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FlyTunes lets you share audio with your sweetie on your next flight

NEWS – Scosche has introduced a new audio gadget today called FlyTunes. FlyTunes is a wireless audio transmitter that pairs with up to two Bluetooth devices at once and comes in a handy travel sized package.

The adapter has been designed so it works with any model of aircraft and features two folding 3.5mm prongs that can plug into a single or dual-output. Also included in the package is a short AUX cord that allows you to plug into difficult to reach AUX output locations.

FlyTunes doesn’t have to just be used on airplanes, it can also be used at the gym with fitness machines, televisions, stereos, and portable gaming systems, such as the Nintendo Switc®. This wireless audio transmitter adapter can also to share audio from non-Bluetooth enabled audio devices by plugging in with a 3.5mm output jack.

The new FlyTunes Wireless Audio Transmitter is available now in black or white for $39.99 on Scosche.com.

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FlyTunes lets you share audio with your sweetie on your next flight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 10, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Miccus Swivel Jack RTX review

REVIEW – My niece just got her drivers license but her car stereo doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth. The Miccus Swivel Jack RTX device is a perfect solution for her. She just needs to plug it into her car’s aux connection to pair with her phone. Or if her sister or boyfriend wants to switch to a playlist on their phones, it has easy, wireless pairing.

What is it?

The Swivel Jack RTX is a pocket-sized long-range wireless transmitter/receiver.

What’s in the box?

  • The transmitter/receiver
  • Instruction manual
  • USB cord for charging
  • 3.5 mm female to RCA male audio cable

Specs

  • 3.5mm Stereo Audio Input and Output
  • Operating range of up to 100ft
  • 2.10 Hour battery life
  • USB Power: DC 5V @500mA or higher
    Dimensions: L 1.9in x W 0.8in x H 0.5in
  • 4 GHz operating frequency

Design and features

There’s a single jack on a swivel, for easy positioning no matter which device you plug it into. And the jack tucks back into the body when not in use.

Its blue light flashes rapidly when it’s pairing and glows solid blue to confirms if it’s working.

We found it very fast and easy to pair with a Bluetooth device.

A toggle switch lets you easily alternate from transmitting to receiving.

First, we tried using it as a receiver. We connected it to a portable, mini speaker and paired it with a smartphone in just a few seconds on the first try.

Our speaker didn’t have an aux input but that didn’t matter since the Swivel Jack RTX came with an RCA cable, which worked like a charm. We appreciated being able to connect with devices that don’t come with an aux input.

The Swivel Jack RTX boosts an operating range of up to 100 feet. We tested it at 75 feet, outside on a crummy day, and it worked quickly. However, it was a less stable connection than the closer range audio. We were still impressed with the quality of the receiver at that distance and plan to use it this summer to play music in our backyard and pool area.

Next, we tried using it a transmitter, which worked equally as well. In fact, we thought the sound quality was just as good as our wired connection without any noticeable delay.

Size wise, we found it fine for plugging into a car or speaker. However, it’s about twice as wide as a typical smartphone, which we found bulky when attached at the headphone jack. It wasn’t a big drawback but ideally would have fit within the phone’s edges.

The Swivel Jack RTX glows red when charging and turns off when it’s done. It took about 40 minutes to fully charge and lasted more than three hours on one charge, which was a pleasant surprise since the manual says it only lasts two hours.

What I like

  • Fast pairing
  • RCA cord came in handy
  • Swivel design made it easy to plug in anywhere

What needs to be improved

  • We found it a little bulky when using with a phone

Final thoughts

It’s a powerful little receiver and transmitter with many practical uses.

Price: $39.99
Where to buy: Miccus.com and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Miccus.com.

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Miccus Swivel Jack RTX review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Shure RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable review

REVIEW – Recently, I was invited to Chicago—a trip that allowed me and other tech writers/reviewers a chance to be the first to try out a new and updated Bluetooth cable from Shure—the RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable.

What is it?

This mouthful of a named cable is a simple device that can make any Shure earphone (or other brands with an MMCX connector) wireless. 

