Meelec SP51P

This is a review of the Meelec SP51P. I have the microphone version which is identical to the regular SP51 besides the mic. What attracted me to buy these headphones are the tuning ports, where you can adjust bass to a setting you prefer.

SP51P Specs

Driver: 10.0 mm dynamic drivers with swappable rear tuning ports

Frequency Response: 15Hz – 20KHz

Sensitivity: 100 dB

Impedance: 16 ohms

Maximum Power Input: 40 mW

Connector: 3 pin stereo 3.5mm gold plated 90° plug

Cable length: 130 cm cable (51 in) with attached shirt clip

Accessories:

4 sets of silicone ear tips (small/medium/large; bi-flange), clamshell zipper case, 3 tuning ports

Design– 7/10 The design looks good and I like the overall aesthetics, I would have preferred a black cable though.

Mic– 9/10 I have found the mic to be really useful, I use it when I Skype on my android phone. The people I talk to tell me they can hear me loud and clear. The only fault I can find the mic is that it is further from my mouth than I would like, but this depends on the individual.

Construction– 10/10 The earpiece is all metal and its really sturdy, haven’t had any problems with it after a few weeks use. The cable is also well built, it doesn’t make rustling noises while the cables are rubbing against each other. Definitely the best constructed IEM I have purchased considering its price.

Comfort– 9/10 These IEMs are very comfortable, there is no sign of discomfort after hours of use. I also use these at the gym often and they never fall off.

Isolation–  These isolate well, depending on which ear bud you use.

Double Flange Ear bud- 7/10

Large Ear bud-8/10

Medium Ear bud-7/10

Small Ear bud-6.5/10

Detail– 8/10 The detail on these headphones are amazing for the price. The soundstage is also quite large for an IEM.

Bass– This is the main selling point of the SP51P, you can tune the bass to the level of your liking. Meelec provides 3 different tuning ports, Silver, Gunmetal and Black. I tend to keep it on black (most bass).

Silver Tuning Port- 7/10

Gunmetal Tuning Port-8/10

Black Tuning Port-10/10

I haven’t experienced an IEM with this much bass, the SP51P is definitely best in the bass category. I’m not exactly sure how the tuning ports work, but I’m guessing they have little magnets. I may be totally wrong about this though. Just received an e-mail from Mike at Meelec and this is how the tuning ports work, “Just FYI, the SP51 is a variation of the ‘bass reflex’ design and the tuning ports work by increasing/decreasing the flow of air through the rear vent – the bassiest ports allow for the most airflow and the balanced ports allow for the least. This is done by using acoustic filters inside of the ports (you can probably see the differences in filter thickness if you hold the ports up to the light).”

Mids– Once again the tuning ports affect the sound quality. Mids are generally good across all settings.

Silver Tuning Port- 9/10

Gunmetal Tuning Port-8.5/10

Black Tuning Port-8.5/10

Treble– Depending on which tuning port you use affects the sound quality.

Silver Tuning Port- 9.5/10

Gunmetal Tuning Port-8/10

Black Tuning Port-7/10

Value – 10/10

I got these from the Meelec official site (http://www.meelec.com/Sound_Preference_In_Ear_Headphones_s/330.htm) for around $35 AUD shipped when it was on special. This is definitely a great deal. This is a great first impression Meelec has made and I would like to try one of their higher end offerings in the future.

Sennheiser HD202

Package Includes:

-Headphones

-Jack converter

-Headphone cable wrapper

-Manual

Technical Details
Frequency Response	18-18,000 Hz
Transducer Principle	Dynamic,Closed
THD	< 0.5%
Max. SPL	115 dB(1 kHz, 1V)
Ear Cupling	Supra-Aural
Replacement Parts	Leatherette Ear Pads
Nominal Impedance	32
Weight (without cable)	130g
Connection Cable	3 m, OFC copper cable

Design- 6/10

Sennheiser used a very plain design for the HD202s and there is nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t stand out.

Construction- 6/10

The plastic used feels very cheap, but its sturdy enough for everyday use. I don’t like the use of the 10 ft cable, its too long and not practical.

Comfort- 4/10

These clamp around your ears very tightly, after 15 minutes I have to take them off because of the pain.

Isolation- 8/10

These isolate well, it blocks out most of the outside noise, but it still doesn’t offer the level of isolation an IEM would provide.

Detail-6.5/10

The amount of detail is slightly above average. It really depends what your previous experience with earphones are, if you use stock Apple headphones then these will sound amazing.

Bass- 7/10

Bass is fairly strong however at higher volumes there may be overpowering.

Mids-6/10

Vocals are clear and natural but not outstanding.

Treble- 5/10

The highs are somewhat flat and muddy.

Value-6/10

The street price for the HD202s are around $20-30. Spending a few dollars more to get the Koss Portapros, PX100 or CAL! (Aurvana Live) is highly recommended. Although sound quality is acceptable with the HD202s, it is ergonomically poor considering the cable length and the discomfort.

Logitech (Ultimate Ears) UE200

Inside the package:

-Earphones

-Extra buds

-Plastic hard case

-Owner’s Manual

Specs

Driver: Dynamic transducer

Frequency Response: 25Hz ~ 15kHz

Noise Isolation: 26dB

Impedance: 16 ohm

Sensitivity: 107dB/mW

Cable: 1.15m

Connector: 3.5mm Stereo

 

Design- 7/10

There is nothing special about the design and it doesn’t really stand out. Logitech used a safe design that can appeal to everyone. They do sell in many different colors to accommodate for different tastes.

