The Shure SE846

Shure SE846 Review: Hands-on at CES 2014

What are the Shure SE846?

The Shure SE846 are noise isolating earphones. They're the highest-end earphones we've seen from Shure, costing more than double the amount of the Shure SE535 – themselves highly acclaimed earphones.

They're interesting technically and sound fantastic if you like your music with real bass clout.

Shure SE846 – Design and Features

The Shure SE846 are quad-driver earphones, adding an extra driver from the previous flagship SE535 model. They don't look hugely different from the other top-end Shures, though.

There a bit bulbous, and are designed to be worn over the ear, with a stiffened length of cable up by the join with the earbud. Build quality takes a step up with the SE846, and the earphone aperture is made of metal rather than the usual plastic.

This is really necessary as you're able to take the end of the earpiece off. Like the AKG K3003 and Phonak PFE 112, the Shure SE846 use removable filters that tailor the sound to your taste. You need a little tool to do so, and we wouldn't recommend doing it daily, but it's a neat idea. Shure explained that there are three different filters, and they alter the mid-range response, giving you a balanced, mid-heavy or slightly scooped sound that emphasises the treble and bass a little more.

Like the other high-end Shures, the SE846 cable is removable – a good job given how much these earphones cost.

There's a lot of clever engineering that has gone in these headphones, and Shure shows it off with a clear finish that lets you see the micro driver housings.

Shure SE846 – Sound Quality

Although it's easy to think of the SE846 as merely a four-driver version of the SE535, there's actually some different things going on inside. The output from the bass driver is sent through a maze of tiny little metal holes designed to filter out all the frequencies a bass driver isn't designed to handle – so the bass driver functions much like a hi-fi subwoofer, leaving out the top-end and upper-mid frequencies.

The result is immensely impressive bass. The comparison with a subwoofer is a good one too, as we've rarely heard bass this punchy, this low, this powerful, in a pair of headphones, let alone a pair of IEMs. It's seriously impressive, and is the characteristic that really separates the SE846 from the SE535.

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Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear review

Pros

-Seriously enjoyable sound

-Very comfortable

Cons

-Noisy headband spoils portability

-Design polarises opinion

Key Features: 50mm driver; Removable 3.5mm cable; Handsfree housing

Manufacturer: Griffin Technology

Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear review

What are the Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear?

The Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear are full-size headphones that are topped with wood to give them a look that’s a bit different from the competition. These are not the first wooden headphones Griffin has made – the WoodTones join a few different in-ear pairs.

Great sound and good comfort make them a solid purchase - and great value at the price - although we’re not sure about the look and a weirdly noisy headband ensures they’re not much good for use while out and about.

Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear – Design and Comfort

If you know Griffin, it’s probably for its phone cases or other accessories. However, these  Over-The-Ear WoodTones headphones are not the generic type of cans we often see from accessory makers.

The back of each earcup is topped with wood. We expect it’s a purely aesthetic choice, much as Griffin’s marketing implicitly suggests that it’s responsible for some of the sound’s warmth. You can choose between three finishes – beech, sapele (aboudikro) and walnut.

Although the look has won acclaim elsewhere, we’re not entirely convinced by the slightly IKEA furniture look of the beech sample we’re currently enjoying. However, if you’re reading this you may well be drawn in by the distinctive style of the Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear.

Aside from the wooden parts, they are of a fairly standard design, and not one that’s particularly style-driven. Rectangular cups, a headband exoskeleton that sticks a way above your head and the fairly large size aren’t going to win these WoodTones many fans among the Beats by Dre crowd.

However, they are very comfortable indeed. The plastic (apart from the wood, of course) construction keeps them light, the pads are very soft indeed and we find the auto-adjusting headband particularly comfy.

The headband is a wide strip of fake leather that’s kept taut on your noggin by an elasticated band inside it. As comfy as it is, the headband does introduce a fairly serious problem. It continually readjusts from your movements while walking, and it causes a seriously annoying creaking sound. It’s the headband rubbing against the elasticated band inside. For at-home use it’s no problem, but we don’t recommend the Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear for commuters. It’s a

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Best drum gear 2013

1. Drum kit of the year
DW Design Series £1699

After back-to-back wins for the Black Panther range in our kit of the year category, DW has finally broken Mapex’s dominance.

