iFi Audio has introduced the ZEN Air Phono 2, an entry-level phono preamp designed for vinyl listeners who need more flexibility and better accuracy than what most built in solutions deliver. Building on the original ZEN Air Phono, this updated model tightens RIAA equalization for improved sonic precision and adds broader cartridge compatibility, supporting both moving magnet and moving coil designs.
The timing makes sense. Vinyl continues to attract new listeners, but the hardware they are plugging into often lags behind. Most budget integrated amplifiers and A/V receivers offer only a basic MM phono stage, and the performance is usually average at best. MC support is almost nonexistent at this level. At the same time, powered Bluetooth speakers rarely include a phono input at all, and the few that do tend to treat it as an afterthought. Products like the ZEN Air Phono 2 fill that gap, giving turntable owners a straightforward way to get proper gain, accurate RIAA playback, and a cleaner signal path without overspending.
The ZEN Air Phono 2
Key Features
MM and MC Cartridge Support: Unlike most stereo and AV receivers that include a basic phono input limited to moving magnet cartridges, the ZEN Air Phono 2 supports both moving magnet and moving coil designs, offering broader compatibility for users who may upgrade cartridges over time.
RIAA Equalization: Vinyl records are cut using inverse RIAA equalization, which must be accurately reversed during playback. The ZEN Air Phono 2 applies iFi Audio’s RIAA curve with a stated +/-0.15 dB tolerance, ensuring proper tonal balance and more accurate reproduction of the original recording.
Adjustable Gain: Turntable cartridges are available in moving magnet and moving coil designs, and while both convert the groove information into an electrical signal, their output levels differ significantly. The ZEN Air Phono 2 includes switchable gain settings to properly match each type, with 40 dB for MM and 64 dB for MC, ensuring appropriate signal level and system compatibility.
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Rumble: Warped records can introduce low frequency noise, often referred to as rumble, during playback. Many phono stages include a subsonic filter to reduce this, but those filters can also affect low frequency information. As a result, some listeners prefer to avoid them, especially if they are concerned about preserving bass response.
Subsonic Filter Design: Since 2012, iFi Audio has addressed this issue with its own subsonic filter design. By accounting for how records are cut and replayed, the circuit treats vertical and lateral groove information differently, targeting warp-related artifacts while aiming to preserve low frequency content and avoid additional phase issues.
Noise: The noise floor of many built in phono stages can be audible even in modest systems, often sitting high enough to mask low level detail in the recording. The result is reduced resolution and a less accurate presentation of the music.
The ZEN Air Phono 2 provides a super-silent noise floor with an EIN (Equivalent Input Noise) of -151dBV. This results in the ZEN Air Phono pushing noise far below the music itself, revealing greater details and subtlety in your favourite records. It achieves this through an innovative high-current power supply design, carefully isolated from the amplification stage.
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Channel Symmetry: The Zen Air Phono 2’s circuitry supports symmetrical channel layout. The ZEN Air Phono 2 offers similar benefits to balanced circuitry, such as lower crosstalk and improved channel separation. This type of circuitry design is very rare in phono stages at this price point – and iFi reinforces this design with premium components, including custom OV series operational amplifiers.
MM (30db ±1dB) 86dB (A-weighted) re 1V MC (64dB ±1dB) 40dB (A-weighted) re 1V
MM (40dB ±1dB):86dB (A-weighted) re 1V MC (64dB ±1dB):82dB (A-weighted) re 1V
EIN (Equivalent Input Noise)
MM 6.5nV | /Hz (unweighted); -126dBV (A-weighted) MC 0.6nV | /Hz (unweighted); -146dBV (A-weighted)
MM 6.5nV | /Hz (unweighted); -130dBV (A-weighted) MC 0.6nV | /Hz (unweighted); -151dBV (A-weighted)
Total Harmonic Distortion
MM <-90dB / 0.005% re 1V MC <-80dB / 0.036% re 1V
MM (40dB ±1dB):86dB (A-weighted) re 1V
MC (64dB ±1dB):82dB (A-weighted) re 1V
Power Requirements
DC 5V/1A (centre +ve)
DC 5V/1A (centre +ve)
Power Consumption
<1.8W
<1.8W
Dimensions
158 x 100 x 35 mm 6.2” x 3.9” x 1.4”
158 x 117 x 35 mm 6.2″ x 4.6″ x 1.4″
Net Weight
323g (0.72 lbs)
320g (0.71 lbs)
The Bottom Line
The ZEN Air Phono 2 lands exactly where it needs to at $129. Its biggest advantage is straightforward: very few phono preamps at this price offer both MM and MC support with usable gain, tighter RIAA accuracy, and a thoughtful approach to noise and rumble. That alone makes it more flexible than most built in phono stages and a lot of entry level outboard options.
