ArnoldC's audiophilia / horology spot

The Huawei Watch

2017-09-12T11:30:00.000+08:00

Is a Smartwatch for me?

Digital watches has come a long way since my first Casio Databank Telememo with 100 memory "slots" for storing data. Between then and now, different incarnations of Smartwatches have come and gone. Microsoft partnered with Fossil, as well as a few other manufacturers, and were in this game way back in 2003.

But that was then, today we have two mainstream competing Smartwatch platforms from Apple and Google.

I've never been interested in Android Smartwatch offerings simply because the earlier attempts are poor rendition for me, i.e. they look like a gadget rather than a watch. More recent models from manufacturers such as Motorola and LG however, are getting better and trying to get into more traditional watch shape.

My criteria to putting a watch on my wrist include movement which provides function, material, and the form. I'm a sucker for chronograph movements from Bulova to Zodiac, and yes I don't own any Audemars Piguet notwithstanding how I love to have one of them.

For me, there is this overwhelming appeal about chronograph movements specially the flyback type and single pusher chronograph from Seiko for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The craftsmanship of the movement and the dial is another quality of mechanical watches which makes them desirable. I can stare at the display caseback of my Zenith El Primero and mesmerize at the movement, while waiting for patina to develop on the dial of Rolex watches adds to the excitement.

For Quartz watches, I have this bias towards two specific movements- high-accuracy quartz sweep hand movement and Eco-drive, both offered by brands from Citizen Watch Co.

Titanium material also has a special appeal to me since my sweat is quite corrosive and I had two fashion watches victims in the past.

I do have some crazy reasons to acquire a certain watch as you can figure out.

Months ago, I discovered an interesting model from Huawei where the primary design goal is to make it look like a traditional watch in form, using some elements found in wristwatches such as the use of sapphire and 316L stainless steel.

Introducing the Huawei Watch W1.

The watch experience

I'll focus more on how it feel and wear as a watch.

The Huawei Watch W1 on third-party 18mm leather strap alongside the original leather strap

Huawei opted for a larger case size at 42mm which is spot on for most modern watches. The case is highly polished with a little bit of brushed finish on the sides. The bezel on this stainless steel version is thin that maximizes the watch face, err, display. The gold version features a fluted bezel similar to popular Rolex models but I'm not into it, which is a personal thing. I prefer the smooth bezel but particularly love the engine turned bezel like my previous Rolex 15010.

I have three Citizen titanium watches and the most recent one is the Super Titanium chronograph model which is the lightest of the three. The Huawei Watch W1 seems to be just as light, which is not a bad thing. I do know some people that would put a weight on the weight (sic) of the watch as a purchase factor.

The lug size is only 18mm, which to me is small for a 42mm watch case but is not a deal-breaker. I'd rather prefer a 22mm or even 20mm lug size which opens up to a better variety of third-party straps from Hadley-Roma, as an example. The supplied authentic black leather is not tapered and is about 22mm in width but cut out to 18mm to fit the lugs. It has an integrated spring bar with release pin for ease of removal without the need for a spring bar release tool. Like the crown, the buckle is not signed by Huawei.

You can use military style nylon strap but be reminded that the heart rate monitor being at the bottom of the W1 case will not read your pulse properly. If form over function is preferred, go ahead and do it.

The crown, rather push button, is not signed but offers a concentric finish. With Android Wear, it has limited functionality but nevertheless, the mechanical feel is pretty good.

Comfort and fit

The watch is comfortable and relatively light due to absence of mechanical parts. Wearing it for days did not introduce fitting discomfort or skin discomfort which is a good thing. The feel of the leather strap is really good and premium.

A couple of people that saw this watch on my wrist thought it wasn't wearing a Smartwatch. Good job Huawei.

Function

Android Wear is supported for both Android and to a limited extent, iOS. How limited is it when used with an iPhone? Simple, you only get notifications and no further actions, such as liking a post or replying via Ok Google can't be performed.

It is also important to note that changing platforms between Android and iOS, vis-a-vis require a reset and installation on the W1.

Basic functions aside from the Google Cards include Agenda, Alarm, Daily tracking, Find my phone, Fit (Google Fit), Fitness tracking, Flashlight, Ok Google, Hangouts, Heart rate, Maps (Google Maps), Play Music, Stopwatch, Timer, Together, Translate, and Settings. Installing apps such as Foursquare and Swarm is the first thing I did to extend its functionality, as I check-in and look for places most of the time.

Connectivity

The Huawei Watch W1 supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 LE. I don't use Wi-Fi since it will consume battery and has limited functionality which is attributed to Android Wear. How's that? Firstly, Wi-Fi configuration is set via the phone as the W1 will tell you to open your phone after selecting a Wi-Fi access point. This is to enter the passkey as it's not possible doing that from the watch. Secondly, not all Android Wear apps work without the phone. As an example, I continuously get an error from Foursquare and Swarm even with Wi-Fi on but disconnected from the phone.

Performance

I was able to consistently get around 50 hours of use and the longest was 56 hours from a full charge. My settings are set to Wi-Fi OFF, Adjust brightness to 1, and Always-on screen OFF. Putting Always-on screen to ON still lasted 50 hours or so, and I would think it is due to the watch face dual intensity mode.

The life of the battery will highly depend on how much interaction one does with the watch and for how I use it, I get by for two days before another charge. Charging is somewhat long for a small battery. Getting the watch to 100% charge takes about 1 1/2 hours through the magnetic charging plate.

Comparison chart

I compiled the features of the Smartwatches I considered wearable for me and this is how they stack up.

Conclusion

Is a Smartwatch for me? Is this the right one? Well obviously, the Huawei Watch W1 doesn't match any of my criteria on buying watches but I have to accept that this is an entirely new category. This is also something that doesn't want sitting inside a watch box.

Obviously, a Smartwatch's time-keeping function is just an afterthought. Heck, even my Huawei Talkband B2 can tell time. Buying the Huawei Watch W1 to tell time is a costly proposition.

For me, the reason is connectivity. The Huawei Watch W1 will get connected to events, people, and places at a glance without having to wear some contraption. The W1 could have been better- signed "crown" and buckle, 22mm lugs, better bezel are in my list. As it is though, it is already a good-looking Smartwatch that feels and wears like a traditional watch.

2015-06-09T09:32:00.000+08:00

Huawei MediaPad T1: For business and pleasure

June 9, 2015

We purchased these tablets for a primary reason- as a viewer of digital courseware. I gave it a spin and was pleasantly surprised with what I learned.

The Huawei MediaPad T1 7" (there's a 10" version) offers modest specifications with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and a quad-core processor not manufactured by Huawei itself.
For the complete specifications, head over to the Huawei consumer website. To learn more about the processor used, here are some additional information.
Initial setup involves loading key apps to turn this into a productivity tablet. These are:

the preview of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Android
Microsoft Outlook (was Accompli)
Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft Office Lens
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Arvato Skillpipe

For pleasure, the following apps were installed:

Synology DS Audio, and DS Video
iflix
Overkill 3

The tablet has around 4.6GB free internal storage and that is enough to hold all the apps I installed. Additional storage is possible via a microSD slot beside the micro SIM slot. There is a visual guide so that you won't accidentally insert the wrong card to the slots.

Design

The T1 is well designed, with a white textured plastic body and adorned by a silver colored accent at the back. It is more compact compared to my Acer Iconia B1 due mostly to the thinner bezel all around.

I can hold it comfortably considering I have small hands, and I was surprised it fits snugly into my shirt pocket.

Over all build quality is very good, which is not surprising.

Features

The T1 runs Android 4.4.2 aka Kit Kat, wrapped with Huawei's Emotion UI version 3. EMUI 3 is an interface I came to appreciate, and is a significant feature of this tablet for me. Most of the EMUI 3 features I enjoy on my Honor 6 are present on the T1.

Another appealing feature is that it has a micro SIM slot with support for full voice operations, making this a really big phone if you want to use it that way. It supports up to 3G connectivity and if you're on Smart, you're in luck as it supports 850MHz band which is widely used in the provinces. The T1 supports quad-band 3G and dual-band UMTS.

It does not support screen mirroring, but allows video playback to float on top of other applications. I can watch a video while working with Microsoft Excel, for example.

With GPS supported, I can also use this as my navigation device. So Waze, HERE Drive, and Google Maps would work well.

Performance

The MediaPad T1 won't brag anything in performance that is comparable to Sony's Xperia C3, which is big phone. The results from running Basemark OS II are as follows:

The Arvato Skillpipe app is a proprietary reader for digital Microsoft Official Curriculum you can download for free from Google Play.

The MediaPad T1 does a fine job as a reading medium despite the 600 x 1024 resolution. Lack of ambient sensor means that you have to manually adjust the brightness to suit your reading environments. With brightness at 50%, the 4100mAh battery lasted through the day in reading mode.

The Microsoft business apps I listed above suits the T1 perfectly well. Here is the T1 running Microsoft Excel for Android.

I use Synology's DS Video app to stream movies stored in my Synology NAS to the MediaPad T1. I am streaming Gravity while writing this review. With the T1 laying flat on the table, the viewing angle is pretty wide and I can easily view the playback.

Pleased with the experience, I switched to iflix to continue where I left off with Spartacus. With volume at maximum and SWS on, I can sufficiently hear the dialog from about two feet away from the tablet. Huawei SWS (Super Wide Sound) is offered in lieu of DTS that is present in the Honor 6.

Using the DS Audio app from Synology, music streaming to the T1 is convenient. For best aural experience, I use the Huawei AM180 noise-cancelling headset and turn off SWS.

The two 2-megapixel cameras (front and back) won't take good photos specially in low-light scenes. However, the rear camera is sufficient enough to make good scans using Office Lens.

Price

The Huawei MediaPad 7" has a suggested retail price of P4,990 and at this range it will have numerous competitors, but I believe it stands a chance to be considered.

2015-03-15T09:24:00.000+08:00

Nokia Lumia 636 impressions

March 15, 2015

Introduction

In my continuing quest to find a better LTE-equipped phone, I found the Nokia Lumia 636.
Before I got the Honor 6, I spent time at Microsoft Singapore playing with both Lumia 830 and 930 and while their features are nice, the price tag does not appeal to me. I want something that is truly an affordable flagship, and that is the Honor 6.

With the continued degradation of LTE performance from my iPhone 5S with the recent iOS 8.2 update, I am on the hunt for a cheap LTE phone. Now, cheap and LTE doesn't usually go together in under P5,000 price category. That's why I am willing to line-up (which I rarely do) to this Techbox Lumia sale that started last March 13. The sale itself was a mess, as only a handful of units that one would go for are actually available. I had 5 units in my shopping list and I was able to take home only ONE. Fortunately for me, I got the one and only Lumia 636 and it's even an open box item.

Why the Lumia 636? It's got a Snapdragon 400 SOC, like the 830. It's got 1GB of RAM, like the 830. It's got the LTE band that will work with Smart, just like the 830! That's basically what matters to me, and at a sale price that is 1/3 the sale price of the Lumia 830, this is a very good deal.

Yes, it's got only 5 megapixel rear camera without a flash, no front-facing camera, only 4.5" LCD screen, and a host of other stripped down features. But how does it perform? Almost the same as the Lumia 830.

The other reason for going after the Lumia 636 is the fact that it is one of the few models that can be installed with Windows 10 technical preview. I'd like to try it on the phone too, as I've been running Windows 10 technical preview on my Surface Pro and Acer S3.
Here's the complete Lumia 636 specifications in Chinese.

Packaging and build quality

Phone with a battery, charger with attached USB cable, a few guides in a box. That's it. One of the most spartan phone packaging I've seen.

The design of the Lumia 636 is a common one for Nokia phones. It's proven, it's effective. While it has a removable back cover, it doesn't creak. Mine is matte white, and I don't mind it. The size makes it pleasantly good on my hands, and is effective for one-handed operation. The phone is made in China.

Display quality

With a low pixel density of 221 ppi and low resolution at 480x854, the display's vertical lines are quite visible to me. The colors are good enough though, and it includes an option for color profile control of temperature and saturation.

Viewing angles are pretty decent and I'm not complaining. The black level is pedestrian, and protection is by Corning® Gorilla® version 3.

Sound quality

This Lumia model no longer requires the Nokia adaptor that I use with the Alpha Luxe and older Lumia phones, and that is good news as more headphones are now compatible out of the box.

The sonic fidelity of the headphone output is decent using my Westone UM1 in-ear monitors and Harman Kardon SOHO. It is good enough for watching movies, but the aural experience is not much better compared to the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe.

The Lumia Denim update includes an equalizer but it's something I don't use or care for in all of my other phones, and even on my main audio systems.

The volume loudness of the built-in speaker is good enough in a small room at my office.

Camera quality

For the original price the 636 is being sold, I am expecting at least an 8-megapixel camera. Instead, the 636 has a 28mm 5-megapixel camera with maximum aperture of f/2.4 which is not enough for dimly lit places. There is no flash, but at least the camera is auto focus enabled.

The Lumia Camera app allows manual control of most settings, so this is your friend. For example, while the auto white balance works most of the time, in scenes with difficult lighting, the manual white balance will help a lot.

Video recording quality

Should I even waste the battery taking videos using this phone? I don't think so. So, if and when there is a compelling scene good enough for video capture, I'd update this section.
The maximum video resolution is 720p at 30 frames/second and is capable of up to 4x zoom. It records using the MP4/H.264 format.

Connectivity

Great news! It's much better than my iPhone 5S, and almost as good as the Honor 6. I can live with this, as anything better than the iPhone 5S is an upgrade for me. It supports FDD-LTE Band 1 (Smart), Band 3 (Globe), and Band 7. This model does not have the TD-LTE enabled.

Bluetooth is version 4.0 and supports the A2DP, AVRCP, GATT, HFP, OPP, and PBAP protocols.
The wireless LAN supports IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot with up to 8 devices, and Wi-Fi projection.

DLNA is also supported via the Play To app.

