Category: Iphone-6-plus

Dragonfly DAC with iPhone - Update

4/9/2015

NOTE: I have written a new article on this subject that address a different way to use the iPad/iPhone with Dragonfly that you may want to check out after reading the article below:

I wrote about the Audioquest Dragonfly DAC a while back. The main issue with using it with the iPhone and Camera Connection Kit (more about that later) was that you get a dreaded message that says:

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter

With any solution, you need an Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter to plug into the Lightning Port to adapt a USB port to the newer iPhones.

Power

Since you get a message that you need more power, you have to add a power supply or a way to trick the iPhone into thinking it is getting power so that it will send an audio signal. In the past, I have written about putting a Dr. Bott T3Hub (3 port USB Hub) in the chain and it will allow you to play audio through the port without needing a power source. Unfortunately, Dr Bott is no longer in business and it is next to impossible to find a T3hub. Therefore, I have been on a search for a way to get the Dragonfly to work with the iPhone that doesn't require the T3hub. On Youtube, I ran across the following video. I haven't tried this approach myself, but it appears to be a way to use an iPhone with the Dragonfly.

The issue with this approach is that the whole setup gets cumbersome. However, it supplies the power separately, so it should make your iPhone battery last longer and getting more power could, in theory, help with sound quality. I may try it at some point and post about it here.

As I mentioned, the T3Hub is a solution that works on both the older 30 pin iPhones and iPads that I have tested (I have used it with a 4S and an iPad 3) and newer Lightning port iPhones and iPads (I have used it with a 6 Plus and iPad Air 2). If you can find a T3hub, I would recommend picking it up if you need the ultimate amount of versatility.

With the inability to find the T3hub on the market, I have been looking for a new solution and I finally found one that works with the iPhone 6 Plus and the iPad Air 2. It DOES NOT WORK with my 16 pin devices, so you may have to go with the solution from hifiguy528 above. The Plugable USB 2.0 2-Port High Speed Ultra Compact Hub ($9.95 on Amazon when I wrote this review) is slightly less cumbersome than the T3hub since it only has two USB ports and the connector is on a flexible cable which means it is less likely to be damaged if it is jarred while being connected. With the T3Hub, I used a "Dragontail" in between devices to make sure the male USB part would be less likely to be damaged. Below is a picture of the Plugable in the chain:

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Testing and compatibility

I have tested this setup with Sennheiser HD580 Headphones, AKG K701 Headphones, Shure SRH940 Headphones, Audio-Technica M50 Headphones, and Etymotic Research ER4P Ear-in Headphones and it has worked with all of them without a problem. I am not guaranteeing that it will work with your devices, even if you own the same stuff I own, because there could be differences in manufacturing processes. I have never heard of the company (Plugable Technologies) that makes them, so I can't vouch for the consistency in their processes. However, I did get an email from them when I purchased the device. I answered the email and they sent me a response. So at least it appears that there is somebody there to help.

As I noted above, this setup does not work with my 30 pin devices. I don't know that it works with all Lightning Port iPhones, either. However, it works as a USB 2.0 hub, as well, so you could probably find a different use for it if you aren't as successful. Another possible issue, is that Apple could possibly make this "hack" go away with a firmware update.

I want to caution that you should buy this now if you are on the fence about it. Not knowing the company, they could stop making it tomorrow and we would be in the same boat as we are with the T3Hub. Since they are cheap, I am going to buy a couple more, just in case. I mentioned in the past that people should pick up apps like AIrMusic before they go away and I know people that visit my AirMusic app review are disappointed when they find that the app is no longer available.

If you decide to go this route with your Dragonfly or similar DAC, please leave a comment or send me an email about how or if it works in your setup.

A couple new notes: I have since ordered a couple more Plugable hubs and they all work with the iPhone 6 Plus. I also tested the iPhone 6 Plus with the original Nuforce uDac and it works with the Plugable hub and the iPhone 6 Plus, as well.

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Drop Tech V2 - Ruggedized Case for iPhone 6 Plus Review

4/4/2015

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Below is a a video with a look at the unboxing and some of my impressions, but you can also read text below instead or for more.

I am going to the beach soon and I wanted some extra protection for my iPhone 6 plus. As you know, the iPhone 6 plus is already huge and adding a rugged case to the equation only makes it more of a behemoth.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

That being said, I was aware of this trade off, but wanted a rugged case anyway. My regular case has a naked screen and that is the main thing I will be trying to protect from sand and the multi-layered Drop Tech V2 - Ruggedized Case for the iPhone 6 Plus protects it without a problem. In the past, I have used cases that have this added layer of protection, but the screen protection ends up making the device feel more lethargic due to having to push down harder to make anything happen. With the Drop Tech, it may no bet as quick as operating without a screen, but it is close enough that it is rarely distracting. I pressed on icons, swiped back and forth, and moved from screen to screen (see video) without feeling much lag. It does have a different feel, like there is air between you and the screen, but it works fine. The upside to this approach is that the screen protector doesn't have bubbles that are next to impossible to remove and the protection comes off with the case.

