Since buying my new iPad Pro 10.5 I have not bothered to look into or purchase any new accessories for it. It’s not that I couldn’t use a new stand or cover (okay I did buy a new Smart Cover), it’s that I haven’t come across any new products that fit a need or necessarily excite me. That was until AboveTEK offered me a chance to review their Universal Tablet Stand or Elegant Tablet Stand as it is listed on their website.
Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.
What is it?
The AboveTEK Universal Tablet stand is designed to hold all tablets from 7” to 13”. The base and base components seem to be made of aluminum and the adjustable tablet holder is made of plastic with rubber grips.
What’s in the box?
Base
10” tablet holder
13” tablet holder
2 screws to attach the tablet holder to the stand
Phillips/Hex wrench
Small Hex wrench
First off, I must say, that when my Universal Tablet Stand arrived I encountered an issue when I tried to assemble it. The screw that is used to attach the tablet holder to the stand base would not tighten down enough to keep the holder snug to the base. I contacted AboveTEK regarding the issue and they sent me out a replacement promptly. Some assembly is required, but as you can see from the instructions it is not difficult. I will also note that all the tools needed to assemble the stand were included.
Assembly of the AboveTEK Universal Tablet Stand only took about three minutes to do it. From the front of the stand, you can see the tablet holder (in my case I am using the 10” tablet holder) and the base of the stand itself. The grey on the tablet holder is a rubberized material made to grip your tablet and hold it firm.
From the sides of the tablet stand you can see the up/down pivot point and the tablet holder attachment point. You can rotate the tablet 360 degrees and it has a wide range of tilt. You also get a sense of the style of the stand from the sides.
The back of the AboveTEK Universal Tablet Stand has a cutout that allows you to thread a cable through it and two screws that hold the tablet holder mounts to the tablet base. From the back, you can also see a hole and a line on the white tablet holder. This is to allow you to grip the tablet holder and lift it to slide your tablet in. This is spring loaded so it will clamp down firmly on your tablet and keep it in place.
I have included a comparison picture of the two tablet holders so you can see the size difference. I am using the smaller of the two for my 10.5” iPad Pro.
As you can see by the picture with my iPad in place the clamps on the tablet holder are unobtrusive and they keep my iPad firmly in place.
So, what’s my bottom line here? First, let me explain how I use tablet holders. My main holder that I have been using for several years is one I reviewed for Cooler Master Duo and I use it on my desk where I do most of my writing. That won’t change with this stand. My secondary location, the location that I use my iPad a lot more, is in my gaming area. The reason that the AboveTEK Universal Tablet Stand will be used there is its versatility. I use my iPad a lot when gaming on my Xbox and unfortunately some of the apps I use only have portrait mode capability. AboveTEKs Universal Tablet Stands ability to rotate from landscape to portrait modes fast and easily makes it great for my gaming needs. I am in no way saying this stand would not be great for desktop or any other application, it would, but I have a desktop stand already that I am happy with. To further that point I will say that there is a convenience factor with my current stand since I am up and down from my desk so much I pull my iPad in and out of my holder a lot. Having to pull my iPad in and out of the grips of the AboveTEK stand several times a day seems impractical to me. When I game I am usually there for a couple of hours minimum where having my iPad firmly secured is a must. Currently, at the time of this writing, you can purchase an AboveTEK Universal Tablet Stand for $45 on the AboveTEK website or amazon.com (down from $70). In closing, I would say if you are looking for a well made, well thought out tablet stand that offers versatility in how you use it, you should consider this one.
Positives
Solid design
Versital in its use
Adjust to several tablet sizes
Negatives
None
Price: $45.00 Where to buy: Amazon Source: The sample for this review was provided by AboveTEK.