System performance

The Lumia 636 is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor which on paper is better than my Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe that use a Snapdragon 200. It also has a 1GB memory which is a plus.

I ran the usual benchmark, Rightmark's Basemark OS II and found it to perform as good as the Lumia 830. While the benchmark performance of Lumia 636 got close to the more expensive 830, please bear in mind that in the case of the Honor 6's fancier relative (and twice the price) Huawei Ascend Mate 7 that DID NOT win a single category against the Honor 6 from the Basemark OS II published by Anandtech. Thus the performance of the Lumia 636 against the Lumia 830 is still pretty good.
Battery capacity is 1,830 mAh that lasts 7 hours with moderate use, that includes 4G, internet sharing, Spotify, and Facebook. I charged the unit when I got the warning at 10% remaining battery life.

It took 1 hour to fully charge the battery to 100% from 10%, and that's not bad.

Expandability

The Lumia 636 has a built-in storage of 8GB and can take up to 128GB MicroSD cards, which is good news to those who would stuff this phone with videos.

As to USB support, I find it disappointing to know that only USB 2.0 is spupported via its Micro-USB type B connector. And we still don't get OTG support, which is an operating system concern.

Conclusion

Simply put, I would not pay for this phone at it's regular price. But at the P4,990 sale price, this makes it the cheapest LTE-enabled phone that works with Smart.

My take on the Huawei UltimoPower ANC earphone (AM180)

2015-01-28T16:14:00.002+08:00

January 16, 2015

I have yet to own a noise-cancelling monitor so when I was asked if I'd like to try this active noice-cancelling in-ear monitors from Huawei, I got excited.

Foreword

This is a loaner unit and as such there is no packaging or other accessories. It also seems to have gone into battle and that shows up in the close-up photos. I didn't clean it during photography.

Design

The design of the AM180 body is different from that of my other in-ear monitors. According to Huawei, the shape of the body enclosing the 13 mm driver is patterned after an African drum. Whether that translates to better sonic quality, I'll soon find out.

The housing of the active noise-cancellation circuitry is thin and lightweight. It also has a clip with rubber grip should one wants it clipped on to a shirt.

Workmanship

One thing that strikes me is the quality of build Huawei put into this product. The drivers are encased in what seems to be high-quality polycarbonate with a metal surface that combines for an elegant look.

The long side of the cable is covered with Kevlar which is a material in use for different audio equipment including speakers. The wires used are oxygen-free copper (OFC) which is also a standard for high quality cables used in audio equipment. The cable length is plentiful for me to put the player into my pocket, but 7-footer dudes may find it just enough.

The industry-standard 3.5 mm headset jack is coated with a layer of gold to provide better contact. The jack is straight type, though I would have preferred the L-type.

Features

Active noise cancellation reduces external noise and Huawei claims from 15-30 dB low-frequency noise cancellation between the targetted 50-500 Hz. This range will be perfect when you travel by air.
When the noise-cancellation is turned on, an LED indicator lights up in green.

The single-button controller use the familiar single click for pause, double click for next track, and triple click for previous track.

A built-in microphone allows use of the monitors for calls.

Another unique feature is the adjustable wire support that help to better fit the auricle.

My Westone UM1 comes with silicone or foam-based tips, but the AM180 only has silicone-based which is just as comfortable.

An active noice-cancellation unit requires power and is the reason why other brands such as the Bose QC20i utilize batteries and charging unit. The AM180 is unique in a way where in charging power is taken from compatible phones, such as the Ascend Mate 7.

I don't know hpw many hours were consumed already when the unit was handed over to me, but when the unit ran out of battery, it was on its 3rd day of service. Due to the holidays, I have using it at least 6 hours a day.

While I learned that there is a special charging cable, it didn't come with the device for review.

Sensitivity and efficiency

I don't have figures from the manufacturer about the sensitivity of the AM180 but it can be easily driven by the Honor 6, iPhone 5S, HTC 8S and heck, even the Xperia V.

Sonic quality

I immediately noticed the performance it offers on bass-heavy materials, so I went ahead and queued the Audio album from Blue Man Group. What's unique about this group is that they make use of unconventional percussion instruments to make beautiful music. Surprisingly, even though the AM180 produces deep bass, the articulation is well-defined and texture remain impressive. This is an area where the Westone UM1 is weak. My Harman Kardon SOHO can produce deep bass with larger drivers and different form being over-the-ear. So yes, you'll get depth and slam but not in an over-powering way that it brings down the mids and highs.

I have a tonal preference that I look for in any audio equipment and the AM180 brings that to the table. These monitors sounds warm and full-bodied and while offering top-end extension beyond the UM1, it never sounded tinny and clinical. I am certainly enjoying the tracks from Cowboy Junkies' Trinity Sessions. The vocal sibilance is well controlled and definitely pleasant.

Listening to Rainy Days & Mondays track from Keiko Lee's album This is Keiko Lee, is soothing and envelopes me with her vocals.

I like bite and grunt specially when playing rock music such as Cornerstones: 1967-1980 by Jimi Hendrix. The AM180 didn't disappoint, although I've heard better, more raw sounding monitors.
It may have a different frequency characteristics such that the cymbals in Dream Theater's album Innocence Faded are more prominent on the UM1 compared to the AM180.

Attack and decay are characteristics which I believe influences the flow of music wherein lack of attack make the music boring while too much decay seems to break the pace. One of my favorite album for this test is Freeway Philharmonic's album Sonic Detour. Again, the AM180 didn't disappoint as I find myself into the groove of the music.

Is it that African drum-shaped body resposible? Could be. I do hope that Huawei was referring to the Djembe during the design of this product.

Djembe goblet drum from Wikipedia

Noise-cancellation

It works well. There are times that I munch on food while listening to music and my chewing and food cracking easily gets in the way of my musical enjoyment. The AM180 did a pretty fine job in this area as I was listening to it while having breakfast and I noticed none of those noises impeding the music.

I don't eat everytime I listen, so I am also pleased to find out there is appreciable reduction in propeller noise as the helicopter circles around my area while the Pope is here.

The noise cancellation is not designed to cover high frequency noise such that when my iPhone 5S sounded its high pitched alarm, I heard it.

Finally, unlike other noise-cancelling products I've heard before, there is absolutely no hiss with this feature is turned on.

Comfort

I am not a masochist to enjoy music in pain. That is what I experienced with the Pioneer SE-EX9, which while it sounded well, it becomes very discomforting in less than an hour of use. The AM180's body design and chamber led to a very comfortable experience that allowed me to enjoy the music for prolonged period of time without any hint of discomfort. Of course, the proper tip is essential for an in-ear monitor and what came with the review unit is perfect for me.

Price

I don't know. I was actually asked how much I am willing to pay for this, and let's look at the competition.

Bose QC20/QC20i - P18,000 (Eleksis)
AKG K391 NC - P9,000 (approx)
Sony MDR-NC100D/B - P6,399 (Sony Philippines)

The AM180 doesn't have the big battery (some as big as single AAA battery) that results in ugly dongle for the noise cancellation unit, at the same time worry about "am I about to charge yet?"
The novel idea of charging the ANC electronics via phone is really a clear advantage.

The problem is image. Are people willing to pay, say P4,999 for the Huawei AM180? I would.

Using devices other than iOS to stream to the Naim mu-so

2015-01-13T20:31:00.003+08:00

It is obvious from the Naim materials that the mu-so supports Apple's AirPlay, but let's not forget that as a UPnP-capable device, the mu-so is open to other platforms.

My examples are the devices I also use, the Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface RT, as well as Sony Xperia.

Make sure that the devices are in the same network as the mu-so and you'll be on your way, hassle-free.

The Microsoft tablets running Windows 8.1 supports playback to compatible devices such as the mu-so using a feature called Play To. Here's how we set it up.

1. Open the Xbox Music app

2. Bring up Charms and select Mga Device.

3. On the Mga Device/Musika, select I-Play

4. On the I-Play/Musika, select Magdagdag ng device

5. On the PC at mga device screen, you'll see that the mu-so room name will be added and drivers automatically installed.

6. You can now target the mu-so as the playback device from Xbox Music.

When using Sony Xperia mobile phones equipped with UPnP, there is a Throw feature.
Here's how you can "throw" media playback to the mu-so.

1. Open the Walkman app

2. Select the Throw icon, and click Add Device

3. Select the mu-so room name.

4. Start playing

mu-so by Naim

2015-01-12T15:01:00.000+08:00

Redefining, unifying my audio experience

Growing up in the days when vacuum tubes, turntables and reel-to-reel tapes are the main components in an audio system, I've been riding the transition. Inevitable, but I still have a choice.

My current main system is a modern take on the classic system- Clearaudio turntable with linear tracking tonearm, Naim NAIT 5i integrated amplifier, Infinity Kappa 200 bookshelf speakers, and Naim HeadLine headphone amplifier.

The wave of digital is strong, not because of its sonic quality, but the convenience it offers. I've added a Synology NAS which became my media server, and Western Digital 900C wireless router to make my media accessible from anywhere.

Using the Synology apps for iOS, Android and Windows phone, I am able to listen using my headphones anywhere in the house. However, I sometimes like to play the same media on my main system and I can only do that using any of these methods-

1. via the iPhone 5S thru the iPhone dock connected to the front panel analog input of the NAIT
2. via the Xperia V thru USB on-the-go connected to my FiiO Alpen DAC and then thru the analog output to the front panel analog input of the NAIT

I need that sort of "transporter" to pull media off my Synology and throw them into my main system via DAC and/or cable. Not to mention that my main system is at the second floor and I normally work at the living room area which is on the ground floor.

Using the same transporter method, I can use the secondary system at the living room with a Harman Kardon AV receiver and vintage Bose 301 Continental speakers. But I don't want to live with that anymore. I wanted a device that can directly pull media from the NAS and play it.

Mu-so by Naim

In what seems to be a perfect timing for me, Naim's first wireless music system was born. I made a blanket order from my friends at Architectural Audio and I got it last Sunday.

If you want to know what the manufacturer says about this product, head on to their website.

Packaging is heavy-duty, double box with thick Styrofoam padding. Essential accessories are provided that includes power cord, remote control, manuals, sticker, and pin aka SIM-card removal tool of the iPhone.

It is a beautiful, well crafted product that Naim is known for.

Connectivity is king

The mu-so offer various connectivity options and here is how I use them.

UPnP™ (Universal Plug ‘n’ Play)

Both my Western Digital 900C and Synology NAS supports UPnP and as such are media sources for the mu-so. No longer will I need a transporter as the mu-so can stream directly from these devices via Wi-Fi (or cable).

AirPlay

Although I don't have a big collection of music in my iPhone 5S due to limited storage, I can use AirPlay when I'm running Spotify on my phone and throw it to the mu-so.

Spotify Connect

Internet Radio

Right now, I won't be able to use these features because I don't have permanent internet at home. I simply tether my devices to my phones for internet connectivity. Technically I could tether the mu-so to one of my phones, but I have not tried it.

Multiroom Streaming

Another feature I may not be able to use unless I win the lottery. This would require ideally, a Naim streaming "master" where multiple mu-so can connect to. Alternatively, I can use AirPlay to simultaneously play to multiple mu-so devices.

Bluetooth

This is my last choice for wireless connectivity and it will come in handy.

USB

If one prefers wired connectivity from their devices such an iPhone, iPod, or Android phones and tablets, this is an option. For Android devices, they must support playback via USB and not just having USB OTG. The Sony Xperia V and C3 supports this mode. In addition, it can play media from a USB stick and technically, it should be able to play from my low-powered external drive that I use with the Alpine head unit in my car.

Digital Input (Optical)

My Panasonic DMP-BD85 has an optical output and I use this to route the audio into the mu-so when watching movies. The video is sent to my aging 32" Samsung LCD via HDMI and I simply turn off transmission of audio via the settings menu. Alternatively, I can also use the analog output of the BD85 to transmit the audio signal into the analog port on the side of the mu-so, but I'd rather save it for something else. A turntable, perhaps?

Analog Input

Yes, the mu-so does have one analog input via a 3.5mm jack on its side. I use the Oyaide HPC-35R interconnects for this purpose.

Seems a lot right? It's actually the variety and not the quantity that makes the mu-so a master in connectivity.

Placement and integration

I didn't intend it for home theater use but the only area I can rest it is in the rack shelf to share with my Samsung TV. It fits.

It may be wide, but it's not deep that made it easier for me. It looks to be a fully integrated sound bar, although I don't want to call it like one, even if it looks like one.

Do take note that there is a setting in the app to set the distance of the mu-so from the wall. Basically within 25cm or greater than 25cm.

Setting up

Firstly, I wanted to do a completely wireless setup and my Wi-Fi network is password protected. In addition, I am broadcasting in two frequencies- 2.4GHz and 5GHz, hence two distinct SSID (network name). My setup devices, the iPhone 5S and Honor 6 (Android KitKat) are configured to connect to the 5GHz band. To simplify setup, one can do the following:

1. Make sure you have the Naim app installed on your iOS or Android device
2. Make sure that your wireless router is broadcasting in 2.4GHz
3. Connect you iOS or Android device to the wireless network
4. Turn on the mu-so
5. Launch the Naim app
6. Follow the instructions

If you don't have the Naim app pre-installed on your iOS device. You can do the following:

1. Have the Apple USB cable ready
2. Make sure that your wireless router is broadcasting in 2.4GHz
3. Turn on the mu-so
4. Turn on and unlock the iOS device and turn on Wi-Fi
5. connect one end of the USB cable to it and then plug the other end to the mu-so
6. Using the pin tool, briefly press the pin hole button on the side panel
7. The "Share Wi-Fi Settings?" dialog box will appear on your iOS device at which time you should select Allow.
8. Wait until the indicator illuminates in white

There are two other ways to perform the setup and they can be found in the manual that you can download. This detailed manual is not part of the packaging so yes, I was guilty of not reading the manual.

Naim also ha a dedicated mu-so support site that you can check out before setting up or when you're stuck already.

