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View - Wifi Hifi

HD WIRELESS SOUND
IS FINALLY HERE…
YOU’RE WELCOME
www.wifihifi.ca | April 2016
HD WIRELESS
PM42710013
HIGH DEFINITION SOUND
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FROM 2.0 — 7.2 SURROUND
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Klipsch speakers and headphones are distributed in Canada exclusively by Gentec International,
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WiFi HiFi_April 2016.indd 2
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
BY
RP-440WF
Wireless Floorstanding
Speaker
RP-140WM
Wireless Bookshelf
Speaker
RP-440WC
Wireless Center Channel
Speaker
RP-110WSW
Wi
Wireless
l
S
Subwoofer
b
f
HD Control Center
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
CONTENTS |
14
06
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
08
SHORT BITS
April 2016
The newest products from the business of digital.
14
AUDIO | All In Your Head: Headphones for Audiophiles
We look at the high-end headphone market, and test five premium models, all priced
north of $1,000.
By Gordon Brockhouse
22
HANDS-ON REVIEW | Samsung’s UBD-K8500 UHD BD Player
UHD Blu-ray players are finally here, and Samsung’s first, the UBD-K8500, offers some great features
for those who want to enjoy content in 4K. How did it fare in the author’s reference theatre room?
24
By David Susilo
24
NETWORKING | Routers: Evolving the Data-Driven Smart Home
As more devices rely on the Internet, our connectivity needs will, in turn, become more demanding.
And one often-forgotten, but critical, component in the smart home is the router, which is required
to support these data-hungry devices.
By Frank Lenk
32
Q&A | Chet Pipkin, CEO, Belkin
As a leader who prefers to stay under the radar, Chet Pipkin, CEO of Belkin, took the time to talk
with WiFi HiFi about the company’s humble beginnings from his parents’ garage, to now
successfully maintaining a three-brand strategy.
34
By John Thomson
34
MOBILE WORLD | Sporting Headphones
We discuss some of the key characteristics of active “sports” headphones, including features
consumers commonly seek out, and those they should be considering.
By Christine Persaud
42
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS | What’s Hot From Mobile World Congress 2016
Each year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, mobile manufacturers reveal their hottest
upcoming gear. Alongside a new selection of premium smartphones for 2016 will be innovative
accessories in virtual reality, 360-degree recording, hi-res music, and more.
42
48
SUPPLY SIDE | Sharing Success
BC-based distributor Staub Electronics celebrates its 35th anniversary with a unique dealer program.
By Gordon Brockhouse
50
TALKING SHOP
The Residential and Mobile Electronics Expo & Training proves a success; DX3 brings forth
the future of retail; and more in this month’s edition.
50
4
54
WHO WENT WHERE?
New hires, promotions, and more in the Canadian consumer technology industry.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
Designed to transcend time, the TRIBE V stands tall in the speaker realm. It offers unparalleled musicality and spatial imaging while faithfully rendering subtleness and
attack/decay harmonics. Featuring the Totem’s Torrent driver, the Tribe V provides the highest caliber on-wall performance available. / Discover yours at totemacoustic.com
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
OUR WIRELESS WORLD
HOW OFTEN do you think about your network? I’m not talking
about accumulating friends on Facebook or business connections
on LinkedIn, but rather your home network. I bet if you are like me,
you never think about it. In the same way you expect water to just
come out of your tap every time you turn the faucet, you simply
expect your home network to effortlessly play music, facilitate video
chats, and stream video content, even in 4K. And you expect it to
do so not just for you, but for every member of your household –
simultaneously. The same goes for the office, where there may be a
hundred (or more) users tasking the system all at once.
We certainly ask a lot of our routers and Wi-Fi, leading me to the conclusion that our wireless
networks are the unsung heroes of consumer tech. We all love the “wow” factor of being able
to change the temperature in our home from one hundred miles away. Companies like Nest
get deserved glory for that. But boy, let’s see any of that wizardry take place without a reliable
network! On Page 24, Frank Lenk shares how router companies like Linksys are slowly emerging
from the shadows to take centre stage.
And that’s a good thing, since their job of keeping our wireless world fully powered is only getting
more demanding. Whether Business Insider, Juniper Research, or Gartner is your go-to source for
tech predictions, all forecast that there will be plenty of devices – anywhere from 21 billion to 34
billion – connected to the Internet by 2020, up from about 10 billion last year.
These devices that we now categorize as the Internet of Things (IoT) are most easily defined as
products that can be monitored or controlled from a remote location. Think everything from
security cameras to toasters, home heating, lighting, sound systems and even cars as falling in to
the IoT category. How we control all these things tends to involve interacting with apps on our
smartphones, tablets, computers, connected TVs, and smartwatches. Business Insider estimates
there will be 10 billion “remotes” installed globally that will be controlling those 34 billion
connected devices, in less than four years time.
Gartner Research estimates that in 2016, the IoT market will account for US$235 billion on dollars
spent to services providers that create the infrastructure to make all this connectivity happen. Add
the cost of the products on top of that, and you get an idea of the size of the IoT market.
Market research firm IDC predicts that the whole IoT category will grow from US$650 billion today
to US$1.7 trillion by 2020, when you include devices, connectivity and IT services together. That
translates to about a 17% annual compounded growth rate. I can’t think of any other category
coming close to that kind of growth.
PUBLISHER / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
John Thomson
Cell: 416-726-3667
[email protected]
@wifihifimag
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Christine Persaud
[email protected]
@ChristineTechCA
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Gordon Brockhouse
[email protected]
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
David Topping
CONTRIBUTORS
Vawn Himmelsbach, Ted Kritsonis, Frank Lenk,
Steve Makris, David Susilo
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT
James Campbell
[email protected]
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS
Cathy Thomson
[email protected]
Melsa Media Inc.
194 Robinson Street
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 1G3
Advertising Inquiries:
John Thomson
[email protected]
Speaking of high-growth categories, if there’s one consumer technology product of which I could
start a collection, headphones would be at the top of my list. I love headphones; the materials
used, the drivers and the attention to detail in construction.
Both Christine Persaud and Gordon Brockhouse dedicate their features this month to headphones.
On Page 14, Gordon explores the premium end of the category; not a single pair he reviews can be
had for under $1,000. Christine, meanwhile, brings us back to earth by focusing on headphones
used for sports and commuting, starting on Page 34. While the price points and usage are
miles apart, both stories have a common link in the attention to detail and the passion that all
manufacturers bring to the category.
It’s worth noting that there’s no point having a great headphones collection without an equally
great amp or portable device to match. You’d better add speakers to the collection too, since
you don’t always want to listen alone. Collections in our industry are rarely restricted to one item.
Where’s the fun in that, anyway?
As always, we hope you enjoy the issue, and we thank you for being part of the WiFi HiFi community.
John Thomson
[email protected]
6
LET’S STAY IN TOUCH!
Website: www.wifihifi.ca / www.wifihifi.com
Twitter: twitter.com/wifihifimag
Facebook: facebook.com/wifihifimag
Instagram: instagram.com/wifihifi
Copyright 2016. WiFi HiFi is a registered brand of Melsa Media Inc.
and is published ten times each year. All rights reserved. The contents
of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part
without the written consent of the publisher. The views expressed
by advertisers are not necessarily those held by the publisher.
Publications Mail Agreement Number: PM42710013
Business Number: 81171 8709
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 5:42 PM
Because
Not All UHD TVs
are the same.
1 Billion Colours, 1 Brilliant Display
The LG SUPER UHD TV provides a superior 4K viewing experience by incorporating several advanced
technologies: Colour Prime Plus, TruMotion 240Hz, Ultra Luminance Plus, new IPS panels, and over a Billion
Rich Colours. The result? Truly premium Ultra HD.
LGSUPERUHD.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
SHORT BITS
The newest products from the business of digital.
Indestructible Power: The Scosche goBAT 12000 Rugged
Portable Backup Battery (Atlantia) has a rigid high-impact
polycarbonate housing that’s IP68 waterproof/dustproof-rated.
Meeting or exceeding military drop test standards, it can survive
dunks, dives, drops, dirt and even submersion in up to three
meters of water. Geared toward outdoor adventure use, its
12,000mAh rechargeable battery can charge an iPhone 6S up to
six times. The dual 12 Watt/2.4A USB ports provide fast charging
while simultaneously charging up to two USB-powered devices.
US$100. Scosche.com
65” 4K TV for Under $2K: At the top of Vizio’s
value D-series line of TVs is the 65” D65u-D2 4K
Smart TV. It features full array LED backlighting with
up to 16 Active LED zones, Clear Action 240 with
120Hz effective refresh rate, Internet Apps Plus,
including access to services like Netflix, Spotify,
and YouTube, and built-in Wi-Fi. Vizio’s Spatial
Scaling Engine upscales 720p or 1080p HD content
to Ultra HD resolution. Vizio’s Chief Technology
Officer Matt McRae calls the D-series collection an
“affordable entry point into Smart TV and 4K Ultra
HD technologies.” $1,600 Vizio.com
Fashion and Fitbit: Wear the Fitbit Alta (Microcel) with
interchangeable coloured bands, including stainless steel,
leather, and even a stylish bangle. In addition to activity,
exercise, and sleep tracking, it gives a vibrating nudge if
you’ve been sitting too long, sends prompts to encourage
you to meet a minimum step goal, and provides motivation
and congratulations when you accomplish it. Activate
Do Not Disturb if you’re in a meeting, or taking a quick
nap. SmartTrack recognizes what exercises you are doing,
and gives credits toward weekly goals when you engage.
Smartphone notifications appear on the tiny OLED screen.
The battery lasts for up to five days. $170; bands range from
$40 up to $140. Fitbit.com
The Zand Stand: This sophisticated stand for
smartphones and tablets from iQunix is made of polished
aluminum, and employs a sexy, curved design. But the coolest
part is that it uses German nanometer technology on its
surface to hold the device securely in place. A total of 9,000
tiny attachments on a centimetre-squared surface adhere to
the back of a device, like an iPad. Then, pull the device from its
corner to break the suction when you want to remove it. There
are two resting positions, and a silicone protector and rubber
coil. The nanometer micro-absorbing layer is good for more
than 1,000 repeated cycles. US$30 Iqunix.com
The Smartest Parka: Toronto-based North Aware’s supersmart parka is a wearer’s dream during the cold Canadian winter.
It comes with gloves built into zippered pockets on the sleeves,
a built-in scarf, an extendable piece to go from hip-length to
mid-length, and a pouch for your toque inside the hood. Inside
are tons of pockets, including one large enough to hold a tablet,
one for your smartphone with a headphone holder, glasses, and
even a tracker tag pocket. Made for two temperatures with a
removable lining, fur (coyote or faux), and hood, it comes in four
styles for women and three for men, and in different colours,
including solids as well as camo. With 30 days left, the campaign
had already far exceeded its goal of $30,000 and raised over
$630,000 in funding. $740, or $300 for early Kickstarter backers.
Northaware.com
8
Chevy Sparks Attention: The 2016 Spark
is Chevrolet’s first sub-$10,000 car to feature a
host of smart functions. Compatible with Apple
CarPlay and Google Android Auto, it comes
with a 4G LTE connection for creating a Wi-Fi
hotspot for mobile devices. The car will come
with 3GB of data for the first three months,
whichever expires first. Plans start at $20/
month for 1GB of data, going up to $250 for
10GB of data for one year. The Chevy’s MyLink
infotainment platform with Bluetooth and USB
support is included for hands-free phone and
streaming music. OnStar will be extra. Using
the free RemoteLink mobile app for iOS and
Android, drivers can manage the Wi-Fi and see
mapping, diagnostics and access a virtual key
fob. Ten colour options, MSRP $9,995. Gm.ca
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
SHORT BITS
Your Very Own Wilson: This ball is far smarter than
the famous one of the same name from the Tom Hanks
movie Cast Away. Wilson’s X Connected Basketball has
a smart sensor that works with an iOS or Android app to help
players develop their shooting skills. Proprietary Make/Miss
Technology detects when a player makes or misses a shot,
and logs every shot so the person can track performance
over time. In addition to shots taken and made, the sensor
tracks two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws. Share
data with friends via social media, or with a coach. Once you
hit a milestone, it will unlock special badges. There’s even
crowd noises, sports commentator observations, and a
mode to play under countdown pressure. $250 Wilson.com
Carry a Notebook in Style: booq’s Saddle Carbon
laptop bag is geared toward “contemporary professionals,”
made from durable materials, and able to hold a computer
that’s up to 15” in size. Inside, the main compartment can
hold books, folders, documents and a travel mug or water
bottle. An interior zippered pocket and numerous slip
pockets keep accessories organized, and the padded laptop
compartment can hold a 15.6” laptop, keeping it protected
from moisture and accidental scratches. Outside are smooth
running zippers, a luggage trolley pass-through, adjustable
shoulder strap, front and back pockets, and detachable key
ring. The unique Terralinq serial number is included to help
owners recover lost bags. US$130. Booqbags.com
300 Inches of Image: With Epson’s
Home Cinema 1440 home theatre
projector, project an image up to 300” in
size, with 4,400 lumens and full HD (1,080p)
resolution. Featuring 3LCD technology,
the projector can be used in a variety of
spaces, including larger media rooms and
living areas where light control isn’t an
option, says Epson. It offers Faroudja DCDi
Cinema, an advanced video enhancement
technology, and split screen capabilities
for projecting two different videos or
still images side-by-side. The two HDMI
ports and MHL support allow for seamless
connection to a Blu-ray player, Chromecast,
Roku Stick, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick,
or other devices for streaming content.
$2,200 Epson.ca
Don’t Disturb the Neighbours: The Origin
Acoustics AcoustaScape AS41 outdoor audio
system (Evolution Home Entertainment) consists
of four 4” camouflage-enclosed satellites, and
the 8” in-ground sub, all of which remain hidden
from sight within landscape foliage. Up to four
additional satellite speakers (sold in pairs) can
be added through the AS4SAT extension packs,
allowing for coverage of a space up to 2,500
square feet in size. The two-way satellite speakers
deliver a wider dispersion and require no separate
amplifier; they can be powered from any source
component zone 2 output. Originacoustics.com
Fibe in 4K: Bell isn’t leaving all of the 4K
fun to Rogers: the television provider has
launched a 4K Fibe PVR that’s ready for
high dynamic range (HDR) broadcasting.
Able to record up to 150 hours of 4K
content, and controlled using a Bluetooth
remote, it is available to customers in
Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec
City. $600 for rent or purchase to Bell Fibe
customers, as well as Bell Aliant FibreOP
subscribers in Atlantic Canada. Bell.ca
Hello, Robot: Like it was straight out of a scene from the movie I, Robot, the
next generation Google Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics might just scare
you with how incredibly human-like it is. In a YouTube video, the robot is seen
easily opening a door and heading outside to stroll around in the forest. It walks
just like a human would, with the exception of the loud mechanical noises, even
seemingly tripping over branches and wobbling as it tries to catch its balance.
Later, Atlas stocks a couple of 10 lb. boxes with ease, then easily picks itself up
after an annoying co-worker knocks him over. Here’s hoping that when these
robots really do come into play, humans don’t antagonize them so much that
they turn on us like they did in the aforementioned flick! The video is worth a
watch. Just search for “Google Atlas next gen.” Youtube.com
10
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
SHORT BITS
Even More Intelligent Brushing: Oral-B has managed to make
teeth brushing even smarter. The Genius intelligent brushing
system, a follow up to its previous smart brush, now uses motion
sensor technology and video recognition via your smartphone
camera to track areas as you brush, and ensure you don’t miss a
zone, or push too hard, potentially harming your gums. Users receive
instant feedback on brushing via the Oral-B App 4.1, including
guidance on pressure applied and brushing duration. July 2016 in
select markets. Oralb.com
Ultimate Portrait Photography:
Sony’s FE 85mm f/1.4 GM, one of its latest
G Master E-mount lenses for use with the
company’s Alpha series mirrorless cameras,
is dubbed the “ultimate portrait lens.”
It features a new XA element as well as
three ED glass elements that work together
to maximize resolution of in-focus areas,
while providing attractively soft bokeh in
out-of-focus areas. Also contributing to
bokeh is the circular aperture with
11 blades (the most ever used in a Sony
α lens). The Nano AR Coating reduces
flare and ghosting, even with backlit
subjects or similarly challenging lighting
conditions. $2,400 Sony.ca
Throw Your Phone a Charging Bone: Dog & Bone’s Backbone
battery case for the iPhone 6 (Hitfar Concepts) is rugged, slim, and supports
wireless charging. The shockproof case has a military-certified rating, able to
withstand a drop from up to four feet high. The battery portion is removable
when you don’t need it; and with Qi support, you can recharge your phone
via Qi chargepads. The slightly raised rim protects the screen from drops.
It comes with a rubber exterior, is Apple MFi-certified, and compatible
with the iPhone 6 and 6S. Black with blue, pink, orange, or red;
$140 for the case and charging pad, $100 for the case
on its own, and $70 for the 1,500mAh battery
that can be swapped out for the charging pad.
