Listening rabbi low

he Bb'&'W CDM NT1’s are really a great bookshelf speaker. In addition to stereo music, I use them for main speaker in my home theater setup. They excel at bringing the “real” music out of any source. When I first heard them at the store, some of the music sampled sounded very harsh. I noticed that some of the CD material that they let me sample was copied on CD and probably low quality MP3’s. I brought in my copy of Liquid Tension Experiment and let the place listen to “Osmosis”. There were about 10 people in the store that stopped what they were doing and came over to listen. It sounded that good. From that point, I was sold. The same harsh sound that I experienced at the store was brought home when listening to average recorded material. Above average recorded material cannot sound better. I do have a Sub so that really does make a huge different on the lower end, as the NT’s do miss the really low freq. Sorry, I did not take a measurement, but I’ve seen some written up by HT Mag and you can also find them on the Bb'&'W Web site. My amp does not do these speakers any justice. The Onkyo TX-DS797 is a really good, low priced HT pre/post, but you will definately benifit from upgrading or getting an amp to post process any stereo material. Surround material still sounds great with the CDM’s if you enjoy listening to Orchestra, etc. These speakers have been in my possesion for 1 year. Listen to mostly Rock/Soft Rock, but classical and jazz are simply unbelievable on these babies. For home theater, these speakers sound sweet for mains. You will definately need a sub to hit the real lows for Movies. Pros: If you only have space for bookshelves, these speakers cannot be beat musically or otherwise. The tweeter is exceptional.

The Bb'&'W CDM NT1’s are really a great bookshelf speaker. In addition to stereo music, I use them for main speaker in my home theater setup. They excel at bringing the “real” music out of any source. When I first heard them at the store, some of the music sampled sounded very harsh. I noticed that some of the CD material that they let me sample was copied on CD and probably low quality MP3’s. I brought in my copy of Liquid Tension Experiment and let the place listen to “Osmosis”. There were about 10 people in the store that stopped what they were doing and came over to listen. It sounded that good. From that point, I was sold. The same harsh sound that I experienced at the store was brought home when listening to average recorded material. Above average recorded material cannot sound better. I do have a Sub so that really does make a huge different on the lower end, as the NT’s do miss the really low freq. Sorry, I did not take a measurement, but I’ve seen some written up by HT Mag and you can also find them on the Bb'&'W Web site. My amp does not do these speakers any justice. The Onkyo TX-DS797 is a really good, low priced HT pre/post, but you will definately benifit from upgrading or getting an amp to post process any stereo material. Surround material still sounds great with the CDM’s if you enjoy listening to Orchestra, etc. These speakers have been in my possesion for 1 year. Listen to mostly Rock/Soft Rock, but classical and jazz are simply unbelievable on these babies. For home theater, these speakers sound sweet for mains. You will definately need a sub to hit the real lows for Movies. Pros: If you only have space for bookshelves, these speakers cannot be beat musically or otherwise. The tweeter is exceptional.

Air pods max reimagines over ear headphones with advanced technology and superior design featuring an apple designed dynamic driver, these headphones deliver immersive high fidelity audio every detail, from the canopy to the cushions, is crafted for an exceptional fit industry leading active noise cancellation (a n c) blocks outside noise, while transparency mode allows ambient sounds in spatial audio with dynamic head tracking offers a cinema like sound that surrounds you features high fidelity audio: apple designed dynamic driver active noise cancellation: blocks outside noise for an immersive experience transparency mode: allows you to hear and interact with the environment spatial audio: dynamic head tracking for cinema like surround sound computational audio: custom acoustic design combined with the apple h1 chip and advanced software exceptional fit: knitted mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions seamless experience: effortless setup, on head detection, and seamless device switching audio sharing: easily share audio between two sets of air pods on apple devices long battery life: up to 20 hours of listening, film watching, or talk time with a n c and spatial audio enabled smart case: ultra low power mode to preserve battery charge compatibility: various apple devices including i phone, i pad, and apple t v specifications controls digital crown: turn for volume control, press once to play pause answer calls, press twice to skip forward, press three times to skip back, press and hold for siri noise control button: switch between active noise cancellation and transparency mode battery air pods max: up to 20 hours of listening, movie playback, or talk time on a single charge with a n c or transparency mode enabled charging: 5 minutes of charge provides around 1 5 hours of listening time charging connector: lightning audio driver: apple designed dynamic driver features: active noise cancellation, transparency mode, adaptive e q, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking sensors optical sensor (each ear cup) position sensor (each ear cup) case detect sensor (each ear cup) accelerometer (each ear cup) gyroscope (left ear cup) wireless: bluetooth 5 0 size and weight dimensions: height: 187 3 mm, length: 168 6 mm, width: 83 4 mm weight: 384 8 g smart case weight: 34 5 g package contents air pods max smart case lightning to u s b c cable documentation 12months warranty

