The TechBlogger

Local Bose distributor ATLAS Singapore has kindly sent over a unit of the Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker. If you recall, the SoundLink Wireless Mobile is a portable speaker that weights 1.29kg with a depth of just 4.8cm with its fold-out stand closed.

The unit I reviewed is the standard version of the SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker (with nylon cover) which retails for S$549. A premium model with dark brown leather cover is also available at S$639. Accessory covers in various color are available separately for S$59 (nylon) and S$99 (leather).

Music performance

Streaming music to the SoundLink from my iPhone

I tested the the SoundLink in the one week that I had it at home, and also brought it on a short trip to Malaysia. As someone who loathes coming back to a silent hotel room in the evenings, I am happy to say that the SoundLink performed superbly.

The speakers delivered credible performance even at high volumes and does not sound muddied like so many portable speakers that I’ve tested. The sound stage, mid-range and bass totally belies its diminutive size. I also did not notice any discernible reduction in the qualify of music playback due to the use of Bluetooth.

Having said that, I felt that its treble could have been better. And its mid-range, while adequate, isn’t exactly impressive. Then again, I’m probably making an unfair comparison against my Yamaha reference speakers which I listen to regularly.

Other observations

Below are some of my other observations of the SoundLink:

• Bass: Powerful and deep base. Place it close to a concrete wall for maximum effect – its practically akin to having a separate sub-woofer.
• Battery life: At a low volume, I ran the speakers for six hours with no signs of it running out of juice
• Portability: The SoundLink is perfect for travelling and will fit comfortably into your luggage
• Volume: This is hard to quantify but the SoundLink is probably as loud as your typical TV at maximum volume (But with much better bass)
• Range: Works as advertised (10 meters). Music playback cracks up at extreme range, or if there are too many obstacles in between.

One shortcoming of the SoundLink is the absence of Bluetooth AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile) support. This results in two sets of volume control: The volume buttons on the SoundLink itself, and on your source device such as iPhone or iPod. Not a deal breaker, but it would have been a great feature. Hopefully, this capability will materialize in a future firmware upgrade via its “Service” port.

In closing

Front view of the Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker. Note the illuminated buttons along the top

The SoundLink is slim enough to fit into your luggage when travelling, while its beveled Chrome edges are designed for longevity

The Micro USB ("Service") port is used for upgrading the firmware for the Bose SoundLink

The accessory cover is securely fastened on with a bolt that requires an allen key to release/change

From left to right Altec Lansing inMotion Compact, Bose SoundLink, Altec Lansing inMotion Air

ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD

The ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD arrived via UPS yesterday. In case you haven’t heard by now, ioSafe is the technology leader in disaster proof storage hardware. They sell a range of fireproof and waterproof storage devices that uses forced air cooling and other proprietary technologies to achieve a level of ruggedness and protection few would expect from their storage hardware.

The company says its products can survive (Exact specifications vary by product) up to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit (Approx 840 degrees Celsius) of heat or immersion in 10ft (Approx 3 meters) of water for 72 hours.

The Rugged Portable line comes in two distinct flavors: a vanilla model sporting a 2.5-inch 5,400rpm hard disk drive, and a high-end one powered by an SSD (solid-state drive). According to its the ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD product page, the SSD version uses a blistering fast Intel320 Series SSD.

Interestingly, the Rugged Portable family does not appear to be fireproof – I’ll have check with the ioSafe team on that. The tough aluminium exterior however, does offer a layer of protection from chemicals and can survive immersion in nasty liquids such as diesel fuel, oils, hydraulic fluids, aircraft fuels at a depth of 12 ft for 1 hour. And yes, it can survive drops of up to 20 ft (6 meters) too.

As expected, initial tests using a USB 2.0 port shows the Rugged Portable SSD achieving transfer speeds of just over 30MB/s. More than anything, this highlights how the aging USB 2.0 standard is unable to cope with the new generation of SSD-based portable storage.

I will be testing it with a USB 3.0 machine soon, and will post the results here. Stay tuned.

Front view of the Rugged Portable SSD

Back view of the Rugged Portable SSD

I admit to expecting a somewhat nicer packaging for $499; not that this was in any way bad

Back view of the packaging

ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD beside my Apple Wireless Keyboard. The anodized aluminium of the ioSafe looks really good

Sony Singapore was kind to send me a review unit of its XBA-3 Balanced Armature Headphones, which was first unveiled by the company in September. As I noted in an article posted on VR-Zone at that time, Sony says its Balanced Armature (BA) drivers were optimized for music enjoyment, and located in a sealed housing to reduce ambient noise and sound leakage.  The result is a deeper and richer sound, says the company.

