2020 - LABFREQ

June 25, 2020October 27, 2021

Review: Lenovo Yoga C940

Lenovo’s pioneering 2-in-1 Yoga brand manages to refine a near-perfect model

The Lenovo Yoga brand is known for being the pioneer of the 2-in-1 category, offering convertible laptops with touchscreens that double as large tablets. The Lenovo Yoga C930 is the top-tier in the brand, replacing 2018’s watch strap-like hinge for a soundbar with a Dolby Atmos Speaker System. As great of a laptop as the C930 is, everything (literally) revolves around its soundbar hinge – which has to be the all-time cleverest innovation to laptops – at least where audio is concerned.

The sleek aluminum alloy shimmers off the etched Yoga branding on the lid

The entire laptop hinge is a Dolby Atmos powered 5.1 soundbar, that rotates so the subwoofers always face downward, no matter the orientation of the laptop. It’s the perfect union of style and function, the result of some pretty innovative engineering.

“Dolby Atmos delivers breathtaking, three-dimensional audio that flows above and around you with depth and precision. Combining two sets of speakers – featuring powerful down-firing woofers, custom tweeters, and unique vibration buffers that reduce unwanted noise – your audio will sound bigger, deeper, and more accurate. It’s sound you can feel.”

The Internals

Processor	Intel® 10th Generation Core™ i7-1065G7 (1.30GHz, up to 3.9GHz with Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
Operating System	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Display Type	14.0″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, glossy, multi-touch,400 nits
Memory	12GB LPDDR4X 3733MHz (Soldered)
Hard Drive	512GB Solid State Drive, PCIe-NVME M.2
Graphics	Integrated Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics
Camera	720pHD Camera
Security	Fingerprint Reader
Pen	Lenovo Active Pen
Keyboard	Backlit Keyboard – US English
Wireless	802.11 AC (2 x 2) & Bluetooth® 4.1

The review unit we received from Lenovo came equipped with an Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. All Yoga c930s come with security focused features like fingerprint readers and Lenovo’s Thinkshutter cover for the 2MP webcam, which is pretty much useless in all scenarios except for the most well-lit environments. On the creative side, it also conceals an active stylus in a slot right behind the screen that charges the pen when it’s stored away.

Boot up time is impressive, getting you from the Lenovo boot up logo to the log-in screen in under 10 seconds – thanks to Yogo c940 having Intel’s Project Athena certification. While it’s not quite matching Chromebook times, that’s darned close.

Battery life is impressive as well, averaging about 8 hours on performance-focused settings, and getting well over 10 with battery conservation on.

Display

(In Progress)

Our review model came with a 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, touchscreen, that can get as bright as 500 nits – which is the model to go for if you’re concerned with battery longevity. You can equip it with a 15.6″ UHD (3840 x 2160) 4K display, though the crisp and vivid visuals the Full HD display provides is more than adequate enough for all but the most demanding spec fanatics.

Conclusion

The Yoga C940 is one of the best laptops that I’ve ever used, the accurate glass trackpad and comfy keyboard are great input devices and the speakers are only rivaled by the latest Macbook Pro’s audio. The 360-degree hinge, touchscreen, and active stylus put the c940 firmly in a unique category where owning a tablet and laptop (iPad and Macbook) feel redundant. Why own a tablet and a laptop when you can have a reliable 2-in-1 with a 5.1 soundbar and active stylus included? Why buy a Wacom drawing pad, when you can just flip the keyboard back on your laptop and draw right on the screen? Sure, you can do this on a lot of laptop models today, but very few (if any) bring every aspect of media creation into one package for the creative professional.

June 19, 2020October 20, 2020

LG V60 ThinQ: 60 Day Review

The latest in the V-series by LG offers a few unique perks like flagship performance, a Quad DAC powered 3.5 mm headphone jack, and 5G connectivity at a lower price point than Apple or Samsung – but is that enough to sway users?

The end of an era for the LG V series

The LG V60 is the latest flagship smartphone by LG, and one that brings us to the end of the line for the V Series. I expected LG to knock it out of the ballpark with this device – in a fair tribute to one of the most innovative smartphone models in the Android landscape. Instead I was met with what seems like a rush effort, a mere afterthought in an attempt to accelerate the next phase of LG flagship devices.