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What it doesn’t offer is just as clear. There’s no provision for adjustable cartridge loading, no balanced connections, and only a single set of inputs. Users who need precise control over impedance or more granular gain options for high output or very low output MC cartridges will find the adjustment flexibility limited.
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Who is it for? Anyone running a turntable into a system with a weak or nonexistent phono stage, especially those using powered speakers or budget amplifiers. It also makes sense for listeners planning to step into moving coil cartridges without replacing their entire front end. If your goal is better accuracy, lower noise, and broader compatibility without overspending, this gets you there without unnecessary complexity.
Netflix is testing a new AI-powered voice search feature that could finally put an end to endlessly scrolling through menus trying to find something to watch.
As shared by The Verge, the feature is currently rolling out to a small number of users in the US. It lets viewers press the Netflix button on their remote and then ask for recommendations using natural language prompts instead of standard genre searches. Rather than typing in “comedy” or “thriller,” users can say things like “I need a good cry” or “help me stay awake” and get tailored viewing suggestions in response.
According to the publication, the feature is surprisingly good at handling more specific or unusual requests. It surfaces recommendations that feel more thoughtful than the usual algorithm-driven rows most users are used to seeing.
What makes this more interesting, though, is where the feature lives. Instead of relying on Google Assistant, Gemini,Alexa or built-in smart TV search systems, Netflix is keeping the experience inside its own app. That means users can search directly through Netflix’s catalogue without bouncing through a TV platform’s broader voice assistant.
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It’s a subtle move, but an important one. Streaming platforms and smart TV operating systems have increasingly been competing over who controls discovery, recommendations and search. This is especially apparent as AI becomes a bigger part of the TV experience. By building its own native voice assistant, Netflix keeps users inside its ecosystem rather than handing discovery over to Google TV, Roku or Fire TV.
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The feature is still in beta and only available to select users for now. Early testing appears to support Google TV devices, including Chromecast with Google TV and some TCL televisions. However, it reportedly isn’t working on Roku or Amazon Fire TV hardware yet.
Netflix hasn’t said when the feature will expand more broadly, but the direction is pretty clear. Instead of spending 20 minutes scrolling through endless thumbnails before giving up and rewatching The Office, Netflix wants you to simply ask your TV what you’re in the mood for.
Apple’s long-running interest in glasses-free spatial display technology has resurfaced amid supply chain rumours, with a leaker claiming Samsung is developing a holographic panel that component suppliers have informally linked to a future device internally described as a “Spatial iPhone.”
Samsung’s role in this rumour is grounded in part in published research, with its Advanced Institute of Technology publishing a Nature Communications paper in 2020 detailing a steering-backlight unit that expanded holographic video viewing angles by 30 times compared to conventional displays, directly addressing one of the core engineering barriers to viable handheld holography.
The rumoured display, codenamed MH1 or H1, builds on that research by reportedly combining eye-tracking with diffractive beam-steering, a method that uses microscopic structures embedded in the display layer to bend light toward the viewer’s eyes, generating perceived depth without requiring glasses or any external hardware.
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A nano-structured holographic layer integrated into the AMOLED stack would reportedly activate only for specific content rather than running continuously, preserving full 4K resolution for standard tasks and sidestepping the image degradation associated with older lenticular lens-based 3D screens, which sacrificed clarity for the depth effect.
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Apple’s interest in this territory is not new, with the company filing patents for glasses-free autostereoscopic display technology as far back as 2008 and receiving a patent for an interactive holographic display device in 2014, though neither effort resulted in a shipping product.
The MH1 project sits in phase one of research and development, with the leaker placing holographic smartphones broadly in a 2030 timeframe rather than signalling any imminent release from either manufacturer.