Earlier this year, I reviewed the Waterfield Maverick Laptop Messenger Bag and loved it for its leather which gets better looking as it’s used and abused. Waterfield’s new Air Porter carry-on bag serves a different function and wasn’t made to compete with the Maverick—but it sorta can. The Air Porter may be made to be a carry-on bag for air travel (we’ll get into that later), but it can easily be an all-around bag for work and car trips. Waterfield based the Air Porter’s design on feedback they received from their customers using an online survey. Waterfield addressed as many requested features as possible and the result is a bag that can do just about anything required of a bag—and then some.
The Waterfield Air Porter bag isn’t covered in leather like the Maverick bag. The bag I’m reviewing is more similar to the Waterfield Bolt backpack and briefcase with its waxed canvas and leather trim appearance. Like leather, waxed canvas looks better with age, but doesn’t have that “cachet” the Maverick has. No matter, because in the weeks I’ve had the Air Porter, I’ve come to depend on its sheer usefulness. This is a bag that means business. It’s the size of a briefcase and can hold a bunch of stuff. At the time of writing this review, Here’s what I have stuffed inside the Air Porter: Various paperwork, 12.9 in. iPad Pro (inside a thick Speck case), 3 pairs of earphones for future reviews, four charging cords with plugs, two portable chargers, two flashlights, eye medicine, card key for the office, wallet and car keys. All that and the Air Porter is not even half full.
The Air Porter bag measures 10.25” H X 4.5” W X 15” L. Waterfield sized the bag to fit within TSA’s sizing guidelines for air travel. This size allows the bag to be stowed upright under an airline seat while still leaving room for feet. It also opens flat for easier TSA screening and access to the laptop compartment.
As I said, the construction of the Waterfield Air Porter bag is waxed canvas. The canvas has been made water resistant, so getting caught in the rain is not a problem. Plus the bag’s zippers are waterproof. For the record—I really like these zippers. They are smooth and are almost invisible when closed—another nice design touch borrowed from the Bolt line.
Note that the Air Porter also comes in a black ballistic nylon material. This gives the bag a smoother, more professional look, but is every bit as tough—if not tougher than canvas. I try to be as unprofessional as possible, so the more casual canvas look is my preference.
The front of the Air Porter bag has a large pocket and smaller zippered compartment, all hidden by a leather flap that magnetically closes. This clever flap adjusts to accommodate more or fewer items. The interior is lined in a burnt-orange colored nylon fabric. This color is more tasteful than the bright orange found inside some bags and backpacks, yet still serves as a nice contrast so items are be easily found without having to shine a light inside. Like many carry-on bags, the back of the Air Porter has a wide, sturdy slot for slipping over rolling suitcase handles freeing up hands and shoulders. Both ends of the Air Porter have large, vertical pockets for water bottles. When not in use, these pockets can collapse and snap closed.
One of my minor complaints about the Maverick bag was the way the strap was sewn into the bag itself. I had issues with usually having to untwist the strap before I could use it. That’s not an issue with the Air Porter. The adjustable strap has clips on each end that swivel, so there is no wrong way to throw the bag on your shoulders. The strap also has a wide padded section which makes using the bag much more comfortable, especially if weighed down. The strap is removable if you prefer using the bag’s sewn-in leather carry handles.
The Waterfield Air Porter has a total of 17 pockets and spaces. The main compartment has a large open area with large and small pockets lining its sides. The larger pockets are made of the same orange nylon, while smaller pockets are a black, stretchy mesh material that can hold irregularly shaped objects. There is also an attached key chain with a carabiner which can help save some time searching for lost or misplaced keys.
The second open compartment is divided into two pockets. One is felt-lined for either a laptop or iPad. The pocket has cutaways on both ends for charging cables to slip through for easy charging while the bag is closed—a nice touch. My large iPad Pro with its oversized case fits perfectly into this pocket. The other large pocket also has two smaller pockets attached. This is perfect for paper, magazines, and other flat items.
