25 Sep
Blog

Fauna Audio Glasses Review: Don’t Sound Great, Hard to Hate

Fauna Audio glasses rating 1

"Even though the audio quality is not up to standard, it is difficult for fauna to suppress the fauna if you look at design and aesthetics."

  • Excellent workmanship

  • Light, comfortable

  • Excellent call quality

  • Lenses can easily be replaced by an optician

  • Thin, deep audio

  • Confusing controls

  • Below average battery life

Optical wearable technology is in a strange place that I think comes from consumers who aren't sure what they are or should be. Google Glass, probably the most famous smart glasses, has failed. In a more focused branch of this type of wearable, Bose – the next biggest name in the segment – is said to have left the audio eyewear market unceremoniously in early 2020, but recently announced several new pairs. The prices and availability of these products have not yet been announced, however, and right now Fauna is one of the few players currently active in the audio glasses game.

The company's product, also known as Fauna, is simple enough: glasses that look good and act as listening devices. However, the biggest hurdle for someone could be asking why Fauna has any number of headphone or earphone options. In addition, at 200 euros at the introductory price (20% less than the full 250 euros) they are not a small investment that can be easily picked up and tried out. People understand the need for earbuds, but are they going to get audio glasses?

Let's take a look at the fauna they want to be and answer whether they are good at it or not.

More than a feeling

From the box to the feeling they have on your head, the fauna is absolutely aesthetic. The orange / pink branding on their website carries over onto the packaging and looks really chic. The same orange / pink is a nice accent on the charging case and the included USB-C cable. The outside of the case is mostly dark green, which looks nice and doesn't attract too much attention.

The glasses fit in nicely, although they are not magnetically attached to the charging pins as expected, as this feature is common on earphones. However, you wouldn't expect your normal reading glasses or sunglasses to be magnetically attached to your suitcase. So why should they be here? From this perspective, Fauna did an excellent job with the design.

From the box to the feeling they have on your head, the fauna is absolutely aesthetic.

Back to packaging: I think the importance of good packaging for electronic devices is often underestimated. The Fauna box experience was spot on with Apple's premium packaging, and I can't think of any higher praise for it.

Fauna Audio glasses rating 10 "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-10-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Fauna Audio glasses rating 8 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-8-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Fauna Audio glasses rating 9 "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-9-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

It should also be mentioned that the packaging was made almost entirely of cardboard and paper, with the exception of small plastic sheets that covered the charging contacts. I like packaging that doesn't contain too much plastic and ends up in a landfill. So it's nice to know that almost all fauna ships can be easily recycled or composted.

To look good

The idea that an everyday object could also cross over and be a listening device sounds fascinating. I like the idea of ​​not needing headphones to enjoy media, and the Fauna really delivers it by packing headphone technology into glasses that are just a little heavier than my prescription glasses.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

With that in mind, it's quite remarkable how light the fauna is. They clearly crammed a lot more into glasses than typical glasses, but when I wear them I don't feel the extra weight. I loved to wear the fauna for a whole day at work and often forgot that I was wearing it at all.

Maybe this is an opinion exclusive to me, but I think the Fauna goggles look great. I would always wear these well. I can see some people thinking that the sides of the glasses look too thick, but I don't particularly mind. I'm a fan of thicker-rimmed glasses initially, and I think the sides don't look obtrusive or bulky. This thickness is also guaranteed because the drivers are housed there together with the touch controls. More on that later.

The fauna really delivers … by packing headphone technology into glasses that are just a little heavier than my prescription glasses.

The Fauna offers four different styles of glasses that cover almost the entire scope of the thick-framed style. I generally like a more angular frame than any other fauna, but I was pleasantly surprised by how I thought they were looking at me. I think their Memor Havana or Levia Black designs do the best job of not making the thick sides of the glasses seem too obvious. The company's Spiro Transparent Brown and Fabula Crystal Brown both have transparent pieces, making the huge opaque blocks on the sides more prominent.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

One of the pairs I rated has a Zeiss blue light filter lens, and this filter makes it easier for my eyes to look at television or computer screens for long periods of time. A second set had the sunglass lens that protects against 99% UVA and UVB light. The quality of the glass is very good in both cases, but if I want I could take it to my optician and have the lenses changed on my prescription.

But how do they sound?

I wish I could keep praising them, but fauna falls short on this one key area – these don't sound very good.

While the Fauna has two MEMs speakers and a dedicated subwoofer over each ear, this implementation of the technology just doesn't result in high quality audio. Despite having six drivers, the quality doesn't match most earbuds with two.

Fauna Audio glasses rating 7 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-7-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Fauna Audio glasses rating 6 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-6-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

They don't sound bad at all, but they lack a lot of depth in the presentation of music, with the bass feeling being particularly underrepresented. The mids are also weaker than I would like, but the lower registers are the main weakness despite the bass support from Fauna via these special subwoofers. The best way to compare the sound would be to see what 2009 laptop speakers sounded like. If, like me, you were listening to music on your standard speakers back then, you will understand what I mean when I say that music is perceived as "thin". There is no robustness for music from the fauna, and I miss that when I hear almost every track.

These don't sound very good.

I will say that the only type of music that will work with this type of audio quality is the very popular “Lofi Hip Hop Music to Relax / Learn” playlist curated by ChilledCow on both YouTube and Spotify . Because these tracks already have low fidelity, they don't ask the fauna to do too much, and that's why I enjoyed this style of music played by the fauna.

You know what it sounds like to sit in a hotel lobby playing soothing, voiceless tracks? This is what my whole life has sounded like wearing the fauna and I have to say it's pretty beautiful. Chill, sure.

Just as you can't hear lobby music as well because it exists in the background of conversations, the fauna doesn't get particularly loud and makes music you play on them almost background noise. I've been running it at maximum volume the whole time and it always feels just a few decibels quieter than I'd like. If they have to compete with other sounds around you, they will drown very easily.

Strangely enough, while they can't make me feel loud, they really do a good job of stopping me from hearing someone trying to speak to me from more than a meter away. Something about how the speakers project sound specifically blocks human vowel sounds and volume. So, if you're planning on working in a coffee shop (someday, right?), Let the pleasant clatter of that hustle and bustle pass through without distracting you from certain conversations.

Basically, wearing Fauna is like using headphones with ambient noise all the time, but at a lower volume and music quality with lower fidelity, with the advantage that glasses are put on at the same time.

When I switch from Fauna to my Jabra Elite 75t or my Sony WF-1000XM3, the difference in quality is painfully obvious. I don't think the fauna ever intended their audio goggles to go head-to-toe with special earbuds, but the sharp difference in quality due to the distinct lack of support for lower registers in the fauna makes it impossible to recommend these as primary Hearing aids through earphones or headphones.

It should also be noted that these are expected to have pretty terrible noise isolation. If someone is sitting next to you, they can hear what you are hearing pretty clearly, especially since the volume is most likely being maximized.

Battery, connectivity and control

Fauna rates the audio glasses for about four hours of non-stop gaming per charge, which isn't great and feels like what we expected from headphones a few years ago. Nowadays, some companies are increasing battery life to eight or even ten hours. Given that fauna has significantly more room to work than earbuds, it's a little surprising to see estimates this low.

In addition, you can only get four full charges out of the case, which means your maximum usage time is only 16 hours per wall charge. Given that glasses are the kind of item you put on in the morning and wear until you go to bed, the low battery power makes it hard to imagine these glasses taking the place of your earbuds or low vision glasses.

After the initial pairing, these audio glasses establish a solid connection to my iPhone (a process that is identical to all other Bluetooth earbuds, where the glasses switch to pairing mode after being removed from the case and via Bluetooth -Menu can be added in your phone settings). I had no issues with cutouts or drips and even walked my entire yard while my phone was still in my kitchen.

The Fauna supports 20 hours per charge of passive connection time, that is, without playing music.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Do not add further to the complaints, but control with the fauna is not great. First, let me explain how the controls work: Any stretch of the sides about three inches long along your temple line has a touch sensitivity with a variety of functions.

Overall, these controls are not intuitive.

Double tap on the left temple answers a call, ends a call, plays music, or pauses music. Tap and hold to reject a call or skip to the next track. Pushing forward decreases the volume and pushing back increases the volume.

Tapping the right temple twice activates the voice assistant on your phone. Tap and hold to put the glasses into pairing mode.

Overall, these controls are not intuitive and in many cases contrast with years of training that other equipment performed prior to them gave me. Making the pause / play action by tapping twice and skipping rather than tap and hold was an odd decision.

Remembering these controls was a challenging learning curve that only applies to the fauna and no other equipment I have tested. Additionally, sliding forward to lower the volume is an extremely confusing decision. Moving a little forward in my head means increasing the volume and moving backward means decreasing the volume. Why the fauna chose to reverse this hard-wired propensity is astounding.

Other properties

The fauna is successful in one audio area: phone calls. Both you and everyone you speak to will have a wonderful experience, provided you don't maximize the volume. You will hear that the other end is not a problem. If you keep the volume at 70% or less, this will also be the case with whom you are speaking. When you set the volume to maximum, the glasses record their own audio signal and give your listener annoying feedback on their own voice.

I mentioned that these weren't particularly loud at first, so turning the volume down may not sound intuitive. However, it works for phone calls. Even walking down a busy street I could have a great phone call with my friend who reported the same thing to me.

The Fauna app adds a function to the audio glasses that goes beyond audio. The fauna has special warning messages called "whistles" to help remind you to do things like drink water or improve your posture. I like the idea, but the implementation is … strange.

Although referred to as a whistle, the actual warning isn't a whistle, but a robotic male voice that can be programmed to say what's in a text box in the app.

For the whistle, the app sends a notification that says "Hey Jaron, it's time to get up and stretch your body." It's a bit unsettling and I wish I could just have a comfortable chime sent to me instead of a robotic voice. You can record a different voice, but hearing myself may be even stranger than the robot.

There aren't a lot of options in the whistles either, but Fauna has a direct link to their developers on the app if you have an idea you'd like to see which is lovely.

I ended up not using this feature because I personally didn't find it helpful, but others may disagree. Still, it's a good idea.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Our opinion

Fauna placed more emphasis on style than audio quality, but maybe that's not all that bad. While they won't blow you away with their sound, they do their job and provide an overall experience that will keep you coming back time and time again. I complained to my wife about one thing or another and asked her, "Then why do you keep wearing them?"

She's right, I wore her for a week. Despite all of its shortcomings, I still like it.

Are there any better alternatives?

As previously mentioned, Bose recently announced a number of new frames options, but there was no indication of pricing or availability. Hence, it is difficult to say whether it is worth doing without it. In addition, Flows makes glasses with similar aesthetics to Fauna at a lower price, so it may be worth considering.

How long will they last?

Fauna grants a two-year guarantee on its audio glasses, which is exceptional for portable audio products. Plus they feel very well built so I don't expect them to just stop working. But don't let them fall. They are still glasses and will definitely act as such.

Should you buy it?

Maybe. I know this isn't a solid answer, but this is the type of product that needs to be the right buyer for it. If audio quality is most important to you, give them a pass. But if you like the idea of ​​having background music in your everyday life in an unobtrusive way, then fauna is a good argument in its own right.

Editor's recommendations




23 Sep
Blog

Garmin Venu Sq Review: Great Health Tracking, Simple Styling

garmin venu sq rating in hand

"This is an excellent health and fitness watch at an affordable price."

  • Reliable and accurate activity tracking

  • Incoming data collection and analysis

  • Simple and lightweight design

  • Support for dozens of workout types

  • Almost a week of battery life

  • $ 50 for music features

  • Touchscreen can be fussy during exercise

  • Limited "intelligent" functions and notifications

You will have a hard time finding someone who doesn't know Garmin, and most of the time you will know the company's extensive range of fitness smartwatches. It has a well-earned reputation for making the highest quality, most accurate watches for runners, bikers, triathletes and every other possible outdoor sport.

But Garmin doesn't just want to play in the "pro" room. There's reason to believe that the Garmin name could lead to affordable sales that rival entry-level smartwatches and high-end fitness bands. This is where the Garmin Venu Sq comes into play.

Hardware and functions

You can't see it any other way. The Venu Sq looks like an Apple Watch. I know there are only so many ways to make a smartwatch with rounded rectangles, but it's hard to miss. Just a few days after getting the Venu Sq, I was in soccer practice and a teammate asked how I liked my Apple Watch.

