Karlie Kloss wasn’t as charismatic, and with her now gone and no host present at all, Project Runway feels entirely unmoored. The new version has more life than it did on Lifetime - better, harder challenges help - but it still suffers without Heidi as a grounding force. I kept up with the Lifetime seasons, which were much less naturally dramatic and inventive, out of a sense of obligation, but when the show returned to Bravo with season 17, I became newly reinterested in it as a concept. Since then, I’ve gone back and watched every season from the original Bravo years multiple times, read the associated Project Rungay recaps that are now lost to link rot (my personal burning of the Library of Alexandria), and mourned the loss of that scrappy show that could. Frank: The first season I watched live was season eight (the Mondo Gretchen season), which, not to de-age myself, came out when I was in fourth grade. We can get into whether we think the judging has matched this vibe or dragged it down, but in general, Jason, how have you felt about this season? Bringing back previous contestants who are familiar with Project Runway’s time and budget constraints (and have their own grudges and dramas) has been engaging Siriano is a thoughtful and spirited onscreen presence, even if he rarely says “fierce” anymore the ’90s high school-themed team competition was very fun. This season, however, has mostly clicked for me, despite some quibbles that we’ll talk through. The series has tried making changes to stay fresh - the judging panel, which once held Michael Kors, swapped in other designers like Zac Posen and Brandon Maxwell, added magazine editor Elaine Welteroth, and in its smartest move, brought back Siriano as a mentor and host starting in season 17 - but I admit that my interest lessened as it felt like Project Runway wasn’t finding the same caliber of people and wasn’t creating new challenges. Yet I think it’s fair to say that Project Runway’s impact waned as the reality-TV genre expanded and Gunn and Klum left for their Prime Video series Making the Cut. ![]() From the very beginning, the show was great at casting passionate, distinct competitors who had a specific fashion perspective and work ethic, the apex of which was season four winner Christian Siriano, whose success afterward made him nearly as synonymous with the show as Tim and Heidi. Back then, before reality TV was fully everywhere, it was a phenomenon with Tim Gunn’s “Make it work!” catchphrase and Heidi Klum taking time off from supermodeling to host and judge. I remember watching Project Runway in my college dorm room when it debuted, and then with my best friend in our first postgraduation apartment. But before then, let’s talk about how this All-Stars season fits into the series’ legacy. These judging decisions, they make no sense - and we’ll get into that. Roxana Hadadi: Jason, I write this to you through tears over Rami Kashoú’s unjust exit in the semifinals of this 20th season of Project Runway. Frank dug into that question, this season’s attack on “dated” fashions but defense of “referential” designs, and whether this final trio deserved their runway shows. Ahead of the season finale, Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi and writer Jason P. When Top Chef convened international contestants for its 20th season and Padma Lakshmi announced her exit from the series, we wondered whether World All-Stars was the end of Top Chef as we know it and now Project Runway’s 20th season, with its similar all-stars format and often-inexplicable judging, has us wondering if Bravo’s other stalwart tournament needs a refresh, too. ![]() ![]() Nearly 20 years later, they’re Bravo’s only remaining competition series, and both have become legacy institutions in the reality-TV space. In the early aughts, before Bravo became synonymous with Real Housewives, Scandoval, and the Andy Cohen empire, the cable network built on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s unexpected cultural omnipresence with Top Chef and Project Runway, a pair of competition shows ostensibly centered on, respectively, cutting-edge cuisine and high fashion. Project Runway is increasingly an exercise in hoping for moderate success, for both the contestants and production.
