it’s absolutely amazing.

No one complained about the noise in the background I intentionally made as no one could hear it. This headset truly is made for gamers. If you choose the wireless version, that means you can walk around your whole room, if not the whole home without any impairments to the sound. My friend from the UK did this test specifically for me over TeamSpeak as he has the same headphones. He would get up from his desk and just walk around his home while constantly talking to me. I could hear a bit of a quality drop when he was outside his home, but while he was on the inside, there were no problems whatsoever. So yeah, that’s why this headset is gilded with the BEST category tag.

[BEST SELLER]SteelSeries Siberia 800

SteelSeries next-gen speaker drivers
closed ear-cups
Dolby cirtual 7.1 surround sound
Retractable microphone
WIRELESS

Simply said, this headset just shines with elegance, comfort and luxury. It looks sleek and simple, but it offers so much. First off, it’s wireless, which is a great addition, especially to gamers on the move as these headphones are very compact, so if you like to play games a lot, but you travel quite often, this headset is a very good option as you can rotate the speakers so it can be placed in a tight area, such as a bag or a briefcase. Other than that, the microphone is retractable and it basically disappears if you decide not to use it. All you have to do is push it inside the left speaker and that’s it. When it’s retracted, only its reddish tip is visible, so it’s really nice for various types of entertainment. Other than the luxurious look, the sound fidelity is astonishing due to the fact that the ear cups are closed inwards so you achieve total isolation from the surroundings and none of the sounds will leak out directly, but that’s not it. They are really, really comfortable on your head and ears. There’s no excess pressure being exerted onto your ears and due to their low weight, they’re pretty much perfect in that category. They come in black and greyish color which both fit nicely on this design of headphones. They’re somewhat similar to the older versions of the Siberia series, but they are more different than similar if you look it at from the greater perspective. You still have the round shaped speakers which are able to rotate. The additional full length padding on the arc which covers the head is there, as well, so yeah, the design is somewhat still the same, but they have certainly upgraded the specifications and abilities of the Siberia series. As always, due to the fact that these are wireless, you will always gain higher quality on wired versions, but as far as I have noticed, there isn’t a difference. You are paying for quality product, that is for certain, so if sound quality worries you, it shouldn’t as the Steelseries products have proven high quality over a lengthy period of time in the past and I stand behind this decision as both my friend and me had a different version of Steelseries products, and there is no doubt.. They do deliver quality and luxury.

A unique thing about this headset is the fact that you receive two Li-Ion batteries. Not one, but two. You can charge the second one while using the first one, so when the first one is depleted, you just swap them out and continue gaming, no hassle in that! As per me, this headset really does deserve the BESTSELLER category tag as it’s not overly expensive and I’ve seen a lot of Twitch streamers and YouTube gamers use these. If you consider the pricetag of $240 and the quality this headset offers, it’s a very good trade off.

[BESTBUY] HyperX Cloud Revolver

Studio grade sound quality
Steel frame
Detachable microphone
50mm sound drivers
Compatibility with PC/PS4/MAC/Xbox One

If you’ve ever followed up with HyperX products, then this one will look very similar to one of their most popular products ever, the HyperX Cloud II headset. We can say this is the version two of that headset as this one looks very similar to the Cloud II and obviously, it’s better. As stated previously, it’s built from a steel frame which makes it extremely durable and stiff while at the same time it provides comfort. Don’t let the steel frame worry you as this headset is actually very comfortable on your head. It’s not too lose and it’s not too tight, it’s pretty much perfect. I mean, it’s made from steel, there’s no way you can break this, so if you accidentally drop them on the ground or something similar, there shouldn’t be worry about them breaking or anything.

Of course, there’s the iconic red colour which braids the top part of the headphones, the headrest and in addition to that, the sides of the speakers are glowing in red as well, representing the HyperX logo alongside some stylish lines in a circle, as you can see in the picture. Other than the great design, they provide really good functionality as well. There’s an additional software you can obtain from HyperX for extra sound effects and adjustments, but it’s not necessary. The headset itself is plug & play so it’s pretty straight forward. There is one slight drawback though. They aren’t very compact as other headsets. They’re bulky and slightly heavy. The weight isn’t a problem as it’s countered by the huge amounts of ear and head padding which makes them very comfortable actually, but you can’t carry these around everywhere. I mean, you just can’t due to their size and inability to rotate and bend, but they are absolutely amazing for their price if you plan on using them at your home.

The microphone itself is the main part of these as it looks relatively small and simple, but in reality it really isn’t. The best thing about it is that you can detach it very easily and it will look as if it wasn’t there, so if you just want to chill in the evening hours while going through the gameplay of your favorite game, just detach the microphone and enjoy. The great quality of the microphone is just an extra cherry on the cake as well, as I personally had no trouble using it in communication with random players and my friends both in game and over TeamSpeak & Discord, so I can say with certainty that it is very good. Because of that and its great price, I decided to place it as the winner of the BESTBUY category. If you’re on a budget, but you’re also looking for great quality, then you wouldn’t make a mistake by purchasing this headset.

Blue Yeti Pro

Four different polar pattern settings
Cutting edge A-D converter chip
Built-in amplifier for zero-latency monitoring
15 Hz – 22 kHz frequency response

Now, this microphone caught my eye with quite a few things. First off, it looks amazing. The vintage look really appeals to the user and it’s just, pretty. Reminds me of those old microphones in studios before the 2000s. There’s also the fact that this microphone has multiple outputs. An XLR output if you really want to use this microphone to its maximum potential, and an USB output, for the quick plug & play action.

I wouldn’t say it’s great for portability as it really isn’t, but if you really have to, you wouldn’t have much trouble moving it around, just be careful, because it is absolutely amazing. It is somewhat heavy, but when you see what it has to offer, you will understand why the extra weight.

The single greatest thing anyone has ever implemented onto dedicated microphones is the simple and separate button for muting it. And it’s there. You don’t have to unplug the cable, you don’t have to mute it in sound manager, you just press the button and it’s muted, so if someone walks into your room, just press that button and no one will be disturbed. There’s also a volume knob for, well duh, adjusting the volume of the microphone output and it’s that simple, really.

The additional XLR output on the bottom of the microphone is amazing as you can use an additional external amplifier or a different device for other uses and hook it up directly to the microphone using the XLR output, provided you have the necessary wiring. This means, that if you ever want to record music, instruments, vocals, anything that is very dependent on quality of the sound, you can achieve it with this microphone. I’ve heard numerous popular YouTubers claim that this is one of the best microphones out there and I can’t disagree. I haven’t encountered a better one so far.

The coolest part about this one is the four different pattern settings. What does that mean? You can choose what type of monitoring (recording) you want the microphone to be in. It can be stereo, cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional.

The stereo mode means it will pick up sounds on both the left and the right channel and it is ideal for recording almost any type of sound. Cardioid mode is crafted for podcasts, vocals or game streaming. It captures the sound only from one direction, so positioning the microphone in front of you while live streaming and picking this mode is the perfect combination.

The omnidirectional mode is quite cool, to be honest as it captures audio coming from all directions. If you want to capture 3D sound or gain the 3D effect with sound, this mode will suit you the best. Last but not least, we have the bidirectional mode and simply said, it records from two sides, which is perfect if you are recording two vocals, or you’re playing with a friend in the same room.

This microphone combined with an adjustable stand you can also purchase is pretty much the perfect combination. It has all you want out of a microphone and it won’t disappoint you.

Audio-Technica AT2020 USB microphone

Condenser microphone with USB output
A/D converter with 16 bit, 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate
Internal headphone amplifier for clarity and musical detail

Now, the point of this article was to review microphones for gamers and so far it has been a great trip, but it was headsets only, meaning you would receive a microphone and headphones in one. However, as the primary focus is on microphones, I’ve decided to count in dedicated microphones as well because they really do stand out in that business as they are made for detecting and recording audio. Now, sure, it may not be very convenient to carry both headphones and a dedicated microphone at the same time, so this is a better option if you are certain you won’t be moving around quite of ten. Dedicated microphones are especially handy for live streams and YouTubers as they will always provide better quality than headset microphones. We also have to remember the fact that you can literally put this microphone on a microphone stand and position it anywhere you like, so there’s that. It can be above your head, it can be below your chin, on the side of your face, anywhere you like.

Now, onto the microphone itself. Made by Audio-Technica, an amazing audio-oriented company which not only produces superb microphones, but they’re also in the business of headphones and headsets, and they’re good at it. Previously, I have reviewed one of their noise-cancelling headphones with a microphone and honestly, I was left speechless. The stuff these people make is just amazing. When I was reviewing this microphone, I wasn’t skeptical about it whatsoever, because I simply knew that it would deliver what I wanted. Excellent sound quality without any issues and trouble.

The size of this microphone is very impressive as well because you would usually expect a dedicated microphone to be relatively bulky and large, but this model actually is not so big. You could certainly put it in your front pocket of your pants if you wanted to. Now, of course, the sound quality is the main thing about microphones and I can tell you with assurance that you would not regret buying this. You get a quality-made stand which can have its angle adjusted, so technically saying, you could have this microphone placed anywhere on the desk and it will pick up your voice. It is almost fully omni-directional, meaning it can pick up sound coming from almost all directions. The exception being its two sides which are covered with the frame and the bottom part. Other than that, you really do get an amazing product for the price you pay, which actually isn’t as high as you would expect for such a great product. Then again, even if you’re not a gamer, this microphone is still great for you. Say you’re an instrument player. Buying this microphone is a perfect product for you as it will record all of the sounds you create with your instrument and voice, no joke.

One last thing I would like to note about this microphone as seen in the title of it is that it is USB connected, which makes things even easier. You don’t need any other external adapters and/or converters. You just plug it into the USB port and it’s ready to go. It’s that simple!

Rode NT-USB Condenser Microphone

USB connectivity
On-mic mix control
Tripod stand, pop filter and ring mount included
Ultra-low noise

Very similar to the previous microphone from Audio-Technica, the RODE NT-USB microphone has a few more additional features at a slightly more elevated price, but the trade off is quite worth it. RODE is without saying, a great producer of quality and well made microphones and they offer numerous bonuses with their products. As you can see in the picture, just by purchasing this model, you receive a tripod stand, a ring mount and the most important of all, the pop filter shield which filters out those annoying ‘pop’ noises. Other than the great extras you receive with this microphone, there’s also one really useful thing on it and that’s the two mix wheels on it which lets you adjust the volume of the microphone itself and volume of the headphones you can plug into the microphone itself for realtime sound feedback.

The great visual aesthetic design is really pleasing to the eyes. The color is a perfect match and the USB cable is detachable so that makes this microphone quite portable, if you don’t mind disassembling everything every time.

It provides amazing sound quality, especially for instruments, but it is also great for gamers as it can capture even the slightest whispers, so you can truly get immersed into the video game you’re playing without yelling your heart out in an effort to signal your friend. The pop filter shield is a really useful thing, especially if you use the microphone on a daily basis as it filters out the ‘pop’ noise as previously stated, which can get really annoying in a very short time period.

The microphone stand is adjustable so you can place the microphone anywhere on the desk and just point it towards yourself and it will capture your voice without any problems. The additional volume wheels on the microphone are very useful, especially if someone walks into your room, you can lower the volume very easily without unplugging the microphone, so the usability of it is really good.

Other than that, it’s a really great piece of hardware for the price you pay.

HyperX Cloud II

USB Audio Sound Card
7.1 Virtual Surround Sound
Noise cancelling microphone
Echo cancelling
15 Hz – 22kHz frequency response
53mm sound drivers

Bulky. That’s the main characteristic of this headset. But don’t let that put you down, they’re pretty good in my opinion. I already had a chance to review these some time ago, but I decided to give them another shot as they were pretty good and I wanted to test them out further. This variant comes only in color of black which makes them look pretty cool. One would think that with great size, great weight comes, but surprisingly, these headphones are pretty light. They’re made out of plastic, but I tested how strong it was by trying to bend it, and it didn’t break. I did bend it quite a lot, but it didn’t break, so it is some high quality plastic. The reason these headphones are inexpensive is because they’re made out of plastic I assume because the technicalities are really good. I had no problems with the sound quality of both the speakers and the microphone, so there’s that.

The microphone itself is detachable, meaning you can’t retract it upwards or downwards, but you actually have to detach it to move it out of sight. That is a great thing if you have to move these headphones around quite a lot because you can’t rotate their speakers, but you can detach the rather large microphone, which is a good thing. They are VERY COMFORTABLE on your ears and head when you put them on and as sketchy as it may seem, the material the padding is made of does not look cheap as it doesn’t rip apart, doesn’t come off and doesn’t give off that weird odor after a prolonged usage of the headphones.

It also has an active noise cancellation on the microphone, meaning you won’t be picking up a large amount of unnecessary sounds coming in from the background which makes this headset a great choice if you’re playing video games in a loud room. There is also a 7.1 audio mode which turns the audio into more realistic sounding audio, but I personally didn’t like it on any of the headphones, but that’s just personal preference, so it shouldn’t cause you any problems.

All in all, a great piece of hardware for avid gamers for a relatively low price.

Turtle Beach – Elite Pro

50mm sound drivers
extremely soft ear padding
rotational microphone
12 Hz – 22kHz frequency response

The orange color on these headphones is what makes them look cool, aside the amazing design of course. The customizability is one of the key characteristics on these as they were made for one specific audience.. and those are hardcore gamers. Sure, you don’t have to be a hardcore gamer, but a lot of professional teams in various popular video games use these in tournaments and live streams as they are really, really good. Oh and did I mention they look cool?

The extremely soft ear pads are so soft you could fall asleep with these without any trouble. They don’t cause any excessive pressure on your ears nor your head so there’s no worry in getting a headache or sweaty ears. I mean, of course, if it’s blazing summer and the temperatures are high, it will always be not so pleasing to wear headphones, but these are one of the most comfortable I’ve seen so far.

The microphone is relatively simple and straight forward. You can rotate it upwards and downwards, so lining it up with your mouth won’t be a problem at all. The quality of the microphone is pretty good, but in this case, they have focused more on quality of the sound you receive through the speakers, which I understand, as it is very important in the tournaments. Of course, we cannot ignore the voice communication between the players, but I believe they have prioritized the sound quality of speakers over the microphone.

Now, I’m not saying it’s bad, it is very good actually, but you can get better ones for somewhat the same price. Other than that, a really great pair of headphones in my opinion.

Conclusion

If you’re a gamer, and I believe you are if you’re reading this article, let’s be real.. you need good gear to perform well. Whether it be a mouse, a keyboard, in this case a headset, it has to be quality made. If you’re reading this segment of the review, you will get the general understanding of the best headsets there are in the market right now. Maybe, just maybe none of these suit you, and I’m sure that will happen as each gamer has their own and unique play style and requirements, and if that’s the case, feel free to contact me through the comment section and I will gladly help you out in picking the best headset for yourself.

All in all, this article was made in an effort to help out numerous people who seek the best voice communication device there is that they can afford and no matter what you are, a musician, a hardcore gamer, a casual gamer, I’m positive this article can help you pick your ideal microphone/headset.

Folding Lightweight Bike – Your Modern Alternative

Other

Folding bicycle is a bicycle designed so that it can be folded into a much more compact size. It is ideal for campers, students , city dwellers and everyone who has problem with space.

Folding bikes can easily be packed down, so you can carry them into buildings and any kind of public transportation. They fit into the smallest apartments and you can easily store them in a car, a plane or a boat.

Folding bikes are the holy grail for mixed-mode commuters. They are highly recommended by people who are against dependence on cars as the major mode of ground transportation.

Main cons you need to consider, if you want to be a proud owner of this ingenious product, is its speed and stability. Most of the bicycles have 20″ wheels, and this is more or less the “standard” size for a folding bike. However, the size varies from 16 inches to 26 inches. Smaller wheels are great for long-distance carrying and larger are for a faster and more stable ride. One of the main things you want to pay attention to is weight.

Every folding bike is meant to be a light folding bike. Average weight of these bikes is from 18lbs to 26 lbs. The material has a big role when it comes to weight and price. Some customers prefer titanium bikes while carrying them. Others think that the difference between steel and titanium is insignificant. Your selection depends upon your anatomy and the frequency of your use. Whatever you choose, all bikes on the market are particularly light so you’ll have no problem with that. You have to know that weight plays a big role in the price. Price will be much higher if you want to consolidate all the good sides of folding bikes.

Most people search for the best folding bike. Bikes differ in many ways, and it is hard to compare them. You should search for something that fits you, for example, if you are a commuter and you want your bike to be easily foldable, you will search for portable bikes. Every bike has its own incomparable performances.

Some of the advantages are:

You can take it anywhere – more mobility

Folding bike is small enough that you can put it under your desk and no one will notice it’s actually there. Another great thing is that you don’t have to worry about thieves.

Save money

By being a mixed-commuter, you can save a lot of money. Say no to expensive fuel, parking fees and high auto maintenance.

Be fashionable

Many people avoid folding bikes because they think they are too complicated and too much 70s looking. Recent folding bikes are designed so fashionable and innovative that everyone looks great riding it. It takes you 10-15 seconds to unfold it. Not as complicated as it seems.