However, that's not a bad thing. Unlike any other Garmin fitness watch, this isn't a polarizing design. It's simple, straightforward, and decidedly not looking robust. You can wear something other than workout clothes and keep wearing the Venu Sq without explicitly shouting to everyone around you, "You're damn right, I'm running!" Not everyone wants this recognition.

The plastic body is effective, albeit lightweight and cheap (remember, it's only $ 200). The brushed aluminum piece that surrounds the curved glass display cover, however, is a nice contrast and on the back, where the sensor array is located, neither thick nor bulky.

The display is just 1.3 inches diagonal and 240 x 240 resolution, but it definitely gets the job done. It has an ambient brightness setting and was easily visible in sunlight while it also got much darker at night. There is a large bezel on the screen that doesn't look too good, but honestly it doesn't affect how well you can use the watch considering how simple the software is.

This is a fitness-first smartwatch, not a generic "little phone on the wrist," so its smart functionality is fundamental. You can customize watch faces with some basic designs and data layouts, but it's nowhere near as extensive as Apple's. Notifications come to your wrist and you can act on them when paired with an Android phone. Otherwise, there is not much you can do outside of health and fitness. There are no news, apps, or advanced features here. And the vibration motor is very loud.

Even with a color touchscreen, the Venu Sq offers excellent battery life according to general smartwatch standards. Even with a constant Bluetooth connection that brought in notifications from my phone, overnight sleep tracking, and 4-5 hours of GPS workout tracking, I was able to get 5 days of battery life without any problems. This is without the "always on" display which would certainly put a few days off, but I found that a long delay in the display timeout is a good compromise.

Health, activity and training tracking

For a $ 200 fitness watch, the Venu Sq delivers where it matters. Sensors and tracking functions. You get the same core tracking and analysis as a $ 600 Garmin Fenix ​​6 running the same great Garmin Connect app on your phone. Here you will find constant, precise heart rate monitoring as well as the usual number of steps and the active minute value. Garmin's reputation for having accurate GPS tracking for running and cycling has also proven itself in my tests and perfectly tracked my activities.

Garmin uses the idea of ​​a "body battery" to measure your overall physical condition, which can be fun to track every day. But you also get a display for physical stress, calorie consumption, sleep analysis, training load analysis and training suggestions – again identical to much more expensive Garmin watches.

Every popular activity has a pre-built mode that you can jump into with a few taps and start tracking, from running and biking to stand up paddle boarding, cross country skiing, rowing, stretching, yoga, elliptical training, golf and More. The list is long.

The Venu Sq, like many of its other watches, also offers SpO2 tracking (aka Pulse Ox), something you otherwise only get on the latest Apple Watch Series 6. You shouldn't be putting a lot of weight into an SpO2 reading from a consumer smartwatch, but if it's something you focus on as part of your overall health picture, then it is here.

The only thing you are missing out on is a barometer so you won't get any altitude related tracking. No daily tracking of climbing stairs and, above all, no altitude information for hiking or running / cycling on paths. This isn't that important to most people, but anyone who takes their running or biking seriously will really miss getting accurate elevation data and an altitude-adjusted speed analysis.

While the touchscreen is good for everyday use and navigation, it is not the best interface for using the watch while exercising. Touchscreens work poorly with sweaty fingers and are accidentally triggered by sleeves and rain. After accidentally ending a run once, I turned on the screen lock, which unfortunately also disabled the side buttons – an annoying compromise, but a general improvement. It may seem gaudy to have a watch with 5 physical buttons like the other models from Garmin, but it really is the option to interface with a watch while exercising or while wearing gloves.

Like most of its watches, Garmin has an upsell fee to add music features to the Venu Sq. You pay an additional $ 50 for local storage on the watch, which can be used to sync music to Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer and play it right on your headphones. This isn't a big deal for me running or biking as it doesn't support YouTube Music (come on!) And I always have my phone with me, but I know a lot of people want to go off the phone and still have their Spotify playlists. For all-purpose smartwatches with integrated music functionality, a price premium of 25% for the Venu Sq is difficult.

Our opinion

The Venu Sq is well positioned to stand out from basic fitness bands like the Fitbit Inspire 3. It has a watch shape and a large screen, but without the big price hike when switching to a fully featured smartwatch from Apple or a high-end fitness watch from Polar or Garmin.

You get accurate tracking of activity, health, and training backed by the summary and analysis of Garmin's smartphone app, which gives you the same features you would expect from a much more expensive watch. It doesn't look like a hardcore fitness watch, however, which is likely a bonus for people who are only looking to spend $ 200 on this type of wearable.

There are definite shortcomings here if you take your fitness very seriously and need more accurate tracking, more sensors or hardware buttons. But think of the price here too. The Venu Sq is a great fitness-focused smartwatch that divides the difference between casual and professional users while also looking more like an all-purpose smartwatch.

Is there a better alternative?

Garmin's biggest competitor is hands down the Apple Watch Series 3, which is relatively old but still fully supported and is being sold brand new by Apple for $ 199. The Watch Series 3 is clearly unable to track workouts and provide detailed fitness data. However, if you own an iPhone, it offers a more holistic lifestyle smartwatch experience with better apps, notifications, and a better user interface. And the draw for services like Apple Fitness + shouldn't be underestimated.

If you want to specifically focus on tracking your runs, bike rides, and serious workouts, a more specialized fitness smartwatch like the Garmin Forerunner 245 makes more sense. It's more expensive at $ 275, but it has more buttons, a touchless screen, and a clear, always-on, low-reflectivity display in daylight.

How long it will take?

As an inexpensive fitness watch, the Venu Sq is not designed to last a decade. But it's well designed and built to be knocked around, and that's a good sign of its longevity. You may need to replace a belt a few years later, but it's an inexpensive proposition. Garmin also supports the Connect app and platform well. As far as data retention and analysis is concerned, you will continue to be able to use these functions for years to come.

Should you buy it?

The Garmin Venu Sq is a good fitness-focused smartwatch that is north of a fitness band's budget. Some people really don't want to spend more than $ 200 on a fitness tracker but want to get something that looks like a watch – the Venu Sq fits that market. Garmin's activity tracking and app are great, and that brings exceptional value here. Don't expect too much from the other “smart” functions outside of healthcare.

Editor's recommendations




11 Sep
Blog

Sennheiser CX 400BT review: Great Sound, But Not Much Else

Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless

Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless

"The sound is incredible, but the cost for a lower price is a number of missing features."

  • Excellent sound quality

  • Responsive and customizable controls

  • Highly adjustable onboard EQ

  • It lacks features for the money

  • Possible problems with fit and comfort

Sennheiser is known for top-notch sound, and both the Momentum True Wireless and its sequel, the Momentum 2 True Wireless, scored very good results on sound quality when reviewed.

But when you add that excellent sound, it comes at a pretty steep price – you'll pay $ 300 for these earbuds. This of course eliminates a lot of potential buyers.

So the challenge for Sennheiser was to create a range of true wireless earbuds that cost less without sacrificing the main reason they bought them: high quality sound.

The answer to this challenge is the $ 200 True Wireless CX 400BT.

Their price point is definitely more palatable, but do their overall features and performance make them a worthwhile investment considering how many other excellent earbuds are available for the same or similar buck?

Let's take a look.

What's in the box?

Sennheiser CX 400BT True WirelessSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The CX 400BT's relatively simple cardboard box contains the earbuds, their charging case, a set of four sizes of silicone earbuds (large, medium, small, and extra small), a short USB-C charging cable, and some printed paper documentation.

All of the packaging is highly recyclable except for the black foam inner padding that is glued to the inside of the box.

design

Sennheiser CX 400BT True WirelessSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Big and box-shaped are the words that best describe both the CX 400BT and its charging case.

While Sennheiser has tried to downsize these earbuds by giving them a rounded rectangle shape (the word "squircle" comes to mind), the fact that they are large cannot be hidden.

To be fair, while they stand out more than Apple's AirPods or AirPods Pro, they're not as gigantic as Soundcore's Liberty 2 Pro or Sony's WF-1000XM3 or the WF-SP800N.

The size of the CX 400BT has one advantage: the earphones can be pulled out of the charging sockets relatively easily, despite the strong magnets that prevent them from falling out. They're also a little easier to put in your ears.

The shiny outer surface of the earphones with the stylized Senn logo from Sennheiser serves as a touch control.

There are tiny LED indicator lights on the inside of the earbuds. They will show you the performance and / or pairing status of the earbuds. Solid red means power on, blinking blue / red means pairing mode, and blinking green / red means the earbuds are paired.

The small LED on the charging case near the hinge shows the battery status of both the case and the earphones in different colors (depending on whether the earphones are docked or not). This can be a little confusing.

The lid of the charging case is well built and has a wide hinge that can snap into place between the open and closed positions. A strong magnet keeps the lid firmly closed, but is easy to open.

Unfortunately there is no wireless charging option, just USB-C.

Comfort, fit and control

The CX 400BT are comfortable to wear, but have one caveat: To get the best sound quality from true wireless in-ear earbuds (used with silicone earbuds), you need to bring the tips deep enough into your ear canals to to create a really good seal.

This equation has two parts: you need to find the right size of the ear tip and be able to physically get that silicone tip all the way into your canal.

I found that the sheer size of the CX 400BT prevented me from achieving this comfortably. It was doable, but I had to apply quite a bit of pressure while twisting the earbuds into position.

This had a real impact on my ability to wear them for more than an hour before I felt tired.

This problem is exacerbated by the very defined groove that runs around the body of the earbuds. It has surprisingly sharp edges that I became aware of when moving and pushing the buds around to get a good seal.

The controls on the CX 400BT are possibly the best touch controls I've ever used.

Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless AppSennheiser Smart Control App Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Given that Digital Trends rep Nick Woodard didn't have this problem with the Sennheiser Momentum 2 True Wireless (with a nearly identical ear profile), I can only assume that this isn't a problem for everyone, but it does worth thinking about whether you have small ears or have experienced this problem with other models.

Out of curiosity, I tried the earbuds with a set of Comply Foam tips that came with a different set of buds and they helped tremendously. So there are options if you're willing to go the extra mile and buy third-party earplugs.

The controls on the CX 400BT are possibly the best touch controls I've ever used. I'm not a fan of touch controls because they are so difficult to achieve with a consistent response. Sometimes the taps register, sometimes not. Physical buttons are far more predictable.

However, the touch controls of the CX are exceptional and keep responding. I particularly liked the fact that a subtle confirmation tone is generated when registering a faucet. This is a great way to tell if the faucet worked or not.

The existing typing scheme is easy to remember and gives you control over volume, answering / ending / dropping calls, skipping forward / backward and access to voice assistants (Siri / Google Assistant). If you don't like how it works, you can use the Sennheiser Smart Control app to assign any function to any tapping sequence on one of the earphones – something that all real wireless earphones should offer.

Speaking of the Smart Control app: The CX 400BT does not have to be used (without it, it is paired with your device). However, I strongly recommend using it anyway. Not only can you use it to configure the controls, but you can also access the earphones' built-in equalizer and quickly switch between previously paired devices.

This is not the same as Bluetooth Multipoint, which allows two devices to be paired at the same time, but it is the next best thing.

Battery life

Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sennheiser-cx-400bt-true-wireless-00005- 640x640 .jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAASimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sennheiser-cx-400bt-true-wireless-00006- 640x640 .jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAASennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless (above) and Jabra Elite 75t Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

There seems to be a question about whether the CX 400BT should get 6.5 or 7 hours of battery life when fully charged. The box says 6.5, but the Sennheiser website says 7.

I set it to 75% and ran it on a radio stream. Seven hours later they were still on the road, so I'm confident the seven-hour claim is realistic.

In both cases, however, the average for true wireless earbuds is currently in the lower range. The $ 150 AirPods and $ 230 AirPods Pro get you just a little over five hours. Jabra's $ 200 Elite Active 75t gets 7.5 hours. The $ 200 Sony WF-SP800N can deliver up to 13 hours with active noise cancellation turned off, and the RHA TrueConnect 2 can last 9.5 hours. Samsung's Galaxy Buds + are only $ 150 but can run for 11 hours.

