 |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V-MODA XS | Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 On-Ear | Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2 | Grado SR80e | Sennheiser Urbanite On-Ear | |
| Rank | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 |
| Amazon Rating |  | | | |  |
| Weight | 195g | 160g | 195g | 130.4g | 260g |
| Closed or Open Back | Closed | Closed | Closed | Open | Closed |
| Fold-able |  | |  | | |
| Removable Cable | | | | | |
| Price | $158 | $211 | $296.99 | $99.00 | $69.90 |
| Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
Thursday 8 September 2016
best headphones 2016
Sharkk Bravo Hybrid Electrostatic Headphones Review
What We Liked
- Nice-looking accents and unique design
- Comfortable ear cups and excellent fit
- Stellar sound quality for the price
What We Didn’t
- Lackluster materials in the build
- No features like a detachable cable or fold-able design
Sharkk Bravo Specs
| Frequency Range | 6 - 45,000 kHz |
| Impedance | 32 Ohms |
| Type | Over-ear, closed-back |
| Driver | Hybrid electrostatic (4030 e-stat + 40mm dome-type) |
| Weight | 294 grams |
| Cable Length | 54" |
| Foldable | |
| Carrying Case | |
| Removable Cable | |
| Price | $199 (Early Bird Indiegogo Campaign Pricing) |
Design
We know that the Bravo is exceedingly ambitious on the inside, but what about the exterior? Well, its form is fairly basic, but there are some considerate design cues that help the over-ear headphone stand out. One of those is the premium-like red and chrome garnishes.
Although the Bravo’s form is basic, there are several eye-pleasing elements in the design.
The otherwise plain, black head band is turned into a looker via bold, red stitching along both edges. Likewise, the ends of the ear cups are highlighted with a chrome lining. It doesn’t look like Sharkk felt that this was enough, because it additionally threw in a leather strip (also with red accents) on top of the ear cups.
However, at this point, we feel like the designers are trying too hard. The extra leather doesn’t have any practical sense; it’s just for looks. But with that said, it does look great and gives a touch of uniqueness to the Bravo’s design against the sea of headphones out there.
Although the Bravo is a looker, some of the materials leave to be desired.
Unfortunately, all these things we’ve described are realized as a facade when you get the Bravo in your hands. Everything is plastic, and cheap-feeling plastic at that. Despite resembling metal in the promo pics, the silver hand band caps and ear cup stems in actuality give off a frail and hollow plastic sentiment (honestly, not too far from what you find on children’s toys). The head band is a little better; it’s a faux leather but is well constructed and supple. The ear pads are the best part of the build – leather-wrapped and appropriately sized.
Usability
The Bravo doesn’t have any extra features to speak of, such as a detachable cable, in-line remote/mic, or fold-able design. They’re as basic as an over-ear headphone can be. But we have to keep in mind that Sharkk is a startup. It probably doesn’t yet have the resources to incorporate luxuries. It’s apparent that the company’s effort is a straight shot at what matters most in a headphone – wear and sound quality.
The Bravo’s cable extends from the left ear cup and has a sturdy sheathing. The length is shy of 55″ and terminates with a right-angle 3.5mm jack.
And we can attest that the Bravo are fantastic on the head. Despite not having the lightest weight (294 grams), there’s no discomfort or annoying pressure on the top of the head. The head band does an adequate job distributing the weight.
Additionally, the fit of the ear pads are an accomplishment. They satisfyingly engulf the ears (providing sufficient isolation) and have the perfect amount of clamping force. The leather cushions stay comfortable even for lengthy listening sessions.
Sound
Now we get to the meat of any headphone review – the sound quality. Sharkk makes a lot of bold claims about the Bravo’s audio capabilities. It’s risky to start off at such a high pedestal, but no risk, no gain. Does the Bravo’s hybrid electrostatic system deliver? We’re glad to say that our ears our convinced.
The Bravo most certainly punches above its weight. We wouldn’t necessarily say ’10x better sound quality’ like the company states, but it blows away a lot of the over-ear competition in the $200 price bracket. Namely, the balance and detail throughout the spectrum floored us. Lower priced headphones typically do better in some frequency ranges than others, but the Bravo is mostly stellar throughout. And there’s plenty of oomph to satisfy those who don’t fancy a reference-like, flat sound. The Bravo is engaging and fun.
