Home Reviews

Creative Pebble desktop speakers review


At my home office, I’m trying to consolidate my speaker set up. I’ve been into trying to become more minimalist, and although I love my Logitech 2.1 speaker system with subwoofer, it’s big, clunky, and not very necessary at the moment. Lately, I’ve just been using headphones on my computer or a Google Home to play music or listen to podcasts. When I had the chance to review the Creative Pebble desktop speaker set, I wanted to see if this would enhance my home office desk life. Let’s take a look!

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

What is it?

From Creative’s website – “Inspired by the zen Japanese rock garden, the orb-shaped Creative Pebble is a sleek and elegant 2.0 speaker system that looks perfect in any home and office.”

Hardware specs

Dimensions (H x W x D):  4.5 x 4.4 x 4.6 inches
Drivers: 2″ Full Range Speaker Driver
Frequency Response: 100Hz ~ 17kHz
System Configuration: 2.0 system
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR): 86dB
Connector Type: Line-In, AUX-in, 3.5mm Analog Stereo Connector

What’s in the box?

  • 2 x speaker “satellites”
  • 1 Warranty and Technical Support Booklet

Design and features

Along with decent sound, the Creative Pebble speakers are small, sleek and look great on my desk. They are as tall as a 12 oz soda can and reach far enough on either side that I can listen to my audio in decent stereo quality.  They feature a 45° elevated angle for audio projection and are powered by a single USB cable, which is great for cable management. I connected them to my Mac Mini via the 3.5mm stereo output.

There’s a grippy surface on the bottom of each speaker so that they don’t slide around. This is a small detail that I appreciate. The speakers are round and pretty lightweight, so I wouldn’t want them to roll around or fall off my desk.

What I like

  • The sound is very good – much better than the built-in sound of my Mac Mini or laptop.
  • They look really nice and go well with my white desk.

What needs to be improved

Although the sound is better than a speaker, I do miss a bit more “bass” when listening to audio, especially music.

Final thoughts

I really like having the small Creative Pebble speakers on my desk to replace my bigger speaker system. It allows for me to get rid of unnecessary clutter on my desk while giving me better audio than the alternative of my Mac or laptop. There is a lack of deep bass, which is expected for a small speaker like this. If you’re looking for something bass heavy I’d recommend sticking to using another speaker for listening to music!

Price: $24.99
Where to buy: Creative.com
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Creative.

The post Creative Pebble desktop speakers review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Creative Pebble desktop speakers review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 16, 2018 at 4:21 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Edge Desk System kneeling desk review


I don’t have room in my home for a full-size desk so when I’m writing for the Gadgeteer I usually end up working at my kitchen table, or in my recliner. Neither one is optimal. After about an hour or so my back, neck, and legs need a break. Then I was offered the chance to review The Edge Desk system. Becuase of its portability, it sounded like it would be a perfect solution to my problem. With my back issues, I was a little skeptical about using a kneeling desk, but I decided to give it a try. Man, I’m glad I did!

What is it?

The Edge Desk is a portable, adjustable, ergonomic all-in-one kneeling desk system. It adjusts in five different ways and can go from desktop to easel. And when you’re done it quickly folds down and can be put away until you need it again.

Specs

  • Dimensions: 40″ x 30″ x 26-31″
  • Weight: 28-lbs
  • Maximum desktop load: 15-lbs
  • Maximum seat load: 300-lbs

In the box

  • 1- Fully assembled edge desk
  • Setup instructions

Design and features

The Edge Desk’s all-in-one design is insanely cool. It’s as unique as any desk system I’ve ever seen. The aluminum-bodied frame is very sturdy and strong, yet lightweight. And the plastic desktop provides a spacious work area.

Quick setup

Setting up the desk is quick and easy. It comes fully assembled with nicely illustrated setup instructions. I will admit first time set up was a little slow. However, after a couple of uses, I was able to set it up and break it down in around 30 seconds.

Fully adjustable

One of the great features of the Edge Desk is how fully adjustable it is. Multiple adjustments for tilt, angle, and height make it extremely versatile. There are four separate height adjustments for the seat alone. I used a permanent red marker to mark the holes once I found the settings I liked. Which made setup quicker and easier.

