We’ve heard a lot of people raving about these new noise cancelling headphones from the guys at Goldring, so we thought we’d better get a pair to try out and of course bring you a full review, here’s the lowdown:

The Good

For a start the NS1000’s come with their own case, which is a sturdy oval design with a matt black nylon finish with the usual smart “Goldring” badge on the front. Inside is a soft velvet interior with a snug support to hold the headphones securely and on the other side is a compartment that contains the supplied AAA Energizer battery, gold plated 6.35mm stereo adaptor, gold plated airline stereo adaptor and a gold plated 3.5mm cable.

The NS1000 itself is finished in black and are a classy, understated design. The headband is nicely padded with a “Goldring NS-1000″ emblem emblazened on it, looking further down and the headphone cups, that can be rotated through 90 degrees from the headband, have a “G” emblem finished in shiny silver on them. It is also possible to adjust both sides by movng them up notches, allowing you to find that perfect fit.

Placed on the left ear is a switch to turn on and off the noise cancelling with a small blue LED to indicate which state it’s in, also on the left is the attachment for the 3.5mm cable. While the right hand cup houses the battery, which is much better than having a seperate battery compartment such as those you find on cheap headphones. The whole ensemble including the case it comes in screams of quality.

We tested the sound quality of these headphones in a variety of different circumstances, just normally in the office, in the car and even on the tube and in short they where excellent, easily on par with the pricier Bose QC3’s.

Even without the noise cancelling feature turned on they managed to cut down background noise significantly thanks to the design of the cups that fit over the ear and not on it. But once it is activated it’s like slipping into another world where background noise is elegantly brushed aside, traffic noise, the rumble of a train and air conditioning units are instantly a forgotten memory.

Voices and mid-range frequencies are crisp and clear and music is dynamic and balanced having none of the down sides usually associated with noise cancelling. Bass and treble are both excellent whether the noise cancelling is activated or not.

Comfort is another factor that Goldring have got spot on, both cups are heavily padded and extremely comfortable to wear, as mentioned before they fit over the ear as opposed to on it and because of this there’s no discomfort when wearing for extended periods, we tested them for a good 7 hours straight and they were a joy.

The battery life is also fantastic, working for a good 40 hours before it needs changing, which is more than enough for anyone.

The Bad

In all honesty the Goldring NS1000’s were so good and so comfortable to wear that we have had a hard time trying to see any bad side to them, their overall look may not be to everyones tastes but their performance far outweighs this.

Conclusion

For the money you will not find a better pair of noise cancelling headphones, performance is easily on par with the Bose QC3’s. The represent outstanding value for money and we whole heartedly recommend them, even if you only have a passing interest in noise cancelling headphones then these babys should be at the top of the list.

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I like my music and as a result of this often have music on around the house, so it was great to try out the latest offering from Logitech, the Pure-Fi Anywhere v2. The dock comes in either black or white and is a great set of speakers. The v2 is pretty much the same as it’s predecessor but bow includes iphone support. This is essential for me as it eliminates the need to put the iphone into “airplane” mode when docked meaning you can still receive calls while the iphone is playing.

For the price this dock certainly packs a punch in sound. It has crystal clear sound and a great bass range thanks to its 5.1cm (2″) and 7.6cm (3″) pressure drivers.

The Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere as a rechargeable battery which is a great feature. This battery lasts for a good 10 hours so it can easily be moved from room to room or to the garden and you have ample playing time before it needs to be recharged by simply plugging it back in. There is a nice battery indicator to show you when the charge is low.

There is a wireless remote which allows you to control the Pure-Fi Anywhere and control certain features on the iphone / ipod. There is also easy access to shuffle and repeat options which are nice features. The system comes with an array of inserts to handle each ipod device in the range.

Also nice is a travel case to hold the speaker, remote and AC adapter which make it easy to transport if you are going on holiday or want to take just your speakers out for the day and use the rechargeable battery.