The LG V60 is a behemoth of a smartphone, packing an 6.8 inch display, 128GB of Internal Storage, and 8GB of RAM. It has the latest and greatest silicon for Androids in 2020, the Snapdragon 865 – and a slow-sipping 5000MaH battery. In our testing, On the camera front, it has a 64MP Standard (capable of capable of 8K video recording) a 13MP Ultra-Wide, and an 117° FOV Z Camera for depth on the rear , with a 10MP front facing lens.

All hail the Duel, or another useless gimmicky tool?

Measuring at about 6.9 inches diagonally , the V60 is burdened with a decent amount of thickness – even for someone with hands large as mine. The beveled edges go a long way towards making the device one hand-able, but that’s canceled out once the Dual Screen case is equipped. Nevertheless, the Dual Screen case is an impressive accessory.

It serves a great protective case and it has some useful multitasking abilities, but combined with the size of the phone, it simply makes the device too bulky to carry around every day. I used it as a phone mount for video chat and camera use more than anything else.

Conclusion

The V60 ticks all the right boxes of a 2020 flagship smartphone: the latest Snapdragon 865 processor, plenty of RAM and storage, a big bright display, and a beefy battery. The Dual Screen is an innovative addition to the overall package, but it makes an already huge device seem even more unwieldy. There’s nothing wrong with the V60, but there’s nothing extraordinary about it either. It’s a great phone that will knock any task out of the ballpark and meet any threshold you pus it to with flying colors. But so does other devices – which cost half the $900 asking price Verizon is charging for their Ultra Wideband enabled V60. And the build quality, particularly the gold paint finish on the aluminum sides is questionable on the Verizon model. The phone has all the internals needed to make it a true 2020 flagship, but there are too many options out there that can match the V60’s spec sheet for hundreds less. But if you can find it on sale with the dual screen included – you wont be disappointed.

June 19, 2020July 19, 2020

Review: Sound Forge Pro 14 Suite

Magix is on a roll recently, upgrading it’s suite of creative apps ever since acquiring Sony’s portfolio of media software. Acid, Vegas, and Sound Forge – the latter we’re reviewing in this article, strives to make your audio/visual production output as seamless and effortless as ever. How does this trio of apps fit into Magix already large collection of content creation tools? Read on to find out.

What does Sound Forge do?

Sound Forge is a professional audio recording, audio editing, and mastering suite. It differs from Digital Audio Workstations like Cubase, Pro Tools, and Studio One in the way that focuses on a single audio file at-a-time – there’s no MIDI production and editing here. Instead, Sound Forge’s strengths lie in mastering stereo mixes, cleaning up artifacts from field recordings, or applying creative edits to individual tracks from larger DAW sessions – utilizing Sound Forge as an external audio editor.

Sound Forge also has the ability to clean up “older” audio recordings, digitally remastering analog mixes with indispensable restoration features.

Features

Aside from the ability to record up to 32 channels of audio recording, Sound Forge includes a new Instant Action window to accomplish mutli-window workflows with the press of a button. This improves the speed it takes to complete tasks, making light work out of what used to be tedious processes in earlier versions. Frequently used functions are seconds away with Instant Action, which puts all of your essential tools and functions a click away. Apply delay, compression, noise gates, and even external effects like Ozone 9 Elements – which comes bundled with the Pro Suite version of Sound Forge.

Instant Action buttons (to the left) make mutli-window processes much simpler.

To compliment features like Instant Action, there is also a new Windows context menu to help make task assignments easier. It’s a simpler version of Macros for Microsoft Excel – but for audio. Another strong feature is the Windows context menu, which allows you to get basic tasks done by right-clicking the context menu without even opening Sound Forge Pro.

Another strong feature new to SF version 14 is WaveColor. The detailed waveform coloring algorithm allows you to identify pitch and volume characteristics according to their color and saturation. Magix rounds out the apps arsonal by including the essentialFX Suite, Analogue Modelling Suite (4 mastering plug-ins), Vintage Effects Suite (3 vintage effects), VariVerb II, and Vandal (guitar amp effects).