What’s not to like about this cute little bit of kit? iFi’s new ZEN Stream is a small streamer designed to be partnered with any USB DAC – such as the company’s own ZEN DAC V2, more of which later. It is uniquely flexible for its £399 price, allowing direct connection to services such as Spotify Connect, Qobuz and Tidal Connect (with decoding of MQA mastered material), UPnP, AirPlay, and Roon, via the matching app. It is compatible with a wide range of audio formats up to 384kHz PCM and DSD256, and its open-source architecture means that more functionality is promised via future firmware updates. A series of coloured LEDs indicate the sampling rate and format in use, but lack of space precludes visual display of your album artwork. It’s powered by an external plug-top 9V DC power supply, and there are dual USB sockets plus a S/PDIF coaxial RCA output. If partnered with a ZEN DAC V2, it powers the latter via its USB socket, and iFi supplies the correct USB cable. The ZEN Stream is designed to work with any USB DAC, which is great because you don’t have to commit to another DAC when you buy this streamer. For example, many people have their specific favourites that they’ve built their systems around and don’t want to change them. b'/xc2/xa0' I also tried iFi’s matching £299 ZEN DAC V2 (pictured directly above and below) running its latest firmware during this review. It’s a compact 32-bit desktop design, built to partner USB sources, so there is no S/PIDF coaxial or optical TOSLINK optical input. Although usable as part of a hi-fi system, it’s very much aimed at headphone users wanting a high-quality DAC/headphone amp at a keen price. Both 6.3mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced Pentaconn headphone sockets can be found on the front panel, plus a balanced 4.4mm line output round the back. A standard set of unbalanced RCA audio outputs is fitted, with a switch to toggle between fixed and variable operation. The former seems to sound slightly better than the variable and is around 3dB louder too. There’s a Power Match option for headphone users to optimise output for IEM and over-ear headphones, plus a TrueBass feature to boost the bass performance for a more even response between high and low frequencies. TrueBass only affects the headphone outputs. b'/xc2/xa0' I found a small but noticeable difference in sound quality between the high and low Power Match options, by the way. The higher gain option sounds sharper and more immediate. When I increased the volume level on the lower gain setting, it sounded smoother and less immediate. Headphone power output is claimed to be 280mW (unbalanced) or 380mW (balanced) into headphones with an impedance of 120 to 600 ohms. Even using some old low-efficiency AKG K340s, I could achieve fairly high volume levels with the volume around the 2 o’clock setting. Both these iFi products run fairly cool. The streamer gets mildly warm to the touch after an hour or so, but the DAC doesn’t, even when powering headphones at fairly high volume levels. There’s no on/off switch, which suggests the items might be meant to be left powered-up. The ZEN DAC V2 is powered from 5V DC, obtained from a USB socket. A power socket is provided, but no external power supply unit is included. Compared to iFi’s original ZEN DAC, the latest V2 features an XMOS 16-core chip rather than an 8-core type; this boosts audio processing power and increases clock speed and memory, the company says. The V2 also has an updated crystal clock offering reduced jitter, it is claimed, plus MQA decoding. Build quality is impressive for the price. The all-metal construction of these units feels solid, and the buttons and controls have a smooth positive feel. The level of finish is good, and the tapered wing-like shape looks attractive and stylish. Top marks here! THE LISTENING My daily streamer is an Auralic Altair G2, which is many times the cost of iFi’s ZEN Stream – but not many times as good. I found the Auralic sounded more subtly delineated, but the improvement in no way reflected the price difference, showing what fine value the iFi is. The Auralic’s sonic superiority was quite noticeable when I first switched between the two, but as is so often the case with hi-fi, this seemed to grow less significant once I’d listened for half an hour or so. To my ears, the ZEN Stream punches way above its weight. b'/xc2/xa0' For example, playing a recent MQA title on TIDAL – an album called Bach; A Strange Beauty – with pianist Simone Dinnerstein – I was impressed by the sheer power and sonority of the recording when streamed through the iFi, which sounded impressively rich. It really was good. Solo piano tracks sounded lucid yet refined and natural. The concerto was marvellous to hear, with full-bodied, weighty strings that had a lovely richness and warmth. Only intending to sample a few minutes, I listened to the end, so involving was the result. On TIDAL, MQA titles generally sounded best. The Decca Solti recording of Wagner ‘s opera Parsifal was wonderfully vibrant. Non-MQA titles sounded good but usually a tad flatter. I then tried the Kubelik Mahler 7 on TIDAL MQA, and it sounded very good – albeit not quite as impressive as the ripped CD. The recording had a tad less depth and fractionally reduced dynamic contrast when streamed, though the results were still close. It’s interesting that a 16-bit, 44.1kHz ripped CD can still stand its ground against hi-res formats, and that happens with pretty much every streamer I’ve heard, not just the ZEN Stream. Bringing the ZEN DAC V2 into the proceedings, and of course, I found it to be no match for the onboard digital converter built into Auralic’s Altair G2. As the latter is way more expensive, so this hardly came as a complete surprise. The Altair G2 offered greater refinement and effortlessness, as you would expect. Streaming Beethoven ‘s Sonata for Violin and Piano Op 96 on ECM with Yuko Shiokawa and Andras Schiff, it had a smooth unforced naturalness that was highly beguiling. The ECM recording is beautifully open and unexaggerated yet detailed and clear. Still, with the iFi pairing, the balance between violin and piano was nicely managed, and both instruments were reproduced superbly. It wasn’t that far behind; you could still listen to it, having heard the Auralic, all the same. b'/xc2/xa0' Trying a quick blast of Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus on headphones through the ZEN DAC V2 and its TrueBass option gave the sound a bit more weight and low-frequency power without sounding boomy or thick. If I were using headphones, I’d engage TrueBass all the time. Some users have complained that the volume control becomes unbalanced at very low settings. I found evidence of this – the left channel cuts out before the right with the control close to zero. But it’s very slight and would only be an issue with very efficient headphones. I usually partner my laptop with a 2014 Shanling H1.1 DAC, but – having been seduced by the choices offered with streaming – I’d largely neglected to listen to my ripped CDs over the last two or three years. Too much to listen to! But, using the laptop with the ZEN DAC V2, I was forcibly reminded how impressive properly ripped CDs could sound. I like to engage the acoustic equalisation option in iTunes, feeling this improves the reproduction of many recordings. The effect is subtle but beneficial. THE VERDICT IFi’s little ZEN Stream streamer is a seriously impressive new streamer, offering great functionality and fine sound in a small package at a low price. Its genius is that it will work with any DAC with a USB connection, which is most these days. Yet it’s also a very pretty picture together with iFi’s own ZEN DAC V2, both visually and sonically. Together they give an engaging and entertaining sound with more detail than you’d expect, plus a lot of operational flexibility in terms of driving headphones. I became rather taken with both of them and reckon they’re both something of a steal – whether you’re looking to use them in your main system or as a desktop or office companion.

