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You are here: Home / 2017 / Archives for January 2017

Archives for January 2017

Introducing the Mezco One 12 Harley Quinn Action Figure

01/31/2017 By Hakan Can

Mezco One 12 Harley Quinn Action Figure

Mezco Toyz Introduces their One:12 Collective Harley Quinn Action Figure for 2017

Available for shipment in Q2 2017 comes the latest creation from the folks at Mezco Toyz — the One:12 Collective Harley Quinn action figure. Suicide Squad’s Harley Quinn is the newest DC Universe character to be added to their roster of deluxe figures.

Per the release, “Straight from the DC Comic’s blockbuster movie Suicide Squad comes Harley Quinn, the deranged and extremely dangerous poster girl formally known as Dr. Harleen Quinzel; now villainess girlfriend to the psychotic Joker. Debuting our premiere female body, the One:12 Collective captures every aspect of Margot Robbie’s celebrated portrayal of the dangerously unpredictable Harley Quinn, crafted with detailing and outfitting never seen before at this scale.”

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Should you happen to be attending Toy Fair NY this February, head over the the Mezco Toyz booth and check out their current and future line of figures and dolls. You won’t be disappointed. Scheduled for shipment on June 1st, pricing is set at $75 per unit + freight. Figures are deliverable only within the USA.

Read:   Introducing the Mezco One 12 Deadpool Action Figure

One:12 Collective Harley Quinn

Exclusive
• Three (3) newly developed head portraits including standard, laughing, and bubble gum popping portraits
• Over 30 points of articulation
• Hand painted authentic detailing
• Over 16 cm tall

Features
• Five (5) pairs of interchangeable hands including:
• One (1) pair of posing hands (Left & Right)
• One (1) pair of baseball bat holding hands (Left & Right)
• One (1) gun holding hand (Right)

[envira-gallery id=”7273″]
Read:   Mr. Robot Season 2 Release Date Announced for DVD/Blu-ray

Costume and Accessories

Costume
• Choke collar
• Four (4) spiked bracelets
• Satin “Property Of Joker” jacket
• “Daddy’s Little Monster” t-shirt
• Red and blue hot pants
• Harness/underarm holster
• Fully loaded studded belt
• Haute couture boots

Accessories
• One (1) baseball hat
• One (1) revolver (fits in shoulder holster)
• One (1) One:12 Collective display base with logo
• One (1) One:12 Collective adjustable display post

Harley Quinn figure 2017

Read:   Silicon Valley Season 3 Release Date Announced for Digital HD

The Wrap

Per Mezco Toyz, “each figure is packaged in a deluxe, collector friendly box designed with collectors in mind.”

If you’re a collector of deluxe action figures or a fan of Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s evil persona, this Mezco One 12 Harley Quinn action figure is perfect for you. Don’t hesitate to check out the Mezco Toyz DC Universe page to see the latest DC Comics character announcements.

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FTC Disclosure: This writer is not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Mezco Toyz © 2017.

Read:   Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

Filed Under: Toying Around Tagged With: Action Figure, DC Universe, Harley Quinn, Mezco Toyz, Suicide Squad, Toy Fair NY 03/03/2017

Moshi Mythro Air Earphones Review

01/27/2017 By Hakan Can

Moshi Mythro Air earphones review

Lightweight, Modern, and Bluetooth–Moshi Mythro Air

Selecting a pair of headphones or earphones has never been easy. With dozens of brands out there and even more models introduced year after year, the buyer’s journey has become most difficult as of late. Hopefully, we at Beantown can ease your journey by putting forth quality reviews from respected brands. So without further adieu, let’s take a closer look in this Moshi Mythro Air earphones review.

Moshi Mythro Air earphones review

Pros:
• Modern look and lightweight design
• Highly comfortable fit
• Very good sound reproduction
• Affordably priced ~ $70

Cons:
• No wall outlet plug included
• No carry pouch included

Read:   Moshi Avanti Headphones Review

Moshi Mythro Air Earphones Review – Modern Design

The design of the Mythro Air earphones is one which is lightweight, compact, and easy to operate.

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to hold the Mythro Air, you’ll immediately notice how light the earphones are. They weigh in at a minuscule 0.59 ounce. This light weight is due in part to its aluminum housing. Not only is this lighter than what you’re currently using, but soon after wearing them, you won’t even feel them in your ears. You’ll only notice the music.

