Thursday, June 23, 2011

Casio G-Shock X-Large Series Watches now at Noisy Motel

Noisy Motel introduces the Casio G-Shock extra large watch series. Why? This range is so cool and clever, we thought it would become a possession regarded invaluable to keep your time everyday, while listening to your favourite tunes.

Incredibly well designed with a resin pop face cutaway design, these unisex watches, not only look amazing in every colourway we have chosen, but they're tough (well made), function really well and are truly great value for money. We are so impressed with this range, everyone in the office is now addicted, wearing one, and trying to decide on a second colourway. Such a great gift idea!

View the range of G-Shock X-Large Watches available at Noisy Motel

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Noisy Motel's review of the MEElectronics A151 in-ear headphones

MEElectronics have made a name for themselves for producing headphones of exceptional value and sound quality. And in 2011 MEElectronics have raised the bar and released some exciting new offerings, including the MEElectronics A151 in-ear headphones.

The A151 is MEElectronics first balanced armature in-ear headphone. Balanced Armatures headphones are known for their detail and accuracy. The MEElectronics A151 goes beyond what a traditional balanced armature headphone delivers and provides some surprises along the way.


The Cable:

First off, the cable is like no other MEElectronics cable. It's a very flexible, twisted black cable that has many stress relief points. The cable's build quality is exceptional.

The A151 headphones are designed to be worn over the ears, however I've had no problem wearing them with the cable straight down. Cable microphonics are kept to a minimum, and practically non-existent if worn over the ears.


The Design:

The A151 housings have silver highlights, and their design allows for easy deep insertion into your ears, regardless of whether you wear them over your ears or with the cable straight down. The housing is made of plastic, and therefore extremely light, making them very comfortable for extended periods. I had no problem with fitting these earphones and getting a good seal.

Isolation is above average and will vary with the type of silicone tips that you use. As part of the package, you get 5 sets of different size tips, including double and triple flange tips. A handy protective case is also included to help protect your earphones when they're not in use.


The Sound:

The A151 strengths are in its warmth, detail and clarity. Balanced armatures are not known for their warmth, however the A151's midrange is warm, rich and very detailed. The treble is also smooth and very natural.

Vocals sound amazing. You feel like you're in the same room as the performer, it's quite a surreal experience. Their speed and accuracy help these headphones shine with jazz, classical and acoustic tracks. Although the soundstage cannot be considered as 'big', however the level of instrument separation is truly unheard of in a headphone in this price range.

Though the A151 cannot be considered a bassy headphone, the bass is present, fast and precise. If bass is your priority, you would be more suited to the MEElectronics CC51 or the SP51 with the adjustable bass tuning ports.

Balanced Armature headphones in general do have limitations on how low or high they can go, however the A151 does a great job of engaging the listener and providing a very pleasant experience.

The Verdict:

MEElectronics have done a fantastic job with the A151. There is not much I don't like about them, and I can see myself enjoying these headphones for a very long time. In their price range, it's very hard to not recommend them. The A151 offers exceptional value, and at under $100 AUD, they're a bargain, and perform comparably with headphones costing many times more.

Buy the MEElectronics A151 In-Ear Headphones at Noisy Motel.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Noisy Motel's review of the Fanny Wang On-Ear Wang headphones

If you enjoy researching new audio products you would have come across the great debate on how Fanny Wang On-Ear Wang headphones actually stack up against the Beats by Dr Dre Solo and Solo HD headphones.

Whether you think the Fanny Wang On-Ear Wang headphones tend to look similar to the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Solo or not, there is no denying that the On-Ear Wang's actually deliver better sound for price than Beats by Dr Dre Solo.


The On-Ear Wang's come in 3 high gloss colourways - Red, White and Black. If you're not specifically loyal to Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Solo and can get over the name which is quite easy, due to the subtle positioning of their signature logo, you will find the On-Ear Wang's appealing because they not only look great, they also come with a nice sound.

