We already have available the new Redmi Buds 6 Active, semi in-ear headphones with a weight of only 4 grams per earphone. In addition, the aesthetic changes present ...
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Gaming has certainly come a long way since the “good old days” of Pong and Super Mario! With advancements in technology, today’s gamers can immerse themselves in incredibly realistic virtual worlds that magically transport them into another dimension. From stunning graphics and lifelike character movements to intricate storytelling, game developers constantly strive to push the boundaries of what is possible.
But one aspect has been somewhat lacking in these virtual experiences—audio. While visuals have evolved significantly, audio has often taken a backseat.
Not anymore. Thanks to the advent of True 3D audio and high quality headphones, gamers can now enjoy an unprecedented level of realism and immersion that adds a whole new dimension to their gaming experiences.
For the longest time, game audio primarily relied on stereo or surround sound systems to create the illusion of three-dimensional audio. While these techniques do heighten the gaming experience to some extent, they fail to accurately recreate how sound behaves in the real world. “Old school” audio systems typically represent sound sources as fixed points in space. This means that when a player moves around the virtual world, the sound remains constant and does not change based on their position or orientation. This limitation compromises the overall sense of immersion and realism that gamers seek.
But with the introduction of True 3D audio, game developers can now create a more accurate representation of sound in virtual environments. By simulating how sound waves interact with the virtual surroundings and the player’s ears, True 3D audio adds an extra layer of realism previously unattainable.
True 3D audio—a.k.a. spatial audio—is a technology that mimics the way sound propagates in the real world. It takes into account things like distance, direction, and environment to reproduce sound accurately in a three-dimensional space. Instead of relying solely on speakers to deliver audio, True 3D audio uses advanced algorithms and specialized headphones to create an immersive auditory experience.
One of the key features of True 3D audio is its ability to accurately position sound sources in relation to the player’s position and movements within the game.
Example: If an enemy approaches from behind, the player will hear the sound gradually move from the back to the front. This creates a heightened sense of situational awareness. This level of precision and realism adds an extra layer of immersion, improving gameplay and making the virtual world feel more authentic.
True 3D audio provides a wide range of benefits that enhance the gaming experience. Let’s explore some of them.
The new True 3D audio technology featured in the latest gaming systems allows players to become more deeply immersed in virtual worlds than ever before. This groundbreaking audio innovation provides pinpoint-accurate placement of all sound sources within the game environment, creating the sensational illusion that you have literally been transported inside the onscreen world.
Every subtle audio detail, from gentle ambient nature sounds (like leaves softly rustling in trees) to dramatic booming explosions during combat sequences, is precisely localized in a three-dimensional sound space. This unprecedented level of audio immersion leads to breathtaking realism that high-definition visuals alone cannot achieve. Wandering through photorealistic in-game forests, players can feel transported into the natural space, surrounded by the gentle sounds of wildlife and vegetation in the breeze.
Likewise, chaotic warzone firefights become more intense and lifelike, where the player feels physically present within the virtual battlefield, with explosions detonating and bullets whizzing past them from every direction. With True 3D audio, games are no longer limited to visual realism—players can now become fully present within once-intangible worlds, leading to unprecedented immersion.
The implementation of true 3D audio in video games has led to improved spatial awareness for players. (Spatial awareness refers to a player’s understanding of where objects, teammates, enemies, and other audio sources are located around them in the game world.) With advanced 3D audio technologies that accurately emulate directional sound propagation, players gain a better sense of their surroundings. They can more easily pinpoint the origin of footsteps, gunshots, or other audio cues. This gives players a tactical edge. Why? They can quicker ascertain the presence of threats or opportunities and react accordingly. Their decision-making and response times benefit from the increased perception granted by 3D audio.
Ultimately, this heightened spatial awareness gives players more agency and control. It empowers them to better leverage the audio information available to achieve objectives and succeed in the game. The level of immersion also feels more advanced, with a detailed soundscape that faithfully represents what they might hear in the real world.
Realistic and immersive soundscapes are a key component of modern video games that help to transport players into intricately crafted virtual worlds. With advanced True 3D audio technologies, game developers now have unprecedented capabilities to engineer deeply resonant acoustic environments filled with echoes, reverberations, premium HD sound, and directional sounds that mimic reality.
Whether it’s hearing the subtle echo of footsteps ricocheting off the stone walls of a medieval castle corridor or feeling enveloped by the bassy, rumbling sound effects of explosives detonating across an active warzone battlefield, True 3D audio adds an extra layer of depth and suspension of disbelief.
Every minute sound detail can be rendered with precise spatial positioning, distance attenuation, and geometric occlusion modelling to fully convince the auditory senses that the video game world stretches out organically in all directions. As virtual reality platforms grow ever more visually realistic, 3D soundscapes with advanced physics and propagation are imperative to completing the immersion illusion. True 3D audio ultimately helps facilitate deeper emotional connections and richer experiences as players explore and interact within credibly crafted virtual environments.
Finally, traditional stereo or surround sound systems have limitations regarding lateral sound movement. But with True 3D audio, sound can move smoothly and easily from one speaker to another, creating a more fluid and natural audio experience. The dynamic movement of sound adds an extra dimension to the gaming experience, making it feel more organic and realistic.