Exercise

Replacing car with bike is an effective way to lose weight and be healthy. The recommended daily physical activity time for adults is 30 minutes a day. This way you don’t have to go to the gym. You are saving money and getting in shape at the same time. Jackpot.

Low maintenance

You have to worry about:

air in your tires
charging the lights
oiling the chain

and that’s it.

Even if you need to visit a mechanic, you’ll find they are waaay cheaper and more trustworthy.

Ice breaker

This one may sound weird, but every time you do your magic and open your bike, people will be interested and ask questions. It is fun and never gets boring.

What’s it like to ride a folding bicycle?

Folding bikes are very easy to use. All you need to do is practice. The most complicated thing is learning how to fold them, and that’s not hard. You may notice it’s a little different than a regular bicycle when you first try it out. Turning is a little more responsive because of the smaller wheels. This means you can quickly turn if you need to. If you live in a hilly area, don’t worry! – many bikes have multiple gears, so you will be just as fast at hill climbing as with a regular bicycle.

How much do I need to spend?

The prices vary from 150$ do 2500$. I recommend to invest in a good bike, even if it is a little pricey. If you go for the cheapest one, you have to know that it’ll wear out faster. You can find a good bike for a reasonable price. Check out our buying guide so you can find a perfect match.

UNDER 500$

Vilano Urbana Single Speed Folding Bike

Design – 80%

Functionality – 74%

Durability – 70%

Mobility – 65%

Price – 85%

Simplicity is the key. Vilano Urbana isn’t the worst folding bike around. For the money, it works totally fine but it seems to be below par in most departments. However, at this price point, you can’t expect something extraordinary. The bike weighs 21.4lbs and is a 20” one. If you want a folding bike and you have a tight budget, this is the bike for you.

Rockefeller Integral 26-Inch Folding Mountain Bicycle

Design – 95%

Functionality – 85%

Durability – 90%

Mobility -80%

Price – 80%

This bike can handle the roughest terrain because of a full suspension soft-tail system and a double disc. This bike does it all – it looks good, it is super easy to fold and extra cheap. You want to have this bike!

Category	Folding Bike, Mountain Bike
Speed	21 Speed
GENDER	Men’s
Bicycle Wheel Size	26 Inch/700CC
Dimension (CM)	17210540
Bike length (CM)	170
Material	Aluminium Alloy
Frame Material	Aluminium Alloy
Fork Material	Aluminium Alloy
Wheel Material	Magnesium Alloy
Cassette	Superwin-13-T28
Spokes	6
Shift Lever	SHINING SYS
Rear Derailleur	SHIMANO SIS TOURNEY
Front Derailleur	SHIMANO TZ50
Fork Type	Springer Fork
Frame Type	Soft-tail Frame
Brake system	Double Disc Brake
Pedals Type	Ordinary/Standard
Is there a suspension fork?	Yes
If Folding or Not	Yes
Rider Height (CM)	155-180cm
Rider Weight (KG)	<=100kg
Color	White, Yellow, Orange, Red
Brand#	Rockefeller ™
Net Weight(kg)	17
Package Weight (kg)	22

RT-20 Folding Bike

Design – 80%

Functionality – 75%

Durability – 80%

Mobility -70%

Price – 70%

The 7 gears give a good speed. The weight of this foldable bicycle is 27.56 pounds with a dimension of 45.28 x 7.87 x 59.84 inches. It looks good in white and orange color.

7 Gears Shimano
20 in Mini Folding Bike
12.5 KG Only
7005 Aluminum Frame
Mechanical Brakes

Product Description

Weight:12.5kg
Size: 20 in
Color: White, Black, Orange, Yellow
Speeds: 7 Gears
Frame: 7005 Aluminum
Fork: Carbon Steel (Foldable)
Headset: Pro Integrated Model
Hand bar: 25.4 MM 7005 Aluminum
Stem: Quick Release 7005 Aluminum
Seat: Pro Saddle Seat
Post/Clamp: 33.9 mm 7005 Aluminum
Shifter Lever: SHIMANO –TX50-7 Rear
Derailleur: SHIMANO –TX50-7
Paddle: HS Brakes: Yinxing Mechanical Brakes
Chain Wheel: 52 T 7005 Aluminum
BB: TW Zhingqing
Chian: KMC
Freewheel: Shimano 14T-28T 7 Speeds
Tire: Chaoyang 20X1.5
Hubs: Pro Hubs Quick Release 7005 Aluminum
Rim: 40MM Double Layers 7005 Aluminum
Spokes: 14 #

Bike Type	Road Sport Touring
Brake Style	dual-disc-brakes
Color	White Orange
Frame Material Type	aluminum
Item Dimensions	45.28 x 7.87 x 59.84 inches
Item Weight	28.66 pounds

Rim Size	20 inches
Shipping Weight	39.68 pounds
Size	20 in
Suspension Type	no-suspension
Wheel Size	20 inches

Dahon Jack D7 Folding Bike

Design – 94%

Functionality – 96%

Durability – 97%

Mobility – 88%

Price – 85%

The Dahon Jack D7 folding bike is a model for city riding. It belongs in the 26-inch wheel category and is produced by Dahon, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of folding bikes.

This Dahon Jack D7 model is super light and it quickly folds for carrying and transportation. The Jack folds to 13 x 37 x 31 inches taking less than 10 seconds. The pedals also fold in. Therewith being a folding model, the Dahon Jack D7 is comfortable and has 7-speed Derailleur gear system, alloy handle bars and high quality seat. Its brother, the D8, is almost the same, but with 8 gears and different paint job.

Specifications

Colors – Shadow
Frame Material – Aluminium
Bike Weight – 35.1lbs
Standover Height – 24″
Wheel Size – 26″
Speeds – 7
Folded Size – 27″ x 9″ x 54″
Maximum rider weight – 110 kg (240 lbs)
Dahon Speed Uno

Design – 90%

Functionality – 88%

Durability – 85%

Mobility – 85%

Price – 90%

Dahon have provided a low-budget bike that can compete with the more expensive models. The tires on the Speed Uno are designed and manufactured by Dahon , and those are high functioning Dahon Rotolo 20” tires. Each of them is pumped up to a total of 65 psi and has a thickness of 1.5 inches. The benefit of these wheels being large is that there is considerably more capacity to absorb shocks when traversing bumpy terrain.

Specification

Folded Size: 11.6″ x 29.9″ x 24.9″

Folded Time: 15 seconds or less

Weight: 24.1lbs

Speeds / Gears: 1

Wheel Size: 20″

Frame Type: K Series – SuperLite 4130 with ViseGrip technology

Brakes: Rear Caliper

Saddle: VL3057A

Max Rider Weight: 240lbs

Allen Sports Downtown

Design – 78%

Functionality – 81%

Durability – 80%

Mobility – 75%

Price – 82%

This is not the most aesthetically pleasing folding bike, but for this amount of money, this bike offers much. Allen Sports is a company that has been producing excellent folding bikes for several years now. It has one issue, as with all single speed bikes, and that is, it does struggle up steep hills. I would not recommend this bike if you are planning on using it in regions with lots of hills.

Specification

Color: White, Red and Blue

Folded Size: 15.3″ x 33.4″ x 27.9″ (38cm x 84cm x 70cm)

Weight: 25.9lbs (11.7kg)

Speeds / Gears: 1

Wheel Size: 20″

Max Rider Weight: 240lbs (120kg)

Schwinn Loop 7-Speed

Design – 74%

Functionality – 70%

Mobility – 73%

Durability – 65%

Price – 80%

The Schwinn Loop 7-Speed folding bike is very popular among those who are looking for a cheap, but quality bike, because they are known for making relatively inexpensive but good bikes. The company was established in 1895 by Ignaz Schwinn who originated from Germany, and after relocating to America began developing Schwinn Bicycles.

Specification

Shipping Weight – 21.3Kg (46.9lbs)

Breaks – Long-lasting front and back linear pull breaks.

Gear Shift – 7-Speed Shimano grip shifting.

Frame – Low stand-over folding alloy frame. (For easier folding and storage)

Maximum Rider Weight – 104Kg (229.3 lbs.)

Additional Features – Comes with a nylon bag used to store the folded bike.

Weight – 15kg (33lbs.)

Folded Size – 40cm x 82cm x 66cm (16” x 32.5” x 26”)

Colors – Black and Green.

Wheels – 20-inch alloys.

Crank – 3-piece single crank set.

Box Dimensions – 72cm x 43cm x 77cm (26.9” x 16.9” x 29.9”)

Road spray protection added the front and back of the bike.

Built-in carrier at the rear of the bike. (For carrying items whilst travelling)

UNDER 1000$

Montague Crosstown Folding Bike

Design – 95%

Functionality – 90%

Durability – 90%

Mobility – 89%

Price – 95%

This bike is different because of its full 26” wheels and 7-speed components. However it can be folded down into a relatively small size for easy transportation. The Montague Crosstown can be folded down in under 20 seconds. That is not bad, but it could be better. The bike wheels are a bit of an issue to carry due to their size but the bike is incredibly light so once you get used to holding it, it really is effortless.

Specification

Color	Boulder Gray
Frame	Custom drawn 7005 Series, Aluminum tubing with DirectConnect™ folding system.
Fork	Rigid Unicrown, with CLIX™ Wheel Release System ramped dropout.
Rims	700c Alloy. 32 hole, Silver.
Tires	Kenda semi-slick. 700c x 35mm.
Hubset	Formula. Alloy CLIX™ front quick release.
Spokes	14 Gauge Stainless
Saddle	Gel with Elastomer Comfort System
Seatpost	30.0 X 300mm Alloy with Montague logo
Handlebars	Riser style 30mm rise. 600mm wide. Alloy, Black.
Stem	Octagon™ height adjustable stem. No tools required.
Shifters	Shimano 7-Speed RevoShift.
Front Derailleur	NA
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Altus, 7-Speed.
Crankset	42T chainring. Alloy 170mm crank arm with chain guard
Cassette	Shimano MegaRange 14-34T
Speeds	7
Brakeset	Tektro dual pivot caliper. Side pull with Quick Release.
Pedals	Trekking pedal with all-weather non-slip tread.
Bottom Bracket	Semi-Sealed Cartridge.
Frame Sizes	17”, 19”, 21”
Folded Size	36” x 28” x 12”
Approx Weight	28lbs
MSRP	$659.95

Dahon Mariner D7

Design – 93%

Functionality – 96%

Durability – 98%

Mobility – 93%

Price – 91%

The Dahon Mariner D7 has managed to become the best-selling adult folding bike in the U.S. for years. The success is not undeserved. The bike is an ideal if you travel in a boat, as it is water and rust resistant. People love this bike because of its quality and slick design. The bike has a sleek design in a polished silver color. This bike is not the lightest, but it has everything – a rear rack, mudguards, and 7 speeds.

Specification

Folded Size: 10.9″ x 32″ x 25.6″ (27cm x 80cm x 65cm)

Weight: 25.9lbs (11.7kg)

Speeds / Gears: 7 (36″ to 84″)

Gear Shifter: 7 Speed, SRAM – Facilitates rapid shifting

Wheel Size: 20″

Frame Type: KM Series, 7005 Alloy, ViseGrip technology

Brakes: DHV-107

Saddle: VL3057A

Max Rider Weight: 230lbs (105kg)

STRiDA SX

Design – 70%

Functionality – 69%

Durability – 77%

Mobility – 72%

Price – 68%

The STRiDA SX is truly in its own class when it comes to design with ‘umbrella-fold’ mechanism and has actually been going for more than 20 years. It takes a while before you set. It can last up to 30 minutes. One of the biggest advantages of this bike is that it could be folded under 10 seconds. Some people say it could be folded under 5 seconds with some practice. The STRiDA SX has slightly larger 18″ wheels than the 16″ wheels that are typically associated with their bikes – however, these are still smaller than the 20″ wheels that can be found on most folding bikes. Pros of this bike are that it is uncomfortable over large distances and slow due to having a single gear. Depending on the taste, this bike is aesthetically unappealing.

Age Range Description	Adult
Color	Black
Frame Material Type	Aluminum
Item Dimensions	20 x 43 x 47 inches
Item Weight	24 pounds
Number Of Speeds	1
Shipping Weight	29.55 pounds
Size	16-Inch
Wheel Size	16 inches

OVER 1000$

We’re getting to the point where standards are high. You can expect lightweight, quick and portable bikes with disc brakes, carbon frames, suspension forks and slick gearing. The fact these bikes fold down can be considered a bonus rather than their primary function.

SOGAR Two-wheeled Electric Bicycle

Design – 93%

Functionality – 84%

Durability – 80%

Mobility -90%

Price – 73%

Mechanical shock, comfortable ride, effectively guarantee the long ride comfort
Within the triangle component of the cavity, the triangle structure formation cavity suspension, effectively eliminate part away
Removable battery, long life, the use of mainstream battery level supercar, movement of the “gas station”
Comfortable damping cushion, accord with human body structural cushion, comfort breathable shock absorption

Bilateral lock locking device, more reliable, more convenient fold

Allen Sports XWay Aluminum 20 Speed Folding Bicycle

Design – 80%

Functionality – 75%

Durability – 85%

Mobility -80%

Price – 70%

6061 Aluminum Frame and top end components deliver a light folding bicycle (11 KG/24 LB) that is great for long distance treks or urban commutes
20 Speeds provides wide gear range designed for high speeds on flat terrain, climbing hills and everything in between
451 MM Wheels deliver improved performance and handling over the standard 20″ or 16″ found on most folding bicycles
Patented frame release levers allow quick and easy folding of bicycle in less than 8 seconds
Patented wheel lock system secures the bicycle when folded and allows the bicycle to be rolled like a cart

Allen Sports XWay Aluminum 20 Speed Folding Bicycle received a full rating on Amazon. This lightweight bike is designed for urban environments.

Brake Style	Mechanical Rim
Color	Stone
Frame Material Type	Aluminum
Item Dimensions	33.5 x 14 x 27.5 inches
Item Display Weight	88 pounds
Item Weight	24 pounds

Number Of Speeds	20
Package Quantity	1
Shipping Weight	32.85 pounds
Size	12-Inch/One Size
Wheel Size	45.1 inches

Montague Paratrooper Pro 27 Speed Folding Bike

Design – 88%

Functionality – 85%

Durability – 90%

Mobility -70%

Price – 70%

Montague Paratrooper Pro 27 Speed Folding Bike is also a worth considering. It is comfortable and good-looking. Black color adds to the charm of this gorgeous bicycle.

Weight: 29 lbs.
Folded size: 36″ x 28″ x 12″
Wheel size: 26″
Frame sizes: 18-inch and 20-inch frame.
Speeds: 27
CLIX system: The clever integration of the CLIX system into the Paratrooper Pro makes it possible to fold this bike in a little under 20 seconds without using any special tools. Folding this bike is as easy as flipping a CLIX quick release lever on the top tube to ensure it fits in small compartments like car trunks and on board buses or trains.
Paratrooper Pro Frame: This technology eliminates the need to break the frame in order to fold it. That makes the bicycle stronger while the use of the FIT (Folding Integrated Technology) makes the folding easier.
“LockOut” feature: The suspension has the ‘LockOut’ feature which allows one to turn on or off the suspension system depending on the type of road.
Faster tires: The CST Critter Knobby tires are faster on the streets and still good for dirt trails.
Speed: The 27 Speed feature gives you more gears and easier shifters for quicker shifting and responsiveness.
Front Derailleur: Top Swing Dual Pull. Shimano Acera.
Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX 9-Speed.
Chain set: Alloy 170mm crank arm, SR Suntour XCM. Matte Black
Frame: custom drawn 7005 Series Aluminum with FIT System.
Shifters: Shimano RAPIDFIRE Plus Trigger Shifters
Stem: Alloy, K-alloy Direct Connect. 105 millimeters with 7 degree rise
Fork: Disc Compatible. 100 mm travel. Alloy one piece lower. SR Suntour XCM HLO with hydraulic lockout.

Pros

Powerful on and off-road riding because it has strong suspension and braking system that can control it when it is running at a high speed.
It is quick and easy to fold and release.
Montague Pro Folding Matte Black Bike can handle rugged mountain terrains.
It is a bike that can be carried and packed with ease.
The bike has 27 gear speed.

Cons

It is not ideal for commuter riding
It is a bit heavy and bulky to carry even after being folded.

The Montague 20-Inch Paratrooper Pro Folding Bike is ideal for off-road riding. This is a perfect folding mountain bike that will not disappoint in handling steep climbs or rugged downhill sections. Cyclists can comfortably roam in any place with this bike version since, it can maneuver those technical single tracks with ease and precision while letting you experience the comfort of riding on a folding bike. This bike is great for anyone looking to combine the joy of mountain biking and the luxury and convenience of owning a folding bike.

SOON

VEKTRON

Tern Bicycles and leading electric drivetrain manufacturer Bosch are collaborating to create a compact and powerful folding e-bike. It folds under 10 seconds.

