A dapper DAP
A bit of an in-between video with a few rough edges. Lesson learned - demonstrating intricate menus on a 3.3” screen while viewing them through a camera's screen has its challenges.
Believe it or not this one took over a week to put together. It’s weird how this happens sometimes for what seem like the simplest videos. Kubrick would have had this one finished in less time.
Oh and there's a puppet outro at the end.
UDPATE: Swapped the video out with a new version in which the Apple Music app works.
Comments (54)
Does anyone know how the Activo sounds compared to the 2nd gen (iPod like) Fiio X5?? I'm impressed by the additional features, but I love teh sound of my X5 (HD800S cans thru a LittleDot amp at home and Sennheiser Amperiors on the go) and wonder if it would make sense to switch.. Thanks...
You’ve most likely seen this review already, it mentions a few comparisons, but not against the X5 https://audiofool.reviews/2019/06/12/activo-ct10/
I picked up on your specific mention of using your smartphone as a glucometer log book. Admitting being both a no0b to the channel & your Patreon - as well as a diabetic! - I have a lot more to hear and learn about your backstory, yet instantly wish you well in your homeopathic journey! If you ever run out of audio-visual tech oddities for your channel, perhaps you can teach us (read: "me") a thing or two about the latest innovations in at-home HbA1C monitoring. Maybe NZXT can sponsor some RGB lighting, dependent upon mg/dL value? Lol. Anyway, glad to be here, Mat. Keep the excellent work up, sir.
I’ve been using the Freestyle Libre system ever since it first became available to paying customers in the UK. It’s been a massive help and I’m really looking forward to being able to get their improved Bluetooth capable system that will be able to alert you of impending hypos - it’s the reason I finally bought a new smartwatch - in anticipation of getting alerts sent to my wrist. Here’s a link to my original review of the libre before the app was available. https://youtu.be/ZTqXRVGb0dk
Excellent video, that player looks very nice and well featured. The Sega Saturn design had me drooling a bit as well. Although I still have a working iPod, it's tempting to have a device where you can just drag and drop music files onto a card without worrying about syncing, disk formats, or special management software. I was lucky enough to be in Japan over this past summer as Sony celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Sony Walkman. Sony setup an impressive exhibit at one of their offices. I have photos and videos of that setup, and a spare newspaper-like map of the exhibit if you'd be interested. Feel free to send me an email if any of these materials would fit into a future Sony Walkman video: mac84tv@gmail.com -Steve
Splendid video, as ever. I also very much welcome the triumphant return of the put-upon wife/partner/girlfriend/significant other. She has been missed. Thanks.
Well, I got one - and had to send it back! Turns out, it is not suitable for use in a car, and it does say so on page 38 of the manual if you get that far (but not in the product description on Amazon!). It will actually connect via Bluetooth and play the audio through the car hi-fi, but none of the metadata appears on the car info system, so it is not possible to select an album or even see what is playing, as you can with eg an iPhone. The CT10 refused to connect at all through the USB on any setting (as an iPod does) so although it is a neat little unit, it didn't work for my purpose. But, it was worth a try! I still want to replace my iPod with something that can play Hi-Res files, just need to check more carefully for one that is compatible with a car first.
Well I’m so glad that you bought it from somewhere that you can get a refund from. I noticed in the comments to the video that a lot of people were mentioning the Fiio players, so perhaps those are worth looking into, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper than this one as well. Of course I should also be making a video about the Sony Walkman so I’ll let you know how I get on with that.
How did you already order that Walkman? I can find that it's available anywhere yet? I'm in the US though.
I found the same thing when looking for the affiliated links to put in the video description text box. It’s not currently shown on the Sony US site either. Perhaps it got held up at the FCC.
Hmmm... I wonder if it plays PASC formatted MPEG-1 layer 1 files...
If you’d like me to try anything out - I’m happy to help.
It doesn't run the Audible app by any chance does it?