Performance

Wi-Fi performance is very good and there's no hint of lag or drop-off. It connects to the 2.4GHz band of my router, and while I wish it does so on the 5GHz band, it's not a deal breaker. 2.4GHz is also widely available and some low end devices only work on this band so that explains the design choice.

Sonically, I was honestly disappointed at what I was hearing the first time I listened to it at home. During the audition at the dealer's store, where the space is much bigger than mine, it sounded big. After a few albums, it is sounding better and better and I thought what a great way to break it in, is to use it for home theater duties.

The Blu-ray disc that came to mind is something I have bought moons ago and have not actually played. You can't go wrong with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax would you?

And here's what impressed me- the wholeness, completeness of the music is shocking. I am a person who prefers hearing and not feeling the slam. Heck, I even use a really small Dali AW8 sub-woofer. I was listening at relatively low volume but the dynamics are so engaging. The Blu-ray material must be really good or the mu-so is, or both.

I know it sounds big, but not that it will sound this big at low volume. There is NO COMPRESSION at all in the music reproduction. Unlike other devices that have a "night mode" for low volume listening, there is no such setting on the mu-so.

I can hear the power of the performances with the top notch dynamics. I may be too close (yeah, small 4m front to back living room) as the sound field seems smaller than it was at the store. At this low volume (just a little over 1/4 in the app) the low octave performance is surprising. I was foot stomping with glee.

The detail and articulation is unbelievable for a device with such small drivers. Perhaps, the massive 450W of digital amplification is responsible for this. My NAIT 5i only has 50W/channel of discrete amplification.

Vocals seems to be the forte of the mu-so, that even James Hetfield sounds enchanting past his prime. On another track, Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean sounds engaging and emotional with the Don't You Wanna Stay track in uncompressed WAV from the Synology.

Bass lines are taut and controlled, although I thought that Lars sounded tamer than the rest, but that's not the mu-so's fault.

In my unit, top-end extension didn't exhibit any sign of hardness and sibilance is under control.

PRAT is excellent. This is a Naim product, so there is no surprise here.

Conclusion

To me, the mu-so is the end-all device to satisfy the digital world I'm riding in, without leaving the past.

It is not a cheap device as it is more expensive than my NAIT 5i but it offers the simplicity, and unification in a single box.

If you want to see, feel, and hear the mu-so, just visit Architectural Audio 4/F Greenbelt 5 or call (02) 621 5173 for inquiries.

Review: Honor 6

2015-01-08T12:54:00.000+08:00

Huawei Mate 7 launch at Valkyrie Nightclub

I first came to know the Honor 6 when I was invited to the launch event of the Huawei Mate7 late last year. My friend who works for Huawei was holding a phone that looked more interesting to me in size, as the Mate7 is yet another too big of a phone for me.

The Honor 6

Just before the holiday madness, I was told it is available only at Lazada as Honor, which is a brand under Huawei, is trying to keep costs of the item down hence no dealership sales.

I pulled the trigger that became the "saga at Lazada," but that's another story. The only color available online is black, which I don't mind.

When I opened up the box I was surprised that it resembles a lot like the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe more than the Sony Xperia C3. I would have mistaken one for the other if their screens are off and I'm not paying attention to the details.

Honor 6 (left) and Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe

As a price comparison, I can buy three Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe for the price of one Honor 6. So what am I getting?

First of all, this device isn't listed in the Huawei Consumer Products website at all for a reason. I had dug deep before just to get specs from Huawei and there are a few variants of the Honor 6. What I have and is available in the Philippines is the H60-L04 variant.

Fortunately, the Philippine website for the Honor brand is now up, but still a work in progress.

Some quick takes on the features:

- Octa-Core Kirin 920 SoC

I'm not sure how many apps do take advantage of this processor architecture. I would assume the kernel can and would result to a generally pleasant experience.

- 3GB DDR3 Memory

How much is too much? Well, specs is king right? I'll find out later how this massive memory pans out.

- 13MP BSI Camera

Sony technology. I am looking forward to how Huawei did the implementation on the Honor 6 for users to have a pleasurable experience.

- 3100mAh Battery

Now we're talking. Let's see if this really manifests in longer usage and less charge cycles. The battery is not removable and to some it could be a deal-breaker. I don't care coming from iPhone 4S, 5S, and HTC 8S. Now that's a lot of S...

- 4G LTE CAT6

Unfortunately, my carrier doesn't support this yet, so the dream of getting 300 Mbps is just that - a dream.

- 5" 1920 x 1080 445ppi screen

Yes! I like it a lot. Protection by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Over-all, the build quality is good and that effort Huawei put into the design of back of the device resulted into an attractive package. Pay attention to the details and it will reveal its true character.

Side controls- volume and power buttons

As I use it, it grew on me and feels like a premium device. It is nice to hold, easy to handle and is an ideal size for me. The plastic rim provides a little more grip compared to the bare matte plastic on the bottom end of the device.

Packaging

The packaging is basic. Information sheets and warranty card, stereo headset (in-ear type), USB cable, a hefty 2A charger, and microSD removal tool. The bonus items are the front and back plastic screen protectors. It also came with Globe Tattoo SIM pack with P295 load value.

Nice color

Accessories

Documentation, protectors, and microSD removal tool

Display

The display is beautiful. The display to body size ratio is definitely better than that of the Xperia C3 and Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe. Viewing angles are good and the default color temperature is great for me. It looks like Huawei did a splendid job in maximizing this FHD screen.

The Color temperature setting unfortunately does not have markers on its scale so if you would like to change it, you'll never know at what setting you are without a calibration equipment. How I wish I can use my Spyder color calibration device to find out.

The lock screen image changes every time you unlock the phone

The Screen saving feature is intriguing which when enabled will give warning of degradation in image quality to save battery. It seems that it has a low-resolution 720p mode that it can use. In casual use, it doesn't take away much from the quality and if it saves more power then its a great option.

The phone needs to reboot every time this option is turned on or off.

Sound quality

I am pleased to discover that the Honor 6 sounds very good, but...

Using my Westone UM1 with 114dB/mW sensitivity, the Honor 6 stands toe-to-toe with both the iPhone 5S and HTC 8S (still my favorite). The dynamics are there as well as the nuance essential to me in listening to music. The bottom end is well articulated and never boomy, with top end sparkle to spice up the higher octaves. The mid-range is never tinny and leans on the warm side...

with the Westone UM1 in-ear monitors

... but, coupled to my Harman Kardon SOHO-I (designed for Apple) with 100dB/V it's a different story. Ok, let's take the dB/mW vs. dB/V aside first.

In simple terms, most manufacturers use dB/mW but Harman group started using dB/V based on the IEC 268-7 standard (now IEC 60268-7). To the geeks out there, this formula has been posted over at Head-Fi long ago-

dB/mW = dB/V - 30 + 10*log(R)

where:
dB/mW is the sensitivity in dB (SPL) at 0.001 watt
dB/V is the sensitivity in dB (SPL) at 1 volt rms into impedance R and

R is the headphone nominal impedance in ohms.

To those going through nausea at the moment, it simply means that it will need more power to drive the SOHO compared to the UM1. And rightly so, the Honor 6 is running out of juice. Both the 5S and 8S effortlessly drives the SOHO.

with the Harman Kardon SOHO-I

One of my fear that has been confirmed is that the Honor 6 does not recognize my FiiO Alpen USB DAC. Unlike the Xperia V and C3, at cheaper price points, the Honor 6 ignores the DAC and plays through its speakers. The sound of which, by the way, is pretty good.

Single rear speaker

Now let's talk about the designed for iOS vs. designed for Android headphones. I am pleased that the Honor 6 will gladly take a designed for iOS headphone like my SOHO-I and Urbanears Tanto. Although both came with alternative cable or adapter that I have to use with my Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe, they're not needed.

3.5mm audio jack that's "made for iOS device" friendly

Without an adapter, both Xperia will warn about the control buttons but will still play music properly, unlike the Alpha Luxe. On the Honor 6, buttons do work which is convenient. Pause, play, next/previous track control is flawless.

Photo quality

There is no dedicated camera button and an alternative to open the camera app is ala iOS, i.e., on the lock screen press camera icon and swipe up. In addition, I can quickly double press the volume down button to either a) open the camera app, and b) open the camera app and take an instant photo. I find the second option not to my liking so I changed the setting to the former. However, if there is music playing this won't work and you have to mute the music first.

Un-cropped photo of Makati skyline, 4160 x 2336 pixels. f/2, 1/30s, ISO 100. This will take a while to load.

I think Huawei did a good job in its implementation of the Sony camera module, and with the supplied camera application, the user has a couple of options.

Un-cropped photo at a random parking building, 4160 x 3120 pixels. f/2, 1/30s, ISO 200. This will take a while to load.

The Honor 6 camera is fast and can focus real close. Here's another sample.

Close-up photo of my watch, un-cropped, 4160 x 3120 pixels. f/2, 1/16s, ISO 400.

What about the front facing camera? Since I don't do selfies and I had trouble looking for willing subjects, this will do.

Un-cropped, flipped, 1952 x 2592, f/2.4, 1/20s, ISO 800.

When taking selfies, the camera app applies this thing called "Beauty level" with intensity from 0 to 10 which I believe is softening effect. And that's the reason why the photo above looks soft.

In the near future, I will be compiling worthy photos taken with this phone an put them in a gallery.

Video quality

I'm not really a fan of taking videos as often as photos. I will update this section when I get a chance to take interesting videos.

DLNA and beyond

This is a Sony strong point. The Xperia devices have built-in apps- Walkman and Movie that will see my DLNA devices- a Western Digital 900C and Synology NAS easily. Both apps also make use of Throw feature to transfer playback to another device. In addition, the Xperia V and C3 includes NFC.

The Honor 6 has Multi-screen capability to "throw" the playback to a compatible DLNA television or via the Huawei MultiQ unit connected to a non-DLNA television or monitor.

Currently, I use the Synology DS suite (DS Audio, DS Video, DS Camera, DS File, DS Finder) to connect and playback media from my Synology NAS. On Windows phone and Surface, I use MoliPlayer and MediaMonkey respectively, for accessing DLNA devices. It looks like I have to use one of them with the Honor 6.

Wi-Fi support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands is good, and in addition Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Hotspot are also supported.

Finally, it has Bluetooth.

Performance and over-all experience

My goal is to find a phone that will offer better LTE performance than both the iPhone 5S and Xperia V (best in my location). Huawei being a significant player in infrastructure and carrier industry is an easy pick for me as one of the choices. Did the Honor 6 meet my expectations? YES.

I can now receive LTE on the Honor 6 in my living room while my 5S and Xperia V still need to be out in the garage to get LTE. Mission completed.

This phone is already loaded with my usual stuff, common to all my others phones. It includes the Synology suite, Microsoft suite, Facebook, Twitter, Tapatalk, Foursquare, Swarm, HERE, Waze, Spotify, and heck even a few Sony Mobile applications such as Smart Connect and TrackID.

While the Honor 6 is equipped with an IR, the application to use it is nowhere to be found in this device. Fortunately, there is Google and I found the Smart Controller app for download.

I have not experienced lag (yeah, new phone) and the animations are fluid and smooth. There is no jitter when scrolling, applications launches fast, and I don't close the apps deliberately.

Battery life seems to be good. My device has been running in battery for 17 hours since last charge with 57% left. I used it quite heavily yesterday and includes 4G operation, navigation using online HERE Drive, social, calls, and SMS. I placed it in "Ultra-battery" mode from 12mn to 6am today, after which I set it back to "Smart" (the default setting).

The last time I charged the phone, it took a little over an hour to go from 35% to 94%.

But then there's this Emotion UI which is Huawei's "skin" for their phones. On initial glance, the first thing that came to mind is "toy" looking at the round icons on this device running EMUI 2.3. It makes using the Xperia a more "professional" experience having a uniform look for both the Xperia V and C3 (KitKat). My biggest complaint with this Emotion UI is that the apps in a folder can't show notifications.

There's also a bug. That lock screen that show glorious images always show "Emergency call" even if there's a valid SIM inside.

EMUI version B114

My device came with EMUI 2.3 B109 version and the B114 version is now live. It came with a Microsoft Word-formatted document on how to install it, but nothing was written about the changes. It didn't address the "Emergency call" issue I reported to Huawei.

I was able to get in touch with Huawei regional support and their reply is that "Emergency call" is normal, in fact, a feature. Both the Mate7 and Ascend P7 running on EMUI 3 still has it.

Honestly, it annoys me.

Conclusion

I'm pretty happy with the Honor 6, performance is top notch. There is absolutely no lag anywhere during use, response is immediate and the animations are fluid and smooth.

While the design is simplistic, it still is an attractive phone. Sometimes simplicity is beauty.

The LTE performance is the real deal for me, and this alone makes me love this device despite its "limitations."

Review: Sony Xperia C3

2014-12-27T22:41:00.001+08:00

Coming from various Ericsson and Sony Ericsson phones, my first Xperia is the Xperia V. In 2012 when it was launched, it offers top notch specifications and good performance. In fact, I chose it over the iPhone 5S when I was up for retention from my provider. The LTE performance is superb that even though the camera and sound quality was pedestrian, it became my go-to phone until I got the iPhone 5S eventually.

When I was looking around for another Android phone, I shortlisted the Honor 6, Xperia Z3, and LG G3.

I was able to play with the Honor 6 at the Huawei Mate 7 launch and liked the size and specifications. When it became available at Lazada, I placed an order but Lazada was pretty much screwed up that I eventually cancelled the order.

An opportunity to use the Xperia C3 presented itself, and here's my take on this mid-range Xperia.

I'll get one thing out of the way, the size.

It's too big for me. The ideal size for me is something that isn't too big in dimensions compared to my Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe. Anything 2mm wider or taller will be acceptable, with a screen size of at least 5". The Xperia C3 is 156.2 x 78.7 x 7.6mm in size.

Here it is beside the Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe.

The Xperia C3 is running on Android 4.4.2, so coming from the Xperia V on Android 4.3 isn't going to alienate me as far as operations is concerned. The customizable Quick Settings is a welcome change, as well as the adjustments to where the lock screen pattern pad appears on the bottom corners.