A couple weeks back we brought you news of KernelUNO, a command line shell and very simple operating system for the Arduino Uno. It’s a neat idea, so it’s hardly surprising to see someone port it to another microcontroller and add more features.
Here’s [hery-torrado], with KernelESP for the ESP8266, which takes the original idea and adds a web console, scheduled jobs, sensor rules, scripting, NTP, and a JSON API. The networking using the ESP’s built-in WiFi takes the original and makes it significantly more useful.
It’s worth suggesting that the ability to call URLs with GET data to pass things to APIs would be useful on a networked processor too, but this is already so well featured it seems rude to ask for more. Yet again though, this project has given a new life to an old chip, and we think it has a way further to go. Perhaps a port to the ESP32 would allow it to reach its full potential, or maybe for a ridiculously cheap and powerful platform, the CH32 series of chips. We look forward to see what more will come from KernelUNO.
Rumors now place these new AirPods Ultra deep into advanced testing at Apple. Internal teams wear working prototypes every day while the company checks every detail before larger production runs begin. The project has stretched across four full years, and the latest reports say the design and features sit nearly locked in place.
Each earbud reportedly has a small infrared camera built into a stem that runs noticeably longer than existing models. These cameras only capture low-resolution glimpses of what lies ahead. They completely skip photographs and videos. The only job is to convey basic visual data to a sharper version of Siri that is currently being refined.
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A user might stand in the kitchen and stare at a few ingredients scattered on the counter. A simple spoken question follows about what dinner those items could make. Siri draws on the view to offer ideas. The same process works for reminders triggered by objects spotted during a walk or for directions that reference a specific storefront or landmark instead of generic street names.
Apple built a tiny LED into the buds that glows whenever the cameras pass data to the cloud. The light serves as a clear signal that processing has started. Reports describe the buds as looking almost identical to the latest AirPods Pro except for those extended stems and the new indicator.
Original plans aimed for a launch sometime in the first half of this year. Delays arrived because the updated Siri software needed extra time to reach the necessary quality. That software now targets September alongside the next round of operating systems. Some analysts expect Apple might push the full AirPods release even later if the visual features still need polishing.
Prices will sit higher than the existing AirPods Pro. Branding details are unknown, although clues indicate to a premium name, such as AirPods Ultra, to distinguish the model in the lineup. Supply chain partners are already preparing safe components, and early demand predictions appear promising. [Source]
The Sonos Roam 2 is a sleek portable speaker with a built-in battery, which means you can either put it in a room and leave it or take it with you into the garden, to the beach, or even to a friend’s house. Just connect it to your phone, choose a track, and the Roam 2 will take care of the rest.
The £134 sale price is £5 cheaper than we saw during Black Friday and an incredible £45 off its retail price. If you want a bargain price for a premium Bluetooth speaker, this is it.
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“The Sonos Roam 2 delivers rich and clear sound reproduction that shows off every element of a track, and it’s very intuitive to use the speaker over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.” That’s the verdict we reached in our Sonos Roam 2 review, where we gave it a near-perfect 4.5 out of five stars.
More specifically, we love the speaker’s ability to produce decent audio across the frequency range, which makes it an ideal choice for listening to a broad array of genres and artists. So, no matter what you’re into, the Roam 2 will not disappoint.
From a design perspective, the speaker not only looks fantastic but also boasts an IP67 resistance rating, which means it’s ready for a trip to the beach or a tumble in a park. And at just 0.95 lbs, you can sling it in a bag without feeling weighed down. All in, the Roam delivers in every area that it matters.
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The fact that this is a record-low price makes now the perfect time to snag the Roam 2. If you’d like to see what else is out there before buying, then have a look at our best Bluetooth speakers guide and our audio deals page.
Sony’s Xperia phones have rarely looked boring, but they’ve often felt too reserved for their own good. The latest Xperia 1 VIII leak changes that, with official-looking images showing Sony’s next premium phone in shades that actually want attention.
In a crowded high-end Android market, the first impression now has to work harder. Sony’s next phone still needs the usual flagship strengths, but a sharper visual identity gives it a better chance of standing out.
The leaked images, shared by Sumaho Digest, reportedly show the Xperia 1 VIII in Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Native Gold.
There’s still a problem, as the same leak points to a possible price bump and a camera change that could irritate longtime Xperia fans, especially if Sony moves away from continuous optical zoom.
