Tag Archives: sound quality

2025, Audio, Streaming, Technology, The Gadget Man

Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life

December 3, 2025 Matt Porter Leave a comment

There is something rather special about great audio gear. Whether it is a cherished pair of bookshelf speakers from the seventies or a hefty amplifier that once powered many late nights, older kit carries a charm that refuses to fade. The trouble is that modern streaming rarely considers this history. We juggle apps, fight with compatibility issues, and often end up restricted to one manufacturer’s ecosystem.

Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life

Atonemo, a young company based in Stockholm, has stepped in with a refreshingly simple answer. Their new device, the Streamplayer, aims to bring every speaker you own into the streaming age. It works with speakers of any brand, size, or era and gives older equipment a modern purpose again.

Listening to music used to be an uncomplicated affair. You pressed play, and the sound travelled through a cable without any fuss. Today, we navigate multiple services that do not always get along. Streamplayer strips away that complexity by giving you a single, universal way to stream music across your home.

The concept is brilliantly straightforward. Streamplayer is a compact wireless audio streamer that connects to any speaker or amplifier. Once it joins your Wi Fi network, you can play music through AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, or Tidal Connect. Your vintage hi fi becomes wireless. Your modern speakers can work side by side with your older favourites. You can even synchronise completely different speakers into one unified system.

For fans of classic audio equipment, this is especially exciting. Many older speakers sound superb but lack the streaming features that modern life expects. Atonemo’s mission is to bring them back into everyday use, turning beautiful old gear into fully capable modern systems.

Atonemo’s Approach

The company was founded by two childhood friends, one a mathematician and the other a designer. Their shared passion for music and frustration with over engineered audio systems inspired them to create products that feel human, simple, and purposeful. Their philosophy focuses on clear communication and design that does exactly what it needs to do without clutter.

Key Features

Streamplayer is small, but the specification is impressive:

24 bit 192 kHz audio
Gapless playback
AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect
Analogue line out and optical S PDIF out
Wi Fi 6 with WPA2 and WPA3 security
USB C power
Works with active speakers, amplifiers, hi fi systems, and vintage audio gear

Everything about it is built around compatibility and convenience. It arrives with a USB C power cable, an AUX cable, and a simple quick start guide, making setup as painless as possible.

A Simple Idea with Real Impact

The launch of Streamplayer feels like a moment for anyone who loves audio but dislikes unnecessary complication. It brings your favourite speakers back into daily use, unifies the systems you already have, and avoids locking you into any single brand.

For anyone with a cupboard full of forgotten gear or a cherished pair of speakers that deserve to be heard again, this little box might be one of the most appealing products of the season.

More information is available at atonemo.com.

Audio, Music

We Are Rewind Curtis GB001: The Cassette Boombox Renaissance We’ve Been Waiting For

November 27, 2025 Matt Porter Leave a comment

The cassette tape’s resurgence has been one of the most joyful twists in personal audio. After years of streaming convenience running roughshod over the tactile pleasure of physical playback, along comes something that finally bridges the gap without losing the charm that made tapes brilliant in the first place.

The Curtis GB001 from We Are Rewind is a premium cassette boombox built for the modern era. Designed in France, it carries the unmistakable spirit of the classic ghetto blaster, but with a refined materials palette and contemporary engineering that make it feel purposeful, not kitsch.

We Are Rewind Curtis GB001: The Cassette Boombox Renaissance We’ve Been Waiting For

It has presence in the way only proper hardware can. A hefty aluminium frame meets real walnut panelling. There’s a solidity to the unit that suggests it belongs on a shelf, in a studio, or under a Christmas tree without ever feeling incongruous or overdesigned. This is a product that’s been considered, prototyped and built with genuine affection for the medium.

Big, Bold Sound from a Single Cassette Deck

Curtis is built around one high quality cassette deck. No double deck accoutrements or tape dubbing circus here, just a single drive that plays tapes with real fidelity. That’s not a compromise, it’s a statement: great sound comes from focus.

The playback is warm, dimensional and immersive, the sort of audio experience that makes you forget how sterile compressed streams can sound. Bluetooth 5.1 is onboard for those odd occasions you don’t have a tape handy, but the headline act is the tape mechanism itself, delivered through a stereo driver architecture that extracts every bit of depth your recordings have to give.

Controls are gloriously physical. Buttons push with reassuring resistance. Dials turn. The unit is rechargeable and portable, but it doesn’t lean on portability as its personality. The GB001 earns affection by being good at what it is.

In and Out Options for Every Listener

The input choices are refreshingly sensible and fully modern where they need to be: USB C for power delivery, RCA input for proper audio gear, and 3.5mm line in for plugging in almost anything with a headphone jack.

It’s a ghetto blaster that doesn’t discriminate on age or audio source. If you grew up making mixtapes, you’ll love it. If you’re new to tapes but want a boombox that looks as good as it sounds, you’ll love it. And if you just want a premium Bluetooth speaker that happens to play cassettes, you’ll love it too.

A Christmas Gift with Longevity

There are only a handful of tech gifts that genuinely transcend trends. The Curtis GB001 belongs in that rare group. It doesn’t chase a fashion cycle. It nods to an era and elevates it.

If 2025 is truly the year of the cassette boombox revival, this is one of the few units that feels ready to lead the charge. It’s distinctive, memorable, supremely listenable and built with an exacting eye for design and sound quality.

Final Thoughts

The Curtis GB001 from We Are Rewind is an honest, confident cassette boombox debut for 2025. One deck. Big sound. Proper materials. Bluetooth onboard. Inputs present and correct. And most importantly, it rekindles a love for a format that never should have been sidelined in the first place.