The complete specifications are found here.

Build quality

This is a nicely built phone with mid-range specifications running on Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor. Having a 2,500 mAh battery on a slim frame is an improvement from my Xperia V. While the battery is no longer removable, it's not really a concern for me.

More convenience is offered by having covered slots for both the micro SD card and SIM card. The Xperia V and Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe required removing the back cover, then removing the battery to access the micro SD and SIM card slots. Furthermore, the USB port is not covered for easy access. The Xperia C3 is not waterproof, so these conveniences became possible.

When my Xperia V USB covered broke, I paid P300 for that tiny thing.

The Xperia C3 is nicely built, gone are the creaks I get from pressing the sides of the Xperia V. The faux metal trimming on the sides of the device adds some elegant touch to the over-all look. The plastic back gives the same feel and texture as the Xperia V which is good as it makes the device not slippery for its size. That also contributes to the the lighter weight of the device. Just imagine if the entire back is metal or glass (like the Honor 6).

The placement of the power button in the middle is a design goal for easier access in single handed operation.

At just 7.6mm thin, with no protruding camera like that in the Alpha Luxe, it looks premium but vulnerable as far as I'm concerned. Don't drop it. Buy a case.

Display

The Xperia C3 is nearly a phablet with massive 5.5" display. But despite the size, being a mid-range offering means some compromises and that means the resolution is only 1280 x 720, leading to a pixel density of 267 pixels per inch (PPI). Of course, it won't give me the high resolution of other more expensive devices offer, but the IPS LCD does good color reproduction and has very usable viewing angles.

Sound quality

One of my disappointment with the Xperia V is the average sound compared to my other phones. Heck, the Alpha Luxe sounds a lot better compared to it. It is refreshing to find out that the Xperia C3 has improved in this area. Using my Westone UM1 in-ear monitors, it offers balanced sound with a nice touch of top end spakle, better mid-range performance, and decent low end slam. Micro dynamics is better all around.

As expected, the Xperia C3 also recognizes my FiiO Alpen DAC via the USB on-the-go cable. Using the DAC does not offer significant improvement, but it is better than not working. With the DAC, it can drive my more power hungry Harman Kardon SOHO.

The on-board speakers sound decent, but I don't really listen to music that way.

Photo quality

Another disappointment with the Xperia V is the mediocre photographic quality from the camera. I was expecting the Xperia C3 will offer better quality. Due to time constraints, I wasn't able to really put the camera to test, but initial indications reveal it has improved. The 8 megapixel rear camera has LED flash, and the camera software offers Panorama, HDR, and can shoot 1080p video.

The auto-focus and face detection of the rear camera is swift and pleasantly accurate. I have not tried the smile shutter due to lack of subjects and/or not trying to make fool of myself.

The front facing camera is 5 megapixels and offers good quality, so selfie addicts won't be disappointed. Equipped with a wide-angle 25mm lens, it should capture more faces in selfie mode. The front LED flash will also help in poor lighting conditions. There is also a Portrait Retouch and AR effect features that Sony claims are specifically made for selfies.

Like the Xperia V, the C3 supports Face Unlock, that sometimes make people think I'm goofing around. With a better camera it should be more accurate in face recognition.

Battery performance

With my normal use of the device that includes occasional data for navigation, SMS, and voice, the battery life lasted more than a day. With a bigger battery, it drains slower when used for tethering to my Surface tablet. Charging time is also faster than the Xperia V which seems to be an eternity.

The Xperia C3 offers the now Sony standard "Stamina mode" which increases battery longevity by controlling background apps.

Memory and storage

The device has built-in 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and micro SD slot that supports up to 32GB additional storage.

Connectivity

As with my Xperia V, the C3 offers Miracast support aka Throw, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC. It supports 3G and LTE networks in bands 1 (Smart), 3 (Globe), 7, 8, 28.

It easily connects to my home router which is a Western Digital 900 Central through which access to my media stored on the Synology 413j is made possible. DLNA support allows me to browse the stored media and play them using the built-in Walkman and Movies app. I still use the Synology mobile apps though, that includes DS Audio, DS Video, and DS Files.

For navigation, it supports aGPS and GLONASS, so Waze users like me can enjoy more accurate position tracking.

Surprises

My area has spotty LTE coverage so that may devices are either in the garage area or the second floor of the house, in specific locations. The Xperia V offers stellar performance compare to the iPhone 5S, and I was anticipating a better performance, if not the same from the C3.

Alas, side-by-side with my iPhone 5S, the Xperia C3 had difficulty locking in to LTE and when it did, the performance was disappointing. While my iPhone managed to achieve 21 Mbps download speed, the Xperia C3 did 1.91 Mbps, which is an absolute let down.

I positioned the 5S and C3 in another area that I know will get LTE and this time, the C3 performed better, just a few Mbps lower than the iPhone 5S. It seems to me that the sensitivity of the Xperia C3 is poorer compared to the Xperia V.

I also installed Basemark OS II benchmark to find out where it will put itself in terms of performance. I was damned to find out it does not complete the entire graphics test and worse, consistently get 9 or 10 in the web test.

I initially suspect it to be a firmware issue (the device originally had 12.2.A.0.362) so when I was notified of an update to 12.2.A.0.383, I updated and ran the test again with no significant improvement. I updated to 12.2.A.0.391 and eventually to 12.2.1.A.0.72 and still didn't get any improvement.

I then decided to give AnTuTu benchmark a try, with a thought that Rightmark's benchmark isn't optimized. The AnTuTu benchmark completed properly, and to my disbelief, the Xperia C3 performed worse than the Xperia V.

The device is powered by a Snapdragon 400, so these results are a surprise to me. It looks like there's a big performance hit somewhere and I'd like to point my finger to that massive 5.5" screen.

Benchmarks are just that. In the end, it is still the overall experience that matters. So far, I didn't experience any serious lag like I did on an in-store demo unit of the LG G3 just going through the menus. Fine, it doesn't have much software loaded yet, but so did the G3.

Conclusion

The Xperia C3 is a likeable phone, despite its poor benchmark performance, the over-all experience isn't compromised. It is a good looking phone, perhaps not enough to turn heads around though.

Despite the massive size, aka poor display to body size ratio, it is light. Whether or not this device will grow on you is for you to find out.

Review: Cherry Mobile Alpha Morph

2014-12-16T13:19:00.000+08:00

The Alpha Morph, some surprises.

This model is Cherry Mobile's top of the line offering from the Alpha series of Windows devices. It's a tablet running on an Intel processor with a 16:10 ratio screen, and comes with a keyboard-cover-stand combination.

First, let's get the specifications out of the way. Here's an Office Lens capture of the manual page that shows the device specifications-

Basic accessories

The Alpha Morph comes with accessories in the packaging that includes an AC wall adaptor, USB OTG cable, and the interesting keyboard-cover-stand. The documentation is minimal, just a few pages user manual, warranty card, and Office 365 activation card.

The keyboard part is narrower than my Type Cover, and has smaller key footprint. I was afraid it would screw up my already poor typing skill, or lack thereof.

sometimes I hit the space between the keys
the right SHIFT key is too small for my liking
I need to apply more pressure when typing as the travel is longer and there is more resistance compared to the Type Cover keys
the build quality and feel is very good
keys are not back-lit like my original Touch Cover

The track pad is functional, and unlike the Type and Touch Cover track pad with dedicated left and right button, this one relies and single finger and two finger tap.

The thickness of the keyboard is 8mm.

As a cover, it works well. The flaps are magnetized and snaps well. Take note that the cover won't protect the sides, so those parts are vulnerable.

As a stand, it took me a while to figure out how to put it up. I was hoping there will be instructions in the manual but alas, nothing. I'm poor with origami and that was what's on my mind trying different approaches to fold this thing. In the end, I just folded it as shown in the photo. It is also the way the magnets latch.

With the way I folded the cover to make a stand, it will be impossible to use it on a lap. Desk use is OK as I found I can get two positions at 24 and 29 degrees. Not by much, but it helps.

Overall, this accessory is useful and is surprisingly well built.

Powered by Atom

This is my first Atom-based device and I immediately installed PC Benchmark app that I've been using since getting the Surface RT.

Benchmark comparison

I was surprised that the GPU test yielded an error, hence the N/A entry. Some interesting results...

After installing PC Benchmark, I installed Nikon Capture NX-D which is a desktop application I use in my photo workflow when working with raw files (.NEF). Loading a 32MB file from a Nikon D800 is swift, but the full rendering (from pixelated to full resolution) takes about a second or two.

Converting that raw file to JPG in highest quality at the same resolution required 1 minute and 20 seconds, and caused the Blogger web editor to reload in its entirety when I came back to edit this post. The result is a 14.2MB JPG file.

It took Adobe Photoshop Express 4.6 seconds to load it. Applying a filter took 1.6 seconds, applying the Luminance noise reduction another 2 seconds, and the Color noise reduction another 2 seconds.

Working with smaller JPG files from my Fuji X-E1 and Nikon 1 J1 is much faster for obvious reasons.

The quality of the LCD is suitable for photo editing, the colors are very good and the black level seems to be better than my Surface RT.

Sound quality

I always test the sound quality of the devices I get to use, so it is with no exception that I copied a few albums to the Alpha Morph to play for casual listening. I have my FiiO Alpen charged and ready should I find the sound quality lacking.

I am pleasantly surprised to find that the Alpha Morph possess very good sound quality. I initially used my Urbanears Tanto but later on moved to my Westone UM1 to further verify what I'm hearing.

With the Tanto, I get full-bodied sound without the bloat. The top end extension is superb with lots of detail and texture. Micro and macro dynamics are surprisingly good, I had to load more albums from my Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe. The FiiO DAC does not serve a purpose anymore, so it goes back to the drawer.

Video, camera, etc.

I played videos from //build and a few others from Channel 9 and they all played well without lag, and did I say they sound so good?

The front and rear cameras are both 2 megapixels type and I wouldn't even bother using these to take photos. For Skype video conferencing it will be okay, so I'm not going to bitch about it.

It supports microUSB 2.0 and works well with various USB 2.0 devices such as the FiiO Alpen USB DAC, the USB transceiver of the Microsoft Arc mouse, USB memory stick, and Windows phones. However, none of my external drives worked. I would opine it does not have enough juice on the connector to power those disks.

The microHDMI allows me to extend the display to my HP x2301 monitor just as expected.

The build quality of the device is pretty good. The texture of the body is somewhat rubbery and it minimizes slippage. Although I have not dropped my Surface RT or the Surface Pro, I have much more confidence handling the Alpha Morph.

The device is 2 mm thicker than my Surface RT at 11mm. I don't have a weighing scale but it seems to me that the Alpha Morph is just a tad lighter.

Some technical thoughts

The Z3735D Atom class processor used on the Alpha Morph is 64-bit, and even supports VT-x for virtualization. Technically, I could replace the 32-bit Windows 8.1 installed on this machine with a 64-bit version, but due to the fact that 1) Intel crippled this processor by limiting maximum memory to 2GB, and 2) memory is not upgradeable on the device, it may not bring any advantage.

The battery is rated at 8,000 mAh and lasted around 7 hours doing mostly browsing and Xbox Music, with some Adobe Photoshop Express work.

Review: Cherry Mobile Alpha Style

2014-11-03T15:12:00.002+08:00

The Alpha Style. I thought I would never like this phone but it grew fast on me. Firstly, let’s get the published specifications out of the way-

• Windows Phone 8.1 OS
• 4.0-Inch IPS Display (800 x 480 Pixels)
• 1.2GHz Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 Processor
• Adreno 305 GPU
• 512MB of RAM
• 4GB Internal Storage
• Expandable up to 32GB via MicroSD
• 5.0 Megapixel Main Camera with LED Flash
• VGA Front Camera
• Dual SIM/Dual Standby
• 3G HSPA+, 2G EDGE ad GPRS Networks
• Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Bluetooth
• MicroUSB
• 3.5mm Audio Jack
• 1,500mAh Li-ion Battery

AlphaStyle01 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

As a Windows phone running 8.1 version of the operating system, it is not much different from its big brother, the Alpha Luxe, in terms of operation or functionality.

AlphaStyle02 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

So what’s likeable about this device? At first it looks pedestrian until I took notice of the subtle details such as the smoked transparent cover that gives a nice halo effect in different lighting conditions. At P2,999 retail price, it offers good build quality. No creaks when pressed firmly and it feels solid despite the over-all plastic material used. The back cover is a shell that should be replaceable if it suffers from damage. I’ve seen from Cherry Mobile’s store that there is a white variant but I prefer this black version.

While the device is smooth all around, it doesn’t seem slippery. It measures 120mm L x 67mm W x 12mm thick making it chunky compared to my HTC 8S.

In front, it has the usual capacitive buttons (with haptic feedback and lighted) in the familiar layout. The volume control is on the left side, and the power button on the right. On top, the headphone jack and USB connectors can be found.

Limited to 4GB of internal memory, it is left with 560MB free after loading my test applications including games. The microSD support of up to 32GB additional storage is a big boost to what this device is capable of.

AlphaStyle-back by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Inside the box, there are the usual accessories- USB cable, USB charger, in-ear headphones, and manuals.

Display

Sporting a screen at 800 x 480 resolution, it gives a real-estate experience similar to my HTC 8S. The black level is inferior compared to the HTC 8S. The screen is bright but the colors are not washed out. Display brightness can be set to either Automatic or Manual with low, medium, and high settings. I like it best at low when in Manual mode.

Audio

The quality of the audio reproduction is good and unless I enjoy stressing out myself on hearing the nuances in music reproduction between devices, the Alpha Style is enjoyable. My digital audio tracks are stored in my Synology NAS and ripped in uncompressed WAV format and I use Synology’s DS Audio for streaming. My reference monitors are the Westone UM1 in-ear monitors, but I also tried the Harman Kardon SOHO, Urbanears Tanto, and JVC FX-33. For TRRS-ended headphones, an adaptor is required just like the Alpha Luxe.