The Good
Looks good with a nice slim, stylish design. They are solid speakers and for their size certainly produce good sound. We love the fact that these are now iphone compatible.

The Bad
There are not extra inputs or outputs but to be honest you are buying this for use with the iphone / ipod so what more do you need really.

Conclusion
Great product again from Logitech. You can rely on their quality to bring you a great sound from a small system. I love the rechargeable battery. Makes it ideal for moving into the garden for those upcoming BBQ’s in the summer, please let us have a decent summer! Also easy to move to a different room for a while if need be. Also the fact this v2 is compatible with the iphone means I can now receive calls while playing music and just pick it off the dock to answer them. All in all a great product.

Related posts:

1. Logitech Squeezebox Radio
2. Klipsch iGroove iPod Speaker System
3. Klipsch iGroove SXT WWI iPod Speaker System

The iRiver B30 brings you all the features you need from an MP3 Player plus more. Now it’s pushing technology to the next level and included a DAB+ radio. This is the first portable MP3 Player available from iRiver including this great feature. Our Spys have sourced that DAB services is fast growing in Europe and will soon become available in the UK.

The B30 was recently featured in channel 5’s Gagdet show and was awarded with 4 G’s. Reviewed by Musician and popstar Jamie Cullum when comparing with the iPod Nano Gen 5, “That sounds immediately better, you’ve got much more of a sense of stereo, you could pick out the instruments. I would say the sound quality of that is 50-60 percent better!!”. With Gadget Show presenter Jon Bentley proclaiming, “It sounds brilliant, and that makes it the clear winner in this test”.

Available in both 8GB or 16GB capacity models, you can keep all the music and movies you need with you.

With a huge range of music formats catered for including; MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, OGG, ASF, FLAC, and APE. And an equally impressive video codec playback list including; AVI, WMV and MP4 files, the B30 is a great all round MP3 player.

Features:
* DAB radio playback and recording
* Touch buttons with feedback
* Huge range of music and video codecs supported
* Expandable memory with MicroSD cards
* Shake to change songs

The Good
Excellent quality sound from the DAB radio, Easy to use menu & great display with a huge range of music and video formats supported. Can add additional memory with the expandable MicroSD cards. Also features a recording function which is great if you want to play back from your favourite radio station on your way home from work.

The Bad
Is not an iPod Touch so no touch screen controls, although this can be annoying for some people. Some reports have been due to problems recording specific DAB channels but this may be due to a problem with the reception so not really a fault of the iRiver B30.

Verdict
If you are looking for near perfect sound quality and you are seriously into your music then this is one of the best MP3 players on the market for the money. If you are into your stylish and follow the trend you’ll probably still want to go with Apples iPod Nano, although the iRiver design is quite stylish in our opinion.

If you are not too worried about the amount of memory storage then check out the prices below for the iRiver B30 8GB DAB MP3 Player

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Our Spys never sleep here at GizmoSpy as we are always on the lookout for the latest gadgets. The Sound Asleep Pillow with MP3 player connection solves a problem for those that love to listen to music in bed and end up falling asleep with there headphones in and this can be very uncomfortable. With its built in speaker you can drift off to sleep whilst still not disturbing others.

The Good

The Sound Asleep Pillow as featured on Five’s The Gadget Show is as comfy as normal pillows with soft hollow fibre filling you literally cannot feel the speaker in side. It is more comfortable than using headphones, allowing you to drift off to your favourite tunes and not be woken up later by the noise of your stereo. There is a number of other uses such as listening to audio books, learning a foreign language, or just listening to relaxing sounds to help relax your mind if you find you’re having a stressful day. It’s also ideal to take on long journeys for a comfortable source of entertainment whilst you’re in the car train or plane and other passengers will not be disturbed.

The Bad
Not suitable for washing because of the built-in speaker. So maybe you will require a pillow protector but this could block out some of the sound quality. Requires that you have a 3.5mm stereo plug to connect to your MP3 player. Most players do have this connection or extra cables can be brought to accommodate this.