Premium? Yes. Unnecessarily so? Not a chance. This one has earned its space.

2025, Audio, Bluetooth, Earbuds, Edifier, Gadget Man, Review

Edifier R1 – Clever, Comfy and Surprisingly Capable Open-ear True Wireless Earbuds

May 15, 2025 Matt Porter Leave a comment

I’ve been testing out the Edifier R1—that’s what they’re called here in the UK (elsewhere known as the Comfo C)—for the past few weeks, and I’ve got to say, they’ve been quite the surprise.

First impressions? Confusion, honestly. I spent longer than I’d like to admit trying to work out which bud went in which ear. Turns out, you don’t need to. These clever little things auto-detect left and right channels. Very smart indeed.

The case is worth a mention—it’s smooth, rounded, and shimmers like a large pearl. It’s not only elegant but practical too, featuring USB-C charging and a magnetic lid that snaps shut with a satisfying click. The earbuds also stay in place magnetically, which is a nice touch.

Comfort-wise, the R1 is excellent. The clip-on design feels light and barely noticeable. I’ve even slept in them—no discomfort whatsoever. That alone makes them stand out in a crowded market.

Sound quality? It’s surprisingly good. You won’t get deep, rumbling bass like you would from sealed in-ear buds, but what you get is crisp and well-balanced sound. There’s no noise isolation by design, so you’re still connected to the world around you, which can be a big plus.

Call quality is solid too. Voices are clear, and switching between paired devices like my phone and MacBook was seamless—just press play or take a call and the R1 handles it smoothly. Pairing was quick using the EDIFIER ConneX app (a separate install if you’ve used older Edifier devices).

Battery life really impressed me—up to 7 hours on the buds alone, with another 21 hours in the case. Even using them overnight, I woke up with charge to spare.

There’s even a clever water drainage mode that plays high-frequency tones to help clear moisture. Not something you see every day!

At around £59, the Edifier R1 offers great value—especially if you’re after comfort, clarity, and awareness while listening. A truly refreshing take on wireless audio.

Grab yourself a pair of Edifier R1 Earbuds from Amazon

Edifier R1 – Available in Grey and Ivory

Innovative open-ear clip-on design for all-day comfort and a secure fit.
Smart audio channel detection allows interchangeable use of left and right earbuds.
Directional acoustic technology reduces sound leakage and enhances audio clarity.
12mm dynamic drivers with titanium-coated composite diaphragms produce rich, detailed, and powerful sound.
AI-powered noise reduction ensures crystal-clear phone calls.
IP56-rated dust and water resistance for reliable performance in various environments.
Multipoint connectivity for seamless switching between multiple devices.
Automatic wear detection to pause and resume playback effortlessly.
Bluetooth® V5.4 delivers stable connections and smooth audio streaming.
Fully compatible with the EDIFIER ConneX App for extra features like earbud locator, personalised controls, and drainage function.

2025, Earbuds, Edifier

Edifier NeoBuds Planar – Planar Magnetic Drivers Bring True Wireless to a Whole New Level!

April 28, 2025 Matt Porter Leave a comment

At The Gadget Man, I’m always on the lookout for tech that genuinely pushes boundaries — and Edifier’s latest release has me seriously impressed. Say hello to the Edifier NeoBuds Planar – a new generation of premium True Wireless earbuds, packed with tech that promises (and delivers!) an incredible listening experience.

Edifier NeoBuds Planar – Planar Magnetic Drivers Bring True Wireless to a Whole New Level!

Why the NeoBuds Planar?

Unmatched Sound with Planar Magnetic Drivers

Most true wireless earbuds use dynamic drivers, but Edifier has taken a different path, packing planar magnetic drivers into the NeoBuds Planar. The result? Absolutely crisp, immersive audio. Whether you’re blasting your favourite playlist, tuning into a podcast, or taking an important call, these earbuds deliver an unbelievably rich and detailed soundstage.

Next-Level Noise Cancelling

Noise cancelling is no longer just a luxury – it’s essential. The NeoBuds Planar feature advanced active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, cutting out distractions whether you’re commuting, working in a noisy office, or just zoning out at home. Simply put, they create a cocoon of beautiful sound around you.

Premium-Quality Wireless Audio

Powered by Qualcomm® QCC5181 Bluetooth® audio SoCs and supporting the full Snapdragon Sound™ Technology Suite, the NeoBuds Planar are a true audiophile’s dream. They handle a variety of HD codecs including aptX™, aptX™ Adaptive, aptX™ Lossless, Snapdragon Sound™, LDAC, and LHDC – all of which combine to deliver an extraordinary audio experience across any device.

And yes, they come with Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification — meaning they meet the highest standards for wireless audio quality. This isn’t just marketing hype; the difference is tangible.

All-Day Power and Crystal-Clear Calls

When it comes to convenience, Edifier hasn’t cut corners. Six high-sensitivity microphones combined with Qualcomm aptX™ Voice technology mean your voice comes through clearly during calls or when speaking to your favourite virtual assistant. And with up to 30 hours of total playtime (including the charging case), they’ll easily keep pace with your busy day.

Smarts to Match the Sound

The EDIFIER ConneX app unlocks a host of smart features, including automatic music pause/play when you take them out or put them back in, and full customisation to tweak your audio to perfection.

Final Thoughts

The Edifier NeoBuds Planar aren’t just another pair of wireless earbuds – they’re a serious step forward in audio technology, offering planar driver performance in a true wireless form factor. If you’re serious about sound — and you want freedom from wires without sacrificing quality — these could well be your next favourite gadget.