Dogandbonecases.com
Going Pro in 4K: If you’re looking for the
More Than Like: Now, you can finally
do more than just Like a status update
or post on Facebook. Use one the new
Reactions to express your love, laughs,
surprise, sadness, or anger toward the
content. Hover over the Like button
on your computer, or hold it down on
a mobile device to bring up the new
options. Interestingly, the range of
Reactions doesn’t seem to include the
one that users most desired: a simple
thumbs down to indicate “Dislike.” Maybe
Facebook wants to curb the negativity.
This might also explain the absence of
another much-needed Reaction: the eye
roll. From a business perspective, these
more expressive Reactions may help you
better gauge how people perceive the
information you share. Facebook.com
ultimate in digital signage, Sharp’s professional
80” PN-H801 4K Ultra HD display might just fit
the bill. It provides 33% more screen area than
the 70” Class PN-H701 model, says Sharp, and
is designed with an ultra-slim aluminum bezel.
Featuring 4K Ultra HD resolution, it also comes
equipped with upscaling capability, allowing Full
HD signals to be upscaled to 4K. Commercialgrade, it was designed for 24/7 use in professional
and commercial settings. MSRP $18,267 Sharp.ca
Fluance Speaker Stands Out: Niagara Falls, ON-based
Fluance’s Fi70 Bluetooth speaker employs a unique exterior
design. Dubbed a “statement” speaker, users can play back
streaming music (aptX capabilities), or songs from their own
music playlists. An integrated equalizer allows for adjusting treble
and bass; and there’s an optical input to connect to a TV, and an
auxiliary input. Along with dual 8” woofers are 5” woven glass
fibre midrange drivers, and 1” neodymium tweeters. A 280-watt
built-in amplifier delivers bass response starting as low as 30Hz.
The cabinet is constructed from MDF wood, and the speaker has
touch controls, a digital AM/FM radio, LED display, and USB port
that can simultaneously charge devices. Black ash, lucky bamboo
and natural walnut, $500. Fluance.com
April 2016
11
2016-03-23 6:17 PM
SHORT BITS
Super Smart Coffee: Nespresso is joining the smart
appliance revolution with its latest machine, Prodigio, which lets
users prepare coffee remotely, receive notifications when they’re
running low on their favourite blend, or even be reminded of
the perfect time to de-scale, or if the container is full. Using
Bluetooth Smart technology and the Nespresso app, you can
brew one of 23 Grand Crus, so a hot cup of java is waiting for you
by the time you get out of the shower in the morning. It comes
in silver or titan, and lets you prepare everything from Ristretto
to Espresso or Lungo coffee sizes. $269; or $319 for the Prodigio
& Milk version. Nestle-nespresso.com
Super Macros: Nikon’s DL24-85
premium compact camera will play
in the same space as Sony’s popular
RX100 series and Canon’s G7X II
compact. Featuring a 24-85mm
(equivalent) f/1.8-2.8 lens, it covers
the range from true wide-angle to
short telephoto. Its super macro mode
allows 1:1 magnification. There are
several focusing aids for macro
shooting, including focus bracketing,
and manual-priority AF with peaking
indicator. The lens accepts 40.5mm
threaded filters. Early summer;
MSRP $800. Nikon.ca
Game On the Wall: The GO-1B wall-mounted gaming
console cabinet, the latest in Canadian manufacturer
Cambre Products’ Game On Sky Cube line, lets gamers
easily position a gaming console and accessories on the
wall, either horizontally or vertically. Made in Canada with
high-gloss MDF, the mount is easy to install - all necessary
mounting hardware is included. Ventilation and wire
management ports are included. $80 Cambreproducts.com
The Commanding Finger: Your wrist and neck aren’t the
only places for smart wearable devices. Logbar’s Ring Zero is
worn on your index finger, then used to control smart devices
in the home via Bluetooth and gestures. Push your thumb
onto the side of the ring and use gestures to turn on your
lights, activate your phone’s camera, switch music tracks, or
even adjust the volume on your smartphone. The plastic ring
comes in black or white, and in three sizes from 19-22.2mm.
It’s compatible with devices like Philips Hue lighting and Belkin
WeMo gear, and you can use the preset gestures, or create your
own custom ones. For example, make the sign of a “V” with
your finger to increase volume, or the outline of an “S” to skip
tracks. US$150 Logbar.jp/ring
Track Your Horse: Place the Nightwatch 24 Halter and Coupler equine
distress and wellness monitor from Protequus LLC on your horse, and it will
alert you via SMS, e-mail, or phone call at the first sign of distress, like colic or
being cast. It offers real-time monitoring of heart and respiratory rate, activity,
motion, and posture, and calculates a proprietary measurement called an EDI
score (Equine Distress Index) to determine your animal’s wellbeing based
on normal patterns learned over time. Monitor more than
one horse through the iOS or Android app, or desktop
dashboard. Communication works over the cellular network
and Wi-Fi. The smart accessory is made from premium Havana
brown leather, with a padded crown and nose band, and
comes in different sizes. Summer 2016, $500 for pre-orders, then
$550 for the Halter, $600 for the Halter and Coupler, or $500 for
the Collar, plus $1/day for monitoring. Nightwatch24.com
12
Touch & Command: The SiriusXM
Commander Touch touchscreen radio can
be installed into a vehicle without the need
to replace the factory radio. Place it where
it’s most convenient; the hideaway tuner can
be installed behind the vehicle’s dashboard
via concealed wiring. Professional installers
can also use the included flush mounting
kit to integrate into the vehicle’s dash. The
controller connects to the factory radio via
FM or AUX audio input. A neat addition is
the Delayed Off mode, which automatically
pauses when you make short stops up to 30
minutes, then resumes where you left off.
$170; first three months of service free with
purchase, after which a subscription ranges
from $16-$22/mo. Siriusxm.com
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
We’ve missed you too.
It’s time to take a closer look at our full assortment
of integrated amplifiers and HiFi components.
¥
www.yamaha.ca
2016-03-23 9:26 AM
ALL IN YOUR
HEAD
Five high-end headphones put to the test
I have to admit that my eyebrows did an upward lift when
Sennheiser launched its flagship HD 800 over-the-ear headphone
back in 2009. At $500, the HD 650, until then Sennheiser’s top
dynamic headphone, seemed expensive. I couldn’t imagine many
people spending three times that. To me, the HD 800 seemed
strictly a statement piece.
Silly me. Today, there is a vibrant market for
high-end headphones. More eyebrows were
raised in the following months when two new
companies – Audeze and HiFiMAN – introduced
planar magnetic ’phones priced north of a grand.
Since then, both companies have launched models in the $4,000 range.
To find the price ceiling for headphones, you’ll
have to crane your neck even higher. Last fall,
Sennheiser announced its HE-1 electrostatic
headphone system, an update of the legendary
Orpheus. The price for the system, which includes
a tube amplifier: US$55,000. During CES 2016,
there were continuous lineups to hear it.
There will always be a market for luxury products like the HE-1, notes Maurice Quarré, Director,
Business Segment, Select and Audiophile Head14
phones, at Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co.
And the appeal of premium ’phones extends
beyond sound quality. “Personally, I don’t think
there is a ceiling for any product in our world,” he
elaborates. “Surely there are differences in the willingness to pay purely for a standard headphone,
but if you combine technology with the finest
materials and art, then the willingness to pay a
higher price comes from the combination of all
factors, not only perfect sound reproduction.”
THE MARKET
Other companies are jumping on the headphone
bandwagon. Last fall at the Rocky Mountain
Audio Fest, Pioneer introduced its SE-Master1
headphone in North America. Handmade in the
same facility in Tohoku, Japan that builds TAD
loudspeakers, the SE-Master1 will become available in Canada this spring. South of the border,
it retails for US$2,500.
It’s a dynamic design, but definitely not conventional, employing ceramic-coated aluminum
drivers whose diaphragms are a mere 25 microns
thick. Specified response extends to 85kHz. Rolf
Hawkins, National Trainer for Pioneer Home
Electronics USA, says Pioneer exploited its car
speaker experience to minimize resonances on
the SE-Master1. While it doesn’t provide the visceral impact of planar designs, Hawkins says bass
is tighter. “And the extended response gives so
much room for attack and sustain that audiophiles appreciate, especially for classical and
jazz,” he adds.
Hawkins has no doubt that there’s a market for
high-end ‘phones. “At Rocky Mountain, I saw one
customer who had his son carrying a backpack
full of headphones,” he relates.
Sergei Shinder, Co-Owner of Vancouver-based
HiFiHeadphones.ca, says it’s not uncommon for
people to own several pairs of headphones. He’s
not talking about having one set for exercise and
another for watching TV at home, but multiple
pairs for serious hi-fi use. “Between the HD 800
and Audeze, the differences are so dramatic,” he
notes. “But there’s no right and wrong. You’re
Photo courtesy of Beyerdynamic, Inc.
BY GORDON BROCKHOUSE
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-23 3:43 PM
HIGH-END HEADPHONES
not going to have a pair of Wilsons and Maggies,
but you can have different headphones. Most of
our clients have four or five pairs.”
Some purchasers adopt headphones as a
secondary listening option. “We have a lot of
customers with wives or architects who will not
let them have a huge set of speakers,” Shinder
explains. “Now, you can buy a $5,000 headphone
setup and get some of that out of your system.”
Priced at US$2,500, Pioneer’s SE-Master 1 is hand-built
at the same facility that makes TAD loudspeakers.
But for a great many customers, headphones
are the primary source of music. “It’s a different
customer,” Shinder says. “It’s a new customer.
Most are new to hi-fi. They’re used to headphones as their best system.”
And ’phones are just the beginning. People
who buy premium headphones will likely want
a DAC and headphone amplifier, and probably
cabling as well. “Cabling is huge,” Shinder says,
“especially for the few headphone companies that allow you to switch cables. You order
high-quality cable at the exact length you need.
You don’t want three metres when you’re going
out with your Pono.”
THE TEST
After hearing high-end headphones at industry events over the past several years, I’ve long
since conquered my earlier skepticism. But I
wanted a chance to hear a selection with my own
music, in my own space. I had hoped to audition
Sennheiser’s new HD 800S, which features new
sound absorbing technology to dampen resonances and improve clarity; but sadly a review
sample was not available in time for our deadline.
The review lineup included two planar magnetic ’phones that were high on my radar:
Audeze’s LCD-X and HiFiMAN’s Edition X.
Dynamic headphones produce sound with what
are effectively miniature loudspeaker drivers:
small diaphragms moved forward and backward by a voice coil suspended in the gap of a
magnet structure. With planars, the voice coil is
etched into the entire diaphragm, which is thinner and lighter than dynamic drivers. Moreover,
the entire diaphragm is driven, not just a small
section. However planars tend to be difficult to
drive, so require a dedicated desktop amplifier.
I also wanted some products intended for
on-the-go listening. So this roundup includes the
new N90Q active noise-cancelling headphone
from AKG, Beyerdynamic’s second-generation
T5p closed-back headphone, and Shure’s premium SE846 in-ear monitor.
With all five headphones, I listened to a selection of CD-resolution and high-res tracks from my
Pono music player. I also wanted to know how the
Audeze, HiFiMAN and Beyerdynamic headphone
would scale with a more capable front end. So I
streamed files from my Mac Mini to the built-in
DAC on my Simaudio Neo 340i integrated amp
and listened through its headphone output.
To assess how these headphones would do
with a dedicated headphone amplifier, I used
Bryston’s BHA-1 ($1,395), a pure Class A design
with a full array of inputs and outputs, both balanced and single-ended. The BHA-1 is a revealing
and neutral amplifier, but it does run warm.
I fed the BHA-1 from the preamp output of the
340i, so that I could use its internal DAC. This is
an unusual usage scenario, but it suited my purposes well, allowing me to compare the Neo 340i’s
built-in headphone with the BHA-1, without introducing a major variable like a different DAC.
Audeze LCD-X
Bryston’s BHA-1 headphone amplifier used for our
tests is a pure Class A design. It’s wonderfully neutral
and dead quiet, providing a black background that
really lets fine details and dynamics come through.
Since bursting on the scene seven years ago,
California-based Audeze has attracted a hardcore fan base for its planar magnetic headphones.
The open-back LCD-X and closed-back LCD-XC
are more efficient and have lower impedance
than other models in the premium LCD series,
allowing them to be used with portable devices
as well as desktop amplifiers.
Priced in Canada at $2,300, the LCD-X are big
headphones. Each earcup houses a huge 106mm
Audeze LCD-X:
“It’s impossible for
anyone who loves
music not to love
these headphones.
They’re wonderfully
neutral, not to
mention big,
spacious, fast
and dynamic.”
transducer, with an ultra-thin diaphragm suspended between two large magnet assemblies.
Some listeners may find having a pair of 600g
cans on their head fatiguing. I didn’t. The lambskin earpads and headband (there’s also a vegan
option) made the LCD-X very comfortable, even
for long stretches.
Connections are made via four-pin mini XLR
jacks on each earcup. The LCD-X comes with a
2.5m single-ended cable terminated in a quarter-inch plug, a 3.5mm adapter for portables, and
a 2.5m balanced cable terminated in a four-pin
XLR plug, plus a big, rugged travel case.
Can a portable device really drive these big
’phones? My answer is an unambiguous “yes.”
From my Pono music player, “Silence is the
Question” from The Bad Plus Joshua Redman
(Nonesuch, 24/96 download) left me speechless.
Reid Anderson’s string bass combined subterra-
THE STORY
Less than a decade ago, $500 was the price
ceiling for premium headphones. Now it’s
not uncommon to spend several thousand
on a high-end headphone system.
Consumers can choose from a huge variety
of high-end ’phones: tiny in-ear monitors,
active models with noise reduction, and
exotic planar magnetic designs.
It’s not uncommon for people to own
several headphones, not just for different
applications, but different sonic signatures.
Headphones are introducing a new
generation to great sound. For many
consumers, their headphones are their
first exposure to serious hi-fi.
April 2016
15
2016-03-23 3:44 PM
HIGH-END HEADPHONES
nean depth and snappy detail; Ethan Anderson’s
piano had sparkle and body in equal measure;
the cymbals on David King’s drum kit shimmered
naturally; and Redman’s tenor sax was sweet and
soulful. The LCD-X was fully equal to the frenetic
middle section, delivering a veritable musical
thunderstorm without compression or distress,
and with lots of space around the four musicians
so that I could fully appreciate their almost-superhuman playing. And this was with a single-ended
connection. I’d love to hear the LCD-X on the
Pono with a balanced connection.
While sound through the Pono was wholly satisfactory, the LCD-X scales well, benefitting from
more capable upstream components. From the
headphone output of my Simaudio Moon Neo
340i integrated amp, “Silence is the Question”
sounded even better. The bass was snappier
and faster, and the piano had more heft. The
Bryston BHA-1 provided even greater improvement, with its blacker background providing
more space around the instrumentalists, and its
greater power reserves making the sound more
effortless. Interestingly, I didn’t notice a significant improvement using a balanced connection
between the Bryston amp and Audeze phones,
though there was a significant boost in volume.
After this, I did most of my listening through
the BHA-1 using a single-ended connection, starting with a recording of Beethoven’s Fifth by the
San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson
Thomas (SFSO, DSD rip from SACD). Right from the
get-go, I was struck by the realistic instrumental
timbres – the woody cellos and the reedy oboe in
the opening – and then by the effortless delivery
when the SFSO players had the pedal to the metal.
I couldn’t resist stepping out of reviewer mode
and listening to the whole symphony.
Through the LCD-X, the full emotional range
of Schubert’s C Major Piano Sonata played by
Paul Lewis (Harmonia Mundi, 24/96 download)
was on prominent display. The serene opening
was magical, the big chords were majestic, and
the rapid right- and left-hand runs were gorgeously delineated. In tender and tumultuous
passages alike, these wonderful headphones did
complete justice to the power of Lewis’ concert
grand, presenting the instrument in a big space
well outside my head.
It’s impossible for anyone who loves music not
to love this headphone. Though less sumptuous
than other LCD-series ’phones, it’s also more
neutral, not to mention big, spacious, fast and
dynamic. And versatile too, given how well it
plays with portables.
16
HiFiMAN Edition X
Priced in Canada at $2,600, HiFiMAN’s secondfrom-the-top ’phone (D2MK Solutions) is a thing
of beauty. At 399g, it’s two-thirds the weight
of the Audeze LCD-X. Even though it’s a large
‘phone, the Edition X’s suspended headband,
velour-and-faux-leather ear pads, and asymmetrical earcups all contribute to comfort, though
the horizontal clamping force starts feeling high
after a while. One other caveat: I’ve got a large
noggin, and the fit is just right with the headband in its shortest position. People with smaller
hat sizes might find the fit a little sloppy.
Each earcup has a 2.5mm plug that accepts
detachable cables. Included with the Edition X
in the elegant display box are a 3m cable terminated in a quarter-inch plug for home listening,
and a 1.5m cable terminated in a 3.5mm stereo
plug for portable use.
While the Edition X is less efficient than the
LCD-X, it definitely plays well with portables.