If you can’t find room for everything you need to carry, there’s an optional Air Caddy. This pouch can be purchased separately or along with the Air Porter. With its many pockets, the Caddy allows you to pack items you need more often, such as a smartphone, cords and such. This way—as on a flight—the larger Air Porter can be stowed either under a seat or in the overhead bin while the Air Caddy can be placed in the seat pouch within easy reach. The Air Caddy is even large enough to hold a regular-sized iPad. Heavy-duty zippers protect what’s inside. The Air Caddy easily fits either inside the Air Porter’s main compartment or front pocket.
The Waterfield Air Porter carry-on bag is a perfect bag for traveling. It’s large enough for just about anything you want to carry, yet small enough to fit under airline seats for easy reach. And it’s TSA friendly—a big deal in today’s world. It’s always fun to see what products Waterfield is planning and the Air Porter was worth the wait.
Are you looking to class up your office? Maybe it’s time to ditch that crusty old desk lamp you’ve had since college (It’s OK. We don’t judge.). Today we’re checking out the LUX LED Lighting LUX Lincoln LED Task Lamp. It’s a contemporary desk lamp with modern features. Will it work for you? Let’s get illuminated!
Elegant, Functional Design
The LUX Lincoln LED Task light is an industrial-inspired design that boasts some interesting design geometry. The vertical post is positioned towards the rear of the base and extends at a slight rearward facing angle. The crossbar is mounted includes a rear counterweight for visual balance. The light itself is a simple saucer-shape. All of these little design queues create an interesting & contemporary look on your desktop.
The design of the LUX Lincoln provides a variety of options to create very functional lighting for your workspace. A locking handle on the crossbar allows for multiple positioning angles. The lamp saucer swivels and rotates to dial in your focus.The rocker switch on the base also enables you to toggle between a low and high brightness setting (350 or 500 lumens) based on your preference. This combination of features enables you to position The LUX Lincoln for maximum light exposure at any angle you might need.
Nice Additional Features
I love LED lights for their brightness and power-saving features. LED lights can be pretty harsh, however. The LUX Lincoln LED Task Light also includes an opaque cover under the light hood. This creates a softer lighting effect, which is very comfortable for extended and reduces glare on your computing screens. Combined with the focused saucer-shaped hood, this makes for a great desk lamp if you’re sharing your office space… you can focus the light where you need it, reducing the intrusion on your neighbors!
For added functionality, you’ll also find two USB ports on the base, one on either side. I love this feature, as it saves a couple of spaces on my computer or power strip for other devices.
Overall, the light is very well built and solidly constructed. The whole unit feels solid and well planted, and I don’t doubt that it will last a long time. There’s a felt cover under the base to avoid scratching up your desktop, which is also a nice plus.
Positives
Elegant, industrial design
Flexible lighting positioning
Two brightness modes
Two built-in USB power ports
Negatives
None to report here
Final thoughts
The LUX LED Lighting LUX Lincoln LED Task Lamp is a well-built desk lamp that’s adaptable, looks great, and adds some nice additional functionality with two USB power ports. It’s also available in brushed nickel and black satin finishes to match your style. If you’re looking for a desk lamp that adds some industrial-style elegance to your workspace, I’d recommend giving it a look.
My employer upgraded the various phone systems our many offices were using to an enterprise phone system at the beginning of November. It was the first step to creating a unified communication environment for the entire enterprise. The second step of the upgrade will be a phone app and windows app to allow all communication through either a smartphone or the computer (laptop). I volunteered to pilot this system in my office and I’m lucky enough to test the Plantronics Voyager 8200 UC headset on everything from noise-canceling during air-travel and office use, listening to music, conferencing, and voice communication – all through Bluetooth. Read on to see what I think!
Unboxing
The headphones don’t come in an elaborate package. Some of Plantronics other products come in packaging that has more retail focus but these just came in a brown cardboard box. After using these for a couple of weeks I have come to realize that the lack of a flashy exterior package does not detract from the enjoyment of what is inside.