To get the case on, you remove the silicon skin, pop open the case with some side clips and put your iPhone inside. Then you press the case together and put the skin back on. The case has a ridge around the front that enables the skin to fit tightly. The very first time, I was able to get everything put together in about a minute. Taking it apart took about twice as long, though.

The ports are deep and covered on this device. I was happy that the port over the headphone port is large. As expected, it works fine with Apple earbuds, but I also tried it out with my Ety ER4P in-ear headphones. They have a right angled connector which makes them impossible to work with most cases. However, with the Drop Tech, I was able to fit the connector into the slot and with a little pressure, I was able to listen to music without an adapter.

The one issue that some might have is that the camera lens and Touch ID are exposed without any protection. The lens and Touch ID are reportedly already protected by sapphire crystal and they are buried below the edge of the case, so I don't think shattering will be an issue. The upside is that without protection covering the lens, I can get cleaner looking photos.

The other controls on the iPhone are under the silicon case and I did not have any problem using them to adjust volume, turn the iPhone off or take a photo. The case seemed to fit everything perfectly. You may have to push down a little harder, but it isn't difficult to get the iPhone to respond.

While I am not usually a fan of belt clips, with this case and phone, it may be more necessary if you have small pockets. One benefit of the belt clip is that it also works as a stand. You simply open it and clip the top and the bottom stays open so you can rest it on a flat surface

While this case doesn't have water protection, it would probably be more expensive and I am not planning on taking my iPhone into the water ( I have an iPad 3 with a Lifeproof case for floating around the pool). Also, this case is a lot easier to get on and off and I don't feel that I am damaging the case every time I remove it like I do with other cases. For me, that is a very important feature because I don't plan to go with this type of case on a daily basis. It is mainly for getting a lot more protection and I think it will do the job.

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The most advanced headphones in the world?

3/29/2015

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Design

The Parrot Zik 2.0 bluetooth headphones are beautifully designed by the well known French industrial designer Phillippe Starck . They have a mix of metal and faux leather that I find appealing in basic black. These headphones come in some unconventional colors, as well. The orange pair reminds me of the earmuffs I used to wear when I worked at the Airport, but if you are looking to be noticed, I guess the orange or yellow are available for you. They also come in beige, blue, and white for the less adventurous.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Compared to my regular (non-Bluetooth) headphones, these headphones are fairly light at 9.52oz. Although they aren’t the lightest pair of Bluetooth headphones you can find, personally, I wouldn’t have minded a little more weight if the earphones could have more room for extending the ear cups. They have 4 settings and I have them fully extended. I would prefer the pads to be just a bit wider, as well. However, trade offs have to be made for weight, and I am tall and probably have a larger head and ears than an average sized person. However, I would suggest trying them on before buying, if possible. Also, while the headphones are comfortable and there is cushioning in the headband, I did feel some pressure on the top of my head after an hour or so of listening. However, I was able to adjust it to a different spot to take pressure off.

The App

Below is a comprehensive video about the app:

The magic of these headphones is how they work with the iOS (Android) app that you can download for free. I have an iPhone 6 plus and an iPad Air 2. There is not an iPad specific app, but you can download the iPhone app and enlarge it. Pairing with either device is easy, but when you change devices, you need to make sure it is no longer paired to the prior device.

Once I had it paired to my iPhone, I launched the Parrot Zik 2.0 app. You have to sign in to use it, which I don’t like, but I wanted to use it, so I signed in with one of my accounts.   Once you are into the app, you have three main controls: “Noise Control”, “Equalizer”, and “Concert Hall”.   Also, the battery percentage you have left is displayed.

The “Noise control” feature is amazing. You can set just how much of the outside world you want in or even turn it off.   They have a big circle on the screen and when you tap and drag it in (making the circle smaller), you get less outside noise and as you expand it you let more outside noise in. The choices range from “noise cancelling (max)” to “street mode (max)”.

The “Equalizer” has some presets that contain a range of settings in a circle. You move a curser that looks like a round ball in the center of the circle toward your choices (Pop, Vocal, Cristal, Club, Punchy and Deep) and it changes the sound accordingly.   You can also choose “Producer Mode” by clicking on an icon that resembles an analog soundboard in the bottom left corner of the screen. It will allow you to tweak individual audio bands using the “5 bands full parametric equalizer”.