Camera

Despite having a widest aperture of f/2.4 and focal lenght of 4.2mm, the rear fixed focus 5 megapixel camera is definitely going to struggle and may become useless indoors or in poorly lighted scenes.

AlphaStyle-rearcamera by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Thankfully, there is an LED flash. While I’m not a fan of using flash, it may be the best option with this device when lighting is poor. Using my Sekonic light meter, I measured one point in my room where it would need ISO 3200 and f/2.8 to get proper exposure, and the photo from the camera is obviously under exposed, without flash.

The VGA front camera is nearly useless in this scene.

With lots of light, i.e., outdoors, it can capture decent photos.

The fixed focus lens also means you can forget about taking close-up shots, such as a watch wrist shot, as it is only good for infinity focus.

WP_20141031_009 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

WP_20141031_002 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Performance

Like its big brother, the Alpha Style is running on quad-core Snapdragon 200 with Adreno 305 graphics chip (an unusual compbination), but with half the RAM.

As a reference, here is the Basemark OS II comparison with other devices.

With only 512MB RAM in the device, I’ve loaded Subway Surfers, and Halo: SA Lite (not the full Spartan Assault, as I’m using a different account and not willing to pay again just to test) and the device performs well. General operations reveals fluid performance and I have yet to experience any lag.

Battery Life

The battery is specified to be 1,500mAh and so far has been showing a stamina of 14 hours continuous use from full charge with data always on. With light use, i.e., SMS, music, browsing via Wi-Fi, it lasted nearly three days on a single charge.

Warranty

In addition to 7 days replacement, Cherry Mobile offers 15 months extended warranty when you register your phone.

Conclusion

The Nokia Lumia 530 locally costs P1,000 more and loyal buyers may prefer it over the Cherry Mobile Alpha Style. First time Windows phone buyers though, should give this device a shot. It offers more than the 530, such as proximity sensor, rear camera LED flash, front VGA camera, and a slightly beefier battery. Compared to the Lumia 630’s current selling price, you can buy three (3) Alpha Style instead.

Review: Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe

2014-09-26T09:26:00.001+08:00

My HTC 8s is showing its age and I’ve been looking at options to replace it. The first product I considered was the Lumia 1520. Got intrigued by the size, but decided to pass up on it.

As new products trickle in, my “wants” in a phone specification has been defined- 1GB RAM, quad-core processor, 16 GB internal storage, SD card support, and 5” screen. The Lumia 930 almost fit in nicely, but the lack of SD card support is a big deal for me. When the Lumia 830 was announced, I thought it was the perfect phone for me. It’s got everything I’m looking for...

... but, the iPhone 6 has been announced and became available and yet, there’s no sign of the Lumia 830. I was hoping I would be able to buy it from Singapore on my last visit to the city-state, alas there was no sign of it.

Since the Lumia 930 is available, I played with the units while I was at Microsoft Singapore. Sadly, it didn’t connect with me. I tried the second time the following day, and still I’m not digging it.

I then decided to patiently wait for the Lumia 830 and be done with it. Then my director friend posted one of his recent work on his Facebook page and it was an ad for the local company Cherry Mobile. The Alpha Luxe model fueled my interest, and yesterday I decided to buy one.
At PhP4,999 it’s got an entry-level quad-core processor (8212 chipset), 1GB of RAM, 5” LCD display, 8GB of internal storage, SD card support, and Windows Phone 8.1. I learned from sources that the device is an OEM from Tinno Mobile Technology Corp. The Shenzhen-based company partners with what it calls “Local Kings” or the top business brands in more than 30 countries, and in the Philippines, that is Cherry Mobile.

Physical and build quality

The device as measured is 144mm x 72mm x 9mm (11mm including protruded camera lens), making it even thinner than the Lumia 930. I don’t have a scale so I don’t know its weight. Here it is beside the 5s.

CMAL-vs5s by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

The Alpha Luxe has a build quality I prefer over my Sony Xperia V that creaks when pressed on the sides. The body seems to have a monolithic frame with faux aluminum sides. The buttons have solid feel and not loose.

CMAL-volume by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

CMAL-power by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

The removable pliable plastic back cover is shiny, smooth, and a finger print magnet. This is the part that would get a lot of beating. I purposely did not buy a case, as all my phones do not have cases, including my 5s. I did have a screen protector installed on it. I would have preferred the back cover to have the rubbery feel of the 8s or Xperia V.

CMAL-back-cover by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

CMAL-usb by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Sound quality

One thing I am more critical over any other feature is the sound quality of the device. At this price point, I do not expect above average performance and I will be pleased with decent output from it. Unlike my Sony Xperia V where I can use the FiiO “Alpen” E17 DAC via USB-on-the-go, I’m out of luck here. Well, basically it’s not a device issue but an OS one.

The in-ear monitors I always have in my bag are the Westone UM1 single-driver model. It has a sensitivity of 114dB/mW @ 25 ohms and I’m pretty sure it will be an easy drive for the Alpha Luxe. The UM1 use standard 3-pole (TRS) 3.5mm mini-stereo plugs so I don’t expect incompatibilities. Putting in Pat Coil’s Schemes & Dreams in the playlist gave me a smile. It’s not bad, it’s actually above average. The sound has good detail and texture, has enough dynamics and slam. I didn’t have to push the Alpha Luxe hard and volume remained at my usual listening level of 16.

CMAL-um1 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Next in line for testing is the Urbanears Tanto, a small and lightweight on-ear monitor with microphone and single button controller. It uses a 3.5mm TRRS plug and has worked without an adaptor for the Xperia V, 8S, and 5s. After plugging it into the phone, I heard ticking sound and I knew at that point that I would need an adaptor. Fortunately, the Urbanears package includes a Nokia adaptor. With the adaptor in place, it played music and I was able to play/pause, go to next track and previous track using the button on the controller. The microphone also worked as it should. With 112db/mW @ 32 ohms specification, this should be possible to drive but being supra-aural will require more power. As expected, the volume level required is now 22 insead of 16. I pushed the Alpha Luxe to the maximum of 30 and I was pleased it did not distort. My observation is not a guarantee that it will never distort.

CMAL-nok-adaptor by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Finally, the third headphone I use with my devices is the Harman/Kardon SOHO. Being “Made for iPhone” the removable cord with TRRS plug also won’t work, like the Urbanears. Thankfully, Harman/Kardon includes another cord, with a standard 3.5mm TRS plug and it worked as it should, without the controls of course. Using the Nokia adaptor supplied with the Urbanears unit made the Harman/Kardon cord with the TRRS plug work.

CMAL-hk by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Over-all, I am happy with the sound quality of the Alpha Luxe.

Display

The 720p LCD display of the Alpha Luxe is good enough for me. The colors are rich and vibrant, but the black level is so-so, specially when compared to the 5s. What surprised me is the degree of angle at which I can still view information from its display.

It doesn’t have the Gorilla Glass protection from Corning Inc., rather it features the Dragontrail Glass from Japanese company Asahi Glass Co. (think window glass of cars). This is an alkali-aluminosilicate sheet glass that is also used in the Sony Xperia Z1, Z2, and Z3 among other manufacturers. I wouldn’t want to go into Dragontrail vs. Gorilla war so I am contented that there was some protection at least.

Camera

Featuring 8 megapixel rear camera and 2 mega pixel front-facing camera, I don’t expect it to have stellar performance. Anything decent is acceptable for me, besides I have too many cameras already.

CMAL-rear-camera by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

There is no f-stop specification for the cameras and the rear camera is supposed to have Auto focus, BSI Sensor, LED Flash, Face detection, and Smile Shot. The Smile Shot didn’t work though. From the EXIF data of photos uploaded to flickr, the f-stop is f/2.2 which should be sufficient for well-lit scenes.

The good thing about the camera though is white balance. Based on the photos I took, it was able to get the white balance good enough in Auto mode. In good lighting conditions it takes nice photos, but as the light availability becomes scarce, the performance drops significantly.

Here are some samples.

CMAL-sample4 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

CMAL-sample2 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

CMAL-sample1 by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

Performance

With an entry-level quad-core processor & graphics chip, this ain’t going to be a screamer. But as long as it gives a performance better than the 8S and Xperia V, I’ll be happy.

The Basemark OS II performance of all my devices are tabulated-

I was surprised at two things. One, the memory test is better than the 5s and the graphics was worse than the 8S. It goes to show that the Adreno 302 is much inferior than the Adreno 305 used by both 8S and Xperia V. Benchmark is one thing, the actual usage is another thing, so I can use these results as guidelines to my expectations.

I am no serious gamer and I haven’t even completed stage one of Halo: Spartan Assault on my Surface RT since purchase, but I did play Halo: SA Lite and there was no lag.

Connectivity

With Wi-Fi b/g/n specifications, I am able to connect to all my networks at the office and at home. Streaming videos or music at home from my Sysnology DS413j via Western Digital N900 Central is without hiccup. At the office, connecting to our Cyberoam appliance presents no issues as well. Tethering from my 5s and Xperia V for LTE connectivity is a breeze.

Its radio supports GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz, WCDMA 900 / 2100 MHz up to HSPA+ speeds. It is better than the 8S, and at par with the Xperia V in sensitivity. The Xperia V is better than my 5s.

Dual SIM functionality will be good when I travel so I can have my roaming SIM and country of destination SIM in the same phone from now on.

CMAL-dual-sim by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

The Alpha Luxe also supports Bluetooth 4.0 and I was able to pair it with my Surface RT and transfer a 7.16 MB file in 30 seconds.

There is no NFC or Miracast support.

Experience

In the end, it is the over-all experience that makes me love or hate a device. Having said that, I still miss my HTC Mozart that was snatched from me.

So far, the Alpha Luxe is giving me a pleasurable new experience in all of its 5” of glory. Based on use, this is the biggest form factor I would go for as my thumb barely reach the other end of the keyboard when in swipe mode in one-handed operation. The phone also protrudes from most if not all of my shirt front pockets. I did sit on it, but it was more uncomfortable to me than for the phone.

CMAL-sit-on-it by arnold_cruz, on Flickr

My take on the Nikon D800

2012-09-11T13:37:00.002+08:00

Introduction

I finally upgraded to a full-frame DSLR, the Nikon D800. It will replace my current DX body, the Nikon D7000, which has served me well.

The original plan was to get a rumoured D600, at a cheaper price point. However, the D800's AF module that is the same as that of the D4, strongly appealed to me.

AF concerns

One of the horrors floating around the web, is the AF issue of the left AF points of the D800. After taking a few shots of my favorite game, volleyball, I decided to do a quick and simple test to mellow down my concern about a possible issue with my unit.

I took the following photos of my favorite still subject, from the center AF point going to the left-most AF point. Here are the results.

Center AF point

Left-1 AF point (inner)

Left-2 AF point

Left-3 AF point

Left-4 AF point

Left-5 AF point (outer)

The preceeding photos were taken hand-held using a Micro-Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8 with VR off and the D800's built-in flash.

While this certainly is not a definitive way of determining AF issues, I am somewhat pleased that for this combination, distance, subject, and lighting, my D800 isn't bad.

I will have to do some testing again, to wash away remains of concerns about this unit's potential AF issues.

In the field

The UAAP 75 Women's Volleball championship was staged last September 8, 2012 at the University of the East in Caloocan. I was able to shoot with my D800 and would like to share the following photos.

Maru Banaticla of University of Santo Tomas

Maru digs for the ball

Bhebs Pineda of Adamson Universiy

Altec MZX406 in-ear monitors

2012-07-30T16:56:00.002+08:00

It has been a while since I upgraded anything about audio, including portable stuff. Last year, at the November Hi-Fi show, I found an IEM that I wanted to buy despite the excessively high price of P45,000. It is the AKG K3003, and to me sounded the best for my music preferences.

The reason for looking at a new acquisition is that my favorite IEM got damaged with the nds disconnected to the drivers inside the cup. Anyway, I was able to fix it and was happy until I misplaced it after have our company outing at Caylabne.

After several months and out of the blue, I went to Astrovision at Greenbelt 5 without any plan of purchase when I saw this Altec sitting on a shelf seen on the display window. I didn't bother with it as my interest shifted when I found Japan-pressed pre-owned CDs to my surprise.

After a long while looking for releases that I don't have yet, I ended up with these three-

Before I made payment, I asked the staff to get the Altec and gave it a short listen using my iPhone 4s and HTC Mozart. My initial impression was "not bad."

Until...

I took it home.

Comfort

As with my other IEM purchases, the important aspect is comfort. After using it for hours, I find it to be as comfortable as my CrossRoads Woody One.

It comes with three pairs of tips- small, medium and large, but no flanged tip like my Woody One.

Silicone tips in Large, medium, and small sizes.

Microphonics

I've been running my fingers, pen, and other objects along the wire to find out if noise will be transmitted to the drivers. The is no microphonics transmitted this way. Even if you whip the cord, and as long as the Y-junction is secured, there is no noise.

If you let the cord dangle and do your running or jumping or whatever, then you'll hear noise due to the stress on the ends going to the drivers.

Note that there is no supplied clip to hold the Y-junction in place. I have an old Sony Ericsson IEM no longer in use that came with a clip, and I just transferred it to the Altec.

Efficiency

At 116dB sensitivity and 16 ohms, this is an easy drive for pratically any portable devices. I don't really need to crank up my iPhone 4s to get loud.

Noise Isolation

As with any marketing gimmick, Altec calls their technology SnugFit™ which follows the contours of your ears. Yeah, it is silicone. It does block out noise (don't use this when driving!) effectively, allowing you to truly enjoy the small nuances present in the music.

The Sound

Before considering other audiophile jargons, there's one thing important to me and that's tonality. In fact during the brief audition, it is what made me decide to buy it.

I was somewhat concerned about the "extra bass power" that is printed on the box. However, I know it can be tuned. When other people say that the JVC FX33 "Marshmallow" has too much bass, I didn't believe them.