The Vektron is built around the German-engineered Bosch Active drivetrain. It includes a 400Wh Bosch battery for a range of between 50 and 100+ kilometers. The powerful Bosch motor has been adapted from Bosch’s automotive applications. Bosch’s batteries boast leading power density, while sophisticated Bosch electronics manage critical matters such as fast charging and auto shut-off in extreme temperatures. The Elektron also features Deore hydraulic disc brakes, for all-weather stopping power, an integrated 150 lumen Valo 2 light, for 24 hour visibility, and a cargo rack.

Vektron launched on Kickstarter in October 2016. Pricing is expected to be between 2,999€ and 3,300€ in Europe and 3,500 USD in North America.

The Hummingbird

The Hummingbird is the lightest folding bike in the world. It weighs 6.5 KG (or 14,3 lbs). It’s a carbon fiber bike for commuters and mixed-commuters and it’s almost on the market. The Humingbird Bike Company is based in the UK. The Hummingbird utilizes a patented folding system that keeps the chain in tension when folded. It was entirely designed and made in Britain. The Hummingbird will be offered in two versions: with 16″ wheels or 20″ wheels. The Hummingbird will be available either as single speed or 5-speed with 4 color choices: yellow, red, black and raw carbon fiber. Discounted Kickstarter pricing begins at £990 ($1500USD) with expected retail pricing starting at £1550 ($2360USD).

A-bike Redux – Electric Version

a-bike-electric-sir-clive-sinclair_dezeen_468_3

The A-bike was invented by Sir Clive Sinclair in the United Kingdom and introduced to the market in 2006. It was a very compact folder that weighed only 5.5 kg (12 lbs). Due to its small 6″ wheels, it had a fairly rough ride on uneven terrain. Fast forward to today and a Kickstarter campaign has been launched to bring an electric version of the A-bike to market in the fall of 2015. It will feature a detachable lithium battery and a brushless DC motor that is said to give a 15 mile (25 km) range and a top speed of 12.5mph (20km/h). Touted as the “the world’s lightest and most compact electric folding bike” it weighs 26lbs (12kg) and has a folded dimension of 8.3″ x 15.8″ x 27.6″ (21cm x 40cm x 70cm). Retail pricing of the A-bike Electric is projected to be £699 / $1089.

History of Folding Bikes

There are many companies that claim they are inventors of the first folding bike. The truth is that the folding bike has been around for considerably longer than one might imagine and most claims of being the first are erroneous. When the military interests in bicycles arose in 1980s, French army deployed folding bikes for bicycle infantry use. The 1970s saw increased interest in the folding bike, and the popular Raleigh Twenty and Bickerton Portable have become the iconic folders of their decade. It was, however, the early 1980s that can be said to have marked the birth of the modern, compact folding bicycle, with competing tiny-footprint models from Brompton and Dahon. Founded in 1982, by inventor and physicist Dr. David Hon and his brother Henry Hon, Dahon has grown to become the world’s largest manufacturer of folding bikes, with a two-thirds marketshare in 2006.

Conclusion

There is an enormous number of folding bikes on the market. Folding bikes have come a long way in the past few decades. If you want to pick one for you, the key is to know what you’ll use it for and how far you plan to ride it. Folding bikes with larger wheels are good for long distanced trips and you will be more familiar with them, although the smaller-wheeled versions are also very impressive. If you decide to buy one, remember that folding bikes don’t depreciate in value. That means if you want to resell it, you could always find a costumer and give it for a very decent price.

Raspberry Pi Alternatives (March 2017)

Other

Maybe it wasn’t what you were looking for? Doesn’t complete the tasks you need it to? It’s just not what you wanted?

Well, you’ve come to the right place, because in this article we go over a few alternatives for the Raspberry Pi that are out there in the world with different features and uses and maybe one of them is just right for you.

One might ask why would you need a Raspberry Pi alternative? There’s actually quite a few good reasons. The main one would be the price range. Yes, I know, $25-$35 is not much, but people who buy these products are usually between ages of 18-22 due to the fact that a person of that age usually goes to a university so they would most likely need one of these for projects and such. However, you don’t have to be a college student to have a reason to buy these. Simply said, if you do not have a stable income, $25-$35 might be a high price for you, so you would be looking into cheaper alternatives for Raspberry Pi.

Another good reason would be the fact that it simply doesn’t do what you need it to do, or it’s too big for a project you need. The original Raspberry Pi is quite big in size if it were to be used in some portable project, however depending on what you are doing and making, it may not be. But, in case it is, there are smaller alternatives which do pretty much the same function at cost of something else, such as processing power, number of ports and so on.

By the end of this article, you will have quite a few Raspberry Pi alternatives presented to you with their specifications and detailed descriptions and at the very end, there will be three category picks for BEST, BESTSELLER & BESTBUY according to the price, usage, portability and similar factors of the product.

Table of contents:

Banana Pi M3
Orange Pi One
Orange Pi
Intel Edison Kit

Banana Pi M3

Octa-core 2GHz CPU
LPDDR3 2GB RAM
Bluetooth 4.0 support
Gigabit Ethernet
SATA Port

This is one powerful piece of hardware. I mean, it has a physical antenna attached to it, like.. damn. Anyway, this device is slightly bigger than the Orange Pi, but it has it’s reason as it comes with an eight core ARM Cortex-A7 CPU which has PowerVR GPU chip. Alongside the powerful CPU, it comes with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 8GB onboard eMMC (memory) which is amazing, meaning you don’t even need an external storage source to have an OS running on this, as you usually would need with other products. The 4 USB 2.0 ports which enables you to have multiple devices and peripherals attached to it, like a keyboard, a mouse and similar. The 2.0 USB might be a slight drawback as the standard today is 3.0 however it makes it up with other features such as the gigabit ethernet and a SATA port.

Yes, a SATA port. This thing has a SATA port. You can plug in an external hard disk drive into this, or even an SSD, depending on your need, granted you would need to supply additional power for the external drive, but if you can handle that problem, you can easily have a 24/7 HDD or SSD operating on this device, which would extend your possibilities even more. Other than the standard USB ports and an HDMI output, it has an IR receiver which means this device is very suitable for somewhat big projects that reach into software development and electrical engineering and that unleashes even more possibilities.

Alongside those features, it has a really powerful WiFi chip which also brings Bluetooth 4.0 with it. The WiFi chip receiving and transmitting power can be greatly amplified by using an external antenna which comes with the product itself, and it’s really all straight-forward. From the hardware set-up to software side, this miniature and portable PC brings astonishing power in such small form. Whether you would use it for a simple media center in your home, or a cluster network, or pretty much anything else, it will suit your needs as it does pack a punch.

Orange Pi One

Quad Core 1.2GHz Cortex-A7
ARM Mali GPU
512MB DD3 RAM
40 Pin GPIO
Various connectors such as HDMI and Ethernet

Other than the fact that this piece of hardware is noticeably smaller than its counterpart, Orange Pi, it has almost identical specifications.

The CPU itself isn’t much weaker than the one in Orange Pi, so it gets the job done, but due to the fact that this edition of Orange Pi boards is smaller than the other ones, it has a bit less features to it, but it is a fair trade-off because after all, you do get a much smaller board to work with, which is very useful if you’re using it for projects that rely on constant mobility and compact size.

In comparison to the full sized Orange Pi, this one has 2 USB ports less which is the biggest visual change when comparing the two. It still has the crucial 40 GPIO pins, so you won’t be left with little functionality as it still holds almost all the features as the full sized Orange Pi. Sure, it has a bit less RAM and a slower CPU, but you wouldn’t be buying this one if the full sized Orange Pi sufficed. Perhaps you need a much smaller board that’s easier to conceal? Or the original one just doesn’t fit.

Really, there are multiple reasons you could be getting this one, but the price isn’t one of them due to the fact that the price differential is less than $10, so yeah.. there’s that.

Other than the size, a little slower processor and less RAM, Orange Pi and Orange Pi One are almost identical and when you factor in the price difference between the two, the most common reason you would have for buying the Orange Pi One is due to it’s smaller size.

Orange Pi

Quad Core 1.6GHz ARM Cortex-A7
1GB DDR3 RAM
Ethernet, HDMI, 40pin GPIO ports
ARM Mali GPU
3.5mm audio output

The first product we’ve tested is branded as Orange Pi with a price tag of $24.98 on Amazon. This compact and modular ‘nanoPC‘ is truly amazing for its price. It outmatches Raspberry Pi Zero and Raspberry Pi 2 in multiple factors while it’s in rivaling grounds with Raspberry Pi 3 which is very powerful for its size. In general, it has all the ports you would need, ranging from Ethernet, HDMI, 3 USB 2.0 ports and 40 GPIO pins for use as you require. The ethernet port is 100Mbps so it may not be the most suitable choice for networking projects or similar as you would usually need 1Gbps ethernet ports for networks, but 100Mbps is still not bad if you were to go with this board.

The audio output is your regular 3.5mm port and it will deliver great audio to your speakers or headphones, which makes it suitable for a home cinema center. Alongside the 3.5mm port, there is a camera interface port for which you can buy an additional camera board. Upon connecting it to the board, you can turn this compact and portable PC into basically anything. On the bottom side of the board, you will find a TF card slot in which you can insert a memory card which will additionally expand the space you will have full control of. The most suitable use of this would be booting a different OS if you had to, or if you were for example going to have a media library on this PC for your home, you could store all the media on that card and just have it in the slot all the time which will grant you access to all the files on it over the Orange Pi PC.

Other than those, there is also a small sized microphone on the top side of the board which seems to be of decent quality. It won’t pick up all of the sounds, especially the ones from a far, however it can prove itself useful if working with applications which have voice commands and similar.

Powering this device might seem odd to you as you might expect it would use a micro USB port, however this uses a barrel pin and it’s rated at 5V 2A DC, but you do get an adapter with it so it shouldn’t be a worry, but if you were to power this on a portable battery, you might run into some issues.

The GPU itself is a Mali400MP2 chip clocked at 600MHz and it fully supports OpenGL ES2.0 which means you are able to run games off of it. Simply said, if you wanted to make a portable console of some sort, you are able to do it due to the OpenGL support alongside the HDMI output. However, it is not made for RAM intensive applications, after all, it does have only 1GB of RAM which is shared with the GPU, but it is able to run Google Chrome.

The operating systems you can install on this device are Android Ubuntu, Debian and a Raspberry Pi image. As previously stated, you will need a memory card to install anything on this PC. Overall, this compact and modular ‘nanoPC’ is very versatile as it has many uses and applications, however if you’re going to use it for RAM intensive applications and similar, it may not be the best choice, but other than that, it’s great.

Intel Edison Kit for Arduino

Intel Atom based on 22nm Silver Mont architecture
Yocto Linux, Arduino, Python and Node.js support
Open source community software tools
DDR3 1GB RAM alongside 4GB eMMC flash memory
Bluetooth 4.0
C/C++, Python, Node.hs, HTML5, JavaScript support

Intel Edison is a great piece of hardware as it packs great features for it’s price of $84.99 and as bad as that price may sound, it is actually worth it as this board comes directly from Intel with their CPU, Intel Atom. The possibilities with this device are pretty much infinite as long as you have the idea and knowledge due to the fact that it has quite a powerful hardware and it is well built and optimised and tested over a long period of time by multiple developers coming directly from Intel. The point of this device was to induce creativity among people mostly on Intel forums however the goal went much further away and that’s a good thing as people have shown you can use this portable miniPC for anything, ranging from a simple home media library to a complex robotic system. As long as you have ideas, you will not get bored with this one. Even if you have some big ideas, this device can probably handle it as the parts that it’s made from are quality checked and well-made.

The CPU itself is an Intel Atom CPU clocked at speed of 500MHz, and yes, that may sound low, but don’t let it fool you, it’s actually very powerful. It’s made to handle CPU intensive works and applications so it can be used for parallel processing of data, even big chunks of data aren’t a problem due to the fact how good this CPU has become over the years. I have an Intel Atom Notebook clocked at 1.6GHz and that ‘laptop’ is tiny when compared to others, and you would think to yourself that it’s useless, however it’s not. I’m able to do intricate Java programming on it alongside HTML and Javascript, so, once again, don’t let the low clock fool you, it is actually pretty damn good for its size. Other than the CPU, it packs 1GB of DDR3 RAM which is pretty decent. If you ask me, I would like at least 2GB, however depending on what you do with it, 1GB should be quite sufficient as the CPU makes up for it in most of the areas where it lacks.

The operating system that comes with the board itself is Yocto Linux v1.6 and may require a bit of time to get used to it, but once you do, you will be unstoppable due to the fact that pretty much everything is open sourced. However, the point of this board is to create a bridge between itself and Arduino boards. Once you combine the features of both of those, you have a powerful system that can be used to any extent, depending on what you need.

As I have noticed, a lot of users which own different boards had a problem with temperature and overheating of certain parts on the board, and while there are solutions, Intel Edison board has no such problems. Its operating temperature is between 32 and 104 Fahrenheit and due to amazing cooling optimisation Intel has implemented on this board and similar products, it will basically never go over that 104 mark. HOWEVER, if you ever do experience problems with the temperature with the onboard chips, you can always buy those miniature aluminium heat sinks which work quite well from my experience.

To wrap it up, Intel Edison Kit for Arduino is a very good product I would recommend to any advanced electronics hobbyist as it involves physical circuits due to the fact that it connects to an arduino and it has unmatched features in this field.

And now, for the grand finale.. three different categories and only four participants. It looks like an easy win for everyone, but in reality.. it’s not.

As a reminder, we have three categories: BEST, BESTSELLER & BESTBUY.

Now other than the fact that we have only four candidates this time, it still wasn’t an easy decision on the category of BEST as they all compare almost evenly in various areas. Some have advantages and some don’t, but overall, they’re somewhat even when we take a look at their general score. Anyhow, the winners for three of the categories are as following:

Noise cancelling headphones with microphone

Audio, Other

Noise cancelling headphones – an interesting piece of hardware , and as far as I have witnessed, they are worthy of buying.

Just recently, I have come up to a great deal on one of these so I decided to purchase them, and to my surprise, they had a microphone attached. Now, you may be wondering, a microphone on noise cancelling headphones? What? That’s the same reaction I had when I found these and I was pretty hesitant about them due to the uniqueness, however, I have decided to proceed down with the purchase.

To my surprise, they have turned out to be, actually very good, both in physical and audio quality. Now, one may ask, why would you ever need noise cancelling headphones with a MICROPHONE? Who knows, perhaps you like listening to music while isolating yourself completely from the outside noises, or you are an avid gamer such as myself and require crystal clear sound.

No matter the reason, the headphones I had bought the first time encouraged me to test out a few more with same or similar capabilities, and I have ventured far throughout the course of a whole month to reach the conclusion you all want to hear. THESE THINGS ARE MARVELOUS.

Each of these provide amazing noise cancelling technologies paired with superb microphones to provide you with excellent audio quality.

Myself, I have tested seven of these and all of them turned out to be great in what they claim to provide. They come from multiple brands, if that’s what concerns you, and almost each of all these have their own unique selling point, which is great. Now, to get onto the reviews themselves, I shall present each of the headphones individually and determine the three winners in three of the categories: BEST, BESTBUY & BESTSELLER according to their specifications, usability, price and market value. Below is a table of contents for easier navigation.

Content:

[BEST] Sennheiser HMD 27
[BEST SELLER] Razer Blackshark
[BEST BUY] HyperX Cloud II
Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1x
Bose QuietComfort 25 ANS
Jabra Evolve 80 ANS
Sennheiser PC 350
CONCLUSION

[BEST] Sennheiser HMD 27

dynamic microphone
protection against noise peaks(>110dB)
modular microphone
impedance: 64 ohms
frequency response: 8 – 18 000 Hz
distortion: <0.1% @ 1KHz
extremely accurate sound reproduction

Now these headphones are really unique, first off with it’s design and second off by the precision of the sound. It is absolutely amazing what people at Sennheiser are able to do. These are professional broadcast headphones made for audio engineers and commentators and the price of these is very high as they have been released very recently, however I think the functions it offers out-weight the high price bar. Now, honestly, I would not recommend this to a casual music listener because the price is really high and you can probably get a somewhat better product if you searched a little for way less money.

As I have said, these headphones have been made with a goal to be used by commentators and mostly audio engineers out in the field, however that does not prevent anyone from buying these and using them at home for recreational use. I must advise you, if you do decide to ever buy these, you will not give your money away for nothing, that is for certain. This is pure quality. When they were creating these headphones they were aiming for low weight, high accuracy headphones, and they managed to accomplish that. The ability to be so modular is what makes these headphones really shine. For example, you can use any other cable from these series of headphones with these headphones, or, another good example would be the fact that you can mount the microphone on either the left or the right side, the choice is completely yours, both sides have support for microphone so it’s all up to you and personal preference. Technically speaking, these are heavy-duty headphones made for work in the field such as big events and similar, but they have proved themselves to be also good in casual environment, like your home or office space.