Rather than sound jumping abruptly between speakers, True 3D audio allows for gradual and subtle shifts in the soundscape as the action moves across the gaming environment. Thanks to these smooth audio transitions, players can pinpoint sounds in a game with greater precision. This makes for a deeply immersive experience that feels natural and responsive. By overcoming the spatial restrictions of old audio setups, True 3D audio brings lateral sound movement to the next level.
As technology continues to advance, True 3D audio is expected to become the new standard in gaming. With its ability to provide an unmatched level of realism and immersion, True 3D audio has the potential to revolutionize the way gamers experience their favourite titles. Developers are increasingly adopting this technology and incorporating it into their games to deliver truly unforgettable audio experiences.
True 3D audio is a game-changer for the gaming industry. Its ability to accurately reproduce sound in a three-dimensional space adds an entirely new level of immersion and realism to virtual worlds. Whether it’s getting fully immersed in the ambiance of a detailed game environment or being able to locate enemies with precision, True 3D audio heightens the overall gaming experience in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Get ready to strap on your headphones and embark on an auditory adventure like no other with True 3D audio!
Samsung Scalable Codec, often known as SSC, is Samsung's proprietary codec that provides high-quality audio streaming over Bluetooth. Samsung revamped its TWS (Total Wireless Stereo) lineup in 2019 with the introduction of Galaxy Buds. Samsung (AKG) created Samsung Scalable Codec for its Galaxy Buds lineup to offer a stable Bluetooth connection with dynamic bitrate. Whether grooving to your playlists or catching up on podcasts on your Galaxy phone, Samsung's technology ensures a smooth connection between your device and headphones. But what exactly is Samsung Scalable Codec, and how is the newer Samsung Seamles Codec different? Continue reading to explore its benefits, compatibility, features, and current iteration.
When shopping for cheap true wireless earbuds, you are bound to be met with an avalanche of options, plenty of which are duds, with subpar audio, overkill bass, and bare-bones features. These products often use gibberish brand names meant to trick you into thinking you're making a good choice. While there's a wide price range when it comes to the best wireless earbuds out there, the premium options on that list reach $300.
Many of us use headphones every day to block out the commuter din, to connect via hands-free phone calls, to rev us up at the gym, and for other important reasons. While over-ear headphones are a great option for passive and active noise cancelation, the added bulk doesn't always make them the ideal choice. If you want something lightweight and easily portable, it's time to invest in a solid pair of wireless earbuds. Although they may not provide the same level of intense noise cancelation as over-ear models, you'd be surprised how much sound a well-designed pair can block out.
Great price on AliExpress Choice Day for the Marshall MAJOR III, a headphone with headband design from this well-known English audio brand. A new version of these popular ...
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Lenovo has an impressive catalogue of headphones of all types where bone conduction headphones are also present, such as the Lenovo X7 which are currently at a reduced ...
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We already have available the new iQOO TWS 1i wireless headphones that stand out for their good autonomy that can reach up to 10 hours. These are headphones ...
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Good deal on the popular Xiaomi I68 headphones, they feature an open design with OWS hook that is very comfortable to wear. These headphones with OWS design (Over-ear ...
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I really like an obscure game with an odd mechanic in it. I want to make a clone of it so I can keep playing it, even if its graphics and audio are inferior to the original!
This game has a highly unusual mechanic though. It relies on voice-acting to relay info to the player (or at least the opponent, it used to have online features). Not having this signalling would render half of the game's mechanics unusable.
Obviously, I don't have the ability to add voice acting to my game. So what other method can I choose? Having some sort of graphic or text pop up on the screen indicating the opponent's action would require the player to divert their eyes to elsewhere on the screen. I could have unique sound effects for every action, but there's literally dozens of them! Besides, it would take quite a while to learn which sound is associated with each action. With voice acting, the character is literally just calling out the name of the action they're performing!
Is there any other method I could use to relay this information? Or is a game like this simply impossible to play without audio? I mean, how many games are there where you literally couldn't play them at all if you're deaf? Some sort of audio cue seems a practical necessity.
Sony is one of the best headphone brands in the business. With years of experience in the music and film industries, the company continues to leverage its audible and visual experience in designing some of the top headsets (and top earbuds, too). Were betting youve seen one or two pairs of Sony headphones in your lifetime, and there are more than one or two worth considering. If you're in the market, this list has them. Models include everything from signature products to unique alternatives.
If your summer fitness regime needs a bit of a boost, the Beats Fit Pro might be just the wireless earbuds for the job. We’re spotlighting them today because they just hit their lowest price since March 2023, with a 20% markdown dropping them to only $159.
Back in April, Beats announced its first true wireless earbuds priced under $100. Now, the Solo Buds are finally available, starting today for just $79.99.
The new affordable buds are fairly basic in design, lacking extras like noise cancelation and auto play/pause functionality. At least there are touch controllers activated by pressing the B button on the headphones that offer basics like playback control, answering calls, and activating Siri. You also get four ear tip sizes out of the box, which should cover pretty much all ear types reasonably well.
We can’t speak for the sound quality of these buds, but at this price point, you’d expect a few concessions. Aside from the lack of more expensive extras, the most obvious trade-off has to do with the case you put your buds in.