A pull-out handle located on the underside of the desk allows it to go from desktop to easel in seconds.

Portability

The Edge Desk is the ultimate in portability. When folded down the desk is just 61/2” high, which allows me to easily slide it under my bed when I’m not using it. It’s so compact that you can stand it up against a wall or in a closet.

Its portable size and built-in carrying handle make it easy to take virtually anywhere, inside or out.

Let’s see you do that with a typical desk.

Use and comfort

Like I stated earlier I was skeptical about how comfortable a kneeling desk could be. Needless to say, I was amazed at how comfortable the Edge Desk is. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now for writing and drawing. I love it! I’m able to use the desk for long periods of time without back or neck pain. I also found that the desk forces me to use better posture. It all adds up to me being more productive and that’s a definite plus.

Accessories

Along with the Edge Desk, I also received three different accessories (sold separately). A water bottle holder, phone/tablet holder and a set of transport wheels. I found them all to be extremely useful. Both the water bottle holder and phone holder allow you to keep the desktop clutter-free. They both use the proprietary “Edge” universal clip to hold them securely to the edge of the desk.

And the water bottle holder doubles as a pencil holder when I’m sketching, allowing me to organize my pencils and keep them off the desktop.

The transport wheels slide onto the front feet of the desk and secure with a snap of a locking collar. The wheels definitely make it easier to slide the desk under my bed and to maneuver it when it’s setup. And because the desk weighs 28lbs they could come in handy if you’re moving it any distance.

Just wheel it along like you would a piece of luggage.

What I like

  • Easy to setup and breakdown
  • Portability – you can use it virtually anywhere
  • Easily stores away when not in use
  • Fully adjustable
  • Can be used as both desktop and easel
  • Comfortable for long periods of time

What needs to be improved

  • Would be nice if there was a raised lip on the desktop to keep things from rolling off when using it as an easel.

Final thoughts

I’m in love with the Edge Desk. It’s the desk solution I’ve been waiting for. Its portability and storability solved my problem of not having enough room for a full-size desk. I’m more productive and it really helps reduce the stress on my neck and back. And now I have a space that I can dedicate to my artwork.

The Edge Desk might just bring standing desks to their knees.

Thank you Edge Desk and Bravo!

Price: Edge Desk – $ 399.99,  water bottle holder – $24.99, phone holder – $24.99, transport wheels – $29.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Edge Desk System.

The post Edge Desk System kneeling desk review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: , ,

Edge Desk System kneeling desk review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds review

Jabra’s Elite Sports truly wireless earbuds were my favorite earbuds of 2017, perhaps ever… Their secure fit, comfort, quality, rugged build, and sound experience was second to none in the cord-less, fitness world of music listening. Though recently Jabra has introduced several additions to their Elite line of wireless earbuds: Elite 45e, Elite 65t, and Elite Active 65t. For this review, Jabra has sent me the Elite 65t’s to give them a try and see if they live up to the originals I’ve come to know and love.

What are they?

The Elite 65t’s are Jabra’s second generation of truly wireless earbuds with improved sound quality, a better, more secure fit, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. These lightweight earbuds are not only comfortable with a secure fit but engineered/optimized for listening to music, videos, and participating in calls.

Design and features

The Elite 65t’s design is a departure from Jabra’s classic fin-stabilized form factor. Unlike its predecessor, the 65t’s molded shape is all that is needed to securely hold the earbuds in your ears. Inserting them into your ears is a simple quarter turn process…as easy as turning a 90-degree valve.

The exterior of the earbuds is made of a gray metallic plastic with Jabra stamped in the center of both multifunction buttons. Each earbud has two microphones for better ambient noise and wind reduction, making for crisp clear calls on both sides of the conversation. The rest/majority of the Elite 65t earbuds are a hardened black plastic, each with a pair of metal connectors for charging in their case.

Build quality and style:

The Elite 65t earbuds’ material and build quality are both very good, as you would expect from a high-end and relatively expensive set of headphones. The Elite 65t’s have a very tight build and an IP55 rating against dust and water, meaning they can survive moderately sweaty, rainy workouts. Jabra offers a one year warranty on parts and workmanship and two years against failure due to dust, sweat, and weather.