The box comes with the following:
Headset
Carrying case
Quick start guide
BT600
USB Charging cable
3.5mm audio cable
The carrying case is a fabric bag lined with soft fleece. It has an accessory pocket on the front that has a zipper closure about 1/3 of the way from the top, but actually encompasses the entire front of the bag – the compartment extends above the zipper. The main compartment also closes with a zipper. On the side there is a loop. The front of the bag has a black, stylized “PLT” logo imprinted on the dark grey material, and the side of the bag has an orange tag with “PLT” written on one side and “Plantronics” on the other.
I was initially concerned that the case was not a hard-walled design similar to the cases provided with some of the noise canceling headphones sold by Bose and Sony. However, on a flight from San Diego to Boston the traveler next to me accidentally sat on the headphones. I was prepared to lift a broken headset with a dangling ear cup, but these headphones are precision made and durable. The headphones emerged from under my neighbor’s rear unscathed. So maybe a soft case is all that’s needed; it will keep them clean and will prevent the cups from getting snagged on one thing or another.
Design
The design of the headphones emphasizes comfort, ergonomics, and usability but still remains fashionable. The headband is covered with leather on top and breathable suede on the head facing side. It is cushioned to rest against the scalp and has just the right amount of spring for my head. The headband expands with a metal leaf independently over each ear. A pattern etched on each metal leaf which represents the LEDs of a frequency spectrum display help ensure that the headband is centered on the head. The earcups can twist forward just a bit, but twist backwards to almost 90 degrees (which is how the entire set can fit in the carry sack). The twisting action doesn’t occur freely – it must be moved by hand. The earcups also pivot up and down, but this movement is a spring return to the neutral position. The earcups are angled slightly forward to follow the natural slope of the ear from the top to the bottom of the lobe. The cushions of the earcups are squishy polyurethane coated foam which provides good support and noise isolation.
The mostly black and charcoal grey colors are punctuated by smartly placed orange around the inside of the earcups. The inside of the earcups are labeled “L” and “R” in the stylized Plantronics font against a white cloth covering the speaker grill (and the capacitive sensors which can detect if the headphones are being worn). the cushions meet a metal bezel into which the 3.5 mm audio cable and USB charging cable can be plugged into on the right side. (See the featured image at the top of the story.) The bezel also surrounds the microphones used to pick up the wearers voice when being used as a headset. Around the outside of the earcups is a metallic screen that covers the area where ambient microphones are positioned. the back of the earcups are covered by a faux wooden laminate. On the left-hand side, the laminate includes operation buttons. On the right-hand side is an indicator light for pairing, battery strength, mute and low power. The LEDs are mounted below a glossy plastic ring.
Note that this review is for the black/charcoal colors, but that the headphones are also available in a beige color scheme:
Operation
With so many capabilities, one might believe that the operation of the headset may be complicated, but the sensible layout of the controls makes using the headset intuitive. The volume dial on the left-hand side increases volume by rotating forward and decreases the volume by rotating back. The volume adjustment occurs in 10 steps and the dial has a spring return to center after the adjustment is made. The headset has an optional setting that will play tones that correspond to the volume level.
The dedicated voice control button seems to work fine for Google Now on a phone or Siri on an iPhone. I wasn’t able to test Siri on a mac or Google now on a chrome book. It does not work to activate Cortana on a Windows 10 machine, but it can be used to dictate commands if the Windows-C shortcut or microphone icon is used.
Skipping tracks is a breeze with the dedicated forward and reverse buttons – no double pressing and triple pressing the play/pause button is required. It would be great if this allowed rewind and fast forward by holding the button down.
Active noise canceling (ANC) comes in two strengths: office and airplane. While the noise canceling is effective and noticeable, it does not perform as well as the Sony WH-1000XM2.
