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  • A Go-To Guide For Buying Home Audio Systems
    A go-to guide for buying home audio systems When you buy a flat screen TV, you will be sold to the amazing picture quality and the extravagantly wide screen. There are only a few cases where you will get amazing sound quality from the TV speakers, this is one of the reasons home audio systems are sold along with the television. Upgrading the sound of your TV is not a difficult task at all; all you need to do is connect it to a pair of external speakers. But first, you need to know which speakers to buy and this article will help you in deciding which home audio system you should adopt according to your needs. There are many different types of home audio systems and here is what you should do to get your hands on the right speakers for you:
    • Start with a sound bar If you do not know much about speakers and are looking to get ones, but do not have a massive budget, then a sound bar is the perfect place for you to start. You can get different types of sound bars starting from a low budget and going all the way up. But, you can be satisfied with the low budget sound bars as well, as they will only enhance your music quality. The sound bar is the most convenient way to enhance the sound quality of your TV. It is also easy to set up, as it requires connecting only a single cable. There are three broad types to a sound bar: single sound bar, sound bar with wireless sub woofer, and a pedestal sound bar or sound base.
    • A surround-sound system The best way for you to upgrade your sound from the TV is to set up your very own surround-system system. This is the best option for you if you do not want to stick to a sound bar, the surround-sound system gives you more of a theatre-like feel. Place the speakers all over the room, make sure you place the speakers that are plugged into the left speaker jack, on the left side for a better feel of the music. To set up your own surround-sound system you will need an AV receiver and a set of speakers that you can set up around the room. Even if AV receivers are complex devices, choosing one should not be much of an issue for you. The best option right now is the $500 Sony STR-DN1070. It has six HDMI outputs enabling you to connect more than one device. You might be tempted to purchase the $2000 receiver with fancy internal components, but they are not usually worth the money.
    • Spend your budget on speakers When you are setting up a home audio system, it has many more facets than just the speakers, but the speakers are the most important ones. They are the ones that are responsible for your sound quality and the volume of the output. The woofer is equally important as the speakers, but the speakers take the edge. You might go for small speakers to maintain the aesthetics of your room, but they might not have the best sound quality. You should opt for tower speakers, they might be huge and not very beautiful but the sound quality is what makes up for their looks. If you get bluetooth connectivity for a good price, go for it, but your basic spend should be on speakers above anything else.
    • Choose stereo without a second thought You might not be encouraged to adopt a home audio system as it has only a single pair of speakers, but the quality more than makes up for the quantity of the speakers. The stand system has fallen out of fashion, but it can be very pleasing and sufficing for movies and music. They do not take up a lot of space, stick with your aesthetics and always give you good quality sound.
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  • 4 Things To Consider While Setting Up A Home Audio System
    4 things to consider while setting up a home audio system If you want to enhance your viewing and listening experience, all you need is to have a powerful home audio system. It is an exciting entertainment as it not just restricted to movies, you can play music and you can also connect some systems to your phone or computer. You can have a simple 32-inch TV and an in-box home audio system or a huge projector with and in-wall speakers. There are a lot of factors that come in between and need to be considered before you settle on either of the two options or an in-between. Things to consider while setting up a home audio system:
    • Room space: It is important for you to study the room that you will be setting up the home audio system in. The size of the room should ideally determine the size and type of your entire system, if it is a small room you do not need to set up too many speakers as it could be too loud. And, if you lower the volume, it would be an incomplete use of the speaker’s potential. The lighting of the room is important, as ambient lighting can result in screen glare on the TV or a washed-out image of the projector. If the room has a carpet then the output of the sound will be different from the one without a carpet, so you have to consider that as well.
    • Audio reproduction: This is a very important factor of your home audio system, you do not want a system that does not satisfy you with the music output. You must choose between a home theatre receiver or a preamp/amp combination. A home theatre receiver usually has three components: A radio turner or in some cases a HD radio, internet radio, or XM. A preamplifier that switches and controls which audio device your TV is connected to, it also selects which speaker the output is supposed to go to. A built-in amplifier that sends the signals and the power to the speakers.