Specs

  • Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Wireless range: 30 ft.
  • Integrated DAC and amp: Supports Qualcomm, aptX (HD and low latency), AAC, SBC codecs
  • Rechargeable battery life: 10 hours play time and 350 hours standby

Design and features

The Shure RMCE-BT2 is not much to look at, but don’t let its small size fool you. It measures about 3 in. X 1 in. and the thickness of a piece of cardboard. There’s a clip that lets the RMCE-BT2 attach to clothing. Its black color helps make it less noticeable, but a more interesting design form could make it cooler. Two left and right MMCX connector cables are attached at one end. The 13 in. length feels just right—neither too long or short.

The RMCE-BT2 is not just a Bluetooth transmitter. Inside, there’s a digital audio converter (DAC) with a dedicated amp. Rather than buying a ready-made DAC from a manufacturer, Shure developed it themselves which allowed them to tune the DAC to work best with their earphones. The same goes for the amp that Shure says was designed for high fidelity listening. Maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but I sure liked what I was hearing.

In Chicago, I was allowed to try out the RMCE-BT2 on different Shure models of earphones. After my return, I concentrated my testing on the Shure SE535 and SE846 as well as a pair of RHA CL1 earphones for testing. Since the CL1s have the MMCX connector, the fit was perfect so I would assume the RMCE-BT2 cable will fit any other brand with that type of connector.   

The RMCE-BT2 comes with the prerequisite volume/pause/skip buttons attached to the cable. Phone calls were easily understood by the person on the other end, although he did say that it wasn’t quite as clear as with Apple’s AirPods—those are indistinguishable from the iPhone itself.

It didn’t seem to matter which earphone I tried with the RMCE-BT2. They each exhibited the same sound signature either wired or wireless. The RMCE-BT2 has the latest Bluetooth 5.0 and you cannot hear any difference. Note that Bluetooth has had a checkered past and has only recently reached a level that can be called hi-def without snickering. In other words, Bluetooth has arrived.

My musical tastes are fairly eclectic—from Abba to Brian Eno to Russian Choral to Moody Blues. As I listened with the RMCE-BT2, I tried to detect any anomalies or less-than-desirable audio parts. The only issues I had were inherent in the original recording and not because of the RMCE-BT2.

If your musical selections are more on the bass side, the bass remains. If you prefer a brighter sound, that won’t change. That’s the point: Nothing changes. You can go wireless when it’s convenient, wired when it doesn’t matter.

Pairing with the new iPhone X Max was flawless and instantaneous. Android users can choose which Bluetooth codec they prefer. Apple iPhones won’t tell you what codec they are using (it won’t be any version of aptX), but usually it’s AAC.  Bluetooth range is rated at an unremarkable 30 ft. I was able to extend that by only a bit. I would have preferred a longer range, especially at the RMCE-BT2’s price.

Speaking of price, the RMCE-BT2 is expensive, but considering that it’s made for Shure earphones, it’s a seamless accessory.

What I like

The RMCE-BT2 adds freedom to earphones that are otherwise tethered and they do it with minimal fuss.

What needs to be improved

The design is meh. It’s a bit expensive.

Final Thoughts

The important thing to remember is not what the RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable does, but what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t make your music sound better, worse or different. It allows it to sound the same as it would when earphones are wired—and that’s as high a praise as can be given.    

Price: $149.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Shure.

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Shure RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 8, 2018 at 8:21 am.

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There’s a new Bluetooth product from Chicago – for Shure!

ARTICLE – It’s always fun to be invited to a press introduction of a new product, especially when it is as useful as this: The Shure High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable—or the Shure RMCE-BT2 cable. Shure wanted a way to allow owners of their detachable SE Sound Isolating Earphones to go wireless without having to shell out for all-new earphones. The RMCE-BT2 is that solution. Since the cables from all of Shure’s earphones are removable, the RMCE-BT2 simply snaps in place making the earphones wireless. 

“Portable listening technology continues to evolve and improve, both from a hardware and software standpoint,” said Sean Sullivan, Senior Manager of Global Product Management at Shure. “The circuitry in the new high-resolution Bluetooth communication cable features premium Bluetooth codec support for higher resolution wireless transfer and a high performance headphone amplifier to accurately and efficiently drive any of our Sound Isolating earphones. Our goal is to provide users with the best possible listening experience, and this product will help achieve that goal.” 