OpenMic is a great feature to allow the wearer to have conversations without taking the headphones off. Pressing the button will conveniently pause any music playing and allow voice and sharp sounds to the ears while still filtering out noise using the ANC. While using the headset in a conversation the same button is used to mute the voice microphone.
Five LEDs on the right side indicate charge, pairing mode, call status, and button presses. When not wearing the headset, pressing on the right side will illuminate the 5 LEDs to correspond to the estimated battery capacity remaining.
The headphones come with a Bluetooth adapter, the Plantronics BT600. The headphones are pre-paired to the adapter and it has a LED on the end that can be used to indicate the status of the headset function:
Blue – Standby
Blinking Blue – Call
Blinking Purple – Music
Mute – Red
I stuck mine on a USB extension cable and mounted it above my desk so now my coworkers know if I’m rocking out or on a call.
Paring the headset to more than one device is relatively straightforward. I never needed to enter the Bluetooth PIN (“0000”) and when I turn the unit on the connections happen very quickly. I have the headset paired with my laptop and also I use the BT600 on this computer too. I may have to force pairing with the BT600 by pressing the pin on the side. This is more convenient than removing the pair settings from the Bluetooth that is part of my laptop. For some reason, the BT600 handles going between call and music better than my Dell so I’m using the BT600 over the built-in Bluetooth. The range of the BT600/8200 pair is right around 100 feet.
Using the BT600 in combination with the Plantronics Hub software also permits monitoring the status of the headphones from an icon in the status tray on the right-hand side of the screen on a Windows machine. The icon will display the remaining battery percentage as an icon, indicate if charging is occurring, indicate the mute status, and display the remaining talk time if the mouse hovers over the icon. Below are a few screens from the Hub software screen to show the customization the headphones are capable of.
The iOS app also supports nearly all of the same settings and also includes an extensive help section for quick reference when setting up and using the headphones.
One of the unique features on these headphones is that they will limit the volume to protect hearing and they will also limit the exposure of the user to noise to below a specified decibel level for a certain number of hours per day. It is unclear how the headphones accomplish this but it is good to know that there are features to protect the listener’s hearing.
The sensor is another great feature that works as an auto-mute and auto-pause when the headphones are removed from the ears. This works well about 90 percent of the time, but I’m careful to manually mute the headphones in a conference call rather than risk the embarrassment of talking over the people on call if I need to communicate with some one off of the phone. In the other 10% of the time, the music may still play even though the headphones are loose around my neck.
One other set of features is that the headphones can be used as Bluetooth headphones while charging. Also, installing the 3.5 mm cable into the headphones turns off the Bluetooth radio but does not disable the ANC.
Performance
Since these are wireless headphones an evaluation of their claimed charging capacity is important. After using these until the battery was completely drained, twenty minutes of charging provides over 7 hours of “talk” time. While attempting to charge these completely, After 1:39 of charging the hub reported that there was 20:12 of talk time but I could tell from my USB tester that there was no longer any charge being sent to the headset. I unplugged and re-plugged the headset into the USB tester and the accrued charge on the headset, as reported by the hub, went down to 18:34 but the charge resumed and completed after two hours and 655mAh were charged into the headphones. After the two hours, the capacity as measured by the hub went to 21:47.
I used the same songs I listened to with the V-Moda on these headphones. My first test track is Fantasy by The xx. The pure base tones (in the high 40Hz range) come through strong and without distortion. and are aided by the bass tubes in these headphones. You don’t just hear the bass, you can feel it. I also listened to How Low by Ludacris which has some 32Hz tones that come through well amplified.
