aarondr's stats
- Review count184
- Helpfulness votes1,203
- First reviewOctober 22, 2014
- Last reviewApril 26, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
- Review comment count6
- Helpfulness votes10
- First review commentJuly 8, 2014
- Last review commentMarch 30, 2017
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
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- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
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- Answer count16
- Helpfulness votes31
- First answerJuly 8, 2014
- Last answerDecember 11, 2021
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- Best answers4
Air is the new oil, and now with the Philips Airfryer you can use that air to fry in a healthier way with up to 75% less fat! Thanks to Philips unique TurboStar™ technology, all food is exposed to constant, circulating heat allowing you to cook your favorite foods with a tablespoon or less of oil. The result is evenly fried food – with no turning or shaking needed. Preset meals on the digital Airfryer allow you to cook your favorite recipes at the touch of a button.
Customer Rating
5
Tasty Air Frying!
on August 4, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
My wife and kids all love fried foods, but obviously they aren't that healthy. The Phillips Viva Air Fryer does a great job preparing many of our favorites without the issues of baking. Now things may not come out all wonderfully greasy and flavorful as a deep fryer, but this is a great alternative to baking or consuming fat filled foods.
We've primarily used it for french fries, and it's super easy to use. You dump a bunch in, turn it to 350, turn the time on and let it sit. You can pull the basket out and shake to ensure things get well mixed. The results are crispy and delicious. I've yet to make homemade fries for it, but even frozen come out great w/ much better taste.
I think what makes this great is how it heats and how it makes things crispy without overcooking or burning them. There are lots of suggestions and recommendations in both the manual and an included docs.
The basket is easy to remove, clean and get back to cooking. My wife loves how easy it is to use and how it says cool on the outside. The basket clicks into place and requires a small amount of force to open. We have small hands around the house right now, so having another appliance that can cook without posing a risk for the kids is great.
I really recommend this appliance - you get a lot of the great taste of deep fried foods, but a lot better for you!
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take your favorite music anywhere with this Nyne Rock boom box. It has two midrange speakers, two tweeters and a subwoofer, and its rechargeable lithium-ion battery lets you play tunes for up to 8 hours. This Nyne Rock boom box is Bluetooth 4.0 compatible and connects to a mobile device via NFC one-touch technology.
Customer Rating
5
Awesome Speaker
on June 30, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The Nyne Rock X is an excellent bluetooth speaker. When I say excellent, I mean that it specifically doesn't try to do anything weird with your music. It's is the first and ONLY bluetooth speaker I've owned that provides a nice flat sound profile. It can do that because it has the guts behind it to really push great sound out. In fact when I first turned it on, I thought something was wrong. I'm so used to hearing muddy bass heavy sound from every BT speaker, hearing a clean clear sound from a speaker was jolting. But don't worry this speaker has plenty of bass chops!
Every other BT speaker tends to over emphasize the bass at low volumes. This leaves a muddy feeling sound at all but the highest volumes, and most tend to lose their muster at that point. The Nyne is different. It might sound weak to some because it doesn't have an overemphasized sound profile, but trust me, it has the power to really hit notes. If you want an overemphasized sound profile (which can be beneficial when listening at lower volumes), most phones/tablets have an equalizer available (iPhone does in settings FYI).
The Nyne has some interesting features, but the beauty of the device is really its simplicity. There is no app, there is no fancy equalizer built in. However there is a panel on the back with a door, when opened reveals a 5 LED battery gauge, a USB port w/ 1AMP output (charging only), and both line-in and line-out (which would allow you to daisy chain these bad boys together). The top has buttons for common functions that are pretty self-explanatory. However one downside is there are no audio tuning capabilities on board.
Bluetooth range is excellent line of sight. I had some choppiness when I had to walk on the other side of a metal door around 20ft away for instance. Otherwise audio fidelity was great.
The Nyne speak is a really great speaker for groups and outdoor usage. My biggest criticism is no built in equalizer for audio tuning (or really any tuning at all). It has a wonderfully clean sound profile with a flat response with audiophiles will appreciate. At lower volumes, you'll want to use an equalizer on your device, but if you have a party or large event this is a surprisingly capable speaker.
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Magnifi Mini home theater sound bar system delivers big room-filling audio and surround sound experience you’d expect from a full-size sound bar—all in an ultra-compact design that fits any space. Polk’s exclusive Voice Adjust technology dramatically increases vocal clarity and volume level for crystal clear dialogue no matter what you’re watching. Plus, our patented surround technology and Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding creates incredible room-filling surround sound all from a sound bar that is less than 15” long. Compatible with nearly all TVs, the universal sound bar works with your TV, cable box or satellite IR remote control and features simple setup in minutes with the included HDMI cable. The powerful wireless subwoofer delivers deep impactful bass to your favorite movies, TV, games, sports and music too. And if volume’s too loud during late night viewing, Night Mode lets you easily watch your favorite programs at night without waking the neighbors or other family members in your home. What’s more, bring the concert into your room with wireless music streaming via WiFi, Google Cast and Bluetooth. Whatever you do, just don’t let the MagniFi Mini’s small size fool you—this is that big Polk sound you love from a little bar.
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The Polk Magnifi Mini is a tiny sound bar with a loud voice. It’s slightly larger than some stereo clock radios or mid-range portable bluetooth speakers, but packs quite a punch and features. Most notable are the plethora of inputs HDMI ARC, Chromecast built-in, bluetooth, aux in, and optical audio.
One of the most necessary features for a modern soundbar is ARC in my opinion. ARC works great w/ any TV that supports ARC/CEC. You can adjust the volume of the TV using the TV remote, eliminating the need for the separate remote when watching TV. Gone are the days of needing two remotes sitting by you. If you lack an ARC TV, the mag mini can even be programmed to respond to volume buttons on your TV remote. Of course you’ll want to try to turn off the TV’s built in speakers for this, but it’s a convenient feature if you have a TV that just predates the HDMI 1.4 standards (where ARC was introduced) and need to use optical instead. It’s nice that when using it as a TV soundbar, the included remote usage can be minimized. I had no problem listening to audio from other inputs through ARC.
That said, the included remote is excellent, with a rubberized texture, ergonomic shape, clear buttons and intention. It is seriously one of the best feeling and straightforward remotes I’ve had the pleasure to use. It allows easy tuning of volume, bass, voice, and equalizer. Handily it also includes a mute, late night, and play/pause previous and next buttons. Each input explicit input is selectable by a separate button on the remote. If you use your soundbar for music listening as well, this remote is a pleasure to use and carry around. You won’t lose it since it is a good size. It’s a welcome move away from the credit card remotes some soundbars come with.
The soundbar itself is powered by a power brick that hides away easily enough. The subwoofer portion plugs into the wall. Interestingly, they strongly suggest putting the subwoofer on the same wall as the soundbar, probably to help balance the directional feel, as the subwoofer appears to pick up slightly more low-mid frequencies than a traditional subwoofer. I couldn’t find frequency response specifications, so this is an assumption, but it did feel somewhat disconnected when I had the subwoofer on a different wall (more so than other subwoofers).