While many true wireless earbuds have charging cases that include built-in batteries to bolster battery life quickly, the Solo Buds do not. Thankfully, the earbuds themselves have an impressively solid battery life of up to 18 hours, but after that, you’ll need to put them in the case and plug them into a USB-C to top them back up. Beats says the buds charge up fairly fast, at least, reportedly giving you one hour of playback with just a five-minute charge.
The Beats Solo Buds are available now in your choice of Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red.
GameFromScratch.com
Bosca Ceoil Blue
Today we are checking out Bosca Ceoil Blue, a port of Terry Cavanagh’s ( VVVVV, Super Hexagon, Dicey Dungeons ) beginner friendly music creation software. Bosca Ceoil was released for free several years ago (we covered it five years back) and was originally written using Flash. We are discussing it […]
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The PICUN F6 are a headphone with a great quality price, but not too well known that we can buy online and for which we have Headphones very ...
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Today, we have a look at the peculiar TRANSFORMERS TF-T07 x X15 Pro headphones that also have a succulent rebate during AliExpress’ summer deals. Headphones that are not ...
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If you've been shopping around for a new pair of earbuds, you'll know things can get pretty pricey if you're looking to buy some of the best wireless earbuds on the market. Naturally, not everyone wants to spend over $200, but finding that sweet spot between quality and price can be difficult, especially when there are so many different choices available.
Very good deal on AliExpress during these days if you are thinking about mid-range headphones, as we have the CMF Buds Pro from NOTHING at a great price. ...
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More and more people have some form of hearing impairment in this increasingly loud day and age. You may remember hearing aids as bulky devices sitting behind your ears that are barely good enough to make people hear again, but this is far from the truth today. Most hearing aids support some form of audio streaming. Still, you need a compatible Android phone for most of them.
The Sanag S3 Pro is an open design headset that catches our attention, especially for its carrying and recharging case, which includes a color touchscreen display. A screen ...
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Lenovo’s range of headphones with open-type earclip design is growing, and today we look at the Lenovo XT61 which is part of their budget range. These headphones come ...
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The most essential part of my workout is music. Unfortunately, I work out at night after my kid goes to bed, so I cant play any music out loud. Headphones get too hot while Im exercising, so I dont like to wear them if I can help it, which means my only music option is earbuds and a great workout app. Lucky for me, there are a lot of earbuds out there to choose from, but there are only a few models that I know of that offer integrated heart-rate monitoring, so I jumped at the chance to review the Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds.
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I used to listen to CDs on my dad's massive headphones with a big 1/4 inch jack plugged into his amplifier with the stainless steel face. Man, I loved that sound. It was rich, immersive, and as loud as I wanted. I could hear every instrument and the breathing of the lead singer. I have never been able to recreate that sound quality with smartphones. I have been trying for nearly 30 years. There are few good phones for audiophiles, and I really want there to be more. The Moondrop MIAD01 is a rare exception but falls short in a few areas.
The Lenovo Thinkplus XT83 II is a new Bluetooth headset with an open earclip design, in theory quite comfortable for long audio sessions. A cheap range of headphones ...
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Whether you work the third shift, sleep next to a snoring partner, or are routinely woken up by the gentle morning sounds of heavy construction machinery, if youre part of the poor sleep club, you know the agony of prolonged sleep deprivation. Thankfully, sleeping headphones are a great tool we unwilling insomniacs can use to finally catch that elusive REM.
The Lenovo X5 are bone conduction headphones from this active brand that we found today at a great price on AliExpress. As these are bone conduction headphones, they ...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS-hrVpzCJg
This is my Google ecosystem: phone, watch, headphones, audio, Chromecast. If I told you that you could get it all for under $1,000, I think a lot of people would be interested.
Let me clarify right off the bat: Clearly, this isn’t possible if you focus on buying the latest and greatest Google hardware. When I thought about this challenge, I didn’t aim it for the biggest tech enthusiasts who want a Pixel 8 Pro or maybe even a Pixel tablet; they are just too expensive and would take up my entire $1,000 envelop and more! I wanted to maximize my budget and get as much as possible for as little money. However, I also didn’t want to go and get something like a Google Pixel 5 because that phone is too old now and nearing the end of its support.
So, I gave myself a couple of caveats for this challenge:
To try and get all of this for under that $1,000 budget, secondhand had to be my best friend. So eBay, Amazon renewed, and other retail options, depending on where you live. I focused on the US market and eBay.
Let’s start at the heart of any ecosystem that we’ll use every single day, and that is the phone. When you think about a budget phone from Google, your first thoughts turn to the Pixel 7a, the cheapest available phone at the moment. This is actually a really good starting point for our ecosystem. It’s only around one year old and with that latest Feature drop, it brings brand new features like Circle to Search to the 7a. The phone has a really good 6.1-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, so it feels like you aren’t massively missing out on Google’s best features and hardware.
I did think about getting a cheap secondhand Pixel 8 or Pixel 7 Pro, but again, I had to get as much for as little as possible. The Pixel 7a gave me more wiggle room with the rest of my budget. Plus, it has a really slick always-on display and some decent cameras, including a 64MP main and a 13MP ultrawide, that stack up really well against the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8.
There are a few compromises with the Pixel 7a to keep in mind: the battery isn’t the best in the world, and the bezels are a little bit thick for 2024. But these are compromises that I can live with.