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Is this Sony loosening up
The new leak is interesting because the hardware design doesn’t seem dramatically different. It still looks like a Sony phone, with the tall, squared-off shape that has defined the Xperia line for years.
AI-enhanced leaksDigital Trends
The shift is mostly attitude. Graphite Black is safe, Iolite Silver keeps things clean, and Native Gold adds warmth. But Garnet Red gives the lineup its clearest personality.
Sony has spent years leaning on camera credibility, creator features, and enthusiast appeal. A more expressive palette suggests it knows the phone also has to compete visually.
Will the camera lose its edge
The possible downside is the zoom system. The leak suggests Sony may drop the continuous optical zoom used on recent Xperia flagships and move to fixed telephoto steps instead.
That would be a real change because zoom flexibility has been one of Xperia’s clearest enthusiast hooks. Even people who never bought one could understand why the feature mattered.
Fixed zoom points wouldn’t automatically make the camera worse. Plenty of excellent phones use that setup. But if the Xperia 1 VIII also costs more, Sony will need a stronger case for why its camera still feels special.
Can Sony justify the bump
The Xperia 1 VIII is rumored to launch in Hong Kong on May 20, with the leak also pointing to higher prices than the Xperia 1 VII. That makes the new styling feel exciting and risky at the same time.
A more stylish Xperia is easy to like. A pricier Xperia with a less unusual zoom setup is harder to defend, unless Sony can show meaningful gains in image processing, battery life, performance, or display quality.
For now, the leaked colors are doing useful work. They make the Xperia 1 VIII feel less predictable. The next test is whether the finished phone backs up the swagger.
Armored vehicles now roll out with thick layers of explosive reactive armor that detonate on contact and blunt older anti-tank munitions. Saab created the HEAT 758 to cut straight through that problem. The round slides into the familiar 84-millimeter Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle and carries two shaped charges arranged in sequence. The lead charge strikes first and clears a path by disrupting the reactive plates. Moments later the main charge jets forward and bores into the vehicle’s base armor.
Engineers optimized the design so that the entire package can defeat up to 700 millimeters of armor. That depth is comparable to the heaviest tanks currently in service. The range extends to 600 meters while keeping the round around the same size and weight as the previous HEAT 751. Soldiers bear no additional burden while gaining increased distance and power with each shot.
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Firebolt technology is at the heart of the advancement. The round chambers in the Carl-Gustaf M4 communicate data with the launcher and the connected fire control unit. The aiming system receives data on propellant temperature, ammunition type, and ambient variables directly. Gunners avoid the archaic manual dials and settings. The weapon handles the computations, resulting in a cleaner ballistic solution. Accuracy improves as fewer variables slip through under stress.
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Years of battlefield reports served as the basis for development. Ukrainian crews have already proved the HEAT 751’s effectiveness against Russian T-90 tanks fitted with Kontakt-5 and Relikt armor. Saab examined probable outcomes, ran tens of thousands of numerical simulations, and meticulously refined every aspect of the new round. Carbon-composite sleeves and a titanium liner keep the ammunition light and durable inside the barrel. The muzzle velocity is 255 meters per second, which is enough to cover the extra range without sacrificing punch.
Live demonstrations in Karlskoga, Sweden, ended only a few days ago. Customers saw the round perform exactly as expected against representative targets. An anonymous buyer has already placed an order, and production lines are moving. The date corresponds to a significant shift in how modern armies think about spread firepower. A single squad with a Carl-Gustaf and these bullets can pose a danger to vehicles that previously required coordinated heavy weapons. [Source]
Oriveti is a Hong Kong based personal audio brand that has built a steady presence in the in-ear monitor market with models that focus on balanced tuning and solid build quality at competitive prices. Its products typically sit in the midrange segment, where it competes with brands such as Moondrop, FiiO, and DUNU, all of which target listeners looking for strong performance without moving into flagship pricing.
Against that backdrop, Oriveti has introduced a new sub-brand called bleqk, short for “Basic Line Exquisite Quality Kept,” as part of its expanding IEM lineup. The first model under this label is the Purecaster, an all-metal in-ear monitor that includes interchangeable tuning filters, a single dynamic driver, and a detachable modular cable system. Positioned as a more refined entry point within the company’s range, the Purecaster reflects Oriveti’s effort to balance build quality, tuning flexibility, and everyday usability, without moving into its higher-priced offerings.