The Design Series is DW’s latest line of wares that take the company’s boutique approach to creating top quality drums, but these gorgeous shells come with a more wallet-friendly price tag than the US firm’s Collector’s Series. We were wowed by the kit’s superb build quality and stunning sound.

The win is all the more impressive as there were some seriously tasty kits released this year. A particularly honourable mention must go to Sonor’s deliciously dark Prolite kit.

2. Budget drum kit of the year (under £1,000)

Ludwig Questlove Breakbeats Kit £459

Finding a killer kit for under £1,000 is impressive. Getting one with change from £500 is a darn right steal.

Ludwig offered just that this year with the launch of the Breakbeats kit. Designed in conjunction with The Roots’ sticksman Questlove, the diminutive kit was built with ease of transportation in mind, with Questlove wanting a set-up that could easily be shoved in the back of a New York cab on the way to a gig. Don’t worry, it’s also perfect for being lugged into the back of an old Ford KA en route to your local.

We must also doff our hats to the re-launched Pearl Export, which allows drummers to get their hands on an iconic range for sub £700.

3. Electronic drum kit of the year

Yamaha DTX562 £1526

Yamaha treated us with a brace of new e-kits this year, the budget conscious DTX522 and the slightly more bells and whistles-laden DTX562.

Both kits come into Yamaha’s mid-price range, utilising the new DTX502 module. The DTX526K really caught our eye thanks, in part, to the excellent response we got from the kit’s textured cellular silicone playing surfaces and the fact that it’ll all set you back just a whisker over £1,500.

Even better, the new and improved module features more than double the memory and around 250 more sounds than its predecessor.

4. Budget electronic drum kit of the year (under £1,000)

Roland TD-4KP £649

Last year Roland impressed us with the mind-bogglingly pricey TD-30KV, this year we love a kit right at the other end of the spectrum.

The titchy TD-4KP is one hell of an option for newbies, or simply those with

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Best guitar gear 2013

Intro: This year's best

12 months of great guitars, awesome amps and loads more

In many ways, 2013 was the year that those folks that build the planks of wood we spend our lives obsessing over got back to basics.

Take the Cabronita. Fender struck gold with a design that looked like it was sketched on the back of a cigarette packet in 1959, producing a new-old style of guitar that we all wanted and yet was barely a hop, skip and a jump away from existing designs.

So what have we learned? Well, guitarists still like beautifully put together products with a human touch - Gibson Memphis goes from strength to strength for that exact reason. We're all happy to pay big money for an instrument that has that vital mix of sophistication and the ability to rock the world off its axis.

Solid woods put to good use, valve amps that can survive in modern gigging environments and the subtle integration of technical advances into traditional shapes and concepts: that's what we want.

And 2013 has provided. Check out our pick of the best guitar gear of the year, and let us know what we've missed and what your picks of this year's products were on Facebook and Twitter.

We'll see you in 2014 for a whole lot more guitar goodness...

1. Solidbody of the year

Squier Vintage Modified Cabronita Telecaster with Bigsby £346

2013 was the year of the Cabronita. Fender's street-smart, uber-stylish design has been everywhere this year, and has managed to make its way on to almost every guitarist's wish list.

So why are we shouting about a Sqiuer version of the Cabronita? Well, this is a guitar that encompasses everything that the Cabronita does well - the look and that unshakable vibe - plus some extras (that Bigsby), at a price point that almost anybody could afford.

Superficially, the Squier and Fender-badged Cabs look very similar indeed. Unlike the Custom Shop models, there's no relic'ing, no TV Jones pickups and no S-1 switching. Instead, you get one of Fender's own Fideli'Tron pickups - no prizes for guessing from where their inspiration is drawn - and, erm, an extra fret.

2. Semi-acoustic of the year

Guild Starfire IV £1006

Now, we're aware that the Starfire IV has a serious flaw: a bridge that needs pinning. But we forgive it. Why?

Well, it's still a serious

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Spotify review

Pros

-Vibrant social features

-Excellent features

-320kbps streaming

-Exclusive content

Cons

-Clunky web player

-Poor search

-Messy organisation

In Europe at least, Spotify's success has been unparalleled. The service has become a by word for music streaming, and its star has risen fast, taking the subscription music model into the mainstream.