The Elite earbuds are direct competitors of Apple’s AirBuds and crush them in nearly every category including: secure fit, features, controls, and overall looks. I admit style is subjective, but Apple’s earbuds look like white dangly earrings from the 1980’s that could come falling out @anytime. The Elite’s secure fit, compact design, and subdued looks are much more me.

Package Contents:

  • Jabra Elite 65t
  • Charging case
  • Micro USB cable
  • 3 sets of silicon EarGels
  • Quick Start

Charging & Storage:

The charging case is small, black, and well made. It is meant to not only charge the Elite earbuds but store, transport, and protect them as well. The case is powered by a micro USB charging port on the base. There is an associated status LED meant to let you know when it needs to be recharged, is charging, or fully powered up.

The top third of the case opens to reveal two form-fitting spaces for the earbuds, with a LED in between that lets you know if the headphones are fully charged and ready to go. The lid has a tight and very firm seal that can be tricky or an effort to open. But with a bit of practice and use, opening the lid becomes easier as the case/mechanism wears in. When the earbuds are in the case, LEDs on their exterior momentarily pulse, depending on how charged they are (green) or that they’ve made contact with the charging points as you store/charge them (red).

Jabra promises 5 hours of use before needing to recharge. The storage case has an internal battery with two additional charges before the 65t + case needs to be plugged back in. If your earbuds run out of power and you want to use them on the fly, a quick 10-15 minute charge gives an hour plus of listening, long enough for most runs, commutes, phone calls, even most shows and videos.

The earbuds themselves are relatively lightweight (the right-ear at 6.5g, the left, 5.8g) and so comfortable, you barely know they’re there. The right bud has a single multipurpose button for call answering, pausing/playing music, and pinging your smart-devices’ digital assistance (longer press) and the left is a rocker button with two small tabs for managing volume and track skip/repeat (longer press).

Fit and Comfort:

Jabra includes three sets/sizes of silicon EarGels meant to help find an ideal, custom fit. With the right fit, the Elite 65t earbuds are very comfortable to wear producing excellent sound. Jabra’s new wingless design works extremely well, providing a secure fit second to none. Once inserted into my ears, I rarely had to adjust them for comfort or better sound. Even when pressing either multifunction buttons (aka adjusting volume or answering a call), the Elite 65t’s remain securely in place.

The easiest way to get them properly situated/inserted is to position each earbud with the arm facing straight down, and then twisting backward. The arms should point toward your face with a slight downward angle, as pictured above.

Sound Quality:

As with most/all earbuds, the better the earplug-type of fit you can get, the better the sound quality and passive sound isolation. Overall the sound experience was excellent on all fronts: music, video, calls, and video chat. Bottom line: the Elite 65t’s are the best sounding earbuds I have ever used or tried.

Companion App:

The Elite 65t earbuds work and sound great straight out of the box. That said, the Jabra Sound+  is a companion app that enables you to tweak your experience as you see fit. The app is available for Android and iOS and has a handful of useful features including: Voice Assistant, Audio Experience, Call Experience and Equalizer. The software also allows you to see how much battery life each earpiece has left and whether or not it is time to update the Elite’s firmware.

  • Voice Assistant allows you to toggle between your smartphone’s default assistant, Siri, Google, or Amazon Alexa (coming soon). I tried this feature with Siri and it worked just fine.
  • Call Experience allows you to adjust the volume of your voice you hear on the call, enhance the treble or bass on the call, and hear the name of the incoming caller (aka caller ID).
  • Audio Experience allows you to toggle on/off the HearThrough function, Auto Pause, and Headset Prompts.
  • The Music Equalizer enables you to manually adjust a five-band equalizer, which ranges from 60 hertz to 14 kilohertz. This feature works well though I was more than satisfied with Jabra’s default sound.

As with its predecessor, when it is time to update the earbud’s firmware the app will let you know. As you proceed, the app prompts you to place the earbuds in the charging case then the LED status light flashes purple to signify the update is in progress. The light flashes green when the process is complete.