The voice adjust feature is a nice idea, but I found it would mute background noise distractingly to focus on the dialog. This was only apparent when voice was near the highest levels and dialog was in an action scene. Some movies would probably benefit from this, so it’s nice that the remove presents this feature front and center. What worked much better was the ‘Night Effect’ which did a great job of refocusing the dialogue to the front and turning bass down to avoid waking up the children after bedtime. It walks a nice balance in the movies I tried and would come in handy for families in tight quarters, or apartment dwellers that want to be good neighbors while still enjoying their movies.
Sound wise, I found music to be best enjoyed with the music equalizer setting. Bass was punchy and deep. The subwoofer’s driver is a great size and can really make some noise if you ask it to. Mids seemed pretty good, but highs seemed slightly suppressed. I felt the same way in movies. Compared to a full-sized soundbar from a competitor the polk felt closed, with a narrow soundstage and muted highs. It’s not horrible, but it’s certainly where the small size seems to be felt the most. Still it’s incredible how full it does sound given the size. I wouldn’t worry about this observation unless you’re comparing much much larger equipment.
I didn't use the casting feature a lot, but the bluetooth was easy enough to get going when needed.
One of the most necessary features for a modern soundbar is ARC in my opinion. ARC works great w/ any TV that supports ARC/CEC. You can adjust the volume of the TV using the TV remote, eliminating the need for the separate remote when watching TV. Gone are the days of needing two remotes sitting by you. If you lack an ARC TV, the mag mini can even be programmed to respond to volume buttons on your TV remote. Of course you’ll want to try to turn off the TV’s built in speakers for this, but it’s a convenient feature if you have a TV that just predates the HDMI 1.4 standards (where ARC was introduced) and need to use optical instead. It’s nice that when using it as a TV soundbar, the included remote usage can be minimized. I had no problem listening to audio from other inputs through ARC.
That said, the included remote is excellent, with a rubberized texture, ergonomic shape, clear buttons and intention. It is seriously one of the best feeling and straightforward remotes I’ve had the pleasure to use. It allows easy tuning of volume, bass, voice, and equalizer. Handily it also includes a mute, late night, and play/pause previous and next buttons. Each input explicit input is selectable by a separate button on the remote. If you use your soundbar for music listening as well, this remote is a pleasure to use and carry around. You won’t lose it since it is a good size. It’s a welcome move away from the credit card remotes some soundbars come with.
The soundbar itself is powered by a power brick that hides away easily enough. The subwoofer portion plugs into the wall. Interestingly, they strongly suggest putting the subwoofer on the same wall as the soundbar, probably to help balance the directional feel, as the subwoofer appears to pick up slightly more low-mid frequencies than a traditional subwoofer. I couldn’t find frequency response specifications, so this is an assumption, but it did feel somewhat disconnected when I had the subwoofer on a different wall (more so than other subwoofers).
The voice adjust feature is a nice idea, but I found it would mute background noise distractingly to focus on the dialog. This was only apparent when voice was near the highest levels and dialog was in an action scene. Some movies would probably benefit from this, so it’s nice that the remove presents this feature front and center. What worked much better was the ‘Night Effect’ which did a great job of refocusing the dialogue to the front and turning bass down to avoid waking up the children after bedtime. It walks a nice balance in the movies I tried and would come in handy for families in tight quarters, or apartment dwellers that want to be good neighbors while still enjoying their movies.
Sound wise, I found music to be best enjoyed with the music equalizer setting. Bass was punchy and deep. The subwoofer’s driver is a great size and can really make some noise if you ask it to. Mids seemed pretty good, but highs seemed slightly suppressed. I felt the same way in movies. Compared to a full-sized soundbar from a competitor the polk felt closed, with a narrow soundstage and muted highs. It’s not horrible, but it’s certainly where the small size seems to be felt the most. Still it’s incredible how full it does sound given the size. I wouldn’t worry about this observation unless you’re comparing much much larger equipment.
I didn't use the casting feature a lot, but the bluetooth was easy enough to get going when needed.
What makes the MagniFi Mini a great product is the niche it fits so well: an apartment dweller. While you don’t need to be one to appreciate the quality of the MagniFi Mini, it’s just that it seems tailored to fill an open floor plan apartment for both movies and music. Targeting the consumer that doesn’t have space to support either a home theater or dedicated stereo. If your space has a TV and your music needs in your space don’t require the portability of a portable bluetooth speaker, then this is EXACTLY the right product for you. You can get better sound out of a larger device, but the Magnifi Mini’s sound is much greater than its size.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get your floors sparkling clean with this Bissell Spinwave powered mop. It’s made for sealed hard surfaces, and it uses washable cleaning pads that can be customized according to the type of flooring and level of cleansing the job requires. This Bissell Spinwave powered mop swivels to let you access hard-to-reach places.
Customer Rating
5
A Back Saver!
on May 14, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The SpinWave is a great automatic mop. While I've mopped both on my hands and knees and a general mop, the Bissell SpinWave does just about as good and does so with almost no effort on the user.
In the box you'll find 2 sets of pads, and 2 containers of the multi-purpose cleaner. There is a more specific hardwood cleaner listed in the manual, but I have not had a chance to try it yet. The included cleaner does a really good job though on both hardwood and linoleum. The best part is that it gets all but the most stubborn of messes on these floors with less effort than running a vacuum.
It's super simple to operate, you simply fill the reservoir with water to a mark on the container. Then fill the container up to another mark with multi-purpose cleaner. Insert the reservoir, plug the mop in and hit the go switch. Both mops begin to turn in opposite directions. There's a button (that does let out a slightly annoying beep noise) that sprays fluid out so you can start to mop. It's hard to see the water come out, but it does. From this point, mopping is a breeze as it moves gracefully on your floor. When you're done, you simply remove the pads and wash them in your washing machine. The manual even gives tips on how to get the pads to attach perfectly.
I have very little criticism to level against the SpinWave. The beep is annoying against an otherwise silent tool, however it exists because the water pump is so quiet you'd be likely to over watering your floors. It does take up a bit more space than a traditional mop, and wires can get in the way while mopping. A cordless would be a great idea, but it's hard to beat the power that comes with a plugged in device.
All in all, I highly recommend this product! It's been a back saver, and a wonderful way to maintain your hard floors!
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience high-quality sound anywhere with this Polk Audio BOOM Bit wearable Bluetooth speaker. Its steel spring clip attaches it securely to your clothing, providing great audio without blocking out noise from the surroundings. The 3-hour battery life of this compact Polk Audio BOOM Bit wearable Bluetooth speaker keeps the tunes coming on any adventure.
Customer Rating
4
Flawed, but still worth a look
on May 1, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The Polk Boom Bit is an interesting device. It’s sound quality is ok, it’s volume is mediocre, it’s quality seems solid, and it’s battery life is middling. That summarizes what is really an amazing little device.
The Boom Bit is a bluetooth speaker that has exactly 2 buttons. These two buttons can accomplish pretty much anything you can imagine a bluetooth music device should be able to. You can increase or decrease the volume, play, pause, call, answer, hang up and also turn on/off the device with these 2 buttons. If that all sounds a bit crazy, it’s because it is. Two buttons don’t really lend themselves to this much multi-function, and unless you’re more than an occasional user of all the features, you’ll probably forget what combo does what. Adding one button would have made the buttons more useful in that it would have followed a more standard pattern that most bluetooth users would understand. In most scenarios I can imagine, you’ll probably just whip out your phone to control.