For a few years the lack of competition meant that Spotify's life was relatively easy, and its biggest worries were turning its free users into paid-up Spotify Premium subscribers.

However, things now aren't so simple. The likes of Google Play Music All Access, Napster, Deezer, Xbox Music, Nokia Music and now even Beats Audio muscling in on Spotify's action means life has never been tougher.

But does Spotify still have the advantage over its rivals? Or is the incumbent lagging behind the new pretenders on the streaming scene? Let's take a look.

                                            Create, share and subscribe to playlists

The catalogue

Spotify's 20 million-track catalogue was once the envy of the streaming word, and it still edges the competition.

But line up the main players of Napster and Google Play Music All Access and compare song for song, and you won't find much difference. The selection offered by streaming services is frankly awesome, but Spotify's super strong brand does give it the edge.

In the latest update to the service, it was revealed that Spotify had secured exclusive rights to the catalogue of long-time digital dodgers Led Zepplin. The company also won rights to Metallica and Pink Floyd ahead of its rivals, and shows that being the big player has huge benefits.

Being the big brand also works against them, too. In 2013 Thom Yorke famously pulled his solo work from the service citing poor returns for small bands and artists – but Erazer and Atoms for Peace are still available via Google Play.

It's a tough call but Spotify's catalogue, coupled with its power to win high profile exclusives certainly gives it an advantage over its rivals. But with the line-ups of its rivals looking strong, there's more to a service that just the selection.

                                 The desktop app works well but needs better search features

Desktop app

The premise of

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Best headphones to buy 2014

1. Urbanears Humlan

Brand spanking new ‘phones look great and sound better, hence are idea for musos. Available in a range of colours, there’s a Humlan for every human. The washable parts ensure you can get these dirty, then bung them in the wash and there’ll be right as rain.

Price: £39

2. Focal Spirit One

Clearly not the pair of ‘phones to buy if you’re looking to blend in with the crowd, these are colourful and chunky, really quite chunky. No matter though, the sound is the most important part and they have a real hit of punchy noise, extremely balanced bass and great volume. Another nice touch is that they are foldable, making them nearly in your bag.

Price: £139

2. KEF M500

Boasting highly detailed sound, memory foam constructed ear pads for extra comfort and a design that just reeks of style and sophistication we have to say these cans are easily some of our favourites. The lack of sound leak is also highly welcomed – both by us and others who may wear them.

Price:

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Beats Studio review

Pros

    -Comfortable

    -Mix of noise cancellation and isolation works well

    -Head-hugging look an improvement

Cons

    -Thick sound harms separation

    -Harsh upper mids

Key Features: Active noise cancellation; Folding cups; Removable cable; 20-hour battery; Over-ear design

Manufacturer: Beats by Dr Dre

Beats Studio review

What are the Beats Studio headphones?

The Beats by Dre. Studio have, for years, been the top-end model in the highly-recognisable Beats range. And now they've been given a refresh for 2013 and beyond.

The price hasn't changed, £269.99, and for that you get a pair of great-feeling, good-looking headphones that feature active noise cancellation to make them even more commute-friendly. These are the best-sounding Beats headphones we've tried, too, but as ever with Beats headphones the sound quality doesn't entirely match the price.

Beats Studio - Design and Comfort

Beats by Dre. has simplified the Beats Studio look in this new reincarnation. Where the previous model had cups that stuck out a way from the side of your head, these stick pretty close.

Any design suggestion that these are headphones for the music studio seems to have vanished, besides the name, as the design here is clearly formulated with the commuter in mind. And really, that's no bad thing.

These are reasonably light ANC full-size over-ear headphones that are quite streamlined and classy in their lines, but there are enough loud Beats design inflections to let them sit happily among their brothers.

The trademark mix of black and red colouring is here, along with the classic 'b' Beats signifier on the rear of each cup. Their entire outer part is glossy plastic. It's eye-catching, but doesn't entirely fit with a £270 pair of headphones. And it attracts more fingerprints than a CSI crime scene.

That said, build quality seemed

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Top 10 best Earphones

Call them what you want - in-ears, in-ear-monitors or inter aurals - these tiny earbuds are among the most common gadgets around. The most obvious upgrade for anyone with a smartphone whose bundled in-ears are about as dynamic as George Osborne, a good pair of earbuds can take tunes to a higher level for relatively low spend.