Connectivity:

The Elite 65t’s can be paired with eight different devices but unlike its earlier siblings, they can be connected to two devices at a time (multi-connect). When removed from their case, they automatically connect to the last paired device it was streaming to. When you remove one bud from either ear (as in, to have a conversation with someone) they automatically pause whatever you are listening to and start again when reinserted. They disconnect when placed in the charging/storage case. The Elite 65t’s worked very well with all the devices I paired them with from my Apple Watch to my laptop.

What I like

  • Solid, secure, comfortable fit
  • Excellent sound quality
  • Great call quality
  • Solid passive noise isolation
  • 5 hr battery life (15 w/case)
  • Zero video lag

What needs to be improved

  • Not fully water-resistant

Final thoughts

As I stated above, the Jabra’s Elite Sports continue to be one of my favorite earbuds, especially for epic, sweat-soaked workouts. That said, the Elite 65t’s have become my new goto headphones the rest of the time. Their comfort, secure fit, sound quality, and overall design are excellent and really the truly wireless earbuds to beat. I worry a bit about damaging/destroying them during an extra sweaty workout thus the reason I continue to use the Sports during long runs. But overall, I carry the Jabra Elite 65t earbuds with me throughout my day for listening to music on the bus ride into work, video on the elliptical machine, running stairs @lunch, or just walking around town.

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: The Elite 65t’s are available from Jabra or Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Jabra.

The post Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 15, 2018 at 11:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Aicok SV-8001 Sous Vide Cooker review

Living all my life in the southern United States, I grew up eating my mother’s fried chicken, which is so often considered a staple of southern cooking.  My mother’s chicken was great – juicy, tender, well-done, and tasty.  I didn’t quite inherit my mother’s skills, and I was never able to produce fried chicken as good as hers.  I often ended up burning the breading because I was worried the chicken would be undercooked.  I always felt that cooking the chicken first would result in a better frying result, but I wasn’t sure how to “pre-cook” it for best results.  Instead of finding some new-age type of cooking method, I found an old method that’s just what I needed.  Aicok offered The Gadgeteer the perfect tool for my dilemma – their Sous Vide Cooker.

What is it?

What is sous vide?  It sounds fancy and difficult.  In French, sous vide means “under vacuum”.  Sous vide cooking, at least in a home kitchen, doesn’t actually involve a vacuum.  It does require food to be in a sealed bag, which floats in a heated water bath.  The heated water cooks the food to a specified degree of doneness at a set temperature point.  Because the water is heated directly, it’s easier to reach and maintain a steady temperature than it is in an oven or on a cooktop, where the temperature can experience wide swings as it tries to heat the air in the oven or transfer heat inefficiently through a metal pot on the stovetop.

Hardware specs

  • Model Number: SV-8001
  • Material Type: Stainless steel and plastic
  • Color: Black and silver
  • Item Dimensions: 8.1″x 4.5″ x 17.6″
  • Item Weight: 3.3 pounds
  • Power Wattage (US): 1oooW

What’s in the box?

  • Sous vide cooker
  • Manual with some cooking instructions
  • Warranty card

Design and features

The cooker looks a bit like a short, stocky walking stick.  The metal post is submerged in the water bath, and the holes you see along the length, plus the holes in the bottom…

… allow the water to flow in for heating and then out to circulate through the bath.

The display has a touchscreen with a power button and a settings selection button.  The dial on the front under the display is used for adjusting temperatures, delay time, and cooking time.  The machine defaults to displaying temperature in Celsius, but you can switch it easily to Fahrenheit if desired.

The back of the Aicok has a big clip to attach it to the side of the cooking vessel.  The clip is lined with silicone to prevent scratching your cookware.

Setup

To cook, you’ll need a pot that’s 7.5″ or deeper and holds between 3 – 20 liters.  You can actually purchase special plastic pans designed for sous vide cooking, some with lids custom-designed to accommodate a particular brand of cooker.  I just used my Le Creuset stockpot.  I clipped the sous vide cooker to the side of the pot using the clip on the back of the Aicok, then I filled the pot with room temperature water, making sure I had it filled up to the max fill line.  (You’ll see an image below with an E04 error message I got before I made sure I had the right amount of  water in my pot.)

