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Electronics

What’s The Best Soldering Iron?

Cool Tools, DIY, Electronics, Hacks & Mods
May 2, 2013 3 Comments

 

WES51L

I currently have a Weller WES51 Soldering Station that I’ve owned for about 10 years.  While it have served me well all these years — I feel like the thermal recovery time can be a lot better.   Hand soldering prototype boards with many different types of footprints is the latest challenge my WES51 is having a harder time with.   It feels like it cannot keep up and I have to pause a few seconds while the temp recovers — I believe this is caused by the LEAD FREE solder I’m using that requires higher temp than the old LEAD based 60/40.

So I’m asking the readers of Mavromatic for their recommendations of “Best Soldering Iron”.   I’m leaning towards the JBC CD-1BC (or the 2012 JBC-CD-1BB) — what do you think?

JBC-CD-1BB

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Myro:Air AirPlay Streamer – Final Case Design

Announcements, Electronics, Home Automation
April 11, 2013 No Comments


myro_air_prototype_angle

myro_air_prototype_badge

Progress! These last few weeks have been very productive; finalized the boards and received the custom stainless steel name badges — each one is uniquely struck with a number. As we will be initially only producing 100 units, numbers 1-100 have been made. Soon you will be able to reserve your unit — email preorderair@myrocontrol.com and you will be notified when the site launches.

What is myro:air? An audiophile grade AirPlay streamer featuring the highly regarded Wolfson WM8741 DAC as well as 2-way control of the AirPlay device via RS232 & Russound RNET interfaces, this is a custom integrators dream come true. Two long years in the making and we’re almost ready!

What’s next? I will be getting sample production boards in a couple weeks.


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Myro:Air Prototype Sneak Peek

Electronics, Home Automation
February 20, 2013 2 Comments

myroairproto

Rejoice! Myro:Air is progressing. The circuit design and custom MCU firmware code is almost final with only the case design really left to hash out. I’m going for the old vintage look and each unit will have a stainless steel plate which is made here in the U.S.A. — like the old Bell & Howell projectors. The case features both metal and solid walnut wood side pieces and is something that you will want to leave on display.

The plan is to release and sell a small number initially. These will be handmade in the U.S.A. and sold exclusively direct to Myro Control customers. Myro:Air will offer audiophile playback via the Wolfson WM8741 DAC as well as 2-way metadata and transport control to whole house audio systems like Russound and Crestron.

More details to follow — and for those that have requested to be on our pre-order mailing list (preorderAIR@myrocontrol.com) we haven’t forgotten about you!


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Video Preview: Introducing Myro:Air, The AirPlay Streamer for Home Integration & Audiophiles

Electronics, Home Automation, Home Theater, Videos
July 14, 2012 No Comments

If you have been wondering why the lack of posts here at Mavromatic, it’s because I have been heads down working on a new product for Myro Control.  It’s now to the point that I can give you all a sneak peak of Myro:Air!

This will be the first certified Apple AirPlay hardware device that features audiophile sound quality using the highly respected WM8741 DAC by Wolfson Microelectronics.     Myro:Air will also be a home integrators dream come true — yup — it will feature RS232 and “Myro:Link” which will provide full metadata and transport control (Play/Pause/Next/Previous) of the AirPlay stream.   This means Crestron, Control4, Russound and any other system that can interface via RS232 or Russound RNET will be able to control and receive metadata from the AirPlay stream.

Myro:Air will also provide a USB port that will allow iOS device charging and control/playback as well.  So you can either plug in your iPad/iPhone/iPod touch or any iPod and it will not only charge the device but will also stream digital audio processed through the quality DAC and provide metadata and transport control via the connected control system.

I’m very proud and excited about this new product and can’t wait to get it to market.   Email preorderAIR@myrocontrol.com if you’d like to get on the early pre-order list.  The first run will be VERY limited so get on the waiting list now!

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Holiday Gift Idea: Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones

Electronics
November 29, 2011 3 Comments

The Bowers & Wilkins C5 in-ear headphones is a great gift for the person that wants high-end sound in the most compact form factor possible.  As with all Bowers & Wilkins products, the build quality is as superb as the sound quality.   What really sets these in-ear headphones apart from the rest is the loop part — that fits against the cartilage of the ear giving it a secure fit.   While these are not active noise-canceling, the design amazingly blocks out noise as if they are.  The Bowers & Wilkins C5’s cost $180.

AMAZON.com – Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-ear noise-isolating headphones

For even more gift ideas be sure to check out my picks over at ESPN.com!

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