I am selling both my silver and black Bang & Olufsen Beolit 17. Price if sold seperate is R9000 nd R16 000 when sold together CONTEMPORARY DESIGN CLASSIC With hugely powerful sound and long battery life, Beolit 17 is the 3rd generation of a classic speaker for the home or on the go. ULTIMATE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER POWER No matter where you place it, Beolit 17 delivers powerful room-filling sound with 240 watts of peak power and 360-degree sound dispersion. Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound ensures you hear the music the way the artists intended it — authentic, clean and detailed. ICONIC DESIGN, MADE TO LAST Beolit 17 is beautifully constructed for years of musical bliss. It features an anodised aluminium grill, authentic full grain leather handle and durable polymer — each carefully selected and crafted to perfection. The result is iconic and lasting design. BATTERY LIFE Long Play, Fast Charge Let go of your low battery anxiety. Beolit 17 gives you up to 24 hours of battery life at background listening volumes and up to 4 hours at typical listening volumes from a single charge. Quick recharging is available via a powerful 45W charger. PORTABILITY Premium Power, Suitable Everywhere With powerful, deep sound in a lasting and durable package, Beolit 17 is the ultimate portable Bang & Olufsen sound made for your house and your local park. The elegant leather strap makes transporting the product convenient and easy. SMART FEATURES Customise And Make It Yours Personalise your Beolit 17 to fit your own control preferences. Use the Bang & Olufsen App or the physical ‘connect’ button to activate programmable smart features like launching your favourite playlist or customizing the sound to match your mood with ToneTouch. Make it yours. INCLUDED IN THE BOX Beolit 17 Charging cable Quick Start guide