About My Preferences: This review is a subjective assessment and reflects my personal listening preferences. I do my best to stay consistent and fair in how I evaluate gear, but bias is part of the process and not something that can be completely removed. With that in mind:
My preferred sound signature includes solid sub bass extension, controlled and textured mid bass, a slightly warm midrange, and a clean, extended treble response.
I have mild sensitivity to treble, especially in the upper regions.
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Testing equipment and standards can be found here.
Oriveti Purecaster Specifications:
Cable: Detachable modular cable with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm terminations
Driver: Single 12.2mm dynamic driver
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 112.5 dB/mW at 1 kHz (±3 dB)
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Total Harmonic Distortion: Less than 0.08%
Shell Material: CNC machined aluminum
Connector Type: 0.78 mm 2 pin
Build
Photo credit: Resonance Reviews
If there’s one thing that Oriveti knows how to do, it’s work with metal. This IEM is put together quite well, and its CNC’d aluminum shells look great. The solidity of the Purecaster also gives it an excellent hand-feel.
The top of the Purecaster’s shells host its 0.78mm 2-pin sockets. The sockets set in plastic blocks, which in turn are glued flush with the aluminum shell.
The Purecaster’s nozzles are also metal, and secure nicely to the threads cut into the main chassis.
Oriveti went with a well-constructed modular cable for the Purecaster. It features a simple 4-core chain braid and generous strain-relief. It includes metal finishing bits for the termination, Y-splitter, and chin-cinch, which again feel nice in the hand.
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Photo credit: Resonance Reviews
Comfort
Comfort is a metric that relies heavily on factors influenced by your individual ear anatomy. Mileage will vary.
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I had no comfort issues with the Purecaster. It is fairly small and light, and its shell geometry matches up well with my ear. The included cable is likewise quite comfortable. It is reasonably soft while not transmitting very much in the way of microphonics. The Purecaster’s stock eartips are pretty comfortable, but produce an average seal for me.
Accessories
Photo credit: Resonance Reviews
What’s in the Box
Semi hard carrying case
Detachable modular cable (0.78 mm 2 pin)
3.5 mm termination
4.4 mm termination
Six pairs of silicone ear tips
Two pairs of tuning filters
The accessory package is well thought out and covers the essentials. The included silicone tips provide a good seal and remain comfortable during longer listening sessions. The carrying case strikes a practical balance it is compact enough for a pocket, but still has room for the IEM, an extra termination, spare tips, and even a small USB-C DAC.
The only omission is foam ear tips. Given how dependent the tuning is on achieving a proper seal, including at least one set would have made more sense.
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Listening
The Purecaster includes two sets of tuning nozzles: black and silver. The black nozzles shift the tuning toward a brighter presentation, with more energy in the upper frequencies. In practice, that can come across as stiff and sharp, especially on poorly recorded material or at higher volumes. They may appeal to listeners with reduced treble sensitivity or those who prefer a more forward top end, but in my case, the presentation pushed past my comfort threshold.
I spent the majority of my listening time with the silver nozzles, which offer a more balanced and manageable treble response.
With the silver nozzles installed, the Purecaster still leans bright, but the presentation shifts from sharp to more open and airy. There’s a sense of lightness and space rather than outright aggression. The upper treble is reasonably well controlled, with a gradual roll off past 12 kHz that helps avoid an overly metallic or artificial edge.
The midrange tilts toward the upper region, with a noticeable emphasis centered around the 2 to 3 kHz range, which brings vocals and presence forward in the mix.
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By contrast, the Purecaster’s lower mids are slightly recessed, which pulls warmth out of the mix. The bass follows a similar approach. Even with the silver nozzles, it is not forward or particularly punchy. Instead, you get a “HiFi-styled” presentation of “look-don’t-touch” bass. It is there, but only in the academic sense.
Fast, Controlled, and Organic Treble
The Purecaster’s lower-treble captures the edges of hi hats and cymbals well, modeling their decay organically. This is indicative of strong technical abilities, which lines up with the Purecaster’s overall strong layering abilities. It did a great job capturing the metallic edge and fine texture of the guitar and percussion in the intro of “Give Me Novacaine” by Green Day, then maintained strong separation as the track moved into its more chaotic chorus.