It’s ability to produce sound at such clarity and accuracy is the selling point of these headphones. When you first try them out, you will never want to go back to anything else, seriously. Alongside the exceptional sound quality, you have great noise isolation which comes from carefully engineered ear cushions which are so nice and comfortable for your ears that you will never want to take these off. The ability to be modular is one the crucial points as well. You can take it apart if you have to travel, you can fold it, but that may be slightly difficult because it is quite large, however, like I said, you can always disassemble it for easier packing up. The cushion on the top of headphones is amazingly done as well, while it may mess up your haircut just like any other headphones, it will leave your head without any irritations or pain.

Sennheiser has really given their best with this piece, the comfort bar is through the roof. Even if you are an audiophile, you will like these, no matter how big and expensive they are. They are made for perfection and accuracy, and that’s what they offer.

One last thing I would like to talk about when it comes to these headphones is the round microphone which I have already mentioned a little. The best thing about it is that you can attach it to either the left or the right side of the headphones, it all depends on your preference. The technicalities of the microphone itself are rather interesting because you would expect a bigger microphone with such powerful features. It’s a dynamic microphone which stands out due to a strong and powerful pattern for audio recordings and transmissions in the highest quality even in really loud and noisy environments.

Whether you are an audio engineer, a studio producer, a casual gamer or a really big fan of music, these headphones will set you down for $500, but it’s worth every penny.

These headphones are very pricey, but they do reason that high pricing with it’s build quality and the features it brings, so we’ve decided this is the winner of the BEST category.

You can buy these below:

[BEST SELLER] Razer Blackshark

military helicopter headset design
superb sound isolation
great flexibility
3.5mm audio cable, 4 feet cable
40mm sound drivers (neodymium)
frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz
impedance: 29 ohms

Well, isn’t she a beauty? These headphones have caught my attention the most by far. They are robust, big, bulky, flexible and I love these sort of headphones, however most people may not as they are looking for simple and useful headphones. Right, well, these are really made for a specific group of people, and I know for certain that those people need these sort of headphones.

Amazing sound isolating combined with a unique-style heavy-duty microphone that is actually good is what really makes these headphones stand out, other than the look of course. First thing that catches everyone’s eye is the fact that they are absolutely huge. Well, yes, they are designed after military helicopter headsets, that was the grand idea, which turned out to be actually very good. They combined excellent hardware with a flexible and heavy-duty design and added just a little bit of that green color to make it look even cooler.

Right, well enough about the looks, let’s move onto technical aspects of these headphones. They are big, so you may think to yourselves: “Well, if they are this big, they have to be powerful, right?“. You’re not wrong if you thought that. These pack a punch, like, a big one. First off, the sound quality itself is superb. These headphones can be used for music, podcasting, watching movies, series and shows, playing video games, whatever you like and want. They are that powerful. A bit heavy, but that is out-weighted by the technical aspects. I have tried various music genres on these headphones because I liked these the most, so I really wanted to put them to the test, and I did. Honestly, I have nothing negative to say about the sound quality. I may not be a musical prodigy but I can hear the difference between decent, good and excellent, and these fall under the ‘excellent’ category when talking about sound quality. If you like getting loud and freaky, the volume won’t be a problem either, because these can go really loud, however as it is the case with every headphone out there, if they can be really loud, they can also leak sound, so if you really turn it up to 100% volume, some of the sounds will be audible for the people around you, so keep that in mind.

Moving onto the microphone, simply said, it’s a piece of art. You can move it in pretty much any direction. Three anchor points allow you for pretty much any sort of customizability and flexibility, so there is absolutely no reason to get worried if the microphone is going to be hitting your mouth, or your nose and similar. As these headphones kept reminding me of those big and bulky headphones commentators use on sport matches, I decided to test the microphone possibilities in a podcast, and was that a great idea? Well, yes it was. The sound quality this microphone is able to capture is astonishing. Taking into effect it’s noise cancellation, this thing is a beast. It can do whatever you need it to do, whether you’re on a huge tournament in a loud arena, or simply in a noisy room, this thing will do everything it can just to block out the unnecessary sounds from the background, and damn does it do a fine job at it. One thing I have not mentioned which makes these headphones even better is the ability to detach the microphone in such a way that when you take it off, the headphones don’t even look like they had a microphone there. There are no holes left over, nothing.

The thing that impressed me the most about these headphones is the microphone. The fact that it can capture such high and low frequencies basically means it can be used for almost anything. Studio? Sure. Gaming? Sure. Skype Calls? Sure, though it is overkill if you are only going to use these headphones for Skype calls.

All in all, a great piece of hardware that you should definitely get in my personal opinion, especially if you are into video games quite a lot.

These headphones win the award of a BESTSELLER as they do prove their build quality as really good and the features it brings alongside that. All of that while considering great pricing, these headphones are truly the bestseller from the headphones we’ve reviewed.

You can buy these below:

[BEST BUY] HyperX Cloud II

7.1 Virtual Surround Sound
53mm sound drivers (neodymium)
USB connectivity
passive noise cancellation
active noise cancellation microphone
weight: 272 grams

These are my favorite when it comes to video games. They have everything you’d ever look in headphones for gamers. Cool design? Check. Great microphone? Check. Wide range of frequencies? Check.

It’s basically a perfect match, if you are looking for something like this. I myself have tried these with both music and video games and I have come to a conclusion that these do excel more at video games than music, however you can still listen to music on these on daily basis without any issues. It’s just the fact that these headphones are very, very bulky. They’re large, but the low weight compensates for that which makes wearing these very weird due to the fact that you are wearing huge headphones, but they feel so light.

As big as they may look, you can do a few customizations which prove to be very useful. You can take off the microphone, which makes it detachable so if it’s bothering you and just causing distractions, you can detach it just by unplugging out from the left headphone. It’s that simple, just make sure you don’t lose it! You can also replace the cushions to a color you want, but the default color is black which fits the theme and design really great in my opinion.

But let’s talk about the main point of these headphones, the noise isolation/cancellation. Yes, it is passive, but the big cushions really make up for it due to the fact that you can raise the volume so high, you wouldn’t be able to hear a drill next door if that was the case. Even if you do not want to increase the volume to high levels, the cushions themselves provide great sound isolation. The most you will hear from common background noises are just muffled sounds that make it through, so really, it shouldn’t be a concern.

The amount of features these headphones have is mind blowing. From custom software support to a custom made sound card in the headphones themselves, they should and will satisfy your every gamer need when it comes to sound. One of the key features that really caught my eye was the unique audio control box these headphones have. It offers so many features while keeping itself pretty small. You can mute, unmute your microphone, lower and raise the volume of course, turn on and off the 7.1 mode, and the best thing about this control box is the fact that it has it’s own amplifier sound card inside of it that modulates and amplifies the sound as needed for optimal gaming experience.

The microphone is really well built too. You would usually expect a well made microphone to look elegant and luxurious, and while this one doesn’t look luxurious and such, it is well made and it has proven itself on that point. It looks simple and it is simple. There’s a phrasing I like a lot and it goes along the lines of: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and this microphone is a good reflection of that quote.

The best thing about it is it’s quality. Due to the fact that these headphones offer active noise cancellation for the microphone, you shouldn’t be worried about that AC or fan in the background causing trouble on TeamSpeak, Skype or similar. It isolates and cancels out the unnecessary sounds perfectly and basically, it does its job perfectly.

Sure it may do it’s job, but we also have to take in effect the fact how the headphones themselves look like, and in this case, for gamers, it’s perfect, if you ask me, however I may contradict myself here. No matter the look, if the technical specifications satisfy your needs, you should not worry about the looks and visual aspect of the headphones.

We were really in detail with the grading and we’ve concluded that these headphones deserve the BESTBUY award from us as it presents great quality and features alongside a reasonable price.

You can buy these below:

Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1x

53mm audio drivers
frequency response ranging from frequencies of 5 Hz to 35,000 Hz.
sensitivity: 99dB/mW
impedance: 48 ohms
weight: 285 grams, without the cable
microphone: Condenser, with sensitivity rated at -41dB
connector is the usual 3.5mm gold-plated stereo mini-plug

These headphones shine with elegance and uniqueness. With specially designed 53 mm drivers, they provide high-fidelity sound which you seek for. Despite their bulkiness and a weird looking design, these are one of the most comfortable headphones I have personally tried, and trust me, I have went through many. The comfortable ear padding they come with is pure bliss for ears, especially if you have to wear these for extended periods of time. Well suitable for long gaming events and extensive music sessions, depending on your choice and need.

A major problem for me was that after extensive use of any type of headphones, I’d start to get uncomfortable and all, and I just couldn’t get rid of the feeling. Well, due to the fact that these headphones have really well made and comfortable ear-cushions, it makes using these headphones a job without problems.

Now, the second most important thing to look at is the microphone build and sound quality. So far, I haven’t had any issues with it, it records my voice perfectly due to the active noise cancellation it comes with as well, so I can safely say that Audio-Technica did an absolutely great job with these.

You can buy these below:

Bose QuietComfort 25 ANS

weight: 195 grams
4.6 feet long cable
bulky and comfortable design
a stylish carrying case
inline microphone

One of the greatest headphone brands I have ever seen. Like, really, these people make such great headphones that it’s astonishing. In general, they are heaven made for music enthusiasts as they provide low, mid and high frequencies at amazing clarity. You like bass? They got it. You like crystal clear vocals? THEY GOT IT. This is what years of experience and constant work makes, and trust me, once you try these, you will not want to go back. They are quite pricey, hitting the $300 line, however you will not regret giving that money to BOSE for these headphones. They have their own active noise cancellation which works really well and will suppress those annoying background noises you always hear when wearing headphones and trying to listen to some music.

However, there is one notable thing about these.. They do have a microphone, but it’s inline, meaning it’s not your conventional headset microphone that is foldable or detachable. It’s on the cable itself, so I would not recommend using these for something that really requires constant use of your voice as you might be hard to hear, may sound muffled and such, depending on the situation. It will however suffice for general Skype calls and phone calls, if that’s what concerns you. So, basically, if you are looking to play some video games with these, it can be done as the sound is impeccable, but if you need voice communication and interaction, well, I would recommend looking at a different headphones then.

Other than the great features these headphones bring, you also get a very stylish and aesthetic carrying case for your headphones and as they have the ability to be folded, that comes in handy quite well. The quality of the headphones themselves is amazing. After hours of constant use, I have not felt any pain or irritation on my head. The ear cushions are really well made and make it comfortable to wear these for more than a few hours. There is also the leather padding on top part of these headphones that lays upon the top of your head once you put the headphones on, so basically, nothing is uncomfortable.

I have to say, they really did look out for everything with these headphones. While there may be better alternatives depending on what you’re looking for, BOSE QuietComfort 25 really reach in multiple areas of comfort and sound.

You can buy these below:

Jabra Evolve 80 ANS

noise cancelling microphone
USB connectivity
‘busy light’ feature
folding microphone
one click noise cancellation

There is a lot to be said about these headphones. First off, the brand. I myself was skeptical about these as it’s from a brand I haven’t heard of before and in my experience that usually means it’s a bad product, however I decided to try them out as the build quality looked very good according to numerous pictures on the internet I checked out, and I have went through multiple reviews of these as well due to my skepticism about the brand and to my surprise, people were talking good and positive things about these, so I decided to try them. They arrived in a very good package which prevented any damage so that’s a plus for the seller. I believe the unique thing about these headphones that you can always recognize them by is the red decal that elongates around the headphones on specific places. The cable is also red, which is a nice addition if we’re looking at these from a design aspect.

The bulkiness is really a big factor with these. I mean, they are big. Big BIG. You wouldn’t be going outside with these I’m sure, maybe on a train or airplane, but that’s the most I’d go with due to the fact that they are so huge, it’s impossible to keep them low-profile, especially when they do not have the ability to fold, however, they are absolutely amazing for your home. I suppose the reason they aren’t foldable is due to the fact that they have so much padding that it doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable at all, even after really long use. I have found out that these headphones were specifically targeted for marketers, but they are excellent for video games and voice communication. One key thing these marketers needed was some sort of an indicator that will tell others that you are currently on a call, so if you are in Skype call, or your microphone is actively transmitting, a red light will turn on on the headphones indicating that you are most likely busy, so if there is someone in your room with you bothering you, they will know you probably cannot respond, which is quite useful when it comes to video games, speaking from experience.

They provide active noise cancellation (ANS) and you can activate or deactivate it by pressing the small button on the bottom side of one of the headphones, which is amazing. The actual cancelling isn’t a joke either, it really does its job as it is supposed to. Just imagine yourself in a relatively large room with quite a lot of people, and there’s a constant chatter, right. Well, when you activate the active noise cancellation on these headphones, the volume of that chatter and background noise around you falls down by roughly 90%. It might sound like a large number, but I have tried it myself and it literally works. Obviously it is more noticeable on less audible sounds, such as hums from your computer and such, and those will be completely cancelled out which is pretty impressive.

The sound quality overall is excellent. I mean, you are paying a little more than $300, so you would be expecting the best, right? Well, I understand the still present skepticism due to an unknown brand and such, but these headphones do what they say they do. The sound quality is absolutely amazing. You can hear the lows, mids and highs, depending on the music you’re listening to, but whether you are an EDM fan and like some bass or such, or a classicist and like the classical pieces, you will hear what you want to hear. Everything. I myself am a big musical enthusiast and I listen to multiple genres of music, like, quite a lot, and I have tried these out on multiple types of music and sounds. Guess what? They are amazing for all of those. You will not regret spending $300 on these, that’s for certain.

The last thing I’d like to point out about these is the microphone. It looks small, sure. It feels small, sure. But damn is that thing powerful. The sensitivity on it is quite a punch. I mean, they do offer noise cancellation for the microphone as well, but that microphone can pick up anything you want, if you want it to do that. So if you are a gamer that plays fast paced video games or something similar where voice communication is a virtue, these headphones are a great pick then. The active noise cancellation on the microphone comes in really useful if you’re in a busy room or something and you’re playing with teammates. You would usually hear them complaining about the noise coming from your side of the microphone, but with this one, in 95% of the cases, will not happen anymore. They really wanted to make a good product, and they did, gotta give them that.

Overall, these headphones are great, absolutely, however they are quite pricey and that may be the only factor that will affect your purchase of these, but if you have the money, go for it if it is what you are looking for.

You can buy these below:

Sennheiser PC 350

impedance: 150 ohm
frequency response: 10 – 26000Hz
sound pressure level (SPL) : 108dB
microphone: frequency response: 50 – 16000Hz
sensitivity: -38dBV at 94 dB SPL
standard 3.5mm audio cable

Sennheiser, a wonderful company who keeps surprising me every time I buy one of their headphones. Those people really know how to make headphones and I mean it. Whether you like full active noise cancellation or just casual cool looking headphones, Sennheiser is a wise choice to take. Over time, I have tried a few of their products and each time I would try a new one out, I would be left impressed and surprised, because the quality and features these people give to their products is just amazing. Sure they may look simple, or even cheap at first glance, but for the price of $180, they are quality made.

Starting off from the visual design and looks, they look pretty decent, even though I am not a big fan of the oval shape of the speakers, however to each their own. There is a reason for the oval shape though. If we go in detail about these headphones, we will find out that the primary goal was to create headphones for gamers, and this is what they came up with. Nothing overly attractive, right? Well, it’s not the looks that give it good points. Sennheiser has aimed for absolute precision when it comes to sound for gamers, because let’s face it, sound if really important when it comes to 95% of currently existing games, and people who play those games need good hardware to properly interpret the sounds coming from the games. From my perspective, the most notable game from that area is Counter Strike: Global Offensive and as that game and it’s tournaments are becoming more and more popular, more brands revolving around the headphone industry try to create products for gamers.

Well, this is one of them, and Sennheiser really killed it, if I may say. Not only can you play video games with these headphones, but you can also enjoy to any musical genre you want. Whether it be hard metal, or perhaps some relaxing classical pieces, these headphones will serve you that purpose. So, basically it doesn’t just go into one direction, but it goes in multiple. Would you rather buy headphones that are only good for listening to music, but you also play video games sometimes? Or would you buy headphones which can do you both at pretty much equal quality?

To be more detailed, if you are listening to music most of your time, you will be satisfied with these headphones as they provide you all three of the following: lows, mids and highs, when it comes to frequencies in sound, so there should be no worry revolving around that. Myself, I listen to various genres of music so I decided to put these to a test. I have tested different types of songs and musical pieces on these headphones to reach a conclusion that they will excel at it if you only want to listen to music while having a microphone available for Skype calls or similar. But if it’s not the music that interests you that much as gaming, well, I could not notice any negative sides about that aspect. I mean, I like games quite a lot so I did try them out in multiple scenarios, in a quiet atmosphere, in a relatively noisy one and a loud one and the results were quite similar, due to the noise isolation and suppression these headphones offer.

The microphone it self seems to be quite big at a glance, but in reality it’s not as big as it seems because if it were, it would constantly be in your field of vision which would bother you quite a lot if you had to focus on something specific, so Sennheiser did think of a lot of things before making these headphones. I’ve tried it out in Audacity and Adobe Audition and the pure recording you make, without any effects sounds like you recorded it in a quiet studio, granted the surroundings were quiet when I was recording, so you have to take that in account. The point I’m trying to make here is that you will have no issues in daily use of the microphone as it captures sounds and your voice clearly without any problems, and if you take a closer look, the microphone itself has an integrated pop filter behind the plastic part so in most cases, you wouldn’t need an external pop filter if that’s what concerns you.