I wanted to hear how the subtly of an upright bass is delivered by the speakers so I listened to Bahia by John Coltrane. The V-Moda has a crispness and presence that is not communicated as well by the Plantronics headset. While the stereo separation is still present, the tones seemed a bit muted. This observation was made without any noise-cancellation, anti-startle, or noise exposure limitations active. Also, it doesn’t sound any better when plugged into the 3.5 mm port. The way the sound is reproduced doesn’t appear to be a Plantronics sensibility either because I also have a Plantronics .Audio 478 USB headset. It has stereo on-the-ear wideband 32mm drivers. I felt that the .Audio 478 headset had a better soundstage than the Voyager 8200. I noticed this lack of presence on each of the other songs from the V-moda review: There’s No Underwear in Space by The Claypool Lennon Delirium, La femme d’argent by Air, and French Suites by Bach played by Murry Perahia. However, the sound quality and performance does seem to come through fantastically while listening to movies.
I recorded the following track to test the various functions and to provide the reader with some understanding of what wearing the headphones is like:
Also, After reading Andy Chen’s review of the Plantronics 3200 I made the following test recording to demonstrate the voice isolating sound processing of the headset:
Positives
Unified communication
Noise Cancelling
Two device Bluetooth Pairing
Negatives
ANC not industry leading
Crispness of musical playback
Final thoughts
These headphones have quite literally taken the place of three headphones on my desk: a headset for my phone, a headset for Webex, Skype and other computer-based conferencing, and headphones for listening to music. The fact that all of these things are now wireless is a huge benefit. It is quite liberating to be able to get up and walk over to someone else desk to discreetly get their opinion during a conference call, jump into a private office if I get a personal call, or make a work call from my desk phone without being tethered. My only complaint is that I wish the audio presence was crisper. That being said, there are a lot of noise-canceling headphones out there with excellent acoustics at the same price point (Sony, Bose, B&W). If the main reason for getting these does not include voice communication then one of the other models may provide better value. But if you are looking for one headphone that can do everything then the Plantronics 8200 UC may be just what you’re looking for.
Price: $379.95 Where to buy: Plantronics and Amazon Source: The sample for this review was provided by Plantronics.
A couple of years ago, I reviewed the RHA (Reid Heath Audio) T10i earphones. I liked them for their sound quality, but mostly I like them because I could swap filters to make the earphones sound more bright, bassy or neutral, depending on what I was listening to or even my mood. It was like having 3 earphones for the price of one, which was a novelty then. Now, that’s not so unusual anymore as many earphones have replaceable audio filters. RHA has since canceled the T10 earphone and now offer the T20 and T20i. Is it worth it to upgrade from the T10?
When the T10 and T10i earphones were released, they were a departure from what RHA had previously done. The T10s were different in design and manufacturing. A new injection-molded stainless steel process used to manufacture the T10i was revolutionary and RHA has continued this process for the T20 and T20i earphones. Injection molding allows the T20i to have a more organic shape. Combine that shape with a black color and you get something that looks like it came from another world—in a good way. Plus, this organic shape fits into the ear quite comfortably. Many metal earphones sold today can be less than natural-feeling. Not these.
Note: The difference between the T20 and T20i is that the “i” model has a built-in Apple specific microphone with music controls. Also, the T20 is silver and the T20i is black. The T20i costs $10 more. Otherwise, they are identical. For simplicities’ sake, this review will use the term T20 instead of T20i. Using these controls is easy and intuitive. The mic also works quite well for phone calls. Truthfully though, I don’t use wired mics or controls all that much with earphones.
The wires from the T20 wraps around the back of the ear. This can reduce microphonics—that sound you hear when tapping on the cord. The wire has a memory when curved to fit behind the ear. It holds its shape which can help keep the T20s in place. It feels like RHA also improved on this memory wire over the T10 earphones. Its smoother feeling and holds its shape better. The T20s are not noise canceling, but they do isolate quite well.
Like other RHA earphones, the T20s come with an almost embarrassing array of extras. Are ten pairs of tips in many sizes and shapes enough for you? How about an aluminum tray to hold them all? Let’s not forget those three filters that can screw into a thick metal holder for safe keeping! Also included is a shirt clip and a roomy case to hold literally everything. The soft case is a zippered faux-leather material with elastic bands and a mesh pocket inside. I would have preferred a harder case at this price, but even so, it will help keep the T20s free of dust and moisture.