Verdict

When our Spys do finally get some rest we think this would be a nice gift to help them relax from a hard day researching the latest gadgets, and I know what you’re thinking, you have a cushy job working with the latest technology…well yes but we still need some rest!!

UPDATE – Our Spys have just seen another very similar product but the pillow is made of memory foam. The foam has small holes which help circulate air and improve the sound quality. The pillow moulds to the natural body shape. A little more expensive but maybe a little more comfortable.

Related posts:

1. Klipsch iGroove iPod Speaker System
2. Goldring NS1000

Want to listen to global music stations or stream your MP3 files to any room in the house? Simple with the Logitech Squeezebox Radio. The Logitech Squeezebox Radio uses your home WiFi network to connect tot he Internet so you can listen to any internet radio station in the world or use online services like Last.fm. All you have to do is plug it in and turn the dial to connect to the radio station of your choice.

There is also a colour screen to display album art, track and station information, visualisers, photo screen savers and more. You can easily browse through a list of stations or your favourite albums artwork. If you are using the Logitech Squeezebox Radio in the bedroom there is a great auto-dim feature which dims the display once the light is turned out. There are also six pre-set buttons so you can have your favourite stations and services at your fingertips.

You also get free SqueezeNetwork for direct access to a world of Internet stations and music services. With so many Internet stations and music services, the choices can be daunting. That’s why Logitech created the SqueezeNetwork. It’s an online service that organizes a world of music, so it’s very easy to access the stations, artists and services that match your tastes. Sign up for free and get connected right on your Squeezebox Radio. You can even connect your iPod or MP3 player directly.

Discovered a new band or great new track. You can tell your friends about it instantly via Facebook on the Squeezebox Radio. You can display you Facebook homepage or have your Facebook photos as a screensaver.

To setup you just plug the box in, turn it on and it will detect your WiFi connection. Once done away you go. You can also use the built in Ethernet port to setup as well.

There is an alarm function so you can wake up to you favourite radio station or your favourite music. You can even set a different alarm or station for each day of the week.

The Good
The style is so simple, then you switch it on, easy to use functions, and endless supply of various stations all over the world, truly brilliant quality and basic user friendly buttons. The alarm function and auto dim are great making it ideal for a bedside table. The screen is great for displaying your album covers or your facebook photos.

The Bad
At the moment this is mains only. At the time of writing the remote and battery pack are an extra accessory and as yet are not available.

Specification
Audio Formats
- MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Apple Lossless
- Other formats supported through transcoding
- Some formats may require additional software installation

Internet radio
- Support for MP3, Ogg Vorbis, AAC and WMA formatted Internet radio streams

Wireless interface
- Built-in 802.11g (802.11n and 802.11b compatible) wireless
- One-touch setup (with compatible WPS-supporting routers)
- Supports WPA Personal, WPA2-AES, and 64/128-bit WEP encryption

Ethernet interface
- Connects to any 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network (with Auto MDX)

General
- 6.1-cm (2.4-inch) 24-bit colour LCD
- Ambient light sensor to adjust display brightness according to environment
- 6 preset buttons allow one touch access to favourite radio stations and playlists
- Alarm clock with 7 days of settings
- Line-in via 3.5 mm stereo jack

Speakers and amplifier
- ¾-inch high-definition, soft-dome tweeter and 3-inch high-power, long-throw woofer
- Bi-amplified class D design with digital electronic crossover
- 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack

Additional options available
- Rechargeable battery pack
- Infrared remote

Part of the Squeezebox family
- Works with all Squeezebox products for whole home audio

Dimensions (H x W x D):
- 13 cm (5.12 inches) by 22 cm (8.66 inches) by 8.5 cm (5.04 inches)
- From front edge of knob to peak of curve on back surface

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Since releasing the Klipsch SXT back in 2007, Klipsch have been renowned for their great design in speaker systems for the iPod range. Now with the updated Klipsch iGroove SXT WWI they have really got a speaker system compatible with all the latest iPods and iPhones. The WWI has a firmware update from the previous models which lets iPhones know that the product is a compatible device and therefore you will be able to charge the latest 3Gs without it saying it is an incompatible device. Klipsch have added a 1000mA rapid charge circuit to the system, so you can quickly recharge your iPod or iPhone.