The real power in what the Bit can accomplish is really it’s ability to be a personal area speaker. It’s not much louder than most cell phones, but it’s ‘clip’ and weight makes it easy to position closer to your ears than most running cellphone cases will allow. This makes it really helpful for short runs. I say short, because any marathon runner will toast the battery way before hitting the end of a training run. The device is rated at 3 hours of use, and that’s probably at medium volume. If you’re running against traffic or anything other than soft birds chirping, you’ll probably have it closer to max volume. I found 2 or so hours was realistic, so most half marathoners (or less) can probably get their training run in before running out of juice.
I focused on running, as I really think this device is a great concept for runners. Headphones can be dangerous blocking out noise of approaching cars. This is a great compromise. Sometime I had difficulty hearing more subtle songs, but for energetic running music it at least provides something.
The Polk Boom Bit is a bit flawed, but the nice thing is it’s affordable. If you fall into it’s target audience then I highly recommend trying it out!
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Hear every footstep, click and breath with this Razer Kraken digital gaming headset. The powerful 50mm drivers have neodymium magnets so that they produce exceptional sound directly to your ear, and the included microphone picks up speech clearly. This Razer Kraken digital gaming headset connects to a USB port for easy setup.
Customer Rating
5
Forget the Surround, Solid Performer
on March 30, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The Razer Kraken 7.1 v2 is a mixed bag for many reasons. In some ways I really like it. In other ways I loathe it.
First, I love the build quality. I’ve had several gaming headsets, and I have to say that this one feels the most durable out of all of them. Almost the entire frame is made from metal, and there is no visible plastic structural pieces. In other words, I don’t think this will break and fall apart as another brand I’ve had has. I like that the headband, and size adjustments are one piece and don’t incorporate any fancy rotation (which is usually the weakest part of these headsets). There is even markings on the headband adjustment that if you’re like me, you get it comfortable, note what setting you were at, and then can check it at any time.
I like the retractable microphone which keeps it out of the way when I’m not using it. I love that the mic also has a visual indicator of mute, which is extremely helpful. I am a big fan of the RGB lighting as well, even if it’s a bit silly. The lighting is flexible and well done. The cables (even the adjustment cables from the drivers to the headbands) are braided and good quality. Unfortunately there is no way to adjust volume other than software.
The sound is actually pretty good. The 50mm drivers are huge, and deliver deep powerful bass.without feeling as though they were artificially tuned. These headphones are relatively balanced sounding and are complemented by the large driver size giving them a large dynamic range. They can be a bit bass heavy, but not egregiously so. The highs are crisp and the mids have definition. I’ve heard worse sound recently from other more audio focused brands.
Gaming wise I’m disappointed by ‘virtual 7.1’ surround sound. I’ve had other gaming sets which appear as multi-channel audio outputs, and will use true surround sound. The Kraken only does virtual, which doesn’t really do a whole lot in my experience. The demos are nifty, but I haven’t ran into many games I’ve played where I’ve noticed it’s capabilities stand out.
The microphone quality seems good, but I’ve had it start to get digital interference. I can only assume it's software related. The background noise cancelation doesn’t seem quite as good as I’ve had on other devices.
Speaking of software, you are required to install Razer Synapse. All I can say is all these companies are getting ridiculous. Between Razer, Logitech, SteelSeries, and MSI my system tray is littered with applications that have one job and insist on doing twelve. Razer is no different, but at least Synapse has improved in the past couple years. The app offers calibration, microphone adjustments, equalizer settings, lighting control and more.
The earpads are comfortable, and help make the headset comfortable for longer wearing sessions. They get a bit warm on me, but so does every other can style headphone.
In general, the gaming headset market is pretty competitive. If you’re looking for a great sounding headset that is also a gaming fashion statement, the Kraken is a great option. I wouldn’t recommend these for their surround abilities, but for general competence, they’re quite a good unit. Solid build quality, good components, and some nifty feature make these a win in my book.
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy immersive sound with these Bluetooth Sony EXTRA BASS over-ear headphones. The presets let you choose between arena, club, hall and outdoor stage sound, and the noise-canceling technology lets you block out the world while you listen to tunes. Listen wirelessly for up to 18 hours with these Sony EXTRA BASS over-ear headphones.
Customer Rating
4
Good for Certain Styles, but not Great
on March 30, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The Sony XB950B1’s are a new set of bluetooth cans from Sony. Obviously everyone is hopping aboard the bluetooth train in this post headphone jack world. So how does Sony’s offer do?
First of all, I think it’s a great thing to point out that Sony does support aptX from Qualcomm, so near lossless audio is possible over bluetooth with the right device. This is a big deal if you find yourself noticing quality issues from A2DP bluetooth (normal bluetooth streaming audio). If you have a relatively recent flagship Android phone you most likely can use this protocol to give you almost wired quality for music. If you’re like me and lack aptX hardware (iPhone 7 user here), then you’re stuck with A2DP for bluetooth. Most people will still find this quality acceptable, and I could hardly tell the difference myself.
The nice thing is this headset has the option of a wired connection which does not require the headset to be on to use. How this magic works (wiring wise) I’m not certain, but props to Sony for creating a friendly and natural user experience, along with a backup plan if your battery dies. The Extra Bass setting requires the power to be on, and the sound seems like it gets a bit more umph when powered on. If you unplug your wired connect after turning the headphones on, the headphones will power off automatically.
The only thing you get with the headphones is a charging cable and audio cable. It would have been nice to see a protective case for these in this price range, especially given the mobile nature of its bluetooth input. Your average user will probably have these cans on their desk, but if they need to put them in their bag, there is a risk they’ll get damaged. Which brings me to construction.
They’re a solid build quality, which has become expected of Sony products. The pads are comfortable, and the buttons, switches, and cables are all top notch. The headband is a single piece of metal from one side to the other which seems quite durable. Having had a couple of pairs of cans, I’m a bit wary of plastic on metal construction, as the plastic almost invariably will crack at some point. Sony’s plastic does feel sturdier than others (reminding me of the plastic used on DSLR cameras), but only time will tell. Initial quality is quite high though, and they don’t stand out in an office environment. These bring a decidedly minimalistic fashion statement to the wearer, one that I actually enjoy. In the world of hyped Beats headphones, it’s nice to have a functional and minimalistic design. Of course this is the black version, there are blue and red if you like standing out.
Battery life seems on pair with claims when listening at a normal volume. And again, you can use them without power with the included headphone cable which is a huge plus.
Now, what everyone should care about is: “How do they sound!?”. Well this is probably my biggest disappointment. The sound is powered by 2 monstrous 40mm drivers. I emphasize the ‘monstrous’ because even before “Extra Bass” is turned on these headphones underscore the low-end like it’s priority number one. That isn’t to say they don’t have mids or highs, but they are muffled by the overreaching bass. Turning on Extra Bass can practically rattle them off your head. If this is your priority then great, but I prefer a balanced sound with some presence. Using the application you can actually turn the bass down to -10 (unfortunately I don’t think there is a way to tweak this on a non-bluetooth connection without the app) which can help. Unfortunately the soundstage and presence of these headphones is quite narrow (not uncommon with cans), and feels ‘dead’ and muffled. The mids have no definition and it leaves certain music flat. This isn’t to say these headphones don’t sound good, because they do, but they lack a quality that most audiophiles would turn their nose up at. Honestly I’m not that snobby, but I was disappointed for certain songs. What does sound amazing on these headphones is electronic/dubstep.