Going through eBay, I found a used Pixel 7a in excellent condition for about $250, so I went with it. Phone secured; what’s next?
Well, I needed to get some Bluetooth earbuds, too. For a budget ecosystem, I had two choices: the Pixel Buds A or the Pixel Buds Pro. The noise cancelation is a no-brainer requirement to me, so Pixel Buds Pro it is, even if the Buds A are cheaper. Plus, all around, the Buds Pro provide a much better experience, and we want a good experience despite our $1,000 budget.
If you’ve never used the Buds Pro before, I’ll tell you they are fantastic. They’re comfortable, the active noise cancelation is really good, the battery lasts up to 11 hours of listening, and they’ve got wireless charging. The Pixel Buds A don’t have that wireless charging and they only last about five hours of listening time.
Overall, I just had to indulge and go Pro here, and thankfully, I didn’t have to break the bank to do it. I resigned myself to getting secondhand earbuds and decided to give them a thorough clean and buy new ear tips to avoid the previous owner’s ear gunk. A used pair of Pixel Buds Pro costs anywhere between $70 and $130 on eBay, so I bagged mine for $100.
But there’s another requirement I needed to elevate that ecosystem a little bit more, and that is a watch. You might think, “Oh, maybe I don’t need a Pixel Watch for that budget,” and yeah, it is something you could live without. But once I got the watch, I really realized how much it tied me into Google’s ecosystem. I could unlock my phone, see Google Maps navigation, and use Google Wallet without getting my phone out. It became so convenient and once I used it for a bit, I just felt like I couldn’t go back.
Again, I had a couple of options here. I could go with something like the Fitbit Sense 2, but I knew the best option was just a Pixel Watch. There aren’t loads of differences between the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2. They’re both the same size and, essentially, the same design as well. A lot of the features that you get on the Watch 2 were recently added to the first-generation Pixel Watch. I wouldn’t be missing out on too much; things like skin temperature sensing, and stress notifications don’t stand out massively as big compromises to me.
Once I got the Pixel Watch, I really realized how much it tied me into Google's ecosystem.
The price difference would be the biggest roadblock to getting that Pixel Watch 2 because there’s about a $100 difference between the secondhand Watch 1 and 2. And obviously, if money weren’t an issue, then I’d get the Pixel Watch 2. But I do want to stretch my budget as much as possible. So, let’s get a Pixel Watch 1 instead. A secondhand unit goes from around $100 to $150. I got mine for $125.
Now I have a Pixel 7a for $250, Pixel Buds Pro for $100, and a first-gen Pixel Watch for $125, which leaves me with $575 of my budget. And I could just stop there; that is actually a really good introduction to the Google ecosystem. But when you start to add smart home devices, that’s when the entire experience is elevated a step or two. I wanted to get things like Nest speakers and a Chromecast for under that $1,000 budget.
The Chromecast has improved significantly over the past couple of years. Again, I had two options: an HD version and a 4K version. However, one of my biggest caveats at the start of this challenge was to future-proof everything for the next couple of years, so I had to exclude the Chromecast HD from the equation. Plus, 4K is probably your best friend here.
I feel like the Chromecast 4K is so underrated as well. Some people might have a smart TV and think, “Well, I don’t need a Chromecast.” But smart TVs are really frustrating: You need to switch between apps constantly, they’re slow, and really just not intelligent at all. With the Chromecast interface, it’s just all in one place and it easily integrates with all of your devices, including the Pixel 7a that I got. You can even use your Pixel phone as a remote. So this is where I could clearly see the ecosystem start to come together.
The Chromecast 4K had to be the first product where I actually picked up a brand new unit rather than secondhand. Just look at the prices; when a new Chromecast is $59, there’s not a huge amount of savings to get with secondhand units. At least not enough to justify dealing with a used unit. A new one with the full warranty is a better deal. So I treated myself and went brand new with the Chromecast 4K from the Google store at $59.
The next thing I had to look at are Nest speakers. Again, a few options presented themselves: the second-generation Nest Mini, second-generation Nest Hub, and Nest Audio. You can pick up Nest Minis for a ridiculously low price on eBay, but I had to remember that they’ve been around since 2019. And while they’re still getting updates five years down the line, I don’t think they’re futureproof enough. On top of that, the sound isn’t actually that great. So my best bet was that Nest Audio.
The Nest Audio came out in 2020, a year later than the second-generation Nest Mini. It sounds infinitely better, and even though it costs a little bit more secondhand, it wouldn’t blow past my remaining budget. If you get more than one Nest Audio, the sound quality is even more elevated, as you can create a stereo pair for a more immersive listening experience.
Going through eBay, secondhand Nest Audio units range in price a bit. But I found a listing where I could get them for $50 each. Given the affordable price, I went with two so I could actually have that stereo pair.
Nest and Chromecast aren't essential to the Pixel lifestyle, but they add a little something extra.
With a decent budget left, I decided to treat myself to something else and take my Pixel and Google experience to the next level. I went for a Nest Hub, and I love it. It sits on my bedside table and lets me also see what Google Assistant is trying to babble on about. Weather, smart Google Home controls, watching YouTube, and seeing Google Photos at a glance; all of these are things the Nest Hub 2nd Generation is capable of while tying more of my Google ecosystem together. Plus, it doesn’t cost a huge amount of money.