The On-Ear Wang's have an overall better build quality, with a more solid feel to them than the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo. From a design aspect, they are a very clean looking headphone, thicker in appearance and molded with a wave like pattern through them which is very easy on the eye. The high gloss colours, blending into the wave like pattern works well aesthetically. It attracts you, in the same manner that you would find something fashionable to wear - you just want to wear it instantly. The reason I mention this, is that every time I have the On-Ear Wang's lying around the home in the most inconspicuous places, guests spot them immediately, inquire about them and all say - "They look great!"

The On-Ear Wang's are constructed with a thick plastic, with the inside headband protected with a soft rubbery cushion. Supported by strong metal hinges, they have soft padded earcups and yes they also have a tri-fold design much like the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo. The White On-Ear Wang's have a thick all white tangle proof cord with black plugs and gold tips. The detachable cord has a great feature; it comes with a Duo Jack inline splitter, which allows you to share your music socially with friends. The Red and Black colourways both come with a striking red cord and in line splitter.


Musically, the On-Ear Wang's sound clearer and less cloudy than the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo. The On-Ear Wang's surprisingly allow you to listen to various genres and are not just focused on bass. The bass is tight and controlled, always present, though not exaggerated; allowing added clarity of the mids and the highs. This is a personal choice, so if you enjoy your thumping bass, you should probably look elsewhere. I did find that the On Ear Wang's sounded great with dance, electronic, hip-hop and rap genres. I also found listening to the On-Ear Wang's at a much lower level, sounded really nice and efficient.

Honestly, for me the On-Ear Wang's surpassed the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo on sound and overall design and quality. I'm all for fashion, though I'm not one to wear/advertise loud logos on my headphones or my clothes and found the On-Ear Wang's tended to do it more discreetly. Whether they’re worn on your head or around your neck, the On-Ear Wang’s look cool to suit your individual look.

Fashionably urban, the Fanny Wang On Ear Wang headphones are truly eye-catching, as well as functional and allow you to have a lot of fun with your music, fashion and friends.


View the range of Fanny Wang On-Ear Wang Headphones available at Noisy Motel.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Noisy Motel's review of the thinksound ts02+mic headphones

For the majority of people who live in Australia, they are yet to discover the quite impressive sound of the thinksound range of headphones. One of my favourites in the range is the thinksound ts02+mic headphone.

thinksound ts02+mic in-ear headphones

I am fortunate in that I have the pleasure of listening to various types of headphones and this allows me to compare the thinksound ts02+mic with Klipsch Image S4i and the Jays a-JAYS Four headphones.

The popular headphone choice for the iPhone has been the Klipsch Image S4i for both quality and price. The Jays a-JAYS Four’s have also slowly started to develop a cult following, since their release in January.

I’m a big fan of both the Klipsch and the Jays for different reasons, though after listening to the thinksound ts02+mic for a few months, I have been able to carefully compare them to the things I like about both the Klipsch and the Jays.

If you happen to already know about the thinksound company and their range of headphones - I guess I could call you an early adopter. The thinksound range was designed to reduce its overall environmental impact, to create incredible sounding headphones with the smallest eco-footprint possible. “Clear sound with a clear conscience is what we believe in.”

So for me not only was it a plus that they're green, but they truly do have a really beautiful warm sound that emanates through their wooden housing, as opposed to some other in ear headphones.

thinksound ts02+mic in-ear headphones

When comparing the thinksound ts02+mic against the Klipsch Image S4i and the Jays a-JAYS Four, the ts02+mic has a smoother and more balanced sound. The bass is deep and punchy, without it being too overpowering. The midrange and highs are clear and balanced. Vocals sound absolutely amazing. Overall, the ts02+mic has a beautiful warm and lush sound.

Another really important factor for me - being a petite woman with small ears; I find it difficult to get the right seal with some earphones. The thinksound silicone tips are incredibly soft, easy to fit and comfortable, giving me the perfect seal.

I struggled a little trying to fit the Jays tips to the earpieces; being a little cheeky, I quickly discovered that I could use the thinksound tips on the Jays, and that for me improved my listening experience. To note, the Klipsch tips also provided me with a great seal, due to their unique oval shape and soft gel that seals your ear.