Magix essentialFX Suite offers 11 quality effect plug-ins
like the Compressor above

If you ever get stuck trying to complete certain tasks in the program, Magix has carried over the rather thoughtful ‘Interactive Tutorials’ from earlier versions. The tutorials walk you through all of the most popular audio engineering tasks, like how to extract audio from a CD or even create ACID loops.

Interactive Tutorials go a long way to get newcomers up to speed.

Conclusion

While most audio work can be done in your primary DAW, making SF 14 Pro soft of redundant – there’s alot works out in the favor of Sound Forge’s streamlined,focused workflow. Plus, there’s a lot of additions that come with the Suite version of Sound Forge Pro 14, like Steinberg SpectraLayers Pro 6, iZotope Ozone 9 Elements, iZotope RX Elements, and MAGIX’s own plug-in bundles – making it truly a package of Suite proportions; You can also get the entry level of Sound Forge Audio Studio 14 for just $59.99 or Sound Forge Pro 14 standard for $299. They all have pretty much the same functionally as Pro Suite, you just have to shell out a bit more if you want the big daddy package that comes with all of the extras. If you don’t have SpectralLayers or iZotope software, it’s quite a bargain.

May 9, 2020April 11, 2023

Bitwig Studio 4 review: Modular Musical Masterpiece

Berlin is known as the EDM capital of the world, where the rave scene, drum machines, samplers, and digital audio workstations all originated and electronic workflows are innovated. Along comes another music software company, aiming for your ears and wallet. But wait for a sec…before you write this DAW off as just another cookie-cutter app in an already convoluted market- you might want to give Bigwig Studio a look…

Check our Bitwig Studio Listening Session Above

Bitwig Studio is a professional Digital Audio Workstation for Windows, macOS, and Linux (impressively). At version 4, it’s possibly the youngest of the big-time DAWs, so while it is maturing into a complete package with 80+ instruments and effects – it’s 10GB sound library is a bit narrow in genre scope. I do have confidence that it will expand as new versions of Bitwig are released, if the excellent instruments kits and effect presets are any indication.

Workflow

The flexible, panel-based interface allows for quick access to Bigwig’s three main layout’s: Arrange, Edit, and Mix – with various display settings that will allow you to add external monitors. There is also a Touch Layout – making Bitwig Studio ‘s interface 100% compatible with touchscreen displays.

The Arrangement View

You can record and edit you takes in this section.

Mixer View

Apply audio FX, route tracks to Bus/Aux tracks

All aspects of the User Interface are accessible from within one screen, bringing the most relevant window view to the forefront – depending on the tasks you set out to accomplish. All instruments, effects, loops and one-shot sounds are available within the right panel – drag-and-drop capable. The selected track and its corresponding mixer channel are available in the left panel – with the instrument, effect, or audio details available in the bottom center panel.

Sound Devices

While we won’t cover every instrument and effect that comes with Bitwig, we will take a look at a few to give you an idea of the look, feel,

Phase 4

Bitwig’s Phase Manipulation Synthesizer. Has four-oscillators that can be manipulated by modulation and distortion.

Polysynth

A subtractive synthesizer with tons of tweaks on deck.

Drum Machine

A very flexible drum kit machine with the ability to assign and send individual pads to any track.

Sampler

Where all of your loops, slices and phrases live

Introducing the Grid

The Grid, a modular creative space that allows you to truly create your own unique sound connecting over 160 different modules to your heart’s desire. This section might invoke a familiarity with tools like Native Instrument’s Reaktor, Max for Live, which offers similar tools – but Bitwig’s grid platform feels more integrated than the former.

The Poly Grid is the area where you build your creations that generate sound. Step Arpeggiators, Sound-Warping, filtered-out Samplers, polyphonic synthesizers are all just a few modules away in the signal chain.

The FX Grid allows you to create truly unique sounding effects, taking your sound to new levels of individuality and gets you closer to crafting an original sound. This takes Bitwig to new levels other music production apps can’t quite go, shaking the pre-conceived notion to avoid a DAWs ‘stock sounds’ – you can make variations of a kick or snare from just one quite easily.