They fit a need I have as a reliable bluetooth headset for my iPhone, and can even take calls thanks to the built in microphone. The wired connection doesn’t have the ability to utilize the microphone, but that’s a small price considering the versatility that these do provide. If you’re needs are electronic music, bluetooth, and not beats, then these are a great pick. If you’re looking for something that is true to source audio, then look at other brands, or wired sony studio headphones.
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Track your heart rate, listen to music or talk hands-free on these JBL in-ear headphones. The ergonomic ear tips twist into your ear and stay in place with TwistLock technology without causing discomfort. These durable, sweat-proof JBL in-ear headphones have a battery life of up to 5 hours and come with a one-year MapMyFitness premium membership.
Customer Rating
4
Decent headphones, ok heartrate
on March 8, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
I found these headphones to be decent quality bluetooth. The design stays in your ear, but you need to pick the right insert. I found that my left ear needed a different size than my right. Also - I found that selecting a bit undersized worked for me (I think my ears swell after a mile or two). They seem to ensure long enough for most events, and stay in my ear better than other sport headphones.
The heart rate is hit or miss. I have trouble with most of these sensors, so I'm not too surprised. I think the key is maintaining a tight fit to ensure you get a reading. The only sensor I've had any consistency with is a chest strap, and I highly recommend getting a watch/device with a chest strap if you're serious about heart rate. This might pass in a pinch, but I wouldn't rely on it for interval training. That said, it's nice to have that sensor in addition to an excellent pair of headphones.
Overall, I like the headphones, and the out of the box extras help make these a decent value.
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Arlo Pro takes the worrying out of life with the 100% Wire-Free indoor/outdoor home monitoring system. Arlo Pro includes rechargeable batteries, motion and sound-activated alerts, 2-way audio, a 100+ decibel siren, and 7 days of free cloud HD video recordings. Arlo covers every angle to help keep you safe and protected.
Customer Rating
3
Good, but no wired camera replacement
on January 27, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
I'm no stranger to security cameras, as I have no less than 4 wired around the house. The Arlo pro setup is an interesting product. While my experience is generally more traditional security cameras, these are an interesting idea. Fully wireless cameras seems too good to be true, but in essence they are more motion detectors that can send video for my usage.
What's really cool about these cameras is the app-enabled experience allows you to view video, audio, and even talk back to people on the other end. There's a decent delay, but you can make it work. The app itself can use touch id to protect your cameras if you lose you phone or lend it to someone.
You can set schedules and watch for both motion and audio threshold. I use the motion threshold and it does a decent job of capturing video and reporting the motion detection. The magnetic mounts are convenient, but I'd be concerned mounting it outside it would be a theft or vandalism target. I hide mine under an overhang inside a porch to catch notifications of package deliveries or potential pranksters.
I've relatively technical, so when I say I've had problems with one of my cameras, its not for lack of trying to fix it. One of my cameras appears to disconnect all the time. Also it tends to stay off. While the batteries come 'fully charged' I don't believe it, as one camera wouldn't stay on more than a few seconds. I charged them up, but even after firmware upgrades, one of the cameras just keeps disconnecting. It'll stay connected for a few days, then lose connection and I have to deal with it. I feel like it may just be a bad battery or camera, but for the price you'd expect better reliability.
The cloud storage that comes 'free' is helpful. Its not like you are recording round the clock like wired on premise cameras. These cameras are meant to be accessed anywhere and allow you to view recordings anywhere. That's why they're best suited to security roles. While I trust a netgear more than other no-name brands of cameras, I still have an inherit distrust of 'cloud connected' cameras that will probably follow me for a long time.
I really do like many of the features. The hardware is good when it works, but I've had a few reliability issues I haven't even had time to really resolve. I like it when a product just works - one of my cameras does just that, I just wish both would. I was really excited about this product, but honestly it's just 'ok'. I love the wireless concept, but I really the reliability and maturity of wired makes me feel good about pulling all that cat 5 cable. I realize that's not an effort everyone can or will make, so I'd consider these cameras seriously for certain use cases.
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Revive your Apple Watch conveniently with this Belkin Valet Charger power pack. A single charge of its 6700 mAh battery refuels a watch up to eight times, and an embedded smart chip detects connected devices for automatic wireless charging. This Belkin Valet Charger power pack includes a USB port for simultaneously charging additional devices.
Customer Rating
5
Great Portable Charger for the Road
on January 1, 2017
Posted by: aarondr
from Richmond, VA
The Belkin Portable Power Pack is a simple but powerful (hehe - get it?) product. It’s a great way to charge your iPhone and Apple Watch while on the road. One of the biggest pains I’ve had with the Apple Watch is that it’s charger is not the most convenient to take on the road. I use a bedside TPU dock for the watch, which makes it even more of a pain to ‘pack’ the cable. Couple that with stupid expensive replacement chargers, I have no desire to ever move the cable from its secure home. This is where the Belkin charger comes in and works great! I’ve found that I can charge it during the day with a simple micro-usb and 1amp wall wart USB charger, and then it can effectively refill my iPhone and Apple Watch from the high 20% power range to full without fully emptying itself. This is great, since I can usually pull 2 days of moderate use from that amount of power.
On the road this is a great device. It’s compact, fits great into a grid-it, and matches the aluminum finish of other Apple products. It weight is distributed away from where the Apple Watch charges. This is a great feature, as I use loop bands on my Apple Watch. I’m able to balance the device on the edge of a table and charge the watch without removing my band. If you have a sport or leather band, this won’t be an issue, but the design either intentionally or unintentionally allows you hang the Apple Watch charging portion over an edge. You could always just remove the watch band if you’re too worried about it falling.
The device has a 4-led charge level indicator that is trigger as a button. This is handy, and it helps to know where the charge level is at. In my usage I don’t really need it (I cycle almost all the way down when I use it, as I charge both device from a low-power state), but it’s helpful to know what the status is in case it sits in my bag for a few weeks (which it’s too new for that, but I haven’t seen it lose much charge sitting around for a few days).
I haven’t timed recharges on the device, as I don’t go through power on either the watch or phone fast enough, but it appears to charge the iPhone about as fast as a 1-amp charger, while simultaneously charging the Apple Watch (again about as fast as the out of the box charger).
The only cons I can think of are that the MicroUSB cable that comes out of the box isn’t that long, nor is there a wall charger for it. You either use your Apple or other USB charger to charge it. Also you need your own lightning cable to charge the iPhone. I would have loved to see a full complement of cables for the price.
All in all I think it’s a great product. It’s worked its way into my grid-it for my travel needs. With my usage patterns I could conceivably make it through an entire week starting from a full charge with this and a lightning cable. I definitely recommend this charger!
My Best Buy number: 0741131094
I would recommend this to a friend!
