Sony SS-MB150H Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) Review

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(More customer reviews)These are great soundings little speakers for the price. The frequency range sounds fairly flat through it's advertised range 80MHZ-50KHZ. The highs don't roll off at 20KHZ like some cheaper speakers due to the extended range tweeter. This is important if you listen to any piano or electronic type music that produce frequencies in that range.
The bass frequency response is good for it's size, but you will want to add a subwoofer if these are your main speakers. They do not sound good if you turn up the bass and play them too loudly. For surrounds though, these speakers are exellent. The larger diameter woofer will allow you to low pass the frequncy being fed to these speakers at a lower range, which is essential for creating a richer surround effect. Too small of a speaker necessitates crossing the bass over to the sub at too high of a frequency for my tastes, and in addition to ruining the localization effect can make male voices sound too boomy without some tweaking. I've never been a fan of those all-in-one systems like Bose with the array of tiny satellites and single bass module, besides being way over-priced, they just don't sound as good to me as larger speakers do. And while even these little Sony speakers can't go toe-to-toe with a larger bookshelf or tower, you can create a pretty nice system for a whole lot cheaper than Bose or comparable brand by adding a few of these together with a sub.

One caveat, these speakers are not pre-made to wall mount. They have no keyhole or mounting screw made into the back. If you wish to mount them on the ceiling or wall, you will have to drill into the back of the speaker with wood or metal tapping screws to attach a mount. It's not really a big deal, but some people may find that intimidating. It would be nice if Sony would have added that feature; however, you can always put them on stands.


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Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm AF-S DX VR Nikkor Lens + Nikon 70-300mm Lens + 8GB Cameta Bonus Accessory Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I am far from a professional photographer, but I take it as seriously as possible while still referring to it as a hobby. I take mostly pictures of people at events and many of my baby son without flash in low light situations.
I had been using a Nikon D40x for 1 year and very early reached my limitation with that camera. The Nikon D40x has very nice image quality, but the camera's interface is not suited for a more serious shooter who wants quick single button or dial access to such shooting parameters such as white balance, shooting mode, metering mode, etc. I also felt very limited by the D40x not having an in-body focus motor that would allow me to use non AF-I/AF-S lenses (which are lenses without the focus motor built-in).
The Nikon D40x limitations were severe enough that I was about to consider purchasing a Canon 40D until the Nikon D90 appeared just in time. PROS:
1. Fantastic set of separate buttons on the camera to control parameters like ISO, white balance, metering, autofocus, image quality, shooting mode, etc.
2. Two command dials
3. High resolution 920K pixel LCD screen (like the one on the Nikon D300)
4. 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor
5. Low noise high ISO capability (for low light shooting) I can shoot ISO 1600 with good image quality with this camera, while on my D40x I could only shoot with ISO 400 and obtain acceptable IQ. I will even use ISO 3200 frequently with very usable results!
6. Separate top-viewing LCD screen in addition to the rear high res screen, to show shooting parameters constantly
7. In-body focus motor which allows the use of Nikon's non AF-I/S lenses, including wonderful and CHEAP prime lenses such as the Nikkor 50mm 1.8 (~$100 lens!)
8. Continuous shooting of 4.5 frames per second
9. Small size, although larger than the D40/D40x/D60, it is still substantially smaller in the hand than the D300/D3
10. 720p 24fps MPEG video shooting capability with incredible ability to use depth of field that I cannot achieve with my Sony High-Def camcorder.
11. Eleven auto-focus points (not as nice as the 51 points on the D300, but substantially better than my D40x with its 3 points)
12. GPS option
13. HDMI output
14. Enormous number of options to customize camera and shooting settings to fit your style of shooting
15. Fantastic image quality right out-of-box if you don't want to do any post processing
16. Terrific build quality
17. Top notch camera ergonomics (but this will be a very personal opinion that differs for each shooter)CONS:
1. "Rolling shutter" phenomenon while recording video: The D90 CMOS sensor has the same problem that other CMOS video recorders have when recording video. If you move the camera, especially horizontally, you get a "jelly" or "rubberbanding" effect where the image wobbles significantly. It is nice to have the video features, which looks very sharp at 720p, but it is NOT a substitute for a video camera. If you use a tripod, and do not do quick zooms/pans, the video quality is excellent. Without a tripod, however, you may get nauseas watching a wobbly video. The sound is also in monoaural.
2. 1/200 flash synch: Not a problem for me, but it might be for you.
3. No weather sealing: This is found on the Nikon D300/D3 and even on similarly priced models from other camera companies
4. The buffer will fill up after about 8 continuous RAW + JPG (FINE) shots. This number differs depending on the shooting parameters that you will choose. If you shoot primarily JPG, the buffer seems to allow a very large number of continuous shots, but I have not quantified this for JPG only.TIPS:
1. Get the FREE Nikon ViewNX software from Nikon's site as your 1st step in your workflow. This will let you examine your RAW images that you can process for either Nikon CaptureNX2 to do further RAW processing or just export to JPG for a JPG editor such as PhotoShop.
2. Recommend buying the Nikon CaptureNX2. It is a RAW converter (if you shoot in RAW) that will read the camera settings properly for export to JPG. Capture NX2, however, is not as slick as the Adobe products and Capture NX2 requires a fairly powerful computer, otherwise it can run pretty slowly on a PC > 3 years old.
3. If you use JPEGs out-of-camera, consider increasing the sharpness above the default 3 or 4. Nikon uses a very conservative sharpening default setting. Nikon has decided to change the default JPEG images to match the higher end D3/D700/D300 cameras which produce more neutral images. Consequently, the D90 images that are less punchy than the D40/D40x/D60/D80, so you may also want to turn up the in-camera saturation and contrast.The Nikon D90 has all of the interface features that serious and even professional photographers need with wonderful image quality.