    • Loudspeakers: The next most important thing in line for your home audio system are the loudspeakers. Just as the size and type determine the type of video device you need; the loudspeakers are also set up on the same phenomenon. Before you buy the new speakers, get through a thorough research, listen to various speakers and setups. If you are buying a set of speakers, consider buying the same brand for the other parts of the home, this will improve the connectivity and the output. You need a sub woofer, there is no other way around it. A sub woofer is a specialized speaker that only reproduces the extremely low frequencies, this works well for movies.
    • Source components: You can stick to old school DVD and cd players, but the main source component you need for your home audio system is internet. An internet connection can get you all the action you are looking for. Once you get a Wi-Fi connection, you can connect your smartphone, computer or any other device with in-built Wi-Fi to your home audio system. A smart TV will also expose you to directly playing things from the internet on your TV, you can access Netflix and watch all your favorite shows on the TV as well. The antenna, cable or satellite is also as important as the internet, because what is a TV without TV channels?
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  • Top Brands For Home Audio Systems
    6 top brands for home audio systems Music is an important factor of our lives. Good sound quality is what enhances the musical experience for you. Good quality speakers are a must have for all of us; the music is not the same when it is played on average quality speakers. But it is essential to not get carried away and make an impulsive purchase when it comes to speakers. It is usually a one-time investment and needs to be bought with care. Make sure you do a complete research before you go ahead and make a purchase for your speakers. Read along to find out the top brands for your home audio system:
    • Polk home audio speakers Polk is not a brand that is heard of among most consumers and buyers, but that does not rule out the amazing quality that is provided by its speakers. Even if they are lacking a little on the popularity quotient, the quality of their home audio systems is impeccable and cannot be challenged by many brands in the market. If you are looking for a good quality home audio system set and are running on a low budget, then this is a good option for you.
    • Paradigm cinema This is not a very well known brand in this industry, but what is in the name anyway. The company is working towards making a name for themselves with the quality of speaker they are offering in the market. As a brand, they are looking to widen the customer base as they already have great quality speakers all they need is recognition. If you are looking to buy a new home audio system, you must consider this brand.
    • Onkyo HT This is a Japanese company that has one of the best home audio systems in the country right now. They make speakers that are ideal for closer rooms, with a receiver, subwoofer as well as a set of speakers that you can also place around the room for a surround sound feel. The brand has speakers with more than one input, so you can connect different types of devices to the home audio system.
    • Energy The name of this brand of speakers is based on the personality and performance of the product that is made by this brand. The energy in these speakers enables them to produce sound that is both powerful as well as clear. The speakers in this set are tuned to produce music that is loud as well as distortion free to a great extent.
    • Sonos Everyone loves music that is full of clarity and covers every single lyric to guitar strum from the piece of music. Sonos as a brand, targets this requirement and makes speakers that will expose you to clear, distortion free music. The speakers are designed with perfect synchronization that enables them to produce more music than noise.
    • Orb Audio Orb audio is the number one home audio system brand in the world right now and it has reached that point with regards to its outstanding music quality in closed rooms as well as its modular design that helps in enhancing the looks of your room. The quality of the speakers is enhanced as they filter out the distortion from the music, the compact design prevents them from taking up a lot of space in your room.
    The above list has almost all the brands that are known for their exceptional quality of home audio systems all over the world. If you are indecisive, then you can go ahead and choose from any of these brands.
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  • Things You Might Not Know About A Home Theatre System
    Things you might not know about a home theatre system Whether you like watching TV or not, you would not mind having a good home audio system for your watching experience. A home audio system is becoming exceedingly popular between families and furnishing options. For those who like watching TV, it has become a must and for those who aren’t very fond of watching TV are owning it to enhance the experience for the little time that they will be watching it. With the popularity growing, there is a lot of confusion and hype about which home audio system is good and things that must be bought along with the home audio system. Read along to get rid of some of the misconception that come with owning home audio systems:
    • Doesn’t have to be expensive There is a misconception that home audio systems must be expensive if you want good quality movie and audio experience. It is luxury that is being adopted by most of the households, but there is a misconception that it is not for people who have a little financial difficult. A home audio system does not have to be expensive. The best way to set it up at affordable rates, is by getting separate things and then combining them. The basics you need, is a good flat screen TV and a surround sound speaker set. The fancy couch and other sound enhancers can take a backseat if you are running on a low budget.