Earphones with a difference

One clarification that I must make is how the XBA-3 “headphones” is really an in-ear “earphone.”  Blame it on the marketing department, but I think Sony’s intention was to convey how its Balanced Armature series is capable of conveying the full dynamics of a headphone. What is particularly interesting though, is how some members of the XBA family comes with multiple drivers.  The XBA-3 for example, comes with 3 of them: full range + woofer + tweeter.

So does the XBA-3 stand up to its claims? I tested the Sony XBA-3 over the span of a few days.  Though this review isn’t a an outright comparison of its performance against other headphones or earphones, my remarks and opinions are influenced by what I typically listen to.

So in approximate order of use, they are:

• Bose On-ear Headphones [On-ear headphones]
• Bang & Olufsen A8 Earphones [Standard earphones design]
• Able Planet Sound Clarity NC510B Headphone (My review here) [Over-ear headphones]

My opinion

The XBA-3 delivered very credible sound for an in-ear earphone.  Sound stage was satisfactory, and its discrete treble drivers really made a difference in accentuating instruments and nuances that have sounded muddled in far too many low to mid-end earphones that I’ve tried. The woofer driver delivered a satisfying punch without drowning out the details, or being overpowering; this is very much welcome and a clear sign of a desire to achieve fidelity as opposed delivering the loudest bass.

On the down side, the mid-range wasn’t as strong or powerful as I would have liked. Vocals sound all right, though nowhere as clear as my Bang & Olufsen. In addition, folks who enjoy their music loud and punch may find the bass slightly lacking. Of course, such users yet may find the XBA-4, which comes with a super woofer, as perfect for their needs.

I felt that the greatest weakness of the XBA-3 is that the highs and lows sound just a little too discrete for my tastes. The result is that the music sounds (very slightly) on the mechanical side and not as “cohesive” as I would have liked.

Conclusion

Ultimately, I do think Sony has delivered a very credible earphones in the XBA-3, which delivers performance almost comparable to far bulkier headphones. My initial thought was that a price of between S$150 and S$200 would be a compelling price for an earphone of the XBA-3′s quality.

Well, Sony has since updated the price of the XBA-3 as $379.00 on the official website (inclusive of GST). $379 does seem a tad on the higher side to spend on the earphone, though the fine print does state that prices are subject to change without prior notice.

Finally, though the default package includes 4 different sizes of hybrid silicone rubber earbuds (SSx2, Sx2, Mx2, Lx2) and 3 different sizes of noise isolation earbuds, the latter earbuds weren’t included in my review kit. As such, I have no way to verify the XBA-3 overall noise isolation properties.

The Sony XBA-3 in its carrying case

The Able Planet Sound Clarity NC510B Headphone is an Active Noise Canceling Headphones armed with proprietary LINX AUDIO technology.  This is no ordinary pair of headphones however; the latter’s claim to fame has to do with how the patent-pending technology helps to improve sound quality without having to tune up the volume.

LINX AUDIO

According to Able Planet, LINX AUDIO adds high frequency harmonics that enhance sound quality and speech clarity of difficult to hear words or notes, thus increasing the perception of loudness. In addition, the technology also removes undesirable sounds and noise making it easier to hear high frequency words or notes where clarity is typically lost.

In practice, I did notice that I’m generally contented with a lower setting on the volume slider of my iPhone when comparing the NC510B with other headphones and earphones at my disposal. Moreover, I believe LINX AUDIO also plays a part in the final sound quality of the headphones (see below).

Noise cancellation

The NC510B incorporates active noise cancellation (ANC) also helps to reduce undesirable sounds and background noise.  The ANC function of the NC510B is powered by two AAA batteries housed within the left ear-cup. Like other noise-cancelling headphones, sharp sounds or loud noises can still be heard, though the noise cancellation appear to work as advertised to reduce external sounds.

The NC510B operates as a normal pair of headphones when the ANC function is turned off, or if batteries run out.

Sound quality

Sound-wise, the NC510B reproduces low-end notes well without being overpowering or ‘muddying’ up the rest of the music. Soundstage and treble is adequate, though what I really liked is the clear vocals and mid-range. This culminates in music playback that is pleasant to listen to.

Unlike some headphones where music playback gets grating on the nerves after a while, there were more than one occasion where I stayed on the NC510B for a little longer than I intended… just to finish another song.

Conclusion

The headphone is lightweight, and despite the two AAA batteries in the left ear-cup,  feels balanced in its heft.  What I find surprising though, is the relatively low profile of the Able Planet Sound Clarity NC510B headphone. While not cheap at $199.99, the sound reproduction is on par, if not slightly better than other such headphones in its class.  Factor in its active noise cancellation capabilities and LINX AUDIO – and the NC510B is a great buy.

Able Planet NC510B Noise Cancelling Headphones with Linx Audio

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