We've included models from across the range of current selling prices, of course, though there are obvious differences. Pricier pairs generally offer more detail, range and bass, and better noise isolation (handy on trains and possibly even planes), though even £50 / US$60 / AU$70 buys a pretty high-end experience.

Almost all now include an in-line remote for tweaking volume, changing tracks and hands-free calling, though most are primed for iOS devices. The remote button sometimes works with Android phones, but the volume keys don't. Almost all models come with a choice of tips, where which one you choose is crucial for sound quality, noise isolation and comfort, so don't be afraid to ditch those default tips.

1. a-JAYS One+ - £40/US$50/AU$60

Tangled earphones are the bane of every commuter's morning, and it's doubtful many of us even get to the bus stop with cables in-situ. Swedish design takes a stab at this ungodly problem with the completely flat cables of the a-JAYS One+, which are also a great value attempt at bringing hands-free options to the wider smartphone community.

Connecting to any brand of phone using a neat L-shaped 3.5mm jack, it's a cinch to operate volume and

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How to choose the right guitar

How to choose the right guitar Part 1

The following key issues are critical in selecting your guitar and even more so if you’re selecting it for your child. As a parent, grandparent or caregiver, you fulfill many important roles in your child’s life. Your gift and provision of music, encouragement and confidence can last a lifetime. Having an appropriately sized and adjusted instrument is the best way to start. Each item below will give you new insight and help guarantee your success in accomplishing your musical desires.

Most importantly, only select a guitar you know is fully inspected and adjusted for easy playability, accuracy in tuning, intonation and tone production.

Many important issues rest on the quality and playability of your instrument. Always get the facts. Ask what has been done to make the instrument easy to play. There is no greater impedance to progress, developing proper technique and the enjoyment of learning to play than a poorly constructed instrument or one that is not correctly set up.

Choose the kind of guitar that interests you the most. This way you will be more motivated to play.

Many people mistakenly purchase an inexpensive acoustic guitar when they may really want an electric guitar. Often they are afraid they or their child will not stick with it. This is almost like buying a guarantee for failure. A cheaply made acoustic guitar will certainly lead you to

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Eminem ft Rihanna The Monster lyric

Eminem featuring Rihanna "The Monster"
Album: The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Released: October 29th 2013
Song Writers:
Marshall Mathers, Bryan Fryzel, Aaron Kleinstub, Robyn Fenty, Jon Bellion & Bebe Rexha
Tempo: 110bpm

Hook (Rihanna)

I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed

Get along with the voices inside of my head

You're trying to save me, stop holdin' your breath

And you think I'm crazy, yeah you think I'm crazy

Verse 1 (Eminem)

I wanted the fame, but not the cover of Newsweek

Oh well, guess beggars can't be choosey

Wanted to receive attention for my music

Wanted to be left alone in public excuse me

For wanting my cake, and eat it too, and wanting it both ways

Fame made me a balloon cause my ego inflated

When I blew see, but it was confusing

Cause all I wanted to do is be the Bruce Lee of loose leaf

Abused ink, used it as a tool when I blew steam

Hit the lottery, oh wee

But with what I gave up to get was bittersweet

It was like winning a used mink

Ironic cause I think I'm getting so huge I need a shrink

I'm beginning to lose sleep: one sheep, two sheep

Going cuckoo and cooky as Kool Keith

But I'm actually weirder than you think cause I'm

Hooks+Bridge (Rihanna)

I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed

Get along with the voices inside of my head

You're trying to save me, stop holdin' your breath

And you think I'm crazy, yeah you think I'm crazy

Well that's not fair (2x)

Verse 2 (Eminem)

Now, I ain't much of a poet but I know somebody

Once told me to seize the moment and don't squander it

Cause you never know when it all could be over tomorrow

So I keep conjuring, sometimes I wonder

Where these thoughts spawn from

(Yeah, pondering'll do you wonders

No wonder you're losing your mind, the way it wanders)

Yodel-odel-ay-hee-hoo

I think you've been wandering off down yonder

And stumbled onto Jeff VanVonderen

Cause I need an interventionist to intervene between me and this monster

And save me from myself and all this conflict

Cause the very thing that I love's killing me and I can't conquer it

My OCD is conking me in the head

Keep knocking, nobody's home, I'm sleepwalking

I'm just relaying what the voice in my head is saying

Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just friends with the

Hooks+Bridge (Rihanna)