Despite having a strong bass, it’s done responsibly. It doesn’t bleed into the mid-range (nor are the mids recessed). We wish the response would dig a little deeper in the sub-bass region (typical of electrostatic drivers), but still, it should be bold enough to satisfy most bassheads. The detail in the treble is brilliant and present, and instrument separation is captured beautifully.
However, this isn’t a perfect headphone that completely obliterates higher-end offerings. Clarity on the Bravo is good, but it can get better up the price chain; especially compared to open-back over-ear headphones, which also reproduce significantly better soundstage and imaging. Even a couple high quality closed-back headphones give off a more expansive experience. But for the price, we still deem the Bravo a job well done. The detail sets it apart, and the use of electrostatic technology paid off, in our opinion.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the Sharkk Bravo delivers where it really matters. At the aggressive price tag (especially for electrostatic technology), we expected some compromise. But we’re glad Sharkk handled it correctly. We weren’t impressed with the build, but that doesn’t mean that we think the headphones will fall apart in a couple months. It works, and the design attempts to look sharp on the head. The fit and sound is where these headphones shine, and we feel they accomplish giving similarly priced over-ear headphones a run for their money.
LG Electronics LP1415WXRSM review
For many, a smaller window-mounted air conditioner is more than enough to cool down their bedroom or home office, but what do you do if you need a lot more power for larger spaces like your living room or kitchen?
Enter the 14,000 BTU, portable LG LP1415WXRSM. This A/C unit is a big, burly monster of a cooling system that easily rolls to any corner of your home, and is capable of keeping spaces upwards of 500 sq. ft. tolerable during even the hottest of heat waves.
Using the LG Smart AC app, you can control everything from the fan speed to the humidity settings of your air conditioner no matter where you are in the world.
Quirky Aros Review
While there aren’t a ton of features that can set one Wi-Fi-connected air conditioner apart from another, leave it to GE and its partnership with Quirky to streamline everything to the point of near perfection.
Like the Nest Thermostat, the GE + Quirky Aros air conditioner integrates the sensors from your smartphone and translates it into comfort for your smart home. By tapping into the GPS, the Aros Wi-FI air conditioner keeps notes of when you leave the house and when you’re coming home, and turns the unit on or off accordingly so you’re never left sweating in the heat.
What really sets the Aros apart, however, is its unique scheduling and tracking system, which records when you use your air conditioner the most and turns the unit on/off accordingly the next month. It also checks the weather on its own and predicts when you’ll want cooling – so no more waking up in a sticky mess of sweat when temps climb past 90° before 9AM.
knowroaming review
Traveling abroad in the near future? Then you need, yes need to take a hard look at KnowRoaming. KnowRoaming offers cell (aka mobile) phone service without the exorbitant cost. Sure, on a day by day basis it’s more expensive than your post-paid bill, but that almost goes without saying. And it’s effectively a hell of a lot cheaper than your carrier’s international package.
That said, Knowroaming is designed to be used for finite periods of time and best of all it doesn’t require you to swap your SIM out for one of theirs. Instead you fix a SIM sticker over your existing SIM card and when you’re abroad it activates, otherwise it’s passive while you’re in your phone’s home territory (or so I had hoped – more on that later).
So what did I think? Keep reading my KnowRoaming review to find out.
Overview
Summary: The Knowroaming sticker is the hands down the easiest and most convenient way to travel abroad and not get suckered into your carrier’s ultra expensive data packages. Home country issues aside, the service worked as promised and makes being a tourist that much more enjoyable.
What We Liked
- Easy to install thanks to the included applicator
- $8 gets you unlimited data in 90+ countries
- Works with your existing SIM
What We Didn’t
- App needs a bit of work and greater transparency before traveling abroad
- SIM sticker stopped working when I returned to the USA
- Data speeds, depending on country, can be hit or miss
Installing the SIM Sticker
The Knowroaming sticker is unique thanks to 6 meta dots.
As mentioned, Knowroaming works via a SIM sticker. Installation takes less than 5 minutes and is painfully simple.