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aarondr's Review Comments
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Tablet: The new Surface Pro 3 is in a category of its own. With a stunning 12" display in a sleek magnesium frame, Surface Pro 3 has all the power and performance of a laptop in an incredibly lightweight, versatile form. It may just be the ultimate device.
Overall3 out of 5
3 out of 5STILL NO NATIVE MKV PLAYBACK???
By worknstiff
from NC
Why can't surface pro 3 play mkv's? I really wanted to like the Surface Pro 2 and now especially the new Surface Pro 3's bigger screen and higher resolution. I like that it is a laptop replacement and also can be used as a tablet, but without native MKV support I can't see it replacing my Samsung tablet anytime soon. What a shame that you have all this computing power and still can't watch HD video's on this excellent HD screen. Why is Microsoft so adverse to making this the "PERFECT" multimedia consumption device, especially since all the lower price tablets (using MX Pro Video Player) seem to handle 1080p mkv's with DTS audio and subtitles just fine. I guess Microsoft doesn't want my money, SIGH.
aarondr
Richmond, VA
Uh...
July 8, 2014
MKV is a container format. VLC or other apps can play those natively (just download from the marketplace). You can also install codec packs that will bring support to windows media player. Any Windows machine can do it, but for legal reasons they don't include the codecs. Android gets away with it since it's GPL2 to start with (meaning all the open source codecs that are GPL2 can be included without infringing on FSF license. MS on the other hand would have to open source all of windows to distribute GPL based codecs).
+4points
4of 4voted this comment as helpful.
This NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB GDDR5 graphics card features multiple NVIDIA technologies, including CUDA and G-Sync, that ensure lush, realistic gaming visuals. NVIDIA SHIELD and GameStream allow you to stream portable and PC games.
Overall
2 out of 5
2 out of 5good gpu but false info. spec.
By kojisan
from nevada
i originally bought this card because of the 4GB memory and future 4k display usage but after having this for a month. the performance is very good, low wattage, low fan noise, led custom and heavy on weight. over all, i don't see a 4GB usage on this gpu in the future and nvidia gave a real spec. of a gpu memory of a 195GBPs on 3.5 and 20GBPS on 0.5 memory.
my setup is
-amd fx 6100
-samsung SSD 120
-wd 250 HDD
-2x wd 2TB HDD
-gtx 970
-seasonic 520W
my setup is
-amd fx 6100
-samsung SSD 120
-wd 250 HDD
-2x wd 2TB HDD
-gtx 970
-seasonic 520W
aarondr
Richmond, VA
February 5, 2015
I agree that the specs sent to reviewers were false. I'd even agree that Nvidia knew about this probably since the first public reviews went out (if I'm an engineer, I'm reading reviews of my work - and noticing the incorrect specs - hopefully sounding the alarm). But to be fair, the specs (save arguably the memory bandwidth) are accurate on the product page and always have been. The fewer ROPs, smaller L2 cache, and segmented memory all suck compared to the press reviews, but there's nothing on the product box or product page that's false here.
-1point
0of 1voted this comment as helpful.
Power your home theater with this Insignia™ NS-SB515 2.1-channel soundbar, which features Bluetooth technology for easy wireless streaming. The 6.5" subwoofer produces quality low-end sound to enhance your favorite films.
Overall2 out of 5
2 out of 5Good Sound, Poor Execution for the Price
By aarondr
from Richmond, VA
* Packaging
Unlike many sound bars, the box is actually a rectangular cuboid. The packaging is secure and quite nice. Everything is wrapped in standard plastic and the larger items in a foam padding. The package itself was surprisingly light considering its size. Expect this to arrive in great shape if you are having this shipped.
Unlike many sound bars, the box is actually a rectangular cuboid. The packaging is secure and quite nice. Everything is wrapped in standard plastic and the larger items in a foam padding. The package itself was surprisingly light considering its size. Expect this to arrive in great shape if you are having this shipped.
* Setup
Setup was really easy. Just plug all the included cables in the holes that fit and you’re pretty much done. The subwoofer paired automatically and the included RCA cables will get most people running in no time. A RCA to 3.5mm phono adapter adds the ability to plug in your phone or tablet directly to the RCA inputs, which is a handy addition. No optical cable was provided even though this unit features it, so that's a negative in my book.
Setup was really easy. Just plug all the included cables in the holes that fit and you’re pretty much done. The subwoofer paired automatically and the included RCA cables will get most people running in no time. A RCA to 3.5mm phono adapter adds the ability to plug in your phone or tablet directly to the RCA inputs, which is a handy addition. No optical cable was provided even though this unit features it, so that's a negative in my book.
* Build Quality
The main devices (bar and subwoofer) are not regular cuboid shapes, but rather both are tapered and the soundbar is chamfered on the front ends. For the sound bar, the exterior is a matte plastic with glossy plastic ends and a rubberish material over the buttons found on the left side. The speaker grill is covered in standard cloth, and is removable (see pictures in the video). The stereo speakers are acoustically suspended and seem to be made of paper with foam surrounds and shiny plastic dust covers. They measure in at 5.75” x 1.25” in size and are rectangular in shape. In the middle is a multi-function LED and IR receiver eye.
The main devices (bar and subwoofer) are not regular cuboid shapes, but rather both are tapered and the soundbar is chamfered on the front ends. For the sound bar, the exterior is a matte plastic with glossy plastic ends and a rubberish material over the buttons found on the left side. The speaker grill is covered in standard cloth, and is removable (see pictures in the video). The stereo speakers are acoustically suspended and seem to be made of paper with foam surrounds and shiny plastic dust covers. They measure in at 5.75” x 1.25” in size and are rectangular in shape. In the middle is a multi-function LED and IR receiver eye.
The subwoofer is also made of plastic of the matte texture variety. The back of the device has an amplifier section made of steel with no adjustments to be made, just an LED light and pair button in case it gets disconnected from the soundbar. A 120v power cord is the only protruding item. On the bottom can be found a 6.5” ported subwoofer. While 6.5” is on the small size for a subwoofer, the driver appears to be made from quality materials. A rubber surround and relatively tough cone material are used, which is good considering there is no protection for the driver. There are four feet on the bottom which provide separation from the floor and allow the subwoofer’s port to breath. The feet here are similar in texture to the soundbar only thicker, helping to isolate the subwoofer and prevent unwanted vibrations. Removing the driver reveals a decently sized magnet and room for excursion. Inside the cabinet a short board of MDF appears to be bracing the enclosure. This design touch may be to prevent plastic rattling common to plastic enclosure subwoofers. The sub unit weighs in at 8lb 2.5oz, and I’d say subjectively that more than half that weight is the driver itself.
* Sound
The soundbar itself is rated at a total power output of 15W a channel and the subwoofer at 30W. As far as estimates go, I’d say they are pretty close to reality. 60W total power @ 1%THD doesn’t sound like a lot, but it does the job and can get loud enough to start to become uncomfortable. I was easily able to hit 90dB at 8ft distance with minimal distortion. Don’t let the numbers fool you, this soundbar can get loud enough for smaller spaces.