All in all, amazing headphones if you like to play video games on daily basis and voice communication is a vital part to your strategy.

You can buy these below:

Conclusion

In conclusion, it really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re more into gaming, but you need good sound isolation, you either go with Razer Blackshark or HyperX Cloud II, however if you are looking for headphones with which you can listen to any sort of music while also having an agile microphone there for your daily use, then it would be wise to go with Sennheiser PC 350. But like I’ve said, it’s all up to your personal preference and what you’re looking for, but no matter which of these headphones you decide to purchase, you won’t regret it as all of them are absolutely amazing.

To conclude it all, we present to you a very simple grading picture which displays the winners in each of the category.

We have analyzed all of the headphones in different aspects, such as their usability, build quality, price & market value and have picked a winner for each of the categories.

The Best Sound Bar

Audio, My Home, Other

Choose the very best for your living room

Just recently I was at my friend’s house, since he said he had something new to show me. Imagine the look on my face when I saw that he owns a sound bar. I was like, man, what do you need this for ? He just sat on his couch and told me to sit next to him. Asked me what movie do I want to watch. I was like, just put on anything you want, we’ve got some time to kill anyway. He put Pacific Rim on and told me: “Now you’ll see what a sound bar is capable of !” I was like, whatever, lets see it.

For the next 2 hours I’ve felt like I was in a cinema. During the “naval” battles the room was flooded with crisp sound of the waves, yet deep bass during the fight, roars of the machines. I was really engulfed in the sound of the movie itself I didn’t even realize he left to go get something to eat. Even during the dialogue the male voices had a certain depth to them, you don’t normally get that with ordinary TV speakers. There was no hiss, no distortion of the sound anywhere, even if there was I didn’t even notice, because I was enjoying the moment a bit too much I believe. If someone told me that kind of sound was possible to achieve with a sound bar and a subwoofer I, honestly, wouldn’t believe them. I knew it was possible but with some super expensive, top of the line speakers, not just an ordinary piece of tech.

After that experience I did some digging. I found out that sound bars didn’t have crazy high prices on their price tags anymore. There were, of course top of the line and those more affordable, but after testing the top sound bars on the market right now I can tell you that a higher price doesn’t mean better sound quality

What is a sound bar ?

A sound bar is basically a long, thin speaker that’s designed to sit neatly underneath your television and offer a significant boost to its original speaker’s weak sound. It looks very elegant when sitting below your TV, plus, it makes your whole setup look that much cooler. Not only will they beef up the sound, but some even have the power to provide true, yet simulated, surround sound, essentially giving you an almost cinematic experience. But not all sound bars are made equal. In their quest to improve upon the bass-free output of a TV’s built-in speakers, some sound bars go too far in the opposite direction, and give you a bass overload, but fear not we aren’t going to give you that type of sound bar options here.

So without further ado, welcome to our guide to the best sound bars available in 2016. We’ve got something to match every budget, and our “price tracker” will make sure that you get the absolutely best price possible.

Sound bars are the best way to get better sound quality in the living room. They’re simple and sleek, elegant, plus they don’t have all the frustrating cable management that comes with a true surround-sound system. Sound bars are there to improve on your stock speakers that came with your TV. No matter what TV you buy there won’t be any built-in TV speakers that sound better than a whole dedicated audio source like a sound bar.

Sound bars are something that’s being seen more and more in people’s homes ,and it’s slowly becoming “the device to have” in tandem with your TV. Its beautifully elegant and sleek design makes it easy for the eyes, compared to those HTIB set-ups.

Content :

Design
BEST SOUND BAR –Focal Dimension
BEST BUY – Philips Fidelio B5
BEST SELLER –LG SH5B
BEST GAMING SOUND BAR – Razer Leviathan
Sonos playbar
Sony HT-NT5
LG OLEDE6 Series
Epson’s 5020UB
Conclusion
Advice

There are 2 design types;

Pedestal design

Pedestal-style sound bars are even sleeker than the more traditional bar design. “Pedestal” refers to the fact that they are designed to sit under your TV; they actually end up looking more like part of your TV stand than a speaker.

Traditional design

The most common design is quite literally a sound bar: it’s a long, thin speaker that’s typically paired with a wireless subwoofer. The sound bar can be wall-mounted or, more commonly, placed on your TV stand in front of the TV.

For this comparison we’ve chosen to review the best of the best the today’s market has to offer, not considering the ones with above-the-top price points

BEST SOUND BAR – Focal Dimension

Power: 450W

Speakers: 5

Dimensions: 1,155 x 115 x 115mm

Weight: 5. 5kg

Inputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x digital optical, 1 x 3. 5mm

Wireless : Bluetooth aptX

Subwoofer included? : No

Features

The Dimension doesn’t come with standard Bluetooth. To get the Bluetooth option you have to buy the aptX universal receiver, which is around £130.It does, however, offer Dolby Digital and DTS decoding to give you true 5.1 sound. It will play 5.1 core of these formats, just not the hi-res part, but you can always get a Blue-ray deck to decode them and input the signal as LPCM.

It features 10cm ultra-thin paper drivers, that are shaped like inverted cones to deliver clearly defined and coherent high frequencies. Four lateral driver are responsible for generating low frequencies, using bass-reflex loading with 2 ports on each side of the sound bar. The Focal Dimension doesn’t rely fully on sound beams or high-frequency manipulation to deliver its 5.1 sound, just subtle processing to create a sense of surround immersion.

Performance

The Dimension’s performance is over the top. Its enormous sound engulfs the room and immerses you in whatever you’re watching.

The key to this type of sound is its impressive bass output. It is so deep and heavy that it’s hard to believe there is no subwoofer included. Only hardcore bass enthusiasts will feel a need to add one.

Watching Blu-Ray Pacific Rim while testing this piece of tech, we found that the Dimension conveys the scale of the monster’s battles. Emitting heavy, but in-line, thump with every step and thunderous rumble when buildings come down. It tightly locks to 5 full-range drivers and stops and starts with ease. The result is fast and hard-hitting sound, all the ingredients needed for great entertainment. Since it has crisp mids and highs hearing the monster’s roar gave me chills. Not just action scenes benefit from this type of sound. Even male voices have a subtle depth to them.

It’s not just action scenes that benefit from this top-drawer bass performance – softer sounds like Army truck engines are underpinned by a solid rumble and male voices have subtle depth. Not just action scenes benefit here, even softer sounds like male voices have a subtle depth to them.

Verdict

Sound bars do have their limitations, this one is no different. However, it’s the best sounding sound bar I’ve heard and seen. For those with limited space, the Dimension sound bad and a subwoofer are a great choice. It takes a couple of hours to set the whole thing up, but once it’s done, it’s a delight to see. It isn’t cheap but you’re paying for excellent build quality, sound and design. The optional Dimension sub is an addition and it is worth it if you want to feel the bass, though I didn’t find it necessary for my taste.

BEST BUY – Philips Fidelio B5

Speakers: 4

Power: 120W

Weight: 16kg ( 35 pounds )

Dimensions: 1,035 x 70 x 156 mm

Subwoofer included ? : Yes

Features

This is much more than just a sound bar, the Philips Fidelio B5 is wireless. No more of those cable management problems, forget about that. If you want this to be surround sound, just take the speakers from both ends of the sound bar and place them behind you. They each have built-in rechargeable batteries that can last up to 10 hours. You can have surround sound entertainment all evening with ease. When they drain, just plug them back into the sound bar and in 4 hours they will be fully charged.

To ensure you get the clearest surround sound possible, the Fidelio featured automatic spatial calibration. This adjusts the pitch in relation to where it’s positioned. The result is a crystal clear surround sound system.

The Fidelio also has another stunning feature. Like many sound bars these days, it lets you connect it to a tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth. This ensures that you have the best, yet effortless, music streaming available. Due to the portability of the two speakers attached to the sound bar itself, you can stream on both of them independently. You can even take one with you, since they have a 10 hour long battery life span. Even with detached speakers, the Fidelio B5 looks sleek all day, every day. Its teardrop shape doesn’t interfere with anything below your TV, and with aluminum refined edges, it gives it a luxury feel.

Surround sound with portable Bluetooth, what’s not to love ?

Performance

The Fidelio sound bar offers hi-fi sound quality. Of course it has a dedicated subwoofer, that benefits music and movies. This offers a rich and powerful bass response. Adding to this it has a built-in Dolby Digital and Pro Logic II decoders, which insures furthermore that your TV is delivering stunning surround sound detail and clarity. Plug it into your TV via HDMI port and, thanks to ARC, you’ll only need one cable to sound one way and video the other. Connect it to your Blu-ray player, console and you will get the best connectivity going for yourself. For other external sources like CD/DVD players, there are optical and digital inputs included.

Verdict

The Philips Fidelio B5 is an impressive kit. The perfect sound bar for someone who appreciates good cinema sound but has no interest in the time consuming process of installing a 5. 1 surround sound system. The B5 enables you to pick and choose your favorite movie moments, and do it on a click. It creates a pretty decent surround sound experience too, using both Dolby Digital 5. 1 and DTS Digital Surround decoding.

The combination of convenience and good audio. With its transformative surround sound capabilities makes the Fidelio B5 a great option for the movie fan who can’t face all the aggravation of a proper 5. 1 installation. In the end if you can’t decide between typical or surround sound, you can have both, with the Philips Fidelio B5.

BEST SELLER –LG SH5B

Power: 360W

Speakers: 4

Dimensions: 41. 73 x 2. 09 x 3. 35 inches

Weight:5. 9lbs

Inputs: 1 x HDMI In, 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x 3. 5mm

Wireless: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Subwoofer included?: Yes

Features

The subwoofer is wireless, all you need to do is plug in its power cable and it will sync automatically with the sound bar. There’s a status light located on the subwoofer that tells you if it’s connected, which comes to good use if you ever need to troubleshoot it.

It’s very flexible for mounting. Wall mount adapters are included in the box and the sound bar itself is very lightweight so it can fit just about anywhere. On the other hand, if you didn’t plan to take out a drill today, you can simply just place the sound bar flat onto your home entertainment center without needing to drill anything. And because the subwoofer is wireless you can place it anywhere you want within the room itself, but we suggest putting it somewhere in a corner to maximize the bass impact.

Behind the sound bar you are going to find connections for HDMI, optical, auxiliary and ethernet. You can’t physically see the connection for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi though. All of this makes this LG’s entry level sound bar quite versatile for your music or movie streaming needs.

To get started with this setup you’ll need to download LG’s MusicFlow Player app. It allows you to transition seamlessly from listening to your favorite music on your smartphone, to all of your LG speakers at home. LG’s MusicFlow line of speakers all work in tandem with the sound bar to create a multi-room listening. With the sound bar connected to your home network, you can use Google Cast to stream your music over Wi-Fi, offering an audible performance bump over the Bluetooth connection.

The LG SH5B is a sound bar system that can do almost everything. Its feature set and above average sound quality make it a good choice for those who have limited space. While music playback and surround sound are a breeze and a delight, its design is something to keep in mind too, since it so minimal. Also it’s a breeze to set up since its subwoofer is wireless. Sound quality is good for the price, if you want a sound bar that can take on every type of media you can throw at it, the LG SH5B is a great option.

Performance

For its price tag, the sound bar itself surprised me with above average sound quality. Although it still sounds like a sound bar, with narrow imaging and simulated surround sound, it’s surprisingly a delight listening to music or movies over it. Movies sound good with powerful bass and distortion-free playback, even when listening in higher volume. You can adjust the bass with the included remote.

Watching Star Wars, the sound of blasters and lightsaber swings filled my apartment. Lasers hit with impactful blasts of sound, with the subwoofer generating an impressive amount of bass.

If you want a comparison to another manufacturer, the Samsung HW-J650 goes for around the same price of the LG, but features an annoying echo effect making the LG a better buy.

Music sounds great on the SH5B with the speakers top-end resolution and offering sometimes loud bass. If you’re more of a casual music listener, the SH5B is more than enough. One thing I really enjoyed about the LG SH5B is its ability to be used without the TV being ON. I streamed music via Google Play Music and Soundcloud to the sound bar. I love that Google Cast is built in, making it easy to start streaming music from any Android or iOS device.

Verdict

The LG SH5B sound bar is a capable and flexible speaker system for getting more out of your movies and TV shows. Its wireless subwoofer and clean dialogue reproduction lets action and voices come through crystal clear and with plenty of power. The variety of connection options, including LG’s powerful Music Cast feature, makes hooking up almost any audio source very easy, with or without wires. However, like many sound bars in this price range, it’s very clearly tuned for movie and television audio, and lacks the really fine detail and wide, that dedicated music speakers can offer.

BEST GAMING SOUND BAR – Razer Leviathan

Power: 30w

Speakers: 4

Dimensions: 19. 7 x 3 x 2. 8 inches

Inputs: 1 x digital optical, 1 x phono

Wireless: Bluetooth

Subwoofer included?: Yes

Features

Just when you think you really know a company, it goes and releases something completely out of its field. Razer has historically been a peddler of pointers and the king of keyboards. Just look at the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mouse or Razer DeathAdder Chroma mechanical keyboard.

The $199 (£159) Leviathan is many things for Razer. Mainly, it’s Razer’s first sound bar, but also its first step into your living room and the consoles that live there. It’s the first product from Razer that can directly interface with your Xbox and PS4 via its optical audio-in port, as well as your PC or TV through auxiliary in. But, above all that, the Leviathan represents an idea. Proof that companies like Razer can do now more than ever before.

On the face, you’ll find a speaker that guards two 0.74-inch tweeters and two 2.5-inch full-range drivers. In the exact middle there will, of course, be the Razer silver logo. You will also find a power button located along the top of the grille.

On the top of the bar you’ll see standard controls along with a Bluetooth button used to sync the Leviathan up with your smartphone device and a preset button that includes game, music and movie modes. Rotate it all the way around and you will see a proprietary subwoofer-out, DC-in, optical audio-in and auxiliary in jacks as well as two brackets for wall mounting. The bar itself isn’t stocked with ports as well as its higher-end competition, but in the end, it’s an easier setup with bare essentials.

The only problem with the the proprietary subwoofer port that transmits power and signal to the external, extremely sleek, matte black subwoofer, is that the cable sits a bit loose in the jack. Overall the input looks extremely fragile. Perhaps in the next generation of the Razer sound bar they will go with the option to make the subwoofer wireless

Performance

As it stands, the Leviathan’s greatest asset is its subwoofer. The little box can push an astounding amount of air trough its 5.25-inch driver that produces rich, clear, bass-heavy sound that doesn’t distort on high, or even max, volume. The low-end is also not too overpowering, and if you are a game that likes your bass to drop harder than your opponents dead bodies, you will, without a doubt, love this little, yet elegant, cube.

With some balancing issues, the overall quality of the bar’s sound is good no matter which input you option out for. The Dolby Pro Logic II codec will transform any signal (analog, optical or Bluetooth) into simulated 5.1 surround sound. It has to be simulated though, as the unit is one driver shy, just one, of having the ability to give out true 5.1 sound.

Verdict

For $199, the Razer Leviathan is a great sound bar, and is easily recommended for gamers who just aren’t ready to dive into a full 5.1 system yet. It’s a bit bass-heavy, thanks to the standalone subwoofer – but even so, movies and games come through crystal clear.

The bar is relatively versatile, too. It’s plenty powerful for a PC, but it works out of the box with any console or TV through optical audio out. Not to mention that built-in Bluetooth lets you connect your mobile device when you aren’t directly in front of your entertainment setup. A few tweaks, like a more stable subwoofer connector and a remote would’ve been nice. But, in spite of its diminutive size, the Leviathan far outgrew my expectations.

Sonos playbar

Features

For a company that puts such a high priority on design, Sonos’s speakers always seem rather plain in person. If you are looking for a sound bar that attracts attention to itself, this isn’t the one. The Playbar has the unassuming aesthetic that doesn’t call attention to itself, but that’s what most people are looking for in a home audio system.

Instead, Sonos’s design excels with a host of nifty features that show the company’s attention to detail. The Playbar has a low profile (3.35 inches in height), which helps keep it from blocking the remote sensor on your TV.

The Playbar also has a unique multipositional design: you can put it flat on a table or the wall. It’s a clever trick that allows the Playbar to have a thin profile in either configuration. A sensor inside can tell which configuration the Playbar is in and adjusts its sonics accordingly to the position. There’s a second remote sensor on the Playbar that’s positioned to better receive commands in the wall-mounting position.

Performance

The Playbar sounds good, even when compared to its competition, especially when it comes to playing music. It’s a versatile speaker that stood up to expectations. Whatever we threw at it, being bass-heavy Jay Z or some classical Jazz music, it coped very well. The bass is tight and the vocals are clear. The playbar also shines with TV and movie audio playback. It provides good simulated surround sound, and its a good improvement over any TV speakers out there.