These earphones come in three attractive colors: Jet Silver, Gunmetal Gray, and Burgundy Red. We had the pleasure of receiving a Burgundy Red sample for this review. When you pair the Mythro Air to your mobile device, the latter recognizes the color of the earphones. Let’s say you have two pairs of Mythro Air earphones; one is Burgundy Red, the other is Jet Silver. Your mobile device will list both colors and recognize them as individual devices.

The 5 Things You Need To Know for Operating the Mythro Air

  1. To power on the Mythro Air, press and hold the (single) button until the blue light appears. It will only take a few seconds for it to appear.
  2. To power off the Mythro Air, press and hold the (single) button until the red light appears. Again, it will only take a few seconds for it to appear.
  3. To pair the Mythro Air to your mobile device, hold the (single) button until the blinking blue light appears. It will take about 5 seconds for it to appear. Then head to the Bluetooth Settings on your mobile device and pair the earphones.
  4. On the volume controls, volume up and down is controlled by pressing the upper and lower silver tabs. The center tab controls answering calls, playing or pausing the track, and forwarding and reversing the track.
  5. Play time lasts for 8 hours at 50% volume with a 100 hour standby time. Charging the earphones takes approximately 2 hours. You’ll notice a pulsing red light while charging.

Moshi Mythro Air earphones review

You’ve got to appreciate a pair of earphones (or headphones) when there’s little that you need to know for proper operation. It couldn’t be simpler.

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Specifications

• Sound Pressure Level: 100 ± 3db @ 1kHz
• Driver Diameter: 8mm w/neodymium magnet
• Noise Isolation: Up to 23db
• Impedance: 18 Ω
• In-Line Control: 3-button controls w/mic
• Range: 30 feet

• Earphone Frequency Response: 15Hz – 20kHz
• Microphone Sensitivity: -39db
• Battery: 100mAh lithium-polymer
• Play Time: 8 Hours
• Charging Time: 2 Hours
• Weight: 17 grams (0.59 ounce)

Package Contents:
• Bluetooth 4.1 Earphones
• 3 Pair Silicone Ear tips (S, M, L)

• Magnetic Clip
• 19″ Micro USB Charging Cable
• Quick Start Guide

Audio Performance

Amazon Music Playlist:
• Lady Gaga – Born This Way
• Lana Del Rey – Born To Die, Paradise
• Emeli Sandé – Our Version of Events

• Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
• John Coltrane – The Ultimate Blue Train
• 30 Seconds To Mars – 30 Seconds To Mars
• Muse – Absolution

Per Michael Leonhard, President of Moshi, “Mythro Air and Vortex Air are designed to deliver the ideal Bluetooth audio experience for the everyday commuter and traveler. Compact and light, our new Bluetooth audio lines are built with sound quality, ergonomics and battery life in mind to provide a pristine audio experience.”

As we often state when reviewing earphones, the most important performance factor is the quality of sound. I tested the Mythro Air with a broad range of music per the list above. I also tested it against a two other Bluetooth earphones selected from my collection. It should be noted these earphones are not rated for high-resolution audio.

Moshi Mythro Air earphones review

Like the Moshi Avanti headphones, the sound across the 15Hz – 20kHz spectrum was rather good. The earphones were more impressive when I factored the $70 retail price into consideration.

Before I began testing the earphones against the playlist, I would never have guessed that the rock music would perform best. The playback of both Muse and 30 Seconds To Mars was incredible and far outperformed my expectations. The guitar work and vocals kept me fully engaged. I now know what my go-to Bluetooth earphones are when listening to these artists. I can only imagine how much better they would sound if I had accessed an equalizer.

The vocals of all the female artists were sharp and vivid. It’s fair to say the vocals of Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga were more vivid than anticipated. Bass guitar and lower frequency percussion reproduction, i.e. bass drum, while quite evident, was not as pronounced or defined as I would have liked. The bass sounds appeared to have been stretched out and lessened a bit across the low-frequency range. String work throughout a song like LDR’s Blue Velvet was spot on. Instrument sounds such as trumpet and John Coltrane’s saxophone were good but needed more punch.

Competition

The Mythro Air outperformed the twice more expensive Monster iSport SuperSlim Wireless Bluetooth In-Ear Sport Headphones by a wide margin in terms of sound quality and battery life. Comfort level was about even. Against the $50 more expensive Decibullz Custom-Fit Bluetooth Wireless Earphones, the story is a bit different. Decibullz are custom molded earphones, so the fit should be perfect for all users. With regard to sound, I performed a head-to-head / song-by-song comparison with Ellie Goulding’s Halcyon. While the music sounded good with Decibullz, when compared to the Mythro Air, the former appeared muted. It’s as if there was a physical impediment placed on the music by the sound engineers.