You can set the cooking temperature between 32°F and 203°F and the cooking time from 1 minute to 99 hours.  You use the delay-time function to hold the food and water bath at room temperature before the bath starts heating.  This delay allows you to have the food just finishing cooking when you get home.  I didn’t use this delay function.  I will be cooking meat almost exclusively with the Aicok, and I will not leave meat at room temperature very long before cooking it.

The point of sous vide cooking is to hold food at a perfect temperature for long enough to get it cooked thoroughly.  Different meats need to reach different temperatures and be held there for differing amounts of time to be cooked thoroughly.  The nice thing about sous vide is that your food will be held at that temperature until you are ready to use it, so there are no worries if it is held a few minutes or even an hour at that temperature.  The food won’t cook anymore with additional time.

You put the food in a closed plastic bag.  Even a standard zipper-type bag will work, though you could vacuum seal it if you have a vacuum food -saver machine.  You need the closed bag to hold in the food’s own juices to prevent it from drying out as it cooks, but you need to be sure the bag is securely closed so no water gets in from the bath.  Meat boiled in water is far different from meat cooked in its own juice.

I bought a sous vide cookbook for ideas for cooking various foods, but I really most want the cooker for chicken.  When it’s cooked too long with traditional methods, chicken can get dry and tough.  I want to use the sous vide to get the chicken thoroughly done, so all I need to do is just brown it or bread-and-fry.

You can marinate meat before cooking it, but you should place only the meat in the plastic bag.  Squeeze out all the air from the bag that you can, then zip it up.

I set the Aicok to cook the chicken at 144 degrees for four hours.  I checked the bath temperature periodically during the cooking time.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything that could monitor and record temperature continually, so I just checked it with a candy thermometer.  Every time I checked, it was within a degree of my set point.

I chunked up whole, boneless chicken breasts (just over a pound in weight) before placing them in a gallon-sized zipper bag.  When the Aicok beeped to let me know it had reached temperature, I put the bag in the stockpot and left it.  I was a bit concerned that the meat didn’t submerge completely in the water bath.  In the above image, you’ll see the chicken has started to cook just a bit.  I left it alone for four hours, other than quickly checking the bath temperature periodically.  The Aicok beeped again to signal the end of the cooking time, then it turned itself off.

Performance

This is how the chicken looked after four hours in the sous vide bath.  The amber liquid cooked out of the chicken.  You can see the meat is very pale and a bit unappetizing in appearance, but I plan to fry it up before eating.

I took out a piece and cut it to check the degree of doneness.  The chicken was thoroughly cooked and very moist and tender.

I dredged the chicken in some flour and herbs and spices and fried it.  It took no time to fry – just long enough to brown the flour coating.  The fried chicken was still moist and tender and completely done inside, and it was beautifully browned outside.  It was perfect fried chicken!

My entire family agreed it was the best fried chicken we had made at home, and we all agreed we shouldn’t make anything with chicken without first pre-cooking it in the Aicok sous vide.  This moist chicken works equally well in a stir-fry, and it’s great quickly sautéed in a pan or quickly browned under the broiler.  I haven’t tried it with other meats yet, but pork chops will be my next venture.

I had originally thought that a sous vide cooker would be perfect for preparing steaks for grilling, but it won’t work for my family.  I thought I’d be able to put my steak in first to cook for a while, then put my daughter’s in for a while, then finally my husband’s for just a short while before throwing them on the grill.  That’s not how sous vide cooking works, though.  A rare steak would need one temperature, a medium rare another temperature, and a medium-medium well would need a third temperature.  Steaks aren’t meant to be for us, but it will make our other meals much easier and tastier.

What I like

The Aicok SV-8001 sous vide cooks meat perfectly while leaving it tender and juicy, so it’s ready for just a quick searing or quick breading and frying.

What needs to be improved

The Aicok SV-8001 sous vide cooker works great, I can’t think of anything I would change.  I do wish the manual had more guidance for cooking foods.  The online manual (the only type I ever use) doesn’t even have time/temp information for chicken.