The “Concert Hall” setting allows you to direct the “speaker placement” and expand the sound stage. Personally, I think the “Silent Room” and “Living Room” settings are the only settings I would use with music (although I usually keep this feature off). However, the “Jazz Club” and “Concert Hall” settings may be useful for audio from movies or games.

The app allows you to save any of your presets and you can also sample presets from other users. They have a search function that makes it easy to type in an artist and see if anyone has put together a preset for them. If not, you can also search by genre, popularity, etc. There are “Premium” and “Connoisseur” sections that divide the artist suggestions from user suggestions.   I would actually prefer one section for all presets, but I guess they have to give the artists some exposure.

There is also a “flight mode” section that helps you save battery power.   Speaking of battery power, it has a pretty wide range depending on the settings you are using. I have been listening for about an hour and a half this morning with the noise cancelling, EQ, and Concert Hall settings on and it still has 76 percent power. I think their 6 hours in normal mode with noise control, Bluetooth, and Concert Hall enabled is accurate.   Of course, you can save battery power by turning off features. They say that their Airplay mode with noise control on and listening to music from the jack will give you 18 hours.   Parrot also sells their proprietary battery for $29.99 if you need it. Unfortunately, these headphones use Bluetooth 3 technology rather than the newer Bluetooth 4, which would have made them more energy efficient.

The other stuff in the box

While these are Bluetooth headphones, they do come with a cable to connect directly to your device if you want to save battery power. The cable is around 4 feet long, but since they used standard 3.5mm plugs, it is easy to find longer or shorter cables for very little money. There is a sound quality trade off by running directly from the jack with the headphone’s features off, but I still found the sound to be acceptable in this mode for non-audiophile needs.

The package comes with the headphones, a charging cable, the audio cable, a transport bag, a battery, and instructions. The charging cable uses micro USB, but there is not a power plug included. I hate to go on a rant about this issue, but I still can’t understand why a wall charger isn’t included with devices that need to be charged. That being said, it is the current trend in Bluetooth devices. I also would have preferred a carrying case rather than a pouch. These headphones don’t fold up like most portable headphones and just using a pouch doesn’t seem like enough protection. Parrot sells a $39.99 case, but for the price of the headphones, I wish they had included it in the box.

The Controls

The controls on the headphones are unique and intuitive. The only minor gripe in this area is the placement of the on/off switch. It is placed in the spot that I would typically grab them for adjustment or to remove them to talk to someone for a second. I have turned them off by accident a few times, but I have gotten used to the placement and have changed my normal habits. The rest of the features are great. You simply use the right earpiece to control everything from pausing audio (tap), volume adjustment (sliding finger up and down) and back tracking (slide back once to start song over and slide back twice to start prior song), and forwarding to the next track by sliding your finger forward. By pushing down in the center of the headphone for a couple seconds, you can launch Siri and give her commands. If you ask for a definition, Siri will ask if it can read it to you and then it will actually read the page. Pretty cool!

Another cool feature is the way the headphones will pause what you are playing when you remove them from your head. When you are ready to listen again, you simply put them back on your head and the app will start playing automatically. I also did a quick test of the mic. I made a phone call and the person on the other end said that I sounded fine. I did have a bit of an issue hearing myself talking, but I didn’t find that it was a major issue.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Final Words

Finally, I agree with Parrot. These are the most advanced headphones in the world (insert your favorite Dos Equis quote here). Combined with their app, they are simply in a league of their own. No, they aren’t perfect because they could sound better via the headphone jack when the headphones are turned off and they could update to the newest Bluetooth technology to extend battery life. However, what is here is pretty darn cool and amazing.

Pros:
Customizable to the extreme
Noise Canceling
Works with standard 3.5mm audio cable when off
Battery can be changed out easily
Multiple Equalizer settings (with the ability to save presets)
Easy to find new presets for artists with search function
Good looking industrial design (in the basic black)
Easy setup
Headphone pauses music when removed
Intuitive Controls
Decent sounding microphone
Access to Siri from headphones

Negatives:
Price is around $400 (as of today)
Bluetooth 3 (newer Bluetooth would have given longer battery power)
Difficult to hear yourself on phone calls
Package did not contain hard carrying case or power plug
Big heads or ears might not work with design

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Small Bluetooth Speaker that Mounts to Bike

3/17/2015

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The NYNE Cruiser is a small Bluetooth speaker that can be mounted to handlebars. I have an older Raleigh mountain bike with fairly thick handlebars and I was able to get the clamps around them with a little pressure (it took less than 2 minutes to get it mounted and ready to go). Once the speaker was mounted to the handlebars, it seemed to be stable. I mainly use the mountain bike like a stationary bike since it is on a Kurt Kenetic trainer most of the time, but I wouldn't hesitate taking this speaker on a typical ride on cement (or an easy dirt track).