• PREMIUM WIRELESS STUDIO-QUALITY SOUND: Engineered from decades of professional experience. No cords. No wires. Just pure listening anywhere you go. • ADJUSTABLE NOISE CANCELLING & ENVIRONMENT MODE: Eliminate distractions for a truly immersive listening experience and hear the outside world with the flip of a switch. • BLUETOOTH 5 WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY: Enhanced stability and a range of up to 30 feet (10 meters). Pairs to phones, tablets and laptops. • UP TO 20 HOURS BATTERY LIFE: Uninterrupted audio wherever you go – on the train, on an airplane, at work or at home. • LONG-WEARING COMFORT & DURABILITY: Built to withstand the rigors of the road. Folds flat for portability with protective carrying case. • PREMIUM HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER: Supports multiple codecs including Qualcomm aptX, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency audio, Sony LDAC, AAC, and SBC. • CONNECT TO WIRED SOURCES: Includes 3.5mm analog audio input to stay connected to any device, including airplane entertainment systems, or USB-C digital input for charging and High-Resolution audio. • ShurePlus PLAY APP: Customize your EQ, noise cancellation and Environment Mode levels. Free to download for iOS and Android. • FINGERTIP CONTROLS: Quick access to answer calls, activate voice assistant, adjust volume, or pause your music with the push of a button. • IN THE BOX: Free 2-YEAR WARRANTY included, AONIC 50 Wireless Headphones, protective carrying case, 3.5mm audio cable and a USB-C charging cable.

- Used to pick-up sound in a room- Use with cameras or AV surveillance systems, as a spy listening bugging recording equipment- High-fidelity/Low noise processing chips- Built-in amplifier- Monitoring coverage: 5~50 square meters- Frequency range: 100~5500Hz- Power supply DC 6V~12V General Form Color Silver

- Boost your party anthems with EXTRA BASS™ Enhance every beat and give your party that extra boost thanks to EXTRA BASS™. - Big sound for your favourite tunes Bring your music to life with rich bass and clear, punchy sound. Featuring a stylish, rounded design, along with a hidden passive radiator to enhance low bass frequencies - Just attach the strap and play With the colour-coordinated strap you’re never separated from your favourite tracks. Attach your speaker anywhere – from your handlebars to your handbag. - Music on the move On your desk. In the park. At the basketball court. The SRS-XB01 is small and light enough to take your music wherever you go. - No rain can stop your parade The wireless speaker is IPX5 water-resistant, so you can be sure that even if it rains, the music – and fun – never stops. - Your music at your fingertips Power up, play, pump up the volume - control your music with a touch of the on-speaker buttons. - Up to 6 hours of playback With long-lasting battery life, you can listen to album after album, playlist after playlist. - Playback through audio input No Bluetooth® connection? No problem. You can simply plug your music player into the audio input and hear your favourite tracks. - Hands-free calling Incoming call? Take it hands-free. Switch from listening to music to chatting with friends in an instant.

Specifications: 1. Use of premium sound chips, support 360 degrees high-fidelity surrounded stereo sound, giving you superior music enjoyment at any angle. 2. Equipped with LED ambient light, with colorful lighting, you can freely turn it on and change, the best partner for party. 3. Support Bluetooth-compatible 5.0 function, Internal and extranal microphones, connecting the microphone to the game is more exciting. 4. Built-in a 2400mAh rechargeable battery and USB port, can be easily connected with the USB adaptor, power bank, laptop and other devices for charge. 5. Equipped with good-quaility cyan axis mechanical buttons,instructions are at a touch, sensitive and easy to control the operation,bringing a better operating exprience to your game battlefield. 6. 4 unit stereo impressive sound, 2 sounding units+2low frequency diaphragms, brings precise performance of high, mid, low and full range. Guaranteed sound quality output, listening to the quaditory feast. We are at Shop 43 Frontline between the Postnet & Simply Asia Moffet on Main Lifestyle centre Charlo (Port Elizabeth) Mon to Fri 9:00 to 18:00 Closed Fri from 12:15 to 14:15 Sat 9:00 to 15:00 Sun 9:00 to 14:00 Public holidays 9:00 to 15:00 Debit & Credit cards Accepted