AudioReputation - Page 2 of 17 - Your Audio Electronics Guide

Dec232019 by James LongmanNo Comments

IPX4 Water Resistance Rating Explained

Blog

If you’ve been buying modern electronic devices, especially earbuds and speakers, you have probably heard about the IPX4 rating. We assume that you have some basic understanding of IPX ratings but we’ve decided to write a short article about IPX4 water resistance rating and explain its meaning and importance. Many of today’s products are classified as water-resistant, water repellent, waterproof or hydrophobic. These terms are used to describe the level of protection against liquid intrusion and are often misunderstood because they are used in different situations and for different types of products. For example, the terms “water-resistant”, “water repellent” and “hydrophobic” are usually used to describe the level of clothes protection while the term “waterproof” is used to describe th

Dec202019 by James LongmanNo Comments

Vandersteen VCC-2 Center Channel Speaker Review

Single Reviews

Looking for a high-performing center channel speaker? Vandersteen VCC-2 center channel speaker might be just the thing you need, especially if you are building a home theater system around Vandersteen floorstanders and subwoofers. The biggest quality of VCC-2 is its performance – this thing delivers better clarity and more detailed reproduction than any other speaker in its price range. The price tag is high and it can be a deal-breaker but you can be assured that VCC-2 is worth every cent. Let's see why. VCC-2 comes from a reputable loudspeaker manufacturer with a long tradition of making high-quality speakers. Richard Vandersteen, the founder of Vandersteen Audio, started making loudspeakers in 1972. For the first 5 years, he was making them in his garage and it was rather a hobby or

Dec182019 by James LongmanNo Comments

2019 Product of the Year Award Winners

Awards

The year-end is near and it's the perfect time to look back and try to make some reflections. 2019 was an incredibly productive and exciting year for all of us at AudioReputation. We've tested so many amazing products - headphones, earbuds, speakers, home theater systems, DACs, amps, preamps, etc. Some of them were incredibly innovative, even revolutionary. Some have pushed the boundaries of exceptional sound quality and listening experience. We wanted to honor those best of the best and tell the world about their excellence. That’s what this article is about. We’ve had a difficult time trying to make a comprehensive selection and not to forget something. There were so many great products but we finally did it. We’ve selected the best products of the year 2019 and arranged them int

Dec162019 by James LongmanNo Comments

The History of Headphones

Blog

What is, besides a wallet, phone, and keys, a "must-have" object in your bag or pocket? The answer is, in fact, quite simple – headphones. Even though the original headphone use wasn't related to listening to music at all, they’ve been present in our lives for almost 140 years and they have significantly evolved since the day they first appeared. Regardless of their purpose and way of use, headphones have been an extremely important part of our lives and our love for them has been growing for decades. It seems that no human can go outside without a pair of headphones. No matter if they are full-size headphones or earbuds, they are a mandatory accessory of every modern person. When they were first produced, there was only one model of headphones, while today, there is something for every

Dec122019 by James LongmanNo Comments

5.1 Surround Sound vs. 7.1 Surround Sound

Blog, Comparisons

Surround sound systems have become popular only recently and this is what makes people think of them as of some new technology. Well, this is far from the truth as surround sound systems came into existence with the introduction of surround sound audio formats back in the 1930s. As you could probably guess, surround sound systems first appeared in the film industry and Disney was responsible for this innovation. At the time, the technology was too expensive for application because it required numerous speakers to create the effect of surround sound in a movie theater, so the creators gave up on it. This question was raised again in the 1950s (again, in the film industry) but its real expansion didn't start until 1975 when a new sound format Dolby Stereo appeared (you can find a more thorou...

Jan52020 by James LongmanNo Comments

9 Best Electrostatic Headphones In 2020

Headphones

Looking for the best sound money can buy? Electrostatic headphones might be just the thing you need. They are, due to their advanced driver design, often considered the most natural, detailed sounding, and transparent headphones on the market. Our article on 9 best electrostatic headphones is here to help you find the right pair of electrostatic headphones for you. We will explain their working principle, discuss their advantages over conventional dynamic and planar magnetic headphones, and present to you our selection of 9 best electrostatic headphones. Hopefully, this article will help you understand all the good and bad sides of electrostats. What Are Electrostatic Headphones and How They Work? Electrostatic headphones use a bit more advanced working principle than the old-school dyna...

Dec172019 by James LongmanNo Comments

Koss BT232i Wireless Bluetooth FitClip Headphones Review

Single Reviews

Looking for a nice pair of budget earbuds under $40 for your workouts? Koss BT232i Bluetooth FitClip in-ear headphones could be the right choice for you, especially if you have really small ears. Koss is one of the legendary names in the audio industry. The company was founded in 1958 and it is, along with Beyerdynamic, AKG, and Sony, one of the pioneers of the industry. Koss was the company that manufactured the first stereo headphones (aka stereophones) in 1958 and the first pair of US-made electrostatic headphones in 1968. During the 60s, 70s, and 80s, Koss was one of the most reputable and most wanted brands. For the last two or three decades, Koss was known for its great-sounding low-budget headphones. For some reason, the management of the company decided not to enter the hi...

Jan52020 by James LongmanNo Comments

15 Best AM/FM Radio Headphones In 2020

Headphones

Looking for the best AM/FM radio headphones on the market? Our article on 15 best AM/FM radio headphones is here to help you make the right choice. We will discuss the reasons to buy radio headphones, talk about their characteristics, discuss different types of radio headphones, and give you our selection of 15 best AM/FM radio headphones. Radio broadcasting is maybe an old and a bit forgotten technology but it’s still alive and there are so many enthusiasts and old-schoolers all over the world who enjoy listening to the radio. There are quite a few questions that come to mind when thinking about buying radio headphones - why would you buy radio headphones when you can buy a regular radio with better reception, what kind of radio headphones to buy, do you need both AM and FM tuners,

Dec232019 by James LongmanNo Comments

What Does IPX7 Waterproof Rating Mean?

Blog

Have you ever heard about the IPX7 rating? Have you ever found it on the back of your headphone or speaker box but you didn't know what it stands for? Well, if this is the case, we advise you to read this article and find out why it’s so important. Even if you have some basic knowledge about IP ratings, stay with us and you might be able to find some interesting information you haven’t heard before. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Many products today have some kind of IP protection and the level of that protection depends on the item’s purpose. However, this article focuses only on the IP protection of electronic devices in order to explain to the users why it’s so important and how to handle IPX7 devices properly. So, let’s get started. What Does IP Stan

Jan52020 by James Longman32 Comments

15 Best Cat Ear Headphones In 2020

Headphones

Cat ear headphones. They look just as silly as the name implies. And yet, they are so popular. What are cat ear headphones, who designed them, are they good, and what are the best cat ear headphones on the market? You will find all the answers in our article on 15 best cat ear headphones. What Are Cat Ear Headphones and Why Are They So Popular? The fascination with cat ears or, to be more specific, women with cat ears, originated in Japan. The first woman with cat ears was a character in a book written by Kenji Miyazawa in 1924. A few years after, the first manga and anime featuring fictional characters with cat ears appeared and, after that, the fascination spread all over the world. In manga and anime, the girls with cat ears are called Nekomimi (which literally means cat ears: Neko - ...