“Silence is the Question” from The Bad Plus Joshua
Redman (Nonesuch 24/96 download) wasn’t quite
as impactful as it was on the LCD-X, but it was
more refined, with even greater space around the
instruments. While Reid Anderson’s bass was a little less visceral, David King’s work on the drums
had more snap and drive. The Edition-X separated the strands of the chaotic middle section
better; but on the Audeze, this section had more
power and impact. Even so, the Edition X delivered a hugely exciting rendition to this fantastic
music, from the tender opening to the thunderous climax. Again, this was with a single-ended
connection. I have no doubt that a balanced connection would pay additional sonic dividends.
Of course, the Edition X will perform even
better with a home rig. Through the headphone
output of my Simaudio Moon Neo 340i integrated amp, the sound flowed more easily. Reid
Anderson’s bass and Ethan Anderson’s piano
both had better body. But it was not a huge
difference. There was a further improvement
through the Bryston BHA-1.
My review sample did not include a balanced
cable, so I was unable to use a balanced connection on the Bryston BHA-1. Most of my listening
was done on the Bryston, with a single-ended
connection, with some quick comparisons to the
Moon 340i.
Female and male voices were perfect, as typified
by Natalie Cole’s and Ray Charles’ flirtatious rendition of “Fever” on Genius Loves Company (Concord,
DSD rip from SACD), and by Charles’ mournful
duet with Bonnie Raitt on “Do I Ever Cross Your
Mind.” The presentation was wonderfully dynamic
and spacious. Instruments were beautifully separated from one another in a big soundstage.
On the title track of Smash by Patricia Barber
(Verve, 24/96 download), Barber’s voice and
piano in the agonized quiet opening were
exquisite, with the Edition X’s incredible micro
dynamics highlighting this song’s pathos. The
wrenching instrumental conclusion had huge
impact. With its blacker background, the BHA-1
conveyed micro dynamics better than the Neo
340i, as one would expect.
The Edition X is a magnificent headphone,
delivering exquisite detail and dynamics, lightning speed, plus plenty of heft and authority.
While the LCD-X has even greater impact, it can’t
quite match the Edition X’s spaciousness and
ease of delivery. I preferred the Edition-X by a
narrow margin, but I can imagine many listeners
having the opposite take.
Beyerdynamic T5p
HiFiMAN Edition X: “A magnificent headphone,
delivering exquisite detail and micro dynamics, lightning
speed, plus plenty of heft and authority.”
Beyerdynamic has a pretty low profile in Canada;
but among cognoscenti, this German brand
enjoys a strong reputation, especially for its topof-the-line Tesla ’phones.
There are two models. Intended for at homeuse, the T1 ($1,299 in Canada) is an open-back
over-the-ear model with 600Ω impedance. The
closed-back T5p ($1,399), tested here, has impedance of 32Ω, allowing it to be powered by portable
devices. Beyerdynamic recently introduced second-generation versions of both products.
They’re very attractive, with understated
European styling, and very comfortable. On the
T5p, silver mesh grilles adorn the back of each
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-23 3:43 PM
TRUE AUDIO
PRECISION.
SE846 Sound Isolating™ Earphones
SE846 Sound Isolating Earphones feature a groundbreaking low-pass filter that
delivers extended high-end clarity and unparalleled low-end performance.
www.shurecanada.com
© 2016 Shure Incorporated
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
HIGH-END HEADPHONES
Beyerdynamic T5p: “The hallmarks of
this closed-back design are crystalline
clarity and wonderfully fast
dynamics, which combine
to create a real sense
of excitement.”
earcup; and a high-quality faux leather headband and ear cushions filled with memory foam
cradle your head. The drivers are placed forward
in the earcup, and tilted toward the listener’s ear.
This results in a presentation that’s quite spacious for a closed-back design.
The detachable cables connect to each earcup with a 3.5mm plug. Along with a carrying
case, the T5p is supplied with a 1.4 textile-covered cable terminated in a 3.5mm stereo plug,
plus a quarter-inch adapter. Balanced cables are
optionally available.
The hallmarks of this closed-back design are
crystalline clarity and wonderfully fast dynamics,
which combine to create a real sense of excitement. As portable playback is the T5p’s primary
application, I did most of my listening from my
Pono music player.
As expected, the Pono drove the T5p easily,
delivering high SPLs before the volume control
was halfway up. The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu
by Carla Bley (ECM/Watt, CD rip) was pure delight.
Andy Sheppard’s saxophones squawked and
soared majestically; Fresu’s trumpet and flugelhorn
were smooth and sweet; and Billy Drummond’s
drums provided great snap and drive.
But all was not perfect. Through the Pono,
I noticed a breathy, almost papery edge around
Abigail Washburn’s voice in her bluegrass album
with husband Béla Fleck (Rounder Records, CD
rip). And the sharp transients in the duet’s banjo
playing were a little strident.
There was a similar edge to the voice of the
German/Afghan singer Simin Tander on Tord
Gustaven’s new album What Was Said (ECM,
24/96 download); and the snare drum was a little aggressive. Still, there was lots to admire and
enjoy. The kick drum had almost visceral impact
without sounding overblown. Gustavsen’s pianism was beautifully produced, with exquisite
delicacy in quiet passage, and lovely fullness in
the middle and lower registers.
18
The pattern continued with John Eliot Gardiner’s
new performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor
(Soli Dei Gloria, 24/96 download). On the opening Kyrie, the massed sopranos sounded a bit
shrill. But the period violins were fine, as were
female singers performing solo or in duet. The
T5p’s dynamic character was a perfect complement to Gardiner’s rhythmic pacing, adding a
sense of drama and urgency. And its spacious
presentation helped unravel the polyphonic
sections of this choral masterpiece.
I spent some more time with the T5p connected to the headphone output of my Simaudio
Moon Neo 340i integrated amplifier, and to the
Bryston BHA-1 headphone amplifier. The results
were surprising.
Through the Moon 340i’s headphone output,
the edginess in female vocals was almost completely tamed. The T5p’s clarity now manifested
itself as musical expression rather than aggression.
On “The Source is Now” from the Gustavsen
album, the sound was more substantial, with
greater heft in the lower octaves, bringing out
this track’s feeling of mystery and expectation.
Fleck’s and Washburn’s banjos were even more
beautifully delineated than before. The Carla
Bley album sounded better as well, with greater
clarity and ease.
The Bryston BHA-1 delivered further improvements, with a blacker background that let
dynamic shading come through more clearly.
The Bley album had better pace and rhythm.
The sax and trumpet sounded smoother, but
had more personality. While not necessarily
dramatic, the improvements over the 340i were
certainly noticeable.
One certainly expects a headphone to sound
more dynamic and less strained with better amplification. But the edginess on some
content through the Pono was a surprise, especially as portable playback is the T5p’s primary
application. The Pono lets you use a balanced
connection, as does the T5p. I’d really like to hear
the T5p with the Pono using balanced cables.
That might change things up a whole lot.
AKG N90Q
With its black-and-gold styling and pronounced
lettering, this active noise-cancelling headphone
has a look that straddles luxury and ostentation.
But if that’s too blingy, you can also get the N90Q
(Erikson Consumer) in plain black.
Build quality and materials are excellent. The
N90Q sports leather headband and ear cushions
with memory foam; and aluminum control rings,
hinge and earcup. While it’s on the heavy side,
the N90Q is comfortable enough for long listening sessions.
Priced in Canada at $2,200, the N90Q has two
related applications. You can connect the supplied
3.5mm analog cable to a smartphone or portable
music player for on-the-go music. The N90Q has to
be powered; and when it’s turned on, active noise
cancellation is engaged by default. If you run out
of juice, you run out of music.
You recharge the N90Q’s built-in battery via its
micro USB connector. Rated playback time is 10
to 12 hours per charge. If the battery runs down,
you can get a quick refill from the supplied power
bank, which has similar black-and-gold cosmetics.
The N90Q also has a built-in USB DAC that
supports 44.1, 48 and 96kHz sampling rates at 16
and 24 bits. You can connect the N90Q to a computer via USB, and bypass the computer’s internal
audio circuitry. You’ll have to change the settings
in your music player software, and possibly the
operating system as well, for this to work.
There are several user-adjustable settings.
A rotary control on the right earcup adjusts volume. On the left earcup is a rotary control that
lets you change frequency balance, with adjustments verified by a percussive tone of varying
pitch. (I used a flat setting.) The mode button lets
you change the spatial presentation. Besides the
standard mode (which I used in my listening),
there’s a studio mode for moving the soundstage
forward, plus a surround option.
One of the slickest features of the N90Q is
Trunote, an auto-calibration feature that customizes output for the listener’s ears. Power up the
N90Q, put it on your head, then push and hold
the mode button on the right earcup. The N90Q
will emit a short chirping signal, and microphones in each earcup will detect and analyze
the output. The N90Q then adjusts the signal so
AKG N90Q: “The whole
presentation was
both lively and
refined. This is a
headphone you can
listen to for hours
at a stretch.”
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-23 3:44 PM
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2016-03-22 3:17 PM
HIGH-END HEADPHONES
that the frequency response of the sound entering the ear canal is flat.
This is pretty slick stuff; and judging by the
smooth, neutral sound, it’s effective. I listened to
music via an analog connection from my Pono
music player, and via a USB connection from a
Mac Mini running Audirvana 2.4 and a MacBook
Air running iTunes and BitPerfect 3.0.2.
On both Macs, I got some dropouts, even on
files whose resolution is supported by the N90Q.
The other annoyance is a loud transient snap
emitted from the ’phones when you first turn
them on. My review sample was a pre-production model, so hopefully this problem will have
been solved by the time the N90Q ships.
The sound, from both Macs and the Pono, was
excellent. On Live in Lucerne by the Keith Jarrett
Trio (ECM, 24/96 download), Jarrett’s piano had
superb heft in the lower range, and beautiful
articulation in the upper range. Gary Peacock’s
bass was produced with an ideal combination
of depth, impact and snap. Jack DeJohnette’s
drumwork was likewise convincing, with resonant cowbell, brassy cymbals and invigorating
tom-tom – all with no resonances to smear the
proceedings. The whole presentation was both
lively and refined. This is a headphone you can
listen to for hours at a stretch.
There was a nice sense of space around Leonard
Cohen’s voice on “Almost Like the Blues” from
Popular Problems (Columbia Records, 24/96 download), making it easier to appreciate his slightly
whispery enunciation in the agonized opening.
Cécile McLarin Salvant’s voice on her rollicking
rendition of “John Henry” from WomanChild (Mack
Avenue Records, CD rip) was perfect, and the
instrumental accompaniment was delightful, with
a really convincing honky-tonk piano and snappy
string bass.
The breathy strings in the moody opening
of Andris Nelson’s account of Shostakovich’s
Tenth Symphony with the Boston Symphony
(Deutsche Grammophon, 24/96 download) were
suitably ominous, and the entry of the solo clarinet was haunting. When the Boston players hit
triple-forte, the N90Q was equal to the task, producing this demanding score without distress.
Brass instruments had fabulous bite, without
sounding strident; and percussion instruments
had stunning impact.
I evaluated the noise-cancelling feature by
playing airline noise through my speakers. I was
impressed by how effective the system is, allowing me to hear quiet passages of this masterpiece
without being deafened by loud passages.
20
All this makes the N90Q a great headphone
for frequent-flying music lovers. Connect it to
your smart device or portable music player when
you’re on the move, then plug it into your laptop
when you get to your hotel room. On-the-go or
at rest, you can get lost in the music.
Shure SE846
Priced in Canada at $1,399, the SE846 is Shure’s
(SFM’s) top-of-the-line balanced-armature Sound
Isolating Earphone. The SE846 is larger than most
in-ear monitors (IEM), but that’s because each
’phone contains four separate MicroDrivers: two
for the low frequencies, one for the mids and one
for the highs. A mechanical low-pass filter keeps
the bass drivers from interfering with the midrange driver.
Available in four colour options (clear, black,
blue and bronze), the SE846 comes with a small
travel case plus a larger hard plastic carrying case
that can accommodate the supplied accessories.
These include 46” and 64” detachable Kevlarreinforced cables with a wireform design that
curves around the ear, two nozzle inserts for
tuning frequency response, and a multitude of
sleeves that allow listeners to tailor the fit of the
’phones to their aural anatomy.
With IEMs, you need a very tight seal to get
good bass response. A secure fit is also vital for
isolation from outside noise, which along with
their compact form factor, is a big attraction
of IEMs. Shure says the SE846 reduces ambient
noise by up to 37dB.
As the SE846 is intended for portable music,
I did all my listening through my Pono music
player. The Pono drove the SE846 effortlessly,
providing ample output with the volume
cranked about one-third up. After a little experimentation, I found that the triple-flanged sleeves
provided the best fit with my ears.
With a secure fit, the sound borders on magical. Bass is deep, fast and impactful, without
calling undue attention to itself. For example,
on “Blue Monk” from Trilogy by the Chick Corea
Trio (Concord Music, 24/96 download), Christian
McBride’s double bass had wonderful depth and
snap. Octave-to-octave balance is superb. The
lower octaves of Corea’s piano sounded solid
and authoritative, and the upper octaves had
good sparkle and expression. Brian Blade’s drum
work was also wonderful: lots of brassy shimmer
on the cymbals, but no artificial splashiness; and
lots of snap on the snare, but no artificial sizzle.
Occasionally, there was a little stridency in the
upper mids, for example on the Cécile McLarin
Shure SE846: “The sound borders on magical. Bass is
deep, fast and impactful, without calling undue attention
to itself. Octave-to-octave balance is superb.”
Salvant’s saucy vocals in “What’s the Matter
Now?” from For One to Love (Mack Avenue
Records, 24/88.2 download); but the instrumental trio (piano, bass, drums) was delicious. On
a more tender song from the same album, “Le
Mal de Vivre,” Salvant’s vocals were meltingly
gorgeous. And the way the SE846 delivered the
sustain and decay of the piano was captivating.
Moving to larger-scale works, the violent
second movement of Anrdis Nelson’s fabulous performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony
No. 10 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
(Deutsche Grammophon, 24/96 download)
was produced with frightening intensity. The
SE846 resolved all the strands in this complex
music, presenting it as a coherent whole rather
than a collection of sounds. The quiet portions
were equally successful, with the Boston strings
sounding gorgeously breathy in the atmospheric opening of the first movement.
I used the quiet opening of the Shostakovich
Tenth to assess the SE846’s ability to block out
external noise. While listening to this music, I
played air-cabin noise through my speakers at
about 75dB. Some details did get lost, but not
enough to detract from the overall experience.
A less dynamic piece, solo piano music by Phillip
Glass, played by Valentina Lisitsa (Decca, 24/96
download) was wholly satisfactory under the
same conditions. The passive isolation provided
by the SE846 isn’t as effective as the AKG N90Q’s
active system, but it’s certainly effective enough
to enjoy music in all but the noisiest conditions.
Sonically, there is hardly anything to fault
with the SE846, and a tremendous amount to
praise. The overall sound is effortless, revealing
and neutral; and the presentation is surprisingly
spacious for an IEM. I’ve resisted in-ear monitors,
partly because I find it difficult to get a secure fit,
and partly because they feel somewhat intrusive
after a half hour of wear. But if one product could
convert me to IEMs, this would be it.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-23 3:44 PM
STREAMING, STORING, SHARING
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2016-03-22 3:17 PM
SAMSUNG’S UBD-K8500
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MY HOME THEATRE, which has been in the
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space, and 12-bit panel; Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
for immersive sound; and seats with tactile
transducers to accentuate “missing” frequencies in the room, built to be accurate down
to half-an-inch as per SMPTE/THX room ratio
recommendations.
The only thing missing was a 4K source. With
Samsung’s UBD-K8500 UHD Blu-ray player, my reference theatre room may finally be complete.
The Design
The ultra-thin player includes a curved front panel,
which follows Samsung’s design theme found in
everything from its TVs to soundbars. It isn’t my
taste, but that’s purely a subjective choice.
The player has a “plasticky” feel that could
have been improved had Samsung opted to use
a thicker plastic or even metal, for the exterior. It
feels identical to other Samsung Blu-ray players
sold at $200 and lower, complete with a slightly
wobbly disc tray. I was hoping for a sleeker look
and feel with a $600 player.
On the flip side, however, it is a first generation
machine. So perhaps build quality is being sacrificed in order to hit a price point.
The Setup
Power up varies from about 10 to 15 seconds, and
movies load within 38 seconds or less. That’s about
22
the same time it takes for my projector to do an
HDCP 2.2 handshake with the player.
The first thing you need to do is to update the
firmware, which is about 500MB in size. The only
qualm is that the Samsung server is slow. Even
with my 300Mbps constant download speed and
the player hardwired to my modem, the download and installation process took nearly an hour.
I have 14 UHD Blu-ray discs, including ones from
35mm transfer, 2K Master and 4K Master. All of the
discs are marketed as having wide colour gamut
and HDR. I also planned to test with 4K Netflix content, as well as the player’s 4K upscaling capability
with a selection of standard Blu-ray discs.
