Tag Archives: audio

Antlion Audio ModMic 5.0 Review: A comparative review between the ModMic 5.0 and ModMic 4.0

First of all I would like to thank Antlion for reaching out and sending me the ModMic 5.0. After having reviewed both the Uni-Directional ModMic 4.0 and the Omni-directional ModMic 4.0 (which I used on a daily basis), I was intrigued to see further developments from Antlion.

The new ModMic 5.0 can be found from AmazonUK for £60 and AmazonUSA for $70, which given the ModMic 4.0 prices currently stand around £35-45, it’s a significant price increase. You can find more information about the ModMic 5.0 on Antlion’s website.

Pros: Combination of both ModMic 4.0 omni- and uni-directional mics, modular design, accessories
Cons: Expensive, still needs a (cheap) soundcard to work without static noise, cable weight, no improvements over MocMic 4.0 recordings

Review date: February 2017
Review price: £60
Overall score: 8/10

Here’s my video demonstrating the recording of the ModMic 5.0 and a comparison to the ModMic 4.0:

Let’s get on with this written review!

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Sound BlasterX G5 Review – A decent sound card with problematic hardware and software problems

Pros: TPA6120A2 headphone amplifier driving capability (low and high gain modes), headphone and mic outputs, DAC functionalities, 24-bit/192kHz capability, SBX & Scout modes
Cons: Not portable (despite claims), requires USB power, software problems (incl drivers), hardware malfunction rate, price

Packaging & Accessories: 8/10
Build Quality: 7.5/10
Sound Quality: 7.5/10
Software: 7/10
Value: 7/10
My final Rating: 7/10

Review Date: March 2016
Review Price: £130

Sound BlasterX G5 - Wheel Illuminated

First of all I would like to thank Creative for sending me the Sound BlasterX G5 for review. It can be found for £130 directly on Creative’s website, and can be found on AmazonUK for around £140 and AmazonUSA for around $150.

The G5 is a slight variation over the E5, which over the G5 is aimed at those wanting a portable solution with its in-built lithium battery. Unfortunately, the G5 doesn’t have an in-built battery and has to be used with a power source, essentially limiting it to desktop-use only.

I actually received two G5’s as after about two weeks of use my first review sample completely stopped working. Essentially it started having some sort of problems with sound reproduction, with extremely loud high-pitched sounds coming out of the headphone jack. Later, I came back to it and noticed it was extremely overheating – at which point when I tried playing music through it, nothing played.

As the second one arrived, it worked flawlessly on my work PC, but then when I tried to use it with my home PC, wouldn’t recognise the new G5 – no matter if I did a full driver-sweep and a re-install. I’ll get into both points in their respective sections within my review.

Here’s my video review on the G5:

Let’s get into this written review!

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Pump Audio V2 Earphones Review – A sweet tangerine both in terms of looks and sound

Pros: Overall sound quality, overall build quality, flat-cable design
Cons: Microphonics, straight 3.5mm jack, no cable cinch, driver flex

Packaging & Accessories: 9.5/10
Build Quality: 9/10
Design & Look: 8/10
Microphonics (higher ratings means lower cable noise): 8/10
Isolation: 8/10
Comfort: 8.5/10
Sound Quality: 8/10
Value: 9.5/10
My final Rating: 9/10

Review Date: February 2016
Review Price: £69

Pump Audio V2 Earphones - Looks

First of all I would like to thank Pump Audio for reaching out to send me their latest earphones, the Pump Audio V2 Earphones. They can be found for £69 on AmazonUK and at $99 on AmazonUSA, alternatively you can buy them directly from Pump Audio’s site.

When I first saw these crop up in my inbox, I was extremely sceptical about them, mainly because I hadn’t heard of the brand before and that these earphones looked like yet another earphone that put design over sound, with its bright orange colour scheme (in fairness orange is one of my favourite colours).

I was therefore interested to hear how it would compare to the FIDUE A65 which can be found for around £50, or even against other earphones like the cheaper SoundMAGIC E10s that can now be found for around £30 and even the more expensive DUNU Titan 1 that can be found for £90, all presented an interesting battleground for the Pump Audio V2 Earphones.

Here’s my video review of the earphones:

Let’s get on with this written review!

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Antlion Audio ModMic 4.0 Onni-Directional Review – A comparison with the Uni-Directional ModMic

Pros: Better overall recording quality over the Uni-Directional ModMic, less popping sounds, can be fitted on any headphone, packaging and accessories, flawless mute functionality, cable length
Cons: Picks up more external sound than the Uni-Directional ModMic, cable gets tangled, needs a (cheap) soundcard to work without static noise, slightly more sensitive than the Uni-Directional ModMic

Review date: February 2016
Review price: £46

Antlion ModMic 4.0 Omni - Headphones

First of all I would like to thank Antlion for sending me the Omni-Directional mic for review, after having reviewed the Uni-Directional ModMic 4.0, I was really intrigued to know the differences both in terms of the updated overall package and what the Omni-Directional ModMic 4.0 could offer. The Omni-Directional ModMic can be found for £46 on AmazonUK and $55 on AmazonUSA. I opted to receive the version that had the mute switch.

Furthermore, Antlion also sent me their USB soundcard for review, which I’ll also briefly mention in this review! It can be picked up for $10 on their site.

In order to give you a live-recording of the two ModMics, I suggest watching my video:

Let’s get on with this written review!

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Review of the SoundMAGIC ES19S Earphones – A fantastic budget earphone!

Pros: Price, overall sound quality in relation to price, looks, comfort, lightweight design
Cons: Straight 3.5mm jack, cable cinch

Packaging & Accessories: 4/10
Build Quality: 8/10
Design & Look: 8/10
Microphonics (higher ratings means lower cable noise): 8.5/10
Isolation: 8/10
Comfort: 9/10
Sound Quality: 7/10
Value: 10/10
My final Rating: 9.5/10

Review Date: September 2015
Review Price: £20

SoundMAGIC ES19S - Design

First of all I would like to thank Mark from KS Distribution for sending me out the SoundMAGIC ES19S for review.
After the having reviewed both the SoundMAGIC E80 and SoundMAGIC E10, I was intrigued to see how the cheapest in-line SoundMAGIC earphone would compare, and more so if it would be able to provide good value for money, like the E10 did.

The ES19S can be bought on AmazonUK for around £20.
I was unable to find US pricing or availability of it, but if I do come across it in the future, I’ll add a link and price.

More information on the SoundMAGIC ES19S can be found on their website.

Here’s my video review of the earphones:

Let’s get on with the written review!

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