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Windows update woes continue, this time slowing down Nvidia GPUs

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Microsoft’s January 2026 Patch Tuesday update – already notorious for causing serious issues – is now being blamed for slowing down Nvidia graphics cards. While Nvidia has acknowledged the problem, Microsoft has yet to respond to the latest reports.
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Horizon Hunters Gathering brings three-player co-op hunting to your PS5 and PC

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Guerrilla is expanding the Horizon universe with Horizon Hunters Gathering, a new co-op action game headed to PS5 and PC. It’s built around tactical hunts where a three-person team has to read the field fast, manage roles, and stay alive when machines start swarming.

A small closed playtest is scheduled for the end of February through the PlayStation Beta Program, and it will run on both platforms. At launch, the game will support cross-play between PS5 and PC, plus cross-progression if you use the same PlayStation account.

There’s no release date or price yet, so the February test is the best early indicator of whether the combat loop has staying power.

Two modes to master

Machine Incursion is the quick-hit mode, a high-intensity mission built around waves of machines pouring out of underground gateways. It ends with a boss fight that’s meant to punish teams that don’t coordinate, or that burn cooldowns at the wrong time.

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Cauldron Descent is framed as the longer run. It sends your squad through multiple stages, with escalating encounters and optional detours that can pay out power and rewards. Those side routes come with a clear tradeoff, more loot, more danger, and more ways for a run to go sideways.

Both modes will be playable during the closed playtest on PS5 and PC.

Hunters, perks, and a hub

You won’t make a custom character here. You’ll pick from a roster of Hunters, each built around a distinct melee or ranged style and specific weapons, then lean into Hunter roles and a rogue-lite perk system that can reshape your build from run to run. It’s a clean setup for co-op, especially when every player has a job.

Guerrilla is also tying it to a fully canon story campaign, with new threats and mysteries it isn’t spelling out yet. The studio says the narrative continues after launch, which points to more missions and story beats over time.

Between runs, you’ll return to Hunters Gathering, a social hub for customizing your Hunter, hitting vendors, upgrading gear, and setting up the next hunt.

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What to watch next

Sign-ups for the end-of-February closed playtest run through the PlayStation Beta Program, and the test includes PS5 and PC from the start. If you love repeatable runs with a steady crew, it’s worth trying to get in, because you’ll quickly learn if the trio-only structure feels tight or restrictive.

After the first test, Guerrilla says more playtests and development updates are coming in the months ahead, along with announcements shared through its new official Discord.

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Clever Workaround Turns Cheap Full-Face Sunglasses Into a Convincing Satisfactory Helmet Visor

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Full-Face Sunglasses Satisfactory Helmet Visor Build
Most people have never heard of Satisfactory, a factory-building game where you create massive industrial complexes on an exotic world, or MASSAGE-2(A-B)b to be more specific. Few people are aware of the Pioneers who drive the plot, and they wear helmets with those unique wide, tinted visors sporting a hexagonal overlay. Turning that in-game accessory into something wearable requires some major skills, such as molding unique plastic sheets and endless sanding.



The solution is a bit unusual: huge full-face “sunglasses” sold online as a novelty fashion item, with a giant tinted shield that nearly mimics the shape and curve of the Pioneer helmet visor. Instead of having to sculpt a new faceplate from scratch, Punished Props Academy designed everything around this convenient starting point.


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Full-Face Sunglasses Satisfactory Helmet Visor Build Game
They first applied painter’s tape to the visor of the shades to reduce glare, then used a smartphone app to capture a clear 3D image. That digital model was then loaded into Fusion 360 and used as a foundation for the remainder of the helmet shell. The remainder of the design developed organically from there, meticulously contouring to fit snugly around that visor. Symmetry tools ensured that both sides were identical, whereas cuts for the neck hole and face region were designed and pumped out with accuracy, all while keeping wall thickness consistent such that the final print did not feel heavy but was still solid.

Full-Face Sunglasses Satisfactory Helmet Visor Build Game
Printing happened using a variety of machines, depending on what needed to be done. Larger elements were printed with ABS to increase robustness, while finer features, such as vents and trim pieces, were cast in resin to achieve sharper edges. Parts were separated into manageable portions to fit on conventional print beds, and then reassembled afterward. A little acetone vapor smoothing helped cover layer lines on the ABS pieces, then some automotive filler primer smoothed everything out even more before painting.