If you go through eBay, you’ll see that these are really well-priced as secondhand units at about $70 to $80. And if you search well enough, you can find one for around $70, like the one I got. And yes, the Nest Hub did come out a couple of years ago, but it’s still very much getting software updates and should continue to, at least for the next couple of years.
Let’s go through what I got. I have a $250 Google Pixel 7a, a $100 pair of Pixel Buds Pro, the first-generation Pixel Watch for $125, a new $59 Chromecast 4K, two Nest Audios for $100 total, and a Nest Hub 2nd Generation for $70. If you add all this together, my intro into the Google ecosystem cost me just over $700 — $704, to be exact. And besides going for secondhand units, I’m getting a really good experience as a first dabble into Google’s ecosystem and not making any huge compromises.
In fact, I could go on and keep adding to this if I wanted to spend all of my $1,000 budget. Maybe buy a secondhand Pixel Tablet, a Nest Doorbell, or switch to a more powerful Google Pixel. But I think I’m good with my current setup, and I’ve got a decent amount of change left for future upgrades or items!
I really enjoyed this challenge because I didn’t think I’d be able to stretch my budget this much and get as many pillars for my Google experience as I did. What do you think of my choices for this Google ecosystem challenge? Would you make similar compromises and choices? Would you skip some of these items or would you indulge in something extra?
This is my Google ecosystem: phone, watch, headphones, audio, Chromecast. If I told you that you could get it all for under $1,000, I think a lot of people would be interested.
Let me clarify right off the bat: Clearly, this isn’t possible if you focus on buying the latest and greatest Google hardware. When I thought about this challenge, I didn’t aim it for the biggest tech enthusiasts who want a Pixel 8 Pro or maybe even a Pixel tablet; they are just too expensive and would take up my entire $1,000 envelop and more! I wanted to maximize my budget and get as much as possible for as little money. However, I also didn’t want to go and get something like a Google Pixel 5 because that phone is too old now and nearing the end of its support.
Investing in a good pair of headphones or earbuds can make a big difference in your daily routine. Whether you're commuting to work, doing household chores, or working out, listening to your favorite music, audiobooks, or podcasts can make these tasks more enjoyable. With the right headphones, you can take your audio experience to the next level and enrich your life.
I've been testing wireless earbuds since the earliest days, back when a German start-up named Bragi was making waves with its pioneering Dash earbuds, back when people on Twitter were openly skeptical about whether AirPods would actually be practical. During that 2015-2016 era, wireless earbuds came in all shapes and sizes — and also with a lot of compromises, like unstable connectivity, sub-par audio quality, etc.
The world of data is an interesting one, and at the deepest level of any file stored on your computer is a string of 1s and 0s in a specific pattern that forms the file that you're looking at. All files can be viewed as binary, and this data can then be interpreted and stored in a variety of creative ways. For example, you can represent this data using pixels in a video and you can chop the files and reconnect them together again at any point.
Sometimes extreme procrastination works in your favor. Procrastination certainly played a role in this month’s Hands On, which was 20 years in the making. So, too, did family, and place, and what meaning might be found in bringing silent circuits to life. This then is a story that ends with me watching Interstellar and listening to its soaring soundtrack in glorious high fidelity, but begins with my wife’s childhood in North Carolina.
Regular readers will know that I take particular delight in anything that combines old and new tech. So when my wife and I were newlyweds two decades ago, and my wife’s parents gifted us with an early 1960s General Electric wood-cabinet stereo hi-fi, the wheels started turning in my head. My wife grew up listening to records on this stereo, but now it was 2004, and vinyl was clearly dead and never coming back. Instead, I connected one of our new-fangled iPods via the set of RCA audio inputs at the back (fortunately, these had become standard just a few years before the hi-fi was made). We filled our small New York City apartment with the latest hits from the Black Eyed Peas and Arcade Fire—only to discover that the left-hand stereo channel didn’t work.
Identifying the problem was quick and easy. Peering into the gloom of the cabinet’s sprawling circuitry, I spotted the one vacuum tube not emitting a tell-tale orange glow. But fixing the problem was neither quick nor easy. The years ticked on, and we moved from apartment to apartment, and city to city, taking the hi-fi with us. But it sat silent, a convenient place to display photos and stash bottles of liquor. I made fitful attempts to find a replacement tube, searching eBay and scouring the formidable MIT Radio Society Swapfests.
Perfectionism was a big part of my procrastination, as I hoped to find a matched pair—that is, two tubes that came from the same production batch. Prized among vintage audio enthusiasts, a matched pair would ensure that manufacturing variations didn’t leave one stereo channel with a different frequency response than the other. But I never found a pair, at least not at a price I was willing to pay. About two years ago, I finally gave in and spent US $55 for a single replacement GE 7189A tube from KCA NOS Tubes.
Replacing a blown tube [left] was relatively straightforward, as the stereo was designed to permit their replacement, and many tubes are still easily obtainable online. However, the original wax-paper capacitor used to filter noise from the AC power supply had failed, so I had to splice in a custom-made substitute.James Provost
I popped in the 7189A, tuned in a radio station, and music boomed from both speakers. Yay! Yay? No yay. There was sound, all right, but it was bad sound. A harsh hum bullied its way through the music, the dread drone of 60 hertz. I was hearing the AC power frequency.
