Inhoudsopgave van September 2019 - T3

KENWOOD DMX7017DABS Kenwood’s seven-inch colour touchscreen connects to your phone via Bluetooth and either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, enabling you to take calls, access your music and plan your journey with ease. There’s a built-in DAB+ radio, too. £379, halfords.com TUNAI FIREFLY BLUETOOTH RECEIVER Plug this into your existing system to stream high-quality audio straight from your smartphone to your speakers. Brilliantly, the Firefly pairs with two devices, so you and your car buddy can take it in turns choosing songs. £29, amazon.co.uk PIONEER TS-WX300A If you like blasting out your tunes at ear-splitting volume, Pioneer’s easy-fit subwoofer is a sound choice. Packing a quality Class D amplifier that delivers up to 1,300 watts of power, it’ll make you sound like a Wembley gig on wheels. £149, pioneer-car.eu…

1 ADIDAS TERREX SPEED GTX The Terrex Speed GTX tick all the trail shoe boxes: ultralight, waterproof and with oodles of grip from that Continental outsole, plus a sock-like fit that stops blisters in their tracks. £149.95, adidas.co.uk 2 LA SPORTIVA RUSH RUNNING SHORTS The Rush shorts minimise chafing and maximise breathability, as well as offering four easy-access pockets for stashing energy gels during endurance runs. £60.99, addnature.co.uk 3 MORE MILE CHEVIOT TRAIL SOCK A good sock is a beautiful thing on long, challenging trails, and these are ace at sweat-wicking and designed with light underfoot padding. £10, moremile.co.uk 4 MONTANE FEATHERLITE TRAIL JACKET Super-packable and incredibly light (at just 101g), this jacket is highly breathable and keeps the rain and wind at bay. Ideal for mixed weather seasons. £75,…

For relaxation and respite from daily life, look no further than your own backyard, as no matter the size there are plenty of ways to transform it into your very own personal spa. If you’re blessed with oodles of space, go straight for the main event and add in a garden sauna. These range from simple cedar huts to fully-tiled luxury affairs. The benefits of owning a sauna include ridding your body of toxins and other impurities, soothing strained muscles, and achieving an immediate sense of relaxation and total wellbeing. One of our favourite garden saunas is the Log Barrel Sauna (from £2,790, summergardenbuildings.co.uk), which looks like something right out of The Hobbit. Install it in your garden and you’ll be able to hit the sauna before or after work…

A thing that Guru has been lucky enough to play with this month: the rather lovely LifeSmart Cololight (£80 for the six-block version). It’s a build-it-yourself smart lamp type thing, and boy is it pretty. The hexagonal tiles are easy to arrange thanks to the nifty rear clipping system, the app is predictably rickety but gets the job of configuring colour effects done very nicely, and there’s smart assistant support for those times you need your tower of hexagons to change colour entirely via the medium of shouting. Bad thing, though: it only communicates by 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and if you have a router which broadcasts 5GHz and 2.4GHz on the same channel it will probably get a bit sniffy about it. Just a warning. A thing that Guru has not…

# Smarter sound #01 UE WonderBoom 2 UE’s second-gen WonderBoom is bassier and louder, particularly if you activate its outdoor boost mode. But the sound isn’t really the point. It’s the versatility that makes it essential: the ball-shaped WonderBoom is as at home on your shelf as it is bobbing around in a pool. Capable of pumping out 360-degree sound for 13 hours, you can now hook a pair of them together for true wireless stereo. £89.99, utimateears.com #02 Flare Audio PRO 2HD Built to last, built to blast out sound, and built to best even cans with huge drivers, Flare’s PRO 2HD are earphones you can really rely on. From the acoustic lens that ensures precise sound reproduction, to the extra-large 5.5mm beryllium drivers, there’s a tremendous amount of…

1 Oppo Reno 5G Huawei’s absence from the first round of 5G phones leaves a gap for Chinese rival super-brand Oppo to sneak in with this aggressively priced but very well-specced phone. £Contract only, oppo.com SPECS SCREEN 6.6-inch 1080x2340 OLED OS Android 9.0, ColorOS 6 PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 STORAGE 256GB (+microSD) CAMERAS Pop-up 16MP wideangle front; 48MP wide-angle, 13MP 5x telephoto, 8MP ultra-wide rear BATTERY 4,065mAh DIMENSIONS 162x77.2x9.3mm WEIGHT 215g 2 Samsung Galaxy S10 5G The top phone in Samsung’s range, this takes the brilliant S10+, makes the screen even bigger, and adds even more camera smarts. You’ll pay for all these features, though… £1,099, samsung.com/uk SPECS SCREEN 6.7-inch 1440x3040 OLED, HDR10+ support OS Android 9.0, One UI PROCESSOR Samsung Exynos 9820 STORAGE 256GB CAMERAS 10MP wide angle, 3D…