The loading case is of greater importance. It can only add your playtime to a total of 20 hours, making the CX one of the shortest earbuds with total duration at any cost. Since the charging case isn't exactly small, I'm not sure why Sennheiser wasn't able to provide a little more portable power.

The quick charge option is a bit better than the competition: with 15 minutes you get an hour. This corresponds to that of the Jabra Elite Active 75t, but is not as fast as the AirPods and AirPods Pro, which can also do this for only five minutes. Meanwhile, the Sonys will get you almost 90 minutes on a 10 minute charge.

Sound quality

Sennheiser CX 400BT True WirelessSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Do you remember how focused I was on getting a good fit? It's not just about comfort.

It's good that I tried these comply foam tips. From the moment I used it, I was in a sonic ecstasy.

With the factory-shipped earbuds, I began to doubt Sennheiser's claim that the CX 400BT uses the exact same drivers and equalizer technologies as the top-rated Momentum 2. What I heard was not close to the praises of Digital Trends writer Nick Woodard: “I heard some pretty powerful earbuds, but that's just a completely different experience. The sound pulls you into the music and devours you as you record notes and instruments that competitors simply don't have. "

It's good that I tried these comply foam tips. From the moment I used it, I was in a sonic ecstasy.

Sure enough, the CX 400BT can rival the best of true wireless earbuds from head to toe, and when paired with an aptX-enabled sound source, they're very hard to beat.

Stereo imaging, precision, depth and breadth of the soundstage – all are superb. Bass, midrange and treble are treated first-class, with everyone being allowed to shine without stepping on the other's feet.

This type of sound quality arguably helps all genres to perform at their best, but you'll really appreciate it when tracks require fidelity across a range of frequencies. Little Something, a duet by Sting and Melody Gardot – a song I just discovered about Tidal – is a perfect example. It features two singers who are supported by a rich mix of acoustic guitar, bass, drums and synth. But the musicians all apply a subtlety to their playing that a lesser set of earphones would attenuate or mask. With the CX, you can appreciate every detail.

If you're not crazy about the factory EQ, the Smart Control app lets you tweak it using one of two equalizer formats. Regardless of your choice, the changes you make will be saved onboard the earbuds, so you can enjoy the results regardless of the music source or the device you are using for playback.

Call quality

The CX 400BT are supposedly optimized for voice calls, but I've found that they generally do no better than many of the less expensive models I've tested.

The lack of a listening mode proved frustrating.

Voice quality was good when conditions were calm, but as is the case with so many true wireless earbuds, they struggled when other sounds vied for attention.

Cars going by, building noises in the distance, helicopters – each of these noises had a tendency to push the speaker's voice around. At no point did this prevent the speaker from being understood, but it was quite distracting at times.

These Comply Foam earbuds, which created such a wonderful seal on sound quality, also blocked a good chunk of my own voice on calls. The lack of a listening mode proved frustrating.

I would say the CX 400BT is perfectly adequate for the occasional call, but quieter locations should be preferred for something longer than a brief "I'm late for our meeting" message.

What is missing?

Given that Sennheiser managed to give the CX 400BT True Wireless the same sound quality as earphones, which cost $ 100 more, corners had to be cut elsewhere.

There's no wear sensor that can automatically pause music when you remove an earbud. There is no active noise cancellation (ANC). There's no sneak-in mode for introducing outside noise when you need to have a conversation, and there's no IPX rating for water or dust resistance.

And we've already talked about the CX's overwhelming overall battery life.

Our opinion

The Sennheiser CX 400BT offers great sound for its price of $ 200. If they had just a few more bells and whistles, we'd be in wireless earbud heaven.

Is there a better alternative?

I don't think another set of real wireless earbuds for $ 200 will get you better sound quality, but you can get close to that. The Jabra Elite Active 75t and Sony WF-SP800N both cost $ 200. While they may not quite match the CX 400BT's sonic purity, they outperform all other features like comfort and fit, audibility, battery life and ANC (in the case of the Sonys) and water resistance.

How long will they last?

With no official protection from water, you may need to be extra careful with the CX 400BT, but it (and its charging case) are very well built and should last for many years. Sennheiser grants a two-year guarantee on them, which is twice as long as with some other brands.

Should you buy it?

It's a tough call. If getting the absolute best sound quality for your money is your number one priority, and you can make peace with the CX 400BT's extensive list of missing features and potential customization issues, then I recommend it. But I would take a close look at the many strong competitors at this price point before buying them.

Editor's recommendations




06 Jul
Blog

Arlo Pro 3 Review: A Great Choice For Smart Home Security

Netgear Arlo Pro 3

"The Alro Pro 3 is a premium choice for smart home security."

  • Weatherproof, wireless cameras

  • High quality 2K video

  • Smart A.I. properties

  • Easy to install and use

  • Easy upgrade for existing Arlo owners

  • Minor performance issues with multiple 2K streams

  • A subscription is required for advanced features

Since its beginnings as a peculiar offshoot of Netgear, Arlo has found its rhythm with an excellent selection of wireless and weatherproof smart cams. The high-resolution Arlo Pro 2 tops our list of the best outdoor surveillance cameras in 2019 – and it is also a good choice for indoor surveillance.

In April Arlos became Ultra 4K came and marked the first shot in a next generation battle for the supremacy of the UHD Smart Cam. It offers superior sharpness and impressively large views, but a price tag of $ 300 per camera and a restrictive upgrade path for existing Arlo owners meant it wasn't a big hit.

The Arlo Pro 3 ($ 499 for a 2-camera kit with additional cameras at $ 199 each) sits exactly between the two. While Arlo Ultra 4K's headline-breaking UHD resolution is lacking, it does offer a wider range of enhancements that make it a better choice than Arlo's most expensive kit.

There has been fierce competition in this area, but Arlo's excellent track record has given consumers confidence that this should succeed.

Netgear Arlo Pro 3Terry Walsh / Digital Trends

This new model improves the Arlo Pro 2's 1080p image resolution to sharper, more vivid 2K (2560 x 1440 pixels) and supports a high dynamic range (HDR), which promises better video quality in very dark or bright areas. A 160 degree field of view may be narrower than the Arlo Ultra 4K's generous 180 degree field of view, but it's a significant advance over the 130 degrees offered by the outgoing model.

Additional functions are performed directly by the Arlo Ultra 4K. An integrated headlamp allows Arlo to take advantage of color night vision support, while noise-canceling two-way audio and a siren in front of the camera further strengthen the Arlo Pro 3's security requirements. It also benefits from the clean magnetic charging system that we got to know in April that promises a battery life of up to six months between charges.

A better choice for Arlo upgrades

Visually, the cameras and the SmartHub of the Arlo Pro 3 look identical to those we saw when we tested the Arlo 4K Ultra. That's not a bad thing, as Arlo's much-copied design is one of the more compact and attractive systems. The curvy all-plastic case is sturdy enough to withstand the elements, while installation is simplified by a strong magnetic mounting system (a screw-mounting option is also available). A partially flattened base also allows the camera to be placed indoors on a shelf or desktop. In short, you can install the Arlo Pro 3 anywhere.

The often copied design by Arlo is one of the more compact and attractive systems.

It also includes Arlo's latest SmartHub (VMB4540), which enables the network connection between the cameras and your router. Again, it looks identical to the slimmer device introduced with the Arlo Ultra 4K, but a closer look reveals important differences. External video storage for camera shots is available, but this model enables it via a single USB 2.0 port instead of the microSD slot equipped with the Arlo Ultra.

This is good news for surveillance video horters who benefit from storage capacities of up to 2 TB. The With Arlo Pro 3's lower resolution video, the system can also operate with reduced bandwidth requirements. This SmartHub works with 802.11 b / g / n Wi-Fi and not with the faster "AC" standard supported by the Arlo Ultra 4K.

Netgear Arlo Pro 3Terry Walsh / Digital Trends

Perhaps the best news is that owners of some older Arlo systems You can add Arlo Pro 3 cameras to your existing network and take advantage of enhanced 2K video streams without having to replace the SmartHubs. This makes the Arlo Pro 3 a better upgrade option than Arlo's top tier kit. Arlo Pro 3 owners can even add Ultra 4K cameras to their systems at a later date without losing functionality.

Setup is a breeze

As with every Arlo system we tested, commissioning Arlo Pro 3 is very easy. Arlo recently launched a new version of its smartphone app that guides you through the installation. While cheaper smart camera systems can switch between direct Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections during setup, Arlo's wired SmartHub does the installation smoothly.

Hardware installation is just as easy. The scope of delivery includes options for screw and magnetic fastening. Arlo's newer concave magnetic mount is fabulous and combines strength and versatility. Cameras snap into place on the bracket on the back and can be precisely angled despite the fixed connection. For more ambitious assembly, the included adjustable safety bracket can be screwed into walls, fences, ceilings, trees, etc. It supports 360 degree rotation and 90 degree tilt.

A step in video quality

In use, the Arlo Pro 3's 2K image quality is a noticeable improvement over the previous generation camera (and a big leap over the 720p that is supported by the original Arlo system). While it's not quite as clear as Arlo Ultra 4K or wired Nest Cam IQ models, it's still very good indeed.

The improved resolution allows you to use the camera's 12x digital zoom without instantly breaking images into blurry chaos. If you exceed the 3x zoom, the quality will be noticeably affected. Arlo Pro 3 is equipped with an intelligent automatic zoom and tracking function, which is practical for security monitoring. As we found with the Arlo Ultra 4K, the resolution of the camera is unfortunately reduced to 1080p when the function is activated.

Night vision offers greater sharpness and clarity than many competitors.

We found that the image quality is balanced during the day, with precise colors and good contrast. Arlo's Auto HDR feature makes it one of the few smart cameras we've tested indoors that avoid overexposure near bright windows. This means taking pictures of people looking through your windows to see if you are at home. The 160-degree field of view is wide enough to cover all but the most spacious rooms or huge gardens, and the distortion of the fisheye is negligible.

At night, Arlo Pro 3's color night vision feature requires the camera's built-in headlight to be illuminated. The resulting images are certainly more natural than the creepy standard monochrome images produced by competitors. Although the range is good, color night vision suffers from the blurring and noise that normally occurs in high ISO photography. If the headlight is deactivated, the camera returns to a standard night vision setting. The lighting area is good here too, and while monochrome images are a bit noisy, the night vision of Arlo Pro 3 offers greater clarity and clarity than many of its competitors.

Piercing alarm, integrated headlight

While the Arlo Pro 3 doesn't necessarily compete with those Easy or nest safe As a full-fledged smart home security system, it comes with a number of overlapping features that are worth considering until we wait for the next one to arrive Arlo security system.

The Arlo Pro 2 SmartHub piercing alarm was transmitted to the cameras themselves. The option can be triggered when motion is detected. The resulting racket is certainly enough to scare an intruder and, together with the camera's bright, integrated LED spotlight, forms an effective first line of protection for your home.

The Arlo app supports a number of configurable modes for activating the system. In addition to manually switching, you can enable monitoring using a timed schedule or geolocation setting. Each mode can be customized with simple IFTTT rules for motion detection, video recording and built-in alarm, or you can quickly create a custom mode that suits your preferences. Everything is very simple.

Easy to use, but it's super smart under the hood.

Elsewhere, we found the updated Arlo app easy to understand. There are few ways to tweak camera settings, but they do include useful options such as brightness, low-light settings, and video quality controls. Navigating, reviewing, and sharing video clips from the library is easy. A standard daily timeline view is supported by filters that allow users to zoom in on certain cameras or check clips based on the type of alert triggered or the object detected. Our only criticism of the app is that connecting to a camera's livestream can take a while, even on the local network. In some cases, we watched live videos within 5 seconds. In other cases, there is a delay of up to 30 seconds.

Terry Walsh / Digital Trends

Since both cameras broadcast 2K video live at the same time, we noticed some temporary performance problems during stress tests. About every 20 seconds, both streams were replaced by a black screen for one second before the livestream was restored. When 2K local streaming was disabled, the performance improved, although there was occasional flickering. Since both cameras report a good signal, we can only assume that this was a problem with the network bandwidth or a processing bottleneck. Maybe it would have been better to maintain Arlo Ultra's 802.11ac connectivity?