More on the RMCE-BT2 later.

But first, Shure treated invited audio writers to a tour of their facility in Niles—about 20 minutes outside of Chicago. Here we learned about the history of Shure—especially their microphones. I know very little about mics, but I still enjoyed how much pride Shure has in its products, notably the iconic Shure Unidyne microphone—something anyone will recognize (shown below).

Later, we got to experience an anechoic chamber where mics are tested. This is a room that is totally sound-proof with triangular-shaped sound-deadening material covering all surfaces—floor included. Actually, there was no floor; we stood on what looked like chicken wire. Once the doors closed, there was total and unnerving silence. Even when our host spoke, his voice sounded flat and well—dead. 

Now, back to the reason for the trip.

Face it, anyone can build a wireless Bluetooth contraption for any earphones from off-the-shelf parts. Shure doesn’t do that. They design, develop and build everything they sell. They developed their own digital audio converter (DAC) to be used featuring the most popular Bluetooth 5 codecs: Qualcomm aptX audio, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, AAC, and SBC. Don’t worry if you don’t understand any of this. Just know that the RMCE-BT2 cable will work with your device and deliver the best sound possible.

Back in Chicago at Shure’s downtown offices, we tried out the RMCE-BT2 with the full range of Shure’s earphones, from the affordable SE 215 to (my favorite) the SE 846 earphones. Shure also had some quite nice (and quite expensive) electrostatic earphones, but the audio improvement over the SE 846 wasn’t better enough to justify their higher price. It was the law of diminishing returns regarding audio—the higher the price, the smaller the improvements.

What I discovered was that the RMCE-BT2’s audio quality sounded as good as being hard-wired. At least, I couldn’t discern any noticeable difference. I listened to both Apple Music as well as high-resolution FLAC music files played through the wonderful Onkyo music app on my iPhone—both wired and wireless. The RMCE-BT2 will spoil you. It gave me a freedom that being wired just doesn’t allow. Because the DAC is better quality than what is natively on my iPhone, music was just as much fun to listen to. This was especially noticeable with Amber Rubarth’s binaural recording of “A Kiss to Build a Dream On”—a music test track I use often. The soundstage on this song is incredible—partly because it was a binaural recording—but also because the RMCE-BT2 allowed much of what is good about the song to be heard as intended. I handed the earphones to another attendee who was unfamiliar with the song and when she listened, a wide grin came across her face. That said it all.

Shure uses standard MMCX connectors with the RMCE-BT2. Shure told me they can’t guarantee a good fit with other earphones that use the MMCX connector because they tweaked the connector design for a tighter, more secure fit. However, when I returned home, I tried the RMCE-BT’s connectors with a pair of RHA CL1 ceramic earphones. The fit was perfect. 

The RMCE-BT2 features an in-line remote and mic control. Wireless range is up to 30 feet and battery capacity features up to 10 hours of play time with 350 hours of standby time.

I will give a full review of the RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable soon. The RMCE-BT2 is available now and sells for $149 US. Visit Shure for more information.

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There’s a new Bluetooth product from Chicago – for Shure! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 27, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Archeer Vinyl Turntable Record Player Review


REVIEW – As an audiophile, I have long had a love/hate relationship with turntables because while I love the unique sound of vinyl, I hate how much it costs to buy an audiophile turntable that is built with the right technology and materials to compliment the other components of even a mid-range audiophile system. And since the number of vinyl enthusiasts has decreased exponentially, the cost of a classic record can be prohibitive. I decided to accept the opportunity to test and review this turntable because I still love vinyl, but I accepted with the understanding that it is not considered audiophile equipment. So here goes.

What is it?

The Archeer vinyl turntable record player is a 3 Speed Turntable with a diamond stylus cartridge. It plays records at 3 speeds which are 33, 45 & 78 RPM and supports 7, 10 and 12″ records. It has 2 built-in 3 Watt speakers and includes auxiliary and Bluetooth connectivity.