The Klipsch iGroove SXT offers exclusive Klipsch horn technology and bi-amplification for which means class-leading high-frequency clarity and bass performance. The design and technology is everything you would expect from Klipsch speakers, Its sleek and elegant and high performing making the most of all the power, detail and emotion of your music on your iPhone or iPod. The Klipsch iGroove SXT WWI has also been updated with bi-amplification and active crossovers.

Now you can Dock, charge and play iPhone and iPod in any mode and without any interference. You no longer have to switch the iPhone into Airplane mode to eliminate some interference as with its predecessors. The SXT WWI comes with a wireless IR remote as before and can be connected to a TV/Monitor to view video content via a S-Video output. Also on this speaker system is an alarm clock with instant wake functionality.

The Good
The SXT WWI is great now that it is fully compatible with the latest iPod and iPhone range. This makes it an excellent speaker system for any room and you expect the usual high quality sound that is synonymous with Klipsch products before it. The iGroove SXT is now bi-amplified, which means each driver is individually amplified, a feature that virtually eliminates distortion and significantly improves sonic performance.

The Bad
To be honest we can’t actually think of any bad points. Klipsch have ironed out the compatibility problems which were the only previous bad points.

Conclusion
Klipsch have done it again. We love this speaker system. The sound and performance is second to none in its class of quality iPod and iPhone speakers. We have literally been dancing to the beat of this great product.

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1. Klipsch iGroove iPod Speaker System
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Klipsch are a well respected brand in speaker systems and this iGroove product is a fantastic speaker unit packing a good punch in the speaker market. It’s stylish look and design and audio quality make it ideal for any living room. The iGroove plays all the dockable iPods and iPhones including the 5th generation Nano, the 3rd generation Touch as well as the iPhone 3G / 3Gs. It also comes with a neat cradle allowing you to play any MP3 player through a connection to the headphone socket.

The iGroove comes with a neat remote control allowing you to control the speakers and limited control to the iPod. The iGroove is a true two-way audio setup, featuring dual 2.5-inch fiber-composite woofers in a ported enclosure, dual 1-inch MicroTractrix Horn-loaded tweeters and a built-in iPod dock. To ensure an optimal and precise dispersion pattern, the exclusive MicroTractrix Horns are formed into the speaker baffle, a design that offers the lowest diffraction and maximum release of energy into the listening area. The iGroove is nicely curved to complete the stylish look. On the base unit are a volume control and the power button.

The Good
Having tested this out we found that the sounds was indeed excellent from this set of speakers. The sound more than filled a decent sized room and would be ideal for listening to at home or for parties at home or in a hall. We have used it for home listening and a party and it more than copes with both. At home we have 2 Nano’s and an iPhone and it’s great to be able to easily plug any device in and play the contents.

The Bad
We did find that our model would not charge the latest iPod nano (5th generation) or an iPhone 3Gs but this wasn’t a problem if you have enough charge in the iPod or iPhone at the time of playing.

Conclusion
Our overall satisfaction levels were high with this product. A good set of speakers for the home and they look stylish on any sideboard. They pack some power which is great for parties.

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3. Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere v2

Still got some classic tracks hanging around in the loft or dusty cupboard that you keep thinking ‘it would be great to have that collection on my Ipod or MP3 player’ or your partner is nagging you to get rid of that box with all those tapes saying ‘you’ll never use them again’. Well get yourself an audio converter, burn your old tracks, save money and shut the misses up at the same time!