Just like any video player, you can set the TV
aspect ratio, adjust 3D playback, and select an
“Output Resolution.” Default is Auto, but you can
specify 2,160p, 1,080p, 1,080i, 720p, and 480p.
I set mine to 2,160p so that every video would be
upscaled to 4K resolution.
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment
HANDS-ON
There are also choices for “HDMI Color Format”
(YCbCr 4:4:4, RGB Standard, RGB Enhanced). As the
original colour subsampling is natively YcbCr 4:2:0,
choosing 4:4:4 will give the most accurate colour
subsampling possible, and “HDMI Deep Color”
(Auto or Off). There isn’t a single disc out there that
uses the “Deep Color,” so I just turn it off.
In Audio Settings, you can select the HDMI
Audio output (I left mine to Auto for single and
dual HDMI out usage), and Digital Audio Output.
The player is set to PCM out by default, which is
strange, especially since Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
users need to select “Bitstream Unprocessed”
in order to take advantage of the object-audio
surround sound formats. Just like many media
players, users can also select to re-encode audio
to (lossy) Dolby Digital or DTS.
Something uncommon but that may be important to some users is Samsung’s “Picture Mode.”
Just like a TV, the “Picture Mode” provides four
options: Dynamic, Standard, Movie, or User to
customize colour, tint, contrast, brightness, and
sharpness. It’s a mystery why “tint,” a control from
the old days of NTSC, is still an option. If you want
the video signal to be as pure as possible, “User”
mode with every setting at zero works best.
During the setup process, I found the DLNA
function of the player to be temperamental.
Sometimes, it could see all networked drives,
sometimes it saw only some, and other times,
it would hang when I tried to access them.
That’s easily fixable via firmware update, but I
expected the basic functionality to be working
out of the box, especially after taking an extra
hour to update firmware. Regardless, it’s not a
deal-breaker.
A USB port on the front panel can be used to
play media from a thumb drive or external hard
drive; or to rip audio CDs to MP3s. I would have
preferred an extra USB port at the back for a
cleaner-looking installation, particularly if you
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
PROS
Fast power up and loading.
want to keep a USB HDD connected permanently.
For the most part, playback worked as intended.
However, I did get random “file not supported”
errors in the middle of both audio and video playback. I’m not sure what caused it.
One interesting and important note is that this
USB port can also connect to the 1TB Samsung
Video UHD Pack, a $200 hard drive filled with
about 20 4K movies that Samsung released presumably for use exclusively with its UHD TVs. With
this content, I didn’t get any error messages.
Evaluation
Playback of UHD discs was simple and seamless. I tried 14 in total, including Chappie, Salt,
The Peanuts Movie and Mad Max: Fury Road. It
THE SPECS
Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD,
& CD Playback
Output Resolutions: 2160p, 1080i/p,
720p, 480p
Built-in Wi-Fi, Web browser; connection
to the Internet is necessary to
accommodate playback of AACS 2.0
copy-protected UHD BD
HDR-10 (SMPTE EOTS 2084) & Wide Color
Gamut (WCG) REC 2020 Support
YCbCr 4:4:4 output
HEVC / H.265
Two HDMI 2.0a Outputs (MAIN: DHCP 2.2
for 4K video/audio, SUB for audio)
USB Port
Netflix, Hulu, VUDU, Pandora, Facebook,
YouTube, etc.
1.66GB internal memory for apps
downloaded through Samsung Smart Hub
Rips Audio CDs to MP3 (to a USB stick)
Optical digital audio out
DLNA Certification
Plays MP3, WMA, AAC, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC,
WAV, OGG audio files
Plays MPEG, MKV, WMV, AVI,
AVCHD video files
reminded me of the LaserDisc days: put the disc
in, see a simple menu, press “enter” or “play,” and
voila, the movie plays.
The player supports HDR content. The 10-bit
colour depth effectively reduced colour banding
to a minimum in every title except for The Martian,
where there is visible banding in the early scenes
of the movie. The “Wide Color Gamut” feature,
however, varies dramatically from movie to
movie. With Salt, the colour gamut plays well
with the P3 colour space. But on Hitman: Agent
47, the colour gamut is merely the standard REC
709 with no indication on the packaging as to
which colour space the studio uses. That can
be a bit frustrating as one needs to experiment
by changing the calibration setting to match
the movie you’re watching. Alternatively, you
can just set and forget the colour space of your
display to REC 709 (standard HD) although you
won’t get the “wider colour palette” benefit of
other versions of colour spaces such as P1, P3
and REC2020.
This might be due to a loophole in what
exactly defines “Wide Color Gamut.” Technically,
REC 2020 is a colour space (colour gamut) and
a “container.” Within that REC 2020 “container,”
studios can utilize the entire “container” by using
the REC 2020 colour gamut, or partially, by using
a “smaller” colour space, such as “DCI P3” (the
colour space most commercial cinemas use),
or REC 709 (the colour space of regular Blu-ray
and HD sources), or even the archaic REC 601
(the colour space for standard definition NTSC).
So, although technically, all UHD discs are using
a Wide Colour Gamut container (REC 2020), the
content within the container may just be the
regular REC 709, which is the case in most of the
discs I’ve purchased. In the best case scenario, it’s
the DCI-P3 colour space. I’m fairly certain that as
the format progresses, more and more titles will
be done in the DCI-P3 colour space to mimic the
theatrical presentation of the movie.
Nevertheless, the presentation of every UHD
disc I tried was amazing, but some more so than
the others. Movies originally captured using
35mm film, such as Salt, tend to give the most
details while movies mastered from a studio-upscaled 2K version, such as Hitman: Agent 47, show
the least. Regardless, even the worst UHD discs
are still head and shoulders above any in-machine-upscaled regular Blu-ray discs. This is saying
a lot as the Samsung player’s upscaling capability
is only bested by the Oppo 103D Universal Disc
Player, which is considered the de facto reference
standard for upscaling in the videophile com-
Reasonable price for a first-generation
UHD Blu-ray player.
Two HDMI outputs: one for audio
if you own a non-4K receiver, and the
other can be connected directly to
the display/projector for the purest
signal path possible.
Amazing 4K upscaling capability.
CONS
DLNA connectivity doesn’t work
all the time.
The finish isn’t as robust as
I’d have hoped.
Curved design, which is not my
cup of tea.
No USB input at the back of the device.
munity. Thus, I was delighted to watch even my
standard Blu-rays in upscaled resolution through
the Samsung player.
What to Watch
Between the currently available UHD discs and
Samsung’s UHD Pack, you can own around 50
UHD movies as of this writing. By the end of the
year, depending on the popularity and penetration of UHD Blu-ray players globally, major studios
will release anywhere between 75 to 300 more
titles. That does not include travelogue, special
interest content, documentaries and concerts.
Netflix also offers some content in 4K, including
titles like House of Cards and Breaking Bad, as well
as a selection of movies. But the HDR version used
is the 12-bit Dolby Vision variety, which displays
currently on the market can’t handle. The resulting quality is thus nowhere near UHD disc quality.
After all, Netflix only sends out 8-bit colour depth,
no “Wide Color Gamut” or even a Dolby Atmos
soundtrack. But for streaming content, Netflix UHD
content is the best I’ve seen to date from streaming services, including U.S.-exclusive Amazon and
Hulu. Hopefully Canadian video streaming services shomi (Rogers/Shaw) and CraveTV (Bell) will
follow suit soon.
One thing I do wish is that the Samsung UBDK8500 could play SACDs or DVD-Audio.
Bottom Line
I highly recommend this player. Even more so
if you are a front projector user like me, since
you’ll need as much detail as possible to fill that
giant screen.
April 2016
23
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
ROUTERS:
Evolving
the
Data-Driven
Smart Home
Google’s OnHub TGR1900 router, developed by
TP-Link, focuses first and foremost on ease-of-use,
offering a minimal user interface, and a mobile
app for setup and troubleshooting.
BY FRANK LENK
Routers are not exactly a glamorous product
category. And yet, demand is growing for higherpriced models, based mainly on sheer necessity.
Consumers who’ve relied on $50 routers are realizing they need something far more powerful.
Manufacturers are responding, creating an entirely
new tier of products with sticker prices in the $300
range, and a new wave of $400 and even $500
models on the horizon.
What’s changed? And how the heck do you
sell a $500 router to customers who probably
don’t understand what it does?
THE STORY
Home routers are under pressure
from data-hungry mobile devices
and 4K video streaming.
New and attractive retail pricing tiers
have appeared, at $300 and $500.
Wireless features like MU-MIMO can
be confusing, but bring real benefits.
Custom integrators take a different
approach, based on secure remote
management.
24
THE NEW HIGH END
Network traffic is a bit like AC current: you go
along plugging in splitters and power bars, but
eventually, you discover that the air conditioner
really does need a circuit to itself. And if you use
the microwave and the toaster at the same time,
you’ll blow a breaker.
Phil Pyo, Senior Director, Product Marketing
with Netgear Inc., sees networking in exactly that
way. He compares it to electricity, plumbing and
HVAC. “The Internet is one of those utilities you
just can’t live without anymore,” he observes.
What the fuse box is to electricity, the router
is to networking. Only more so, because it’s an
active participant. “Routers are the backbone
of the system,” says Kirk Kohn, Senior Sales &
Training Specialist with BC-based distributor
Staub Electronics Ltd. “They have to work.”
But routers face a growing challenge. “The
relevance of a router in the last year has really
changed,” says Lou Reda, President, D-Link
Networks Canada. “Our expectation of Wi-Fi has
changed dramatically in the last two years.
“Running a large number of sessions puts a
strain on your router,” he says. “This magnifies
as you add more devices. You really feel a difference when you start scaling up to these levels.
The question was: how do I get signal on the
third floor, or out in the backyard. Now, it’s: how
do I do things really fast?”
The most obvious pressure comes from the
rise of Over-the-Top (OTT) video services, especially Netflix. They’re already moving huge
quantities of data, and seem headed inexorably
for 4K and even greater data loads. “We’re targeting a great 4K experience,” says Mathieu Whelan,
Channel Manager, Americas, Linksys (part of
Belkin International Inc.)
But it’s not just Netflix in the evening. “There
are devices in the home that are running 24/7,”
Reda points out. These might include multiple
security cameras, for example, pumping out
video day and night. On top of that, there’s a
swarm of mobile devices: a smartphone and possibly a tablet for every resident.
With all that going on, it becomes vital to
have both excellent wireless coverage and high
throughput, as well as enough processing power
to manage it all. Last year’s $50 router probably
can’t cut it anymore.
“Models $200 and above are the fastest-growing segment,” says Mark Macaulay, Senior Director
of Sales for Canada at TP-Link Technologies Co.
Ltd. And $60 routers are declining rapidly. “The
consumer is buying into the notion of ‘I need a
bigger, better, faster router.’”
Photo courtesy of TP-LINK Technologies Co., Ltd
More and more devices are designed to connect to the Internet:
smart TVs, audio receivers, security cameras, even children’s toys.
The home router is the key to this expanding digital universe,
and it’s feeling the strain.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
NETWORKING
Whelan confirms that ASPs have increased
significantly over the past two years. Consumers
are clearly realizing they need a router with
more muscle.
Product offerings are meeting this demand
head-on. For example, D-Link’s top router is the
AC3200 (DIR-890L), selling for close to $300. And
Reda informs us that a new model will launch
soon, at close to $500. “Gone are the days of people spending $29 on a router,” says Reda. “There
appears to be a willingness to spend more.”
TP-Link’s Archer C2600 router is similarly
about $280. But the company’s new flagship
Talon AD7200 is due in April. Pricing hasn’t
been announced, but it will not be cheap. “It’s
not a broad-based mainstream product,” admits
Macaulay. “Think of it as the Ferrari, a statement
of where we’re going in the marketplace.”
One reason for this trend is a shift to replacement sales. “Most everybody has Wi-Fi,” says
Pyo. “This is a mature market. We’re not going
to grow it through driving down prices. We can
only grow it by innovating more.”
Pyo sees sales increasingly driven by a need to
solve recognized problems. “If [the customer is]
in the networking aisle, chances are, something
they’ve got isn’t working for them,” he says.
If the existing router is older than a year or two,
it’s time to tell the customer about recent technological advances, and how they can provide
increased range, faster speeds, better support for
numerous devices. Future-proofing should also
come into it. After all, most consumers won’t be
buying a $500 router every year.
The most obvious change in routers is sheer physical size: the latest routers are massive. They’re
also studded with antennas, anywhere from three
to eight. Those have to do with wireless performance, and that’s changed a lot. For a start, the
top ‘tri-band’ routers now provide three separate
Wi-Fi networks: one at 2.4GHz and two at 5GHz.
Routers are conveniently designated by a single number representing their combined wireless
throughput on all bands. For example, for its
RT-AC5300, Asus promises 5,334Mbps: 2,167Mbps
for each of two 5GHz bands, plus 1,000Mbps for
the 2.4GHz band.
As always, those are theoretical speeds.
Independent benchmarks suggest that, under
ideal conditions, routers in the ‘5300’ class
achieve more like 900Mbps on each 5GHz band,
and 500Mbps on 2.4GHz. That’s only around half
the rated value, but it’s still very fast, approaching the gigabit speed of wired Ethernet.
With today’s common ‘1900’-class devices,
100Mbps and 300Mbps speeds are more likely.
Faster throughput will depend on both router
and client supporting all the latest Wi-Fi tricks. But
the fact remains that near-gigabit wireless transfers are now within reach.
Explaining how those speeds are being
achieved lands one in a morass of techno-babble,
including terms like Spatial Division Multiplexing
and 4x4 data streams. But one bit of jargon is
worth explaining because it figures prominently
in the latest router marketing: MU-MIMO (MultiUser, Multiple Input Multiple Output).
Up until now, routers have talked to wireless
devices one at a time. MU-MIMO segments the
wireless broadcast in a way that lets the router
talk simultaneously to multiple devices. This
doesn’t increase total bandwidth, but it does use
it more efficiently. It should help reduce problems such as buffering when streaming video.
Other improvements are more easily grasped.
For example, there’s the ability of some tri-band
routers to automatically assign mobile devices to
the most appropriate wireless band, taking into
account both signal strength and network congestion. This presents users with only a single SSID.
Also, keeping faster devices together in one band
stops less-speedy ones from slowing them down.
Wired connections haven’t been forgotten.
Most every router includes four wired gigabit
Ethernet ports. But the upcoming Linksys EA9500
has eight. For users with a complex setup, this
could save the cost of an additional switch. The
EA9500 will sell for over $400 when it launches
in Canada this spring. “It’s designed for the
uber-connected family,” says Whelan.
More importantly, with wireless speeds ratcheting up, there’s a real concern that wired lines
may be too slow to keep up. “We really do see
wireless speeds exceeding wired,” confirms
Colin Wong, Press Relations Specialist with Asus
Canada. He notes that routers such as the Asus
RT-AC5300 are tackling this by allowing two
Ethernet ports to be combined, affording 2Gbps
throughput. (To devices that support that configuration, of course.)
Another major change in routers has been
increasing processor speeds. But the benefit is
not easy to assess. Clearly, as throughput goes up
and the number of devices increases, the router is
Leveraging MU-MIMO technology, the Linksys
Max-Stream AC1900 (EA7500) Gigabit Wi-Fi router
allows families with multiple devices to stream dataintensive content, like 4K video and gaming, at the
same time, without worry of signal interruption.
Routers in the $300 range, such as the D-Link
AC3200 (DIR-890L), are becoming more common as
homeowners require more power to support multiple,
data-hungry devices in the home running at the
same time, and even, in some cases, 24/7.
Dubbing it the “Ferrari” of its router lineup,
TP-Link’s upcoming Talon AD7200 (due out in April)
will reflect where the company is headed in
the market, catered to true power users.
WIRELESS EVOLUTION
26
For now, however, MU-MIMO is mainly about
future-proofing. Only a few routers currently
support it, and even fewer client devices do.
Also, the real-world benefits have yet to be
proven. MU-MIMO is a worthwhile advance, but
not a world-changer.
RAW PERFORMANCE, EASY SETUP
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
NETWORKING
called upon to do more processing. Some recent
benchmarks have suggested that even today’s
best retail routers can become a bottleneck under
some circumstances.
“The higher the processor speed, the better,”
says Wong. The Asus RT-AC5300, for example,
uses a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU. Other brands have
similarly moved up in CPU power.
Whelan concurs that fast CPUs are needed to
maintain high switching speeds. But he notes
that they are also helpful with simpler tasks, such
as making the user interface more responsive, or
maintaining good read-write speeds for devices
plugged into the on-board USB 3.0 port.
Router manufacturers do try to differentiate
themselves with features not directly related
to performance. The most prevalent of these
are bundled cloud services. D-Link’s mydlink
SharePort app is typical. Running on iOS, Android
and Windows 8 Mobile, it lets users manage their
router remotely, or access files on a connected
USB drive. Most routers have similar options.
Whelan sees Linksys’ Smart Wi-Fi remote
access as a major selling point. “I want to know
when Mikey gets home from school and connects
his tablet,” he suggests. “Or maybe disable his
connection after 9 p.m.”