Tracks with a big, open sense of space like “Midnight City” by M83 take full advantage of the Purecaster’s spacious upper register, projecting a sense of scale that isn’t all that common among single dynamic driver IEMs. The Purecaster also does a good job resolving the layered textures of the track’s synths, keeping things clear without drifting into sharpness or sibilance.
A Little Too Cleanroom
I can see what Oriveti is aiming for with this midrange: a more neutral presentation that avoids added warmth in favor of a cleaner, HiFi-style tuning. For some listeners, that approach will make a lot of sense. But I tend to prefer a bit more presence in the lower mids, especially with vocal-heavy material. On the Purecaster, male vocals can come across slightly thin due to the upper-midrange emphasis. That tilt pulls some weight out of the lower registers, which can leave tracks like “Get Stoned” by Hinder sounding a bit dry.
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Brighter vocals, especially on atmosphere-heavy tracks, tend to fare much better. The lo fi textures of “back to friends” by sombr come through with a clean, well-defined clarity that stands out given the Purecaster’s price point.
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Albums with warmer mastering also pair well with the Purecaster’s “cleanroom” midrange. “Simple Math” by Manchester Orchestra is a good example, where the added warmth in the mix helps restore some depth and body to the presentation. On “Pale Black Eye,” the muted guitars and measured drum hits come through with a convincing sense of balance and harmonic completeness, reinforcing how dependent the Purecaster can be on track synergy.
The Tight-Pursed Accountant of Bass
The Purecaster has a pretty restrained bass region. It’s tilted towards the sub-bass, leaving the mid-bass fairly flat. This means that the Purecaster is capable of the occasional rumble, but doesn’t punch much. The bass heavy mix of “Derezzed (The Glitch Mob Remix)” by The Glitch Mob manages to pull out a respectable amount of sub bass rumble, but it stops short of delivering real tactility on drum hits. Rock and alternative tracks follow a similar pattern, coming across as fairly neutral and rarely producing a sense of physical impact from the drums.
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That said, its not impossible to come across a strongly-synergistic track, or at least one that lines up well with the Purecaster’s frequency response curve. “It’s Nice to Know You Work Alone” by Silversun Pickups delivers a relatively full presentation of bass guitar and drums on the Purecaster, which helps create a more immersive and deeper sense of soundstage.
Comparisons
Comparisons are selected solely based on what I think is interesting. If you would like me to add more comparisons, feel free to make a request in the comments below.
The Genesis G318s is a single-dynamic IEM from EarAcoustic Audio. The G318s costs $100 more than the Purecaster, coming it at $249. It features solid aluminum shells and a detachable 2-pin cable. The Purecaster has a braided plastic-coated cable with a modular termination, while the G318s features a cloth-coated cable with a fixed 4.4mm termination. I like the Purecaster’s cable and eartips more than the G318s’s, though the G318s has a more-spacious carrying case.
The G318s is a warmer, bassier IEM. Its focus is squarely on delivering comfort and energy without sounding too thick — essentially the inverse of the Purecaster. It delivers an elevated mid and sub-bass region, allowing it to kick and rumble with greater intent and depth than the Purecaster. While the Purecaster can rumble, it does so only on a select few tracks, making it less consistent with electronic genres. The G318s has a flatter lower-midrange and less-emphasized upper-midrange, setting its vocals more towards the center of the stage. The Purecaster has a brighter, more forward upper-register on the whole, allowing it to separate and articulate certain subtle treble-bound textures more-easily than the G318s. The G318s is no slouch in terms of upper-register performance, but the nature of its tuning makes it less likely to bring something subtle far enough in forward to catch a casual-listener’s attention.
Between the two IEMs, I’m choosing the G318s. Its tuning lines up better for my music library and tuning preferences. The extra $100 bump in price, while significant, is one I’m willing to pay to get extra flexibility and tonal completeness. If you’re focusing on price-to-performance, however, you’ll likely want to stick with the Purecaster’s cleaner and brighter tuning style.
The NM25 is an aluminum-shelled IEM featuring a single dynamic driver per-side. It costs $199, making it $50 pricier than the Purecaster. Both IEMs use detachable cables, though the Purecaster’s is thicker and uses a flush connector rather than an extruded one. The Purecaster’s cable is also modular, giving you the option to utilize a 4.4mm termination, should you feel the need. The NM25’s cable is a fixed 3.5mm, but does offer a bit more comfort and ergonomics while on the move. The Purecaster includes a more-usable case that has space for a DAC, while also packing a better selection of stock eartips.