The cassette tape was replaced by CD or compact disc and then went to MP3 and this has transformed the music industry. We think MP3 will be around for some time.

Replacing the music you already own on tape and vinyl with Cd’s so that you can get these on your computer and mp3 players can be both expensive and a waste of time. Well there is a solution and we here at GizmoSpy have sourced the best buys for Tape Converters.

Browse the selection of affordable high quality best selling Tape Converters below:

ION USB Tape Express cassette player

The ION USB Tape Express cassette player is a portable Tape to MP3 Converter that will allow you to convert all your old cassette tapes into MP3 format with ease. The Plug n Play USB device makes it easy to install on any computer and no device drivers required. It runs off USB and can be charged from the USB port so only the 1 cable to carry around. Comes packed with EZ Tape Converter software.

DJ-Tech Record-2-iPod Audio Converter

The Record-2-Ipod is another product that allows you to convert from tape  to Ipod but also from vinyl. The benefit of this one is you don’t need to use a computer, your old favourites can be transferred direct to your Ipod. This product also features the ability to record from your Microphone, Keyboard, Guitar or any other musical instrument that has a jack then transfer straight to your Ipod too.

The DJ-Tech Record-2-Ipod is so easy to use, simply connect to the music source you wish to record, dock your Ipod then press record to transfer your tunes to your Ipod. You can then sync up the songs on your Ipod to Itunes when you next connect up to your PC.

Ion Tape2pc USB Dual Cassette Deck

Got a load of old tapes that you want to transfer quickly to MP3, then the Tape2PC USB Dual Tape Deck is a great choice. Simply plug and play using the USB port, install the free software and being converting without the need for any drivers.
Features both Metal and Cr02 tape selector, Dual dubbing cassette deck, copying from tape to tape, compatible with both PC and Apple Macs.
There is automatic track sensing so you don’t have to sit by your PC when downloading tapes. It even uses Gracenote to find track titles for you.

There are other products but we have listed those products that our Spys have been out and tested. We think these are the top 3 Tape to Mp3 converters currently available.

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Here at GizmoSpy we love all things cute and this iPig sure is that. However don’t be fooled by it’s cute appearance as this speaker system sure packs some punch in the speaker market. We bought one of these for my daughters bedroom and with the wide range of colours it will suit lots of places. We got a pink one (being a girl my daughter loves pink) to go with her pink iPod nano and she absolutely loves it.

The Amethyst iPig combines quality, performance, compatibility and unique pig shaped style into one compact iPod docking station. It has 5 speakers pumping out a good 25 watts of premium sound despite its small size. This is enough to fill any reasonably sized room. The design on the iPig is fantastic. It’s mouth lights up and flashed when commands are received from the remote control. It’s ears act as touch sensitive volume controls and the remote control is very handy. The iPig also charges some iPod devices as well.

Specification

• High Quality Sound
• 4 speakers, a 4″ sub woofer and 25 watts of powerful sound
• Adjustable Bass Control with Bass Reflex Technology
• 360 Degree Sound Distribution
• Onboard Hi-Fi amplifier, dynamic airflow optimizer, interior dynamic cooling exchange and high sound stabilization to produce a clear powerful sound
• Extensive Compatibility
• iPod dock with various included cradles, standard auxiliary 3.5 mm input jack providing connectivity to most portable and non portable audio players, gaming consoles, mobile gaming devices, cellular phones, desktop PCs, laptops and various other devices
• Unparalleled Design Elements
• Patented volume control by touching the left and right ears
• The iPig’s small footprint easily masks itself as a decorative piece and includes rubberised feet to prevent rattling
• The smiley mouth lights up when the iPig is powered on and blinks when receives commands from the remote
• As GREEN and RoHS product, the iPig efficiently utilizes minimal energy and is designed using environmentally friendly components and non-hazardous materials
• Remote Control complete with audio controls as well as iPod menu functionality.

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