Asus has its own AiCloud. It also adds specialized
extras like AI Protection, which checks outgoing
data for signs of infection, and blocks suspected
malicious sites based on a Trend Micro blacklist.
Some Asus high-end routers also include
Gamers Private Network (GPN), a service from
AAA Internet Publishing Inc. that “automatically
performs route optimization,” reducing transmission times (‘ping’) by a claimed 30 to 60%. “It will
benefit any gamer,” says Wong, “ but it will do the
most for the ‘pro gamer.’”
Manufacturers wax enthusiastic about such features, but it’s hard to judge how much sway they
hold with consumers. Reda, at least, agrees that
core functionality such as performance and ease
of setup are far more important to consumers. “A
router needs to manage your network really well,”
he says. “The extras are less important.”
As far as ease of setup, all manufacturers say
the problem is emphatically licked. For example, Whelan feels that the Linksys “no-CD” setup
provides “a best-in-class experience,” that can
be completed in 10 minutes, “start-to-finish.”
The Smart Wi-Fi app for iOS and Android allows
remote configuration and monitoring. The full
settings are still there, Whelan notes, accessible
through the Web GUI.
D-Link has its own wizard-style setup built
into its routers, accessible from any browser. “We
wanted it to be a four- or five-step process,” says
Reda. Advanced users can still dig in to detailed
settings, but others are shielded from the complexity. “Before, the advanced features were so
accessible that people would be tempted to go
in and tinker.”
Asus routers have a similar Quick Internet Setup
option. But Asus traditionally pitches a bit more
strongly to the geek community, and offers more
detailed setup options than some of its competitors. (It cleverly makes the entire ASUSWRT user
interface available on its Website, so prospective
buyers can try it out.)
Pyo, too, is convinced “that people can actually
do it for themselves.” He reports that the majority
of Netgear sales are through retail or e-commerce,
with no expert assist, “and no support calls.”
TP-Link has tackled ease of use from another
direction. Last September, it launched the OnHub
TGR1900 router in partnership with Google. Ease
of use was a major goal. The user interface is minimal, and accessible through a mobile app. “It’s
easy to use, it solves a problem for the consumer,”
says Macaulay.
TP-Link has taken the opposite approach with
its Touch P5, which incorporates a touchscreen
that allows setup without access to any other
device. “It’s been very well received by consumers,” says Macaulay.
While all these setup tools have certainly
improved the experience, many quirks remain
beyond router manufacturers’ control. Lots of
games still ask the user to open ports on the router.
And features such as QoS (Quality of Service) can
really benefit from user tuning. Asus, for example,
offers detailed QoS controls, which could help
troubleshoot stuttering in video, or interruptions
in VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone calls.
While the Netgear AC5300 Nighthawk
X8 Tri-band Wi-Fi router has six gigabit
Ethernet ports, two of them can actually be
combined via port aggregation to double
the maximum wired speeds.
Yes, this is actually a router. TP-Link’s stylish Touch P5
is a powerful AC1900 dual-band router with its
own touch screen that mimics that of a smartphone
app, allowing users to setup the network,
and manage settings, right from the device.
Designed for the “uber-connected family,” the
upcoming Linksys EA9500 router doubles the typical
number of gigabit Ethernet ports from four to eight,
allowing users with complex setups to avoid the cost
and trouble of getting an additional switch.
With Linksys’ Smart Wi-Fi remote access and app,
users can tap into the device from a computer
or mobile device, monitor usage, and even adjust
settings, like parental controls.
April 2016
27
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
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2016-03-22 3:17 PM
NETWORKING
Canadian company Custom Integration Solutions (CIS)
builds its CIS-80WM router specifically for custom installers
and integrators. It comes with comprehensive software
and remote management features to help reduce house calls, with
everything accessed using a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN).
THE INTEGRATOR’S VIEW
Over in the world of custom installations, things
are very different. Ease of setup is a non-issue, and
cost is not a dominant concern. (Routers can easily run $900.) Instead, the focus is on long-term
reliability and robust management features.
McKay’s Electronic Experts specs out the router
and networking gear right at the start of a project, and offers a lifetime warranty. “It’s staggering
how many items need a good connection,” says
Larry Izon, Manager of Consumer and Residential
Installation. “You can’t do a proper job without a
proper network.”
The routers favoured by integrators eschew
the complexity of retail routers that inevitably
combine several functions: router, switch and
wireless access point (AP). Instead, installers
build networks using the highest-calibre discrete components.
Staub relies on just two brands of routers, says
Kohn. Araknis offers a relatively conventional
line of enterprise-class, rack-mountable routers,
switches and APs. They have extensive management software built in, and are supported by
the OvrC (‘over-see’) cloud-based management
service, which offers remote access to every stat
and setting.
Staub also relies on Custom Integration
Solutions (CIS), a Canadian company that builds
a router specifically for installers and integrators.
Rudy Kern, founder of CIS, notes that his company engages extensively with installers, and
understands the problems of home theatre, or
camera systems.
At first glance, the CIS-80WM router seems
fairly conventional. It’s based on a 600MHz
Atheros MIPS processor, with 128MB of RAM, and
offers 10 Ethernet ports, five running at gigabit
speed and five at 100Mbps. Wireless 802.11bgn
capability is built in, but for demanding situations, the router would likely be paired with one
or more dedicated APs.
What really sets the CIS router apart is its
comprehensive software, with massive remote30
management features. Combined with managed
switches and APs, the router allows every device
to be scrutinized and controlled from a single
Web-based user interface. Detailed logs allow
most trouble to be pinpointed and remedied
without a house call.
“We launched in 2014,” Kern recalls. “Nobody
knew what I was talking about. By the end of
2014, we had dealers calling us.” CIS now has a
half-dozen distributors in Canada and the U.S.,
with a particularly strong presence in its home turf
of Western Canada. Kern expects to be expanding
in Eastern Canada this year.
CIS management software accesses routers
using standard Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology, which creates a secure, encrypted link.
This ensures that CIS staff, the integrator or even
the homeowner, can safely gain full access, while
the router remains locked to any outside intruder.
“A lot of people get sort of deer-in-the-headlights when it comes to setting up a VPN,” says
Kohn. But the alternative is opening ports on the
router, which is not unlike rolling out a Welcome
mat to hackers. VPN support is built in to most
operating systems, and is likely to become more
Employing MU-MIMO technology, a 1.4GHz dual-core
processor, four dual-band detachable antennas,
and omni-directional wireless coverage via
beamforming technology, the TP-Link Archer C2600
AC2600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit router can be
managed easily through an iOS or Android smartphone
via the partner TP-Link Tether app.
widely used as concerns over privacy and security continue to mount.
Kern emphasizes that the CIS approach can
remedy the insecurity of Internet of Things (IoT)
systems. “We’re the answer to that,” he says. VPN
access does require the customer to pay a subscription to CIS, typically $150 a year, one-third
of which goes to the installer.
While integrators are more concerned with
reliability than raw performance, Kohn notes that
Staub is already moving toward fiber, at least for
major ‘backbone’ connections, such as between
the router switches or APs. Kohn sees 4K video
streaming as a major impetus. “You’re going to
need fiber to make this happen,” he predicts.
CONCLUSION
It’s important to note that the technological
surge we’re currently seeing in routers is just the
beginning of a bigger evolutionary movement.
Staub’s early move to fiber shows the way of the
future. With ISPs driving towards gigabit Internet
speeds, and OTT promoting 4K streaming, home
networks are going to be struggling to keep
pace for at least the next several years.
Consumers have two main choices. They can
go with a capable router in the $200 range,
knowing that it will need to be replaced within a
few years. Or they can splurge on models in the
$300 to $500 bracket, enjoy some of the latest
features right away, and expect a certain degree
of future-proofing – including new features that
may be enabled over time by firmware updates.
What they can’t do is stand still. Chances are,
their existing router is already the weakest link in
their expanding household data infrastructure.
Tri-band routers, like the Asus RT-AC5300,
provide three separate wireless networks: one at
2.4GHz and two at 5GHz, each promising specific
theoretical speeds. In the ‘AC5300’s case, it’s
1,000Mbps for the 2.4GHz and 2,167Mbps each
for the 5GHz (hence the “5300” designation in the
name). Realistically, these are likely about halved
in the real world, but they’re still ultra-fast.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
Q
&A
Chet Pipkin
| CEO, Belkin
BY JOHN THOMSON
IN 1983, CHET PIPKIN STARTED BELKIN, like many Californian entrepreneurs, from his parents’
garage. Today, the company operates three brands: Belkin, Linksys, and WeMo. Forbes estimates
that 90% of smartphone users own at least one Belkin accessory.
Rare for a California tech company, Belkin remains privately held. The Internet is rife with
speculation on the company’s earnings, profit, and even CEO Pipkin’s net worth. But it’s all a
guessing game. Pipkin is not the type of leader to get distracted by such noise.
What we do know is that Fast Company has named Belkin one of the World’s Most Innovative
Companies in the Internet of Things (IoT). Belkin has been on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing
privately-held companies multiple times, and the LA Business Journal’s list of the 100 fastest-growing
privately-held companies six times in a row. Additionally, Belkin has been named a Los Angeles
Technology Fast 50 Company nine times. And the speed of growth is not slowing down.
Wireless networks are the unsung heroes
of the digital world. While companies like
Netflix and Apple get all the glory, it’s really
your products that bring it all together.
Does the consumer realize how important
networking gear and technology like WeMo
are to the overall digital experience and the
Internet of Things (IoT)?
Wi-Fi is the major ingredient in the Internet
of Things. The ability to get all of this content
on a TV, to hook up cameras in a home and
view content from everywhere – all of that is
allowed because of Wi-Fi. But it doesn’t get
a lot of the time or the attention because
Wi-Fi is already here and we already have a
comfort level with it.
What we tend to talk about with the Internet
of Things and the smart home is this next
wave of peripherals. Whether those products
are from WeMo, or some of the other great
brands doing work in the space, that second
wave is still much smaller than Wi-Fi, yet it gets
a lot more of the hype and a lot more of the
press coverage.
We’ve commissioned some research that
shows upwards of 80% of the wireless routers
that are currently being used are not capable
of delivering the experiences that people say
that they want to have in their homes. We’ve
done research on the return rates of TVs. With
more than half of TVs being returned, the issue
has nothing to do with the television and all
to do with insufficient Wi-Fi preventing the TV
32
to function properly. We’ve also discovered
consumers are afraid to change the source of
their Wi-Fi coverage because it “sort of” works,
and mainly because 25% of the people have
also forgotten their passwords.
and manage Wi-Fi set-up and updates, will be
a great service.
Wireless network demands are growing,
and will continue to do so with things
like streaming 4K video. How do you
balance creating a product that needs such
rigorous performance while still making it
consumer-friendly?
We do. In most cases, we have mutual NDAs
in place. If you were to rattle off the top brands
in consumer electronics hardware and software,
in more than half of those cases, engineering
teams are working with one another solving
extremely complicated tasks that allow for
these very simple experiences for the end-user.
But we’re still not doing a good enough job
with that yet. This is not as easy as it could or
should be, but it’s gotten much better over the
last couple of years. And it will keep getting
better. People are always impatient for more.
But that’s a positive because it gives us a
constant little kick in the butt to keep doing
things better and better.
Some of us just want to “set it and forget it,”
but the settings may need optimizing more
than somebody’s comfort level in order to
maximize their Wi-Fi experience. So we see
a combination of hardware and cloud-based
software working through apps that can push
firmware updates to the router or the access
point. If you want to “set it and forget it,”
you can. But if you want to get notifications
that give you the option of doing something
advanced, like optimize your Netflix experience
on this TV using my router, then you will be
able to do that.
That sounds like an opportunity for
custom integrators.
Absolutely it is. The advanced end-user
will always have the capability to manage
his own home network. But for most users,
allowing a dealer, once they have permission
from the consumer, to access that router
Do you work with companies like Netflix
and YouTube to ensure that your products
are meeting consumers’ needs?
What are the advantages of a three-brand
strategy with Belkin, Linksys and WeMo verses
just using the Belkin brand?
We began to recognize a few years ago
that we had very distinct, very meaningful, but
different points of view around the segments
of the accessory and the peripheral space.
With Belkin, we’re going to keep releasing
these magical new accessories that let you do
the things you didn’t know you could. Linksys
recognizes that Wi-Fi is the centre of your
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
connected home and provides the solution
when customers finally acknowledge that their
Wi-Fi doesn’t work very well. It’s ideal when you
get into a small-to-medium-sized business, or
the higher-end consumer with lots of wireless
demands supporting things like 4K TV, Netflix,
and streaming audio. Belkin is more of the easy
approach, “set it and forget it” brand. Linksys is
something you can keep tinkering with and get
advanced notifications, creating a much more
interactive Wi-Fi experience. We celebrate what
is taking place around the connected home
with our WeMo brand.
You left UCLA to start Belkin in your
parents’ garage back in 1983. There was
such an entrepreneurial wave of companies
that were founded in California from the late
‘60s to the mid-‘80s. What was it about that
time that created such a breeding ground
for innovation, and do you see that being
duplicated today?
It has been an honour and a privilege to play
a tiny contribution. But I think every generation
has its contributions. It was happening
before, it happened then, and it’s going to
keep happening. Sure, it’s worth recognizing
and celebrating that point in time. But in the
context of a larger picture, it was just another
chapter. In the Western world, the last 200
years have been increasingly empowering, and
we’re celebrating people who are creative and
innovative. And the pace of that innovation
continues to accelerate. We pay attention to
that point in time because we are close to it. But
look what came out of the industrial revolution
or the energy industry at the turn of the last
century, or accomplishments with radio and
TVs and movies over the last 100 years. For us,
we just happened to be at the right intersection
of productivity with the help of emerging
hardware and software.
Forbes called you the richest tech entrepreneur that nobody has heard of. In the days
of celebrity CEOs, you tend to fly under the
radar. Why is that?
Our culture and our promise as a brand is
that we want to do the best job that we can in
understanding people and how people want to
live their lives. Parallel to that, we also want to
understand tech and we want to play a strong
role in bridging people and technology. We
think the focus should be on people and the
user experience. As CEO, I tend to get a little bit
of attention. But if it starts being about any one
person, we’d really start missing something that
has been fundamental to our success.
You founded the Da Vinci public schools in
2009 to prepare students from kindergarten
to grade 12 for college and 21st century jobs.
What do you think 21st century jobs are
going to be?
There’s no doubt that software is taking
over and will continue to do so. Hardware is
only going to appear because software has a
prominent role. You can erect a building that
is obviously tangible, but it is software that
realized the building. Whether it’s a career
in architecture or program management,
an understanding of software and digital
information is key. Even traditional areas
like farming are software driven. I think in
developed nations, only 10% of the people are
in farming, but are generating four or five times
the yield largely through software.
So the jobs in the future are going to be
digital, software and coding driven. When I was
a kid, we had woodworking that provided a
hands-on skill. We don’t have enough schools
offering today’s equivalent, which would be
code workshops creating the skills for the
future. Today’s generation of people and
every generation that will follow, requires an
education system that’s able to keep up. We’re
really honoured to be able to play a very tiny
role in this education sector.
Hardly tiny. I bet you view your accomplishment with DaVinci almost on an equal footing
of what you’ve accomplished with Belkin. It’s
a terrific accomplishment and contribution.
I’m very concerned about the achievement
gap that exists in the world; those of us with a
little bit more versus those of us with a little bit
less. And I think the best way, probably the only
way, to solve this gap, is through education.
And by that, I mean quality, free education for
everyone with great options, and available
to every kid in the world. We are using open
source for all of this great education research
that has been funded through individuals like
Bill and Melinda Gates and many others. And
we attract really passionate, energetic teachers.
I’m happy I was part of a group of people that
founded it. I’m one of the founders, but not the
only one. We are honoured, humbled, and proud
of the work on the education front. We think
magical experiences are being created there.
There’s one slight difference between then
and now: I don’t think in 1983, anyone would
have given Belkin a billion-dollar valuation as
we see with popular software and apps today.
Valuation was measured differently back then.
Yes, but we can get a little narrow in our
thinking around this space too. Things change.
I gave up watching free television while my
parents could never imagine paying for TV.
It’s free! These companies, over time, either
produce revenues and profits and real cash flow
the same way that a Belkin or anybody else
does, or they don’t make it.
Visit the Industry section at
WiFiHiFi.ca for more from our
interview with Pipkin.
April
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2016-03-22 3:17 PM
SPORTING
HEADPHONES
BY CHRISTINE PERSAUD
34
Look left and right in virtually any big box
consumer technology retailer, and chances
are, you’ll see a pair of headphones
on display. Scratch that: dozens of
headphones. They’re on shelves in other
retail stores too, from sports, to apparel,
grocery, and convenience.
Photo courtesy of Urbanista
No longer a nice-to-have feature in sports headphones, Urbanista’s Boston
headphones are IPX5-certified, making them water-repellent; plus, they feature
GoFit earbuds to ensure a secure fit, even during rigorous activities.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
MOBILE WORLD
A key feature of the Urbanears
Hellas sports wireless on-ear
headphones, in addition to
the impressive 14-hour battery
life, is the removable headband
and earcups that can be thrown
into the washing machine.