Final thoughts

Sous vide cooking is a great, relatively hands-free method of pre-cooking meats (or vegetables) for use in recipes.  It takes a while to actually cook in the sous vide, but it really is set-it-and-forget-it cooking.  If you aren’t home to start the cooker a few hours before you’re ready to cook dinner, you can cook the food in the Aicok the night before while you’re reading or watching TV then throw it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the next day.

Price: $79.88
Where to buy: Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Aicok.

The post Aicok SV-8001 Sous Vide Cooker review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Aicok SV-8001 Sous Vide Cooker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2018 at 2:54 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Grace Digital Encore+ Wi-Fi speaker and internet radio review

Five years ago, I said this about the Grace Mondo portable internet radio, “After using the Grace Digital Mondo Wi-Fi Music Player and Internet Radio for a few months, I have come to one conclusion: Anyone looking for a portable radio today that does not choose an internet radio is wasting money.” That statement might sound a bit out of date in today’s age of smartphones connected to Bluetooth speakers. Even so, I can still see the appeal of a portable internet radio like the Mondo—notice I said portable. I’ve never been entirely convinced that a larger table-top internet radio is necessary. Grace Digital obviously disagrees and thinks tabletop radio is still relevant because they updated their Grace Encore stereo Wi-Fi speaker and internet radio with the new Encore+.

What is it?

Present day internet radios beg the question, “Why would anyone desire an internet radio, when their smartphone will do most everything the radio will do?” Hopefully, this review will answer that question.

The Grace Encore+ stereo Wi-Fi speaker and internet radio is an updated version of their original Encore radio. The Encore+ now comes with built-in Chromecast and its many enabled apps. If you are a fan of internet radio sites, like (local and distant) AM/FM stations, I Heart Radio, BBC, NPR, Fox, CNN—just to name a few—you’ll love the Encore+. If you want multi-room audio—without paying for propriety systems like SONOS or HEOS—the Encore+ will do that too. Plus, it works with other Chromecast enabled speakers as well.  

The upgraded Encore+ also comes with Bluetooth which makes it much more useful than the previous Encore. This matters, because you now can have your cake and eat it too by switching between radio, Chromecast and even Apple Music (via Bluetooth). You really do get the best of all worlds. 

But it matters even more because the Encore+ doesn’t just sound like most other wireless radios. There’s some serious audio stuff going on here. There are two 3 in. front facing speakers with a down-firing subwoofer driven by a class D amp. This subwoofer gives the Encore+ a significant audio advantage over other table-top radios in its price range—along with all of its added internet benefits.

The front of the Encore+ has a large color screen that can display settings, media, cover art or other info whenever you want. There’s also a free smartphone app that is a breeze to use and practically a must-have. More on that later.

Specs

The specs of the Encore+ is overwhelming. Visit the Grace website for the full list. Here are some highlights:

Audio

  • Class D Digital 12watt amplifier
  • 2-3″ front facing speakers with a down-facingsubwooferr
  • 3.5mm Stereo headphone jack
  • L/R RCA outputs
  • RCA Aux in
  • USB port
  • Integrated dual band equalizer with 5 preset modes
  • Remote Control iOS and Android App
  • Built-in Chromecast audio software that integrates with Google home.

Clock & Alarm

  • 12 or 24 hour clock with date
  • 5 individual alarms
  • Sleep Timer
  • Smartphone Remote Control Apps
  • Control your radios via the front panel, included remote control, or from anywhere in your house via the Grace Control Apps loaded on your smartphone or tablet.

Size & Weight

  • Width: 13.5 in. Depth: 10.75 in. Height: 5.75 in.
  • Weight: 8.5 lbs

Networking

  • 802.11n wireless connectivity

Design and features

The Encore+ is a table-top radio, so even though it can be moved from room to room, it’s not portable. It needs to be plugged in at all times—there is no battery. The retro mid-century modern design comes in either all black or walnut wood and looks good with any decor. I  prefer the classic walnut finish to the more modern black. 

Included is a clock/radio function making the this a perfect nightstand companion—provided your nightstand has the available real estate to accommodate the wide and deep Encore+.