    • An LED TV is not a different type of TV Since the introduction of LED TVs there has been a lot of hype about them, as they are being considered as a new technology as the image chip generates the picture. Some salesmen are using this technology in their sales pitch to lure more customers in buying the LED TV. Buying an LED TV is the right decision, but it works on the same technology as the LCD TV. The light that brings the image to you from the TV is in an LED form which goes easy on the eye.
    • An OLED TV is different LED and LCD TVs are the most common TVs around the market and are being bought by most people looking to setup a home thatre system. There is another elite player in the TV market, it is the OLED TV. The OLED TV is different from these two TVs as it does not require a backlit display, this is because each pixel in this screen is self-emissive. This is also the reason OLED TVs can be made thinner than the LCD and LED TVs. The OLED screen works on a technology that allows the display to be absolutely black, thereby making colors look richer. The price for OLED TVs is a lot higher than the LCD and LED TVs, but it has been going down by the year.
    • High definition stares from 720p The picture quality in your home theatre system is one of the most important things for you. If you are setting up a home audio system, the picture quality of the TV is the last thing you would want to compromise on. Most consumers are misled to believe that only 1080p is high definition. It is the best quality available in the market, but 720p is where the high definition picture quality starts. Other than 1080p, 1080i is also a high-resolution format of picture quality. While, you might want to opt for the 1080p TV, it might not be harmful to settle for a 720p screen resolution if you are on a tight budget.
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  • 5 Affordable And Portable Media Players To Listen To Music On-The-Go
    5 affordable and portable media players to listen to music on-the-go You can listen to your favorite tunes or watch your favorite movies wherever and whenever you want with a portable audio and video device. Yes, it’s true that you can use your phone as well for these; however, you use your phone for a lot of things apart from listening to music or watching videos. All these additional features will consume substantial storage and battery power from your phone. But with a dedicated portable audio and video player, you do not have to worry about all these. You can store thousands of songs, a few videos, as well as photos on your portable audio and video device. And you do not have to spend much on these devices, especially if you are on a budget. Here are a few portable audio and video players that pack in a lot of features at quite affordable costs.
    • AGPtEK M20S: With a price of around $30, this is a portable audio and video player by AGPtEK. The M20S is one of the cheapest models that is quite perfect for people who do not want jazzy features on their portable device. It is quite compact, and its size is about 3x0.3x1.2 inches. Its internal storage is 8 GB, and the storage is expandable to about 64 GB. It supports nearly all audio formats. It has 14 hours of battery life; you can listen to 14 hours of music with a single charge.
    • Sony NW-A35 16GB Walkman: The original Walkman was a game-changer; however, it was bulky and could barely fit into your pockets. The Sony NW-A35 is the lighter and sleeker version of the classic Walkman. This portable audio and video device has a high-resolution audio quality that is sans any distortion and noise. It has a 3.1-inch touchscreen interface that is quite intuitive. It has an internal storage of 16 GB. 64 GB models are also available. The memory can be expanded to 192 GB. This affordable portable audio and video player includes a Bluetooth feature as well. The battery life is a solid 45 hours. The price, however, is a bit on the steep side with the approximate cost being $218.
    • MYMAHDI MP3/MP4 Music Player: This sturdy portable device from MYMAHDI costs approximately $26. Its internal storage is about 8 GB, which is expandable to 128 GB. The supported audio formats include MP3, WMA, FLAC, APE, AAC, and so on. The device’s weight is relatively more as compared to other portable audio and video devices. This adds to the durability of the device. There is a speaker on the backside of the device; so, this can be used as a voice recorder as well.
    • Sony NWE395: This portable player from Sony costs around $68. It can play 35 hours of songs or four hours of video on a one-time recharge of the battery. The internal memory is about 16 GB. The display screen is about 1.77 inches and is suitable for watching short and quick video clips. Typical to Sony, this device is known to have quite good audio quality. The control functions can be operated through buttons.
    • AGPTEK A01T 8GB Bluetooth MP3 Player: This is one of the best looking portable devices in the affordable range. It costs around $37 and has slim and compact design with buttons for control functions. The audio quality is good since it is supported by a noise reduction feature. It has a 1.8 TFT display and storage capacity of 8 GB. The memory is expandable to 128 GB. The battery life is 45 hours of audio playing or 16 hours of videos. It takes about 1.5 hours to recharge the battery.