Intelligent functions behind Paywall

While Nest often praises Smart Cam A.I. Received, the Arlo Pro 3 is equipped with an admirable set of improvements that offer real comfort and benefit. Unfortunately, most are locked up behind you Arlo Smart Subscription service for $ 3 per month. A 3-month free trial version is available during setup so that you can try out the functions and check whether the upgrade makes sense.

This includes extended object recognition, which the camera can use to differentiate between people, vehicles, animals and packages (the latter is currently in the beta phase). Smoke and carbon dioxide alarm detection sends you a smartphone notification when a camera detects an audible alarm. US subscribers also benefit from an e911 feature that allows you to call emergency services with a single touch of a button on your smartphone.

We loved Arlo's extensive notification feature, which adds a thumbnail to the smart notifications sent to your phone. When a person is recognized, an image captured by your camera is displayed. Many smart cams do the same thing, but Arlo also darkens the image and clearly highlights the person in the frame. A quick look and you can check if the friend or foe of the camera has been recognized. Arlo is easy to use, but super smart under the hood. With everyday features like custom activity zones and a 30-day video recording cloud, Arlo Smart functions well. Only you can decide whether they are worth the extra effort.

Our opinion

While the Arlo Ultra 4K made headlines with its eye-catching UHD video resolution, we think the Arlo Pro 3 is a more worthy and economical successor to our favorite Smartcam of the past two years, the Arlo Pro 2. It is certainly not cheap, but the improved one Image quality, the integrated security functions and the simple app control of the Arlo Pro 3 make it an excellent choice for home surveillance. If you enjoy investing in a monthly subscription, you can take advantage of an expanded suite of useful A.I. Features that make the Arlo Pro 3 one of the smartest systems around. In the meantime, owners of Arlo systems of the first and second generation have a reasonable way to update their cameras and / or SmartHubs. We were waiting for a competitive Arlo Pro 2 smart cam to hit the bar – maybe it was inevitable that the Arlo Pro 3 would do the job.

Is there a better alternative?

Few intelligent cameras offer Arlo's convincing mix of lightness, quality and versatility. With a limited budget, however, there are numerous cheaper systems available. The Swann Smart Security Camera ($ 129) is a solid budget device with similar wireless connectivity and weatherproof protection to Arlo and 1080p HD imaging.

At the premium end of the market, the Arlo 4K Ultra ($ 599 for a 2-camera bundle) definitely beats the Arlo Pro 3 in terms of video quality, but you should be aware that you are into new cameras and a replacement SmartHub must invest Use UHD video. It's also worth noting that Arlo recently expanded its line and introduced new models like the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight and the Arlo Essential.

The Cam Cam Outdoor ($ 329) and Nest Cam IQ Indoor ($ 229) cameras are top-notch performers that lack the versatility and value of the Arlo Pro 3.

How long it will take?

Arlo Pro 3 was developed to withstand the hard temperament of mother nature with operating temperatures between -20 ° C and 45 ° C. So expect the hardware to be robust. In terms of software, Arlo continues to publish improvements and optimizations for all Arlo systems. We therefore expect the owners to live a long and happy life with the Arlo Pro 3.

Should you buy it

Yes. It's an investment, but the Arlo Pro 3 is a great choice for those considering their first smart home camera system.

Editor's recommendations




30 Jun
Blog

15 Lessons Learned for Lifters From the Great Lockdown

Before the Great Lockdown, many of us refused to take time to the gym. The forced absence may have been a blessing in disguise for you. At the very least, it has forced you to rest and heal excruciating injuries.

It may also have affected you on a more fundamental level. Perhaps you've re-evaluated why you're training and what your goals are. Hopefully you have more clarity about what you want to get out of the gym and how you can best achieve it.

Perhaps a global pandemic that threatens obesity, diabetes and the elderly to a greater degree has caused you to rethink your approach. Perhaps you have decided to do more conditioning work to complement your weightlifting, or you have decided to get out of the super heavyweight class and end your quest to become a 300-pound giant.

Perhaps in contrast You realize that your sporting activities give your life great meaning. Lockdown has let you know that accomplishing these things is something you deeply want, and you vowed to double your efforts to realize your potential. Whatever the outcome, I hope you have taken the time to reflect, evaluate and plan.

If you're not in the gym, you can appreciate it more. You can reevaluate your relationship with training:

  • Was it a healthy relationship?
  • Did you like the challenge and the process?
  • Did you train because you thought you had to prepare?
  • Did you train to burn off some donuts?
  • Have you trained to punish yourself or reward yourself?

Do you see health differently and your approach to optimize it now? Your goals may have shifted. Are ours Longevity and increased resilience are more important than adding an inch to your arms? Or do you realize that if you build additional muscles, you won't be happier and more fulfilled?

The answers to these questions are yours and yours alone. Take the time to reassess, gain clarity and make adjustments. You may have just needed a break or a change.

1. Do what you want

Doing what you want is something I think is essential. Pre-lockdown Many of you may have chosen a path that was set for you, or at least been heavily influenced by someone else. Your goals may have been projected on you and may become your goals. Don't train to make others happy.

Exercise to make you happy. Set goals that mean something to you. Make a specific plan for these goals and then work hard to achieve them. This will do you much more than going through the movements of chasing someone else's dream.

It will also make the ride much more enjoyable. Have your mission and work towards it.

2. Maintain the muscle mass

About the lock:

  • I have exercised less than at any point in the past decade.
  • I had access to less equipment than when I started lifting almost 20 years ago.
  • I had the stress of turning around and doing a lot of my personal business online to earn enough income to support my family.

Despite all that, I haven't lost any muscles. I think I won something. I have not worked miracles, but I certainly have no muscle bleeding and have returned to the body of my 11-year-old self.

Although I knew that strength and muscle mass were resistant to decay through withdrawal, I never really had to put it to the test. While recognizing the theoretical framework and scientific research was reassuring, It doesn't make you immune to the fear that something you've worked so hard for may go away.

I am pretty sure that there are many rational, well-read exercise rats between the competing thoughts of

"It will be fine, I will maintain my muscles and strength while training in body weight." And "Oh crap, I'm going to lose all my winnings – I won't even look like I lifted myself after the lockdown."

Fortunately, the research was right. It turns out that maintaining muscle mass is much easier than building it. Once you've created a decent physique, you can have him do very little.

3. The value of nutrition

Proper nutrition can:

Your diet is critical to building an impressive body. We all know that, but many fitness junkies have cut back on their diet.

They fall into the trap of overdoing a lousy diet or at least compensating for a less than ideal diet. It's pretty obvious that a newbie to fitness trying to lose fat by pounding the treadmill or signing up for a spin course is frustrated.

They have to deal with their diet, especially their big mocha-frappe-latte-cinno with syrup and muffin breakfast habits, and pizza and beer nights.

Most of us gymnastics rats assume a strange moral superiority here. We mock them for their naivety. We think they are ignorant and lazy.

However, many of us do not see that we too make similar mistakes. The difference is that we like to do sports and use this to cover up some of our nutritional faux pas.

Many fitness junkies who are stuck at home and unable to exercise for 90 minutes every day have found that they are not quite as tough and disciplined with their diet as they thought.

You now have access to a fully equipped kitchen just a few meters away. Many lifters that I know have started to give in to the cravings they never had before. Suddenly, hourly trips to the fridge or cookie jar take place every hour.

We are not so bulletproof if our routines and security blankets are removed. Since we are not armed with Tupperware filled with prepared foods, we are now making a food selection when we search the fridge hungry. It gives us an insight into how most ordinary people live.

I know I've had a few weeks dipping my hand into my child's chocolate and biscuit stock more often than it did. In combination with my reduced activity, my weight started to increase.

The lightness and accessibility of delicious treats in the next room became difficult to resist. I started to get used to having a candy bar after dinner.

I would choose the one-for-you-one-for-me approach when handing out the goodies to the kids. All this temptation meant that I started building bad habits and a bigger gut.

4. Eating based on activity levels

Maybe you haven't started treating yourself yet. Perhaps you have maintained the same eating habits as before. You probably gained weight anyway. Why? Because your activity levels have dropped and you are denied access to your beloved gym.

All of this sounds negative, but in fact it can be a real blessing in disguise. It will force you to develop a better understanding of how your diet needs to reflect your level of activity.

If you can stay slim or get slim if you can't exercise regularly, it will be a breeze when you can get back to your beloved gym.

If you are a trainer, this is a valuable insight into the struggle that ordinary people face. It should make you more empathetic and help you solve your problems. You are a more valuable resource and a better coach for your customers.

5. Slow down

In recent months, you may have taken your foot off the gas for the first time in your adult life. Modern life demands so much from us. It moves incredibly fast and we feel compelled to keep up by tapping on the treadmill of life.

I started the lock with a long task list of all the things I would accomplish. A hyperproductive machine was what I wanted to be. Then I took a breath, slowed down and realized that these few months at home with my wife and children were a unique opportunity.

I tried my best to appreciate and enjoy the experience.

  • I've postponed plans to produce multiple items every week.
  • I decided not to interview a podcast guest every day.
  • I didn't force myself to wake up at 5:00 am to have a few hours of work before the kids woke up.

I was still working and was relatively productive:

  • I have finished writing a book
  • My customers trained online
  • Recorded a number of instructional videos
  • Helped kids homeschooling
  • Played soccer outside with the kids
  • I remember how fun playing Monopoly is
  • Read several books
  • Outlined

I also sat on the sofa and watched Netflix with my wife. I was generally present and less distracted. I was by no means perfect – just better than me.

Hopefully, the lock is a one-off. I might as well look back on that. I also hope to have the ability to slow down and be present for the rest of my life.

6. Love locally

You may have noticed that the large supermarkets in your area had difficulty meeting demand in the early stages of the closure. In the meantime, many local businesses have been well filled and have done everything possible to support their local community.

They showed that they took care of it and we found that we had taken them for granted.

In our distress we turned to them and found the last pack of toilet rolls, a bar of soap or a bag of flour. I am confident that this will lead to real loyalty to these deals. I really hope so. As the lock is lifted and we move back to normal, these businesses deserve our continued support.

Supporting local businesses goes beyond sourcing your groceries. This also applies to your gym.

When the lock is out, your local independent gym will need you. because they were hit hard. In contrast to the Globo-Gym chains:

  • They don't have piles of private equity funds to pull them off.
  • You have no profit reserves or substantial marketing budgets.
  • They are the place where you can use chalk for your elevators.
  • They allow you to make a lot of noise while cheering on your training partners' PR attempt.
  • They give you real advice.
  • They offer you a community of like-minded lifters.

For some of you, these gyms are a home away from home. When they open again, they need your business. Unlike the faceless large chain gyms, they will greet you personally and appreciate your help.

Support them and your training can thrive. Ignore them and they will go down and you will be stuck in a gym that cares more about your monthly direct debit than your results.

7. Community is powerful

Times of crisis bring people together. Did you have the support you need from your community? Did you step up to make your contribution?? If not, it may be time to build or join a better community.

This follows my point above about local businesses. Perhaps now is the time for you to start your Garage Lifting Club or join the local independent gym and meet people who will support and motivate you.

They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You can choose who these people are. Maybe now is the time to look for new people to bring to your community. The synergistic effect when good people come together will all lead you to new heights.

8. Do the first repetition

The motivation to exercise is usually not an issue for me. I enjoy the challenge and the results. I've been training consistently for years.

I was so used to the training that the sessions almost start with the autopilot. About 90 minutes after lunch, I go to my favorite cafe without thinking about it. I am preprogrammed to have a coffee and 30 minutes later I do my first sentence. That's the way it is. I've got this habit so deep that I don't have to think about it.

In a lockdown, however, I often don't feel like exercising. I don't have my routine. I have no triggers that unconsciously prepare me for training.

Instead, it is suddenly late afternoon and I have little energy and am more interested in the sofa than in the squat. I am often upset after trying to help children in school in the morning and hungry after not eating for hours. The temptation to end the session is great. I admit it was several times stronger than my willpower during the ban.

Overcoming this resistance training can be done very quickly. Just do the first repetition. The hardest part is getting started. Once you get started, everything will be easy.

Make a deal with yourself that you will only make the first sentence. You complete the entire workout nine times out of ten. And if you're ten out of ten like me, you won't regret it.