The MZX406 offers clean top end sparkle. Minute details and nuances are rendered in an airy and open fashion. It does not have any hint of being dry and clinical sounding. Listening to the album Fifty of Chie Ayado suggests delicacy and precense.

Both female and male vocals offer naturalness, without a hint of coloration. It's never too bloated, nor thin. Hayley Westenra enveloped in her music on the Treasure album.

Depth and slam, are two aspects I'd like to experience from an IEM. I might be expecting too much when I say that listening to John Newton Howard's Amuseum almost got me there, but it didn't. Perhaps I'm comparing them to the multi-million Peso setup that graced last year's Hi-Fi show, courtesy of Audio Visual Drivers Inc.

Bite and grunt makes guitars sounds raw and natural, but sometimes the rawness of this instrument becomes veiled with other drivers. The MZX406 does well in this area, as it allowed me to enjoy Yngwie Malmsteen's Inspiration.

Attack and decay are two things which I believe is more obvious rather than PRaT. Lack of attack makes the music boring, and too much decay seems to break the pace. The Altec amazingly handle this very well, as I listen to Sheffied Jazz Experience.

Soundstage and Imaging

I'm not going to fool myself. There is none.

Other Features

Ok, just for kicks, I tried the in-line volume control and microphone. Both works.

Pros

Superb sound quality, across the musical range
Detailed and articulated, without being harsh nor fatiguing, with the right sources
Dynamics and transient handling is very good
No microphonics
High efficiency requiring less power from portable players

Cons

No clip supplied
Lack of flanged silicone tip

Paolo18 does Hublot

2012-06-29T08:12:00.002+08:00

It has been a while that I am able to wear this old Hublot because the original rubber has deteriorated beyond use. Spending hours on eBay didn't yield any success, as most of the time the available ones are the wrong size. There was a time that I saw an exact size, but only one piece.

Well, you can opine that why not get it from the local service center, i.e., Watch Check at 6750 Ayala Avenue. I did talk to them, and I was quoted P9,000 for a new pair. However, my apprehension is it will break again. So this option was no longer pursued.

In order to wear the watch, I bought cheap leather from Makati Square for P50. I then sized and sliced it to fit, and for a while, the Hublot is wearable once more.

Here are a couple of low-key photos of the watch.

Immediately noticeable is how soft and flimsy the single sheet of leather is. In the end it became so loose and deformed that it is ugly.

Then I met Paolo18 in one of the GTGs at Harvest, which is an awesome restaurant/bar, and I pestered him to just try and see what he can do.

I remember him saying that "it's easy, but difficult" and I understand why. As far as the strap is concerned, it's just a straight cut. The challenge is that, it has to be around 1mm thick and must be sturdy. So the choice of material is a critical part. There were no promises, and no timeline, then one day...

I got a private message from him. Saying that he did something and would like me to try it. I got excited and thanked him for the time and effort. He explained to me that the material is "doe skin lined with pig skin" and I am totally ignorant of how it would look like.

Yesterday the package came, and when I was looking at the patterns, I found myself flip-flopping between them. In the end, I selected the pattern I felt is suitable for both formal, and play.

Here are a few photos of the Paolo18 strap on my Hublot. Paolo18, you're the man! Gracias!

Looks good on this old Hublot

This is not rubber anymore

Perfect fit

The inner pattern

The outer pattern

The Paolo18 creation on the Hublot

Review: Subaru XV 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth®* and i-Pod system: 1-CD and 6 speakers

2012-03-30T14:40:00.000+08:00

Introduction

Just like the 2010 Impreza 2.0R Sports, the 2012 Subaru XV 2.0i Premium, features a 6-speaker system. High-mid range speakers on the instrument panel were added to the four speaker system. This system realizes a much more natural sound with wider frequencies. These are compatible with widely popular Bluetooth®*, iPod and USB connectable devices.

Sound quality

The head-unit is Type D, and does not have SRS Labs' Circle Surround found in the Impreza's audio system. The usual BASS, TREBLE, MID, BALANCE, and FADER settings are used to adapt to your listening preferences. It's not bad and sound quality is decent as long as you use quality recordings, i.e., CD Audio, MP3 320kbps, WMA 192kbps. Forget the radio, like the head-unit of my Impreza, it is nasally sounding.

Like most stock head-units, it does not offer Time Alignment, so you will be stuck with a sound not ideally positioned for the driver to present a proper sound-stage and imaging. The BALANCE control is not the solution.

Do note that at this time, METRA does not offer any in-dash panel or remote control adaptor for the XV. It may take a while. What this means is that if you will try to fit in another head-unit, i.e., Alpine or Pioneer, you're out of luck. Patch solutions, which I despise can be possible. Your installer must realize that the there are three new buttons- TALK, ON-HOOK, and OFF-HOOK, which controls the phone paired via bluetooth.

There is plenty of bass available from the stock speakers, which will be good for bass-heads. The rear-view mirror vibrates whenever I play Rihanna. I have proven in the past the the stock speakers do sound very good, and the proof is my Impreza. My gut feel is that the stock speakers of the XV is a little bit better. The highs are very good considering an argument that its placement, which is way forward, could reflect in all directions via the windshield. The mids are decent enough and is the main weakness of the headunit. The tonality of the entire system is subjectively acceptable for me but will not compare to what I have achieved with my Impreza equipped with Alpine gears for obvious reasons.

Operation

Operating the system is relatively easy from the steering wheel controls. One quick look and you'll be missing the MUTE button.

Don't worry, muting the audio can be done by press and hold action on the MODE button. The display will show MUTE when activated. The UP and DOWN buttons perform dual roles. By pressing the UP or DOWN arrow, it lets you go the the NEXT TRACK or PREVIOUS TRACK, respectively. By pressing and holding the UP or DOWN arrows, it lets you go to the NEXT FOLDER or PREVIOUS FOLDER of the supported media, such as CD or USB device.

Bluetooth support

This is one feature I welcome the most, with some grain of salt. Firstly, pairing my iPhone 4s was a breeze, no major hiccup there.

Now as to the phonebook concerned, this is where the integration disintigrated. The XV's headunit can store phone numbers, and like other headunits from other cars, can load up the phonebook via bluetooth, that is, if your phone can transfer contacts via bluetooth. The iPhone does not do that, nor does the vanilla Windows Phone 7 "Mango" like my HTC Mozart. However, if you have a Nokia Lumia (based on Windows Phone 7 "Mango" enhanced by Nokia) or even the older Symbian, like my E72, or even Sony Ericsson W705, or Android such as my Acer Ferrari, phonebook transfer is a breeze.

Voice Commands

Voice dialling is possible through the recording of voice tags for your contacts. After pressing the TALK button on the steering wheel control, you can say the voice tag and it will retrieve the paired phone number and display it on the headunit. To place the call, press the OFF-HOOK button.

In addition, the Microsoft Tellme found on the Windows Phone 7 works extremely well. Here are a few videos of the actual operation using my HTC Mozart running Windows Phone 7 "Mango"

1. Sending SMS (Microsoft Tellme)

https://vimeo.com/39241360

2. Incoming SMS (Microsoft Tellme)

https://vimeo.com/39241727

3. Voice dial (Subaru XV voice dial)

https://vimeo.com/39242341

USB Support

The built-in USB input is another plus, and is designed to support the iPod, iTouch and iPhone, as well as USB sticks. However, USB ATAPI (hard disk) and High Speed USB 2.0 devices are not supported.

The USB power is always on, which allows charging of iPod, iPhone, Windows Phone, and even my Sansa Fuze. I'm tempted to try my USB hard disk, although the manual specifically mentioned no support for ATAPI USB mode.

I actually did. I took my old and low-powered hard disk off the Impreza and plugged the USB cable into the XV's USB connector. It worked!

Conclusion

The stock audio system offers decent sound and flexible connectivity of different audio sources for the user. After further break-in of the audio system, it may still improve in terms of sound quality, but I won't expect anything significant. Operation is not difficult and access to basic functions via steering wheel controls is pleasant.

* Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. America.

Dodane 1857 Type 21 Flyback

2012-01-02T11:28:00.001+08:00

Why Dodane 1857?

Firstly, Dodane was founded in 1857. But like other watch companies, they went brankrupt and the remaining assets and name was bought by some dude based in Hong Kong.

Cedric Dodane, the 5th generation of the Dodane family, was able to gather funds that will lead to the resurrection of the brand, however, since they lost the ownership of their own brand, it led to the birth of the Dodane 1857 company. There is a long story about the dispute, but I'm not going to repeat it here.

Now on to the watch!

The packaging contains an outer cardboard box, and laminated inner box.

Inside, the Chronometer certificate shows the actual measurements of the watch.

The certificate of authenticity and warranty card.

I was suprised to find two additional straps, one in plain leather and a NATO, in addition to the crocodile strap with deployant that is currently attached to the watch. The plain leather does not include a buckle, and I will need an additional springbar for the NATO. The crocodile and plain leather straps comes with integrated springbars with adjusting lugs for ease of mounting. A springbar tool is not needed. A similar strap came with my previous Elgin that came from France.

The following photos shows a few views of the watch, the deployant and buckle.

Here is the caseback, with the markings that include the series in the limited edition of 400 pieces.

Here's a low-key shot of the head.

I tried the plain leather strap, and this is the kind that is stiff and thick near the lugs, and may take time to soften up.

Finally, the wrist shot and how it sits on my wrist.

Orient Star DJ00002W GMT

2011-12-12T09:55:00.003+08:00

Orient Watch Company released a line of Orient Star in September of 2011. The official press release is here in PDF format, so I won't be repeating any of those.

As the flagship model in the distinguished line, it is the subject of this review. Let's start with the specifications-

Mechanical Movement
ORIENT caliber 40P50 Made in Japan
Self-winding & Hand-winding movement
22 jewels
21600/hour vibrations
Power reserve indicator, Date indicator
24hour hand
Second hand halt mechanism
Stainless steel case & bracelet
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating
Screw see-through caseback with crystal
Water resistant to 100m
Diameter 41.50mm
Thickness 13.75mm

Packaging

It came in the usual double-box packaging, where the outer box has a front flap to easily get the inner box out.

Outer box

Inner box

The DJ000002W

Booklets

Inside the lower level compartment of the inner box are the manual and Orient Star international warranty booklet. As an added bonus, a cleaning cloth is provided in a separate envelope.

Craftsmanship

The watch feels solid and heavy. The build quality is superb and the craftsmanship strikes confidence. It is aesthetically pleasing to me, and the dial construction is excellent. The sword minute and hour hands look good, and the red GMT hand matches the white dial well.

Dial

The dial that looks like porcelain in finish, is multi-layered, starting from the top I count five.

The 24-hour rotating ring is on the top level
ring with stick markers and lume dots
ring where the applied index markers are set
the center dial where the applied power reserve arc is set as well as the applied Orient Star logo with the painted "Orient Star AUTOMATIC GMT"
the power reserve 1/3 circle with concentric circle

Power reserve indicator

The watch has two crowns, one in the 2 o'clock position which is used to set the date, GMT hour, and time. Another crown is at 4 o'clock position which is used to rotate the inner ring. This crown is screw-down type to prevent unintentional rotation of the inner ring.

Dual crowns

The bracelet feels solid and has minimal play and features solid end links. While it looks like an "oyster bracelet" to me, it is definitely not. As a personal preference, I have a bias towards brushed finish and I particularly like how polished accents are mixed into the bracelet. Really nice.

Clasp

The watch case has brushed finish too, with polished accent. I like how the case is shaped and it has a display window at the caseback to reveal the movement. The bezel is 100% polished.

The movement is an automatic with hand winding and hack feature. While the decorations are not as elaborate as more expensive Swiss brands, the rotor features a “Cotes de Geneve” decoration.

Mainspring

Complications

This is a useful GMT complication that can keep track of three timezones. The rotating inner ring can be set via a crown. The center dial also has 24-hour indicator, and finally the GMT hand can be independently adjusted via the crown.

As a bonus, there is a power reserve indicator and date window.

Conclusion

As my second Orient Star, I am extremely pleased with the watch. This is my second Orient GMT, but this Orient Star is truly a star.

Review: ORIENT x STI 2011 Limited Eition

2011-12-07T15:37:00.000+08:00

Orient x STi 2011 Limited Edition, a review by Arnold Z. Cruz There have been a lot of speculation at what Orient will bring out in 2011 to commmorate their victory in the NBR Challenge 2011. Having an Orient M-Force attached to the dashboard was more of a test of the watch rather than a hint at what's in store. After months of waiting, Orient finally announced their line-up for 2011.

I called up my favorite dealer and even though it's too early to assume that they will have a stock, nothing is wrong in asking as they're the ones who informed me of a coming "STi III" way, way back, even before Orient has any information on their website. As expected, they don't have it (yet) but nevertheless, I indicated my interest for the steel bracelet version.

It happened so fast... I posted the watch in our discussion group at Facebook right after I posted it at Philippine Watch Club forum, and the following day three watches are available straight from Japan! As friend Raffy David would say... Gunnnnnnit! And yesterday, I have mine in my hands.

While Orient classifies the watch as limited edition, having 5,000 pieces (2,500 in steel band and 2,500 in leather) is five time more than the Orient x STi 2010 Limited Edition which is just 1,000 pieces worldwide. Having the 1223/2500 stamped at the caseback does not excite me.
So lets' start from the specifications, grabbed from the Orient website-

Specifications

Analogue Quartz Movement : caliber KFB00
Chronograph in 1/20 second
Chronograph hands (second & 1/20 second)
Small second hand
Date indicator
Stainless steel case
Stainless steel bracelet or Genuine leather strap
Crystal glass
Screw caseback
Water resistant to 50m
Diameter 42.00mm
Thickness 9.05mm

Yeah right, Quartz. While I do not despise such movement, as I own Eco-drive watches and Bulova (Miyota), there is a hint on my brand preference. If you did not get it, it is spelled C-I-T-I-Z-E-N. So having a quartz module not coming from the Citizen Watch Company is going to have an "acceptance" phase.

Packaging
It came in double box containing the pillow, warranty card, and really big manual folded into a pack smaller than a matchstick case. There is a supplemental 2012 calendar, and wiping cloth.