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Nokia N81 8 GB Smartphone - Cocoa Brown (Unlocked) Review

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(More customer reviews)Got immediately going with this phone.. WiFi capability is awesome.. easy setup.. quick connection...pop3 email support is easy to configure.. still loading up the 8GB memory with songs and softwares.. its like having a hand held computer... bought this phone over blackberry Pearl and a hacked-iphone. Totally worth it.. Graphics are too good and 3-D sound quality is awesome. There is some lag in starting applications (eg: Yahoo Go!) but it is not significant given the size of certain applications. Fun to play Fifa on it... visit n81 blogs for more... dont pay extra for brown color.. it is hardly visible.. the black face plate is stunning...battery life is good too.. needs charging after 3-4 days of use...

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Offering dedicated music and gaming keys, compatibility with a wide variety of music formats (including Windows Media DRM), and and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Nokia N81 mobile phone is a true mobile entertainment powerhouse. With a sleek, polished surface and keys that light up when you activate them, accessing content on the 3D multimedia menu is fast and intuitive. This cocoa brown version of the N81 comes with 8 GB of flash memory storage.
This quad-band GSM phone is great for global voice roaming, and it also provides compatibility with 3G networks in Europe and Asia (WCDMA 2100 MHz). It's based on S60 software operating on the Symbian OS, enabling you to personalize the N81 by choosing from a wide choice of compatible applications that can be downloaded--including games, navigation, entertainment, and productivity titles. Other features include wireless Bluetooth connectivity with stereo music streaming, a standard 3.5 mm headphone connector, 2-megapixel camera with video capture, FM radio, and integrated stereo speakers.
This unlocked cell phone can be used with a GSM network service provider and it provides quad-band connectivity (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz). It does not come with a SIM card, and it requires that you provide a SIM card for usage with your selected service provider. When paired with a compatible 3G network that uses WCDMA 2100 MHz connectivity (found in Europe and Asia), you'll enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless services with speeds up to 384 Kbps--from data connectivity to your office to multimedia streaming, and take advantage of simultaneous voice and data services. In the United States and foreign territories where 2100 MHz 3G networks are not available, you'll continue to receive data service via EDGE network (depending on network compatibility).
The N81 features a crisply colorful 2.4-inch QVGA LCD screen (240 x 320 pixels) with support for up to 16 million colors. Designed with a sleek, polished exterior and buttons that illuminates when activated, the N81 offers dedicated music/gaming keys and a smooth slider design. The phone has an 8 GB internal memory for storing hundreds of songs and extra-long video files. (Note, however, that this model does not include a memory expansion slot.)
The 2-megapixel camera can also capture video at up to VGA quality (640 x 480 pixels) at up to 15 frames per second (fps). The still camera features a digital zoom up to 20x and integrated flash, and both still images and video can be edited directly within the N81. The digital audio player is compatible with a wide variety of formats (MP3, AAC, eAAC+, AAC+, WMA/M4A, Windows Media DRM). You can synchronize music with Windows Media Player 11 on your PC, and it's compatible with Nokia's Ovi Internet portal, where you can download songs from the Nokia Music Store and games from the N-Gage service. Other music features include a 5-band equalizer and playlist management. An FM radio with Visual Radio client complements the Nokia N81's complete music package.
This smartphone has an integrated Wi-Fi LAN (802.11b/g), enabling seamless connectivity with wireless networks at work, at home, and on the roam via Wi-Fi hotspots at airports and coffee shops. Because the N81 is Bluetooth enabled, wireless communication headsets can be configured with the phone for total hands-free operation. It also offers Bluetooth stereo audio support (A2DP), enabling you to enjoy your music without any wires. If your laptop is Bluetooth enabled, you can connect wirelessly and enjoy dial-up networking (DUN)--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.
The N81 has all the bases covered when it comes to messaging. Support is built in for sending and receiving text, video, graphics and sound via messages. It also enables you to check your email on the go (supporting POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP protocols). T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit--a plus for mobile text messaging users.
Lifeblog Designed with mobile photographers and bloggers in mind, the Nokia N95's Lifeblog feature lets you view, search, edit, and share your personal digital content with ease. Lifeblog's synchronizing software automatically pulls your media together into an easy-to-browse, searchable multimedia diary: SMS, MMS, images, videos, sounds, and text notes stay organized between the N95 and your PC.
Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map View web pages as they were originally intended with the integrated Nokia Web Browser, which enables you to zoom out to a full screen view of the entire page using the Mini Map feature. Find the section you want and then zoom in to the content you need. The text instantly adjusts to the size of your screen. The browser also keeps a history of your browsing so you can quickly get back to where you started.
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology means that the Nokia N95 will discover, interact with, and control other compatible home electronic devices. This includes PCs, media centers, home entertainment systems, new smart appliances, home automation systems, networked peripherals, and Web-based services. With compatible equipment, you can stream video from your Nokia device directly to your TV, or hear music tracks stored on your PC through your living room's sound system.
RealPlayer Multimedia Playback Take your media with you when you're out on the go. With the built-in RealPlayer software, you can stream and download your favorite content onto the N95, giving you access to the latest news, sports, and entertainment updates. Or sync up with your PC and play the music and movies stored on your hard drive.
Vital Statistics The Nokia N81 weighs 4.94 ounces and measures 4.02 x 1.97 x 0.70 inches. Its 1050 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours (240 minutes) of GSM talk time, and up to 17 days of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies, as well as the 2100 WCDMA 3G frequency.

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Technics SL1200MLK2 TurnTable Review