Both the Purecaster and NM25 are bright sounding IEMs, but the NM25 is a bit brighter than the Purecaster, even with its black “treble” nozzles installed. The Purecaster has a similarly-forward upper-midrange, but has a lesser lower-midrange valley. The NM25’s bass is less emphasized than the Purecaster’s bass, and it doesn’t rumble with even a similar level of intensity to the Purecaster. The Purecaster’s mid-bass is likewise a little more-elevated than the NM25’s, delivering a bit more weight in deep string instrumentation and solo-piano performances.
Between the two, I’m selecting the Purecaster. For $50 less, you get better-balanced sound, similar performance, and improved accessories across the board. The NM25’s crucial lack of lower-register emphasis makes it less genre-flexible than the Purecaster, impacting its ability to render atmospheric weight in a variety of tracks that the Purecaster nails.
The Venus is one of my favorite IEMs. It packs a four-driver hybrid configuration in resin shells and costs $168. It also includes a detachable modular cable and comes with a USB-C termination that the Purecaster lacks. The Venus’s stock eartips aren’t anything too special, and are similar in quality to the Purecaster’s eartips. The Purecaster comes with a more-practical and better-protecting case than the Venus does, though the Venus’s case is easier to fit into a tight pocket than the Purecaster’s is.
The Venus is a warmer, more V-shaped IEM than the Purecaster. It features a slightly more-lifted sub-bass and more-substantial mid-bass. The Venus’s lower-mids are thicker and less-recessed than the Purecaster’s are, and it has a similar level of upper-midrange emphasis. The Purecaster has a less-forward lower-treble than the Venus, but picks up a lot of upper-treble energy that the Venus does not have.
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Both IEMs are quite performant, but the Venus manages to arranges cascading and contrasting layers of instrumentation with a level of care and precision that the Purecaster sometimes does not match. Beyond basic separation and articulation, the Venus also brings out more texture and tonal nuance than the Purecaster, and does so more consistently.
If I had to choose between these two IEMs, I’d go with the Venus. Its included USB- -C termination, stronger bass response, and closer alignment with my preferences make for a more immersive listening experience overall. That said, I do not have much sensitivity to 5 kHz or 8 kHz emphasis. If you prefer a leaner presentation or are sensitive to energy in those regions, the Purecaster may be the better fit.
Oriveti Purecaster IEM | Photo credit: Resonance Reviews
The Bottom Line
The Oriveti bleqk Purecaster is a well built, value focused IEM with excellent aluminum shells, a comfortable modular cable, strong layering, clear vocals, and impressive midrange and treble texture. There is a lot here that feels more premium than the price suggests.
The problem is not quality. It is tuning. The Purecaster leans clean, bright, and controlled, with solid sub bass extension but not enough bass weight or lower midrange warmth to make it feel fully grounded. The result is an IEM that sounds detailed and precise, but sometimes too sterile for its own good. The black tuning filter only pushes that brightness further, when a bass focused option would have made far more sense.
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This is a good fit for treble focused listeners, fans of clean dynamic driver IEMs, and anyone who wants a cooler, more detail oriented Hi-Fi presentation with premium build quality. It is not the right choice for bassheads, warmth seekers, or listeners who want a fuller, more relaxed, traditionally fun sound.
Oriveti’s idea behind bleqk makes sense: simple, better built IEMs at accessible pricing. The Purecaster gets the hardware right and comes close on performance. It just needs a little more body, warmth, and mischief in the tuning.
Pros:
All metal shells with a clean, durable finish
Soft, ergonomic cable that is easy to handle
Solid sub bass extension with good reach
Above average layering and instrument separation
Clear, intelligible vocal presentation
Strong midrange and treble texturing
Natural, organic bass tonality
Cons:
Bass lacks emphasis for listeners who prefer a fuller low end
Upper register can sound thin at times
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The latest smart home devices and appliances promise to make everyday household tasks more convenient, but they come at a cost. Not only are they often more expensive than their non-smart counterparts, but if you buy them to replace your older devices, you’ll end up with a load of still-functional tech you don’t have space for. If you’re not keen on coughing up the cash for a boatload of the latest smart appliances, there are still plenty of simple things you can do to make almost every room of your home feel a little smarter.