Packaging

Aesthetics
It's a bitch to photograph, or I'm a poor photographer. Either way, even the Orient website did not show identical images and must have been post-processed. In my eyes, the color combination is an acquired taste. I know that Orient wanted it to represent the theme of an STi car, so how did they score? Having a gunmetal-grey finish reminds me of the STi wheels I cannot afford to buy for my car. So that's positive. Then the STi "pink"... I don't know if the color is exactly right for something this small, and knowing Subaru has some misfortunes on their paint supplier, reminds me of that. It may not be the "best" color combination, but adhering to the theme is acceptable.

Dial

It has an inner Tachymeter scale, which is fixed. The hour markers are basically stick with the exception of 6 and 12 o'clock markers in arabic. The dial that looks like Toblerone in color, is adorned with concentric circles on the outer edge and each register has its own design. The 1/20 stopwatch second register has a dial instead of a hand. The design of the dial again reminds me of the wheel. The normal seconds register is also adorned with concentric circles, just like my Tudor 79180. Finally, the hour/minute stopwatch register looks like a meter on the dash of the car. I have to mention that the post-processed image on the Orient website that shows the indicator numbers and indexes in a shade of orange, is just that- post-processed.

1/20th second stopwatch register with "wheel"

Seconds register

Hour and minute stopwatch register

There are seven hands! Well, technically the 1/20th second indicator is still a hand. There's a date window, and of course a date wheel to show the date in black letters and white background.

Build quality
Unlike the 2010 Limited Edition, this one is light. This is the lightest quartz watch I have.
If you own the ER00 diver's watch and complained about the steel bracelet, then you'd have the same complaint on this watch. Although the finish is also gunmetal-grey, it is exactly the same bracelet, but with a different clasp.

Caseback

The caseback is the only part that remains in polished stainless steel (and add to that the springbars, none of which is in gunmetal-grey). Over-all, the build quality is good, but nothing spectacular.

Wear and feel
Now for the most important part, how does it wear? It wears smaller than its size, and definitely does not feel like having an STi wheel on your hand. It's light enough that it is comfortable, but still reminds you there's something on your wrist. Does it look good? I'd say it is unique in its offering, and somewhat blends with my dark skin.

Wrist shot

Complications
One highlight of the watch movement is the capability to measure up to 1/20th of a second, while nothing new for quartz movements, it is a nice feature nevertheless, whether I can put it in actual use. In addition, it has the capability to measure intervals, as well as split-times. You have to read the tiny 1" x 2" (or less) manual that you have to spread open to a size that will cover a small table.
Finally, you have the usual hour, minute, seconds and date indicators.

Front view

Conclusion
Definitely not the watch for everyone, but if you're a Subaru fanboy (or girl) the Orient x STi 2011 Limited Edition is something you should consider wearing.

Lume shot

Orient Star WZ0011DS "Clubman" chronograph

2011-08-05T08:41:00.001+08:00

I wanted to have an "ultimate" Japanese chronograph watch and at first, I was eyeing the Seiko Flightmaster with the 6S37 movement. My interest shifted to the Seiko Ananta, and I asked the local authorized distributor if they can bring it in. The reply I got was positive, but the price they want is a negative, for me.
Then I came across the Seiko Velatura and Sportura, both of which in limited edition, but neither sang to me. My search for an alternative led me to the Orient Star "Clubman" Chronograph that uses caliber 32A00, which is the Seiko 6S37 equivalent.

I pestered the local distributor of Orient if they can bring it in and after months, it came unexpectedly.

Here are the specifications, in Japanese which I copied from the Orient website:

駆動方式：機械式
キャリバー：32A00
ケース材質：ステンレススチール
ガラス材質(表)：球面サファイアガラス(無反射コーティング)
ガラス材質(裏)：サファイアガラス
ルミナスライト：あり
バンド材質(表面処理)：ステンレススチール
バンド幅：20mm
中留：プッシュ三つ折式
精度：日差+15秒ー-10秒
防水：10気圧
耐磁：一種
駆動時間：48時間以上
重さ：177g
厚み：15.1mm
横径：41.6mm
その他特徴：自動巻(手巻付)、パワーリザーブ機能、1/5秒クロノグラフ機能、秒針停止装置、40石、シースルーバック
保証：2年
発売年月：2007年7月

And the wish, came true...

Alright, so this model is a JDM-only release. How Time Trend SM Manila is able to sneak in this model is an eternal appreciation from me. I asked them about this model months ago, and though it was a wish, it did came true, today.

Since it is JDM release, the specs are in Japanese. This one is perhaps the closest English translation.

Movement Caliber 32A00
± 15 seconds per day
Water resistant 10 atmosphere
Dual sapphire glass (nonreflective coating)
Stainless steel case
Stainless steel bracelet
See through case back
Self winding movement
40 Jewels
Power reserve 48 hours
Frequency: 28,800/h (8 vibrations)
Antimagnetic
Power reserve indicator
Stop watch
Chronograph (60 minute meters and 12 Hour meters)

It is no secret that the movement is based on Seiko's 6S37, that Seiko no longer use because they licensed it to TAG Heuer (citation needed here, I may be wrong so please correct me)

While the Seiko "Flightmaster" was my first interest in getting the "ultimate" Japanese chronograph, the Clubman has the following features that I prefer:

Rectangular pushers. I don't have a chrono that has these type of pushers yet. And is one of the reason, I was lusting for the Glashütte Original Senator Sixties chronograph.
Date window at 6 o'clock. The Flightmaster has the date window between 4 and 5 o'clock. While not a show-stopper for me, the usual 3, 6, or 9 o'clock positions is my preference. It is the same as my Zenith El Primero 36'000 VpH (modern) in this respect.
The Seiko Flightmaster loses the index markers at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions. The Clubman has them, and while at those locations the indexes are a bit "trimmed" I can live with than instead of numeric (arabic/roman) numerals that are gobbled up by the sub-dials.
The Flightmaster has somewhat of a "boring" black/white face. The Clubman is sportier with red accents and red-tipped power reserve hand and second hand (chrono)
The bezel is Speedmaster-like and I prefer that simper, compared to the more elaborate bezel of the Flightmaster.

Here are the photos.

I'm pleasantly surprised to know that the dial offers multiple personality, as it changes from chocolate brown to black, depending on the light and angle.

The strap is weighty and has solid feel, nothing flimsy. It features a single-fold clasp that is signed and is similar to a Seiko Spring Drive that I handled recently.

The crown is also signed, and the pushers are rectangular type.

Here are photos of the movement, showing the hairspring, rotor, and column wheel close up.

And finally, wrist shot.

Conclusion

I love this watch, it is not your typical Orient and the build quality is at par with my Rolex and Omega watches. It is also heavy compared to my 14060 and the only heavier watch is my Corum Romvlvs Power Reserve.

My Orient "Aspen"

2011-04-16T16:30:00.038+08:00

While I fancied white-dialed watches, I never had the opportunity to acquire a new one, until now. My first non-vintage white faced-watch should have been the DJ02003W, Orient's flagship model, sporting the new automatice movement, with manual wind and hack. However, it has not arrived the Philippine shores despite my early order placed at Time Trend, SM Manila. On my visit today (Apr 16, 2011), i pestered Ms. Elena again for that particular Orient, and feeling somewhat empty, I scoured the models in the Orient display, and I found this...

Its reference # is FEM76003W9 and what makes is tick is Orient's caliber 469. Now, allow me to take a moment to highlight the features of this specific movement.

Caliber 469

Automatic movement
21,600 vph
21 jewels
40 hours power reserve
Shock-proof
+25/-15s accuracy
Hour, minute, second hands, with day and date complication

This watch also exists in black trim, and has been christened by Orient USA as "Orca" and while I could have called this the "great white" the over-all theme of the watch is more likened to cool, therefore I will christen it "Aspen."

Here it is, right from the box.

Some vital statistics

This is a big watch, measuring 42mm (bezel, without crown), 48mm lug-to-lug. Lug width is 24mm, which makes it a good candidate for a lot of 24mm aftermarket straps. It is 13mm thick, and weights quite a bit but I don't have a weighing scale to determine the exact figure.

The included stainless steel bracelet is made up of 8 links each side, and does not taper giving it a real hefty look.

Build and finish

Orient continues to provide extermely good value for money in this department. The steel bracelet is made up of folded links, although Orient did a nice job in finishing that it looks like solid links unless you scrutinize it like I did. It has brushed finish with some polished accent. There is a bit of play from the links, but nothing that I will complain about.

Similar to my Orient x STi Limited Edition II, the clasp is push-button type, with safety lock. If there's one thing one can nitpick, is the finish of the folds where it feels a little bit "edgy." The clasp is signed with ORIENT and Orient logo.

The case is highly polished, with a little bit of brushed finish on the top of the lugs. One should be careful in removing the end links as scratching this part of the lug is very easy.

The rotating bezel is also highly polished in finish, and has recessed minute markers in 10-minute intervals. It is uni-directional with 60 clicks. Unlike my CER0002D where the bezel is loose, this one did not exhibit any play and has tight feel when it clicks.

The crystal is recessed, so the bezel will be the first contact point when the watch glides face first on desks, doors, etc.

It may be too much to ask for a display caseback, and perhaps there's nothing to show so to speak, for the 469 movement. The caseback is polished stainless steel with laser-etched decoration of the Orient logo on the center. Reference information, as well as other labels are also laser-etched.

The crown is knurled diagonally and is not signed unlike my Orient Multi-eye. I wish Orient stardize their crowns to be all signed, but the robots making these might ask for a salary increase. It is located in the usual 3 o'clock position. At 2 o'clock there is a button, flushed with the case that Orients refers to as the "click button" which is used to adjust the day.

The dial is very nice, with white and silver theme, in starburst finish. Every time I look at it, I feel "cool" and it's one cool looking watch indeed. There is an inner non-rotating insert that provides the minute ticks and bolder tick at every 5-minute interval. Orient did a magical job on these markers as from an angle they shows up black, in another angle somewhat light gray, and sometimes silver.

Stick markers in the dial is presented every 5-minute interval except at 3 o'clock (date/day window) and 12 o'clock where the only numeral "12" is present. The "ORIENT" and Orient logo, as well as the "Water Resist 100m" are just about the right size. I like it a lot, as they don't try to grab your attention.

I also like the semi-skeleton sword minute and hour hands. The lume on the hour, minute, and second hands are brighter than the minute markers, giving it a 3D effect.

Time-keeping features and operation

Caliber 469 provides hour, minute, seconds, day and date functionality. There is also a quick-date set at the first position of the crown. Pulling the crown to the second position allows you to set the time, and since there's no hacking on this movement, precise setting at the second is virtually impossible. While the Mako XL (EM75), that shares the same movement as this EM76, has a protruding button for the day set, Orient uses what is called a click button on this model. And because the button is flushed with the case, you'll need a tool (a toothpick will do) to set the day.

This watch is rated to 100m so it will not prevent you from enjoying the beach and some casual diving.

Comfort & fit

At the store, four links were removed (two one each side) to fit my wrist. The best thing I like about wearing it is how it hugs my wrist. I have this feeling of the watch not just on top of my wrist, but she actually becomes a part of me. Of course, the feeling of the Seiko Sportura is even better, but that's another story.

Conclusion

Another value-for-money watch from Orient. It's sporty enough, dives deep enough, but will do just as well for formal. The white face and the over-all "Aspen cool" theme is highly likeable.

Review: ORIENT x STI collaboration 2010 Limited Eition Ⅱ

2010-11-24T08:34:00.001+08:00

I became interested in this watch primarily because I drive a Subaru. However, after having the watch for a few days, my thoughts have changed and even if it did not have the STi logo in there, I would have still bought it. Why? The watch is simply gorgeous.

When I was at BigTime in Singapore, I compared the first version against this model, known as the ORIENT x STI collaboration 2010 Limited Eition Ⅱ. Man, the look and feel are way apart.

Here are the specifications of the watch, pulled from the press release.

REFERENCE

Ref No.: FD0H001B
Dial Color: Black
Case Material: Stainless steel case
Band Material: Stainless steel bracelet

SPECIFICATIONS

Glass meterial : Sapphire crystal
Dial : Uses carbon material employed for the racing car
Caseback : Screw see-through case back with serial number
Rotor : Engraved the race results
Water resistant : 100m
Case Diameter : 42.00mm
Thickness : 11.65mm

SPECIAL GIFT BOX
Item No. BST02

NEW CALIBER

Movement : ORIENT caliber 46N47 Made in Japan
Drive system : Self-winding movement
Vibrations : 21600/hour vibrations
Daily accuracy : +25 ~ 15 sec/day
Running time : More than 40 hours
Number of jewels : 21 jewels
Function : Power reserve indicator, Date indicator

This model is limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide, each with their own marked serial number. Having spent 13 years of my life with Unix, picking up serial number 644 was a no brainer.

When I handled the watch, it feels solid and chunky. It is so beautiful in person, I don't think my photos would do justice to the watch. The quality is top notch, with every detail I continue to appreciate.

The dial is made from carbon fibre material, and the hour indices are pretty good. The Orient logo is positioned at 12 o'clock, the date window at 9 o'clock, and the power reserve indicator at 6 o'clock. The power reserve indicator mimics that of the fuel indicator in the STi, and even has the fuel pump icon beside it.

The black, non-rotatable bezel is adorned with what looks like hex bolts at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 o'clock positions. It made the looks of the watch a bit mean. The second, minute, hour hands are white, as well as the power reserve pointer.

The indices and hand are all luminous and what's really nice is that it also has lume around the flat sapphire glass that yields this effect.

The screw-down crown is not signed, but knurled to prevent slippage. It is located at the 9 o'clock position and Orient's rationale for that is to prevent impeding the driver's hand movement when steering. I get the drift, as in my other watches, it does happen to me unless I wear it a little bit high above the wrist.

The crown guard.