Full-Face Sunglasses Satisfactory Helmet Visor Build Game
The visor itself required only minor modifications: after removing the cheap plastic arms and nasal bridge, they trimmed the shield to fit snugly inside the helmet hole, while a narrow lip around the edge offered plenty adhesive surface. They affixed a clear vinyl sticker created with a vinyl printer to match the hexagonal grid design of the game. The sticker stretched beautifully and smoothly across the curve without interfering with vision, since it allows you to see clearly even in bright light.

Full-Face Sunglasses Satisfactory Helmet Visor Build Game
Next came ventilation, which involved covering the apertures on the cheeks and lower face with wire mesh, which they obtained in handy sheets from online providers. Tiny 3D-printed features masked the mesh’s boundaries while maintaining the industrial effect. A small blower fan hidden inside draws fresh air through the mesh and blows it across the inside visor to keep it from fogging up, which is useful for wearing at conventions for hours on end.

Full-Face Sunglasses Satisfactory Helmet Visor Build Game
LEDs concealed beneath the vent holes cast a subtle glow that appears to highlight the game’s illuminated accents. The cabling connects to a simple battery pack, which keeps the entire contraption self-contained. Stuffing the interior with upholstery foam not only provides a more comfortable fit, but also keeps the electronics away from the back of your head, where they would otherwise be in the way.


These final helmets made a big impression at Dragon Con, and they were teamed with similar denim jumpsuits and a lot of reflective tape to truly make the look stand out. People who tried them on reported better-than-expected visibility, no fogging from the fan, and even how pleasantly comfortable they were after hours of wandering the convention floor.
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The Hisense U65QF ‘punches well above its price range’ and it’s had a huge $300 discount at Amazon ahead of President’s Day

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Want a 75-inch TV for a huge discount price? Of course you do! The Hisense U65QF 75-inch is available for $599.99 (was $899.99) at Amazon right now.

Affordable mini-LED TVs are getting more sophisticated every year, without adding to the price. The Hisense U65QF is no different, delivering great brightness, picture quality, and gaming for a budget-friendly price.

best TVs you can buy come from this group of TVs, with TCL and Hisense leading the way.

But while cheaper mini-LED had its flaws in the past, it’s getting better all the time. Limited viewing angles, poor contrast and blacks, and a lack of brightness are all things of the past.

The Hisense U65QF is an example of this evolution, delivering impressive detail, effective local dimming, and even demonstrating good motion handling for both sports and movies.

The U65QF also doubles as a great gaming TV, with features we expect to find in the best gaming TVs. 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision gaming, and ALLM are all supported, while also delivering great performance with fast-paced games.

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If you’re looking to get a big screen TV for cheap, you can’t really go wrong with the Hisense U65QF. And don’t worry: while you may compromise on price, you won’t on performance.

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Man pleads guilty to hacking nearly 600 women’s Snapchat accounts

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Snapchat

An Illinois man pleaded guilty to hacking nearly 600 women’s Snapchat accounts to steal nude photos that he kept, sold, or traded online, including accounts he compromised at the request of a former university track coach who was later convicted of sextortion.

26-year-old defendant Kyle Svara admitted in federal court in Boston to phishing access codes from hundreds of victims between May 2020 and February 2021, and accessed at least 59 Snapchat accounts without permission to download private photos.

According to court documents, Svara used social engineering tactics to obtain victims’ emails, phone numbers, and Snapchat usernames, then texted more than 4,500 targets requesting access codes while impersonating Snap representatives. Using these tactics, he successfully harvested credentials from roughly 570 victims and accessed at least 59 accounts without permission to steal compromising images.

Wiz

Svara advertised his “services” on multiple online platforms, trading stolen content, offering to “get into girls snap accounts” for clients, and asking potential clients to contact him through the encrypted messaging app Kik.

One of his clients, former Northeastern University track and field coach Steve Waithe, hired Svara to hack Snapchat accounts of students at Northeastern and members of the women’s track and field and soccer teams. Waithe was sentenced in March 2024 to five years in prison for cyberstalking, cyber fraud, and sextortion after targeting at least 128 women.

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Between paid hacking jobs, Svara also independently hacked into the accounts of women in Plainfield, Illinois, and students at Colby College in Maine.

Svara now faces charges of aggravated identity theft (carrying a minimum sentence of two years), wire fraud (up to 20 years in prison), computer fraud (up to five years), and making false statements related to child pornography (maximum of eight years).

“When Svara was interviewed by investigators, he falsely stated that he did not know anything about hacking Snapchat,” the Justice Department said on Thursday.