Overall, the pros far outweighed the cons in the audio quality portion of my tests. The Mythro Air outperformed more expensive Bluetooth earphones from Monster and Decibullz.

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Moshi Apps

Burn-In Tool App

Moshi takes the earphones/headphones market with a high level of seriousness, so much so that they offer an app which assists with the burn in of their products. The app simply called Burn-in Tool is available via Apple’s iTunes and Google Play Store. We’ve sampled dozens of earphones and have never seen any of these established brands offer such a tool. The closest app that comes to mind is Captune by Sennheiser, but it’s quite different than Moshi’s Burn-in Tool.

I used an Android-based Motorola Moto X Pure mobile phone and had no issue with the app. The one thing I will say about Burn-in Tool is the sound pattern is quite annoying and not meant for your ears. If you plan to use Burn-in Tool, I highly recommend you place your mobile phone and earphones in some other room, close the door, and let them do their thing for at least four hours. If you need your phone at some point, you can always pause the sound pattern and complete the task later.

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Bluetooth Audio App

Currently available only on Apple’s iTunes, Moshi offers its Bluetooth Audio app. This app provides customized support for Moshi’s Mythro Air and Vortex Air earphones. According to Moshi, this app allows for the following:

  • Use their proprietary DJ4two™ functionality that lets your friend listen to the same music you’re listening to so you can enjoy your commuting and traveling together.
  • Lets you adjust and save your preferred equalizer settings for a truly customized listening experience.
  • It provides battery level status so know how much power is left in your Bluetooth headset.
  • Lets you set the alarm when the battery life is low, lets you change your headset’s device name, enables auto power-off, and shows a list of accessories that are currently paired.
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Conclusion

In my testing, the Mythro Air earphones from Moshi performed admirably. The production of strong, clear vocals was a breeze for the Mythro Air, while bass fell a bit short of expectations. Other sounds held their own.

Moshi Mythro Air earphones review

These aren’t sport earphones, so I don’t recommend them while jogging. Even with the handy magnetic clip, the ear tips are likely to fall out your ears from the constant movement. From first-hand experience, there’s no issue when used during weight training. And sound isolation from your surroundings is excellent.

The earphones are quite comfortable even after a few hours of continuous listening. As mentioned above, you won’t notice they’re in your ears after a short while. You can thank a minimalist design approach for this. At $70, the Mythro Air earphones are well-priced in the marketplace.

Have you tried Moshi’s Mythro Air earphones? Do you agree or disagree with our analysis? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Moshi’s Press Page to see their latest announcements. The Mythro Air earphones come with a one-year limited end-user warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Moshi provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Mythro Air Burgundy Red earphones sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC © 2017.

Read:   Libratone One Click Speaker Review

Filed Under: Headphones Tagged With: bluetooth, headphones, In-Ear Headphones, Moshi, Mythro Air 01/30/2017

Gaming: Plantronics RIG FLEX LX Headset Review

01/01/2017 By Zach Can

Plantronics RIG FLEX LX headset review

Plantronics RIG FLEX LX Headset Review

Plantronics has been on a roll in 2016 releasing gaming headsets in their popular and ever-expanding RIG series. Now, it’s 2017 and one wonders what they have in store next. Recently, I had the opportunity to test this Xbox One headset. Does the RIG FLEX LX hold up as superior to the previously reviewed RIG 400HX? Let’s take a closer look in this Plantronics RIG FLEX LX headset review.

Plantronics RIG FLEX LX headset review

Pros:
• Modern, lightweight design
• Soft earcups
• 40mm dynamic drivers
• Excellent stereo sound reproduction
• Three different audio modes

Cons:
• No surround sound capability
• Headband could use more padding
• Boom mic is not adjustable

Read:   Gaming: Plantronics RIG 400HX Headset Review

RIG FLEX LX Design, Features, and Fit

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The RIG FLEX LX is a big step up from your Average Joe gaming headset.

Like the RIG 400HX, it was developed primarily for use with Microsoft’s Xbox One. With most of its components being plastic, the FLEX LX is much lighter when compared to other headphones within their category. The ear cups have been made larger, so there isn’t a problem with them fitting over your ears. Speaking of the ear cups, these one aren’t quite as soft as those on the RIG 400HX. Additionally, the headband lacks the memory foam, and there’s less memory foam or none at all within the ear cups. The ear pads don’t feel like their made from memory foam. They remain quite soft and won’t bother you during extended use. When comparing the two RIG headsets, the headband’s differences in comfort level is slightly noticeable.

