GADGETS :: August 12, 2020
by Gregg Ellman
(@greggellman)
Before I even opened my package from LinearFlux, I knew some of the company’s history, which gave me great insight that their products would be outstanding.
LinearFlux is a California start-up built with solid experience. Founders David Leung and Einstein Galang might not be household names but you should be familiar with their innovative engineering and design prowess with their work at Monster Products.
A LinearFlux company representative emailed me that together they led the development team behind the hyper-successful Beats by Dr. Dre headphone brand. Both Leung and Galang hold Engineering degrees, and together they worked in and managed product development, including all engineering and design at Monster Products. Together, they have over 30 years experience in the consumer electronics world.
As for the products, they sent me the Hypersonic true wireless in-ear speakers along with a multi-functional Hypercharger Max 100 watt, 20,800 mAh portable USB battery for testing.
Both were delivered in a colorful, animated, fun, easy to read packages. And while the packaging doesn’t mean the product it top of the line, they did not disappoint. Both the earbuds and battery worked to perfection.
The sound is great, driven by LinearFlux DL01 Immersive Sound Engine tuned to popular HD streaming services by Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora.
The HyperSonic True wireless audio experience are designed to give users the Best Bang for your Boom, according to the website. For $99.98 you definitely get that.
I immediately loved that you can play just one earbud. Many, if not most of today’s true wireless earbuds are built with auto play, which is a great feature. Take one earbud out and the music or video stops, which in most cases is what you want. I might be the only one on the planet who wants this, but when I’m lying on my side I like just one earbud on the outside. With the Hypersonic, they do that with either ear.
The Hypersonic is a complete kit with a wireless charging case or use the included USB-C to USB-A charging cable. Along with the colorful acid green and stealth black speakers, LinearFlux makes sure they fit not just right, but perfect. Each package includes sport ear hooks, comfort ear shells and three sets of pillow-soft ear-tips. With all that, I guarantee you’ll get a conformable fit.
They have built-in microphone for handsfree calls, Bluetooth 5.0 technology and are IPX7 water resistant, but remember the case is not water resistant at any time. The rechargeable earbuds are good up to 6-8 hours playtime per charge and then an additional 20 plug hours with charging case. If you need a quick burst of sound, just five minutes of charging in the case will give you about an hour of playtime.
Each earbud has touch controls for playing music, selections and one-touch access to Alexa, Google Now or Siri.
The HyperCharger MAX portable USB battery ($79.99) with an ultra-black premium metal finish (5.12-by-3.25-by-1.0-inch, 14.7 ounces) does everything you would want from a portable battery.
Obviously it charges portable USB devices, but the versatility of charging up to three at once makes it top notch. This includes smartphones, tablets and even something needing high-wattage power, such as the Apple MacBook PRO 16-inch requiring up to 91 Watts of power.
It’s built with a pair of USB-A out ports, a single USB-C in/out, and a microUSB input for charging the battery itself. Auto-detect circuitry will start charging once your plugged in and Tesla-type battery cell technology keeps it charging safe.
A fuel meter shows how much capacity is left. A 30 watt power delivery USB wall charger and a 3-foot USB-C cable is included.
https://linearflux.myshopify.com
I’ve had the Sol Republic Soundtrack Pro ANC headphones sitting here on my shelf to review for a little longer than normal, but they are definitely worth the wait.
The Bluetooth 5.0 wireless headphones have an adjustable headband with super comfortable ear cushions to rest on the outside of your ears. You’ll get an amazing 32 hours of battery life from the 500 mAh rechargeable headphones before a USB-C charge is needed.
When you get them playing, the powerful crystal clear sound with active noise cancellation to block the ambient noise is a perfect combination for tuning out the world and staying in the music mode.
I typically test headphones like these while flying, but conditions have kept me on the ground so I ventured out with them (and a mask) during a recent grocery store run. These took me a step further in my own world; not only didn’t I pay attention to anyone, the only sounds I mainly heard were from my iPhone Pandora playlist, along with a touch of ambient sounds around me.
Along with the strong, deep bass sound, the Soundtrack Pro headphones have an excellent appearance even when they are just around your neck. They are available in gray, black and champagne colors with a matching color fabric over the 40 mm drivers.
Three-button controls are on the top of the right ear and when the sound and looks are not needed, just fold them up for compact storage. They also feature a built-in microphone for handsfree calls and quick charge technology.
www.solrepublic.com $199.99