“Additionally, he falsely stated that had no interest in child pornography and had never actively sought out or accessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Contrary to these statements, the defendant collected, distributed and solicited CSAM.”

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Svara is scheduled for sentencing in federal court before U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy on May 18th.

Modern IT infrastructure moves faster than manual workflows can handle.

In this new Tines guide, learn how your team can reduce hidden manual delays, improve reliability through automated response, and build and scale intelligent workflows on top of tools you already use.

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Why This Is the Worst Crypto Winter Ever

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Bitcoin has fallen roughly 44% from its October peak, and while the drawdown isn’t crypto’s deepest ever on a percentage basis, Bloomberg’s Odd Lots newsletter lays out a case that this is the industry’s worst winter yet. The macro backdrop was supposed to favor Bitcoin: public confidence in the dollar is shaky, the Trump administration has been crypto-friendly, and fiat currencies are under perceived stress globally. Yet gold, not Bitcoin, has been the safe haven of choice.

The “we’re so early” narrative is dead — crypto ETFs exist, barriers to entry are zero, and the online community that once rallied holders through downturns has largely hollowed out. Institutional adoption arrived but hasn’t lifted existing tokens like ETH or SOL; Wall Street cares about stablecoins and tokenization, not the coins themselves. AI is pulling both talent and miners toward data centers. Quantum computing advances threaten Bitcoin’s encryption. And MicroStrategy and other Bitcoin treasury companies, once steady buyers during the bull run, are now large holders who may eventually become forced sellers.

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Do You Need a Blender, Food Processor and Stand Mixer?

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Blenders, food processors and electric mixers — freestanding or otherwise — are all small kitchen appliances whose core function can be distilled into a simple concept: to combine. Yet they all independently exist, with different designs and seemingly for different purposes. 

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If you found yourself eye-rolling at the headline here, ask whether you can actually delineate each of their unique characteristics and how they actually do what they do. And if you’re a cooking and baking newbie with little idea to begin with, welcome in.

If you’ve ever had to justify the need for myriad appliances (perhaps with someone like a roommate or spouse who shares kitchen space with you) or if you’re newly outfitting a kitchen and wondering what might be necessary and what might end up being merely decorative for your cooking repertoire, getting into the nuance of these appliances is important. 

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For the purposes of kitchen relationship harmony, then, or to enable you to justify another small appliance purchase — to yourself or anyone else — here’s an examination of the difference(s) between a blender, food processor and stand mixer.

Blender: How does it work?

tribest-backspin-blender-blade-visible-inside-plastic-canisters

A blender is a true power machine, whipping ingredients into a fine consistency but with little control or precision.

John Carlsen/CNET

Blenders typically consist of a heavy base with a motor and a plastic or glass jug with a set of rotating blades at the point where the jug connects with the motor. The blender combines whatever ingredients you add with a singular goal: to liquefy. The history of the blender, in fact, begins with its function as a milkshake maker. A vortex created by the rapid rotation of the blades creates a vacuum that pulls whatever is in the jug toward the blades, pulverizes it, then funnels it back up, ad nauseam, until you hit stop.

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two blenders of different sizes on table

Our favorite small smoothie blender, the Ninja Twister, is next to a full-sized model.

David Watsky/CNET

If you’ve ever put various components in the blender and had the mixture quickly come to a standstill, clinging desperately to the sides of the jug out of the reach of the blades, the catch-22 of a blender’s function is that it usually needs a little liquid to begin with in order to effectively kick off the liquefaction. Certain solid items that are light or have small pieces, such as nuts or bread cubes, can be put in the blender; however, in this case, the blender’s function is to grind.

Perfect for the blender: smoothies, shakes, cocktails, sauces, gravies, fluid nut butters, wet batters for pancakes, crepes or coatings.

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Ninja's Twisti blender on a countertop next to a smooothie

Blenders are best for mixing ingredients into a smooth consistency. They’re not as good for course mixtures like pesto and salsas. 

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Ideal foods to make in a blender

  • Smoothies 
  • Protein shakes
  • Frozen drinks
  • Soups 
  • Sauces and dips
  • Nut butters
  • Baby food 
  • Pancake batter

Food Processor: How does it work?