Construction- 6/10

The construction is ok, but there are a few flaws. Part of the earpiece tends to fall off, with only the wire supporting the buds. This problem can be solved by gluing it back together. Another problem is the noise the cable makes when it is rubbing against your clothes, it may be annoying for some.

Comfort- 9/10

These IEMs are really comfortable, and you can choose from several earbuds to get the best fit. Definitely one of the most comfortable IEMs available.

Isolation- 9.5/10

These isolate very well, especially with the XL sized earbuds. I have used them in the plane and didn’t even notice all the noise from take off.

Detail- 7/10

The amount of detail is slightly above average. It really depends what your previous experience with earphones are, if you use stock Apple headphones then these will sound amazing.

Bass- 5/10

Bass is weak and is similar to UE 700s. Much better than regular earphones (eg Stock Apple earphones) but weak compared to Sennheiser Cx300 and Meelec SP51.

Mids-7/10

These are the the IEMs strong point. Vocals are clear and crisp.

Treble- 6/10

Treble is somewhat muddy, some high notes don’t feel like they are reproduced properly.

Value-8/10

Value is great if you get them for the price I did. I got these from Logitechshop (www.logitechshop.com.au) which occasionally have sales and sell these in packs of 4 for $35. Retail is roughly around $30.

Creative Aurvana Live! Review

Inside the package:

-Headphones

-Pouch

-3.5mm extension wire

-3.5mm jack converter

-Owner’s Manual

Manufacturer Specs:
Frequency Response:10-30,000 Hz
Impedance:32 Ω
Sensitivity:103 dB SPL/1mW
Cord:3.94ft (1.2m) + 5ft (1.5m) extension; Straight Plug
Space-Saving Mechanism:N/A

Design- 9/10

The design is more conservative than beats or skullcandy headphones, but it looks elegant and classy, especially the metallic finish.

Construction- 7.5/10

Although made mostly of plastic, it feels quite durable. The 3 ft long cord is well constructed and can be used with the extension wire/jack converter.

Comfort- 9.5/10

The ergonomics on these headphones is nearly perfect. The leather earpads feel very soft against your ears, and they are built to swivel for the perfect fit. The headband also does not put much pressure on your ears. These are much more comfortable especially compared to the Sennheiser HD202, which I can only wear for 15 minutes at a time.

Isolation- 6/10

These do not isolate as well as other headphones. I usually have to turn the volume halfway whereas I would normally have it at 1/4 with other headphones. There is also some sound leakage.

Detail- 9/10

The amount of detail on these headphones are insane. You will hear things you don’t normally hear. This is credit to the Denon AH-D1001k drivers that it uses.

Bass- 7.5/10

Bass is closer to the weak side, however changing the EQ settings should solve this problem with minimal distortion.

Mids-8.5/10

Mids are clear and crisp, but not perfect.

Treble- 8/10

The treble is bright and distortion is minimal.

Value-10/10

I got two of these for $109 from the Online Creative store (http://au.store.creative.com/bundle/aurvana-live-twin-pack/700-20978.aspx). They shipped via Singapore post and it only took 3 days. These are an absolute steal for $55 each. They are the best headphones available in the mid range section.

Sony SLT-A35 Unboxing

Unboxing Video of Sony SLT-A35

This isn’t the standard package, I ordered body only and the 18-200mm Tamron lens with the Sony A-mount. I ordered on Sunday from eGlobal, and I received it this morning.

Package For SLT-A35 Includes:

-Camera Body

-Manual

-CD

-Mini USB cable

-Charger

-Battery

-Neck Strap

Package For Tamron 18-200 Lens Includes:

-Lens

-Lens Cap

-Lens Hood

Removing Hot Pixels

I began noticing a red pixel appearing in most of my shots. This made me worried and I started researching the cause and apparently DSLRs will have or eventually develop these hot pixels. They can be of different colors, but mostly will be either red, green or blue. Dead pixels will be usually black. This occurs because of the leakage currents that leak into the sensor. They will be more obvious at higher ISOs and longer exposures, due to the sensor heating up.

To test this, take a photo with the lens cap on, with a high ISO setting and an exposure of longer than 3 seconds. There will be likely colored dots around the photo. I tried this and there were several, white, purple and a red one which was very obvious in photos, especially with astrophotography.

I did more research and some have found success of removing these by having the camera face down, and “Enable Manual Sensor Cleaning” from their camera, which basically just opens the shutter. Technically speaking, this shouldn’t fix any hot pixels but   it seems to have worked for me. The red pixel was gone, but some of the other ones still remain but I’m satisfied because they don’t really affect the pictures that much. Hope this helps you!

I found a video that should be very helpful,

LG Optimus 3D Unboxing

This is one of the 3 3D android smartphones available in the market as of now (the others being the HTC EVO 3D and the Sharp Aquos 3D). The 3D is well implemented but long term use may cause headaches.

The package includes:

• Phone
• Battery
• Headset
• USB Cable
• Charger
• Manual
• Warranty Card

Check out the Unboxing and Gallery below

Canon EOS Rebel T3 Unboxing

This is the unboxing of the Canon 1100D also known as the EOS Rebel T3.

Whats in the Box:

-Manual

-Software CDs

-Battery

-Camera Body

-Lens

-Charger

-Usb Connector

-Camera Strap

1100D With Lens Attached

The package I received came with Non IS 18-55mm lens.

I will eventually follow up with a mini review. Check out the gallery.