One of my favorite authors, Ryan Holiday, says, "The best advice I've heard about writing a book is" … producing two crappy pages a day. By making a small profit every day – by putting words on the page – a book is created. "

Apply this lesson to your workout even if you don't feel like it. Just finish the first few sentences and see where it takes you.

9. The importance of routine

As I indicated in my last point, a lack of routine can make it more difficult to maintain good habits. I suggest you fix this by setting up a routine.

This can apply to your whole day. Set a time to work at your desk. Have a set lunch time – plan workouts in your diary.

If you work from home for the foreseeable future, this routine may need to be adapted to your old pre-workout rituals. Maybe you can just replace similar elements. For example:

  • Make yourself a cup of coffee before your workout and take your supplements 30-45 minutes before your scheduled workout time to replace the usual pre-workout espresso or food supplements that you would normally have before your workout.
  • Listen to your favorite workout playlist.

Whatever it takes to get familiar with the process and put you in the mood to exercise.

10. Body weight training can be brutal

Did you think that weight training would be a breeze? Too easy for you? Not enough challenge? Yes me too. Guess what? If you choose the right exercises for yourself and push them hard, body weight training can be brutal.

In some ways, they are more difficult than my regular training:

  • Most of my training is done in the range of 6 to 15 repetitions.
  • Most of it is in the range of 8-12 repetitions.

When training with body weight, I knew that I had to approach failure to make it effective.

  • This meant sets of more than 20 repetitions for many exercises.
  • I sometimes did 30 reps before I failed.

These high reps sets challenged me in a different way than my regular workout. The burn and the pump produced were painful.

The mental challenge was also different. In many sets, I wanted to stop at 20 when the burning sensation in my muscles became uncomfortable.

Despite this burning, I still had reps in the tank, and grinding out those reps was a deeply unpleasant experience. It was also a shock to the system. After a few workouts with high reps, I had a newfound respect for body weight training.

My body adjusted quickly and pretty soon I was able to reach the rep range more efficiently. My body had gotten better at buffering the acid in my muscles.

Then I tried to make the exercise more challenging by slowing the repetitions, doing paused repetitions, or moving to a more advanced variation of the movement. Sure enough, the train of pain came back.

So body weight exercises are not too easy and can be very effective if you program them correctly and prepare for the work required. This increases your:

It could also make you crave the safety of heavier weights and sets of 8-12 again. I know it did it for me.

11. Kettlebells are cool

I'm not a kettlebell type. I use them in my training and to train customers, but they are not at the top of my work. They are just another tool and, to be honest, not a tool that I use so often. Since the ban I was reminded of how versatile a kettlebell can be.

I ordered one at the beginning of the block because it was one of the few parts of a kit I could get. I'm glad I did it. I managed to get an 80 pounder and it was used for:

With only part of the kit, my training was fun, varied and effective. I just scratched the surface of what I could do with the KB. When it comes to having only part of the kit, I now think that a heavy (ish) KB would be very high on my shortlist.

12. Walking is good for you – Duh

An outside walk was one of the few activities allowed in lockdown, but since I couldn't go anywhere, I didn't take advantage of it in the beginning.

The overwhelming workload from homeschooling tended to take over, meaning that we were desperately trying to teach our five and seven year maths, English, the big fire in London, and random facts about Tokyo (I don't make up the curriculum). .

I usually go to and from work. It's about 25 minutes each way. I knew that was good for me, but only when I stopped running every day did I realize how good it was.

I am not an expert on the specific physiological benefits of walking, although I am aware that there are many advocates of its benefits for both physiological and psychological health.

Some say that "just putting one foot in front of the other changes your inner chemistry to complete the spiraling cycles of tension."

Anecdotally I can say that a walk works miracles for me. Getting the body moving, the blood flowing, getting some fresh air and letting the mind wander always seems to lead to finding solutions and having more clarity. It seems to me that walking makes me a more effective, efficient and productive person.

If you're struggling with stress and anxiety or hesitate, take a 30-minute walk. When you return home, you will almost certainly feel better and be ready to do whatever tasks you have postponed.

13. Fitness matters

In fact, don't miss something until it's gone. For many fitness junkies, blocking was a challenge. People who had not previously followed a strict training routine also wanted to do more sports.

When everyday activities were taken away, many people asked for ways to improve their fitness. Whether it is:

People instinctively knew that they had to move their bodies. Physical activity is one of the best medicines. It will also help make you more robust in the face of serious illnesses. Statistics show that younger, fitter individuals tend to have fewer symptoms and faster recovery times.

While the benefits of exercise are not a new lesson for us, it is impressive to see the creative ways people have improved their fitness. This has taught me that although I have my personal training preferences, the discipline of physical practice surpasses this. I would rather do something than nothing.

14. You are stronger than you think

Adversity forces you to adapt. Hard times develop resilience. They also inspire innovation. You've almost certainly found creative and clever ways to get things done.

Perhaps you have seen how to attract a child to school or diversify your business to continue making money. Perhaps with a backpack, canned beans, water bottles, a heavy flower pot, and a cargo of ingenuity, you've found a way to further achieve your fitness goals.

Whatever it was, I'm sure you've found a way to learn and adapt. I am sure that there are many examples of how you can overcome it, be it through inspired innovations or through relentless beasts to force yourself past a problem.

They show unused strength. You may not have honored yourself for these successes. You should. And when it's all over, you'll have new skills and strength to keep getting better.

15. Every day is a school day

Last hour – The school is always in session. For parents of school-age children, this was the case both literally and figuratively. Did I mention teaching your kids at home is difficult?

Aside from the horrors of homeschooling, lessons can be found in any situation. The lessons listed above and the lessons you learned personally during the suspension will serve you forever. They are universal and not limited to times of crisis.

Remember that you will get through this and if you apply the lessons you will be better for it. We may need to learn a new way of life, learn from the lock, and keep learning. One of our biggest advantages is the ability to continue learning.

Think of the lock as a fast-paced crash course in life class and decide to be a lifelong learner.

29 Jun
Blog

15 Lessons Learned for Lifters From the Great Lockdown

Before the Great Lockdown, many of us refused to take time to the gym. The forced absence may have been a blessing in disguise for you. At the very least, it has forced you to rest and heal excruciating injuries.

It may also have affected you on a more fundamental level. Perhaps you've re-evaluated why you're training and what your goals are. Hopefully you have more clarity about what you want to get out of the gym and how you can best achieve it.

Perhaps a global pandemic that threatens obesity, diabetes and the elderly to a greater degree has caused you to rethink your approach. Perhaps you have decided to do more conditioning work to complement your weightlifting, or you have decided to get out of the super heavyweight class and end your quest to become a 300-pound giant.

Perhaps in contrast You realize that your sporting activities give your life great meaning. Lockdown has let you know that accomplishing these things is something you deeply want, and you vowed to double your efforts to realize your potential. Whatever the outcome, I hope you have taken the time to reflect, evaluate and plan.

If you're not in the gym, you can appreciate it more. You can reevaluate your relationship with training:

  • Was it a healthy relationship?
  • Did you like the challenge and the process?
  • Did you train because you thought you had to prepare?
  • Did you train to burn off some donuts?
  • Have you trained to punish yourself or reward yourself?

Do you see health differently and your approach to optimize it now? Your goals may have shifted. Are ours Longevity and increased resilience are more important than adding an inch to your arms? Or do you realize that if you build additional muscles, you won't be happier and more fulfilled?

The answers to these questions are yours and yours alone. Take the time to reassess, gain clarity and make adjustments. You may have just needed a break or a change.

1. Do what you want

Doing what you want is something I think is essential. Pre-lockdown Many of you may have chosen a path that was set for you, or at least been heavily influenced by someone else. Your goals may have been projected on you and may become your goals. Don't train to make others happy.

Exercise to make you happy. Set goals that mean something to you. Make a specific plan for these goals and then work hard to achieve them. This will do you much more than going through the movements of chasing someone else's dream.

It will also make the ride much more enjoyable. Have your mission and work towards it.

2. Maintain the muscle mass

About the lock:

  • I have exercised less than at any point in the past decade.
  • I had access to less equipment than when I started lifting almost 20 years ago.
  • I had the stress of turning around and doing a lot of my personal business online to earn enough income to support my family.

Despite all that, I haven't lost any muscles. I think I won something. I have not worked miracles, but I certainly have no muscle bleeding and have returned to the body of my 11-year-old self.

Although I knew that strength and muscle mass were resistant to decay through withdrawal, I never really had to put it to the test. While recognizing the theoretical framework and scientific research was reassuring, It doesn't make you immune to the fear that something you've worked so hard for may go away.

I am pretty sure that there are many rational, well-read exercise rats between the competing thoughts of

"It will be fine, I will maintain my muscles and strength while training in body weight." And "Oh crap, I'm going to lose all my winnings – I won't even look like I lifted myself after the lockdown."

Fortunately, the research was right. It turns out that maintaining muscle mass is much easier than building it. Once you've created a decent physique, you can have him do very little.

3. The value of nutrition

Proper nutrition can:

Your diet is critical to building an impressive body. We all know that, but many fitness junkies have cut back on their diet.

They fall into the trap of overdoing a lousy diet or at least compensating for a less than ideal diet. It's pretty obvious that a newbie to fitness trying to lose fat by pounding the treadmill or signing up for a spin course is frustrated.

They have to deal with their diet, especially their big mocha-frappe-latte-cinno with syrup and muffin breakfast habits, and pizza and beer nights.

Most of us gymnastics rats assume a strange moral superiority here. We mock them for their naivety. We think they are ignorant and lazy.

However, many of us do not see that we too make similar mistakes. The difference is that we like to do sports and use this to cover up some of our nutritional faux pas.

Many fitness junkies who are stuck at home and unable to exercise for 90 minutes every day have found that they are not quite as tough and disciplined with their diet as they thought.

You now have access to a fully equipped kitchen just a few meters away. Many lifters that I know have started to give in to the cravings they never had before. Suddenly, hourly trips to the fridge or cookie jar take place every hour.

We are not so bulletproof if our routines and security blankets are removed. Since we are not armed with Tupperware filled with prepared foods, we are now making a food selection when we search the fridge hungry. It gives us an insight into how most ordinary people live.

I know I've had a few weeks dipping my hand into my child's chocolate and biscuit stock more often than it did. In combination with my reduced activity, my weight started to increase.

The lightness and accessibility of delicious treats in the next room became difficult to resist. I started to get used to having a candy bar after dinner.

I would choose the one-for-you-one-for-me approach when handing out the goodies to the kids. All this temptation meant that I started building bad habits and a bigger gut.

4. Eating based on activity levels

Maybe you haven't started treating yourself yet. Perhaps you have maintained the same eating habits as before. You probably gained weight anyway. Why? Because your activity levels have dropped and you are denied access to your beloved gym.

All of this sounds negative, but in fact it can be a real blessing in disguise. It will force you to develop a better understanding of how your diet needs to reflect your level of activity.

If you can stay slim or get slim if you can't exercise regularly, it will be a breeze when you can get back to your beloved gym.

If you are a trainer, this is a valuable insight into the struggle that ordinary people face. It should make you more empathetic and help you solve your problems. You are a more valuable resource and a better coach for your customers.

5. Slow down

In recent months, you may have taken your foot off the gas for the first time in your adult life. Modern life demands so much from us. It moves incredibly fast and we feel compelled to keep up by tapping on the treadmill of life.

I started the lock with a long task list of all the things I would accomplish. A hyperproductive machine was what I wanted to be. Then I took a breath, slowed down and realized that these few months at home with my wife and children were a unique opportunity.

I tried my best to appreciate and enjoy the experience.

  • I've postponed plans to produce multiple items every week.
  • I decided not to interview a podcast guest every day.
  • I didn't force myself to wake up at 5:00 am to have a few hours of work before the kids woke up.

I was still working and was relatively productive:

  • I have finished writing a book
  • My customers trained online
  • Recorded a number of instructional videos
  • Helped kids homeschooling
  • Played soccer outside with the kids
  • I remember how fun playing Monopoly is
  • Read several books
  • Outlined

I also sat on the sofa and watched Netflix with my wife. I was generally present and less distracted. I was by no means perfect – just better than me.

Hopefully, the lock is a one-off. I might as well look back on that. I also hope to have the ability to slow down and be present for the rest of my life.