The tips all fit snuggly into individual slots punched out of the holding tray. As long as they stay on the tray, there is little chance of losing them. RHA improved the filter holder by simply bending it. This simple change keeps the threaded part of the small and delicate filters away from any surface reducing the chance of nicks which could make it difficult screwing them into the earphone. Ingenious.
As with the T10 earphones, the T20s come with three filters: Treble, Bass, and Reference (neutral). Each filter is self-explanatory. The filters are identical as on the T10s except that since the T20’s sound signature has changed a bit, its effect on how the filters behave is slightly different. For instance, when the bass filter is used on the T20, it is less bassy and a bit more accurate sounding than when used on the T10. The same differences are true on both the treble and reference filters, but less noticeable.
What is noticeable is the quality of the audio. The T10 earphones have a custom dynamic speaker driver that has a warm and inviting sound. This works well with modern recordings. The added accuracy of the T20s makes whatever song I’m listening to sound more refined and relaxed.
Silly audiophile terms, I know—but that’s the best way to describe it. Part of the reason for this improvement is what RHA calls a dual coil driver. RHA states that “The T20’s dual coil driver features two independent voice coils, each responsible for producing part of the frequency range for refined, high-resolution audio.” Basically, it means that the speaker can be more efficient by equally split the workload of delivering audio. Granted, the resulting difference between the older T10 and T20 is not as dramatic as one might think, but it is noticeable—especially when you listen to the T20s for a while and then go back to the T10.
The T20 requires more power to drive than the T10 earphones do. As a result, the T10s will sound a tiny bit louder than the T20s—all things being equal. However, the difference is slight and doesn’t matter much.
Boy George’s version of “The Crying Game” packs a surprising emotional punch. The bass undercurrent is just powerful enough to be felt without overpowering the mids or high frequencies. The T20s help give this song an ethereal aura that I don’t hear when compared to regular speakers. It’s an advantage good earphones can have over external audio speakers.
If the opening thunderclap from The 12” mix of Bryan Ferry’s “Slave to Love” doesn’t wake the dead, I don’t know what will. This aural assault demands that earphone speakers react quickly and then recover just as fast. It’s not an easy thing for speakers to do and usually requires expensive materials. The T20 earphones handle this pressure—letting the power of the thunder come in at full force without competing with the heavy backbeat that follows. Everything remains separate and clean sounding.
The Cars song, “Moving in Stereo” is always a fun headphone test simply because of its—well, stereo. Because this is a good test song, I can forgive the slightly tacky 80s style keyboards and electronic drums. There is both complete left/right separation as well as more subtle effects sprinkled throughout the song that the T20s bring out quite well.
“Magic Bus” from The Who’s album “Live at Leeds” rocks so hard that it’s almost a completely different song than the original from the album “Tommy.” Listening to this song on the T20 earphones makes you feel like you’re sitting in the audience right in front of the stage. Not only do the T20s let you hear every guitar string being plucked, you can also hear guitarist Pete Townsend’s mistakes as he plays, which makes this song even more fun to experience.
Positives
Excellent sounding
Three filters can tune sound
Improvement over T10
Same price as older T10 earphones
Well made
Negatives
Hard case would be better at this price
Final thoughts
With the T20i earphones, RHA has produced a worthy successor to the T10i earphones. Sometimes the improvements are subtle, sometimes more noticeable. How much improvement is noticeable depends on the song or album. The build quality is as good or better than the T10i and the black color scheme of the T20i looks cooler and more bad-a** than the silver-colored regular T20. If you already have the T10 earphones and they are still in good shape, save your money. But if you are looking to replace older earphones and want to try what RHA has to offer, you can’t go wrong with the T20 or T20i earphones.
Price: $199.95 Where to buy: RHA and Amazon Source: The sample for this review was provided by RHA.