One of the cheapest smart upgrades you can make is investing in a set of smart plugs, which allow you to switch connected devices on and off remotely. There is a huge range of dumb home devices and appliances that can be made more useful with a smart plug, from LED lighting and lamps to coffee machines. You could even attach a smart plug to a hard-to-reach floor lamp or a window air conditioner, so that the next time you need to turn them on or off, you won’t have to hurt your back.
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Plenty of cheap smart plugs are available
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We’ve already covered which smart plugs are worth buying, so we’ll keep the details brief here, but the short answer is that there isn’t one particular plug that’s definitively better than the rest. Each smart plug will be compatible with a slightly different list of smart home devices and platforms, and some are suitable for outdoor use while others need to be kept inside. What counts as the best option will vary based on your home’s existing tech setup, but the good news is that there are plenty of affordably priced smart plugs on the market from a variety of manufacturers.
It’s worth taking some time to choose carefully, since picking the right smart plug can make a big difference to its usefulness. Among other things, you’ll need to pick a plug that’s compatible with your favorite voice assistant, whether you prefer using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri via Apple HomeKit.
In addition to making your existing appliances more useful, a smart plug can also be a cheap way to cut down on your energy bills. Some smart plugs can detect when a connected device is in standby mode and automatically cut its power, preventing it from drawing energy while you’re not using it. Smart plugs are one of many energy-saving devices that can help cut your power bill, and in some cases, you might even be able to save enough that the plug ends up paying for itself.
You may not have intended to install an AI model onto your computer, but you might have one anyway. Google Chrome has been quietly installing a 4GB model onto devices without asking or notifying people.
Google has been installing Gemini Nano — an AI model that runs on devices such as smartphones and laptops instead of in the cloud — onto some people’s Chrome browsers without their permission, according to Alexander Hanff, a Swedish computer scientist and lawyer known as That Privacy Guy. And tech giant doesn’t tell you that it’s on your device after it’s installed, either.
Hanff said Gemini Nano will only be installed if the person’s device meets the hardware requirements. It’s unknown how many people have gotten the install.
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Gemini Nano performs tasks such as detecting scam phone calls, helping you write text messages, summarizing recordings and analyzing Pixel phone screenshots. It’s not to be confused with the AI Mode pill in the address bar. If you use AI Mode, your queries are routed to Google Gemini servers — not to Gemini Nano.
A Google spokesperson told CNET that Gemini Nano will automatically uninstall if the device doesn’t have enough resources, such as processing power, RAM memory, storage space or network bandwidth.
“In February, we began rolling out the ability for users to easily turn off and remove the model directly in Chrome settings,” the spokesperson said. “Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update.”
Google gives more information about on-device generative AI models in Chrome on this web page.
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If you’re running Chrome, you might have Gemini Nano. Go to your file manager — File Explorer (on Windows), Files (on Chromebooks), Finder (on Macs) — and search for a folder called OptGuideOnDeviceModel. In that folder, there will be a file called weights.bin, and that is where Gemini Nano lives.
Hanff said Chrome users will not know they have Gemini Nano unless they search for it, because “Chrome did not ask” and “Chrome does not surface it.”
If you want to get rid of Gemini Nano, there are a couple of ways. One is to uninstall Chrome entirely. The other way is to type “chrome://flags” into your browser address bar, then find “Enables optimization guide on device” and turn it off.
Why does it matter?
Hanff said the push might be intended to help Google cut costs by moving AI work off its own servers and onto your computer.
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“Running inference on users’ own hardware allows them to push ‘AI features’ without the compute costs,” Hanff told CNET.
But Hanff suggested there could be legal ramifications, at least in Europe. He suggested that the Gemini Nano install could constitute a breach of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation’s principles of lawfulness, fairness and transparency. Hanff said that, considering the potential environmental impacts, Google should have announced it under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
“Google has given us every reason not to trust them with a history spanning two decades of global privacy violations at massive scale,” Hanff told CNET. “So, I suspect they figured asking permission (what the law requires) would hinder their ability to push this model and, of course, whatever comes after it.”
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