Casual listeners will find no fault with the Playbar’s output. The Playbar excels as a sound bar, above the competition, providing a considerable upgrade over your TV’s speakers. As well as serving as a capable stereo substitute that provides a convenient way to listen to all of your music

The Playbar’s home theater performance is supported by a pair of unique features: Night Sound and Speech Enhancement. Night Sound is aimed at those who prefer late-night TV, but don’t want to wake the neighbors. Switch it on, and the dynamic range of the audio coming through the speakers is reduced if the volume is reduced too. Soft sounds, like dialogue, become louder, while the louder sounds, like shooting, are softened. It works fine for movie watching.

Speech Enhancement was a welcome addition to our TV watching. It works through a combination of lowering bass but by adding gain to the center channel. In practice, the feature is brilliant, as it makes voices sound rich and crisp, particularly when watching the talk shows or any channels, such as ESPN. It’s not something you notice when it’s switched off, but when you realize that on-screen voices suddenly seem muted and muddy in comparison, you’ll know it’s on.

Verdict

Overall, the array of nine drivers filled the room with sound, and the Playbar can really crank up the volume. We’re talking really, really loud, and should you be so inclined, we detected no distortion during our time spent listening at max volume. Needless to say, if you’re looking for the Playbar to serve as the centerpiece for your next party, Sonos has you covered.

Despite the Playbar’s well-rounded abilities, we’d be remiss not to mention just how much better the listening experience improved when paired with a Sonos Sub. Naturally, home theater sound can be improved further by deploying a couple of Play:3s as satellite speakers to create a true 5.1 surround system, but adding the Sub is what really fills in the Playbar’s sonic gaps.

Sony HT-NT5

Power: 400W

Speakers: 6

Dimensions: 1080 × 58 × 127mm

Weight: 3. 2kg

Inputs: 1 x digital optical, 3 x HDMI

Outputs: 1 x HDMI

Wireless: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Features

The sound bar ticks a lot of boxes. Apart from its core role as a TV sound system, it can also function as part of a multi-room wireless system. Integrating with other Sony wireless speakers and system components through the SongPal app. It also includes the support for Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth. Music services, such as Qobuz, Google Play Music and Tune-in radio, can be streamed using Google Cast. There’s also Spotify on board. A glittery Hi-Res Audio badge tells you its compatible with 24-bit audio, and that includes DSD files. You can also use Sony’s own higher-resolution LDAC Bluetooth codec, but you’ll need to stream from a compatible LDAC mobile source.

The user interface is simple. It’s made up of a graphical menu of all connected sources and inputs. Hopping between devices connected on your home network is as easy as choosing something plugged in via HDMI or some other port.

The unit also has its own video processing on-board. There’s Super Bitmapping, which fights color banding, plus DSEE HX. The system can also be upgraded with compatible Sony wireless bookshelf speakers to create a multi-channel surround system.

Performance

This Sony package impresses with its clarity and precision. The sound bar sounds as if it’s been tuned for both music and movies alike. It also wins points for vocal clarity and mid-range definition.

The HT-NT5 can be laid flat in front of the TV, or be wall mounted, with a pair of hooks that are included in the box. The midrange woofers are angled within an acoustic dip. When laid flat, the edge facing tweeter ensures the soundstage remains nice and clear. When vertical, those neat super-tweeters come into play.

The system has enough volume to keep things interesting with Blu-ray and gaming. Sony quotes a power output of 400W but this is woefully optimistic. The system draws no more than 75w at the mains, split between sound bar and subwoofer.

Audio presets include: Movie and Music, Sports, Game Studio and “Standard”. It’s worth experimenting as they do make a difference to the sound field, as well as any would do. There’s also a “Voice Up” mode which incrementally lifts dialogue for those who find movie mixes a bit unclear.

The subwoofer doesn’t drop any deep bass either. During The Revenant, the thud of horseflesh and the cacophony of battle is thrilling, but the system doesn’t get muddy or visceral.

As the subwoofer expends its energy above 50Hz, it’s also quite directional. In terms of placement you’ll want to place it relatively close to the sound bar. The mid-range woofers operate upwards from 100Hz, while the tweeters become effective at 200Hz.

Verdict

Sitting proudly at the top of Sony’s 2016 sound bar line-up, this $700, 2. 1 sound system includes 4K HDMI-ready inputs, a wireless, ultra-thin bar with a subwoofer and even a Hi-Res Audio badge.

The sub’s three-way speaker design really shines, but it’s the presence of Sony S Master digital amp module for every driver that wins the day. Top sound money can buy is assured across the board, with stereo width at its best when it’s wall-mounted.

Now here are some pieces to utilize your new sound bar

The LG OLEDE6 Series

LG’s latest OLED TV combines exceptional contrast and sound along with an amazing ultra-thin design.

The OLEDE6’s incredibly slim ‘picture on glass’ design technique makes it, simply one of the most gorgeous TVs ever made. They’re certainly not just a pretty face, though. Especially since the way each OLED pixel produces its own light and color independent of its neighbors. This means the OLEDE6 series delivers levels of contrast and light control just not possible with LCD. Unprecedentedly deep black colors sit right alongside even the brightest HDR whites without a hint of light ‘bleed’ – something just not possible with current LCD technologies. This works wonders for high-contrast HDR sources, as well as making today’s standard dynamic range sources look better than on any other TV. A sound bar attached to the bottom of the screen, meanwhile, produces sound quality that wouldn’t be out of place on an external audio system. It is expensive but in the end, if you have the funds, down-right worth it.

Epson’s 5020UB

Among the handful of projectors we reviewed, the Epson’s 5020UB was our favorite. Yes, there are better projectors for more money. There are also less expensive projectors but they can’t begin to match its performance and yet we felt that the 5020 offered the best of both worlds.

This year, the company hasn’t changed much with the 5030UB. The price, the design, the features, all but one digit in the model number, all identical. One thing has gotten better, however, and that’s the level of the blacks that this guy produces. Those are the most important aspect of picture quality.

The 5030UB still throws out more light than anything in its class. Allowing it to be used in situations aside from total darkness, unlike many of those favorites of videophile. It also boasts the accurate color and solid video processing, and beyond the picture, the package is compelling. It includes 3D glasses, all the expected setup options, even a sliding lens cover.

So Epson has another winner, and no matter how many projectors we test this year, it’s tough to imagine another besting it.

Conclusion

In the end a Sound Bar, or Digital Sound Projector, alone is not a replacement for a true 5.1/7.1 multi-channel home theater system in a large room. But it can be a great option for a basic, uncluttered, audio and speaker system that can enhance your TV viewing enjoyment. Sound Bars and Digital Sound Projectors can also be a great speaker solution in a second system. Perhaps a bedroom, office, or secondary family room.

My take

I have a sound bar in my home the Philips Fidelio B5,and whenever I invite someone to my house, that’s the 1st thing they notice. Now I’m not saying I have a glamorous house like Angelina Jolie or anything of the sort. Just that it’s something that is unconventional and people haven’t yet noticed it in other homes, even though they are beginning to appear more frequently. I am an audiophile and I listen to music 90% of the time when I’m at home so this the quality of the sound I hear is extremely important to me. Not hearing any buzzing or anything of the sort is a delight and, in the end, makes for a quite enjoyable experience.

I’m not going to make, that is purchase, any upgrades any time soon since this is the top option for me and my current needs. I have little free time I just want to enjoy some hiss-free music.

Some lesser known terms

* High-dynamic-range imaging (HDR) is a high dynamic range (HDR) technique used in imaging and in photography to produce a greater dynamic range of luminosity than is possible with standard digital imaging. The aim of it is to present a similar range of luminescence to that experienced through the human visual system. The human eye, through adaptation of the iris and other methods, adjusts all the time for the broad range of luminescence present in the environment. The brain continuously processes this information so that a viewer can see in a wide range of light conditions.

HDR images can represent a greater range of luminescence levels than can be achieved using more ‘traditional’ methods, such as many real-world scenes containing very bright or very faint objects. This is often achieved by capturing and then combining several different narrower range exposures of the same matter. Non-HDR cameras take photographs with a limited exposure range, resulting in the loss of detail in highlights and shadows.

The two primary types of HDR images are computer renderings and images resulting from merging multiple low-dynamic-range or standard-dynamic-range photographs. HDR images can also be acquired using special image sensors.

*Audio Return Channel or ARC, is an HDMI feature, built into many TVs, receivers, and sound bars. It has the potential to simplify setup, but it comes at a potential cost. Here’s what you need to know

High Efficiency Speakers

Audio, Other

With the development of technology and physics came the development of sound reproduction. A lot of energy has been put into development and production of the most efficient loudspeakers. But, what are high efficiency speakers? High efficiency speakers are the speakers which provide the best quality of sound for the lowest energy use. The problem with this is actually in the fact that only about one percent of electrical energy sent by an amplifier is converted to acoustic energy. The rest of energy is converted to heat. Therefore, if as much electric energy as possible is converted to acoustic energy, the efficiency will be exponentially higher.

In the sections below we will talk a little bit more in depth about some high efficiency speaker options and discuss their pros and cons. We will try to cover all the price ranges and mention all the reasons why each of these speaker choices are good or bad.

There is also a factor of what for do you want to use your high efficiency speakers. The choices vary from person to person. Maybe you want to use them for your home theater system or maybe for a small club or a coffee shop where you would normally need a lot of speaker sets and amplifiers. Depending on what for you want to use the high efficiency speakers, your choices might get narrower or wider.

Because most of the high efficiency speakers are mostly quite expensive, one must be certain to buy the right ones suiting his personal preference and need for the loudspeakers. Today we are going to present to you some of the best choices in the industry when it comes to the high efficiency speakers.

There are several factors when it comes to choosing the perfect high efficiency speakers. The conversion rate of energy is one; while the others come down to room size, audio quality, personal preference, etc. Also, a huge factor is the budget. Certainly there are some great high efficiency speakers out there, but they mostly cost a small fortune. While there are some excellent speakers in the low price range, the “higher you pay the better it is” rule is in effect here as it is in the most cases when it comes down to electronics.

Best High Efficiency Speaker – BIC AMERICA RTR-EV15

Incredible speakers at a low price – which make you wonder why you would pay thousands of dollars for something else. These speakers are excellent precisely because of their performance and efficiency. With 430 Watts of power handling and high efficiency horn tweeter that enables extended output to 116 dB, these speakers will make your music have a life on its own. Your movies will never sound the same, as even that little needle drop will be echoing in your ears. And all of this for a low price. These speakers are huge, there is no doubt about it, with dimensions such as the 21.5 inches of width and 7 pounds of weight. Still, they can easily be fitted in your dorm room or your bedroom.

The bass in these speakers is presented by a 15-inch custom Eviction woofer and the delivery is tight and robust, which is to say a lot without a sub-woofer. You will hear every explosion, every bass guitar note as perfectly as it can be heard. The dialogue in movies or the back vocals in songs are very clear, thanks to the excellent design of horn tweeter. Customers tend to overlook these speakers because of the price tag. But do not be deceived by the low cost, these speakers are excellent and if you want great speakers you do not have to look further.

Bestbuy High Efficiency Speaker – Pioneer SP-FS52-LR

With three 5.25 inches structured surface woofers and 1 inch soft dome tweeter these speakers are your best buy all around. The sound is clear as it can get and you can get decent amount of bass on them. The best thing about them besides this? Their price. Easily affordable speakers that will satisfy even the most proficient audio setup aficionados. Whether you want to hear the sound of every instrument in a classical orchestra, or just want the high level of sound clarity in movies, these speakers offer all of it.

Slight improvement over the previous entries in the series is also the height, as the speakers are now three inches higher, which in turn offers better sound experience as the speakers are closer to the ear level. They will not compete with higher price speakers in every department, but they rise high above anything else at this price. It does not matter if you are going to use them for listening to music or playing video games in high definition sound, these speakers deliver every step of the way and make your experience better. A definite best buy recommendation for anyone who wants to enjoy great sound at low range price.

Bestseller High Efficiency Speaker – Klipsch Synergy F-20

With Dual 6.5 inch IMG woofers and Tractrix Horn these speakers provide your full cinematic experience for your home theater. Cutting edge technology will enable the dialogue and car crashes/gunshots deliver the near real-life experience from these Klipsch Synergy speakers. They might not be a good choice for listening to music, but that does not mean that they do not make that experience enjoyable. Klipsch is one of the most popular brands in the high efficiency speakers market, which in turn means that this product, despite its low price range, is not neglected by their engineers.

The sleek look of the wooden panels and classic front layout make these speakers as pleasing to the eye as they are to the ears. You might be a little surprised when you see these speakers bouncing off your carpet at full volume, but that just goes to show that they are very nicely engineered for better power at lower energy cost. Most people prefer these speakers to the Klipsch F-30 series, as they are smaller and can easily fit into any space. Also, the sound reproduction is constant in every kind of room, which in turn makes them one of the best selling speakers all around.

Cheapest High Efficiency Speaker – Polk Audio Monitor 55T

These speakers boast 1 inch dome tweeter and dual 5.3 inches drivers. You cannot get any better speakers in this price range. The best performance from these speakers can be obtained if they are paired with sub-woofer, but that does not mean that they will under-perform on their own. Although their performance is much lower than the previous entries on this list, they also come at a lower price. There are a lot of neat additions to these high efficiency speakers, such as the shielding of magnets that would make them easier to place near certain electronic devices without causing interference. The tweeter delivers fully when it comes to the clarity of dialogue or singing, with the woofer giving a nice and warm bass performance.

Many customers were satisfied with this product and argued that the speakers themselves are priced right for their performance. The design of these speakers is a modest one as they sport wood panels for tighter resonance and the sleek black look adds to the visual interpretation. If you have a low budget and want to buy high efficiency speakers, the Polk Audio Monitor 55T is the best speaker option you can go for.

Conclusion

High efficiency speakers are pieces of audio equipment that can produce the best audio quality at low rates of energy cost. There is a wide variety of products available in the industry, from cheapest to the most expensive ones, from low quality to excellent sound reproduction. Choosing the right high efficiency speakers depends on many factors, with the most important one being the budget. This does not mean that there are no excellent speakers for a smaller amount of money. The best speakers in the industry are at the mid price range and they have the best technologies incorporated in their design.

Which speakers suit you the best fully depends on your preferences, where you want to use them and what you want to use them for. Your budget is also an important factor here. Making this decision is not easy and it takes some time that is why it is important to explore your speaker options as better as it is possible. It is important not to rush in the decision and buy a piece of equipment which will not suit your preferences, that is why we have offered to you multiple speaker choices from best to worst.

More High Efficiency Speakers

MartinLogan Vista High-Performance Electrostatic Speaker (Single, Natural Cherry/Clear Aluminum)
These MartinLogan hybrid speakers boast high-resolution 8-inch cone woofer and power handling of 200 Watts per channel and are most affordable type of speakers with the XStat technology. You get a lot of value for the price with these electrostatic speakers. Because of the electrostatic technology the music has a distinguished sound and clarity when it comes to these loudspeakers. With height of 57 inches it comes close to bring you the pleasure you desire when you listen to music or watch a movie. These loudspeakers cover a lot of grounds and are truly worth the price you pay for them.

Klipsch Synergy F-30 Premium Dual 8-Inch Floor-Standing Speaker
The big brother of the aforementioned F-20 series, F-30 Klipsch Synergy high efficiency speakers boast a dual 8-inch heavy-duty IMG woofers and 1 inch exclusive Tractrix Horn. Improvement on the F-20 can be seen in many departments, from power handling to sensitivity. These are the best high efficiency speakers at mid level price range. The sound, even at low levels will blow you away and you will never look at music or movies the same way you did before. Highly recommended buy for those who have slightly higher budget to pay for the sound systems.

Klipsch Synergy F-10 Premium 6.5-Inch Floor-Standing Speaker
The little brother of both the F-20 and f-30, Klipsch Synergy F-10 was the first model in Synergy speaker series. With low cost and solid performance these speakers will get their way into your heart, especially if you are low on the budget. Showing excellent performance ( for the money of course) in both music and movie departments, these speakers are kind of a hidden gem for video game lovers. They give out a very clean sound with enough of bass to satisfy anyone’s desire. As with most Klipsch products, you just cannot go wrong with these high efficiency loud speakers.

Polk Audio TSx 550T Tower Speaker – Black
More expensive than the Monitor 55T speakers, these mid-price range speakers boast two 8-inch woofers, which will make the need for subwoofer almost non-existent. Bass delivery will make small things end up jumping at full volume, so be aware of it. The overall speaker design is great, with cabinets being sturdy. These are some of the more powerful speakers in this price range and are the flagstone for the TSx series. Polk 550T Tower loudspeakers will amaze you both at high and low volume. They are one of those speakers that are well worth the money spent on them and a choice that’s hard to regret.