BY THE NUMBERS
And there’s good reason for that: the total headphones category grew 3% in units and 7% in
dollars in 2015, confirms NPD Canada’s Director
of Consumer Electronics Mark Haar. While that’s
relatively modest growth, headphones still
represent one of the bright spots in consumer
technology. “It has been one of the stronger-performing categories that we measure in the CE
space,” Haar confirms.
While in-ear headphones with a built-in microphone lead the category, the active segment
represents one of the fastest-growing. Wireless
headphones that are water- and sweat-proof
enjoyed a healthy 191% growth last year in units,
and a whopping 199% in dollars. Average selling
prices have gone up approximately 3%, to about
$141. That’s compared to the overall average
headphone sale price of just $40.
“There’s a significant premium for buying [a
sports headphone] versus an average headphone,”
says Haar. “Innovation...is resonating with consumers as they see value in spending more, whether it’s
for style, quality, sound, and functionality.”
KEY FEATURES IN ACTIVE HEADPHONES
So what exactly constitutes a “sport” headphone?
Whether you’re wearing a pair while working out
in a gym, going for a run, on the treadmill, lifting
Through a partnership with
sports apparel brand Under
Armour, JBL has developed
the UA Headphones Wireless
Heart Rate (available later
this year), which collects
heart rate data from the ear,
then streams and syncs it to
the Under Armour UA Record
health and fitness platform.
weights, or simply commuting outdoors, there
are a few key features that characterize this burgeoning category.
Wireless/Convenience: According to Haar,
the wireless segment represented about 40-50%
of the total growth for the headphones category
in 2015. Jaybird, Beats, Monster, and Plantronics
are among the top brands in this category at
retail. But most headphones manufacturers offer
at least one Bluetooth wireless pair nowadays;
JBL even ran a hilarious ad campaign late last
year using the hashtag #cordfail.
The appeal is obvious for the active individual:
avoid wires getting tangled up while doing exercises or gripping weights.
“More often than not, you see people who
accidentally rip the headset out of their ears or
out of their phone when they’re working out if
they have a corded device,” says Lori Langona,
Director of Consumer Marketing for Plantronics.
Common designs include bands that sit at the
back of your head, as with LG’s Tone line and
the Plantronics BackBeat FIT; ones worn over
the ears, like the Urbanears Hellas (distributed
in Canada by Tru Tech Sales); or earbuds with
smaller cords that sit at your neck, like the JBL UA
Headphones Wireless Heart Rate, developed in
partnership with Under Armour and distributed
in Canada by Erikson Consumer, with availability set for later this year (a version without the
heart rate tracking will be available starting in
April.) RunPhones by AcousticSheep (Erikson
Consumer) employ one of the most interesting
designs we’ve seen: the earbuds are embedded
in a moisture-wicking headband.
Secure/Comfortable Fit: “For earphones,”
says Anders Andreen, CEO of Swedish headphone manufacturer Urbanista (distributed in
Canada by Hitfar Concepts), “the most important
element is to have a good fit and make sure they
don’t fall out.” Especially when doing rigorous
activities, like lifting weights or aerobics.
Along with a secure fit is the need for earphones,
and on-ear headphones, to be comfortable to
wear through an entire workout. Consider that
users might not only be wearing them while being
active, but also during regular commuting to and
from work or school.
“You could really screw something in your ears
and have it be very stable,” says Langona. “But
that’s not necessarily going to be comfortable for
the duration.”
“Anyone who has used a regular pair of earphones and has tried to run with them,” suggests Wayne Mayall, Director, Multimedia, Jam
Industries-Erikson Consumer, “knows why it is so
important to find a proper-fitting headphone.”
Companies like JBL are addressing this dual
need with models like the aforementioned UA
Headphones, which include JBL Twistlock technology for a secure fit, as well as Flexsoft finishing
that JBL says makes them comfortable to wear for
long periods of time.
Sweat/Water Resistance: Sweat- and waterresistance isn’t a “nice-to-have” feature of active
headphones, it’s a necessity.
Richard Gunraj, owner of Tru Tech Sales and
Canadian Sales Manager for active headphones
brands like SMS Audio and Urbanears, says that
over time, the protein leather on headphones earcups can start decaying if sweat continuously gets
on them. And it’s hard to clean. There’s even the
chance, he purports, for electrical shock if you soak
or saturate some headphones. Not to mention the
hygienic concerns. Some Urbanears headphones
include removable and machine-washable ear
cushions and headbands to address this problem.
The Hellas ‘phones even come with a little washing machine bag to keep them protected through
the cycle. Many headphones are IPX-rated, so you
can take a wet cloth and wipe them down after a
workout session.
THE STORY
Headphones sales are up, and Bluetooth
wireless models that appeal to active
individuals represent one of the fastestgrowing categories.
The key characteristics of sports
headphones include water- and sweatproof design, a secure and comfortable
fit, and convenience and safety features.
Beyond the basics, the latest active
headphones are incorporating
interesting biometric features.
April 2016
35
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
MOBILE WORLD
With a focus on sound
quality and comfortable
fit, the water- and sweatresistant Sol Republic
Relays Sport headphones
boast I5 sound engines
and FreeFlex technology
for a comfortable fit.
There are concerns even when the ‘phones
aren’t on your ears. Sports headphones might be
thrown into a gym bag when they’re not in use,
says Langona, where there may be moisture from
towels, water bottles, or even spilled shampoo
and other products. The Plantronics BackBeat FIT,
which are sweat- and water-proof, come with an
armband that can double as a storage bag.
Safety: Safety is of particular concern for outdoor activities.
We love our smartphones, and immersing ourselves in music. But sometimes, that can come
at the expense of good ol’ common sense. While
there’s no feature that can force active individuals to pay better attention, there are features to
help make this a bit easier to accomplish.
For example, companies like Plantronics and
JBL, use a reflective material so that runners can
be easily spotted by passing cars or other pedestrians when out at night. Audibly, while the
Plantronics headphones cancel out noise, they
maintain a bit of the background environment
so that listeners aren’t totally tuned out.
“The ability to stay immersed, but not be completely tuned out is very important,” notes Langona.
Gunraj agrees, and SMS Audio uses similar technology. Its in-ear BioSport biometric headphones,
developed in partnership with Intel, are not completely isolated, allowing in some ambient noise
for safety purposes. JBL offers headphones that
allow you to adjust left and right, and the amount
of ambient noise you let in, in order to find the
right balance.
Connectivity & Convenience: Runners or gym
rats won’t be chatting up a friend while they
train for that marathon or do crunches. But they
also won’t want to miss an important call or
message. That requires the inclusion of a built-in
mic, answer/end buttons, and/or voice control.
Urbanista includes a mic in all of its earphones.
Other models, like the Wicked Audio Nocturn
Bluetooth wireless earbuds (Curve Distribution),
and the Fight and Fang wired models, all integrate
mic and track control as well.
Gunraj believes that a built-in mic is a standard, must-have feature in headphones. The
challenge with mic and controls is in deciding
whether to support iOS or Android, or simply
opt for a universal connection without specific
Siri or Google Now voice-activated functions or
track controls.
Part and parcel with that is the need to have
your smartphone nearby, since it’s likely the
source of your music as well. Where do you put it?
We’ve seen innovative products like the
FlipBelt (Cesium) that lets you keep your phone,
and other valuables, securely and comfortably
within a waistband. But this might not be for
everyone. Several third-party companies make
armbands, like Griffin, Belkin, and Incipio.
While Urbanista sells its own armbands, even
bundling colour-matched ones with some earphones, Andreen believes that as phones get
bigger, people will be less willing to work out
with such a large device strapped to their arms.
This leaves the door open for Bluetooth-enabled
smartwatches with built-in storage for music, and
other similar wearable devices.
In such a flooded market, packaging is critical, and
should display the product in clear view, with a
detailed breakdown of the key features up front and
centre, as Wicked Audio has done with its models,
like the Bluetooth Nocturn ‘phones.
36
Even the smallest
in-ear rubber or foam
tips don’t fit into
some womens’ ears.
Yurbuds addresses
this with its sweatand water-resistant
Leap Wireless in-ear
headphones, which are
specifically fitted for
small ear canals.
Designed for Style: As a European company
ahead of the curve, Urbanista believes that
fashion is important to active individuals. “The
running track is turning into a catwalk,” muses
Andreen, “with cool brands and colour-matched
outfits. The earphones are accessories that highlight the overall look.”
Urbanista’s lineup reflects this trend, with earphones like the wireless Boston Night Runner,
which comes in vibrant colours like blue, pink,
and orange in addition to more muted black and
grey; and the wired Rio earphones that add even
bolder finishes, like bright yellow. Wicked Audio
also promotes its colours, using cool names like
lime green, royal, and tiger.
But there’s also a desire for more classic colours.
Plantronics has, up until now, offered its BackBeat
FIT in bright blue and green to match the latest
trends in fitness clothing. But this May, a basic black
version will launch in response to demand. Active
folks, says Langona, are using their “sports” headphones while out-and-about in general as well, and
some prefer a more subdued finish because of that.
While choice of colours is desirable, Gunraj
says it’s difficult to accommodate since most
retailers don’t want to carry multiple coloured
SKUs from the same brand, or simply don’t have
the shelf space to do so.
So there are other ways to differentiate on the
fashion side. The House of Marley Zion in-ear
headphones (HoMedics Canada) are made using
FSC-certified wood and recyclable aluminum,
attracting the environmentally-conscious user.
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2016-03-22 3:17 PM
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
MOBILE WORLD
HEY CUSTOMERS: DON’T FORGET
THESE FEATURES!
The aforementioned six key features are the most
critical ones consumers consider when deciding
on a pair of active headphones. But what other
important aspects might they be overlooking?
First is battery life. With stereo Bluetooth
headphones rising in popularity, it’s important to know how long they will last per charge.
Headphones that only last a few hours can be
frustrating for power users.
Second is audio quality. We focus so much
on the comfort, style, and fit, and sometimes forget that, even though these headphones will be
used predominantly for background music, they
still need to sound good.
This is where established brands with a proven
track record in sound quality can benefit: while
they might be the more expensive option, it
may prove worthwhile in the long run. Relying
on product reviews and recommendations can
also help.
“When markets start to grow,” says Langona,
“you see a lot of new entrants coming in - companies you’ve never heard of that aren’t audio or
wearable products.”
Lindsay McGill, Creative Marketing Coordinator
at North Vancouver, BC-based Atlantia, which
distributes headphones from brands like Sol
Republic and Logiix, notes that sports headphones should typically be designed to provide
high clarity. SOL Republic’s Relay Sport Wireless
in-ear Bluetooth headphones, launching in
April, have specific indoor and outdoor listening
modes. The latter mode boosts bass so you can
still work out to the rhythm when dealing with
more ambient noise outside.
Third is the size and weight of the headphones themselves, especially if you opt for an
on-ear design. Neglecting to take that into account
can result in headphones literally weighing on you
Employing an interesting behind-the-head design, Plantronics has enjoyed success
with its BackBeat FIT wireless headphones, which ship with an armband that can
double as storage to throw the ‘phones in your gym bag when you’re not using them.
after an hour, making your neck or head hurt, or
squeezing your head because the size isn’t right.
“Rarely do consumers think about how heavy a
pair of headphones might be,” says Gunraj.
This can even be an issue with in-ears: Gunraj
says even the smallest-size foam or rubber tips
included with earbuds don’t fit into some women’s smaller ear canals. Yurbuds, powered by JBL
and distributed in Canada by Erikson Consumer,
specializes in headphones for active individuals,
and its Leap Wireless earphones are geared specifically toward women with smaller ear canals to
address this issue.
Fourth is the quality of the cable or clip,
to avoid microphonics when you are moving
around,” says McGill. “[These are],” she explains,
“the annoying rustling and thumping noises you
hear when you tap the cord or when the cord
brushes up against something.” A cheaply-designed cable should be fairly easy to spot.
BIOMETRICS: BEYOND THE MUSIC
Activity tracking represents an interesting new
dimension for the headphones space. Companies
like LG, Misfit, and SMS Audio have already begun
to explore adding activity tracking capabilities
right into the headphones. Capturing data like
Developed in collaboration with Intel, SMS Audio’s BioSport headphones are one of many active headphones that
do more than just play back music. They can monitor heart rate and collect fitness data that can be synced with some
of the most popular fitness apps.
38
heart rate can be more accurate this way than
with a wristworn device, says Gunraj, because
with runners, for example, their head isn’t moving around as much as their arms are.
And the features go beyond that. The LG HRM
earphones can keep track of your pulse, metabolic
rate, and blood oxygen level through a tiny computer built into the strap that communicates via
Bluetooth with the LG Fitness app. The Jabra Sport
Pace Wireless headphones (Affinity Electronics)
work alongside a training app to monitor athletic
performance, and provide users with stats about
their running pace, calories burned, and distance
and route traveled. Launching later this year, the
Misfit Specter wireless in-ear headphones attach
to a tiny activity tracker that hooks to your shirt
collar. Parrot’s Zik Sport headphones includes
heart rate monitoring, along with ground contact
time, cadence, and vertical oscillation for runners.
Sony’s Smart B-Trainer headphones offer GPS and
audio fitness coaching to guide you along a workout. With JBL’s UA Headphones Wireless Heart
Rate, heart rate data is collected from the ear,
then streamed to the Under Armour UA Record
health and fitness platform so wearers can sync
it and use the data toward achieving their fitness
goals. These represent just a small sampling of
what’s out there in sports headphones that go
above and beyond.
Gunraj believes there’s plenty of opportunity to
do more on the biometric tracking side with active
headphones. “We’ve been trying certain things to
bridge the gap between the two,” he reveals.
Langona feels consumers will continue to want
and expect more integration going forward as
we move deeper into the Internet of Things (IoT).
Mayall notes that in a promotion in Europe last
year, Yurbuds were being bundled with the Fitbit
activity tracker. “I would expect more partnerships like these to develop in the coming months
and years,” he predicts.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
INNOVATIVE BRANDS IN PERSONAL HEALTH,
WELLNESS AND ELECTRONICS
FNBJMDTFSWJDF!IPNFEJDTHSPVQDBt5PMM'SFF
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
MOBILE WORLD
“Information is valuable,” adds Andreen, “and
we’ll be able to make more intelligent earphones
for active people in the future.”
GRAB & GO PURCHASE?
If you’re not ordering a pair online, where might
you find sports headphones? Chances are, it’ll be
at your local big box or carrier store. Dedicated
headphones retailers don’t typically showcase
sports headphones, says Gunraj, because it’s not
a business they understand, and one that they
might be afraid to get into.
Because selection in stores tends to be vast,
and staff sometimes scarce, this puts the onus on
the manufacturers to do everything they can to
make their brands stand out.
Packaging, then, becomes critical in this category. “We, as manufacturers, make packaging
that sells itself,” says Gunraj. It has to be precise, displaying all of the pertinent details. And
that can be difficult in Canada because of the
bilingual requirements. “There’s only so much
information you can put on there.”
Andreen believes that Urbanista’s colourful
and unique packaging concept grabs the customer’s attention, and the compact, rectangular
boxes also allow for a wide range to fit within a
small space of the store. Atlantia’s brands use “fun
icons” on the packaging to indicate the key features, like mic and control button, type of cable,
sweat-resistance, and so on. Mayall also suggests
using images of athletes to further push the capa-
Employing one of the more unique designs in wireless
headphones is AcousticSheep’s RunPhones, which
embed earbuds inside a moisture-wicking headband
that comes in both a wired or wireless version.
bilities and attract the target market, and help
them stand out among a sea of $20 earbuds.
But we can’t rely solely on the packaging.
Allowing the customer to try on sports headphones might not be possible for hygienic reasons,
especially with in-ear models. But demonstrations
are possible, perhaps with video loops or in-store
spokespersons.
Specialty retailers could consider disposable
foam/rubber tips and cleaning demonstrations
that would both allow customers to try on the
Sports Headphones
Dollar share of headphone market trend with ASP trend
The headphones market, particularly the sports-friendly wireless Bluetooth category, has been on the rise over
the past few years, both in average selling price and unit sales. (Source: The NPD Group / POS Retail Tracking Service)
40
headphones, while also reinforcing how easy
they are to clean.
And training, even for the relatively unassisted
sales floor, can pay off so salespersons understand the correct products to recommend to
customers and why. McGill says Atlantia offers
online training, in-field events, and hands-on
demos for both customers and retailers. SOL
Republic provides training and incentive programs to its reps.
“I believe this is an opportunity for the specialty retailers and independents to step up their
game,” says Gunraj, “and differentiate themselves by becoming a sports enthusiast expert.”
That strategy, of course, won’t work for every
independent. But for specialty sports, cycling,
skateboarding, and active lifestyle shops, and
even airport stores, college bookstores, and dedicated mobile shops, the active headphones space
could present some interesting opportunities.