The upside is that I can now be on the bike and not have to worry about fiddling with my iPhone. I can take calls, turn up and down the volume, pause audio and play without taking the phone out of my pocket or a bag. While the speaker is not the last word in high volume or bass, I would not expect it to be. It is small and physics are still at work here. However, what I do expect is clear, undistorted audio and it accomplishes that goal with flying colors. I also want to mention that I had no problems connecting it via Bluetooth to my iPhone. It was immediately "discovered" and connected in seconds.

The Bluetooth speaker is also nice for just sitting on a desk. If you put it on its side, it has a very small footprint. Also, it has an aux input, so if you want to just plug an mp3 player into it via the headphone out on the player, you can play audio that way as well. It comes with a red 3.5mm cable to make that an easy process.

They also included a red USB cable for plugging it into your own USB power supply Typically, I would knock a star off of a review for not including a power plug, but in this case, I didn't. The main reason is that you can use the power supply that came with your phone to charge the speaker AND your phone. The speaker maker had enough foresight to supply an extra USB port on the speaker that you can plug your phone/mp3 player into to charge. This means you don't need two separate power sockets because one socket can effectively charge both devices.

The speaker also came with a pouch for storage which is a great idea. I plan to throw this thing in a suitcase when I go out of town and like the extra protection. All in all, this speaker performed every task I expected and threw in a couple "extras" (like the extra USB port and pouch) that made me happy about the device.

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Top Ten Tech 2014

12/1/2014

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As in past years(2013, 2012, 2011), I am putting together a new list of my top ten tech. The list will contain my favorite things from last year, even if they were available in prior years. By "tech" I am basically including any new toys, apps, etc... that I find cool and/or useful.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

1. iPhone 6 plus - Product of the year - Any time I get a new phone, it will most likely end up on this list. The iPhone 6 plus is the phone I have wanted since I bought my first smartphone several years ago (Kyocera 7135). It is finally large enough to be used for more than just email and music. The main upsides are the fact that it now has a 1920x1080, 5.5 inch screen, TouchID/ApplePay (which is amazing and probably deserves its own entry on this list), faster processor, better camera with optical stabilization, slo-mo video, specific landscape mode with certain apps, fantastic battery life, etc... See some of my impressions here and here.

2. iPad Air 2 - Okay, I am starting to sound like a fanboy, but this is a huge upgrade over my iPad 3. It has a better screen, runs apps quicker, and is also lighter and thinner. It has TouchID which is great for password apps and ordering from places like Target via their app. I still have the iPad 3 around for using near water with a life proof case, but it definitely feels long in the tooth after using the iPad Air 2.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

3. Global Cache IP2IR iTach /Roomie app - These work together in perfect harmony. Roomie Remote is an app for the iPad/iPhone/Touch that has features that will control your internet devices over wifi. It also has an app for the Mac that will allow you to launch and control certain programs. The iTach is a separate device that you need if you have electronics that you want to control with the iPhone that are not connected to the internet. I should mention that the Roomie is fantastic, especially for controlling devices through walls, but I still keep around my Harmony remote for the hard buttons (30 second skip during football games) which can also come in handy. I have discussed the Roomie here and here.

4. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Thunderbolt Adapter/SSD - The prices of Solid State Drives are finally starting to fall to more reasonable levels. I updated my MBP and iMac with SSD. I cracked open the MBP and replaced the optical drive with SSD, but I didn't feel comfortable doing that to the iMac. Luckily, my 2011 iMac has a thunderbolt port and the Seagate Adapter just plugs into the iMac and you can use an SSD for the boot drive. Worked like a charm and since it has two thunderbolt ports, I can daisy chain a monitor or another drive to it. If you want a major increase in speed on your thunderbolt iMac, this worked for me. I want to also mention that I purchased an iMac Backpack from Twelve South that put a shelf on the back of the iMac that puts the drive out of site. I discussed the iMac update here.

5. Rdio / Tidal - I wrote about music streaming quite a bit over the last year. My preference is for Rdio because it has the slickest, most useful interface for my needs. They even upped their bitrate to a much more acceptable 320k. Even though I prefer Rdio, I have to mention Tidal which brought lossless audio to music streaming this year. I can hear a difference on some music and I would love to keep Tidal, but for my needs, the interface just needs a lot more work. For those that want the best quality audio and mainly listen at home, I would recommend Tidal if you are willing to pay $20 a month. I wrote about the comparison here and here... for everyone else I would recommend Rdio.