KitchenAid KFP1133CU 11-Cup with ExactSlice System

Food processors are similar to blenders but offer more precision and even mixing of coarse ingredients.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Like a blender, a food processor often relies on blades, but may also employ discs or other inserts specific to the job you’re asking it to do. The container in a food processor is more of a bowl or cylinder than a jug, and liquid and gravity are less important to its proper operation. While it can be considered an appliance that combines various ingredients — as with salsa or hummus — it typically does so by chopping everything together, though not as finely as a blender, and can also be used strictly for that purpose on a single item. 

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Four food processors on a countertop in a brightly lit kitchen

A good food processor can make recipe prep much easier.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Various food processor attachments may also allow you to shred, slice, julienne, or juice, with a wide entry channel that enables you to add ingredients and push them through the attachment, which is typically mounted at the top of the bowl. Some models may also include inserts that attach to the motor base that whip or knead. Though a blender typically results in more of a fine puree than a food processor can do, a food processor is more versatile in terms of the various shapes and textures that are possible with its use.

Perfect for the food processor: grating or chopping solid ingredients such as vegetables or cheese, chunky or thick sauces such as pesto, hummus, or salsa, thick nut butter, pasta or pastry dough.

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gettyimages-2149073966

For precise control over a mix’s consistency and coarseness, a food processor is ideal.

Viktoriya Skorikova/Getty

Ideal foods to make with a food processor

  • Chopped vegetables for sofrito, mirepoix, etc.
  • Pesto and sauces 
  • Hummus and dips 
  • Shredded cheese
  • Nut butters and nut flours
  • Cauliflower rice
  • Energy balls and no-bake treats 
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Ground meat

Stand mixer: How does it work?

kitchen-aid-stand-mixer-product-shots-8

Stand mixers are a baker’s best friend, but these machines can do more than mix dough and batter.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Stand mixers are strictly mixing devices that can combine ingredients, but don’t break them down into smaller pieces via blades. On a stand mixer, a heavy base holds a bowl in place while a motor rotates an attachment such as a paddle, dough hook or whisk. (Hand mixers perform the same function, but your hands are both the element that keeps the bowl in place, and that which holds the motorized attachments.) 

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GE Profile Stand Mixer

GE Profile launched a smart stand mixer in 2023 that weighs ingredients as you add them.

GE Profile

At higher speeds, a stand mixer can also introduce air into the mixture. The action of a stand mixer is gentler and easier to control than that of a blender or food processor, making it ideal for cake batters that require minimal mixing, where the goal is simply to combine. Armed with a dough hook, however, the mixer can also strong-arm gluten development for crusty breads. 

Stand mixers may also have various attachments available to increase their utility, including ice cream makers, pasta rollers, meat grinders, spiralizers, juicers, and even choppers that start to creep into food processor territory.

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Perfect for the stand mixer: dough for bread, pizza, pasta, and cookies, all batters, icing and frosting, meringue or whipped egg preparations, whipped cream.

Woman kneading dough on a wooden cutting board

If kneading dough is your least favorite part of making bread, a stand mixer will step in gallantly.

Adam Gault/Getty Images

Ideal foods to make in a stand mixer

  • Bread and yeast doughs 
  • Cake batter
  • Cookie batter
  • Whipped cream
  • Meringues
  • Frosting 
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Pasta dough
  • Shredded chicken or pork
  • Pizza dough

Crossover use between them: The mashed potato experiment

nice-outcome-in-food-processor-in-a-matter-of-seconds

Mashed potatoes can be made creamy with just a few seconds in the food processor.

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Pamela Vachon/CNET

Naturally, there are things that could be accomplished in any of these appliances, given desired outcomes. Egg whites or cream can be whipped, batters can be mixed, and certain doughs can be formed in all three of them. This is not a case against a stand mixer, however. Though its function tops out at “mix,” it is still the necessary appliance for certain types of cake or cookie doughs. Not to mention the lack of blades and its stainless-steel bowl, which makes it much easier to clean.

I made mashed potatoes in all three

3 mashed-potato-results on foil lined tray

Making mashed potatoes illuminated each machine’s strengths and weaknesses.

Pamela Vachon/CNET

To best illustrate the outcomes of these various appliances when given the same task, I chose mashed potatoes, which can be successfully achieved by either liquifying, chopping, or simply mixing its components. Potatoes were cubed and boiled, and then (because I’m not a monster) put to the test along with a splash of milk and a dab of butter.