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  • Top 6 electronic toys for kids
    Electronics for kids are a great way to stimulate your child’s brain while keeping them busy. If you are searching for the best kids' electronics to give your child, you are at the right place. Here is a list of the top seven electronics for kids in 2021.  Amazon Fire 8 Kids Edition Tablet Parents of younger children can gift their child Amazon’s kids tablet. This tablet, with a vibrant 8-inch HD display, 32 GB internal storage, and 1.5 GB RAM, is a great entertainment device for kids. It also comes with a sturdy and durable case and includes a one-year subscription to Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited service which gives children access to popular apps, games, educational content, and more. Nintendo Switch The Nintendo Switch is one of the best kids' electronics. The Nintendo Switch system can either be attached to a television or used as a handheld. It comes with new play styles that allow your child to play on the go and remotely with friends. It also has intuitive settings that allow parents to set time limits and block content that is not age-appropriate. Wonder Workshop Dash Coding Robot One of the best kids' electronics is The Wonder Workshop Dash Coding Robot. It is one of the best STEM toys for kids aged six years and up providing educational value while ensuring they have lots of fun. This programmable robot is a great way to teach kids how to code. Children can teach the robot to sing, dance, and play through voice commands and apps. There are endless possibilities with this Dash Coding Robot.  Vtech KidiZoom Camera Pix This kid-friendly camera lets your child capture real digital photographs while providing hours of entertainment. This is one of the top kids’ electronics for ages between three and eight that lets them explore their creativity. The Camera Pix also features a video recorder, voice recorder, and built-in games to add more fun.  Leapfrog My Own Leaptop Parents looking for electronics for their pre-schoolers can opt for Leapfrog My Own Leaptop. This colorful pretend laptop toy can help little ones explore alphabets, animals, listen to music, and more.  Crayola Light-up Tracing Pad For kids interested in art and drawing, Crayola Light-up Tracing Pad is an excellent gift choice for children aged six years and above. This electronic tracing pad features over 35 art tools to bring hours of imaginative fun. The tracing pad runs on batteries and makes for a great travel companion for kids.  Make your choice and get the best gift for your child that keeps them entertained and helps them learn at the same time.
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  • Listen To Your Favorite Music While Working Out With These Portable Players
    Listen to your favorite music while working out with these portable players For most people, listening to their favorite music is a great motivator while working out. While working out, you need a media device that is light, compact to carry around, can be easily clipped onto your clothes, does not fall off while you are exercising or running, is resistant to sweat, and easy to use. Although smartphones are viable devices for listening to music, they are not suitable for use while working out. Also, if you want to listen to music while you do your swimming laps, you will want a portable audio and video device that is waterproof. Here are a few popular portable audio and video devices that have been known to perfect for a good workout session.
    • Aerb 4G Waterproof MP3 Player: These belong to the category of budget portable audio and video devices. Priced at around $50, this device has a functional design with the bare basic necessities incorporated in it. You can listen to music with this waterproof device while swimming or while you are working out. It is resistant to water at a depth of up to three meters. Made of plastic, this device can be held in your hand with its grip support, or it can be clipped on your workout apparel. This device supports MP3 and WMA format songs. Audio files can be transferred using USB.
    • Sony Sports MP3 Player: The Sony Sports portable player is a dedicated workout gear. Its unique design has been made for use while running and doing exercises. Resembling a pair of headphones, this device is comfortable and hands-free. The quality of music is quite high. Along with listening to music, this device lets you listen to audiobooks as well. It has an internal storage capacity of 4 GB. The device has Bluetooth capabilities that let you take calls and stream music. The battery lasts for about 8 hours. The device is waterproof at a depth of approximately two meters. The device costs around $120.
    • AGPTEK A26: Made of silicon case, this portable audio and video player is very lightweight and can be attached to your workout gear with its back clip. The device supports nearly all file formats. Its internal storage capacity is 8 GB, which is expandable to 64 GB with a MicroSD card. It also has Bluetooth capability, FM radio, a digital clock, and can display lyrics of stored songs on its digital interface. The device can store up to 2000 songs, and it gives approximately 30 hours of continuous playback. This portable player costs around $45.