LG C9 LG offers a winning blend of 4K OLED performance and price, although it’s not quite as big as the biggest Samsung: the range runs from 55 inches to 77, inches whereas the Samsung is currently available up to 82 inches. From £3,299, lg.com SAMSUNG Q90R Most of the same tech, including incredible contrast and HDR performance, plus top-tier image processing, but in a 4K screen instead of 8K. Last issue, we rated it as our favourite TV on the planet, though this is challenging it. From £2,599, samsung.com/uk SONY MASTER SERIES ZG9 Sony’s first 8K TV is about to land, and it features similar advanced backlighting to the Samsung, and maybe the best image processing tech on the planet. Expect a full review next issue. From £13,999, sony.co.uk…

SPECIFICATION Number of channels 5.1.4 Inputs 4x HDMI, Optical, RCA line In Audio format support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Wi-Fi Yes Bluetooth Yes Presets Movie, Music, Sports, Neutral, AMBEO off, on (Light, Standard, Boost) Dimensions 140(H)x1270(W)x170(D) mm Weight 18.5kg £2,199 en-uk.sennheiser.com Dolby Atmos is amazing − no exaggeration needed. It fills your room with sound, transporting you into whatever it is you are watching. In fact, Atmos is a much better way to get that feeling of ‘being there’ than 4K or HDR, especially when it comes to things like football and live music. But there’s one big problem here. Actually, make that eight-to-13 big problems, because that’s how many speakers you need to cram into your lounge in order to get the full Atmos surround effect, and very few people…

1 Simaudio Moon 110LP v2 Simaudio’s dinky phono pre-amplifier is the perfect extra for a turntable with no phono stage (or one you’d rather bypass for better sound). You can adjust the impedence, capacitance and gain settings, and choose your own audio curve. The allaluminium chassis feels like a serious bit of kit too, pairing perfectly with our top-tier amp options. £399, simaudio.com 2 EAT F-Note Built to take full advantage of the finest cartridges, this is a high-mass tonearm with tool-less adjustments of vertical tracking angle and tracking force, as well as azimuth, so you can get it up precisely for your cartridge. The laser and spirit level make setting it up easy – advanced performance made simple for all, and meeting standards for demanding listeners. £6,998, absolutesounds.com 3…

1 Simaudio Moon 390 Featuring an ESS DAC PRO chipset, pre-amp, headphone amp, phono stage and network streaming, this is the one box-to-go-with-your-amp to rule them all. Streaming support includes Tidal and Qobuz; it’s MQA-certified; it’s Roon-ready; it includes Bluetooth aptX HD; it supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz… it’s comprehensive. £4,950, simaudio.com 2 Leema Stream IV Made to be your ultimate digital playing source, the Stream IV includes a CD player, as well as streaming capabilities from network drives, or from internet sources, including Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer and internet radio. It all runs through an ESS Sabre DAC for a shining, clean output to your amp (maybe Leema’s matching Pulse IV?). £2,295, leema-acoustics.com 3 Audiolab 8300CDQ It might be the cheapest option here, but there has been no skimping…

1 OLEBAR BROWN GOLDFINGER These mid-blue Setter swim shorts are based on the shorts worn by James Bond in Goldfinger (1964). They’re a timeless classic and will be just as stylish in 50 years time. £245, orlebarbrown.com 2 SPEEDO VINTAGE PRINT Practical enough for a day at the beach while also stylish enough to wear about town. Details include a press stud waistband, offering a tailored fit with eco-credentials. £27, johnlewis.com 3 JOULES HESTON LOBSTER PRINT Crafted from soft-touch fabric and patterned with an appropriate aquatic theme. Wear if you’re looking to stand out at the pool. £40, johnlewis.com 4 CAFÉ DU CYCLISTE AMANDINE With signature styling and Côte d’Azur design cues, these slim-fit trunks feature a zip and snap fastening, a rear pocket and contrasting yellow drawcords. £89, cafeducycliste.com…

There’s never been a better time to make the most of the outdoors and escaping the madding crowd, whether you fancy scaling a mountain or sipping wine in a picturesque vineyard. The UK’s National Parks authority celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, so our first holiday recommendation is to visit England’s beautiful Peak District National Park, which was established in 1951 – the first year National Park status was awarded. The Peak District town of Bakewell is the perfect base to explore from. It’s famous, of course, for its delicious namesake cakes, but you’ll also enjoy easy access to the region’s biggest attractions including Chatsworth House and the Monsal Trail. The latter is a beautiful hiking route through the region’s stunning limestone dales. Ready to head further afield? America’s national…