The soundbar itself is rated at a total power output of 15W a channel and the subwoofer at 30W. As far as estimates go, I’d say they are pretty close to reality. 60W total power @ 1%THD doesn’t sound like a lot, but it does the job and can get loud enough to start to become uncomfortable. I was easily able to hit 90dB at 8ft distance with minimal distortion. Don’t let the numbers fool you, this soundbar can get loud enough for smaller spaces.
On the remote there are 3 equalizer settings (DSP). The 'Standard' setting, while implying a flat curve, appears to be V shaped as the bass seems over exaggerated. Theater adds a bit of reverb and attempts to create a 3 dimensional soundstage which it accomplishes to a varying degree. The sound in this mode tends to sound like it’s in a tunnel, so personally I’m not a fan. News flattens out the bass and pushes the mids up. I don’t watch a lot of news, but it does emphasize dialog at the expense of other sounds so it might be the way to go for some usage scenarios.
For movies and TV the soundbar does admirably, producing clear vocals and adding quite a bit more depth to the sound than built in TV speakers. It compared favorably to my trusty old HTIB setup for dialog and normal TV/Movie viewing. The subwoofer does get a bit boomy at higher volumes, but generally does a good job considering its size. Again placement is the key. Putting it in a corner significantly increased the perceived output, and placing it near the front of the room caused it to blend naturally with the sound.
* Inputs
The soundbar supports both RCA audio and optical audio. While it supports digital audio through optical connection, it seems a token feature at best. It’s limited to uncompressed PCM 2 channel audio (making it an obvious setup issue born out by the 2 different reminder stickers on the soundbar and no less than 6 reminders in the manual). That said, you may still want to opt to use the RCA inputs for 2 reasons: there is no optical cable in the box, and many TVs can vary the volume of the RCA outputs using the TV volume (for example the Vizio M502b1) which may be more convenient. In back to back comparisons, the Optical input sounded ‘brighter’, but that might just be my TV and the soundbar’s DACs differing.
The soundbar supports both RCA audio and optical audio. While it supports digital audio through optical connection, it seems a token feature at best. It’s limited to uncompressed PCM 2 channel audio (making it an obvious setup issue born out by the 2 different reminder stickers on the soundbar and no less than 6 reminders in the manual). That said, you may still want to opt to use the RCA inputs for 2 reasons: there is no optical cable in the box, and many TVs can vary the volume of the RCA outputs using the TV volume (for example the Vizio M502b1) which may be more convenient. In back to back comparisons, the Optical input sounded ‘brighter’, but that might just be my TV and the soundbar’s DACs differing.
The device supports A2DP bluetooth audio, and the fidelity is of decent quality. I had one or two dropouts when the device was not line of site, but generally it kept a good connection up to the designated 10m distance. Pairing is easy, as the device shows up as ‘NS-SB515 Soundbar’ (heaven help you if you have two of these soundbars). The device ‘remembers’ 8 paired devices and connects to the last previously connected device in range. Connections must be forcibly disconnected to be able to switch devices. If your iPad was the last device connected, and you switch to bluetooth it will connect to it automatically, even though it is sitting on the shelf charging and you really wanted to use your phone. The solution is to get the iPad and disconnect or turn off bluetooth. So much for wireless convenience.
* Remote and other thoughts
The remote is a credit card style with buttons nearly as thick as the remote itself. The larger buttons aren’t stabilized very well and thus don’t pick up every press consistently. Their overall thickness makes it more awkward than most. The use of a CR2025 button cell is startling. While thinner, they are more expensive, harder to come by, and put out much less power than standard AAA batteries. This bears out in usage, as the remote is hit or miss from 9’, which is a byproduct of the poor IR transmitter and button activation.
The remote is a credit card style with buttons nearly as thick as the remote itself. The larger buttons aren’t stabilized very well and thus don’t pick up every press consistently. Their overall thickness makes it more awkward than most. The use of a CR2025 button cell is startling. While thinner, they are more expensive, harder to come by, and put out much less power than standard AAA batteries. This bears out in usage, as the remote is hit or miss from 9’, which is a byproduct of the poor IR transmitter and button activation.
Call me picky, but the remote has about 7 too many buttons on it and adds yet another IR remote to the living room stack. Subwoofer volume is separately adjustable, and each DSP and input is available at one button press. While this is nice, the primary functionality of the remote will be to turn on/off and change the overall volume. Since this device has only an RGB indicator LED the remote must have these extra buttons to make everything ‘directly’ accessible. Not sure if it’s on Optical Audio input? “Press the button just to make sure”. Is the sub all the way up? “Don’t know push the up button 10 times just to make sure.” The volume keys are conveniently placed on the left side and thus easily used by a right hander. However, oftentimes I would find the sound bar missing my button presses or conversely detecting one press as two and step the volume up 2 steps. If you integrate this into your entertainment center and you don’t already have a universal remote, you’ll most likely want to invest in one to simplify things.
On the positive side, ambient power usage is really quite under control. My power meter read a pretty steady 4 watts idle on the soundbar and less than a half a watt on the subwoofer while idle. This means leaving this on all the time is an option (again, I’m trying to outsource remote control to the TV).
The LED is multi-function using all three of its primary colors. Solid red indicates the device is in standby mode. Press the power button, and it turns green for exactly 10 seconds before turning off. Press any function button or source button other than bluetooth and the led will flicker red indicating it is receiving the command. Press the bluetooth button the LED will flash blue until it connects and then it turns solid. Everything here is basic, but functional. That is until my unit developed an issue with its LED. About 36 hours after initially plugging it in, with most of its time on standby, the red LED ceased to function and the green LED stuck in an on state regaradless if the unit is on or off. At this point the LED ceased to function as an indicator, and became more of an annoyance. I contacted Insignia support and was promised an answer within 48 hours. I did hear back in about 8 hours with a very polite reply. One advantage of the Insignia brand is that since they are exclusive to Best Buy their warranty service is handled through Best Buy’s geek squad, so you have real human beings to work with. Again, I don’t want to be too harsh here, because bad units exist in every level of manufacturing, and hopefully my review unit was the exception, not the rule.
* Conclusion
At this MSRP I feel as though Insignia doesn’t have much to offer. On a sale around half that MSRP, it might be worth it for a secondary TV room, dorm, or smaller living room. It will beat built-in speakers on most flat panels any day, offering quite a bit more bass and depth, and great flexibility in installation and placement. For normal TV listening this is definitely an upgrade but for the price other manufacturers offer more all around and the potential inconveniences of the design prevent this from getting my recommendation.
At this MSRP I feel as though Insignia doesn’t have much to offer. On a sale around half that MSRP, it might be worth it for a secondary TV room, dorm, or smaller living room. It will beat built-in speakers on most flat panels any day, offering quite a bit more bass and depth, and great flexibility in installation and placement. For normal TV listening this is definitely an upgrade but for the price other manufacturers offer more all around and the potential inconveniences of the design prevent this from getting my recommendation.
aarondr
Richmond, VA
Full Review Here
November 20, 2015
I had to abbreviate my review to fit into the length requirements of Best Buy's review platform. Here is the full unabridged: http://aaronromine.tumblr.com/post/133564337421/bb-tech-insider-network-and-the-ns-sb515
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
Choose this Sony television with Android TV for an immersive audio and video experience. Its 4K Processor X1 brings stunning Ultra HD to your home so you can enjoy crystal-clear images in spectacular color. Every frame is automatically upgraded to 4K quality by this Sony television with Android TV, complete with automatic contrast adjustment for lifelike detail.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5AWESOME TV
By Greg
This TV is awesome, 4K 120GHZ REFRESH RATE. Have connected my XBOX ONE as well as my iMac 5K and it performs awesome. Smart TV includes netflix, youtube, and many other apps. EXTREMELY THIN!!! very worth the price! LOVE IT.