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  • Food processor: required just a few pulses to turn cubed potatoes into mashed potatoes. I like them with a little texture, but a few more pulses would give you a smooth puree.
  • Stand mixer: requires the most time but allows the most volume. You’ll never get a silky puree if that’s what you’re going for, and you may end up with some larger chunks, but this method could most easily feed a crowd without the elbow grease of hand mashing.
  • Blender: required extra milk in order to get going, and in very short order turned cooked potatoes into something that more resembled pancake batter than mashed potato, a strong consideration if you’re actually making gnocchi.

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How to get your 2026 Apple Music Replay playlist

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It’s not just Spotify that has a year-end wrap-up feature — Apple Music does too, and it’s year round! Here’s how to get your Apple Music Replay playlist, today.

Playlist artwork for Apple Music Relay 2026, which is an orange, red, and yellow gradient with the words 'Replay '26' on the cover
Apple Music Replay 2026

Spotify has a unique feature called Spotify Wrapped that shows off your top artists, songs, and genres of the year. It is a trendy function that gets shared all over social media at the end of each year, but Apple Music fans need not miss out. In fact, the 2025 Replay playlist has already been released and updates every week.
In iOS 26, Apple Music Replay is built into the Music app, so no more jumping out to Safari.
Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: C’est La Vile Content

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from the ctrl-alt-speech dept

Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed.

In this week’s round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:

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Play along with Ctrl-Alt-Speech’s 2026 Bingo Card!

Filed Under: content moderation, eu, france, gavin newsom, jim jordan, social media, spain

Companies: tiktok, twitter, x

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Esoteric Launches XE Series: N-05XE Network DAC Preamplifier and S-05XE Class A Power Amp Debut Spring 2026

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In the rarefied upper tier of high-end audio where prices are unapologetic and expectations are brutal, Esoteric sits comfortably alongside NagraLuxman, and TAD. This is not aspirational hi-fi; it’s reference-grade gear for listeners who already know the difference. Esoteric has built its reputation on an almost obsessive approach to engineering, and its CD players and transports remain the benchmark by which competitors are judged, often reluctantly. The evolution of its two best-selling components into the new XE Series is less about reinvention and more about refinement at the highest level.

Drawing directly from the company’s Grandioso flagship philosophy, the $13,000 N-05XE Network DAC Preamplifier and $13,500 S-05XE Class A Stereo Power Amplifier reinforce a familiar truth in this price bracket: Esoteric rarely misses, and when it updates a “core” product, it does so with intent.

Esoteric N-05XE Network DAC Preamplifier: One Box, No Compromises

esoteric-n-05xe-front

The N-05XE is Esoteric doing what it does best: taking an already serious component and reworking every circuit that matters without breaking what made it successful in the first place. Positioned as the most compact “do-it-all” solution in the company’s lineup, the N-05XE combines a network streamer, reference-grade DAC, fully balanced dual-mono preamplifier, and a genuinely capable headphone amplifier in a single chassis—without diluting the design brief. This is also the only Esoteric product that integrates all of these functions into one platform, and the new XE revision refines every stage while preserving its core architecture.

At the heart of the N-05XE is Esoteric’s next-generation Master Sound Discrete DAC G2, derived directly from technologies developed for the Grandioso N1. Rather than relying on an off-the-shelf DAC chip, Esoteric uses a fully discrete, FPGA-based multilevel ΔΣ architecture with a 64-bit/512Fs modulator. Separate FPGA algorithms are optimized independently for PCM and DSD playback, while a newly developed low-noise register network and high-precision MELF resistors improve linearity, imaging precision, and noise performance.

The DAC section is fully dual-mono, with left and right channels completely isolated across analog stages and power supplies, and it is clocked by Esoteric’s proprietary high-precision “Master Sound Discrete Clock for Digital Player.”

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Network duties are handled by the new Esoteric Network Engine G4, which supports optical network connections via an SFP port in addition to standard Ethernet. A large, dedicated linear power supply is used exclusively for the network engine, contributing to a smoother, more organic presentation that Esoteric openly likens to analog playback.

esoteric-n-05xe-rear

The platform supports native DSD up to 22.5 MHz, PCM file playback, and server functionality via two USB drive connections. File support is broad and practical, covering DSF, DSDIFF, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, MQA, MP3, and AAC. Streaming support includes TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Roon, Spotify Connect, and QQ Music, with control handled through Esoteric’s Sound Stream app or third-party OpenHome-compatible applications.