This would be a much more involved job than simply pulling a blown tube out of a socket and pushing a new one in. Flashlight in hand, I surveyed the hi-fi’s circuits. It has two chassis, one for the radio tuner and controls and one for the stereo amplifier. As I pondered what it would take to extract them for diagnosis and repair, my flashlight fell on a mysterious behemoth: a tube about 10 centimeters long and 3 cm in diameter that was screwed to a side panel and connected to the amplifier board by four leads. What the heck was this?
It was a wax paper multicapacitor, a very obsolete component combining a 70-microfarad capacitor rated for 400 volts, a 100-μF capacitor also rated at 400 V, and a 70-μF capacitor rated at 25 V, with a common negative terminal. Such a device was typically used to filter noise from AC supplies, and prone to long-term failure. I’d found my culprit.
When it comes to dealing with voltages higher than 24 V, I am a complete wuss, but this is where my years of procrastination paid off. After a few more months of nervous delay, I began researching the problem and discovered that rather than having to cobble together a homebrew multicapacitor, I could turn to the pros!
Thanks to the stability of the analog RCA audio connector standard since the 1950s, it was possible to use modern entertainment technology with the vintage hi-fi’s warm-sounding speakers. The flatscreen accepts digital HDMI signals and outputs audio via an optical-fiber connection. A digital-to-analog converter then creates left- and right-channel audio signals to feed into the hi-fi. A selector on the hi-fi’s front panel (originally reserved for connecting a tape player) pipes the audio through the speakers.James Provost
In the last few years, a number of outfits have cropped up to assist people in the repair of vintage radios, supplying original service manuals and providing drop-in substitutes for components you can’t buy any more. I sent off specs to Hayseed Hamfest, which specializes in replacement capacitors. For $43, I soon had a bespoke replacement in a metal can about half the length of my waxy original. I simply had to excise the old monster and wire in its successor.
And then things stalled again—until my father passed away last November. He had spent decades working as an engineer at the Irish national broadcaster, RTÉ, and in his youth he had helped my grandfather in their radio and television rental shop in Dublin. After his funeral, I glared at the stereo, as it awaited a repair that my father could have once done practically blindfolded.
I took off the back and cut the monster out. Splicing in its replacement without removing the amplifier chassis was tricky, but it turned out to be a perfect application for some Kuject connectors I had knocking around. These connectors are short lengths of transparent heat-shrink tubing with some solder inside. Rather than guddling around inside the confined space with a soldering iron, I was able to twist the ends of my leads together, slide the Kuject connector into place, and give it a short blast with a heat gun. Before I knew it, I was done.
And time had helped in other ways too: Instead of just hooking up an iPod, now I could use HDMI cables to connect an Apple TV and a Blu-ray player to a television—which, thanks to modern flat-screen technology, could now be perched on top of the cabinet—and then feed the television’s optical audio output into a converter box and then on into the stereo’s RCA inputs. I tested everything by listening to the elegiac organ rolls of Interstellar swelling out into our apartment.
And there the hi-fi stands now, more than just a photo stand and more than a way to watch “Stranger Things” in style. It’s a reminder of my wife’s upbringing and family, our recollections of the places we’ve lived our lives together, and there, in the currents and voltages being shunted around the circuitry, the echoes of my family, too, and the memory of the hands that taught me my first lessons in electronics.
There’s a good reason sound engineers use headphones to test audio. Whether you're in a gaming session or enjoying the finer details of a chamber orchestra track, over-the-ear headphones provide the best listening experience. They fully envelop your ears, creating a sealed box of sound, rich in quality and details. Over-ear wired or wireless headphones are the go-to choice when audio quality and active noise cancellation (ANC) are the prime concerns.
Sony is known for making some of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market, with the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5 being merely the latest in a long lineup of perennial favorites. However, those are far from the only over-ear cans the company makes; it may surprise you to learn that Sony has a broad headphone lineup, with something for every budget. Keeping with Sony's audio reputation, its entire headphone collection delivers impressive sound quality for each price point, plus a comfortable and lightweight fit and class-leading battery life.
In the vast, wild world of audio tech, giants often overshadow the little guys. This is what makes Creative’s Pebble series so unique. They are the little speakers that could, both literally and figuratively. They are so small you can hold them in the palm of your hand, and at the same time deliver impressive audio. These desktop speakers are made to look premium, while keeping prices affordable and competitive with premium speakers available in the market. Creative Pebble speakers start at just $29! But we’re not here to talk about the cheapest models today. The star of the show today is the Pebble X series, an upgrade for those who need an even more premium pulse out of these pocket-friendly beats.
The new Creative Pebble X and Pebble X Plus offer a great proposition to those who want quality desk speakers at a price that will not break the bank. These aren’t your grandpa’s speakers; they offer impressive specs like power output of up to 30W RMS when connected to a PD adapter, with a peak power of up to 60W. You can also have them in 2.1 or 2.0 configurations, and they feature both wired and wireless connections. The best part? They feature RGB lighting and six built-in audio presets!
The Creative Pebble X series is by no means alone here. Creative has a wide range of options from which you can choose. Sporting sleek and minimalist designs, each product in the Pebble lineup offers powerful audio performance packed into a small footprint.