BOTTOM LINE
Why would you fork over $150 for a pair of active
headphones when a relatively decent pair of
earbuds can be had for $20-40? In fact, most smartphones come with a free pair of earbuds in the box.
“When you buy a car,” Gunraj analogizes, “it
comes with a spare tire that’s for emergency purposes. That is what those headphones are for.”
Andreen suggests that it’s like asking, “why I
bought those nice Nike shoes instead of a pair of
rubber slippers.”
Nowadays, most people have more than one
pair of headphones. That might include a hi-res
pair for dedicated at-home listening; active
noise-cancelling ones for travel; cheap earbuds
for backup use; and dedicated sports/commuter
headphones with specialized features.
The headphones category has been growing
so steadily over the past 5-10 years, notes NPD’s
Haar, that the explosive growth in Bluetooth wireless still only represents about 2% of the overall
headphones market in units and 7% in overall
dollars. That’s a small, rapidly growing piece of a
jam-packed pie.
With rumours of the iPhone 7 doing away with
an auxiliary port, Bluetooth wireless is poised
for even faster growth as it forces consumers to
“re-think their earphone collections if they want
to stay current and up-to-date with evolving technology,” says Atlantia’s McGill. Manufacturers will
have to rethink their strategies as well.
One thing we do know is that the shift toward
healthy living continues, music will continue to
be an integral part of it.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
MUSIC DRIVES
PERFORMANCE.
JBL SOUND
SWEAT PROOF
TWISTLOCK ™
8 HOUR BATTERY
BLUETOOTH COMPATIBLE
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
WHAT’S HOT FROM
Mobile World
Congress
2016
For the first time ever, Mobile World
Congress (MWC), held annually
in Barcelona, surpassed 100,000
attendees visiting from 204 countries,
proving just how important mobile is
to the future of consumer technology.
Produced by the GSMA, MWC takes place every year in late February. This year’s attendance
represented a jump of more than 6% compared to last year. More than 2,200 companies
exhibited products across about 1.6 million square feet of trade show floor space.
Mobile is at the heart of every burgeoning category in consumer technology today; from
the smart home and the Internet of Things (IoT), to drones, automotive, and virtual reality.
Throughout the venue, a few notable items stood out, including a slew of premium
smartphones, and some interesting accessories. Imaging innovations dominated, including
better, smarter, more versatile cameras built into smartphones; and unique accessories
that allow for everything from 360-degree video capture to virtual reality viewing.
Here’s some of the hottest gear from the show.
42
Photos (Barcelona): John Thomson
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS
Premium Smartphones
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
One of the most anticipated devices at the show, the S7 edge, includes
the first Dual Pixel camera on a smartphone, with a brighter lens with
wider aperture, offering a faster shutter speed and a more accurate
autofocus even in low-light conditions. Motion Panorama, a new
camera mode, brings movement to traditional panoramic photos.
There’s a 5.5” Quad HD super AMOLED screen (the S7 has a smaller
5.1” screen), Always-on display, and IP68 water and dust resistance.
Edge UX provides shortcuts to favourite functions or apps. Insert
a microSD card into the hybrid SIM card tray for up to 200GB of
additional storage or, in some countri
countries, pop in a dual SIM
card. Special features for g
gamers include an
internal cooling system
syste that keeps the
device from overh
overheating during intense
matches. It operates
on Android
ope
6.0, and has a 2.3GHz Quad-core
processor, 3,600mAh
battery,
3
NFC and Samsung Pay, which
is coming
comi to Canada “this
year.”
year. The S7 edge, and
its sister device, the
S7,
S started selling in
Canada on March 11.
Acer Jade 2
Among several new smartphones Acer
revealed at MWC is the new flagship Liquid
Jade 2, which has a 5.5” full HD AMOLED
screen with Zero Air Gap technology,
supporting 100% of the NTSC colour gamut
and high-res audio with virtual surround
sound powered by DTS Headphone:X. The
21MP main camera has phase-detection
autofocus technology and supports up
to 4K (3,840 x 2,160) video recording and
dual-LED flash. A “Professional Camera
Mode” allows for tweaking advanced
settings such as white balance, ISO, EV and
focus mode. The 8MP front-facing camera
supports an 84-degree wide angle, and a
“Pause N Shoot” selfie mode detects your
face and automatically starts a three-second
countdown before taking the shot. Powered
by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon
808 processor, it features 3GB of RAM and
32GB ROM. Enjoy up to 1TB hybrid storage.
In addition, there’s LTE Cat.6 and 802.11ac
dual-band MIMO wireless connectivity.
Specifications, prices, and availability will
vary by region.
April 2016
43
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
ZTE Blade V7
LG G5
The Blade V7 has a full-metal body that’s
just 3.5mm at its thinnest edge, sports
a 5.2” screen with a 78.2% screen-tobody ratio, and 2.5D curved edge glass.
Boasting octa-core chipsets, 4G LTE,
and 2GB of RAM, it has front and rear
PDAF 13MP cameras, and expanded
Smart Sense intelligent gesture control
features. It comes with a 2,500mAh
battery. Operating on the Android M OS,
there’s no word yet on North American
availability. A Lite version has a slightly
smaller 5” display, and fingerprint scanner.
As a new flagship smartphone, the G5 (April 8 in Canada)
is modular: a removable battery can be swapped out for
a full one when needed. It has two cameras on the rear:
one with a standard 78-degree lens and another with a
135-degree wide-angle lens, the widest available in any
smartphone, LG declares. The Always-on display requires
only 0.8% of the battery’s full capacity per hour to
function. Operating on the Android 6.0 “Marshmallow”
OS, the phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
processor that supports 4K capture and playback, and
is optimized for VR. Most notable about the device,
however, is the diverse group of accessories under the
new LG Playground ecosystem, called LG Friends, that
can work with, and connect to, it. More on those below.
Alcatel Idol 4S
Along with confirming that the company would be dropping the word
Onetouch from its moniker, Alcatel showed off the Idol 4S with augmented
reality features built into it: the packaging transforms into a pair of virtual
reality goggles for viewing 360-degree videos and gaming. VR content can
be downloaded onto the device from the Onetouch VR Store. Also, a neat
Boom Key can be used to enhance experiences in the phone. Use it to instantly
take photos on standby mode, or press and hold it to activate burst mode; or
artistically shuffle images in the photo gallery to share as a collage or slideshow.
With videos, it generates effects, such as replaying the previous second of the
video three times, or changing the playback speed. When recording video,
press the Boom Key to broadcast it live; or optimize music playback, including
bass, loudness, and clarity. In the game Asphalt, the Boom Key releases the Nitro
to boost your car’s speed, and increases the volume and adds spatial sound
reproduction. For 3D effects, the Key will intensify the parallax UI effect for the
launcher and a live weather display as part of the home screen. Powered by
a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, the phone offers all-day battery life,
and has a 5.5-inch 2K AMOLED display.
44
Sony Xperia X Performance
As one of three Xperia devices launched at the show,
the Xperia X Performance includes Predictive Hybrid
Autofocus that’s developed with Sony’s α camera
engineers. It lets you choose your subject and then
predicts its motion so you can capture the action in focus,
free from blur. Additional features include SteadyShot
technology; smart battery management; Qualcomm
Snapdragon 820 processor; and support for PS4 Remote
Play for gamers. It is water-resistant, and features a
curved glass display within a rounded, continuous frame.
Availability is set for summer 2016.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
Innovations in VR
HTC Vive Headset
LG 360 VR Goggles
Working exclusively with the G5, this device simulates a
130” TV viewed from two metres away, with a resolution
of 639ppi. Unlike VR devices like Google Cardboard or
Samsung’s Gear VR, you don’t need to slide a phone in
the front; instead, just connect the G5 to it via a USB-C
cable. The headset has its own built-in display, thus
leaving the door open for potentially working with other
phones in the future. It weighs just 118 grams, and uses
temple arm handles instead of straps, so they fit more
like a pair of glasses.
Shipping in April (pre-orders available now), the HTC Vive, developed in
partnership with Valve and powered by Steam VR, now includes a new feature
called Vive Phone, which allows users to receive and respond to incoming and
missed calls, get text messages and send quick replies, and check upcoming
calendar invites directly through the headset. There’s an updated head strap
for greater stability and balance. For a limited time, it will ship with three VR
experiences: Tilt Brush by Google, which allows users to paint in 3D space
with virtual reality, using three-dimensional brush strokes, stars, light, and
fire; Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives
ves by Owlchemy Labs,
which simulates a world where robots
bots have replaced
all human jobs; and Fantastic Contraption
traption by
Northway Games in collaboration with Radial
Games, which lets you walk around
nd
a grassy island floating in the sky,
build a machine, and watch it roll
out into the world. The system
will come with two wireless
VR controllers, room scale
movement sensors, and the
Headset for $1,149 in Canada.
360-Degree Recording
LG 360 CAM
The 360 CAM is a compact,
360-degree angle camera with
two 13MP 200-degree wide-angle
cameras, 1,200mAh battery,
three mics, and 4 GB memory
for creating 360-degree content
with 5.1-channel surround using
the G5. Captured content can be
uploaded to Google Street View,
YouTube360 VR, or a compatible
device for viewing.
Sony Xperia Eye
As a conceptual vision for an
ultra-compact, wide-angle lens
camera that can be attached
to clothing or worn around
the neck, this device has a
360-degree spherical lens for a
natural field-of-view. It features
intelligent shutter technology
that uses facial and voice
detection to capture images.
46
Samsung Gear 360
Equipped with dual fisheye lenses, each with 15MP image
sensors, this camera can capture high-resolution (3,840
x 1,920) 360-degree video and 30MP still images. Shoot
180-degree wide-angle video and images using only one
side of the camera lens. Bright Lens F2.0 creates high
resolution images even in low-light conditions. It comes with
a tripod, but is also compatible with a selection of accessories
and mounts. When synced with a Samsung smartphone,
you can preview content in real time, or it will bring up
filmed content for viewing and saving on a smartphone or
uploading and sharing directly on social channels, including
Google Street View. Plus,
lus, watch
self-created content through
hrough
Gear VR. All these features
tures
will be available through
ugh
a download from Galaxy
axy
Apps or Google Play,
or PC software for
more in-depth editing
g
capabilities. It’s compatible
atible
with select Samsung
smartphones, including
ng
the new S7 and S7 edge;
ge;
and will be available in
n
Canada in Q2 2016.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
Photo: John Thomson
More in Mobile
SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C Flash Drive
Sporting a USB Type-C connector for quick file
transfer between USB Type-C enabled mobile
devices, laptops, tablets and future devices,
this drive comes in up to 128GB capacities, and
delivers USB 3.1 performance of up to 150MB/s.
The slim, retractable design protects the reversible
connector, and is compatible with the SanDisk
Memory Zone app for Android. The free app
(Google Play Store) auto-launches upon insertion
of the drive into a compatible device, allowing
immediate access to the user’s content and easy
file management. MSRPs range from US$20 for the
16GB version up to $80 for the 128GB.
LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play
This portable Hi-Fi DAC + Amp, tuned by
B&O PLAY, offers 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC up-sampling
technology, and supports 32-bit, 384KHz
high-definition audio playback. It can be
used either as a module with the LG G5 or as
a separate Hi-Fi DAC by connecting to any
smartphone or PC.
LG CAM Plus
LG Rolling Bot
Reminiscent of the Sphero in its design, the Rolling
Bot is controlled from your phone, and rolls like
a ball while capturing images and videos with its
embedded 8MP camera. The eye-catching Bot can
also act as a monitoring system for the home with
Wi-Fi connection and live streaming. It also comes
with a built-in speaker and laser pointer (for driving
your cat crazy, perhaps?)
Yet another innovation from LG, the CAM Plus can
cleverly be attached through the battery slot so
that the smartphone functions more like a camera.
It provides physical buttons for power, shutter,
record, and zoom. It also offers autofocus and
exposure lock. When attached to the G5, it provides
an additional battery capacity of 1,200mAh to allow
for longer shooting times.
Sony Xperia Agent
Is this Sony’s answer to Amazon Echo? The
intriguing Agent is a vision for a personalized
assistant that will respond to voice and gestures,
providing useful information, communication
assistance and home appliance control. It is
powered by Sony’s voice technology and will
respond to a number of commands. It has a
built-in camera and projector display.
April 2016
47
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
Chris Forbes, CEO of Nanaimo, BC-based McKay Electronic
Experts (left) and COO Terry Burns (right) receive their
Gift of Change award from Staub Electronics President
Scott Trotter.
SHARING SUCCESS
Staub Electronics
Celebrates 35 Years
With a Unique
Dealer Program
BY GORDON BROCKHOUSE
When the management team at Staub Electronics Ltd.
began making plans for the company’s 35th anniversary,
they knew they wanted something out of the ordinary.
But they probably didn’t expect that their Gift of Change
program would make it easier for a Calgary family
to care for a severely disabled family member.
In March, the Richmond, BC-based distributor
gave Gift of Change awards, each valued at $5,000,
to five dealers across Canada. “For our 35th anniversary, we wanted to do something beyond
normal promotions like daily deals and contests
for trips,” says President Scott Trotter. “Gift of
Change aligns with our core value of making a
meaningful impact on the success of our clients.”
In the weeks leading up to the anniversary,
Staub’s business development managers invited
customers to submit proposals for projects they
wanted to implement. The company chose the
most innovative ideas for each of its five operating regions, then selected the winners during its
anniversary celebrations in March.
For Alberta, the recipient was Digital Lifestyles.
About a year ago, the Calgary-based integrator
ventured into a new area: implementing systems
that allow people with mobility restrictions, and
their caregivers, to control their environments. The
first installation was for a severely disabled neighbour of Digital Lifestyles President Mike Dummer.
Before the system was installed, other family members had to perform tasks like opening
doors for caregivers, controlling lights and blinds,
changing TV channels, and adjusting the temperature of an electric blanket. Now these tasks can be
performed remotely, or fully automatically.
“We’ve had phenomenal support from Staub,”
Dummer says. “They’ve helped us modify products for this application, for example putting
timers on door locks for automated entry by
caregivers. The system doesn’t rely on the user;
it’s true automation.”
Automation for people with accessibility challenges now accounts for 10 per cent of Digital
Lifestyles’ revenues, and this share is growing
quickly. The company has implemented systems
for both private families and institutional clients.
Dummer is using the Gift of Change award to
subsidize the cost of an automated system for a
person with very limited mobility, but fully mental capabilities. “It will help his family care for him
without the burden of being together all the
time,” Dummer explains.
A HISTORY OF CHANGE
Automated environmental control is one of
many business areas that Staub Electronics has
48
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
SUPPLY SIDE
developed during its 35-year history. Founded
in 1981, Staub Electronics began as the North
American distributor of a unique Korean-made
bookshelf speaker whose enclosure was made
from a synthetic ceramic material. Founder
Dave Mason (still the majority owner) wanted
a German-sounding name that would evoke
quality for the product. Mason was also a baseball fan; and Rusty Staub, the Montreal Expos’
star right fielder, was his favourite player. Hence
the company name.
Two years later, Staub launched a 12V division after becoming the Canadian distributor
for Scosche Industries; and during the next two
decades, built a large portfolio of 12V brands.
Trotter joined the company in 1995 straight
out of high school, rising through the ranks to
become President and a Partner in the business.
In 2007, Staub opened a custom residential/commercial division, which now accounts for more
than half of its revenues.
“After seeing car manufacturers integrating
more and more technology, we wanted to diversify our portfolio,” Trotter explains. “More and
more 12V installers were migrating to residential
and commercial AV. I identified this as a market
where we could have success.”
In 2008, Staub was appointed Canadian distributor for SnapAV. “That helped elevate our
residential/commercial AV division because of
how broad their line is,” Trotter notes. Other milestone appointments include URC Total Control
(2013), Lutron lighting and window coverings
(2014), and Sonos (2015).
Along the way, the company has added business capabilities, such as a full SAP enterprise
system in 2009, and a B2B e-commerce site in
2010. These capabilities are vital for the company’s
customers, since many of them are independent
owner-operated businesses.
“The residential/commercial AV area is very
just-in-time driven,” Trotter elaborates. “There is
a very narrow window for our customers to meet
their timelines. Their needs are immediate, but
their planning processes are not as involved as
larger companies. They don’t forecast, so they
rely on their vendors to have the product.”
And not just the product, but also expertise
in implementing it, as the support received by
Calgary’s Digital Lifestyles attests. “I’ve never had
a partnership with a supplier like we have with
Staub,” Dummer says. “It feels like we’re in business with them, not like they’re trying to sell us
stuff. That’s rare.”
GIFTS OF CHANGE
Given Staub’s history, it’s not surprising that it
developed an outside-the-box program like
Gift of Change for its 35th anniversary. Besides
Digital Lifestyles, recipients include Domo
Prestige in Saint-Basile-le-Grand, QC, which will
use its award to create new marketing materials for a major trade event; Dell Smart Home
Solutions in St. Catharines, ON, which will use
its grant for a technology upgrade that will
make quoting more efficient; K&S Electronics in
Winnipeg, MB, which will put its award toward
a showroom upgrade for demonstrating con-
Staub Electronics’ Director of Sales Bryan Sack (left) and President Scott Trotter (right)
present a Gift of Change grant to Mike Dummer, President of Digital Lifestyles in Calgary.
nected products; and McKay’s Electronic Experts
in Namaimo, BC, which will use the Gift of
Change grant for improving its ability to demonstrate home automation systems.
