The DeVialet Silver Phantom is the ultimate compact wireless hi-fi system, delivering incredible power with no sacrifice of sonic clarity even at the highest volumes.

The Details

The best to be found in a compact wireless hi-fit system in 2016 is the DeVialet Silver Phantom. DeVialet claims that the Phantom (with the Silver Phantom being the upgraded, even more powerful version) was designed over a period of 10 years, taking 40 engineers, 88 patents, and $30 million to bring to fruition.

The Silver Phantom is spherical (actually, oblong) in shape and white with silver dome drivers. The 26-pound music machine is lovely to the eye. The only control on the unit is a white “Reset” button that’s hard to find (to preserve aesthetic appeal). Everything else is controlled remotely via your Android or iOS device. The Phantom’s heat sink, blended seamlessly into its backside, reminds me of fins on some elegant fish.

The Silver Phantom supports many file formats including AMP3, aptX (which isn’t available on iPhone), AAC, AMP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, and OGG Vorbis. The music machine streams them with all lossless quality kept perfectly intact. For those who prefer wired connections, a flap at the back of the unit lifts to show Ethernet and TOSLINK ports.

DeVialet engineers explain that the Silver Phantom’s structure accommodates the two proprietary “Heart Beat Implosion” aluminum bass drivers (woofers) placed across from each other underneath a pair of thin aluminum domes. The diaphragms of these woofers (which have a 26mm peak-to-peak stroke), just like those of the coaxial midrange and tweeter drivers ensconced at a 90-degree angle to them, are flush with a spherical superstructure. In terms of acoustical physics, their being so situated focuses sound waves toward the Phantom’s center (which is vacuum sealed so as not to fissure or crack due to sonic onslaught).

This concept (which DeVialet calls its  proprietary ACE or “Active Cospherical Engine” loudspeaker technology) is inspired by the work of famed Princeton, NJ acoustical engineer Dr. Harry Ferdinand Olsen of RCA Labs. In experiments he conducted in the 1930s, Olsen concluded beyond the shadow of a doubt that a spherical speaker cabinet is the most efficient, the best at maintaining the fullness of the signal’s original sound quality. The closer that acoustical engineers can come to creating a single point in space out of which music emanates, the closer to “pure lossless” the music is.

The sheer sonic power of the Silver Phantom is quite simply astounding. At maximum volume, it produces 3000 watts of power to generate a jaw-dropping 105dB. Furthermore, as you increase the volume the Phantom’s sound becomes even cleaner. (Any extraneous sounds like humming or clacking that you hear are coming from the surface that the unit’s sitting on or is close by to, or may be the result of a low-quality recording.) Strong bass and outstanding clarity are always there at any volume level, but once you turn it up enough to really let those woofers run wild the audio experience deepens, whether you’re listening to R&B or a symphony orchestra, or even solo classical guitar.

But even at extreme volume, the Phantom never distorts or gets out of phase. The sound is always complex but balanced, one might even say “silky”, with excellent separation between highs and lows.

The Phantom’s components and outer shell are protected from their own heat and energy (and from outside impacts such as drops) with braided sheets of Kevlar acoustic insulation, which at once cool the the circuit boards and keep the unit so strong as to be literally bulletproof. Durability is no issue.

If there’s a flaw with the Silver Phantom, it’s that DOESN’T yield stereo surround sound. You would need multiple Phantoms to achieve that (or a close approximation). DeVialet engineers have made it possible to chain together up to 24 of them. (Oh, and one more flaw: the visually obtrusive, bright-greenish-yellow power cord! Who thought that up, anyway?)

The post The Best Compact Wireless Hi-Fi Speaker System of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The best windproof lighter is the Zippo Armor.

This windproof, liquid-fueled lighter won’t freeze in cold temperatures. It has a lifetime warranty and is available in dozens of colors and themes.

• Other best windproof lighters include: the Ultimate Survival Technologies Floating Lighter and the Windmill Classic Stormproof All Weather Lighter.
• Along with being windproof, the best lighters should be resistant to cold, reliable, with ease of refueling and use.

The Details: The Best Windproof Lighter

A windproof lighter is a handy tool to have around. You can use it to start a campfire when out in the woods; it’s handy to have when working on a project in your shop; and also great for lighting those Fourth of July fireworks. But a tool is only as good as its reliability. An when it comes to determining the reliability of a product, my motto is “simpler is better.” So when it comes to choosing the best windproof lighter, the Zippo Armor is the clear winner.

Zippo has been making lighters since 1932, so the company knows its way around a lighter. And their design hasn’t changed much since the first one that came off the assembly line. Their lighters are simple, bombproof and extremely reliable.

They’re fuelled by Zippo’s proprietary lighter fluid, which is poured into the bottom case, where it’s absorbed into the fluffy rayon balls stuffed in there. The nature of this liquid fuel system makes Zippo lighters naturally freeze-resistant.

In the realm of wind resistance, Zippo’s ability to deliver fuel consistently via its wick and the screen that encases said wick make it almost impossible for wind to extinguish the flame on one of these lighters. And because there’s no button that needs to be held down, it’s easy to keep the flame burning. You could even set the lighter down on a flat surface and use both hands if necessary.

Along with a lifetime warranty that offers you a free repair for your lighter if it ever breaks, Zippo’s parts are highly replaceable. That includes; the flints, wicks, rayon balls, and other internal parts.

As if a regular Zippo isn’t tough enough, cases on the Armor models are 50 per cent thicker than the average Zippo. That’s a super handy feature, especially if you ever need your lighter to stop a bullet.