To start, you just need to open the tray, insert your SIM card and follow the included written instructions. In short, your SIM falls into an opening and upon pressing on the back of that tray, the SIM sticker is adhered to the top (the contact points) of your SIM card. My only concern was ensuring that the sticker actually stuck. And that’s why Knowroaming suggests you press firmly and hold for sometime to ensure proper adhesion. I can only recommend, beyond that, that you don’t remove the SIM too quickly from the tray for fear it might “unstick”.
To a large degree the SIM sticker is almost invisible, at least to the unknowing eye. And to that end, it fit, with no problem, back into my iPhone 6’s (and iPhone 5’s) SIM card tray and subsequently back into the phone. If you’ve used any SIM card adapters, then you know the size of the SIM must be on point, or the tray won’t fit. But that was anything but the case with Knowroaming’s SIM sticker.
Performance and Traveling abroad
The KnowRoaming sticker comes in a post office like box.
What’s so great about the Knowroaming SIM sticker is that it effectively turns your phone’s SIM card into a dual SIM. Which is to say, when you’re at home – in my case the USA – the AT&T SIM card operates as such. It’s only once you’re abroad that the Knowroaming SIM activates.
To activate your Knowroaming card you’ll need a few things. First is the app. Simple enough. The other is, in the case of my phone, the iPhone 5s, you’ll need to install a new profile, will automatically enters the necessary APN settings to access Knowroaming’s partner networks. The profile is included within their app, so you won’t need an Internet connection in case you forget to do this before heading abroad. But make sure you grab the app in your home country, otherwise you’ll be stuck until you hit WiFi.
With the app installed, you’ll also want to allow the Knowroaming app to detect your location such that it can switch its service to the correct country upon entry.
If the aforementioned is done correctly, you should be able to make and receive phone calls and text messages, as well as connect to the web. However, you’ll need to be patient. Often I would land, switch on my iPhone 5s (I use an iPhone 6 at home, but since that phone isn’t unlocked it’s not compatible with any other SIM but AT&Ts) and have to wait sometimes as long as 30 minutes to garner service. I also found that restarting my phone upon entry to a new country helped some what expedite the process, but still wasn’t a guaranteed resolve.
Cost
By default, you can pay as you go. Data, voice and text pricing varies by location and to find the pricing you just simply need to open the app. Alternatively, you can buy 24 hours of unlimited data, which isn’t available world wide, but covers the major countries (90+ countries). I visited London, Barcelona and Dublin last month and I was covered by their unlimited plan.
That said, 24 hours of unlimited data costs $8. And while that’s $240 a month, need I reemphasize that it’s unlimited data? And you don’t necessarily have to buy unlimited data every day, but I found it to be the best experience as I didn’t have to worry that I was racking up a bill regardless of how much I used my phone. Moreover, most of today’s communicating can be done via data, such as FaceTime, iMessage, WhatsApp and the like.
Speed Tests
Each country I visited I ran a speed test. Of course location, or distance to the tower is a factor, as is the network that Knowroaming has a partnership with. Much like T-Mobile’s international offering, it would seem that Knowroaming buys data on the older gen networks, which makes sense since carriers are phasing them out or their post paid customers are on a new gen. As a result, speeds can be a bit unforgiving, but for the most part, I had no issues using Google Maps. However, at times pulling up a website or searching Google on the other hands, could be a bit slow.
All tests were performed in city centers.
London
London offered the most reliable speeds on the EE network.
The best speeds were in London. There I was able to manual select and test a few networks, with one offering up to 10Mbps down and 2-3 up.
Barcelona
Barcelona was significantly slower, generally following some where between 1-2Mbps for both up and down.
Dublin
Dublin was slight better than Barcelona, but still slower than London, and less reliable then both of them.
App
The app is fairly easy to use, though you’ll likely be lost when you first land abroad, as it isn’t clear what you need to do to buy unlimited data. Which is to say, you’ll need to be patient, as you’ll need an Internet connection to see the full set of options in the app, one of them being the option to buy 24 hours of unlimited data.
What I also didn’t realize, is that I needed to install a new profile on my phone to access Knowroaming’s partner networks. Fortunately the app does a fairly good job of walking you through this, but it would have been nice to know before landing in a foreign location.