The preamplifier stage is a fully dual-mono, dual-balanced design using eight independent circuits—left and right, hot and cold—derived directly from Esoteric’s Grandioso preamps. A dedicated power supply for the attenuator ensures stable, low-noise volume control, while Esoteric’s HCLD high-current buffer amplifier guarantees consistent performance whether the signal is routed to balanced outputs, single-ended outputs, or the headphone amplifier. ES-Link Analog connectivity is included, allowing current-signal transmission to compatible Esoteric amplifiers for maximum signal integrity.

Headphone listening is treated seriously here, not as an afterthought. The N-05XE features a completely redesigned dual-mono, parallel single-ended headphone amplifier capable of delivering 1,200 mW + 1,200 mW into a 32 ohm load. Outputs include both a 4-pin XLR and a 6.3 mm single-ended jack, with support for headphones ranging from 16 to 600 ohms—comfortably covering everything from efficient dynamics to demanding high-impedance planar and dynamic designs.

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Connectivity is extensive and logically laid out. Digital inputs include XLR, two RCA coaxial, two optical, USB Type-B, and a front-panel USB-C port that allows direct connection of smartphones and digital audio players. An ES-Link (XLR) digital input is provided for direct connection to Esoteric SACD transports. Analog inputs include balanced XLR/ES-Link Analog and single-ended RCA, while outputs are available via XLR/ES-Link Analog, ES-Link Analog pre-out, and RCA. A 10 MHz BNC clock input enables integration with Esoteric’s G-05 external master clock. Bluetooth is also onboard, supporting LDAC, LHDC, and aptX HD for high-quality wireless playback when convenience wins out.

From a mechanical standpoint, the N-05XE uses a high-rigidity aluminum chassis with careful attention paid to vibration control. A semi-floating top panel enhances spatial openness, while Esoteric’s patented pinpoint isolation feet are designed to improve focus, imaging, and soundstage stability. Fit and finish are exactly what you expect at this level, and the unit is proudly manufactured in Tokyo.

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Measured performance is equally serious. The N-05XE offers a frequency response of 5 Hz to 30 kHz (-3 dB), a signal-to-noise ratio of 109 dB (A-weighted), and total harmonic distortion of 0.001 percent at 1 kHz. Power consumption is rated at 30 W, dropping to 0.3 W in standby.

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Physical dimensions are 445 x 131 x 377 mm (width x height x depth), which translates to approximately 17.5 x 5.2 x 14.8 inches, including protrusions. Total weight is 13.6 kg, or about 30 pounds.

Esoteric S-05XE Class A Stereo Power Amplifier

esoteric-s-05xe-front

The S-05XE is Esoteric’s latest refinement of its Class A stereo power amplifier platform, built around the same straightforward, low-compromise design philosophy used in the company’s Grandioso amplifiers. Rather than chasing higher output ratings, the focus here is on linearity, channel separation, and stable power delivery in a fully dual-mono layout. The result is a Class A amplifier intended to deliver consistent performance, low noise, and controlled dynamics in real-world systems.

The amplifier operates in pure Class A and is rated at 30 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 60 watts per channel into 4 ohms, with a bridged (BTL) mode providing 120 watts into 8 ohms. Output stages use high-power bipolar transistors arranged in a three-parallel push-pull configuration, and Esoteric applies minimal negative feedback to preserve transient behavior and avoid over-correction. The design is intended to balance resolution and drive without relying on excessive circuit complexity.

Power supply design is central to the S-05XE. A large 1,000 VA toroidal-core transformer feeds a dual-mono power-supply smoothing circuit, with left and right channels electrically isolated. Energy storage is handled by “Grandioso-grade” custom capacitors, using four 10,000 µF capacitors per channel. This approach supports stable voltage delivery and consistent channel performance under load.

esoteric-s-05xe-rear

Signal input is handled by a newly developed fully symmetrical balanced input buffer amplifier designed to reduce noise and maintain signal integrity. The S-05XE provides balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs, along with Esoteric’s ES-Link Analog current-signal input for direct connection to compatible Esoteric source components. A triple drive mode switch allows the amplifier to operate in stereo, bridged, or bi-amp configurations, and a DC trigger enables coordinated power control when used with matching Esoteric components such as the N-05XE.

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The mechanical structure is designed to support thermal management and vibration control. The chassis incorporates Esoteric’s patented isolation feet, a semi-floating top panel, and a wave-shaped heat sink to reduce resonance while dissipating heat generated by Class A operation. The top panel design draws from the dual honeycomb grille used on Grandioso amplifiers. As with Esoteric’s other reference components, the S-05XE is manufactured in Tokyo.