Yes - although I haven’t tried it that’s one of the apps listed. https://us.activostyle.com/blogs/news/open-app-feature-explained I noticed someone commented under the video (the originally uploaded one) that any in-app downloads end up in the internal memory. Which is an important limitation I hadn’t considered.
OK, it is about time I updated the iPod in my car (it is so old it was hand assembled by Steve Jobs himself), so I ordered one of these. CT10s - just a plain one though as it will live in my glovebox and never be seen. I wonder if I'll be able to get it to auto update over the WiFi when the car's in the garage.... Really interesting and well presented video as always, Mat! Any recommendations on good sites to get FLAC files?
Well I really hope it works out for you - I haven’t had any problems so far however experiences can differ. Fingers crossed. The few HD Albums I’ve downloaded have all come from https://www.hdtracks.co.uk They also offer a free sampler download which is really worth trying. If you want to try other formats then you can get a few free downloads here: http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html This link might also be useful http://www.findhdmusic.com/high-res-audio/free-music/
I'll just post the obligatory warning about showing the SSID of your home or the homes near you. It can be very easy to pinpoint the location of your house using sites like WiGLE.net and entering the SSIDs visible in your video. This might not bother you and it also might be that your SSID has not been harvested yet but if it has or ever is you might want to blur those out.
I didn’t know that was a thing. There’s a heck of a lot of pathetic lunatics about with far too much time on their hands.
After ripping CDs to MP3s using MS Media Player, I've always struggled with getting Album Art to display. Does anyone have any tips?
I wanted everything to look neat in this video - so to make sure that everything had album art (even the tracks that didn’t have it embedded) I used a program called Meta on my Mac that let me group compilations properly and add art if necessary. There are lots of music tag editing programs like that, so I’d recommend using one of those. They let you manipulate the music tags on your computer before transferring them to your device.
Hi Mat, you know, I love your puppeteering, but isn't somewhat stereotype, that ALWAYS (not only in your videos) the men are the daft ones and the women are the smart and decent ones? Do you see this in your real life, too? I mean, you are using real life scenarios to make a caricature of it with your Moans. Maybe you can make _sometime_ him (occasionally) the one with a great answer to life, universe and everything. :-)
The main character is there to reflect some of the sillier comments that get posted on YouTube. 97% of viewers on this channel are male. The comments are predominantly from them. If I was a lady with a YouTube channel - I’d probably get more ladies watching and then I would no doubt be using a lady puppet to poke holes in some of the sillier comments left by ladies.
Another great video, Mat - and you do a visual callback at the start to the Muzio VU Meter LED Music Tower. Whilst it's not high-end gear, it's one of the best things I've ever bought, thanks to finding out about it on your channel.
I’m glad that it worked out for you. I feel guilty now that I haven’t used mine as much - I’ll have to rectify that.
I can't believe I've been so daft and overlooked something on my Sony NW-A45 that you mentioned you can do on the Sega. I've been scrolling the progress bar back on long podcasts if I missed something and it's very very fiddly, with just a hair-width of movement sending you back three or four minutes instead of seconds. It had never occurred to me to press and hold the back skip track button!! And it works! I've had the damn thing a year! Odd, as I do this with all forms of optical media! 😳
Well I’m glad I could help. Sometimes it just takes a second pair of eyes. Often people will point things out to me that I never would have considered on my own.
"This expression of free will is subverting my existence." I know so many people that feel this way and are not intelligent enough to put it into words. I come for the tech, I stay for the humor, I pay so you keep doing this.
The end of the outro gave me a good laugh! Thanks!
Now i want one! Having it support the streaming services is a great move, so you can easily have one device for your hi res stuff as well as your vast catalog. Now i've got to find room in the budget... :(
Oh poor Mrs. Moan! Why don't you just get up and leave this dolt of a husband? Oh wait, you're actually leaving? Nooooooo! Come back! Who is going to be the rational half of this comedy team now? I mean, Dad has his moments but come on--he was the one who raised his son to become who he is now. Hmmm--could it be that I'm taking the comedy outros too seriously? Nahh!