All these Pebble speakers have high-quality drivers and built-in passive radiators that produce clean and balanced sound with rich bass. Whether it’s the Pebble V3 for versatile connectivity, the Pebble Plus for enhanced bass performance, or the Pebble Pro for immersive audio in a compact form factor, the Pebble family has something for everyone’s preferences, needs, and, of course, budgets. It’s the ideal choice for users seeking an audio upgrade for their desktop or entertainment setups.
Hit up Creative’s website to learn more about its product portfolio, get all the specs, and purchase whichever you prefer. This song goes on, though. Creative has also launched its latest and greatest Pebble X and Pebble X Plus. We’ll cover everything about these in the rest of this article.
These speakers have a very special design. The Pebble X and X Plus don’t just sit on your desk; they own it. They look both minimalist and fun, thanks to the customizable RGB lighting. Creative has once again proven that you can have your stylish speaker and listen to it, too. All while keeping the price low.
We all love RGB, right? There’s no doubt it’s part of the allure here. These lighting effects can be customized and reproduce 16.8 million colors, so you can fine-tune these to your exact preferred hue. Those who don’t want to overcomplicate their lives can also use one of the six default presets.
When it comes to blasting your favorite tunes, the Pebble X and X Plus don’t play around. Well, they do, but you know what we mean. These get upgraded all around.
For starters, these units come with 2.75-inch full-range drivers, ensuring the sound quality is better than the Pebble series has ever offered. When connected via USB-C to a computer, these can handle 15W RMS and 30W peak power. Grab a fast USB-C wall charger with support for 30W or more, and these numbers can be doubled to 30W RMS and 60W peak power.
Additionally, the Pebble X Plus also comes with a compact subwoofer, making your bass go boom without taking much room.
Gone are the days of fumbling with cables. The Pebble X and X Plus come equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, allowing you to easily connect wirelessly. But for those who prefer a more traditional approach, USB audio playback and the good ol’ 3.5mm jack are there to keep you tethered. And with the Creative app, customizing your audio is as easy as pie.
Hardware is only half the battle. Creative has also included some software enhancements that will make your general listening experience much better. With Dialog+ technology, the dialogues in your movies will be clearer. And BassFlex? It’s like having a mini-concert in your room, minus the crowds and overpriced snacks. And if you’re pickier about the audio, there’s also Acoustic Engine, Creative’s advanced equalizer.
You can customize your experience using the Windows, Android, or iOS app.
Let’s talk turkey. The Pebble X and X Plus offer great quality and value for the price you pay. Of course, they are also the best Creative Pebble speakers around, so you’ll have to pay a bit more for them, too.
Right off the bat, bring home a pair of the Creative Pebble X for just $90. For an upgraded bass performance, the Creative Pebble X Plus goes for $130.
Available for pre-order, these speakers are about to make waves, and not just the sound kind. And with the Creative app available on all your favorite platforms, getting started is as easy as pressing play.
In a world where size often matters, the Pebble X and X Plus prove that great things can also come in small packages. We believe Creative has once again outdone itself, offering a pair of speakers that seem to deliver on quality, affordability, and sheer vibes. We believe it’s a good option, and we’ll try to test them soon enough to give you a more in-depth opinion.
They offer a compelling mix of sound quality, design, and features that justify their price tags. However, potential buyers should consider their specific needs and whether the additional features of the X Plus model, such as the enhanced bass and customizable lighting, are worth the premium.
What gift do you get this holiday season for the computer builder in your life?
Well, first of all, probably not computer parts! Unless they’ve asked for a specific component, there’s a good chance you’d be giving them something redundant or unwanted.
But don’t worry! There are still plenty of things that the average PC builder could receive that are almost never redundant (like additional storage space) or which a builder is unlikely to have bought for themselves (like an uninterruptible power supply). Good gift ideas for PC building enthusiasts are what this list is all about.
The following 10 gifts ideas cover a spectrum of prices, and are sure to find use on or near the desk of any friend or family member who’s into building computers. Of course, suggestions you get directly from the intended recipient should always be prioritized; but if you haven’t received any guidance from them, these ideas will surely come in handy. Let’s begin!
The first tier of gifts is the lowest in price and has the most examples. These gifts will find use by both novice and experienced builders alike.
A straightforward gift that is enough of an unnecessary nicety that most computer builders won’t already have one. Yet it’s useful enough to be used everyday, while being cheap enough to choose as a budget gift or to throw in as a stocking stuffer. By simply offering a place to safely store headphones, this gift clears up desktop space and provides a cleaner appearance overall.
*Headphones, of course, not included! Unless you also buy gift #9…
Despite their solid metal construction and aggressive, angular designs, computers are soft and temperamental on the inside, particularly regarding electricity. It’s important to ensure that any unexpected changes in the power supplying a PC are controlled by an external device so no expensive components are damaged or destroyed. A surge protector like this one from reliable power accessory brand Anker will prevent unexpected pulses of electricity from damaging computer components while also expanding the number of power ports near the PC, all for only $22! Help the computer builder in your life replace the little ratty power strip they’ve been using since 2014; it’s time for it to go.