Measured performance includes a frequency response of 5 Hz to 100 kHz (+0 dB/-3 dB into 8 ohms), a signal-to-noise ratio of 104 dB (IHF-A, XLR), and total harmonic distortion of 0.007 percent at 1 kHz into 8 ohms at 30 watts. Gain is specified at 28.5 dB in stereo operation and 34.5 dB in BTL mode. Power consumption is rated at 215 watts, dropping to 195 watts with no signal. Loudspeaker compatibility is specified at 4 to 16 ohms in stereo mode and 8 to 16 ohms in BTL mode.

Physically, the S-05XE measures 445 × 191 × 443 mm (17.5 × 7.5 × 17.4 inches, width × height × depth including protrusions) and weighs 25.6 kg, or approximately 56.4 pounds.

esoteric-n-s-05xe-stack

The Bottom Line

The Esoteric N-05XE and S-05XE are aimed squarely at listeners who want a reference-grade two-channel system without turning their rack into a small industrial park. The N-05XE stands out because it consolidates network streaming, a fully discrete flagship-derived DAC, a true dual-mono balanced preamp, and a serious headphone amplifier into one chassis, something Esoteric doesn’t do anywhere else in its lineup. The S-05XE complements it with a true Class A, fully dual-mono power amplifier that prioritizes control, balance, and long-term stability over headline wattage.

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At $13,000 for the N-05XE and $13,500 for the S-05XE ($26,500 total), this pairing is not inexpensive, but context matters. When you factor in the level of integration, connectivity, build quality, and the likelihood that neither component will feel obsolete anytime soon, the value proposition starts to make sense, especially when compared to multi-box alternatives from brands operating in the same tier. This system is for experienced listeners who want fewer compromises, fewer boxes, and long-term confidence, and who understand that in this corner of high-end audio, “affordable” is relative—but not meaningless.

For more information: esoteric.jp/en/support/news/665

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From Vietnam Boat Refugee to Reliability Engineering

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Hoang Pham has spent his career trying to ensure that some of the world’s most critical systems don’t fail, including commercial aircraft engines, nuclear facilities, and massive data centers that underpin AI and cloud computing.

A professor of industrial and systems engineering at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., and a longtime volunteer for IEEE, Pham, an IEEE Life Fellow, is internationally recognized for advancing the mathematical foundations of reliability engineering. His work earned him the IEEE Reliability Society’s Engineer of the Year Award in 2009. He was recognized for helping to shape how engineers model risk in complex, data-rich systems.

Hoang Pham

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Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.

Job title

Professor of industrial and systems engineering

Member grade

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Life Fellow

Alma maters

Northeastern Illinois University, in Chicago; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and SUNY Buffalo.

The discipline that defines his career was forged long before equations, peer-reviewed journals, or keynote speeches. It began on an overcrowded fishing boat in 1979 when he was fleeing Vietnam after the war, when survival as one of the country’s “boat people” depended on endurance, luck, and the fragile reliability of a vessel never meant to carry so many lives. Like thousands of others, he fled from his war-torn country after the fall of Saigon, which was controlled by communist North Vietnamese forces.

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To mark the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon in 1975, Pham and his son Hoang Jr.—a Rutgers computer science graduate turned filmmaker—produced Unstoppable Hope, a documentary about Vietnam’s boat people. The film tells the stories of a dozen refugees who, like Pham, survived perilous escapes and went on to build successful lives in the United States.

Pham was born in Bình Thuận, Vietnam. His parents had only a little formal education, having grown up in the 1930s, when schooling was rare. To support their eight children, his parents ran a factory making bricks by hand. Despite their limited means, his parents held an unshakable belief that education was the surest path to a better life.

From an early age, Pham gravitated toward mathematics. Computers were scarce, but numbers and logic came naturally to him. He imagined becoming a teacher or professor and gradually began thinking about how mathematics could be applied to practical problems—how abstract reasoning might improve daily life.

His intellectual curiosity unfolded amid frequent danger. He grew up during the Vietnam War, when dodging gunfire in his province was routine. The 1968 Tet Offensive exposed the full scale of the conflict, making it clear that violence was not an interruption to life but a condition of it.

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Pham recalls that after the Communist takeover of South Vietnam in 1975, conditions worsened dramatically. Families without ties to the new government, especially those who operated small businesses, found it increasingly dangerous to work, study, or apply for jobs, he says. People began vanishing. Many attempted to escape by boat, knowing the risks: imprisonment if caught or potentially death at sea.