MUSE 2 MEDITATION HEADBAND If you don’t have the space or budget for a garden spa, you can still get zen by using the Muse 2 Meditation Headband. It teaches you how to meditate, the benefits of which include refocusing your brain so that you feel less anxious and more in control. £239, amazon.co.uk DOPPEL Stress drops us into a space where we feel wired, grouchy and on edge. The Doppel anti-stress wearable works to combat that by encouraging you to breathe properly (deeply, rather than the shallow breaths we take when stressed). This has a calming effect, enabling you to achieve a sense of wellbeing. £175, feeldoppel.co.uk LUMIE BODYCLOCK SHINE 300 If your mind races as soon as your head hits the pillow, overhaul your bedtime routine by bathing…

EXTREMITIES Ever wondered about the history and everyday life of Pitcairn Island? Sure you have. All of your many, many questions eloquently answered in glorious podcast form. THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED The writer of The Fault in Our Stars rates facets of society on a five-star system in this podcast. Sample episode: Hawaiian Pizza and Viral Meningitis. IT BURNS You’ll need an Audible subscription for this one – but Guru’s great love of a hot chilli means he can’t help but recommend these spicy tales of capsaicin abuse.…

to T3 and get a charging station! Native Union Eclipse Charger Three USB ports, and tons of style! Gift worth £69.99 CHARGE MULTIPLE DEVICES The Native Union Eclipse features three USB ports, enabling you to charge all of your devices at once, in a beautiful, minimalist design HIGH-SPEED CHARGING Thanks to Smart IC technology, the Eclipse ensures safe, high-speed charging up to 7.8 amps, so you get even more power, faster BUILT-IN CABLE MANAGEMENT Don’t want USB cables draped all over your desk? No problem! The Eclipse keeps them stowed away inside a dedicated interior space It’s easy to subscribe… SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND SAVE! myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/ttt/eclipse19 or call: 0344 848 2852 Other benefits of subscribing to the world’s greatest technology and gadget magazine include… 13 issues of T3 delivered direct to…

SAMSUNG GALAXY S10 5G £1,099, samsung.com/uk WE’RE IMPRESSED Lavish HDR OLED display; stunning bokeh effect in images and video; water-resistant design; 3.5mm headphone jack; a good buy even if you don’t get 5G right away. WE’D IMPROVE It’s so large and unwieldy; camera cut-out is ugly; no microSD expansion. THE LAST WORD Samsung has built something entirely new and intimidatingly feature-packed for those who want to be at the cutting-edge. Not only does that mean support for 5G, but a whopping new display, more cameras, new depth-effect videos, bigger battery, and faster charging. It’s cumbersome, but we love it. ONEPLUS 7 PRO 5G £Contract, oneplus.com WE’RE IMPRESSED Gorgeous OLED screen; flawless Android performance; Warp charging. WE’D IMPROVE Poor pop-up camera design; no wireless charging; no IP rating. THE LAST WORD…

The endeavour of human flight has kept inventors occupied for centuries, especially since the Wright brothers successfully flew the world’s first aeroplane. Planes may now be commonplace, but the challenge of getting humans off the ground without a giant metal tube and some in-flight complimentary peanuts is just getting started. Richard Browning is at the forefront of this incredible movement with Gravity Industries (gravity.co), the company he founded to develop the Jet Suit, a £340,000 jet-engine powered machine that enables him to fly. On his own. No need for a plane here, folks. T3 recently visited the Gravity HQ and lab in Wiltshire to meet Richard and some of his team, and to get the inside track on how a seemingly unattainable dream, a flight of fantasy, if you will,…

HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll find only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts. We only choose people with specialist knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective field. As well as our traditional five-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these,…

If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Best of the Best is the most useful gadget-buying guide you will ever encounter. To create it, we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring you rock-solid recommendations for your home life, daily commute and the tech you use all the time. In 54 different categories, we’ve chosen the top four products, so you can choose one that’s just the right mix of features and budget for what you need. These rankings come from real testing by our team of experts – they’re the products we’d choose for ourselves, and we can’t recommend any higher than that. Look for the links above each category that take you to…

1 Mark Levinson No.5805 This integrated amp does it all: digital conversion though a system with an ESS Sabre DAC and jitter reduction, discreet pre-amp circuitry with specialised options for headphones, a phono stage, plus Class AB amplification through two separate channels for absolutely pristine presentation. This is as integrated as amps get. £7,999, marklevinson.com 2 McIntosh MC2152 For its 70th anniversary, McIntosh has produced this vacuum tube-based amp (with a matching C70 pre-amp also available). It generates 150 watts of power per channel, via eight KT88 output vacuum tubes, plus eight smaller tubes. You can even control the colour of the LEDs under the tubs. Only 70 are being released worldwide. £25,000, mcintoshlabs.com 3 Dan D’Agostino Progression Stereo Amplifier At up to 1,200 watts per channel, the Dan D’Agostino…

