Edifier Soundbar USB Review

Rating: 8/10

Best Price:  £39.99 here.

Pros	Cons
+ Nice aluminium finish	-      Overly complicated volume control
+ Keeps wires to a minimum

What it does: The Soundbar is an all in one micro speaker powered by USB with full audio streaming capability designed to sit on your laptop just in front of your screen.  

First Impressions:

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            Ease of use – Set up is easy, just plug in and play. However the volume control is overcomplicated. The volume is controlled by a button on the side of the bar. To turn down the volume you have to hold the button down and to turn it up you have to push it multiple times. It would be simpler surely to have the same button but make it twist like a conventional volume dial.

-          Design – The Soundbar is cased in elegant brushed aluminium with a sleek and slim design.

-         Sound Quality – Good for its size, but don’t expect any great depth or breadth of sound from such a small system. Listen to a recording of the sound bar here.

What’s in the box:

-         Soundbar

-         USB Connector

-         Aux Cable

-         Carry Pouch

-         Manual

Tech Specs: - Speaker Dimensions (W x H x D): 261mm x 36mm x 44mm

-         Full specs here.

Conclusion:

A nice looking micro speaker system ideal for those times when you are watching films away from your desk and need to boost the usually pitiful volume of your laptops inbuilt speakers.

Jay Bird Sports Band Headset Review

Rating: 7/10

Best Price: £34.95 here.

Pros	Cons
+ No wires	-      Instructions could be clearer
+ Good quality sound for a reasonable price.	-      Hard to use the controls while running

What it does: Wireless Bluetooth headphones perfect for running, cycling, etc.

First Impressions:

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     Ease of use – The instruction manual could use a bit more than pictures, but once you have connected your iPod to the headphones operation is very self explanatory. The main trouble is trying to use the controls on the side of the headphones whilst running.

-         Design – A nice look with a plethora of colour schemes to choose from. And nice attention to detail mirroring the button configuration in the other ear to keep its symmetry.

-         Sound Quality – Impressive quality sound for inexpensive headphones.

What’s in the box:

-         Headphones

-         USB Charger

-         Manual

-         Spare Ear Guards

Tech Specs: Full specs here.

Conclusion: A good solution to the problem with wired headphones when you are doing exercise for a good price. However the short fall with the device is that when running it’s fairly hard to use the controls without stopping.