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(More customer reviews)I've known some people to still own a manually operated Technics that has lasted over 25 years (the beauty of a manual is no extra gizmos or electronics to break down or mechanically and annoyingly affect pure playback) ! If you want proof just look at how many Denon or other top brand name turntables listed on E-Bay will often carry a disheartening claimer by the seller that reads something like, "turntable works fine except automatic tonearm or speed chip sensor does not work properly".Lesson learned is to stay away from turntables with a lot of "computerized-electronic sensing automatic features". So, no, this 'table is not an automatic nor is it for the lazy listener who will fall asleep only to wake up and find the needle has been scratching and bumping at the end of playing. Once you damage your needle in this fashion you will never make the mistake of falling asleep again while playing it.... But, again, the trade off or sacrifice is worth it versus having an automatic tonearm malfunctioning with time. It was first and foremost designed back in the 70's as a mid-priced audiophile turntable for home consumer use and later incorporated as the reference or standard dj equipment for radio stations and then dj/scratching venues. Over the years Technics has fine tuned and tweaked what was already, in my opinion, an almost perfected machine. While audiophile purists and snobs gasp at the thought of using a direct drive 'table to hear their precious vinyl collection, I for one don't mind a direct drive over a belt drive. Advantages of a direct drive is no belt to replace, wow & flutter are almost non-existant (since the platter is driven by the spindle shaft motor directly), speed accuracy is on target. Some purists have pointed out that this 'table is not "dead" sounding enough and may produce some rumble or motor vibration noise when listening to extreme quiet passages on classical disc pressings. So far I have tested some classical records and cannot hear any unwanted vibrations coming from the motor or disturbing noises.In fact, Technics makes one of the best turntables with a very quiet and smooth running motor. The plinth is heavily weighed down and isolated from unwanted vibrations that would otherwise be picked up by the cartridge.Over the years I have owned a fully automatic-remote controlled Kenwood table, a Pioneer 'table, and an el cheapo Sears LXI 'table...All of these turntables ended up in a junk pile in Siberia due to their cheap plastic nature and gamut of so-called bells and whistles. Technics is the only one for those, like myself, not yet to make it into the higer end audiophile arena with 'tables costing from $1000.00 and beyond price range realm. I have used everything from a cheap Audio Technica cartridge to a mid priced Shure cartridge and finally a Grado Prestige cartridge (the Grado being the best in sound quality, price and workmanship).Whether you decide to use an Ortofon DJ cartridge/needle for DJ/scratching purposes or a Grado audiophile cartridge for in home listening you will be thrilled of the workmanship and sound quality of this finely crafted and engineered product ! As a plus, the Technics is an aesthetically pleasing piece of audio gear to look at and realize some solid materials were used to produce it...Finally, who would have thunk decades ago that the Technics 1200 would carry the distinction to be used as a "DJ instrument" for scratching (the motor is that strong) as well as being dubbed the honorary title of the true "Wheel of Steel"!

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Alpine SPS-170A 6-¾" 2-way Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently replaced the four factory speakers in the Durango with four Alpine SPS-170A 6.75 inch speakers. I selected the Alpines for several reasons: I wanted very good sound but am on a budget; I wanted speakers that would be easy to install; and I wanted durable equipment.
My first inkling that this might be a very good move was when I held one of these rock solid speakers in one hand the a freshly removed factory speaker in the other. The heft of the Alpine alone made quite a statement.
The Alpines sounded sharp, clear, loud. The titanium-coated PEI dome tweeters, which you can swivel up to 15° to adjust the imaging, provide a sparkling high end; the aluminum-coated polypropylene woofer cones provide ample low end for me though bass fanatics would likely wish to add a subwoofer. Note that these speakers are rated for 40 watts RMS (average) and 200 watts peak power---you can track down the other specs online.
Installation was quite easy (of course, enlisting the help of my neighbor who is an electronics whiz helped!), and soon we were ready to test our handiwork. These speakers fit without any alterations to the door panels or requiring use of adapters or templates.
(One more parenthetical note: we also replaced the factory CD player with a Pioneer DEH-P77DH, which would have cooked the flimsy factory speakers but provides these Alpines with plenty of power.)
I've owned Alpine speakers before and have always been impressed by their durability. To my eye, this is well made speaker: heavy magnets, rubber surrounds, and a capacitor for the tweeters. But my ears have the final word here: for the price, you will be hard pressed to find better all-around noncomponent speakers. I've listened to music ranging from the Lucky Tomblin Band, to E.S.T., Seal, Drive By Truckers, and Rory Gallagher and have no complaints about the characteristics of the overall sound.


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Pioneer Ts-G1041R 4-Inch 2-Way Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)good speakers. just need to use a high pass filter from your radio if your radio has a built in high pass crossover and you will get good mids and highs and less bass on speaker cones so not to damage the speakers because they are not desighn to put out bass. you need to supplement your system with a sub woofer which they are design for.

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Oster VORTEQ Clipper 76997-010 Review

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(More customer reviews)This product from Oster is a pure lemon. It just does not have enough power to cut smooth.

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