Conclusion

If you love the idea of music production software that offers a sound synthesis palette of modules that connect along a signal chain to create custom synths, samplers, and effects; A broad selection of sound designer tools, as well as compatibility with Linux, macOS, and Windows – Bitwig Studio, might be the DAW for you. The included 10GB of loops, drum kits, and instrument presets isn’t as large as the competition, or even some standalone virtual instruments – but when you factor in the expansive sound designing tools on offer it really doesn’t matter. The versatile collection of sounds (which the majority are one-shot samples and loops) gives a solid foundation to build upon. This is a music-making program to keep an eye on.

January 4, 2020July 23, 2024

Reason 12 Review: Classic studio gear emulator becomes a VST Plug In

Reason was the first music production DAW that I ever installed on a computer of mine, it came bundled as Reason Adapted (an LE version) with an M-Audio MIDI controller back in 2004 – when the program was just 4 years old and company behind it was known as Propellerhead. It was a comprehensive program, one that was visually presented as an virtual studio rack of stacked gear – including everything from drum machines, sound modules,synthesizers,samplers and effect racks. I eventually updated to the full version of the program, Reason 2.5. 16 years later, it has evolved to a full-fledged DAW in it’s own right with version 11, (a DAW that gives you access to all of it’s rack gear inside other DAWs might I add.) Check out our listening session video above, or keep scrolling for more about Reason 11 by Reason Studios…

What is Reason?

Reason is music production software, that offers a collection of instruments and effects – which are presented as virtual emulations of analog sound modules. These synthesizers, samplers drum machines, sampled instruments, along with audio and MIDI effects stack up in your virtual studio rack as you add them to your project. They can also be routed to and through one another before their output is sent to an Solid State Logic styled Mixer that is as complete as DAW mixers come.

Reason can also be expanded with more devices through Rack Extensions, where you can find tons of unique gadgets and popular VSTs in RE format alike in the Reason Shop

It seems the guys formally known as “Propellerheads” shook off the slumber and got a new attitude along with a new brand and look. Check out the new logo to go along with the name change from Propellerhead to Reason Studios:

What’s New in Reason 12?

The Reason Rack plug in is clearly the highlight of the Reason 11 update , which makes it possible to use any of Reasons’ devices in your preferred DAW of choice. Yes, ALL of Reason’s 17 instruments and 29 effects are available within Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, FL Studio or even Pro Tools…”if your Nasty.”

There’s also five new effects that comes with the standard version of Reason 11: The Quartet Chorus Ensemble, Channel EQ, Channel Dynamics, Master Bus Compressor and the Sweeper Modulation Effect.

While there weren’t any new instruments added in Standard version 11, there are already 17 to date. Greats like Thor and Kong are on deck,as well as the newer devices like the Europa synthesizer and Complex-1 (Reason Suite only)

Conclusion

Reason 12 costs $399 for new users, and $599 for Reason Suite – which comes with a slew of extra goodies, instruments, effects, rack extensions and Refills. And while the Digital Audio Workstation space has been crowded for quite a while – in a clever Zen Buddhist type maneuver, someone in the idea room at Reason Studios decided to open up the Reason ecosystem to be used with all competing products. And that’s how you control the narrative, ladies and gentlemen.

Cheers to the team formally known as Propellerhead , way to play the long game. I say that because what seemed like a program that was becoming a bit dusty in the crate and headed to a vintage niche like the analog equipment that it emulates, has actually evolved into a major factor. In one fell swoop, making all of Reason VST compatible makes what seemed like years of dull uninspired updates – now look like a 15 year/11 move Chessmaster strategy.

Reason Rack running in Bitwig Studio as a VST plug-in

Regardless if you’d rather use Ableton Live, but you wish you could easily incorporate the Thor synthesizer or Korg Drum Designer into your Live compositions; Or you desire to use Reason’s MClass suite to mix and master a client’s stems that you imported into Reaper – say no more. This opens up TONS of possibilities in studios around the world that make use of the latest version of Reason, and puts it in a new category of all in one plug in suite that I would say is a worthy alternative to Native Instruments’ Komplete. And dare I even say the Waves Plug-In Bundles on the effect side. Especially when you consider the many tools included with Reason Suite 11 and expandability that Rack Extensions bring to the table.

The flexibility, depth, and versatility that blossoms from Reason in version 11 makes for what could be it’s biggest update ever and elevates the software from an acquired taste to must-have for any music production studio.