    • TomTom Spark Cardio: This portable audio and video device doubles up as a fitness tracker and a smartwatch. It is worn around the wrist. It comes bundled with wireless Bluetooth headphones to easy listening as you work out. The fitness tracker allows you to check your workout progress by indicating the number of active minutes, steps taken, calories burned, and the heart rate. The fitness tracker has eight modes for different activities such as swimming, cycling, and running. The device can also be synchronized with various fitness apps. It can store up to 500 songs. On a full charge, the battery allows nearly 56 hours of playback time.
    • FX-Sport VRX Wireless Smart Sports Headphones: If you are willing to splurge on your workout portable audio and video device, you can buy this premium player, that is also a pair of headphones. This wireless player is resistant to sweat and rain. It has an internal memory of 8 GB and has a total playback time of 5 hours on a single recharge. The device is preloaded with workout routines that you can choose and follow as you like. The control functions are located on one side of the headphones, so you can easily navigate through your playlist as you work out.
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  • 7 Deluxe Portable Audio-Video Players For Audiophiles
    7 deluxe portable audio and video players for audiophiles There was a time when the Apple iPod was very much coveted among audiophiles. Over time, more portable audio and video players have entered the market. With their sleek deluxe designs and luxurious finish, these portable audio and video devices are really something to own if you want to flaunt your style quotient and at the same time, desire a high-quality audio output.
    • Astell and Kern A and Ultima SP1000: This portable audio and video player has a storage space of 256 GB which can be expandable to 512 GB. It has a sleek design and does look quite like it is worth around $3299. The supported file types include DSD, FLAC, WAV, WMA, MP3, OGG APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, and so on. This portable digital player has a high audio quality akin to studio sound quality. Also, this device has an excellent resolution. It has a 5-inch touchscreen display and a very intuitive interface. The device is bundled with a USB cable for charging and data transfer.
    • Questyle QP2R: An award-winning portable player, the Questyle costs around $2700. It supports the following formats: DSD, MP3, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, AIFF, APE, WMA, DFF, DSF. With a fantastic audio quality, this deluxe portable audio player packs in a 65 GB built-in memory. It has an expandable memory of up to 200 GB. A single recharge of the battery gives a continuous playing time of 10 hours. Accessories include earphones, USB cable, and a cable adapter.
    • HiFiMAN HM901S: This portable player costs around $1499 and supports file formats such as DSD, MP3, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, AAC, AIFF, APE, and WMA. It is a high-fidelity audio player that is available in with expandable memory up to 256 GB. There is no internal memory. The battery life is around 9 hours. You can listen to songs for 9 hours straight on a single recharge of the battery. The hardware of this device is top-of-the-line, and this renders a high quality to the audio output.
    • Sony NW-WM1Z N: Resembling something straight out of the Transformers movies, this portable player from Sony is priced at approximately $2699. It has an expandable storage of up to 256 GB; it can store nearly 20,000 songs. It supports file formats such as DSD, AAC (Non-DRM), AIFF, ALAC, DSD, FLAC, HE-AAC, Linear PCM, MP3, and WMA. Packed with a superb audio quality, this portable audio device has a 4-inch touchscreen and offers 30 hours of playback time on a single charge.
    • Lotoo PAW Gold 2017: This portable audio player costs approximately $2399. Loaded with a great audio output, this player is truly made for luxury with its 24K alpha wheel and sapphire-glass display. Its powerful battery offers 12 hours of continuous playback time. Its expandable memory is upto 2 TB along with 128 GB of SD card memory; you can store thousands of albums. This device supports the following file formats: DSD, AAC, FLAC, MP3, WMA, DFF, DSF, ISO, APE, WAV, ALAC, M4A, and WavPack.
    • Astell & Kern AK380 MP3 Player: This portable device costs around $2999. It supports the following file formats: MP3, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, AIFF, APE, WMA, DFF, and DSF. It has an internal memory of 256 GB which is expandable to 128 GB with an external memory card. It has a 4-inch touchscreen display. It has a built-in Wi-Fi to stream and download music. The music quality is quite high. The device does not come bundled with headphones.
    • Cowon Plenue: This premium portable player is priced around $3999. It supports nearly all file formats including FLAC, ripped SACDs, and DSD. It has an internal memory of 128 GB, which is expandable to 256 GB. This device has a relatively shorter battery life compared to others; you can play songs for 8 hours on a single recharge of the battery.
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