6. Love locally

You may have noticed that the large supermarkets in your area had difficulty meeting demand in the early stages of the closure. In the meantime, many local businesses have been well filled and have done everything possible to support their local community.

They showed that they took care of it and we found that we had taken them for granted.

In our distress we turned to them and found the last pack of toilet rolls, a bar of soap or a bag of flour. I am confident that this will lead to real loyalty to these deals. I really hope so. As the lock is lifted and we move back to normal, these businesses deserve our continued support.

Supporting local businesses goes beyond sourcing your groceries. This also applies to your gym.

When the lock is out, your local independent gym will need you. because they were hit hard. In contrast to the Globo-Gym chains:

  • They don't have piles of private equity funds to pull them off.
  • You have no profit reserves or substantial marketing budgets.
  • They are the place where you can use chalk for your elevators.
  • They allow you to make a lot of noise while cheering on your training partners' PR attempt.
  • They give you real advice.
  • They offer you a community of like-minded lifters.

For some of you, these gyms are a home away from home. When they open again, they need your business. Unlike the faceless large chain gyms, they will greet you personally and appreciate your help.

Support them and your training can thrive. Ignore them and they will go down and you will be stuck in a gym that cares more about your monthly direct debit than your results.

7. Community is powerful

Times of crisis bring people together. Did you have the support you need from your community? Did you step up to make your contribution?? If not, it may be time to build or join a better community.

This follows my point above about local businesses. Perhaps now is the time for you to start your Garage Lifting Club or join the local independent gym and meet people who will support and motivate you.

They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You can choose who these people are. Maybe now is the time to look for new people to bring to your community. The synergistic effect when good people come together will all lead you to new heights.

8. Do the first repetition

The motivation to exercise is usually not an issue for me. I enjoy the challenge and the results. I've been training consistently for years.

I was so used to the training that the sessions almost start with the autopilot. About 90 minutes after lunch, I go to my favorite cafe without thinking about it. I am preprogrammed to have a coffee and 30 minutes later I do my first sentence. That's the way it is. I've got this habit so deep that I don't have to think about it.

In a lockdown, however, I often don't feel like exercising. I don't have my routine. I have no triggers that unconsciously prepare me for training.

Instead, it is suddenly late afternoon and I have little energy and am more interested in the sofa than in the squat. I am often upset after trying to help children in school in the morning and hungry after not eating for hours. The temptation to end the session is great. I admit it was several times stronger than my willpower during the ban.

Overcoming this resistance training can be done very quickly. Just do the first repetition. The hardest part is getting started. Once you get started, everything will be easy.

Make a deal with yourself that you will only make the first sentence. You complete the entire workout nine times out of ten. And if you're ten out of ten like me, you won't regret it.

One of my favorite authors, Ryan Holiday, says, "The best advice I've heard about writing a book is" … producing two crappy pages a day. By making a small profit every day – by putting words on the page – a book is created. "

Apply this lesson to your workout even if you don't feel like it. Just finish the first few sentences and see where it takes you.

9. The importance of routine

As I indicated in my last point, a lack of routine can make it more difficult to maintain good habits. I suggest you fix this by setting up a routine.

This can apply to your whole day. Set a time to work at your desk. Have a set lunch time – plan workouts in your diary.

If you work from home for the foreseeable future, this routine may need to be adapted to your old pre-workout rituals. Maybe you can just replace similar elements. For example:

  • Make yourself a cup of coffee before your workout and take your supplements 30-45 minutes before your scheduled workout time to replace the usual pre-workout espresso or food supplements that you would normally have before your workout.
  • Listen to your favorite workout playlist.

Whatever it takes to get familiar with the process and put you in the mood to exercise.

10. Body weight training can be brutal

Did you think that weight training would be a breeze? Too easy for you? Not enough challenge? Yes me too. Guess what? If you choose the right exercises for yourself and push them hard, body weight training can be brutal.

In some ways, they are more difficult than my regular training:

  • Most of my training is done in the range of 6 to 15 repetitions.
  • Most of it is in the range of 8-12 repetitions.

When training with body weight, I knew that I had to approach failure to make it effective.

  • This meant sets of more than 20 repetitions for many exercises.
  • I sometimes did 30 reps before I failed.

These high reps sets challenged me in a different way than my regular workout. The burn and the pump produced were painful.

The mental challenge was also different. In many sets, I wanted to stop at 20 when the burning sensation in my muscles became uncomfortable.

Despite this burning, I still had reps in the tank, and grinding out those reps was a deeply unpleasant experience. It was also a shock to the system. After a few workouts with high reps, I had a newfound respect for body weight training.

My body adjusted quickly and pretty soon I was able to reach the rep range more efficiently. My body had gotten better at buffering the acid in my muscles.

Then I tried to make the exercise more challenging by slowing the repetitions, doing paused repetitions, or moving to a more advanced variation of the movement. Sure enough, the train of pain came back.

So body weight exercises are not too easy and can be very effective if you program them correctly and prepare for the work required. This increases your:

It could also make you crave the safety of heavier weights and sets of 8-12 again. I know it did it for me.

11. Kettlebells are cool

I'm not a kettlebell type. I use them in my training and to train customers, but they are not at the top of my work. They are just another tool and, to be honest, not a tool that I use so often. Since the ban I was reminded of how versatile a kettlebell can be.

I ordered one at the beginning of the block because it was one of the few parts of a kit I could get. I'm glad I did it. I managed to get an 80 pounder and it was used for:

With only part of the kit, my training was fun, varied and effective. I just scratched the surface of what I could do with the KB. When it comes to having only part of the kit, I now think that a heavy (ish) KB would be very high on my shortlist.

12. Walking is good for you – Duh

An outside walk was one of the few activities allowed in lockdown, but since I couldn't go anywhere, I didn't take advantage of it in the beginning.

The overwhelming workload from homeschooling tended to take over, meaning that we were desperately trying to teach our five and seven year maths, English, the big fire in London, and random facts about Tokyo (I don't make up the curriculum). .

I usually go to and from work. It's about 25 minutes each way. I knew that was good for me, but only when I stopped running every day did I realize how good it was.

I am not an expert on the specific physiological benefits of walking, although I am aware that there are many advocates of its benefits for both physiological and psychological health.

Some say that "just putting one foot in front of the other changes your inner chemistry to complete the spiraling cycles of tension."

Anecdotally I can say that a walk works miracles for me. Getting the body moving, the blood flowing, getting some fresh air and letting the mind wander always seems to lead to finding solutions and having more clarity. It seems to me that walking makes me a more effective, efficient and productive person.

If you're struggling with stress and anxiety or hesitate, take a 30-minute walk. When you return home, you will almost certainly feel better and be ready to do whatever tasks you have postponed.

13. Fitness matters

In fact, don't miss something until it's gone. For many fitness junkies, blocking was a challenge. People who had not previously followed a strict training routine also wanted to do more sports.

When everyday activities were taken away, many people asked for ways to improve their fitness. Whether it is:

People instinctively knew that they had to move their bodies. Physical activity is one of the best medicines. It will also help make you more robust in the face of serious illnesses. Statistics show that younger, fitter individuals tend to have fewer symptoms and faster recovery times.

While the benefits of exercise are not a new lesson for us, it is impressive to see the creative ways people have improved their fitness. This has taught me that although I have my personal training preferences, the discipline of physical practice surpasses this. I would rather do something than nothing.

14. You are stronger than you think

Adversity forces you to adapt. Hard times develop resilience. They also inspire innovation. You've almost certainly found creative and clever ways to get things done.

Perhaps you have seen how to attract a child to school or diversify your business to continue making money. Perhaps with a backpack, canned beans, water bottles, a heavy flower pot, and a cargo of ingenuity, you've found a way to further achieve your fitness goals.

Whatever it was, I'm sure you've found a way to learn and adapt. I am sure that there are many examples of how you can overcome it, be it through inspired innovations or through relentless beasts to force yourself past a problem.

They show unused strength. You may not have honored yourself for these successes. You should. And when it's all over, you'll have new skills and strength to keep getting better.

15. Every day is a school day

Last hour – The school is always in session. For parents of school-age children, this was the case both literally and figuratively. Did I mention teaching your kids at home is difficult?

Aside from the horrors of homeschooling, lessons can be found in any situation. The lessons listed above and the lessons you learned personally during the suspension will serve you forever. They are universal and not limited to times of crisis.

Remember that you will get through this and if you apply the lessons you will be better for it. We may need to learn a new way of life, learn from the lock, and keep learning. One of our biggest advantages is the ability to continue learning.

Think of the lock as a fast-paced crash course in life class and decide to be a lifelong learner.

18 Jun
Blog

Sonos Move Review: A Great Speaker for the Great Outdoors

sonos move review 8

"The Sonos Move can be used anywhere, but is just as happy at home. It may be the only speaker you need."

  • Outstanding build quality

  • Integration with Sonos systems

  • Sounds particularly good outdoors

  • User replaceable battery

  • The Sonos app does not work via Bluetooth

  • Big size, big price

Sonos has been the leading brand for wireless home audio since the company effectively launched the category almost 20 years ago. All this time, however, it has decidedly refused to support Bluetooth wireless connections on its devices.

Only Sonos knows all the reasons why the company has held back, but this chapter is now closed. The company's first truly portable (and Bluetooth-enabled) $ 399 Move is here. The only remaining question is whether the move is worthwhile given the significant investment.

Big but balanced

Hold the Sonos Move by the handle

Sonos products are known for their excellent build quality. Regardless of whether it's a Sonos One SL (formerly Play: 1) or a Sonos Sub, every speaker feels solid and solid. The Sonos Move goes one step further. It weighs 6.6 pounds, making it more than two pounds heavier than a Sonos One and almost twice as heavy as the Ultimate Ears Megablast, a portable speaker with many of the same features.

Thanks to the well-designed integrated handle, you can still carry it from place to place without fear of accidentally dropping it. The included charging station essentially disappears with the move in position, which is ideal and offers additional stability.

Thanks to the handle, you can move the Move from place to place without fear of dropping it.

Not that the move needs it. Despite a rounded base that wants to roll the Move to the side at any time, a low center of gravity and a very grippy rubber floor lets the Move lean at surprisingly precarious angles without falling over. Even if that were the case (I didn't intentionally drop or roll the move), Sonos assures that the speaker will continue to work properly, although no promises have been made to dent the black metal grill. And unlike so many other speakers built for the elements, the Move's understated design still looks great on a coffee table or in a bookcase.

In June 2020, Sonos announced that a new matt white color would be added to the Move's matt black debut. This brings the Move in line with other black and white products from Sonos such as Sonos One SL, Sonos Five and the new Sonos Arc soundbar.

let it Rain

This robustness extends to the Move's ability to deal with the inherently variable outdoor conditions – in fact, this is a large part of the speaker's appeal. With IP56 protection, the Move should be able to withstand deserts and beaches alike, and if you take it to the snowboard terrain park, it should also work well there.

The Sonos move under a tap

I didn't do any of that with the move. Instead, I had a small meeting on the terrace, placed it next to our cats' dusty litter box for 24 hours, and then ran it under a tap to clean it. You would never do that with a normal Sonos speaker, but the Move did it all effortlessly.

Patio power

The ability to survive in the face of water, dust, and occasionally spilled beer is one thing, but a portable speaker must sound like it was built for one thing: great audio. Indoors, the Move is cheap compared to Sonos One or Play: 1. It creates a slightly wider sound stage and the bass is more pronounced, but there is also a corresponding clouding of the mid-range. You would only notice something like this if you place a move right next to one of these other models and then compulsorily switch between them while playing everything from The Offspring to Adele. Of course not that I did.

Take the movement outside and only one thought comes to mind: This thing rocks.

Take the train outside and all other thoughts but one melt away: this thing rocks. Even with a volume of less than 50%, I ran the risk of attracting unwanted attention from neighbors several doors away. The expanded sound stage, which made itself felt in the interior, magically expands further outdoors. We have a pair of Klipsch AWR-650-SM landscape speakers in our garden that are powered by a Sonos amp. You sound fantastic. But if the Move had been available, we could have bought two of them, saved ourselves considerable dough, and found a much more flexible solution for outdoor music. For many people, a single move is more than enough speaker for even the wildest pool parties.