When we get behind the wheel of a car we’re reviewing, we’re usually far more interested in how fast it will go around a track or how it handles an off-road course. But when a beautiful satin black Rolls-Royce Phantom was recently dropped off on the T3 driveway, it was for the sole purpose of reviewing the Bespoke Audio system inside. You see, in a car that costs more than the average UK house price (the Phantom starts from £363,600, rolls-roycemotorcars.com), an off-the-shelf sound system just won’t do. No wonder Rolls-Royce set out to design a studio-quality sound system, with engineers benchmarking it against a recording studio’s playback room rather than against other vehicles on the road. Of course, configuring an audio system for a car comes with significant challenges…

The Robens Aero Yurt (£1,499, robens.de) is nothing short of a portable palace. With a massive 2.7m high internal ceiling, even the tallest among your group will have plenty of headroom, while sleeping space for eight easily accommodates larger families and groups of friends. Scared of erecting such a whopping tent? There’s no need to be, as a single valve inflates the entire yurt. Windows with internal curtains give you views when you want them and privacy when you don’t. The Aero Yurt also lives up to its name with ace ventilation. So if you want a gorgeous three-season glamping tent, you just found it.…

STEVEN LEVITT, SOUTH SHIELDS Q How do I stay dry on wet days? A Traditional (or at least cheap) waterproofs are basically no help. They essentially generate their own weather system between the outdoors and your body, effectively making you wetter and very, very gross. Top-down, then. You’ll want a torso covering like the Under Armour Mens Gore-Tex Paclite Half Zip Jacket (£130), which is both waterproof and windproof but also offers a level or breathability thanks to a “highly technical membrane”, which is probably beyond Guru’s pay grade to understand. It doesn’t have a hood, so equip yourself with the Davek Solo umbrella (£95) to keep the drizzle off your scalp. It totes a three function button: one press erects it, a second pulls it down again and, should…

While I wouldn’t call myself a hi-fi enthusiast, because that would make me feel ancient and like I have failed at life, I do love listening to music. I also love technology. When it works. So my luck is in, because the Jupiter of music is aligning with the Mars of stuff that works well. Now peace will guide the planets, and lo-ove will steer the stars. All new product types have issues – sometimes quite severe issues – which gradually get ironed out. Early adopters and tech journalists get to enjoy the shiny new toys but they also get the pain of things that aren’t really quite fit for purpose yet and so that’s what you tend to hear and read about. What’s perhaps strange is that nobody ever…

Phone designers have deemed 3.5mm jacks uncool and unnecessary, and while Bluetooth 5.0 and its new audio codecs have cut the latency and improved the quality of wireless sound, a wire is still the best choice for fidelity. If you’re on Android, or you’re using a recent laptop or tablet, USB Type-C is the way to go. It offers a whole host of advantages to headphones. In theory, it does away with the signal-squashing compression required of Bluetooth, and means there’s no need to rely on your phone’s own DAC as you might with a 3.5mm jack connection. And USB Type-C can supply power along with its signal, meaning you can up the features without making things too annoying. And yes, you can buy a converter dongle, but a set…

1 McIntosh MTI100 McIntosh hurls high-end record players straight into the digital age with this Bluetooth-enabled model. The MTI100 has its own phono stage, valve-based pre-amp and main amp built in, so it can output directly to wired speakers or headphones, as well as to Bluetooth wireless models. And, thanks to digital and analogue inputs, you can use it as an amp for other players. £7,495, mcintoshlabs.com 2 Thorens TD 1601 The TD 1601 is the latest incarnation of the Thorens TD 160, which is auspicious, since pretty much every version of it has been a stone-cold classic. The chassis stands on springs, separating it from any vibrations creeping into the plinth, while a steel cable stops any horizontal motion. The TD 1601 includes automatic electrical lift and will power…

1 Cotodama Lyric This speaker is not just a speaker: it also includes a transparent screen that shows the lyrics of the song you’re listening to, and actually gives them graphical effects and flourishes based on the tempo and style of the song. Why? So they’ll always feel in sync and expressive with the music that’s entering your ears. £2,499, lyric-speaker.com 2 Orbitsound Air D1 Orbitsound made its name in affordable, great-sounding speakers. Now it’s gone for the expensive, incredible-sounding option. Dynamic output correction from the amplifier, tons of connectivity, and a cool, innovative tilting stand to better direct sound all help the Air D1 achieve superb results from an (albeit very large) one-box design. £12,000, orbitsound.com 3 McIntosh RS200 McIntosh crashes the digital party with its huge high-end hi-fi…