The thinksound cable, being entirely PVC-free, also feels much stronger than the Klipsch. The Jays a-JAYS Four flat cable’s design looks fabulous and tangle free, however it is much heavier and is prone to more cable noise.

thinksound ts02+mic in-ear headphones

In terms of controlling your iPhone, the thinksound ts02+mic has a single button, which answers and ends phone calls, and the same button controls your music, allowing you to play, pause, or skip tracks. However, it does come up a little short against the Klipsch Image S4i and the Jays a-JAYS Four which also include volume controls.

Above and beyond this, I have come out a changed person and surprisingly; the thinksound ts02+mic is my overall choice for a smoother, more balanced and well-rounded sound. The thinksound ts02+mic is available in two colours, Black Chocolate, and my personal favourite Silver Cherry.

Eleni

thinksound ts02+mic in-ear headphones

Buy the thinksound ts02+mic in-ear headphones at Noisy Motel.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Our review of the Vers 1.5R Hand Crafted Wooden Alarm Clock & iPod/iPhone Dock

Billy's Review:

Can I just start by saying that the sound that comes out of the Vers 1.5R is amazing! The Vers 1.5R is a single speaker unit (15-watt full range speaker), but it will have you guessing as to what is actually hiding inside. The sound is deep, full and clear. The sound easily fills a bedroom, study or small room. Even as an iPod/iPhone dock, the Vers 1.5R is up there with the biggest players!

We have been using the Vers 1.5R here for a little while now, and we keep using it as the benchmark when we listen to other devices. We keep repeating “it just doesn’t sound as good as the Vers!”.

Whether you use it as a radio, an iPod or iPhone dock, or an alarm clock, the many uses will have you wanting one in every room. There’s also an auxiliary 3.5 mm input jack to allow you to connect a different music player other than an iPod or iPhone.

The story behind the Vers products is fascinating... For every hardwood tree that is used in producing a Vers product, they replant 100 trees through a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation! Whenever I mention to someone that it takes a week by hand to create a Vers 1.5R, the look on their face says it all. I’m sure I had the same look when I was first told! An energy efficient class D amplifier also helps keep energy consumption down and allows the unit to run cooler.

The Vers 1.5R looks the part! The design is one of our favorites.

One of the most common questions we get asked is whether the Vers 1.5R is compatible with the iPhone 4. Yes, we can confirm that it works! You still get the usual ‘This accessory is not optimized for this iPhone’ message, however the message disappears after a number of seconds. The iPhone is charged whilst in the dock and you have full control with the Vers 1.5R remote.

The location of the connectors on the Vers 1.5R has also been thought out. To not disturb the beautiful aesthetics on the back of the unit where the bass port is located, the cable connectors are on the bottom and can be easily maneuvered to the back or side of the unit. One feature that gets missed from discussion is the internal antenna. If you’re very particular of the amount of cables you have connected to your Vers 1.5R, simply select the switch on the bottom of the unit to use the internal antenna.

The display has three brightness settings, another handy feature. We have it on the lowest brightness, as we’d like to keep the room as dark as possible when we're asleep.

In the end, it will be a simple matter of which finish you prefer!






Eleni's Review:

We recently bought a new wooden bed and I love it immensely. The feature is the beautiful grain that runs through the wood. With an extended headboard and side draws to show this off- there is no room for clutter. So I had to think carefully as to what I could place on it, that would complement it. Hence, my dilemma in regards to choosing an alarm clock from a womans perspective - lol! Lets face it, its something that is needed, though most clock radios are really ugly and predominately come with a lot of plastic. That is, until I saw the Vers 1.5R Hand crafted Wooden Alarm Clock.

Coming from a design background, at a first glance, I thought to myself, nice - its retro rounded wooden cabinet finish makes it aesthetically pleasing, and to my surprise as I looked at its features, it actually impressed me even more. I really do believe that everyone should experience the warmth that comes from having something wooden in their home and this alarm clock tends to do this nicely.

The colour choice for us was Natural Walnut, as we thought it looked nice against the timber colour of our bed. To be honest, I'm sure the Bamboo would look just as nice. I like the colour contrast the Natural Walnut and the Bamboo holds against the speaker cover. The Dark Walnut option, loses the aesthetic quality.