“The timing of the award couldn’t have been
better,” says Chris Forbes, CEO of the five-store
chain. Vancouver Island is in the midst of a building boom, and McKay’s has an installation in the
boardroom of a major builder for demonstrating
automated lighting and motorized blinds, plus a
mobile sales force that targets the home industry.
The award will be used to develop in-store
systems for showing URC Total Control, and
automated lighting and shades. “We hold a lot
of invitation-only evenings, and we’d like to
bring in builders, architects and designers for
product demonstrations,” Forbes explains. “This
award means we can do it right. It’s not just the
money. It’s Staub’s expertise. It’s their design
and product support.”
Staub is also providing support for McKay’s
with fibre-optic networking. Carriers are installing fibre to the curb on Vancouver Island, and
McKay’s is encouraging residential and commercial customers to adopt fibre inside their
buildings. “For network streaming, bandwidth is
critical,” Forbes says. “The tools to terminate fibre
connections are very expensive, but Staub has a
full fibre program.”
These programs have made Staub a key supplier for McKay’s. “We have a true relationship
with Staub,” Forbes says. “We can shake hands
and it means something. We can ask for anything,
and they’ll say, ‘Let’s see what we can do.’”
Staub Electronics Business Development Manager Matt Daub (left) presents a Gift of Change
award to Jason Dell, President of Dell Smart Home Solutions in St. Catharines, ON.
April 2016
49
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
TALKING SHOP
2016 RESIDENTIAL AND MOBILE ELECTRONICS EXPO & TRAINING WAS A SUCCESS
It was most amazing,” says Grant Daoust, Vice
President and co-founder of Trends Electronics of
the 2016 Residential and Mobile Electronics Expo
& Training, “how everybody worked together.”
The sold-out home and auto electronics expos,
training, and trade shows were held back-to-back
from February 3rd through 6th at the Executive
Airport Plaza Hotel in Richmond, BC. Trends was
a participating supplier for all four days of both
events, as was Cantrex Nationwide.
Autonomic, North X Northwest Marketing,
Plurison, SF Marketing, and Sound Developments
were also counted among the residential event’s
participating suppliers. Their counterparts for the
mobile days were Automobility, Gem-Sen, Gentec
International, and Pioneer.
Daoust says he and the other suppliers were
more than happy with the turnout.
“The mobile electronics event was completely
sold out,” he notes, “with 260 people paying to
register and attend.” Counting vendors, over 400
people were on the show floor.
“For the residential event,” Daoust adds, “we
worked hard, using all our resources, and hoped
that 100 people would come, but we actually had
137 guests.” About 30 vendors were expected.
Double that number actually exhibited at the show.
Getting up close and hands-on with many of
the new products featured recently at CES and
CEDIA was a big attraction to the attendees.
Exclusive dealer promotions and discounts on
new products were also appreciated.
While there were numerous top-ranked presenters, “Ken Ward’s training had the highest
attendance at the shows,” Daoust recounts. “He
was completely packed for three hour-long sessions.” Ward, of Musicar NW, taught an OEM
Integrations course, a three-part series on professional OEM integration into today’s high-tech cars,
which teaches that virtually any car’s sound can be
improved without removing any of the stock radio
systems. “That was the most important topic at the
training event for mobile,” says Daoust.
“We were extremely happy,” he adds, “to see
the Canadian dealers, both residential and mobile,
invest in their businesses by attending these training events. This emphasizes the need for more
training, lacking for a long time, in this industry.”
A diverse group of companies exhibited their wares
at the 2016 Residential and Mobile Electronics Expo
and Training in Richmond, BC in early February, which
exceeded attendance expectations.
Even before the two events in BC welcomed
their first attendees, a home audio expo and
training event had been scheduled for eastern
Canadian dealers. It will take place on March 30
and 31 at the International Plaza Hotel, Toronto,
near Pearson Airport. —By Wally Hucker
Several training courses were held during the event, including the most popular one covering OEM integration in
today’s high-tech cars, and how to improve a vehicle’s sound without removing the factory radio.
NEW DEBIT CARD HAS DYNAMIC SECURITY CODE THAT CHANGES HOURLY
Oberthur Technologies (OT), a global provider
of embedded security software products and
services, has developed a dual interface debit
payment card featuring Motion Code technology
that has been certified for the Canadian market by
Interac. The card is designed to reduce Card-NotPresent (CNP) fraud involved in online purchases.
Most online vendors rely on the static printed
security code (CVV) on the back of a card to certify that the card is present and in the hands of
the cardholder. OT has replaced the printed code
with a mini-screen that displays an automatically
50
refreshed digital code generated by an algorithm
known as a dynamic CVV. The three-digit code
will change every hour through the use of an NFC
antenna and mini-battery.
In the event of theft, the stored card data will
quickly become unusable. OT sees this technology as being a strong step forward in creating
a totally secure means of payment for online
purchases without changing the habits of online
shoppers. The technology can also give banks
greater confidence while reducing the costs and
risks related to fraud.
In an effort to reduce fraud, the three-digit
security code on the back of Oberthur’s debit
cards, which have been certified for the
Canadian market by Interac, are dynamic,
changing every hour.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
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S ELECT
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
TALKING SHOP
DX3 2016 FEATURES MOBILE PAYMENTS, ROBOT SALES ASSISTANTS, AND 3D ‘SELFIES’
The DX3 Canada conference, which takes place
annually in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre,
presented plenty of innovation in the world of
retail. Three products, in particular, stood out.
In a private conference room, Samsung gave
attendees a sneak peek of Samsung Pay, which
has been confirmed for the Canadian market
“later this year.” Initiating a transaction using a
new Galaxy S7 smartphone and a standard POS
terminal was quick and easy. The mobile payment
service will be available for these new devices, as
well as older Galaxy devices, like the S6. It will work
with most POS terminals, both with NFC and card
swipe capabilities. This could be game-changing in Canada, at least for Android users. While
the rival Apple Pay service has been available in
Canada since last November, it remains exclusive
to American Express cardholders for now.
In the Retail Collective section of the show floor
was SoftBank’s robot Pepper. Standing about
three-feet tall, the humanoid can read emotions
and respond accordingly. Ask it information about
store sales, it can conduct surveys, or register loyalty cards through the tablet that’s attached to its
chest. It can also provide information about items
in the store, or simply interact with customers to
find out if they need help. (Presumably to augment real humans, not replace them!) In a liquor
store, for example, Pepper could make recom-
Samsung
Pay
Self Traits
Humanoid
Robot
“Pepper”
mendations based on the type of wine desired,
price range, taste, and what meal it will be eaten
with, and maybe even suggest some cheeses that
would pair well. Pepper’s affinity for making silly
poses so you can take selfies with it is a nice draw
for any store as well.
Bill Lott, Business Development Manager for
the Americas for SoftBank Group confirms that
the humanoid robot will be coming to undisclosed retail stores in Canada and the U.S. soon.
Currently, you can see ones in Europe in Carrefour,
and in Nissan, Nestle, and SoftBank Mobile stores
in Asia, to name a few.
On the opposite side of the room was an
eye-catching innovation in 3D printing, from
Toronto-based Self Traits.
Visit the downtown Queen St. shop and they
will take a full body scan of you in about a half
hour. Then, an incredibly detailed 3D figurine of
your likeness is ready in 7-10 days for delivery or
pickup. From weddings to birthday gifts and family photos, it’s a really cool way to display “photos”
in the home outside of the standard print-inframe. And, most importantly, it gets those photos
off your mobile devices.
But they don’t come cheap: a 5” figurine is
$120, or $240 for two people. For $240, you can
also get a 6” individual figure or spend $432 for a
6” couple “pic.”
If Self Traits is open to partnerships, this could
present a great opportunity for traditional photo
retailers, or even wedding photographers, to
generate referral business and offer added-value
services to their customers.
OBITUARY: Val Marchione, 2001 Audio Video
WiFi HiFi is saddened to announce the sudden passing of Val Marchione, who died
at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Toronto on Tuesday, February 16.
Marchione was a well-known and loved figure in the consumer electronics
industry having worked at Yamaha Music Canada, Thunder Marketing and most
recently, 2001 Audio Video. He was 57.
He is survived by his wife Fortunata Coffa and two children Michael and Giulia, along with father
Giacomo, brothers Mario (Rosina) and Giuseppe (Teresa), sister Maria Cristina (Franco), and nieces and
nephews Lisa, Paul, Justin and Kayla. He was predeceased by his mother Pasqualina.
WALMART CANADA opened three new
Walmart Supercentres in former Target
locations, in Coquitlam, Delta and Surrey,
BC. The stores, says Walmart, represent an
investment of $20 million and measure more
than 378,000 square feet of retail space.
They involved close to 1,000 construction
and trade jobs, and will collectively employ
about 500 people. With these three new
locations, Walmart now has 44 stores total
in BC, including 38 supercentres.
TD BANK GROUP (TD) is the first Canadian financial institution to adopt Visa’s global standard
tokenization technology for the Android version of the TD app. Using the tokenization technology,
powered by Host Card Emulation (HCE), TV customers get enhanced security as sensitive account
information is substituted for encrypted “tokens” during mobile payments transactions. With the
technology, the mobile payments service is not SIM card or carrier-dependent, which means it can
be used on more phones. All that is required is a personal TD credit card loaded on an Android
phone running on Kit Kat (version 4.4) or higher. An Android widget is also available, for the first
time, to allow for one-button access to launch mobile payments within the TD app.
52
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
TALKING SHOP
WHO’S DOING WHAT?
Atlantia has been appointed a
Canadian distributor for the LuMee
line of iPhone cases in Canada.
LuMee started garnering attention
when Kim Kardashian called the
cases the perfect ones for snapping
her well-known selfies. The cases
have two columns of LED lights
on the front that provide optimal
lighting for snapping selfies. But they
can also come in handy for using
the smartphone as a compact mirror for fixing or applying makeup, or
as a more intense flashlight. There’s also a dimmer switch that allows the
user to manually control the intensity of the lighting. Four colours are
available for the iPhone 6/6S/6 Plus/6S Plus.
Torus Power, a manufacturer of isolation transformer-based
power components, has incorporated as a standalone business and
is now operating as an autonomous entity, independent from parent
company Plitron Manufacturing.
Torus Power products will continue
to be built at Plitron’s Toronto
factory. (See related appointment).
McIntosh will start selling its
high-end audio products through
online retailers. In an open letter
to dealers, Dan Wakefield, Vice
President of North American Sales
for World of McIntosh, justified the
decision by quoting stats by research
firm Accenture that, “78 per cent of
shoppers reported researching online before heading to a store to
make a purchase.” Other brands in the McIntosh family, including Wadia,
Sonus faber, Sumiko and Pryma headphones, are already sold online.
Staub Electronics has been appointed a Canadian distributor
for SureCall cell phone signal boosters, amplifiers and accessories.
Their cellular signal boosters can help improve
cellular reception for businesses, homes, vehicles
and watercraft. The flagship products are the
FCC/IC-approved line of cell phone signal
boosters, which can enhance the range and
reception of almost any cellular transmission,
including voice or 4G data.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has
entered into a definitive agreement
to acquire all of the issued and
outstanding common shares of
RONA for $3.2 billion (US$2.3 billion),
thus expanding its presence, and
entering the Quebec market. Lowe’s
has been upping its game in the smart home market, offering products
like the Nest thermostat, security cameras, and its own line of smart
home devices called Iris. The Canadian operations will be led by Sylvain
Prud’homme, President of Lowe’s Canada.
Chinese aviation and shipping conglomerate HNA Group is reportedly
buying electronics distributor Ingram Micro in an all-cash deal for about
$6 billion. HNA is a $90 billion company with assets in shipping, real
estate, financial services and aviation. Ingram Micro is also parent to
audio specialty distributor AVAD.
Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) and Leica Camera AG
have joined forces for a strategic partnership to enhance smartphone
photography. More details on the culmination of the partnership,
which will span research and development, design, co-engineering,
user experience, marketing and retail distribution, will be shared as the
partnership continues.
Eight SEARS HOME store location leases will be transferred over to LEON’S FURNITURE LTD.
as part of the retailer “working on rationalizing our store network to ensure our core store
physical footprint is highly productive,” says Brandon G. Stranzl, Executive Chairman, Sears
Canada Inc. The customers in the eight areas will be directed to the nearest full-line department
store. “These actions,” he explains, “will drive more business over less square footage, and will
make Sears Canada a stronger company. The stores to be signed over include four in British
Columbia (Abbotsford, Langley, Richmond and Victoria); three in Ontario (Brampton, Etobicoke,
and Mississauga); and one in Moncton, NB that will be assigned to THE BRICK banner. Leon’s
acquired The Brick back in November 2012. The leases will be assigned effective June 1, 2016,
with the exception of the Brampton location, which will be effective July 1, 2016.
Do you have retail news
you want us to share
with our readers?
Drop us a line!
Contact
[email protected]
April 2016
53
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
WHO WENT WHERE? |
Vancouver Island retailer McKays Electronic
Experts launched a new commercial and residential
installation department, and Larry Izon, a 21-year
employee with McKays, has been promoted
to Manager of the initiative. He and his team
will specialize in larger projects, including
home automation.
After 38 years, industry stalwart Dave Budden of
West End Electronics AVU has decided to retire.
Budden joined West End Electronics in St. John’s,
in March 1980, after just two years in CE retailing.
“I started in 1978 with a Kelly’s Stereo Mart franchisee.
While the actual CE products being sold have
changed greatly, some things have not. “Like a lot
of us in the industry,” he reflects, “it all started because of a hobby,
and a love of music, something that hasn’t changed.”
Torus Power has appointed
Kevin Main (left) as its
new President (see related
appointment). Main was previously
vice president of sales & marketing.
Founder Howard Gladstone (right)
will remain with the company
as Chairman and CEO. Additionally, Ross Whitney will become Technical
Sales Specialist and Customer Service Manager. Other positions
will be created and filled as needed to support Torus Power’s next
phase of growth.
Gentec International has appointed Maxwell Payne
as its new Director of Marketing and Communications.
Payne has many years of experience in the digital
imaging industry, most recently managing
Canon Canada’s Internet Marketing Division. Prior
to that, he was director of marketing at Henry’s
Canada for 15 years.
Georgio Paulin and Jennifer Greene are now partners in iconic New
Brunswick retailer Sounds Fantastic, and will retain their positions as
General Manager and Comptroller, respectively. The 5,000-square-foot
shop employs seven. In addition to selling AV gear and offering custom
installation, the store sells “modern furniture.”
Paulin joined the business in 2000 as a sales consultant. Greene was
hired the year before, and became Comptroller in 2012. The store,
founded by Tim Kelly as Sounds Fantastic in 1979, is now in business
for its 36th year.
54
Stampede has appointed John Fuqua to lead
a long-term investment in the pro audio side
of its business as the new Product Manager for
the category. Fuqua has sales and operations
management experience, along with technical
knowledge of professional audio, video, and lighting
system components. He has spent the last 22 years
in a number of sales, marketing, and management positions at All Pro
Sound in Pensacola, FL. He holds CTS and DMC-D4K certification, and
also has experience as a sound system operator, monitor engineer,
and broadcast sound engineer.
Oakville, ON-based Astound Group, which
builds exhibits for trade shows and other events,
has hired Elliott Chun as its new Director of
Marketing & Communications Chun was previously
communications manager for Best Buy Canada
for the past seven years. Prior to that, he worked
with public relations firms Weber Shandwick and
Citizen Relations, where Best Buy was one of his clients. Astound has
worked with many clients in the consumer technology space, including
designing and fabricating CES booths this year for Creative Labs, Nvidia,
and GoPro. Chun will be working from the Toronto-based office.
LG Canada has promoted Bruce Schepers to
Vice President Sales, Home Electronics. In this role,
he will oversee all sales strategy for the Home
Electronics division, including soundbars, wireless
speakers and TVs. He joined LG in May 2015 as
senior sales director.
Caster Communications, a Wakefield, RI-based
public relations and social media agency that handles
several home technology brands, has confirmed
the appointment of Erin Phillips as a new Account
Manager. Based in Burlington, ON, Phillips was most
recently marketing and communications manager
for Paradigm, Anthem, and MartinLogan, where she
worked for the last decade. Working from her home office as well as out
of Caster’s Rhode Island head office, Phillips will assume roles on existing
clients, including AVnu Alliance, InFocus and PowerHouse Alliance.
St-Hubert, QC-based Cable & Son has acquired two companies:
Mon Installateur, a custom design and installation business specializing
in custom home theatre and smart home installation; and Presence
Solution, a custom CE business that will act as an external company
representing sales for Cable & Son.
www.wifihifi.ca
2016-03-22 3:17 PM
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2016-03-22 3:18 PM

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