Definitive Technology Mythos 4 Tower Speaker (Single, Black) (Old Version)
These Mythos 4 Tower loudspeakers are solid mid-price range speakers that will satisfy most of your needs for audio quality. With 1-inch dome tweeter and two 4.3-inches mid-range drivers, bass drivers and bass radiators, these speakers offer the surround sound that will change your home theatre experience forever. The Mythos 4 gives best performance when paired with a sub-woofer, but that does not mean that it requires one to deliver excellent audio quality. Definite purchase for those who want to enjoy high definition sound at a solid price range, Mythos 4 Tower speakers will not disappoint even the most avid music or movie lovers and remain a solid speaker option for anyone.

Definitive Technology Mythos ST 120v Supertower Speaker (Single, Black)
Mythos ST 120v speakers are one of the best high efficiency speakers in the industry. With 1-inch tweeter, two 5.3-inches mid-range drivers, one 6 times 10-inches sub-woofer pressures, these speakers will provide high definition audio that will immerse you in music and movies alike. At high price range these speakers might not be available for everyone, but those who have the budget to purchase them will not regret the money spent on them. The clarity of voices during dialogue or a song is crisp and clear, with bass needs being satisfied fully in those action scenes that will seem more alive than ever. Definite recommendation to anyone who can afford to spend this amount of money for high definition speakers.

Left Handed Electric Guitars

Audio, Other

Left handed electric guitars are specifically designed instruments for people who are left handed. Natural position for playing a guitar when it comes to left handed people is to strum the strings with the left hand and finger the fingerboard with the right. Through the history of popular music many guitarists and bass players were left handed. Some of them bought right handed guitars and turned them upside down and played them that way. The problem with this is that the strings are in reverse position, which means that you have to play the guitar backwards, which is of course not ideal at all. However, it is possible to take a standard right handed guitar and restring it so that the strings are in normal position and the guitar can be played in the left hand position. Most famous guitarist who played his guitar like this was Jimi Hendrix who restrung his Fender Stratocaster. This is also far from ideal, as the knobs, pickups and cable jack are all up top, which in turns hinders the player when strumming strings. The ideal option for the left handed guitar players is to buy an instrument that was made to play in the left handed manner.

As it is case with most tools for the left handed persons, left handed electric guitars and electric basses cannot be found in the displays of shops so easily. Since only a small percentage of people are left handed, most guitars and basses are massively produced for the right handed people. This in turn means that the guitars available in music stores are mostly right handed and the left handed players are left with few choices. This is not a good scenario, as it means that those few left handed instruments might not be the best option for that particular person. Another option is to order a certain right handed guitar to be made for the left handed style of playing, which means that the players cannot really test their instruments the proper way. As it turns out, by far the best scenario is to purchase a guitar which was specifically made for a left handed person.

Best Left Handed Electric Guitars

Guitars are delicate instruments and present a very expensive hobby, which means that one should be extra careful when choosing the perfect one. This implies that one should be presented with multiple choices and multiple series of products. The following sections of this site we will present you the best of left handed electric guitars in case you are searching for your ideal instrument. And in case you find the perfect one, also try to keep in mind that it would be a good idea to buy a protective case or a gig bag for it.

Best Left Handed Electric Guitar – Fender American Standard Stratocaster

The iconic Fender Stratocaster electric guitar comes in the left hand variant. This guitar is adored by both the professionals and amateurs, making it one of the bestselling electric guitars in the whole world. It comes with three Custom Shop Fat 50’s pickups, staggered tuners, hand-rolled fingerboard edges and an improved bridge with bent steel saddles. The pickups will give you that resonating sound associated with Stratocaster and a limitless sustain that will ring out in the ears of your listeners for hours after the show. Rosewood fretboard with satin neck back offers you better playability on the instrument, with the thin-finish undercoat which lets the body breather and gives higher resonance. A must have for both professional and amateur left handed guitarists. A warm recommendation is to also get a protective case or a guitar bag for this gem.

Bestbuy Left Handed Electric Guitar – Fender Squier Affinity Telecaster

This Squire Telecaster is an awesome example of a right handed electric guitar transformed for the left handed guitar players, albeit in a lower price range. It has all the makings of a Fender Telecaster and it is impressively built without electronic or cosmetic imperfections. The sound of this guitar is immediately recognizable and it is fit for both pros and amateur. There is nothing to say about the Telecaster design that is not already known; to put it simply, it is a classic guitar. If you are on a budget and need a solid, neatly designed guitar, you should go for this one. It has all the makings of a way more expensive Fender Telecaster. Recommended best buy. Don’t forget to grab a case or a bag for it to protect it from damage.

Bestseller left handed guitar – Schecter Hellraiser C-7 FR 7-String Electric Guitar

This seven strings left handed electric guitar is one of those beauties that will take your breath away on the first look. The guitar comes with an original Floyd Rose tremolo bar, which requires some initial setup. Active EMG 707-TW pickups make the sound of this guitar and they are a perfect match to a nice instrument. Two knobs control the volume and tone, with switch for the neck and bridge pickups enabling you to choose your kind of sound. This is one of those guitars that, when plugged in an amplifier, gives wide variety of sounds. Plus, the finish on the body is just beautiful.

Conclusion

Left handed electric guitars are fewer in quantity than their right handed counterparts. Picking an electric guitar for a left handed person is a personal thing. Certain electric guitars fit certain people better than others. That is why a variety of choice is needed, so that a proper piece of music hardware could be selected. Choosing the right guitar is effected by many factors, such as the budget, personal preferences and even the looks of the instrument. Playing style and genre also take a huge role in this decision, as there are guitars which were made for a specific genre.

One could say that picking up Fender or Squire guitars is the best way to go, but that would be a wrong thing to say. Certain person could have other preferences which can only be found in other type of guitars. Also, there is the issue of buying original guitars or cheap knock-offs. Some people find knock-offs to perform better than the originals.

Heavy metal players prefer such brands as ESP and Ibanez, because of the designs that simply fit their style and genre. That is not to say that there are not heavy metal guitarists which use Fender or Yamaha electric guitars.

Because of the delicacy of the instrument, choosing the right electric guitar is an important decision. All that can be said for this is that one must choose wisely and according to preferences and playing style. Choosing left handed electric guitars is even a more tedious task, as there are not many out there and many might not suit a certain person. All in all, it boils down to personal preferences and, of course, the budget. It would be recommended when purchasing a part of musical equipment such as these guitars to also grab a suitable guitar case to protect the instruments from dirt and damage.

More Left Handed Electric Guitars

Left Handed Acoustic-Electric Guitars

Fender CD-100CE Dreadnought Cutaway Left Handed Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The southpaw variation of this classic Fender acoustic-electric guitar is a beautiful specimen with a nice sound. With strings practically giving no resistance at all this guitar plays itself and is a perfect choice for beginners. But do not be deceived by the previous statement, if you bring this guitar around professionals you will not be shamed by it as it gives a perfect Fender sound. These guitars feature rosewood fingerboard and bridge, mahogany back, chrome tuners and a Fishman preamp with built-in tuner. This guitar will age well and will not fail you in the years to come. Plus it is a bargain at this price.

Dean Guitars Exotica A/E Lefty Bubinga Wood Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Left Handed with Aphex

This amazingly looking left handed acoustic-electric guitar by Dean is one of the overlooked gems in the guitar world. With Bubinga trademark body and mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, this guitar sports a beautiful look and sound. The Dean DMT I2EX Preamp with tuner and DWC-Aphex circuitry it is a sure winner for those acoustic and electric gigs. The soft sound of this guitar will mesmerize both you and your audience and it makes it one of the most enjoyable instruments all around.

Yamaha APX700II Left Hand Acoustic Electric Guitar BUNDLE

This acoustic-electric guitar by Yamaha is a part of classic and most popular series. The guitar boasts solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides and ART 1-way system and comes in bundle with guitar strap, Yamaha FG12 guitar strings, instructional DVD and even the Legacy LT-600 digital tuner. A bundle for a beginner within a solid price range will satisfy all of your needs and help you on your way in case you are just learning the craft of electric guitar playing.

Other Left Handed Electric Guitars

Hagstrom Viking Electric Guitar (Left Handed, Wild Cherry Transparent)

This vintage looking left handed electric guitar by Swedish Hagstrom Guitars boasts a wild cherry finish and great playability. Custom pickups give the sound easily recognizable by Hagstrom users. The body is laminated and made of maple with thin neck that makes life easier for players with small fingers and not hindering those with large ones. The guitar is not really worth the price, as there are better instruments for this price, but it is one of those solid guitars which will not fail you in any aspect, and that cannot really be said for every guitar you come across.

Hagstrom Super Swede Electric Guitar (Left Handed, Black Gloss)

This guitar features a mahogany body and neck with fingerboard made of resinator wood. The fingerboard scale is 25.5 inches which enables the guitar to bring out the best of both worlds when it comes to playing. Two Hagstrom custom pickups make the sound resonating and warm, which in turn makes it one of the easily adjustable guitars to any playing style and genre.

Schecter C-1 Custom Electric Guitar Left Handed- See Thru Black

This Schechter C-1 is much cheaper than the C-7 counterpart listed above, but it is also a much better guitar. While the C-7 is a seven stringer made for looks and edge, the C-1 sports a design made for better sound. It will appeal to all generations of guitarists belonging to any genre. With the Seymour Duncan Custom SH-11 pickups and the TonePros TOM bridge, this instrument brings satisfaction concerning looks and handling. The three piece maple neck makes fretting an easy and enjoyable task. It is an overall nice piece of music equipment.

ESP LTD EC 50 Left Handed

The ESP guitars are mostly famous for producing guitars that heavy metal and hard rock artists simply adore. This left handed version of their EC 50 series comes with everything that its right handed counterpart boasts of: black finish, chrome hardware, basswood body and a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard which boasts 24.7 inch scale which will in turn makes those bends a breeze. LH-150 pickups make sustaining of your distortion last for an hour and will fully satisfy those guitarists looking for a perfect solo. An excellent guitar in the price-range, EC 50 brings the best in heavy metal/hard rock electric guitars.

ESP LTD MH-50 Left Handed Electric Guitar (Black)

The edgy style of this instrument paired with a sturdy body makes it a perfect guitar for aspiring heavy metal guitarists. Double locking bridge with tremolo and LH-150 pickups which will make all of your dreams come true concerning the sound you are looking for. This axe also features a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard made of 24 frets for those additional piercing sounds. Your solos will sound as high pitched as a dog whistle. Plus, these guitars are a great bargain at this price. A must have for metalheads.

Dean 79 Series ML Solid Body Left Handed Electric Guitar Trans Brazilburst

This guitar, a part of Dean 79 series, sports a menacing look which in turn justifies the term “axe” used for guitars. It boasts mahogany neck and body with 22 frets. Dual Dean zebra humbacker pickups with separate volume and shared tone gives you the vintage sound without the vintage wear and tear. Rosewood fretboard gives you the comfort that you need when handling an electric guitar. An overall nice piece of hardware that can make your life easier if you are looking for a reasonably priced and solid electric guitars.

Dean VX Solid Body Left Handed Electric Guitar, Classic Black

Another axe-looking left handed electric guitar which comes from the Dean X series. Modeled after the V style, this musical hardware boasts a basswood body with 22 fret rosewood fingerboard on a maple neck. Dean humbuck pickups with two volume controls offer you a variety of sounds which can be incorporated in your playing style. This guitar is perfect for veterans and beginners alike and has a low price range. To say that this guitar is worth the money is an understatement.

Jay Turser 300 Series Jt-300-lh-tr Electric Guitar, Left Handed, Transparent Red

Another Fender copy which is actually a great guitar for its price range. With features such as solid body and rosewood fingerboard on maple neck, the looks of this guitar are well in tune with the price. With here single coil pickups and a standard tremolo, the sound that comes out of this piece of equipment is solid and maneuverable. The guitar does not need an initial set up and can almost be played from the moment you buy it. A beginner’s guitar which can also satisfy some of the professionals along the way. Great bargain for the money.

Ibanez RG8L Black 8-string Left-Handed Electric Guitar

This solid eight strings left handed electric guitar will help you hone your skills even further with the two additional strings. It features a basswood body with rosewood fretboard on a mixed maple/walnut neck. Made for professionals by professionals, guitars form the Ibanez RG series are precision instruments that will satisfy your desire to play each note perfectly. Two hummbucker pickups will make this guitar growl with the extra edge. The mid-price range makes this guitar affordable to enthusiasts and aspiring guitar masters.

Ibanez GRX70QATRBL Left Handed Electric Guitar Transparent Red

This left handed edition of the Ibanez GRX series, which are known in the industry for their top performance and low price range, is one of those guitars that are worth your money. The sunburst finish of the body smoothly transcends to the maple neck, which gives the instrument a beautiful appearance, with standard GRX pickups which give out the perfect sound for any type of music, are just some of the features of this fine electric guitar. These series of guitars are also notable for their playability, which makes them a perfect choice for guitar players picking up the instrument for the first time.

Printer with Cheapest Ink 2017 (June 2017)

Other

We have tested 55 printers and we are going to present the results of our testing to you, so that you can choose the right printer with cheapest ink that suits you the best and which falls in your price range. Choosing the printer with cheapest ink takes a lot of time and consideration, so that is why we have narrowed down the selection for you, from the best to the cheapest, and the only thing that you have to do is to select the one that suits you the most.

R2D2 Swimsuit and Replica

Other

Long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there was a man. This man had a vision to create a movie set in outer space. Little did he know that he would forever change the lives of millions of people. Spinning around a star somewhere in Milky Way was the planet Earth, a home to this man. Home also to other five plus billion, at the time, large primates who understood what a movie was. The man, the planet and the primates did not know how this movie would influence them, but it did.

On the serious note, there is not a single human on the planet that has not heard of the Star Wars movie franchise. The first movie was conceived and made at the height of space-craze during the 1970s, the decade after mankind had set foot on the moon. This movie made an astonishing impact on the popular culture, as almost every woman, man and child went to see this movie. It spanned two sequels, three prequels, numerous spin-offs and fan fiction, both endorsed and not by Lucasfilm, novels, video games, comics, toys and what not. Taking that into consideration, saying that Star Wars franchise is a popular culture phenomenon would be an understatement. The movie has also spanned numerous characters, some adored, some hated by the fans. Characters like Luke Skywalker, Leia Origana, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kenobi, C-3PO and R2D2 are just some of the large cast of characters which appeared in movies.

Star Wars fans are one of the most devoted groups in the world. Whenever there is a screening of old movies, or new, they dress up as their favorite characters and go to watch it. Every kind of toy, gadget, everything related to their beloved franchise has to be in their possession. They have gone so far as to create their own religion, named Jediism and based on the philosophy of the Jedi Order featured in the movies.

The character of R2D2 is a particularly favored character. It is a droid that is not capable of a human, or should we say galactic, language communication. Instead it communicates in a form of screeches and beeps. It was first in the property of Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi who later converted to the dark side of the Force and took the moniker of Darth Vader, and then later came in possession of Leia Origana, Anakin’s daughter, through her mother Padme Amidala. The droid later ends up with Luke Skywalker, Leia’s twin brother. We hope that this did not confuse you, but truth be told, if you are a fan you are already in possession of this information. If you are not a fan, well, what are you doing here? R2D2 memorabilia is one of the most popular in the Star Wars franchise. So today we have come up with two articles related to R2D2 to present to you: the tank top and a real-life replica that moves around and beeps. Whether you want to buy these products for yourself, or to buy them as a gift for someone who adores Star Wars, you are in the right place.

Womens R2D2 Swimsuit

Let us first start off with a sexy product related to R2D2. Artoo-Deetoo is known as a smart and helpful but he is never taken seriously. The poor fellow is always considered a comic relief, even though he has gotten the main heroes out of some serious pickle on numerous occasions. Who stopped the trash compressor from flattening Han Solo, Luke, Leia and Chewie on the Death Star? Our little blue and white droid of course. If you feel treated the same way as our little robot then this is the perfect tank top for you. Or maybe you just adore R2D2, or you know a female human that does. This comfy piece of clothing Halloween is around the corner, so why not dress as your favorite droid? It is not really a costume, but with certain additions it could definitely pass as a part of one.

This tank top could be worn as a shirt or a short skirt; it depends on your body measurements and the size you purchase it in really. R2D2 tank top is a tank top (yeah, we used that word formation on purpose) that is covered with graphics representing the body of our beloved little droid. Legs and head are not included in this design. That is why with small modifications it could be a perfect Halloween costume, or just a shirt that you, or your friend could wear with pride. Since it is designed for the female part of Star Wars fandom, or should we say geekdom, it does not detract from the serious note. You can basically wear this shirt anywhere without being called geeky and dorky, just because of the sleek and appropriate design. Heck, most people will not recognize the graphics as belonging to our little beepy friend until you tell them. Or until you start walking around beeping and screeching. We will not judge you for that, because that is what our colleague did when she wore the shirt.

But we cannot guarantee that people will not look at you as if you have gone crazy. You have been warned. So, this tank top with R2D2 graphics could be considered a fashion statement, or maybe a piece of clothing that will reflect the admiration towards the franchise. Whatever you are going to use it for, or the person you will give it to will use it for, you cannot deny that this piece of clothing for women is a good bargain for the price. R2D2 women tank top is a perfect gift for yourself or for a friend, maybe as a fashion statement or part of a Halloween costume, and it is definitely one of the cutest Star Wars memorabilia which will make every Star Wars female fan happy if she obtains the possession of this item. Just, please, restrain from beeping in your office while wearing it.

