Tag Archives: expensive

Creative Labs Sound Blaster ZxR Sound Card Review – The best and most expensive sound card on the market!

Pros: Overall sound quality, recording options, inputs/outputs, design and look, software
Cons: Price, full compatibility with certain games, no included tools to swap op-amps

Accessories: 9.5/10
Design & Looks: 10/10
Sound Quality: 10/10
Recording Quality: 8/10
Software: 9/10
Value: 7/10
My final Rating: 9/10

Purchase Date: March 2015
Purchase Price: £185

Creative ZxR - Standing view

First of all I would like to thank Creative for sending me out the Sound Blaster ZxR Sound Card for review. It is yet again a great honour to have received the product to review.
The sound card can be bought from:
AmazonUK for around £185
AmazonUSA for around $235

Full specifications of the ZxR can be found on Creative’s website.

Here’s my video review on YouTube to complement the written review:

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Review of the Steelseries Sensei Wireless Gaming Mouse Review – An expensive wireless mouse

Pros: Design, build quality, battery life, customisable, software
Cons: Small wireless lag, lack of buttons, no weight adjustment, no dedicated physical profile button switch

Build Quality: 8/10
Design & Look: 7/10
Battery life: 10/10
Wired performance: 10/10
Wireless performance: 6/10
Software: 10/10
Value: 5/10
My final Rating: 7/10

Purchase Date: November 2014
Purchase Price: £120

Sensei Wireless - Charging on bay

First of all I would like to thank Steelseries for sending me the mouse for review. After having reviewed the Steelseries Sensei [RAW] Heat Orange, I was intrigued to see how the Sensei Wireless compares, both in terms of performance and value for money.
You can purchase the mouse on AmazonUK for around £120 & AmazonUSA for $120, which is more than double the list price of the non-wireless version.

Before getting into my written review, here’s my video review of the Sensei Wireless:

Now let’s get into this written review!

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Impressions & Thoughts on Open Back vs Closed Back Headphones – Sennheiser HD800/700 & Fostex TH-900

Introduction:

I’ve always been fascinated about audio and when I get the chance to hear new products, or even old products that have always been on my mind – I jump on the opportunity.
I recently was lucky enough to demo the Sennheiser HD800/700’s & the Fostex TH-900’s at P.J. Hi-Fi, a high-end audio shop located in Guildford. Before I get into my impressions, I would like to thank Andrew Holt for allowing me to spend as much time with these three headphones and more so being an extremely professional individual. I had a great chat with him both before and after my listening session; I found what he said really spot-on and honest. P.J. Hi-Fi is mainly a speaker/hi-fi shop, however they do store these three high-end headphones.

The headphones:
Sennheiser HD700 : £500-700
Sennheiser HD800 : £900-£1100
Fostex TH-900 : £1100-1500

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Review of the Phonak Audéo PFE 232 – The Best Universal Earphones I’ve Heard to Date

Pros: Highs, Mids, Bass response for BA drivers, comfort, build quality
Cons: Sibilance, price, isolation, needs to be driven

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

Purchase Date: April 2012
Purchase Price: £400

First and foremost, I would like to send out a huge thanks (and hug?) to David, over at Phonak Audéo in sending out the PFE232’s to me, for review!

I would also like to point something out about the PFE232’s in relation to the P-Series tips – this was made aware to me by Comply:
“This tip series has a threaded core. While this core is fairly flexible and may stretch to accommodate the sound port of the PFE232 – there is a significant risk that attaching or disengaging a P-Series tip would damage the sound port. I highly discourage any customer from using the P-Series tip with this earphone. Any time you force a tip that is too small onto a sound port, you risk stressing that sound port in such a manner that could cause damage. We have heard of, and have experienced, cracking or breaking of sound ports in these situations (not speaking of Audeo specifically, but of forcing or attempting by force to put a tip onto, or remove a tip from a device that is not compatible with the Comply™Foam tip used in the attempt.)”
(Thus, please do not use the P-Series tips with your PFE232’s)

The Phonak Audéo PFE 232, also known as the PFE232’s are one of the best earphones I have heard to date. These earphones define for me the best universal fit earphones I have ever heard. That said, these do have some slight flaws, such as their sibilance, their isolation and most of all their price tag.
Apart from those few things, the PFE232’s I find are a class-leading earphone, whilst maintaining only 2 Balance Armature (BA) drivers in each ear piece.
Without further ado let’s get on with this review!

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