There is a feature that is called ReachMe, which allows calls via your local number to be forwarded to your Knowroaming phone number. And yes, you’ll receive a local number. Mine was a UK number and I think remained the same no matter the countries I visited. That said, I don’t think the service ever worked for me, as I didn’t receive any phone calls during my time abroad, and I even followed the necessary steps to setup the ReachMe feature before heading abroad.
iMessage and Data
As mentioned, I opted for unlimited data since it affords me the most flexibility in terms of communication when abroad. WhatsApp is a must have for anyone in Europe and largely was my means of communication with family and friends while away. However, iMessage was finicky at first and for some reason wasn’t sending messages in “blue” to those that I know used the service. I still haven’t figured out why, but after sometime it resolved itself and worked without a hiccup. The only caveat following that, is that my iMessages were coming from an unknown number, leaving many people confused to who was messaging them.
Returning Home
When I flew back into the USA I immediately transferred my SIM card back into my iPhone 6. Since the Knowroaming sticker worked fine in this phone before traveling aboard, I had assumed it would be a none issue. Boy was I wrong. No matter what I did – even returning to my iPhone 5s – my iPhones continued to display a message that the SIM was not recognized and I needed to register my phone. The resolve? I tore the Knowroaming sticker off and threw it away. I was under the impression that I could leave the Knowroaming sticker on indefinitely – turns out, I couldn’t.
Wrap Up
I couldn’t have done the trip without Knowroaming. As a result of unlimited data in all three countries I visited, we didn’t have to worry about carrying around a paper map or downloading an offline map, which rarely work and don’t provide real time data about public transit. Combine that peace of mind with their super simple pricing structure and it’s a wonder why everyone doesn’t use the service while traveling abroad for work or vacation. The only small wrinkle in their game, is the issues I faced when returning back to my home country, which for me proved largely moot since I don’t vacation more than few times a year. However, this could prove challenging for those depending on the service for work.
Acer Switch Alpha 12 review: Surface on a budget
At first glance, Acer’s Aspire Switch Alpha 12 looks very much like a me-too device. It’s a Microsoft Surface clone running Windows 10, albeit with a slightly different kickstand and a clever way of cooling itself (liquid, instead of fans). So when I started using it a couple weeks ago, I fully expected that the title of this review would end up being something along the lines of "Sure, why not?"
But my first glance was wrong — or rather, I was looking at the wrong thing. When most people walk into a Best Buy (or a Costco, which has a special bundle on this tablet), the thing they see first is obvious: the price. The Switch Alpha 12 is cheap, coming in as low as $699 for a decently specced model. That’s midrange laptop territory, not "fancy convertible tablet / laptop hybrid with a touchscreen and removable keyboard" territory.
So yes, I shrugged at the Alpha 12, then I used it and shrugged some more: it’s fine, good even, a perfectly serviceable device that does the jobs I expect it to do. But it’s hard to shrug off the price, which (depending on your options) ends up being 500 bucks less than the Surface it’s so clearly modeled after.
The Switch Alpha 12 has a 12-inch touchscreen that’s really quite nice. The resolution is 2160 x 1440, slightly less than the Surface Pro 4’s, but not enough to make a huge difference. More importantly the screen is bright and vibrant, even outdoors (though, of course, it’s reflective as all get out in direct sunlight). The model I’m testing has a Core i5 processor, 256gb of storage, 8gb of RAM, and an included stylus which sells for $699 at Costco, though prices on various models can vary widely depending on where and when you look. It is plenty powerful for most light computing tasks and even good enough for serious photo editing in a pinch.
As I said above, it’s a Surface clone, which at this point should tell you a few things: mainly that it is a tablet computer with a kickstand and a removable keyboard. The kickstand has a decently strong hinge and a rubberized bottom to help keep it stable at any angle. This is a setup that is really common now, and it has all the benefits and drawbacks that have been discussed ad nauseam: it’s not great on your lap, it’s fiddly to pick up when you have the keyboard attached, anything you plug into it will be hanging off the side in an awkward way.