A 3.5 in. front color screen shows whatever function the Encore+ is performing, plus other information you may want to display. While the colors are bright enough, the screen is not angled upwards as on the Mondo radio making the screen more difficult to read without bending down to look straight at it. Even so, the screen can bes helpful to see info at a glance. There’s also a headphone port on the front.

A top panel contains a volume knob, power button and a now playing button that displays artist info, cover art, etc. on the front screen. There’s also a tuning knob, a handy back button that takes you to the previous screen, home button and that ever popular clock-radio snooze button. 

Finally, there are five color coded buttons on the top panel that correspond to whatever function has the matching color seen on the screen. So what they do is dependent on what is visible on the screen. I found these buttons to be more trouble than they’re worth and now ignore them.

The back panel houses two antenna connectors giving the Encore+ a better than good range. There is a power switch, and AUX in ports along with a UB port for connecting hard drives or thumb drives and a bass port. Finally, there are RCA line out connections for connecting external speakers. 

While it’s technically true that you don’t need Grace Digital’s GD Control app to run the Encore+, you want this smartphone app! Without it, navigating the screen with only the buttons on the unit or remote is a nightmare. The iOS/Android GD Control app lets you do anything the top panel will do, but with an added ease of use. Unfortunately, there is no equivalent Mac or PC app.

As with the recently reviewed Solis speakers, I still hold that Apple Music has an edge over Chromecast in ease of use and sound quality. Music just seems more alive through Apple music. Android users may get different results, but to this iOS user, Apple wins every time in audio quality compared to Chromecast. 

Seeing album cover art on the Encore’s front screen worked well with Chromecast, but not so well with Apple Music or when streaming my own music from my hard drive. That’s not a big deal for me because I seldom look at the Encore+ screen for that kind of info. However,  it’s nice to have info available should you want to see what’s playing. Cover art along with other information is also available when using the built-in SiriusXM app. I haven’t been able to figure out why cover art from Apple Music doesn’t carry over to the Encore+.

Note that you must have full SiriusXM capability to use it with the Encore+. My SiriusXM account only covers my car and nothing more, so I wasn’t able to use it with the Encore+.

Despite the usefulness of Bluetooth, Chromecast or even internet radio, the Encore+ really excels with its audio quality. The front facing speakers handle mids and high frequencies quite well with enough power and clarity to fill any large bedroom or kitchen. It’s that down-firing subwoofer that places the Encore+ on another level by playing low notes without distorting. Brian Eno’s “Written, Forgotten” is a song I’ve used before to test bass. There are notes in this song that are more felt than heard and the Encore+ lets you feel—as well as hear— those notes. 

DJ Hell’s remix of Bryan Ferry’s “U Can Dance” features a visceral kick that requires your body to want to move to the beat. Sure, the lower notes sound better on dedicated stereo speakers, but the Encore+ can more than hold its own (for a table-top speaker) without straining. 

Note that the Encore+ has a built-in equalizer for fine-tuning music to your taste.

Even sports or talk radio sound good on the Encore+. Vocals are clear and easily understood without too much bass or too bright treble. Keep in mind that audio quality and clarity can be dependent on the source, especially when it comes to internet radio. Some stations may sound better than others.

In addition to Bluetooth, the Encore+ can play music from USB and AUX (RCA) inputs. You can even play music stored on a USB thumb drive—which sounds even better than wireless!

What I like

The Encore+ is a jack-of-all-trades kind of radio. It does so much that I’ve touched on only some of it. I recommend visiting the Grace Digital site and exploring everything it can do.

What needs to be improved

The built-in software has not improved much since the original Mondo radio. At least the free Grace GD Control app exists.

Final Thoughts

The Grace Digital Encore+ is a worthy radio that does a lot of what’s asked of it. I like to think of it as a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker that also happens to play many radio formats (including internet radio), is a clock/radio, works with Google Assistant, has a color screen and will even charge your smartphone! My only concern is that time and changing listening habits may eventually pass internet radios like the Encore+ by. I sincerely hope not.

Price: $249.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Grace Digital.

The post Grace Digital Encore+ Wi-Fi speaker and internet radio review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Grace Digital Encore+ Wi-Fi speaker and internet radio review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2018 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.