I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed

Get along with the voices inside of my head

You're trying to save me, stop holdin' your breath

And you think I'm crazy, yeah you think I'm crazy

Well that's not fair (2x)

Verse 3 (Eminem)

Call me crazy, but I have this vision

One day that I walk amongst you a regular civilian

But until then drums get killed

And I'm coming straight at MCs, blood get spilled

And I take it back to the days that I get on a Dre track

Give every kid who got played at, pumped up feeling

And shit to say back to the kids who play 'em

I ain't here to save the fucking children

But if one kid out of a hundred million

Who are going through a struggle feels and then relates, that's great

It's payback, Russell Wilson falling way back in the draft

Turn nothing into something, still can make that, straw into gold chump

I will spin Rumpelstiltskin in a haystack

Maybe I need a straight jacket face facts, I am nuts for real

But I'm okay with that, it's nothing, I'm still friends with the

(Hook + Bridge)

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Kanye West Performs At Leo Dicaprio's Birthday

Rapper 2 Chainz was also on hand to help the actor celebrate...

16:48, Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Kanye West accompanied by 2 Chainz helped Leonardo Dicaprio celebrate his 39th birthday on Monday night (November 11). 

The rap duo joined the birthday boy’s party at TAO in New York - which was also a fundraiser for the charities supported by the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation – which is reported to have made over $1M.

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Top ten Guitar brands

Music can express those feelings which words can’t, tell those stories which books will never tell and it is because of these mystical powers that music is said to be divine. Music can be in any form, from the chirping of a bird to the prayers of God, all are a part of it. In order to make music, various instruments are being used to produce different – different sounds and one among them is guitar. It is one of the most common instruments which can be used in all genres of music. From acoustic to heavy metal, all the musicians rely on it. The music industry is so versatile that many types of guitars are being required and that is the reason why best guitar brands are fighting it out to provide the most perfect guitars.

There is not a single corner on earth where music is not played, so the competition between the brands is very tough to get into the top 10 guitar brands list. Some brands are using their past laurels to stay in the best guitars brands list while the newer ones are using their exuberance and passionate thinking to top the charts. If you are also looking to strike some chords, then here is a list of top 10 guitar brands, which will rock your world:

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Top ten headphone brands

The journey from a gramophone to the modern day high wattage woofers has been an incredible one. The world came across many devices which can be used to play music, during the course of this transformation. Some of them became a hit while the others faded away with time. It was only during this transition period, inception of headphones took place and the world now just can’t get tired of this. The quality of these gadgets has been increasing with each passing second. Headphones are very much brand oriented, people prefer the well established ones over the budding brands. Therefore the companies can’t put their feet off the gas or else they will perish from the top 10 headphone brands line up.

The best headphone brands are the ones which can give their customers exactly what they want. From customized headphones to the surround sound headphones, all types are produced by most of the top brands. The youth of today loves cool headphones and hence most of the brands are trying to seek their attention by bringing in some unique designs and colors. Following are the top 10 headphone brands which have the power to take you deep inside the song and then get the feel of it:

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Top 10 Best Drumstick brands

1. Vic Firth

2. ProMark

3. Zildjian

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Top 20 Chart Music Uk (updated november)

(Updated November)
uk top 20


20. Juliet
      Lawson

19. What I might do
      Ben Pearce

18. The Fox
      YLVIS

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Your Local EMA Winner Is…

 

One Direction!

The Worldwide Act EMA race is heating up!!! The winners of this year’s local awards have been announced, and now Round 2 is heating up. Your local winner is One Direction! And now it’s time to compete with other artists from the same corner of the world, for the honour of being that area’s nominee for Worldwide Act!

Artists from all over the earth have now gotten their fans’ thumbs-up to advance to Round 2 of the Worldwide Act race … and jockey for their shot to represent their area in the ultimate international fan showdown.

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MTV EMA vote now!

VOTE FOR THE MTV EMA NOW!

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One Direction Story of my life video is finally here!

Finally! story of my life video is here! The band, who have just finished their Take me home tour, debuted the full video on Vevo at 4pm UK time.

The boys brought their family members, including their parents, grandparents and siblings...

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