The keyboard is also Surface-like. It attaches to the bottom with magnets and can either be laid flat or attached to the screen (with more magnets) at a more comfortable typing angle. The touchpad isn’t quite as large as I’d like, but it’s fast and accurate (even in Chrome). I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself here, but if a budget machine like this can have a decent trackpad, maybe the days of Windows computers failing constantly in that department might finally be behind us (maybe).
Typing on the keyboard is comfortable, but the standard version is not backlit, which is a bummer. Acer also decided to cram in Page Up and Page Down next to the arrow keys, which was annoying because I constantly hit them when I was moving the cursor around. Whatever, though: the keyboard is full-sized, quiet, and has good key travel. It does the job. But the best part? It’s included in the box, unlike with Microsoft’s Surface which demands a $130 premium for its keyboard. (There’s an optional stylus that’s not included at most retailers, which costs $50.)
Every Windows computer lately has to have some kind of differentiating gimmick, and this time around it’s liquid cooling. There are no fans on this machine even though it’s using the more powerful laptop-class of Intel’s processors. The back of the tablet can get a pretty warm, so if you’re using it as a tablet outside you will sometimes find it uncomfortable to hold. I used it in the sun for an hour and the back was too hot to use, but indoors or in the shade it’s fine. Even so, it’s nice to have a reasonably powerful computer without fans, but I don’t know that it should be the main thing you’re thinking about when you’re buying a computer.
Convertibles like this often skimp on ports, but Acer did a decently good job here: there’s one USB-A port, a USB-C that you can use for USB-C things like a display (or even powering the laptop), and a typical Acer power adapter port with a tiny round plug. Why Acer didn’t just use a second USB-C port instead for power is a mystery.
Another mystery: the inclusion of a microSD card slot for expansion. Microsoft does this on the Surface, as well, and I just find it difficult to believe a ton of people are really using these tiny cards on a regular basis in their laptops. There are two speakers above the screen, they sound, well, not great. But I never have high expectations in that department. One nice bit for tablet-users: a honest-to-god physical Windows button.
So far, so good! It’s an inexpensive tablet computer that is able to do the stuff you’d expect from a tablet computer. Now, the bad: battery life. It’s pretty awful. I decided to use the Walt Mossberg Battery Test™: binge-watch The West Wing in the Windows 10 Netflix app, while doing some browsing and light work on the side. The Switch Alpha 12 barely hit four and a half hours in that test, which is basically unacceptable.
Also not cool: the amount of preinstalled crap on this computer. It’s standard practice for PC makers to subsidize the cost of budget machines with lots of third-party software, and Acer has certainly done so here. There’s the usual McAfee anti-virus, MusicMaker Jam, WildTangent, and Acer’s own set of utilities. It’s certainly not a disaster and most of it (save McAfee) isn’t in your face, but it’s still frustrating if you don’t want any of this stuff.
Somehow, the PC market seems to be experiencing a small comeback here in the US. It’s not a massive uptick in sales and it may not last (and it may mostly be Chromebooks), but it’s perhaps enough to start paying attention again. While Mac users wait for Apple to finally get around to refreshing its lineup, Windows 10 devices feel like they’re finally hitting their stride. HP’s new Spectre laptop is a beautiful (if polarizing) piece of machinery, Dell’s XPS 13 has gone from an innovative new laptop to a reliable mainstay. And though the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 haven’t quite lived up to Microsoft’s lofty expectations, they’re still really good computers.
And so it’s in that context that we should look at the Switch Alpha 12: it’s not trying to change the world and it’s not introducing a revolution in form factors. It’s just a steady, decent convertible in a market that has (for now) found an equilibrium. It’s like a particle you’d predict in quantum physics: you know it should be there and once you look for it, there it is.
Here it is: the Switch Alpha 12 is the inexpensive version of Microsoft’s Surface. It’s way cheaper but gives you almost all of the same benefits. If the battery life were better, I wouldn’t think twice about recommending it to somebody who’s interested in this style of computer. But mainly, I’m just sort of gratified that an inexpensive convertible like the Switch Alpha 12 exists. Because the whole idea of Windows 10 is to offer a wide array of options at every price point to consumers, and this device is a better option than I expected.
Photography by Chris Welch.
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