It's one of those things that makes less sense the more you think about it - and that's even after it starts off by being nonsense.
"Yuzaera" ... that made my day! Might you consider doing a briefing video on USB C a/k/a USB 3.1 anytime soon? Thanks!
I put 'User Error' in Google Translate and the Japanese came back as Yuzaera which couldn't be any more perfect. I don't think I'll be covering USB C - all I really know about it is that it can be quick, but more importantly you can plug it in either way up.
I inherited an old iPod and replaced the hard drive with an SD card adapter. I love the functionality and the design. I’m not an Apple fanboy, but the iPod just works for me. I appreciate hi-res audio, but for me it is not a priority. So I’m content for now. I’d love a new device, but I can’t justify the price when I have something that works. That, and the hippie in me wants to keep another device from a landfill.
I wouldn't feel any pressure to buy something just because I show it in a video - I show a lot of things that no one in their right mind should buy.
A shame you had to replace the Junior - that thing is gorgeous :) Suggestion for the Apple Music login issue: On your computer, log into appleid.apple.com and from the 'Security' section generate an app-specific password and try logging in with that.
I've still got the Jr - it's a bit of a case of design over usability. The corners of the case are so sharp it'd be considered a dangerous weapon in some places. It'll shred a pocket lining. I'll try your Apple ID IDea.
Looks like you are feeling better, hope so. Liked the video. Like you I prefer to have the audio files on my device. Can be a pain to get them on the phone, and there are times when I don't want a phone. I still use the MiniDisk players you turned me on to. Am having SonicStage issues. Do you know if it works by setting up a Window XP VM and then being able to use usb with the player to name files? I want to record from LP to MiniDisk and save the names of the files on the MiniDisk.
I haven't really tried any MD transfers for years - so a bit clueless on that here. One idea (probably a bad one) might be to record from the LP to one of the MD recorders that allows you to edit the track names using a PS/2 keyboard attached to the front.
Why don't you buy an older Android phone and use it without a phone sim? You'll get a much higher quality screen and a much more useful device?
that would be a good plan if it were an LG V-series phone, about the only ones with a great DAC
Geat video. How long does the battery last?
I really don’t have the foggiest. It will depend a lot on whether you’ve got Bluetooth or/and WiFi on and how often you light the screen up. There are too many variables to pin it down to a time. I presume that’s why they don’t even mention it in the specs.
Brilliant outro :-D
This would be a good subject for a comparison video, as some of these DAP's for music enthusiasts feature higher end DAC's for example - and yes, the puppets had the perfect analogy, the logic is identical to why a serious photographer still uses a dedicated digital camera, rather than the one that comes on their phone.
I thought I had devised an ingenious way to demonstrate the effectiveness of different DACs visually - but when I looked back at the clips I’d recorded for six different devices they all looked identical. So much for that idea.
Thanks Mat. These music players are very clever now. I'm tempted to get some Bluetooth headphones now.
Excellent video. I like the link you made with iRiver as well -- I've still got my MP3 player from them in a man draw somewhere, and didn't really appreciate until this video that DAPs were still going. Really pleased to know that, and I likely have a use for one, so a hunting I will go! Many appreciative thanks.
OK... When are you putting this in ebay? ;)
Really enjoyed this video. And, yes, I'd love the Walkman... But not today :D
Brilliant puppet outro! So now you'll be able to accurately count how many viewers watch the entire video based on the number of "you should just use your smartphone" comments. LOL.
Yes - I shot the outro before the review itself. Some comments to videos are so predictable you don’t even need to make the video first.
Great review. I too felt I had to order the new Sony 40th anniversary Walkman, just couldn't resist. My youth could be documented in the different cassette Walkmans I had. Nice moans video too.
I had been waiting for the latest DAP Walkman that was available in Japan to make its way to the west - we were still on the previous version from a year earlier. But then Sony put things right and we skipped a model and jumped straight to the Anniversary edition, so I couldn’t resist.