What’s in the box



1 x Wooden Turntable
1 x AC Power Adapter
1 x Plastic Turntable Cover
1 x Record Spindle Adapter
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Specifications:

Type: Belt drive turntable, fully automatic

Speeds: 33, 45 & 78 RPM

Turntable Platter: Plastic

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >40dB

Power Adapter: 5V/ 1A

Frequency Response: 125Hz-10KHz

Output Level: 450mV±150mV

Output Power: 5W

This turntable has the usual tonearm controls that are Auto Stop on/off and the speed selection switch along with the tonearm lever and lock. In addition and as shown below, there is a control panel that has the following controls (from front to back): Power on/off and Volume Control, Power LED, Stop button, Mode button, Previous Track button, Next Track button, Play/Record button, USB Port, Function Indicator and AUX-In Port.



The turntable also comes with the record spindle adapter that stores away when not in use as seen in the first picture below. It is placed on the turntable center spindle when playing 45RPM records that have the larger hole in the center.




At the back of the turntable, there is the power jack and left/right RCA output jacks so that you can connect the turntable to external speakers or a preamplifier/amplifier.



The clear plastic/acrylic cover is connected to the turntable via 2 plastic hinges. The cover has 2 notches that mark where it slides into the hinges.


Underneath the turntable, there are the two built-in 3-watt watt speakers.


PICTURE

Performance

When I first unpacked the turntable, the internal packing material was crushed, and upon further examination, I discovered that one of the plastic hinges that secure the turntable cover to the base was broken. After contacting the vendor, and waiting for a couple of weeks, a replacement was sent for testing and review.

I like the basic features of this turntable. Playing a record is simple and straightforward as with any turntable. I used a 33RPM 12″ LP for my test. The sound out of the speakers if full-range so it lacks any sort of depth or separation of frequencies and exists mostly in the midrange. I also connected the RCA output to my audiophile preamplifier, but the result was the same since there is no equalization with audiophile systems and low quality in = low quality out. Keep in mind that this is not really a criticism of this turntable since by design it is not expected to perform as such. Connecting your phone or mobile device to the turntable is easy and works well. Connecting an iPod or iPhone via a 3.5mm to the AUX-IN port yielded the same result as the Bluetooth connection albeit wired. The feature I like the most is the USB port that allows you to plug in a USB flash drive and record the record as an MP3 file. This is better than having to buy an additional interface to accomplish this. Again, the quality of the sound is the same. I do suppose that if you have powered speakers and/or some amount of external equalization, that you may be able to get a better quality of sound.

Here are the four operational modes and how they function:

Bluetooth Mode:
Turn on the power, press the mode button once, and the function indicator will flash blue. Once you go into the Bluetooth settings on your mobile device, the device “TS5310” should be available to connect to.
AUX-IN Mode:
Turn on the power, press the mode button twice and the function indicator flashes red and blue. You can then connect your device via a 3.5mm cable.
USB Mode:
Turn on the power, plug in your USB flash drive, press the mode button twice, and the function indicator will flash red and the turntable automatically starts playing any music on your USB drive. In this more the previous track, next track and stop functions work.
Record Mode:
Turn on the power, plug in your USB drive to the USB port, Start record to play and press and hold the Play/Rec button until the function indicator flashes red. This means that the recording has started. You can press and hold the Play/Rec button again until the function indicator is steady red to stop the recording and save the file.

What I like

  • The built-in Bluetooth and Auxiliary Port
  • The ease of use
  • The original look

What can be improved

  • Better/safer packaging
  • Better/stronger made hinges for the turntable cover

Final thoughts

The Archeer turntable is an “old-school” throw-back to the original turntable era. It is designed with that simple look but includes convenient and usable features that make it a more inclusive component. However, it is very basic and serves more as a convenience than for a purposeful listening experience. If you are looking for a turntable for basic listening to serve as entertaining ambient sound, this may work. If you are looking for an immersive listening experience, look elsewhere. Regardless, it is not a bad value for the price.

Price: $119.99
Where can I buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Archeer.

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Archeer Vinyl Turntable Record Player Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 28, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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