One unique feature is how the cable is connected to the microphone only, meaning the microphone has to be always in to use the headphones. The microphone connects to the back of the headset which is an interesting design choice. The ear cups rotate and are adjusted using a slider system instead of the modular design of the RIG 400HX.

The real bread and butter of this headset is the advanced stereo adapter it comes with, allowing for on-the-fly volume control for a game and chat audio with a dual analog wheel design allowing for complete control of the volume. It has two modes “Balance” and “Independent.” Balance allows the main wheel to control game volume and the secondary wheel controlling how loud chat volume is over the game volume. In Independent mode, the main wheel controls the game volume, and the secondary wheel controls chat volume. The stereo adapter also has a microphone mute button and three different audio modes “Pure,” “Intensify,” and “Seismic.” Pure mode is a completely balanced audio mode allowing for complete immersion into the game. The Intensify mode boosts your teammate’s chat allowing you to hear them more clearly. Finally, the Seismic mode is the bass booster. Anything in the low-frequency range is raised giving a real cinematic feel to games.

The RIG FLEX LX has an advanced stereo adapter for Xbox One with features such as volume control and microphone mute. The headset without Xbox One still has efficient noise canceling and 40mm dynamic sound drivers. It has an overall weight of 10.5 ounces.

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The ear cups have a very simplistic slick black design matching the tone of the Xbox One. The ear cups are not detachable like those on the RIG 400HX. As I mentioned before, the headphones have only one cable on the microphone which you must plug into the headset to use them.

The microphone is attachable but not adjustable. The cord is pretty long coming over 5′ long, unlike the shorter RIG 400HX cord.

Read:   HyperX Cloud Revolver Headset Review

Specifications

• Sound Pressure Level: 90dB SPL/mW
• Driver Diameter: 40 mm w/neodymium magnets
• Type: Circumaural, open back
• Impedance: 32 Ω
• Cable Length: 1.3 meters
• Input Power: 40mW rated

• Headphone Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Microphone Frequency Response: 100Hz – 10kHz
• Microphone Pick Up Pattern: Unidirectional, NC
• Microphone Sensitivity: -111dB SPL/V
• Total Harmonic Distortion: ≤1%
• Weight: 300 grams

Within the packaging comes the RIG FLEX LX headset, the advanced audio adapter, cable and boom mic.

Plantronics RIG FLEX LX headset review

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Overall Performance and Final Thoughts

For a higher-level product, the Plantronics RIG FLEX LX is superior to the RIG400HX even if it isn’t 100% as comfortable as the latter. The RIG FLEX LX  gaming headset has good sound quality on each audio setting. When it comes to gaming headsets, there are plenty of things to remember when making comparisons. Be careful when comparing this higher-level gaming headset to ones that are two, three, or greater times the price. It’s not always an apple-to-apple comparison in the higher-level gaming headset market. There can be numerous reasons why other brands’ gaming headsets list for $250 or more.

The main takeaway here is the RIG FLEX LX does a terrific job at being a higher grade pair of gaming headphones while still retaining a low price. Currently, the Plantronics RIG FLEX LX gaming headset goes for $59.99 at Newegg. There’s a less expensive version without the advanced audio adapter for $29.99 at Newegg. The highly-rated, special edition version RIG FLEX LX SE headset is currently priced for $79.99 at Newegg.

At these prices, and with the great features such as stereo audio, and three different audio settings, what’s not to love?

If you just took a $300+ attack to your wallet from purchasing a new Xbox One S and need a comfortable headset to game for hours, then the Plantronics RIG FLEX LX may be just what you’re looking for. This 40mm-driven gaming headset with a $129 list price is worth a long look.

Plantronics RIG FLEX LX headset review

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The Plantronics RIG FLEX LX gaming headset come with a one-year limited warranty.

Have you tried the RIG FLEX LX headset? Do you agree (or disagree) with any part of this Plantronics RIG FLEX LX headset review? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. I’m eager to hear your thoughts.

Feel free to follow Plantronics on Twitter and Facebook as well as this very blog on Twitter and Facebook. And don’t hesitate to head over to the Plantronics Gaming website to see their latest gaming gear.

FTC Disclosure: Plantronics did not provide Beantown LLC with a headset sample. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Editor’s Note: My nephew (the author/reviewer) and his younger sibling (see images) liked this gaming headset so much that it’s highly unlikely that I’ll ever see them in my home again.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC © 2017.

Read:   Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Filed Under: Gaming Hardware, Headphones Tagged With: gaming headphones, gaming headset, Plantronics, RIG FLEX LX, Xbox One 02/04/2017

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