A successful escape

In June 1979, at the height of Vietnam’s typhoon season, Pham’s mother made an agonizing decision. She placed Pham, then 18 years old, onto a small, overcrowded fishing vessel in the hope that he might reach freedom.

The boat, which was designed to carry about 100 people, departed with 275.

Pham’s 12-day journey was harrowing. He was confined to the lower deck, which was packed so tightly that movement was nearly impossible. Seasickness overwhelmed many passengers, and he remembers losing consciousness shortly after departure. Food was scarce, and safe drinking water was nearly nonexistent. Violent storms battered the vessel, and pirates loomed.

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“Every moment felt like a struggle against nature, fate, and internal despair,” Pham says.

The boat eventually washed ashore on a remote island off the Malaysian coast. Arriving at a refugee camp offered little relief; food and clean water were scarce, disease spread rapidly, and nearly everyone—including Pham—contracted malaria. Death came almost nightly.

After two weeks, Malaysian authorities transferred the refugees to a transit camp, where the United Nations provided basic rations. Still, the asylum seekers’ futures remained uncertain. It is estimated by the U.N. Refugee Agency that between 1975 and the early 1990s, roughly 800,000 Vietnamese people attempted to escape by boat. As many as 250,000 did not survive the harrowing journey, the agency estimates.

Starting over with nothing

In January 1980, at age 19, Pham learned that someone in the United States had agreed to sponsor him for entry, he says. He soon boarded an airplane for the first time and landed in Seattle.

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His troubles weren’t over, however. He arrived in a city blanketed by snow, wearing thin clothing and carrying only a spare shirt. The frosty weather was not his greatest concern, though. During his first two months, he spent most of his time in a hospital, recovering from malaria and other diseases. And he spoke no English.

Still, Pham—who had been a first-year college student in Vietnam—refused to abandon his goal of becoming a teacher, he says. He enrolled at Lincoln High School in order to gain English proficiency and position himself to enter an American college. One teacher allowed him to test into a calculus class despite his limited English—which he passed.

“That moment told me I could survive here,” Pham says.

Within months, he learned he could attend college on a scholarship. He moved to Chicago in August 1980 to study at the National College of Education, then he transferred to Northeastern Illinois University, also in Chicago, earning bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and computer science in 1982.

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Encouraged by mentors, he earned a master’s degree in statistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1984, followed by a Ph.D. in reliability engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1989.

When failure is not an option

Pham’s research direction crystallized in 1988 while searching for a dissertation topic. He was reading the January 1988 issue of IEEE Spectrum and had a flash of inspiration after seeing a classified ad posted by the U.S. Defense Department’s Naval Underwater System Center (now known as the Naval Undersea Warfare Center). The ad asked, “Can your theories solve the unsolvable?” It focused on the reliability of undersea communication and combat decision-making systems.

The ad revealed to him that institutions were actively applying mathematics and statistics to solve engineering problems. Pham says he still keeps a copy of that Spectrum issue in his office.

After completing his Ph.D., he joined Boeing as a senior specialist engineer at its Renton, Wash., facility, working on engine reliability for the 777 aircraft, which was under development.

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He worked there for 18 months, then accepted a senior engineering specialist position at the Idaho National Laboratory, in Idaho Falls, where he worked on nuclear systems.

His desire to become an instructor never left him, however. In 1993 he joined Rutgers as an assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering.

Today his research focuses on reliability in modern, data-intensive systems, including AI infrastructure and global data centers.

“The problem now isn’t getting data,” he says. “It’s knowing which data to trust.”

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Charting his IEEE journey

Pham joined IEEE in 1985 as a student member and credits the organization with shaping much of his professional life. IEEE provided a platform for scholarship, collaboration, and visibility at critical moments in his career, he says.

He served as associate technical editor of IEEE Communications Magazine from 1992 to 2000, was a guest editor for a special issue on fault-tolerant software in the June 1993 IEEE Transactions on Reliability, and was the program vice chair of the annual IEEE Reliability and Maintainability Symposium in 1994. In 2024 he returned to Vietnam as a plenary speaker at the 16th IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration.

In addition to being named a distinguished professor at Rutgers, he served as chair of the industrial and systems engineering department from 2007 to 2013.

“If my journey holds one lesson,” he says, “it is this: Struggle builds resilience, and resilience makes the extraordinary possible. Even in darkness, perseverance lights the way.”

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