DEFINETELY RECOMMEND
aarondr
Richmond, VA
August 3, 2016
The refresh rate of this model is 60Hz not 120GHz (that's like crazy high, I think you mean 120Hz). Just like the native 120Hz TVs they market as XR960.
+2points
2of 2voted this comment as helpful.
Enjoy a compact tablet that fits neatly in your pocket with this Acer Iconia One 8-inch tablet. It includes a quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM that deliver powerful processing to play all your games and apps, and the 16GB of flash memory ensure this Acer Iconia One 8-inch tablet and store your files.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Solid Tablets for the Price
By aarondr
from Richmond, VA
I received a 8" for my review for TIN, so my review is reflective more of the 8" device than the 10", however I did get a chance to play with the 10" in store for a bit, so I'll keep the review kind of high level. Essentially the device is a great google tablet. You get the play store, some junk icons on the homepage, but the cruft is kept to a minimum. So if you're experience is nexus devices, you'll feel at home at this device. You can even debloat it for the most part. The screen is lower resolution than some tablets in the past, but it's acceptable and gives the tablet's CPU/GPU a bit of wiggle room. Even with only 1GB of ram on the 8" model, I did not experience any slow downs in everyday browsing. Be certain you are not buying a premium device here - that said it's build quality is excellent, and I'd put it a notch above Amazon devices when it comes to overall software experience. I really enjoyed my 8" and I'm certain the 10" with it's larger RAM and Storage would be a great edition for those entrenched in Google's ecosystem.
aarondr
Richmond, VA
October 10, 2016
Yes, since it runs lollipop - that feature is out of the box w/ Android
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
Enjoy immersive sound with these Bluetooth Sony EXTRA BASS over-ear headphones. The presets let you choose between arena, club, hall and outdoor stage sound, and the noise-canceling technology lets you block out the world while you listen to tunes. Listen wirelessly for up to 18 hours with these Sony EXTRA BASS over-ear headphones.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Incredible bass, but don't forget the mids & highs
By lambda100
The Sony MDR-XB950B1 is the latest update to the company's Extra Bass headphones replacing the original MDR-XB950BT headphones. The XB950B1 looks nearly identical to the original XB950BT and both weigh the same. (I happen to also own the XB950BT). The left ear cup has the power button, micro usb power connection, audio cord input, microphone, and the bass button which on the current generation is re-labeled as “bass effect” to highlight the ability for the user to adjust the bass settings on a scale of -10 to +10 using Sony's Headphones Connect app. The right ear cup has the volume control +/- button and the skip forward/reverse, play/pause/answer phone button.
The MDR-XB950B1 is an over-the-ear headphone with very thick, soft, and comfortable earpads. I wear eyeglasses and the headphones do not press my frames unduly against my ears. I was able to wear the headphones for hours without discomfort. The metal headband is also well padded and did not feel heavy over my head. The headphones appear to have very good build quality and stretches well to accommodate various head sizes.
Now onto why you're really here... my thoughts on the highly subjective sound quality. These headphones by their very nature, were tuned by the Sony audio engineers to not only emphasize the bass at their default settings right out of the box, but to kick it up a notch to knock you senseless when it's turned up. Audiophiles will hate the sound signature for its total irreverence for how the song was meant to be heard in the studio. Those who own the original XB950BT will recall the nearly identical sound signature which is deep bass with some mids, and muffled highs which don't seem to break through. However, I noticed in my testing of the XB950B1 that the vocals/mids were a little cleaner and that some of the highs did come through ever so slightly better.
As I mentioned above, the way they are tuned from the factory, these headphones are not for the user who demands balance in the audio experience. They were clearly aimed at those who enjoy bass and a lot of it. Those who are seeking the well balanced sound spectrum with crisp highs and mids will be disappointed at first pass with these headphones, until they use an equalizer app to fine tune the higher end frequencies to bring out the highs which these headphones are very capable of and will reward you for doing so. I admit that I was initially dismayed by the lack of clear mids and clean trebles, but I started adjusting the equalizers and virtualizations that brought these headphones to life. Sony also acknowledges that some of us want more punchy bass and others want less by introducing the Sony Headphones Connect app which is available for free download from the Google or Apple app stores to allow users to adjust the level of bass to suit their musical tastes. The ability to adjust the bass from -10 to +10 is a welcome feature, and is the primary distinguishing feature between this second generation XB950B1 and the original XB950BT which only had a “bass boost” that went from extra bass to an insane amount of bass with no settings in between. Now that Sony has included the bass adjustment as an app, it should appease those on either side of the bass spectrum. The +10 bass setting will make the bass sound silly crazy out of this world, and the -10 setting will mellow the bass out a bit and bring you back down to earth. Additionally, the Headphone Connect app also allows users to select presets for outdoor stage, club, hall, or arena-style sound settings. I tried the different presets. They sounded okay, but I prefer to make my adjustments on a third party equalizer app.
Here are some other things to take note of. I really wished Sony included a case to store the headphones. The headphones are bulky and the earcups only turn so that the headphones lay flat. Sony should have also designed the earcups to be foldable (like for the MDR-XB950N1) so that they can be easier to store and transport. The battery life is very good, lasting 18 hrs, which is the same as the original XB950BT. This latest iteration (XB950B1) of the headphones does not suffer from the faint, but audible rumbling/hissing noise that can be heard at low volumes that was found in the first generation XB950BT. This is a great improvement as I found the hissing noise be to very annoying. Finally, these are neither noise canceling headphones nor noise isolating. Don't let the thick padded ear cushions fool you into believing that they will eliminate any ambient noise. With no music playing, you will still hear your surrounding, albeit a little bit muffled.
So in summary, for those looking to upgrade from the original XB950BT to the current XB950B1, the only real change is the freedom to make adjustments the bass via the Sony Headphone Connect app. The sound is very similar between the two. For those those who love bass, these headphones are for you! For those who are seeking their first purchase in the Sony Extra Bass line up, the XB950B1 is a superb choice since the bluetooth connection allows you to lose the wires and the app allows easy adjustment to the bass. And finally for those who are wary that the sound signature is too heavily tuned toward the low end frequencies will be reassured to know that the highs and mids will come through with proper tuning with an equalizer app. I highly recommend these headphones!
aarondr
Richmond, VA
March 30, 2017
I really enjoyed your review, and had many of the same points. I still can't believe that setting the app to -10 actually makes these headphones sound more 'normal'. I'll try adjusting the equalizer a bit as you suggest. Thanks!