It has an adjustable backlit LCD with large easy-to-read display. It has a dual alarm - wake up to AM/FM radio or iPod and when the alarm goes off it 'gradually' gets louder. This is a really nice feature, given our last alarm clock gave us a shock every morning. Another great feature is that you can live stream music stations to play from your iPhone using the variety of applications now available.

The overall sound gives a really nice warm punchy sound, and I do believe that the wood complements the sound immensely. It also comes with battery back-up which wakes you up and also saves your settings when a power loss occurs.

Overall, not only is it packed with great features, the sound that emanates through the wood is amazing and it also looks like a piece of art that you are more than happy to place anywhere in your home.

View the range of finishes we have available for the Vers 1.5R Hand Crafted Wooden Alarm Clock with iPod/iPhone Docks at Noisy Motel.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Introducing the JAMBOX Bluetooth Wireless Speaker and Speakerphone from Jawbone. The coolest, biggest sound in a small package!

It's all In The Detail - Built to Blast, adds a distinct touch of style with its stainless steel construction and moulded rubber casing.

Awesome colours and it pumps out big sound for its impressive small size with stunning hi-fi audio in a portable wireless speaker.

JAMBOX lets you listen to all your favourite audio - music, podcasts, video, apps, games and more - from any bluetooth enabaled phone, mp3 player, tablet or laptop.

JAMBOX also has a powerful built in microphone - you can enjoy a conference call anywhere and on the go. Perfect for sharing video chats with skype, etc.

MORE JAM. LESS BOX.


JAMBOX delivers stunning hi-fi audio in a portable wireless speaker so compact you won't believe it when you hear it. It's loud. With an output capacity of 85 decibels, JAMBOX fills even the largest rooms. Unlike other portable speakers, JAMBOX is powered by a pair of proprietary, highly sophisticated acoustic drivers, unmatched in their ability to produce extreme high (tweeter) and low (woofer) frequencies from a single, ultra-small dome speaker. They work in concert with an innovative moving-wall passive bass radiator and airtight enclosure to deliver shimmering highs and thumping lows that you can literally feel - the richest sound all in the palm of your hand.

Check out the complete range of colours of the JAMBOX from Jawbone available now at Noisy Motel.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Our review of the Klipsch Image S4i earphones (Updated to include the new Klipsch Image S5i Rugged earphones)

We at Noisy Motel have been using the Klipsch Image S4i in-ear headphones since close to their introduction, and now we are excited that we have them available for sale at Noisy Motel.

Every time we use these headphones, it totally surprises us how they outperform much more expensive headphones. The sound is dynamic, crisp with plenty of detail in mids and highs along with a punchy bass! We consider these a great all-rounder, suited to most music styles.

Personally, I use these earphones when I’m out on a bike ride, they provide a great fit, and I don’t need to adjust them all the time. The gel tips do a great job of staying where they should.

They’re also one of the first items we include in my travel bags. They do a great job of isolating the noise of the airplane engines, and because of their smaller size, you don’t notice them in your ears when you’re asleep on the plane.

The microphone and remote work perfectly with our iPhones, as they’re intended to. The Klipsch Image S4i headphones look great, the finishing and build quality is simply first class.

They’re a very special set of headphones that come highly recommended!


They’re available in two colours, Klipsch Image S4i In-Ear Headphones in Black and Klipsch Image S4i In-Ear Headphones in White.

Update: The new Klipsch Image S5i Rugged In-Ear Headphones

Since our review of the Klipsch Image S4i's, Klipsch has released a new more rugged version in the Klipsch Image S5i's. The Klipsch Image S5i Rugged earphones have the same excellent sound of the S4i's, however the cable has been upgraded to a much stronger cable, and they're now moisture resistant, perfect for runners, skiers, and snowboarders.

A larger remote allows you to easily use the buttons by feel, so you don't have to continuously look at the remote to see what you're doing. They also include a hard case which has a handy flashlight feature.

A point to note, is that the remote is quite a bit larger than the S4i so take that into consideration, even though it's more user friendly, it does add a little weight.


Purchase the Klipsch Image S5i Rugged In-Ear Headphones at Noisy Motel.