A better battery

I've said it before, but it needs to be repeated: Sonos' decision to make the Move rechargeable lithium-ion battery user replaceable deserves praise. Sonos claims that the cell lasts three years or 900 charges. You can then replace the battery with a new one. The battery is suitable for an alleged duration of 10 hours at medium volume. I think that's pretty accurate, but I had a different experience when the Move was in standby. It was supposed to stay that way for up to 120 hours, but I found it heard an audible tone when I canceled it with a 40% charge remaining that it had to be plugged in after just 12 hours.

On June 16, 2020, with the announcement of the new white color option, Sonos announced that the battery life of the Move would be increased to 11 hours by a software update.

The Move can be charged via USB-C if you don't have the charging station at hand. However, please note the following: Not every USB-C charger works. The move requires a charger that can output one of these three voltage / current combinations: 12 V / 3 A, 15 V / 3 A, 20 V / 2.25 A, and it is highly unlikely to do so with your phone supplied charger is compatible. You don't want to make this discovery in the middle of a road trip. The Move's front LED flashes angry orange to let you know that she's not happy.

Hey google, can you say bluetooth, wifi and airplay 2?

The Sonos Move offers many options: a portable Bluetooth speaker with a battery life of 10 hours, a Wi-Fi speaker with AirPlay 2 and a smart speaker with Alex or Google Assistant on board. The move makes everyone right. Switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes is as easy as pressing the dedicated mode button on the back of the speaker. Amazingly, Bluetooth sounds very similar to the quality of Wi-Fi, which proves that the biggest factor in the perceived sound quality of the speakers is not necessarily the source.

I still preferred to listen over Wi-Fi indoors, but frankly it's more than sufficient in places where Bluetooth is needed. Sonos claims that the Bluetooth wireless range is excellent on the go, and while this is true outside, it also had trouble staying connected to my phone indoors as I was in our multi-tier home, as in other BT products that I tested, say we didn't like being separated by more than one floor.

Sonos needs to find a way for the Sonos app to maintain operational control over the move in Bluetooth mode. It's not right to start a third-party app like Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal just because I'm not at home. I like the experience with the Sonos app and hope that one day it will be the only experience I need, regardless of the color of my wireless connection.

I had some difficulty installing the Google Assistant setup on the go, but I feel like I've already used GA for another Sonos product in my home. If you completely remove GA from the system and add it back in, everything will work properly. As soon as Google was operational, it ran perfectly and responded to all of my commands. "Hey Google, how do I make a mojito?" on the specific, "Hey Google, play Los Lobos in the living room", very quickly. The microphone array on the Move has so far proven to be more sensitive than that of the Sonos One. It picked up my orders in quiet speaking throughout the room and even whispered when it was only a few meters away.

Is it really trueplay?

The same microphone array is responsible for one of the more fascinating functions of the Move: Auto Trueplay or the ability to optimize your own EQ settings based on the location of the speaker. In last August's Sonos demo, a speaker moved the move from a wide-open living room to a tiny storage compartment, and in fact Auto Trueplay has adjusted to improve the sound.

I may not have made the move sound as extreme as I did in the demo, but I haven't noticed many EQ adjustments from place to place. I wondered if Auto Trueplay could only be as effective with its dependence on local acoustic feedback as Trueplay from a smartphone microphone outside the speaker. Unfortunately there is no way to test this. If you disable Auto Trueplay on the Move, you won't get manual Trueplay as an option.

Our opinion

At $ 399, the Sonos Move isn't as cheap as some would have liked for the company's first Bluetooth speaker. It lacks some Bluetooth gadgets like a speakerphone and Bluetooth stereo paring, and you can't use the Sonos app in Bluetooth mode. It only sounds a little better indoors than a Sonos One SL for $ 170.

With its ability to fill any garden or pool party with music, the easy switch between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the practical integration of smart speakers, it is the ideal companion for some Sonos fans and possibly the only Sonos product that does so you need .

Is there a better alternative?

The number of portable, smart, weatherproof speakers that can work on both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi networks is gradually increasing. Many of them are cheaper than the Sonos Move for $ 399. Of these, the Bose portable home speaker for $ 349 is the closest in design and features. It's not quite as powerful as the Move, but it's a bit lighter and its handle makes it a better companion for longer hikes. Here's our head-to-head comparison of these two excellent portable devices. However, none of these competitors can connect to a Sonos system. This makes the Move unique for Sonos owners.

How long it will take?

All Sonos products come with a one-year warranty. However, this is not an indicator of longevity. Sonos speakers have always shown impressive build quality, and the company goes to great lengths to test its products for durability. We believe that the Sonos Move, with its user-replaceable battery and first-class construction, has an excellent lifespan.

Should you buy it

Yes. The Sonos Move delivers great portable sound in a package that survives almost anything you can throw at it.

Editor's recommendations




16 Jun
Blog

Motorola Moto G Fast Review: A Great Phone For $200

motorola moto g quick evaluation 2

Motorola Moto G Quick evaluation: Fast, but not expensive

"If your budget is a maximum of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is the best choice."

  • Modern design

  • Feels durable

  • Great performance for the price

  • Good battery life

  • Camera is just fine

  • Ad is not great

The Moto G Seires have weathered ups and downs. The device has long been considered one of the best budget options, but competition from Samsung companies has intensified in recent years. However, as so often, Motorola has launched a number of new Moto G models, including the extremely affordable Moto G Fast.

The Moto G Fast hopes to bring premium features and a thoroughly modern look at a price of $ 200. There are other phones in this price range, but not many – especially from well-known brands such as Motorola, Samsung and LG.

Is the Moto G Almost the Best Cell Phone Under $ 200?

Design and display

Two or three years ago, it would be difficult for you to find a phone with a modern, borderless display design in the price range below $ 250. Now they are becoming more and more common – and we are happy to see that.

On the front of the Moto G Fast is a nice large 6.4-inch display from edge to edge, which has a hole cutout in the upper left corner of the device. The neckline is slightly larger than some other devices, like the Galaxy A51 or the OnePlus 8 series, but it's still pretty remote, though you'll get used to it quickly.

The bezel is relatively narrow around the display, except at the bottom where there is a chin. It's not a big deal, and such design decisions are still expected in this price range. Here, too, you will get used to it.

The buttons and connectors on the edges of the phone are pretty standard. On the right side there is an on / off switch and a volume rocker, on the left a SIM and MicroSD card slot and below a USB-C port. There is also a headphone jack at the top, which is very nice in a world where higher-quality wired consumer audio disappears.

The back of the phone is also pretty sleek and stylish. At the top left you get a vertically aligned triple lens camera and at the top a fingerprint sensor. I have relatively large hands, but the sensor felt comfortable to me and appeared to be well positioned to naturally unlock the device.

The back of the device is mostly plastic, but generally felt solid. It definitely doesn't feel as premium as much more expensive phones like the iPhone 11 Pro or OnePlus 8, but this is also expected for a price-range phone, and the phone is still in my hand. The device is currently only available in one color – pear white. It doesn't look bad, but more color options would have been nice.

The display on the phone does the job, but isn't great. The 6.4-inch display is an LCD display with a resolution of 720p, and you can definitely see slightly jagged edges on fonts and surface elements when you search for them. The slightly more expensive Moto G Power has a 1,080p display, which makes the 720p panel of the G Fast a bit rough – but again, it does the job as long as you don't expect much. It can get bright enough for most purposes and is brighter than the $ 150 Moto E.

Performance and battery life

The Moto G Fast is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, 3 GB RAM and 32 GB memory. Fortunately, a microSD card slot is also integrated in the phone, so you can expand this memory if you wish. The fact that it has the same processor as the Moto G Power is good news – and it helps the device outperform its weight.

The performance of the phone is great in everyday use. The phone can easily multitask easily without slowing down too much, and it can also handle basic games. It certainly won't charge as fast as more expensive phones, but Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 worked pretty well.

Here is a brief overview of some of the benchmark results we have achieved:

  • AnTuTu: 161,627
  • GeekBench 5 single core: 312
  • GeekBench 5 multi-core: 1,391

Generally, these are good results for a phone in this price range. In fact, these values ​​correspond to the Samsung Galaxy A51, which is twice the price of the Moto G Fast.

The Moto G Fast offers a 4,000 mAh battery and is solid. I was easily able to survive a whole day of normal use, and at the end of the day I had 43% left. If you use your phone conservatively, you may be able to use it for two days.

camera

The Moto G Fast is equipped with a triple lens rear view camera that has a 16 megapixel main sensor, an 8 megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 2 megapixel macro sensor. There is an 8 megapixel camera on the front.

The rear-facing camera can take decent photos in well-lit environments with relatively bright colors and solid details. The ultra-wide camera isn't the best on the market, but it definitely offers more versatility for the phone's camera and is a feature you don't normally get on phones in this price range.

However, without good lighting you are a bit unlucky. The phone can take better photos than the new Moto E, but that's not a high bar – and if you don't have enough light, you don't expect quality.

The phone also has a 2 megapixel macro lens and is pretty lackluster. There seems to be a trend these days to include macro lenses in phones of all price ranges. The problem, however, is that the macro lenses are of poor quality most of the time. This is especially true here. If you take a close-up of a small object, which I almost never do, you will likely get something of relatively poor quality.

The phone's front-facing camera is fine, but the colors aren't as deep as they could be, and the details aren't great. It will do the work for standard selfies, but don't expect much more.

In general, this is not a phone that you should buy for the camera. However, the camera is not bad for a phone in this price range – and it is much better than what you would have gotten just a few years ago.

software

The Motorola Moto G Fast comes with Motorola’s new Android skin, My UX. Fortunately, My UX is based on Android 10 and is very close to Android, with just a few minor changes to allow for some adjustments and gestures.

For example, you get Moto promotions with which you can easily access certain functions. These are pretty handy. You can take a screenshot by tapping the screen with three fingers, or you can lift the handset to turn off the ringtone. Some of these actions are enabled by default, while others must be enabled, and it's worth taking a look at.

While My UX is based on standard Android, it is possible that Motorola will deviate somewhat more over time – and it is currently unclear whether and when the device will get Android 11. Motorola has been doing Android updates well in the past, so we'll do it. I have to wait and see if it stays that way now, as the mix includes a new skin label.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Moto G Fast costs $ 200. This is an excellent price for a phone with these features. Sure, it doesn't compare to more expensive devices, but if you have a budget of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is the way to go. If you can stretch a little, the Moto G Power with its better display and bigger battery might be worth considering. However, if you are not interested in these features or do not have the money, you will be satisfied with the Moto G Fast.

The one-year warranty from Motorola, which covers practically only manufacturer defects, applies to the phone. You should make sure that you take care of this phone.

The Moto G Fast is available directly from the Motorola website.

Our opinion

The Motorola Moto G Fast isn't perfect, but in my opinion it's the best thing you'll get in this price range. It has a modern design and great performance in this price range, as well as a solid battery – and the latter two are extremely important when you buy an inexpensive phone.

Is there a better alternative?

There are better options if you can spend more money, but if your budget is a maximum of $ 200, the Moto G Fast is your best bet. If you can add another $ 200 to your budget, consider the iPhone SE, which is the most powerful phone for $ 400 or less. If you're more of an Android fan, consider the Google Pixel 3a or the Samsung Galaxy A51, which you might find for $ 300 if you're looking for it. Alternatively, you can wait for Google Pixel 4a, which may be released soon.

How long it will take?

The Moto G Fast is made of plastic, which means that it is likely to survive falls better than a glass device. That means it is not waterproof. So keep it away from the bath or pool.

Motorola has a decent track record of software updates, but given the price range here, no one can guess how many updates you will receive or when you will receive them. With normal use, you should be able to get two years out of the phone.

Should you buy one?

Yes, but only if your budget is $ 200 or less. If you can afford to spend a little more, it is worth doing so.

Editor's recommendations




27 May
Blog

Ring Alarm (2nd Gen) Review: New Look, Same Great Protection

Ring alarm (2nd generation) keyboard on the wall

Ring Alarm Security 5-piece kit

"The ring alarm offers excellent home surveillance with a surprisingly low monthly fee."