Another gift idea from Anker is their all-in-one wireless charging pad. Having a wireless charger on my own desk has been incredibly convenient and keeps my phone charged up while working from home for evenings, where I don’t have access to another charger. Many high-wattage charging pads require special power adapters to maximize their charging potential, but they often aren’t included with the pad itself. This universal charging pad includes a full adapter built in for no-fuss universal charging straight out of the box. Whether they have an Android or an iPhone, they’ll appreciate having such a convenient location to charge their phone!
Working on computers doesn’t inherently require much more than a screwdriver and some resolve, but having this iFixit essential electronics toolkit would have made my days repairing laptops, computers, and smartphones significantly easier. Including both essential tools like various magnetic screwdriver bits and plastic separators, this kit also includes a variety of useful specialty bits for unique parts and electronics, as well as a couple cleaning tools that are sure to find use in any computer builder’s tool box. As I indicated a moment ago, these tools can also be used to repair laptops and smartphones—provided all appropriate safety and warranty measures are followed, of course!
This second tier steps up the price range and has two examples. They remain general enough to find use no matter the experience level of the recipient, while some of the next section is a bit more niche.
For many computer builders, their audio experience ends with a headphone cable. Speakers alternatively provide a more relaxed listening experience without the headgear, even at volumes low enough to avoid disturbing house- or room-mates. This speaker pair from Edifer features 2.75 inch drivers and a compact design that doesn’t dominate valuable desk space. They can even be placed anywhere thanks to their Bluetooth connectivity, whether that’s a desktop, a bookshelf, or a TV stand. Or they can be connected to a laptop instead, and used as a mobile pair of speakers for parties, elegant dinner events, and various other soirées.
External hard drives can store large amounts of data and can be transported anywhere, making them great gifts for computer-savvy travelers that like to watch media on the go. They can load the drive with shows and movies and bring it with them for direct playback on a laptop or tablet, keep it at home and stream directly from it over another service like Plex, or simply use it as a backup for their important data. This Western Digital My Passport drive is a reliable option with plenty of storage for most applications, but it would also be possible to scale this gift up or down according to your gift budget and how much storage you think your gift recipient could use! A lower-capacity 1TB version can be had for $50, or you can spring for up to a 5TB version for $120 if you happen to know a real data hoarder. For reference, to make more sense of what 1TB can hold, it is capable of storing ~158 copies of a 1080p version of the movie Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. That’s a terrible movie—but what they do with the drive is up to them, so we won’t judge. If the intended gift recipient really loves collecting media or really prizes backing up their work, it may be best to spring for 2TB or greater.
This third tier of gifts has three examples at a higher price range than tier 2: a DAC/Amp to boost audio experiences, a more premium storage solution, and a nice pair of headphones at a great price!
A Digital-to-Analog Converter, shortened to DAC, is a device that translates a computer’s audio output from digital to analogue, which increases the fidelity of the signal. This gift is a great idea for those with a particular interest in music or even movies and games, as it can increase the quality of computer audio dramatically while the included amplifier permits more powerful higher-impedance headphones to be used. Even “standard” headphones will see a benefit from this compact DAC that requires nothing outside of the box before use. If you’re okay with the gift being less than a surprise, then it may be worth checking if the recipient has a DAC already before buying… though that rule applies to pretty much any gift in this price range and above!
Most computer motherboards now have at least one M.2 SSD slot on them, and the Samsung 980 PRO EVO is a great drive that fits perfectly into that very space. Solid State Drives still command higher prices than traditional hard drives for a given capacity, but their significantly faster transfer speeds and slightly better longevity for most users ensure that any data loaded on the drive can be accessed quickly and reliably. This high-capacity SSD can store dozens of large games while also cutting down on loading times, or an entire library of movies and TV shows. No matter the intended use, this drive would be a welcome gift for any level of computer enthusiast with a port in their machine that can accommodate it. Looking to spend a little less but still want to get them a high-speed internal drive like this one? Select the 1TB option to bring it down to $80!
Alright, call me a little biased on this one since these are the headphones I currently use myself, but that just means I’m speaking from experience when I recommend these to anyone who may enjoy a nice set of wired, open-back headphones for their desktop at home. For the current price of $150, this luxurious set is a steal and has far surpassed the audio quality of every other pair of headphones I’ve tried in this price range (even without a DAC). They’re lightweight, comfortable, and have a great sound profile for a huge range of uses, from gaming to watching media to listening to music.
This is the final, most expensive tier of the list. It includes but a single gift, for those who can afford to provide extra stability to a desktop computer this holiday season:
An Uninterruptible Power Supply, shortened to UPS, is a power storage system which continues powering a PC for a limited time in the event of a power outage. The idea is that the power supplied by a UPS is enough to safely shut the computer down in the event of an outage, preventing both data loss and component damage in the process. This particular power supply from CyberPower features 12 outlets, half of them linked to the battery system, and all of them surge-protected at all times. This $165 model is capable of putting out 600 Watts of power, which is enough for most computers, but a few ultra-powerful builds may require the 880-Watt version for $200.
And that concludes our list! As always, these ideas are just suggestions and can be tailored to suit the needs of the recipient, such as tweaking the max output of the UPS or the capacity of the SSD, or as ideas for similar gifts. Have another idea for a gift that a computer builder would probably enjoy? Let us know what it is in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
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