Closer look and Operation
Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, it's time to plug in the T3 and turn this mother out. I gave it the necessary two hours to charge and put it to the test. With a lithium-ion battery, it should last roughly 12 hours without having to recharge. The papers say the unit will work with iPod's, CD players, music phones, PSP's, etc. I tested it out with a laptop, PSP, HD Audio jack on a Asrock motherboard and the 3.5 mm out on my Sony Bravia 40" HDTV. I would be remiss not to mention what I plan to listen to while testing the T3. Here are my test audio files: Andrea Bocellis - Vivo Per Le, Busta Rhymes - Put Yo Hands Where My Eyes Can See, Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover, Too Short - Step Daddy, Dethklok - Fansong, Dethklok - Castratikron, AFI - Miss Murder, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Battlefield 2142 on the PC, Madden 09 on the Xbox 360 and Tekken Dark Resurrection on the PSP. All music was tested on each platform. I must admit I was amazed at the sound quality the T3 provides. It not only delivered on it's promise of stereo sound from a single tiny device, but the sound quality and volume was remarkable. When plugged into an Acer Extensa, it not only outperformed the built-in speakers, it blew them away. The audio from my PSP has never been as clear. Straight out of my Asrock motherboard, the T3 handled the audio from BF2142 with ease. My HDTV/Xbox 360 is hooked up to a 500 watt 5.1 home stereo system, so it's not exactly a fair comparison to the T3, but for a portable audio system, the T3 is in a class all by its own. During the testing, I was in awe of the stereo effect of airSOUND. As far away as 30+ feet, the music came across in stereo. On their web site, Orbitsound proclaims that "
The major advantages over the more conventional (but less correct) way of listening to stereo, are;
• There is absolutely no 'sweet spot'. The stereo effect is clear wherever you are.
• The placement of the airSOUND® loudspeaker is not at all critical; the sound fills the room.
• Because the sound is from a single source, there are no timing, phase and frequency response problems that are endemic with 2-speaker systems.
• As the phase relationships are more accurately reproduced, the music sounds noticeably cleaner and more clearly defined.
• On some recordings it is now possible to perceive height information that was hidden by phase errors" and I found them all to be true.
When time came to put the T3 on, I hit the first snag. The lanyard was too small to fit around my head. This isn't exactly unexpected as I have a very large skull. After a quick workaround, I was able to literally "feel" the T3 in action.
Their web site says the T3 uses the chest cavity to increase the sonic experience and yet again I have to agree. I felt enveloped by the sound, though it can be disconcerting at times when windows alerts pop up in the middle of an Andrea Bocelli vocal. You should also pay attention to volume level warnings. I thought it was cute when I read them in the user's manual, but it is possible to damage your hearing with the T3. This isn't just a head phones replacement, the T3 is a mobile audio solution. It's even conceivable for someone with space issues to use the T3 as their primary audio source. Another word of warning, you need to be aware of the volume of sound the T3 can generate. Don't take this unit to work with you unless you have permission to bring radios.
In conclusion, I want to brag that I have an Orbitsound T3 and you probably don't. It delivered on every promise Orbitsound made. The quality, volume and stereo sound were all there. You literally have to hear it to believe it. In fact, it's my personal mission to make sure everyone I know hears this thing in action at least once. The only real downside of the T3 is price. At nearly $150, they're as much as some mid range computer speakers and eclipse all but the most expensive headphones. Still, I think they're worth the price. If $5 headphones are quality enough for you, the T3 isn't for you, but if you're in the market for a great mobile speaker and are willing to pay for it, the T3 is right up your alley.
Pros
• Lightweight
• Lithium-ion battery
• There is absolutely no 'sweet spot'. The stereo effect is clear wherever you are.
• The placement of the airSOUND® loudspeaker is not at all critical; the sound fills the room.
• Because the sound is from a single source, there are no timing, phase and frequency response problems that are endemic with 2-speaker systems.
• As the phase relationships are more accurately reproduced, the music sounds noticeably cleaner and more clearly defined.
• On some recordings it is now possible to perceive height information that was hidden by phase errors
Cons
• Price
• Lanyard will not fit Stewie-sized heads.