The lug width is 24mm and tapers off at 22mm. It came with a very nice bracelet, that is also heavy and gives a solid feeling. Three links were removed for my fitting.

My other Orient uses a standard clasp with push to release button. For this model, Orient added a catch to make it more secure. My friend was telling me a story one night about his friend who was in a bowling betting tournament. The fight was so close, and when he won, he was so pumped up he was punching his arm up into the air so hard, it caused his Rolex to take a flight, landed by hitting the corner of the bowling lane and shatters the sapphire. When shit happens, they happen in mysterious ways.

The Orient sign adorns the outside of the clasp.

Orient said there is a new engine powering this watch, and is displayed in all its glory via the see-through case back. The rotor has the results of the race laser etched on it.

When I got the watch, the power reserve is drained. It took about 45 minutes to charged up to about 50% power, and another 2 hours or so for full charge. Orient claims, it has a little bit over 40 hours power reserve. I'll find out soon enough.

I like the watch and it did not disappoint. This one is a keeper.

Here are some artsy-fartsy shots.

Finally, a wrist shot.

Review: Schiit Asgard

2010-11-05T07:25:00.000+08:00

Oh, Schiit...

My word processor's auto correct will highlight that one! And no, I did not misspell . It’s the name of a company that sells headphone amplifiers.

According to their website, Schiit was started by two veterans formerly of Sumo and Theta, both regarded names in the audio industry. They are proud of the fact that the products are “Made in USA”, with sensible pricing.

Schiit currently offers two products, the Asgard and Valhalla. I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow an Asgard. A quick check on their website revealed the following specifications:

Headphone Impedance: 8-600 ohms

Gain: 5 (14db)

Frequency Response: 2Hz-200KHz, -3dB

Maximum Output: 20V P-P

THD: Less than 0.1%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V

Topology: Fully discrete FET, Class-A single-ended, zero feedback, non-inverting, single voltage gain stage

Power Consumption: 35W

Size: 9 x 6.75 x 2.25”

Weight: 5 lbs

So there, the most important figure I’m looking for- headphone impedance up to 600 ohms. The search for an amplifier that can drive my AKG K240M+K701 pads, still continues.

What’s in this Schiit?

The packaging is sufficient, where the Asgard is protected from the usual bumps from transport by a molded foam. It is single boxed. It came with a decent power cord, with safety instructions. In addition, Schiit supplied a RCA-3.5mm interconnect, 3.5mm to 6.3mm adaptor, and four rubber bump-on (as feet). Finally, there is a manual that tells you what you need to know with real common sense, in four pages.

For the MSRP of US$249, the supplied accessories are ordinary. In fact, the accessories’ look and quality is no better than those China- or Taiwan-made interconnects one can find at Ace Hardware or True Value.

Front panel

Back panel

Profile view

For your iPod

Build quality

The Asgard and Valhalla shares the same two-piece C-shaped chassis. The finish is decent, but I hate the screws on the top and bottom. They’re an eye-sore and could have been designed in a way where the screws are at the sides.

You better stick on the rubber feet to prevent the bottom screws from scratching your acrylic shelf, like what I have.

The volume knob is also made of aluminum and has a nice feel.

The power switch is of very good quality, if not for being small. It does the job done and has a solid feel.

Controls and operation

On the front, the ubiquitous knob controls the volume. A very light marker shows the minimum volume at 7 o’clock and at 5 o’clock for maximum volume. To its right is a 6.3mm female socket to feed your headphone. A boring pale, white LED turns on when power is applied to the unit.

At the back, two decent female RCA sockets will take the input from your source. The power switch lets you turn on/off the amp. Finally, an IEC connector so you can plug in the supplied power cord, or your own.

The unit will get real hot, in just a short period but is not cause for alarm. In fact, the manual will tell you like it is.

"holy moly, my ears exploded!"

It gets hot

The setup

Analog:

Clearaudio Champion Magnum / Tangent linear-tracking tonearm / Transfiguration Axia cartridge -> Clearaudio SmartWire -> Clearaudio Basic Symmetry phonostage -> NAIM RCA-DIN interconnect -> NAIM NAIT5i -> Oyaide Across 750 RR interconnect -> Schiit Asgard -> AKG K240M(701 pads) stock cable
AKG K240S(701 pads) w/ Oyaide HPC-X35 cable

Digital:

Harman Kardon HD750 HDCD player -> Verbatim interconnect -> NAIM NAIT5i -> Oyaide Across 750 RR interconnect -> Schiit Asgard -> AKG K240M(701 pads) stock cable
AKG K240S(701 pads) w/ Oyaide HPC-X35 cable

With the AKG K240M, I need to crank up the volume to maximum to get a satisfying level of output into them. What the manual mentioned as “holy moly, my ears just exploded!” is certainly not realized, despite the claim of 20V peak to peak output.

With the AKG K240S, the volume indicator sits at 12 o’clock for the same level of output.

Impressions

Refinement. That’s the first word that came to mind as I played the first track from a CD collection given to me by a friend. Is this the Schiit sound signature? Without an audition of the Valhalla, I would never know. But this is a good start. Having an amp that offers refinement and finesse is a good character for me.

Relaxed. In most of the materials I played, the Asgard presented them in a relaxed, laid-back manner. This is good for some music, but not for some. In materials where I’m looking for more rhythm and pace, the Asgard won’t give it to me. This is a highly subjective area, some people like it, some don’t, as myself. The Naim house sound of being lively, very dynamic and musical that I prefer, is something other people don’t like.

Dry top end. Compared to both the AMB Labs Mini³ and the Naim NAHA, the Asgard’s top end lacks air and ambiance. One might argue about the technical and claimed specs. So for the curious, here they are:

Schiit Asgard, top end: 200kHz, -3dB

AMB Labs Mini³, top end: >4MHz, -3dB

But:

Naim NAHA, top end: 72kHz, -3dB

Lacks energy. In many instances I’ve wanted more from the Asgard. The music I’m playing is full of energy and raw power, but the Asgard won’t give it to me that way. It sounds like you’re there, but you’re not. This is where the Naim NAHA will beat the Schiit out of the Asgard.

Conclusion

The Schiit Asgard did not disappoint, it just did not offer the characteristics I was looking for.

Saving myself at least a thousand Euro

2010-11-01T00:50:00.002+08:00

Shit happens, and when it does, it'll make you feel like shit. That's exactly how I felt when for some inexplicable reason, my linear tracking tonearm met a near fatal accident while I was taking it out of storage.

The Clearaudio Tangent took a backseat as the Graham 2.2 Ceramic has been serving full-time with the Transfiguration Axia MC cartridge on my Clearaudio Champion Magnum turntable. However, recent changes to my system is revealing the incompatibility between the Graham and Axia once more. So I decided to get the trusty Tangent out of hibernation, then it happened...

It fell and the thin wire serving as the rail hit something and causes it to have a few bumps. At first thought, I was thankful it didn't snap. But the damage has been inflicted. There are bumps at around 1/3 towards the outer (record's inner) track.

I tried to fix it but it definitely needs to be replaced. A quick call from my friendly distributor was met with some positive thoughts- I can trade it in for the newer incarnation of the Tangent. I lusted at the thought, and then I realized that the current version of the Tangent linear tracking tonearm is more than twice as much as this previous generation. That somehow doused cold water on the feeling. But everytime I playe a record that I hear a bit of distortion when the wheels are inside the damaged area of the rail, the lusting for a replacement comes back.

Recently, I thought that applying more tension would somehow minimize the bumps, not! It snapped. Not being able to play my records would mean like not being able to poo. The thought was nightmarish. Then out of nowhere, I felt a desire, an urge, to fix it myself.

After serious investigation on the construction of the Clearaudio Tangent, I was telling myself that I should kicked myself long before.

The replacement rail is a No.3 guitar string. It has the same characteristic as the original rail, but a bit thinner in diameter. Now on to the surgery.

Here is the photo of the Tangent upside down, to reveal the wire rail that snapped.

Broken Rail

It takes just twelve screws to dismantle the entire Tangent, thought I can't unscrew the lifter from the rod which sandwiches the acrylic garnish. Anyway, not a big deal as I will be able to access the tensioner where the string is attached.

Disassembly

Disassembled

After removing the wire rail, I fixed one end of the guitar string on the tensioner block using the locking screw. After checking that it is tight and will not slip, I assembled the tonearm back.

I fixed the other end of the guitar string and fixed it using the other locking screw. Then I adjusted then tensioner block for the proper tension of the string.

Here's the Tangent after the repair. I'm very pleased with my work, it looks like new again.

Re-assembled

This shot is from the back, wich clearly shows the new rail.

Properly tensioned

Finally, up close.

New rail from guitar string No.3

After soldering back the wires and installing the wand, I mounted it back to the Champion Magnum.

Closer look at new rail

The Clearaudio Tangent linear tracking tonearm at full service, again.

Clearaudio Tangent linear tracking tonearm

Review: Citizen BJ7010-59E Nighthawk

2010-10-28T11:20:00.002+08:00

My affinity and loyalty to the brand was because of one thing - it simply never stops, perhaps better than the Energizer Bunny. While Citizen's Eco-drive is not the only method that will power a watch forever, I've been appreciative of the technology, and has not failed one bit for over 10 years. The quartz movement still has a long way to go for appreciation by serious horologists. I won't go for any quartz anyway, even if it's TAG, Omega, or Rolex. I'll take the Eco-drive anytime.

My other Citizen Eco-drive Caliber 7878 has faithfully served for over ten years, where the only issue I had through very rough use were the scratches on the bezel insert and a visible scratch on the crystal. Finally, I grabbed one, of the two Eco-drive models that I have been lusting for.

There are a couple of Nighthawks that Citizen released, and having accepted the fact that I won't get my hands on a Japanese domestic market Nighthawk, I set my eyes on the Asian release.

Here she is, the Asian version Citizen Nighthawk, BJ7010-59E.

A different kind of packaging

The watch did not have a usual box, and instead came with a CD-case like "kit" containing a screwdriver I have no idea how I would use it yet, the manual, warranty card, and an extra synthetic leather strap.

The Package

What's Inside The Case

Features that I like

Eco-drive!
24-hour dial
Aviation slide rule

This watch uses Caliber B877 that provides the time functionality in local time hour, minute, and second, 24-hour indicator, and calendar date. Citizen claims performance of ±15sec/month (within a normal temperature range of +5°C/41°F to +35°C/ 95°F). The operational temperature range is -10°C/14°F~+60°C/140°F.

The good thing about the 24-hour dial is that it can be adjusted independently, thus operation in dual time is possible. While the slide rule is a cool feature, I may not even use it. I like it as I presume it makes me smarter. I just hope that no one asks "so, can you show me how to calculate the ground speed of an object traveling at...." Aaaargh!

Finish and quality

The watch theme is brushed stainless steel, the body, bezel, caseback, links, and deployant clasp. There are two crowns, one in the usual 3 o'clock position, and one in the 8 o'clock positions. The former is used for the usual time and date adjustment, and the latter is for operating the sliderule. Both crowns are ribbed.

I prefer the over-all effect which is not too shiny.

I like the ribbed crown as it allows more grip, not that it actually requires force to rotate it. The main crown is screw-down type, and takes about 1 1/2 turns to lock in. A bit "shallow" compared to my other Diver's Eco-drive.

The detail is superb, and the dial face which hides the solar cell looks pretty cool in black. If there's one imperfection I found thru my macro lens, that is a white dot on the side of the red hand of the 24-hour indicator.

Here are some macro shots of the watch.

The 24-hour Dial

Rotating Aviation Sliderule

The Case and Crown

Bracelet and Deployant

Caseback

I'm very pleased with the quality of the watch.

Fit and feel

The Nighthawk is a bit chunky and weighty. Not as heavy as the other watches that I have, but noticeably heavy. Here is the wrist shot. Bottom line is it looks good and feels good.

Wrist shot

Conclusion

The Citizen BJ7010-59E is a very likeable watch. It has very good quality, and looks good. This one is another keeper.

Review: Orient CET05001D

2010-10-23T11:38:00.006+08:00

A friend of mine have been an inspiration for me to try out this brand for the first time. I never thought I was in for a surprise.

I went to Hour Glass at MegaMall to check if I can find something that will pull me over. The plan was to look for a chronograph as I like them. However, all Orient chronograph models available are quartz. I've always prefered Citizen's Eco-drive technology should I buy a quartz watch.

A second pass on the available watches, a certain model caught my attention. Despite not being a chrono, it shares a few characteristic of my other Swiss watch which is interesting. There is a 24-hour indicator, and the bezel is brushed steel.

Initial Impressions

While I took photos of the watch, I was amazed at how good the quality was, for a watch in this price range (less than P5,000). The craftsmanship is very good indeed. There is 24-hour indicator, at the 11 o'clock position. The sub-dial for the day of the week is at 3 o'clock, and the date window is at 6 o'clock. I also liked the two-toned bracelet of alternating brushed and shiny stainless steel. The glass is mineral crystal and not sapphire crystal, as in their quartz models. Duh!

Specifications

Due to the lack of a manual, I had to check the Orient website to find the following information:

Dimensions (mm):
Case diameter (excl.crown): 38
Lug to Lug: 44
Height: 12
Lug width: 20
Bracelet tapered: 20-18
Weight: 130 grams
Max Wrist Size: 7.8"
Crown type: NOT screw down
Crystal Material: mineral
Water Resistance 50 m

Packaging

The watch even came in a nice box. It's simple and uses faux material but looks good indeed. Aside from the international warranty card, nothing else came with it.

The Box

Contents

Finish and Quality

As I scrutinize the watch, I was amazed with the level of detail and the build quality that went into it.

Here are some macro shots of the dials.

The Date Window and Orient Logo

Day of the Week Sub-dial

24-hour Indicator

The Blue Dial

Fit and Feel

The watch is not that big, though a little bit heavy for its size. I still think it has a nice balance between weight and size. Here are some wrist shots, showing the dial with a shade of black.

Wrist shot

Conclusion

Over all, I'm pretty pleased with this watch. Definitely will not be my last Orient.