6. Lodge 10 inch Cast Iron Skillet / T-Fal 12 inch Non-stick Skillet - I am also lumping these two together because they are exceptional, inexpensive, and fill all of my skillet needs. The Lodge is great for when you want to scramble eggs, cook on the grill, etc.. It seems to be indestructable. The T-Fal is great for omelets, pancakes, and when you want to have more control over the temp. The non-stick coating is the best that I have used and clean up is a breeze. For my needs, they are the perfect combo.

7. ClipR - This is a small bluetooth device that will work wirelessly when it isn't plugged into a wall. For running on a treadmill or an exercise bike, I put my iPad on a shelf in front of me and use the Clipr with a pair of my own headphones (Ety-ER4p) to listen to music or watch a video. In other words, it will make any pair of headphones wireless.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

8. Zoom modem -I decided to boost my cable internet speeds this year and found that the modem that Comcast was providing was too slow to handle 50+ mbps. I decided that I needed a new modem, but decided to buy one, rather than renting a modem from Comcast this time around. Comcast has a list of compatible modems and I got on Amazon and ordered the cheapest one I could find. I was a bit worried that this might not be the best way to choose, but I have had the modem for several months now and it has been flawless. Unlike my prior modem, which I had to reboot about twice a month, I haven't had to reboot it since it was set up.

9. ZyXEL 600 Mbps Mini Powerline AV2 Gigabit Adapter - These are adapters that allow you to use your power line (in most homes) for ethernet. I have a couple of them setup and they are very useful, even though in my home, they don't get the speeds that are advertised (I admit that I might not have them setup properly). However, that being said, for my needs they are perfect. I have a pair like the photo below and another pair that are slower and without the power plug pass through (the slower versions are probably slowing everything down). I have one of them in our sunroom hooked to a router that feeds an Apple Airport Express a wired ethernet signal and a security camera that keeps an eye on the backyard. The Airport Express is setup to expand the wifi network, so I can use an iPad/or iPhone anywhere in the backyard via wifi and the Airport Express also feeds an audio setup. It works flawlessly even though there is not any air conditioning or heating in the room. The other adapter is in the living room hooked up to a NetTalk Duo that we use to feed an old school wired telephone and a base station for some cordless phones off of a splitter. In short, these things put wired ethernet were you need it.

10. Apple TV 3 - This is an oldy, but a goody. First let me say that this device is better if you own are in the Apple ecosystem (iOS, iTunes, iTunes Match, etc.). However, I have owned the AppleTV and the Roku for several years and the Apple TV gets at least twice as much use. It wouldn't be my top pick for Android owners unless you can figure out how to get it to work with Airplay (which I believe is possible for at least audio), but there are a lot of people that own at least one iOS device to make it a worthwhile purchase..

In addition to the above, which are my top ten for the year, I thought I would make the list a bit longer this year to make up for all of the Apple stuff on the list this year:

11. SteelSeries Siberia Elite Prism Gaming Headset - These are fantastic, comfortable game/movie headphones that can be customized for sound and for looks. I have a long review on Amazon and I will probably add a review for them in my blog.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

12. TP-LINK RE200 AC750 Universal Wireless Dual Band Range Extender - I can't say how many times I have seen posts from people complaining about wifi in their homes. This device goes a long way in solving many of those issues. I found it easy to setup and the extra range in my house (and even outside) is substantial.

13. Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife with Fibrox Handle - I bought this knife mainly for cutting through brisket, but it is so sharp and comfortable to use that I often use it for carving raw meat. I love using it so much, I plan to buy more of their knives in different sizes.

14. KitchenAide Mixer - I have had this for a while now and I looked back at my and was surprised that it hasn't been on past lists. This thing is a workhorse and with added attachments, you can grind meat, shred cheese, or even make ice cream with it. I absolutely love it for making pizza dough or grinding meat for my own hamburgers.

Well, that pretty much wraps it up. The list was easier to put together this year since Apple came out with some great new items. I wonder what next year will hold?

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

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Dragonfly DAC with iPhone - Update

Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter

Power

Testing and compatibility

Drop Tech V2 - Ruggedized Case for iPhone 6 Plus Review

The most advanced headphones in the world?

Design

The App

The other stuff in the box

The Controls

Final Words

Small Bluetooth Speaker that Mounts to Bike

Top Ten Tech 2014

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