+3points
3of 3voted this comment as helpful.
aarondr's Questions
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This Element 27" FHD 1080P LED Frameless Monitor provides simple connectivity to get straight to work. Whether you're adding to your current work from home set-up or purchasing a new monitor to stay in touch with loved ones, this full HD monitor will do the trick. This Element monitor offers a 1080P, full high-definition screen for a clear, vivid picture. Whether you're watching videos, video chatting, or playing basic games you'll find this full HD monitor provides a crisp viewing experience. Element's frameless monitor screens enable your monitor to blend in with your decor for a clean aesthetic. The thin bezel allows for a full-screen experience. Expand your view and get more done by adding a second or third monitor to your office set-up with easy HDMI and VGA connectivity. *No built-in speakers
does it have a camera
Wow... I wish more monitors did, but sadly since the death of the Apple Thunderbolt display, camera's in monitors are are rarity. Definitely not in this monitor.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
This Element 27" FHD 1080P LED Frameless Monitor provides simple connectivity to get straight to work. Whether you're adding to your current work from home set-up or purchasing a new monitor to stay in touch with loved ones, this full HD monitor will do the trick. This Element monitor offers a 1080P, full high-definition screen for a clear, vivid picture. Whether you're watching videos, video chatting, or playing basic games you'll find this full HD monitor provides a crisp viewing experience. Element's frameless monitor screens enable your monitor to blend in with your decor for a clean aesthetic. The thin bezel allows for a full-screen experience. Expand your view and get more done by adding a second or third monitor to your office set-up with easy HDMI and VGA connectivity. *No built-in speakers
What kind of ports are on this monitor?
VGA and HDMI one of each. Disappointing really. Give me dual HDMI with 3.5mm headphone jack out or death!
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
This Element 27" FHD 1080P LED Frameless Monitor provides simple connectivity to get straight to work. Whether you're adding to your current work from home set-up or purchasing a new monitor to stay in touch with loved ones, this full HD monitor will do the trick. This Element monitor offers a 1080P, full high-definition screen for a clear, vivid picture. Whether you're watching videos, video chatting, or playing basic games you'll find this full HD monitor provides a crisp viewing experience. Element's frameless monitor screens enable your monitor to blend in with your decor for a clean aesthetic. The thin bezel allows for a full-screen experience. Expand your view and get more done by adding a second or third monitor to your office set-up with easy HDMI and VGA connectivity. *No built-in speakers
What is the desktop resolution and refresh rate?
1920x1080@75Hz. You may need to push it to 75Hz in windows advanced display settings, but it works with no frame skipping
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
This Element 27" FHD 1080P LED Frameless Monitor provides simple connectivity to get straight to work. Whether you're adding to your current work from home set-up or purchasing a new monitor to stay in touch with loved ones, this full HD monitor will do the trick. This Element monitor offers a 1080P, full high-definition screen for a clear, vivid picture. Whether you're watching videos, video chatting, or playing basic games you'll find this full HD monitor provides a crisp viewing experience. Element's frameless monitor screens enable your monitor to blend in with your decor for a clean aesthetic. The thin bezel allows for a full-screen experience. Expand your view and get more done by adding a second or third monitor to your office set-up with easy HDMI and VGA connectivity. *No built-in speakers
Does it come with a built in speakers?
Negative. No speaker or sound output (like a headphone jack)
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
Soundcore Frames can change the way you view sound. Using Bluetooth, you can listen to music/take calls-all from your sunglasses. With interchangeable frames, polarized lens, and IPX4 rating, Soundcore frames are the perfect surround-sound glasses for your life.
Hello do you halve to charge both arms or just 1. Or is the frame the battery. And so there 4 you would charge the frame.
The arms are basically each separate ‘true wireless’ earbuds - each with their own battery. You charge both arms with the included magnetic charger which connects to both while they are folded in towards the frame. The frames themselves are just style, and thus relatively cheap (you can buy separate frames from Anker for $50).
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
Soundcore Frames can change the way you view sound. Using Bluetooth, you can listen to music/take calls-all from your sunglasses. With interchangeable frames, polarized lens, and IPX4 rating, Soundcore frames are the perfect surround-sound glasses for your life.
Are these frames polarized?
Definitely. I know this because I cannot see my work computer screen at all unless I tilt my head. Why am I trying to wear sunglasses to look at a monitor? Cause these make you that cool.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
Open two screens and discover limitless possibilities for apps, email, meetings, and calls that never leaves your side. Now with lightning-fast 5G,³ optimized audio in every mode, and new dynamic triple lens camera to capture, edit, and share moments. More than a phone, new dual-screen experiences for Microsoft 365 await, plus Xbox gaming, streaming, and every Android™ app in the Google Play store.¹
can you make or take phone calls without having to open the giant screen? can you do ANYTHING without opening the screen all the way? it looks like you cant do a thing without it being completely open..seems crazy, especially with small hands
Yeah, you need to open it to do anything useful. You can use hands free to answer calls, etc. I'd recommend a Wear OS device (smart watch) to bridge the gap as this phone isn't super fast to check notifications or a quick photo/post. Its definitely got a focus on productivity when the screens are open, which is cool, but it makes it less than practical for most use cases. You really have to want this dual screen form factor. Past that it's immensely useful.
You can use the phone as a very very very expensive flashlight without opening it by double tapping the power button. So you can so SOMETHING without opening the screen :-). Maybe not that useful, but it's something right? haha
You can use the phone as a very very very expensive flashlight without opening it by double tapping the power button. So you can so SOMETHING without opening the screen :-). Maybe not that useful, but it's something right? haha
2 years, 5 months ago
by
aarondr
An elegant, all-weather streaming sound system that blends in with the natural landscape of outdoor spaces. Six satellite speakers and one in-ground subwoofer provide precision performance and even, balanced coverage, allowing for optimal music enjoyment that seemingly emanates from the surrounding landscape.
Is the Mag 4.1 and 6.1 identical in every respect except the 2 extra speakers? I.e. Is the amp identical? Are the speakers identical except for quantity? Is the subwoofer identical?
I believe every thing is identical except the MAG 4.1 has a XPRESS Audio Keypad, which is a $70 part. I'd rather have the 6 speakers personally given the price, but to each their own.
3 years, 2 months ago
by
aarondr
The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ is a cordless handheld vacuum designed for powerful suction. It comes with a motorized self-cleaning Pet Power Brush that eliminates hair wrap, a lithium-ion battery, CleanTouch dirt ejector, and more, at only 2.8 lbs.
would this have the suction power to work well on a computer keyboard? some vacuums don't have the power to get deep into the keyboard. Thanks
Dust on keyboards is tricky. Suction - this would do fine. But channeling that suction and getting the appropriate ‘scrubbing’ bristles to get it moving is the challenge. The scrubbing attachment found here is pretty short - so if we’re talking about a laptop keyboard, maybe. Otherwise I’d recommend looking at something with the appropriate nozzle sizes. There are a lot of cheap options on amazon, but also Shark has sold attachment sets for its other standard upright vacuums in the past with hoses, and detail nozzles/brushes. Unfortunately those won’t work with this nozzle design, but if you have another shark vacuum search for “Shark Micro vacuum accessory kit” and you should be able to find a kit that will give you a small hose and detail brushes.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
aarondr
The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ is a cordless handheld vacuum designed for powerful suction. It comes with a motorized self-cleaning Pet Power Brush that eliminates hair wrap, a lithium-ion battery, CleanTouch dirt ejector, and more, at only 2.8 lbs.