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Here are some customer photos:

Star Wars Interactive R2D2 Astromech Droid Robot

So, ever dreamed of owning the adventurous Artoo Deetoo droid? We have, and you could not wipe the joy from our faces when we got this product. It is the real deal: a living, breathing (put that in quota marks) 13.2 x 13.2 x 17.8 inches R2D2 droid made by Hasbro. Here is a little bit of history on R2D2 before we describe this replica in detail for you. According to the movie lore, our little Artoo is an astromech droid in the R2 series, created by Industrial Automaton. Over the course of years, this droid has developed an adventurous personality. The droid comes with many resourceful tools which are used for numerous things, such as slicing computers, extinguishing fires, repairing starships and what not. It moves on three legs supported by wheels. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let us present to you this replica.

The only statement that we can make, so as to present to you this product is the following: it is a geeky dream of every child/teenager who adores Star Wars. Period. Once you pop in four AA and four D batteries, this little fellow comes to life and starts beeping and screeching all over the place. It will move on its own accord, and the movement replicates the one from the movie in detail. This little droid is capable of executing over forty voice commands, and the way to grab his attention is to simply say the two magic words: “Hey Artoo”. You can ask him about various Star Wars characters and he will respond in accordance to his relationship towards them. If you want him to screech in terror and start moving backwards, you just ask him about Darth Vader.

We won’t lie to you, we had countless hours of fun with this little replica in our office. One of our co-workers booped the little robot on the head, and the response that he got was hilarious. The little Artoo made an irritated voice and moved away from that person. Our little Artoo boasts of numerous features, including a secret cargo compartment, where you can hide things such as your lightsaber, or an extra sandwich, a utility arm for holding beverages, removable sensor scope, light beam, droid mood–status indicator and many more. Some of the commands that will initiate certain modes of this little fellow include “Go on patrol”, “Light Beam” and “Play Message”. If you send R2D2 on a patrol he will go on a patrol with his sonar navigation equipment and infrared location sensor and report back to you. We do not guarantee that you will understand him. Most of the times he will report back about your cat being present there.

Now, when you initiate the game mode, this little astromech droid starts responding to more complicated voice commands. He can act as a sentry to protect your things. Trust us, with the ruckus that he makes when someone or something approaches the guarding stuff will alert you even if you are far away from the spot. Another command makes him dance to the famous cantina music, which is an excellent and very fun little dance that will make you smile for hours afterwards. You can even play light tag with the little or make him spin around. There is also a command that lets you give Artoo directions as to where to move, or make him execute pre-programmed directions.

There is a small catch here, as when you enter the more complex modes, your commands might not be recognized by the little fellow at certain instances. But that is natural, as Siri will also misunderstand you, as will any apparatus, no matter how advanced it is, with voice recognition. The voice recognition hardware/software has not reached that point where it can be perfect. But you do not need to worry, as every simple command will be executed immediately without delay.

R2D2 interactive replica has grown to our hearts in a very small period of time. It is up and about our office as I write this. We all play with it, even though we are all adults. In a nutshell, this little droid is a perfect representation of the movie character we all love. With the features that it has, this would be a perfect gift for your child, or for anyone who loves Star Wars. If you buy this for your child, be convinced that the whole family will enjoy playing around with this droid. Star Wars fans and collectors will definitely want to have this amazing little droid in their personal collections. Our little Artoo is definitely worth every penny you pay for it and it is an amazing piece of robotic engineering. Well, not that amazing, there are things out there which surpass it, but for us, the Star Wars fans, it is the best modern robot ever. Period. Every time you are feeling down, this astromech droid can cheer you up. It really is priceless and a definite purchase for Star Wars fans. Just do not scare or irritate the poor fellow too much, because that would be considered droid cruelty you know. You would have to answer to the intergalactic robot labor union for that.

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Conclusion

There are a lot of products out there related to Star Wars franchise, and Artoo himself. Here we have presented to you the tank top with the graphics and an interactive replica of the famous and adorable little droid. These could be perfect gifts for Star Wars fans and geeks alike. Whether you buy them for yourself or for someone else, it does not matter, as these products will definitely put a smile on the face of anyone who receives them. The tank top is perfect as a fashion statement, or even a piece of a Halloween costume. The R2D2 replica on the other hand is a perfect companion that will cheer you up and remind you of our little Artoo whenever you turn it on. You just pick up the one that you want and you are good to go. And, remember that the Force is always with you. Or in the words of Artoo: “Beep-boop-bip-beep-beep”.

Cardioid Mic

Audio, Other

With the development of sound reproduction industry came the development of various types of microphones. The type of microphone depends entirely on the use and purpose of the same. Microphones are mainly split into two categories: omni-directional and unidirectional. As the name suggests, omni-directional microphones can pick up sounds equally, to an extent, from all directions. It does not matter from which direction, from the front, rear or sides, the sound is produced, omni-directional microphone will pick it up. Unidirectional microphones only register sound from one direction, hence the prefix uni, meaning one. When it comes to unidirectional microphones, cardioid microphones are perhaps the most popular.

These microphones are named cardioid because of the pattern of their sensitivity, which reproduced on an axis looks like a heart. Cardioid microphones have such range that their best place to pick up sound is when it comes from the front, i.e. when a speaker is speaking directly into the microphone, while the sound from the sides is registered a bit lower, with the sound from behind being picked up in small quantities or not at all. That is why cardioid microphones are best used for live performances, such as concerts, public presentations and in all other situations that require a vocal microphone.

The most known use for these microphones is perhaps in the telephone, as the microphone integrated in the handset only picks up speakers’ voice, eliminating the background noise as much as possible. Cardioid microphones are also used while recording in studio, for vocals and for some certain drum elements.

Whether you want to purchase a cardioid microphone because you want to record your broadcast or podcast, or you maybe want to purchase it for your live shows, it is always hard to find the one that suits you the best. Of course, the main factor when it comes to deciding which cardioid microphone you want to purchase is the budget. The more money you have, better options open up for you. But, it could be grueling to go out there and test each and every product by yourself.

That is where we come in, as we have tested around forty products so as to bring you cream of the crop when it comes to these microphones. From the best to the cheapest, you will find four products on our list that have passed our tests with flying colors.

We have tested these microphones in various situations, from vocal performance, to acoustic guitar performance and in-studio recording performance. We have also consulted experts and sound engineers, so as to be able to get expert opinions on certain models and also to learn first-hand experience of these people with cardioid microphones.

Some of the things you should consider when buying cardioid microphone are:

Polar pattern
Output level
Impedance
Frequency response
Features, accessories and performance
Price

Best Cardioid Mic – Shure SM7B (B0002E4Z8M)

Shure is a microphone production company that is the most dominant force on the market. When that is taken into consideration, you should not be amazed that the best cardioid microphone is made by them.

SM7B has been used by Michael Jackson on the recording of the famous Thriller album, which is probably the best recommendation that this microphone can have.

Pros:

Whether you are recording a song or a podcast, or even maybe doing an acoustic performance live on television, this microphone is your best companion. It has a flat, wide-range frequency response of 50 to 20 000 Hz, which makes clean and natural reproduction of music and vocals. With the improved rejection of electromagnetic hum, you do not have to worry anymore of your computer monitor or TV hampering your recordings. Pop filter on this bad boy will totally eliminate the need for accessories which are used as protection against explosive breath sounds. The polar pattern of Shure SM7B is of course cardioids. An additional accessorie which comes with SM7B is the A7WS detachable windscreen, which will reduce plosive sounds and add a warmer tone to your vocals. With output level of -59 dBV/Pa and impedance of 150 ohms, this microphone is the ideal choice for professionals and amateurs alike. With the rugged construction and outstanding protection of the cartridge, this microphone has an outstanding durability, which in turn means that it will probably serve you for a very long time, if you take care of it of course. All of the features of this microphone can be accounted for nothing if the actual performance is not on the desirable level. But, Shure SM7B delivers with outstanding performance and adds an additional punch when it comes to the realism of vocals representation.

Cons:

Shure SM7B has virtually no cons as it delivers perfectly in every aspect possible.

SM7B microphone is in the mid price level and it truly shows why Shure is dominant on the market, as it is, considering all of the stated, the best cardioid microphone out there.

Best Buy Cardioid Mic – Shure BETA 58A (B0002BACB4)

It should not be strange that the runner-up on this list is a microphone from the famous Beta series by Shure which are adored by professionals. Beta 58A has all of the features and the looks of the original Beta and 58 series of microphones, but it is a step-up in the evolution of performance.

Pros:

With the polar patter being supercardioid, Beta 58A ensures that the side and rear noises are reduced to a bare minimum. This microphone is designed for close up vocals and it delivers that in every way possible, with frequency response of 50 Hz to 16 kHz. Although frequency response is not as big as it is with the SM7B, it is still good enough to come second to the best. The output level is a bit lower and the impedance is the same as in SM7B model, -51.5 dBV/Pa and 150 ohms respectively, therefore the performance and sound levels are very similar if not same in some instances. Some of the features of Beta 58A are the brightened midrange and bass rolloff that control the proximity effect, therefore this microphone is really tailored for vocals. The neodymium magnet is a great inclusion for signal-to-noise output. The advance pneumatic shock mount really prevents the transmission of mechanical noise and vibration, so if you want to be like Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden fame and jump all over the stage there is no fear that it will influence the sound transmission. Beta 58A has become a leading choice for touring artists and singers, which is not surprising as this microphone has all of the bells and whistles which are necessary for an extensive and long-term use. It is also a good choice for recording, as some engineers use it for acoustic guitars and vocals.

Cons:

The only drawback of the Beta 58A dynamic microphone has to be frequency response, which is lower than with the SM7B, but other than that it is an excellent piece of music equipment.

Beta 58A, along with SM58, is an industry standard which makes it probably the best choice to buy after the SM7B, because it comes near the performance that the best cardioid microphone has for a lower price. That is why it is safe to say that Shure Beta 58A is the bestbuy cardioid microphone out there.

Bestseller Cardioid Mic – Shure SM58-CN (B00015H0X4)

Another microphone by Shure on our list, this one in the legendary 58 series, the SM58 is one of the better dynamic cardioid microphones out there. Adored by professionals and amateurs alike, SM58 has got all that you need in a cardioid mic with a price to die for.

Pros:

You cannot find a studio or a rehearsal room in the world that does not have at least one of these microphones. That is because of SM58 features and affordability. The price is definitely the biggest trait of this product, but it is also a reliable microphone that will take a lot of beating before you have to replace it. With some features that are almost the same as in Beta 58A, like the pneumatic shock-system and the frequency that is specifically made for vocals, SM58 also comes with surprising additions that make it a crowd favorite. These features include the built-in wind and pop filter, which is astonishingly efficient. Of course, that is not to say that you should not use additional protection when recording with this microphone, but it is perfect for live performances. With frequency response of 50 to 15 000 Hz and impedance of 150 ohms, this cardioid microphone gives out astonishing performance which no one would be ashamed of. This legendary microphone is not the best one out there when it comes to performance, but it is a constant performer indoors or outdoors. With a little bit of messing with equalizer you can make SM58 into a powerhouse that will satisfy singers and sound engineers alike. With very clean and pure sound SM58 definitely stands out from the crowd and gains a respectful place on our list.

Cons:

The frequency response of this microphone is not as high as in the Beta 58A or SM7B and it will not give out-of-box like performance that these two other microphones can provide, but with a little bit of skill and knowledge it can be turned into an excellent microphone.

When you consider all of the features and popularity of this product, which is of course also affected by the lower price, while not as good of a performer as the Beta 58A or SM7B you can easily see why Shure SM58 is the bestseller cardioid microphone on the market.

Cheapest Cardioid Mic – Behringer XM8500

Any story about microphones of any kind would not be complete without mention of the excellent German manufacturer Behringer. Their microphones are well known across the world and through the course of years Behringer has produced them in all of the price ranges. XM8500 is an attempt to produce a high quality cardioid microphone in the low price range.

Pros:

If you consider XM8500 to be a bad product, you are about to be surprised. With frequency from 50 Hz to 15 kHz it is right up the alley with Shure SM58 and Beta 58A. This microphone is specifically designed for voice and the whole structure supports that statement. With nice overall feedback suppression and shock mount system to reduce handling noise, this bad boy has got it all, just like the big guys in this league. With two-stage integrated pop filter that will reduce the hissing and popping and a very sturdy design, you will not notice any significant difference from our bestseller, the Shure SM58. XM8500 has the best application in live vocal performance and in recording amplified instruments. Whether you want to sing or use harmonica, this microphone has got you covered. Anywhere that you would find use for SM58, this microphone would be applicable too. If you know how to set up equalizers properly, you can even make XM8500 sound like early nineties SM58. In the low price range, this microphone will definitely come as a substitution, or even take over some of the chores that your main microphone does.

Cons:

Performance wise, XM8500 comes nowhere near any of the Shure microphones we have named on this list. Sure, you can make it sound like earlier version of SM58, but it does not matter how hard you try to tinker with the equalizer, XM8500 will never come near Beta 58A, not to mention SM7B.

To sum up, Behringer XM8500 is really a microphone that is well worth the money you will pay for it. With all of the features of a good dynamic cardioid microphone and considering the price range, this piece of equipment is a steal and that is why it is the cheapest cardioid microphone on our list.

Conclusion

Whether you are a vocalist or a sound engineer, finding a good cardioid microphone that suits your desires could be a huge hassle. That is why we have tested out numerous products and consulted experts to bring you the list of four products. Since price is ultimately the most important factor when it comes to sound equipment we have presented you with four choices, from the best to the cheapest. If you really want the best cardioid microphone out there you should definitely go with the Shure SM7B as it has features that will leave even the most demanding customers in awe. If you do not really have a budget for SM7B, then your option would be Shure Beta 58A. Beta 58A is a choice of many touring professionals, and rightly so since it almost comes near to the SM7B performance wise. If you want a product that has satisfied many customers and is a firm favorite around the world of cardioid microphones, then the legendary Shure SM58 is the right choice for you. It has a lower frequency response than the SM7B and Beta 58A and it does not have the same out-of-the-box performance, but with a bit of skill it will become a perfect piece of equipment that you need. For those with a very low budget, the right option would be Behringer XM8500, as it is a great microphone for the price. Even though it does not come near SM7B, it still is a sturdy microphone that can easily be a replacement and step up to the spotlight if the need arises.

Content:

[BEST] ASTRO A50 Headset

[BEST SELLER]SteelSeries Siberia 800

[BESTBUY] HyperX Cloud Revolver

Blue Yeti Pro

Audio-Technica AT2020 USB microphone

Rode NT-USB Condenser Microphone

HyperX Cloud II

Turtle Beach – Elite Pro

Conclusion

Vilano Urbana Single Speed Folding Bike

Rockefeller Integral 26-Inch Folding Mountain Bicycle

RT-20 Folding Bike

Product Description

Dahon Jack D7 Folding Bike

Specifications

Dahon Speed Uno

Specification

Allen Sports Downtown

Specification

Schwinn Loop 7-Speed

Specification

Montague Crosstown Folding Bike

Specification

Dahon Mariner D7

Specification

STRiDA SX

SOGAR Two-wheeled Electric Bicycle

Allen Sports XWay Aluminum 20 Speed Folding Bicycle

Montague Paratrooper Pro 27 Speed Folding Bike

SOON

The Hummingbird

A-bike Redux – Electric Version

History of Folding Bikes

Conclusion

Banana Pi M3

Orange Pi One

Orange Pi

Intel Edison Kit for Arduino

Content:

[BEST] Sennheiser HMD 27

[BEST SELLER] Razer Blackshark

[BEST BUY] HyperX Cloud II

Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1x

Bose QuietComfort 25 ANS

Jabra Evolve 80 ANS

Sennheiser PC 350

Conclusion

Best High Efficiency Speaker – BIC AMERICA RTR-EV15

Bestbuy High Efficiency Speaker – Pioneer SP-FS52-LR

Bestseller High Efficiency Speaker – Klipsch Synergy F-20

Cheapest High Efficiency Speaker – Polk Audio Monitor 55T

Conclusion

More High Efficiency Speakers

Best Left Handed Electric Guitars

Best Left Handed Electric Guitar – Fender American Standard Stratocaster

Bestbuy Left Handed Electric Guitar – Fender Squier Affinity Telecaster

Bestseller left handed guitar – Schecter Hellraiser C-7 FR 7-String Electric Guitar

Conclusion

More Left Handed Electric Guitars

Left Handed Acoustic-Electric Guitars

Other Left Handed Electric Guitars

Womens R2D2 Swimsuit

Star Wars Interactive R2D2 Astromech Droid Robot

Best Cardioid Mic – Shure SM7B (B0002E4Z8M)

Best Buy Cardioid Mic – Shure BETA 58A (B0002BACB4)

Bestseller Cardioid Mic – Shure SM58-CN (B00015H0X4)

Cheapest Cardioid Mic – Behringer XM8500

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