  • Affordable professional surveillance service

  • Quick setup

  • Backwards compatible with 1st generation hardware

  • Solid range of accessories

  • Needs better camera integration

The new ring alarm (second generation) starts at $ 200 for the five-part kit. However, there are several other kits and bundles to choose from. You can also add accessories later at any time if necessary.

Ring intends to make home security simple, easy and safe. Unlike traditional security systems that require professional installation, it is a do-it-yourself solution where you set everything up. However, Ring Alarm continues to offer 24-hour home surveillance to give homeowners another pair of eyes when they're not there.

What's new?

Basically nothing changes in the basic requirement of the new ring alarm. It is the same home improvement security system that consists of a base station, contact sensors, a motion detector, a keyboard and a range extender. They attach the contact sensors to doors, windows or other entry points throughout the house that then communicate with the base station and send warnings as soon as they are triggered.

Door alarm (2nd generation) Door sensor on the doorJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

What is special about the new hardware is that Ring has reduced the size of each component by around 30%. For example, the keyboard is 38% smaller than its previous counterpart in the first generation system.

Despite the reduction, the sensors are not significantly smaller than those used in other systems such as SimpliSafe or Xfinitys Home Security. Ring is catching up instead of leading with a much smaller design.

Another important change concerns the batteries used by the sensors. The first generation version requires a 3 V lithium battery that is not as readily available as the new version CR2032 coin cell batteries. It's a boring detail, but you'll appreciate the change when it comes to replacing a battery.

Mix and match compatibility

If you happen to own the first generation ring alarm, you can mix and match the hardware to work with the new system, and vice versa. I'm glad to see that owners don't have to drop the old hardware when planning an upgrade. Interoperability is always a welcome relief as it helps maintain the value of the system over time.

It is always a welcome relief when there is interoperability.

Setting up is a breeze with the on-screen instructions in the Ring app. The base station can be connected directly to a router or wirelessly via WLAN. Placement at home is crucial, however, as the gateway communicates with the various sensors. There is also a range limitation for the sensors. For smaller places like my home, range is not a problem as everything is within 50 feet of the base station. Fortunately, the basic model of the ring alarm, the five-part kit, comes with a range extender that attaches an additional 250 feet.

After reclassifying the sensors, the entire setup process was completed in less than 30 minutes. If you need additional sensors, Ring offers a range of accessories to choose from – such as flood sensors, smoke and carbon monoxide sensors and more.

A lot of control, but could be smarter

In the Ring mobile app, you can access and change all settings of the Ring Alarm home security system. You can quickly activate and deactivate the system in the dashboard of the app by pressing the corresponding buttons. In a critical situation, I like how I can use the exclamation point button on the dashboard to quickly request help and trigger the alarm. The same controls are on the keyboard for quick access.

When I resort to some of the app's detailed controls, I find it useful that I can set the mode for each sensor. For example, I turned off the window sensors when they were in home mode, which prevents them from notifying me when I open or close them. At the same time, I switched off motion detection with my Ring Indoor Cam to prevent even more redundant notifications from being sent to me.

Conversely, when the system is activated in away mode, all sensors are monitored and set to trigger the alarm when triggered. Speaking of which, the base station sends out a deafening 104 dB siren that is more than loud to deter an intruder and hear my neighbors.

Although there are enough controls to customize the security system to my liking, it could be more intelligent. One complaint I have is that the alarm does not go off when my ring indoor camera detects motion in away mode, so it just sends the typical push notification instead.

Also, there doesn't seem to be an option to force the camera to turn on and shoot footage when one of the sensors is triggered – something that would be useful if my front door opened, regardless of where the camera is at home.

Finally, it would be helpful if Ring Alarm could see whether I was at home or not. In fact, there have been several cases where I forgot to activate it before leaving. Therefore, it would be nice if the app suggested to put it into vacation mode.

Affordable 24/7 home surveillance

The most attractive aspect of the ring alarm (second generation) is the affordable cost associated with its professional 24-hour home surveillance service. You must subscribe to Ring Protect Plus, which is $ 10 a month or $ 100 a year, but has the benefit of a real-time emergency response.

When an alarm is triggered, not only will you receive a notification on your smartphone, but a representative from Ring's professional surveillance service will call to check. From there, you can simply speak the verbal password to ignore the alarm or have emergency services sent to your home.

Base station for ring alarm (2nd generation) on the tableJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

The monthly cost of $ 10 for Ring Protect Plus also covers video history for all cameras connected to your Ring account for up to 60 days. In the event that the power supply fails at home, the base station has a 24-hour backup battery and a cellular service to continue the service. If you are heavily invested in the ring ecosystem, the cost is a bargain as this also includes professional monitoring.

Our opinion

With the ring alarm (2nd generation) you are protected in protecting your house – without having to cost an arm and a leg for a professional surveillance service. The five-part base kit costs $ 200 and the surveillance service costs $ 10 a month (or $ 100 a year). This makes it extremely competitive with other services that have both a higher initial investment and a higher monthly fee.

Is there a better alternative?

SimpliSafe is another do-it-yourself security service that needs to be considered due to its robust range of accessories. In addition to the usual sensors, SimpliSafe also offers a Smart Lock, special smoke and CO detectors, a key fob and a glass break sensor. SimpliSafe accessories are cheaper ($ 15 for an input sensor versus $ 20 for ring). To top it off, further settings and data protection regulations must be adjusted with SimpliSafe.

How long it will take?

Because the base station remains stationary and is in your home, it is unlikely to be damaged or need to be replaced. However, the sensors need to be replaced and the alarm keypad needs to be recharged occasionally unless you want to connect it to the power source.

Ring offers an extended warranty on all devices connected to your Ring Protect Plus subscription, so malfunctions due to defective parts or workmanship are covered until you stop service.

Should you buy it

Yes, especially if you are already invested in the ring ecosystem and want an affordable professional home surveillance service. If you already own the first generation model, there is little incentive to upgrade as the basic features and service remain the same.

Editor's recommendations




14 May
Blog

1More Dual Driver ANC Pro Review In-Progress: Great Sound

1more dual driver and rating 3

1More dual driver ANC Pro test in progress: listen to this

"The 1More dual drivers offer excellent sound quality for the price."

  • 20 hours of battery life

  • Outstanding sound quality

  • Stellar noise cancellation

The sexy new trend in portable audio these days is real wireless earbuds – and for good reason. When done correctly, they offer comfort and quality in a bite-size package.

Still, 1More is living proof that a few wires here and there doesn't have to be a bad thing. The new ANC Pro wireless in-ear headphones with $ 150 worth of two drivers, which can be pre-ordered and officially launched on May 21, may not have the immediate appeal of a true wireless counterpart. But even in the short amount of time I was able to test them, it's obvious that 1More's new, efficient headphones get you where you need to go.

Out of the box

Let me rave about the packaging in which the Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless arrived for a moment.

Essentially, the headphones sit in a display case that is bound like a book, and on the inside there are artistic sketches of the headphones. Take note of competing companies. This is how you make a good first impression.

1More Dual Driver ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

A smorgasbord of accessories is waiting under the headphones. These include three sets of additional earplugs, both a USB-C charging cable and an additional cable, a carrying case for the headphones and various documentation.

After taking the time to find the best tips for your ears, setting up is standard compared to most wireless earbuds. I haven't had these headphones long enough to talk about how well the built-in Bluetooth 5 technology works, but I can say that I still have no problems.

The 1More Music app goes well with the headphones. You don't need the app to connect first, but I would recommend downloading it. The app provides access to firmware updates, control over active noise cancellation and intelligent burn-in options. I'll come to the last part a little later.

design

Before I go any further, it's time to address the elephant in the room … um, ear. From the way the ANC looks with two drivers, it is clear to me that I would classify them as earphones that happen to be attached to a neckband with a pair of wires. 1More, however, the new product is referred to as in-ear headphones. Therefore I will use this terminology in this test.

1More Dual Driver ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The in-ear component of the headphones fits comfortably and securely in my ears and hangs pretty well in it when I decided to audition them while running through the local park. At the other end of the wire is the silicone collar that gently wraps around your neck. The band has buttons for power, volume control, active noise cancellation and wind noise resistance mode, as well as the option to call your preferred voice assistant. They are not noticeable, but I found them to be easy to use.

The back of the buds is magnetic so they can cling together and sit like a high-resolution necklace when not in use. This is a nice design accommodation as the Dual Driver ANC doesn't seem to be the easiest headphone.

Don't get me wrong, the neck strap is flexible and it looks like it could take some strength. The tote bag doesn't give me as much security as, for example, a stiffer bag when mixed with other items in a backpack or suitcase.

This brings me to what I see as an inevitable design flaw in these types of headphones – they simply don't have the portability or ergonomic footprint that so many people enjoy with real wireless earphones. The Dual Driver ANC can offer a lot between its functions, its audio quality and its price. You just have to get by with something more prominent to enjoy these features.

properties

The previous model in this series of 1More headphones, the Dual Driver BT ANC, only offered 7 hours of playback time for calls or music. It was clearly a vulnerability and one can say with certainty that 1More addressed it.

The new Dual Driver ANC offers a battery life of 20 hours without ANC and 15 hours with the function activated, as well as a quick charge function that enables 3 additional hours with only 10 minutes of charging time. I haven't had enough time to fully test 1More's battery life, but if the specs are right, that's a huge improvement.

The Dual Driver ANC has a waterproof IPX5 resistance that protects it from water jets from any direction. I haven't had a chance to deal with them so intensely yet, but the headphones made it through a rain-soaked walk unscathed.

In addition to its active noise cancellation features, the Dual Driver ANC also features the aforementioned wind noise resistance mode, which, according to 1More, is designed to suppress wind-generated microphone noise and keep unwanted distractions out of your listening experience. The weather didn't want to work with me at the time I was testing them up to that point, which means I couldn't use them against strong gusts to see how it worked. However, as soon as I am able, I will report on my results.

Audio quality

With products such as the triple driver and quad driver in-ear headphones and the newer 1More Stylish earphones, 1More has earned a good reputation. In short, this is a company that delivers high quality sound that doesn't cost a fortune.

1More Dual Driver ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The Dual Driver ANC has expectations. To repeat myself for the umpteenth time, I haven't listened to them long enough to completely break up their audio chops. However, the early returns are excellent.

These headphones have the name they have for a reason. They consist of a dynamic 13.6 mm driver with a titanium composite membrane and the symmetrical anchor developed by 1More. It says a lot, but if this isn't the MJ and Scottie of the headphone components, they get pretty darn close.

In other words, name a better duo. I'll wait.

Seriously, the time I spent listening to the Dual Driver ANC was quite an experience. In addition to supporting audio codecs such as SBC, ACC, and LDAC, they skilfully navigate between music genres and look for the vibrating rumble of Lil Nas Xs Panini before looking for a powerful reproduction of Bill Withers & # 39; Lean on Me. As with all of the company's products, the Dual Driver ANC has been optimized by Luca Bignardi, a Grammy Award-winning sound engineer.

If I have a problem with the sound quality, I have to wait until I can hear the best that the Dual Driver ANC has to offer. The headphone app has an intelligent burn-in function that, according to 1More, essentially reproduces sounds and signals via your buds in order to "train" them. For best performance, 1More suggests that it can take a few dozen to hundreds of hours to reach the optimal level. Call me impatient, but that just seems over the top.

Noise cancellation

As I said before, I still have to put the Dual Driver ANC's wind noise resistance mode against worthwhile elements. However, I briefly tested the headphones' active noise canceling function on busy streets and have a couple of takeaways.

1More products use hybrid active noise cancellation, in which a pair of microphones in each bud analyze noise both in the ear and in the outside environment and then block out the unwanted noise using a dedicated digital signal processor (DSP). The headphones have two different noise suppression levels, mild and strong, which can be selected with the neckband button or in the 1More Music app.

My attempts with the ANC functions of these headphones were good overall. White noise with the feature in action was minimal, and they generally dampened most outside noise solidly. However, I would keep expectations realistic. They don't come close to the cancellation skills that solid over-ear cans can offer, and some noise will inevitably get through. This is not really a blow to 1More, but a reminder of the limitations of this product style. They do well within these restrictions.

Conclusion

I have to revisit this review after spending more time listening to these headphones to get a final attitude. But 1More has consistently built great, affordable hearing aids in the past, and so far they are back on track with the Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless.

Editor's recommendations




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