Add to that the fact that Zippo Armor lighters are available in a mind-boggling array of styles, designs, colors and prices – and you’ve got one of the best, most reliable lighters available anywhere.

Zippo Armor is available from Amazon for about $18.

An Alternative

The Windmill Classic Stormproof All Weather Lighter is said to stand up to 70-80 mph winds. It has an elastomer armor that helps protect it against impacts and drops.

The post The Best Windproof and Freezeproof Lighters appeared first on Reactual.

• The Best Earphones Under $50: Dunu DN-12
• The Best Earphones Under $100: VSonic GR07
• The Bear Earphones Under $300: Etymotic Research ER4P-T

The Details

I’ve tested many earphones at Reactual over the last two years — probably about 30 earphones in total. Overall, I’ve been underwhelmed by most earphones on the market — even those that are recommended by magazines and blog (brands such as Beats, Audio-Technica, JVC, Sennheiser, MEElectronics, Sony, Symphonized and Westone).

My top issue with most earphones is a lack of sound quality — I’m very fond of rich sound with well represented bass. I also like my earphones to be comfortable and durable. I eventually found some earphones that were worthy of purchase —  here are my picks:

The Best Earphones Under $50: Dunu DN-12 Noise-Isolation Earphones

These $33 Dunu DN-12 earphones are very comfortable to wear and quite good looking too. In your hand, the DN-12’s body feels solid. More importantly, these are the best sounding earphones I’ve heard for under $50. The bass is very well represented, and the mid-range is warm and prominent. The treble is just right too — there is no sibilance at all — which makes for fatigue-free listening. Overall, the sound clarity is wonderful, especially for the price.

These are not sports headphones however — while walking or running these earphones tend to fall out your ear, due to their metal body.

The Dunu DN-12 is available on Amazon for about $33.

The Best Earphones Under $100: VSonic GR07

The VSonic GR07 earphones have excellent fidelity and a very balanced sound. If you read the Amazon reviews on this earphone — you’ll find almost everyone raves about the sound quality. Also, this is one of most comfortable earphones I’ve tested (my wife agrees — she loves these earphones).

If you are a bass enthusiast, check the Bass Edition of these earphones.

The VSonic GR07 is available on Amazon for about $99.

The Best Earphones Under $300: Etymotic Research ER4P-T

The Etymotic Research ER4P-T is significantly more expensive then the previous two earphones I’ve highlighted. But if you want audiophile quality from earphones, you’ll get it from these $264 Etymotic earphones. Basically, you are paying about $150 more than the VSonic GR07 for another level of sound clarity.

The people at Head-Fi reviews (who obsess about headphones) have this to say about the ER4P-T:

The ER4P-T is also very comfortable to wear.

The Etymotic Research ER4P-T is available on Amazon for about $264.

The post The Best Earphones For Sound Quality appeared first on Reactual.

Vitamix blenders, manufactured in Cleveland since the 1940s, are truly industrial-strength devices. Built like tanks, they are widely used in restaurant kitchens due their durability and long warranty. It is Consumer Reports’ top scoring blender.

The Vitamix 5200 blender contains a 2 horsepower (1,380 watt) motor. This means the blades turn at 240 mph, and can blend vegetables into soup, and grind grains into flour.

Vitamix 5200 comes with a seven-year warranty. This warranty can be extended for another three years for an additional $120. Vitamix has this to say about their warranty:

Far beyond the scope of the typical kitchen appliance warranty that merely covers defects in workmanship, we are committed to provide support that will guarantee that your blender will perform like new from the date of purchase, for the duration of your warranty — or we will fix or repair it at no charge to you.

The Vitamix 5200 is available at Amazon for about $580.

A close second to the Vitamix blender is a Blendtec blender has a great reputation for durability, and comes with a 7-10 year warranty, and cost about $435 at Amazon.

The post Buy It For Life: Vitamix 5200 Blender appeared first on Reactual.

Safari-Beans PR5 Bag by RedOxx

Pros:

• Very durable construction
• Lifetime warranty
• Designed and made in the U.S.

Cons:

• Utilitarian design might limit business use
• Clunky zippers and fasteners may not please some

RedOxx, a company based in Billings, Montana, specializes in constructing very practical and durable luggage. The company was founded by two former military parachute riggers. Their bags are built with tough canvas (1,000-denier Cordura), huge zippers and strong handles. The company offers a lifetime guarantee on all their products. RedOxx states that they expect their products to be “included in your will”. More specifically, if your bag ever needs repair, the company says:

Simply ship the product back to us and we will either repair or replace the item at no charge. The item will be returned to you “return shipping paid”.

The product we are featuring here is RedOxx’s Safari-Beans PR5 Bag. The bag is constructed in Montana, with some parts coming from Colorado and California.

Outside Magazine recognized the Safari Beanos PR5 Safari bag as one of 2004’s 15 best outdoor products. James Glave, editor for Outside Buyer’s Guide, said:

Winning products must offer cutting-edge design and be really rugged. Our testers dragged it with a car down the sidewalk and threw it off the second-story balcony and tried to destroy it. We really place enormous emphasis on rigorous testing.

Note that this bag is built primarily for adventure travel. With its utilitarian design, some people may find that all the zippers and fasteners to be too clunky and noisy for their tastes.

The Safari-Beans PR5 Bag bag is available directly from RedOxx for $220.

The post Buy It For Life: Safari-Beans PR5 Bag by RedOxx appeared first on Reactual.