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The two tail tracks (tracks that continue past the last stop in order to store trains) are currently used to turn (J) and (Z) trains around using the X shaped diamond crossover (a kind of switch that allows trains to access both tracks). The last time these tracks were used for revenue service was before the 2010 service cuts when rush hour (M) trains (before the (M) was rerouted to 6th Avenue) continued past Broad St to Bay Pkwy on the West End Line (the (D) train) in Brooklyn. This track map shows the currently unused tracks (in black) continuing to a junction under the East River with the Montague Street Tunnel tracks (in yellow). These tracks connect to the Montague Street Tunnel, currently used by the (R) train.Ī screenshot from Vanshnookenraggen’s Subway Track Map In fact, standing at the southern end of the station, it is clear to see that the tracks continue into a tunnel. This is because Broad St was not always a terminal station. The layout of the station is unusual for a terminal, with two side platforms that don’t connect at platform level, rather than an island platform (a single platform in between two tracks), or a U shaped station with the platforms connected at one end and the tracks in the middle. The station sits just south of Wall Street, adjacent to Federal Hall and the New York Stock Exchange. This station is one of the few stations in the system named for the street along which the subway runs, as opposed to a perpendicular street that the subway crosses. The line starts at Broad St, in the Financial District of Manhattan. Read the Introduction on the home page for some relevant background and important information Four of the thirty sharpest curves in the entire system lie along this route. ![]() The longest continually served station in the city lies along this route. ![]() As you travel from Broad Street to Jamaica Center, you travel over both the oldest and newest pieces of elevated track in the entire system. As puts it, “the Broadway Elevated Line is a study in contrasts”. It is the descendent of the Broadway El Line, built in stages by the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad, the Union Elevated Railroad, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation, and the Independent Subway. The Jamaica Line is the longest elevated line in the system. The BMT Jamaica Line is the MTA’s name for the tracks of the (J), (Z), and part of the (M) services, colored brown on the map. ![]() Bold business newsletter templateīusiness newsletters are so often really boring, but with big attention-grabbing text, this template will help you grab your readers' attention. Plenty of room for images and multiple text sections make it as useful as it is engaging. If your company is pushing forward, the vitality in this template will fit it perfectly. A combination of bright and calm tones adds even more energy to the template. There's something dynamic about angles in bold colors-and this newsletter template takes full advantage. Whether you're in a tropical climate or a temperate one, your employees' days will be brightened by it. Don't settle for bland colors and cheesy iconography! This template is full of bright colors that immediately set a positive tone for your newsletter. Citrus Splash employee newsletter templateĮmployee newsletters have a reputation for being rather boring-and that starts with the template. Add images to spice things up a bit, and you have yourself a professional - but unique - newsletter template. But this template finds a balance with bold red accents, striking blocks of black, and plenty of whitespace to make reading easy. Black Widow company newsletter templateĬompany newsletters are often bright and airy or monochromatic and, well. The newspaper-style columns let you share different stories or ideas, and the header is great for recurring newsletters with featured authors. This financial business newsletter design has all of those ingredients in spades. Modern companies need to grab readers' attention with bold colors, interesting shapes and arresting images. The time of boring business newsletters is over. ![]() Merge financial business newsletter template Optional blocks of color help your newsletter stand out from the rest, too. The iconic rectangular format gives you tons of room to show off your best properties, and choosing a scrollable digital format allows for all the text you need to describe it. Real estate is all about pictures, and this newsletter template captures that feeling perfectly. Insert photos from previous events (as well as your own city hall building or town committee) - or use stock images if you need to - and leverage the ample writing space to communicate with others about changes in local regulations, upcoming town halls and more. Keep your community apprised of upcoming events - both virtual or in-person - with the city events newsletter template. Newsletters for business City events newsletter template Just add your school's logo, the content of your newsletter and a few custom images, and you have a newsletter that parents will want to read. Blossoms school newsletter templateįlowers are perfect for school newsletters: they imply growth, potential, purpose, and they lend a positive, happy feeling to everything. Whether you're simply giving updates on what's happening or sharing important news about conferences, exams or standardized testing, your message will come across loud and clear. This classroom newsletter template stands out from the rest with muted colors, an inspiring header image, and lots of room to share your message. ![]() Skyline High classroom newsletter template If you want people to show up, you gotta give them a reason to show up! Or whatever. The devil is in the details, right? Be sure to include links to webinars, listings, school flyers and more. Add relevant links where it’s appropriate How you choose to present that is up to you, but keep in mind that big walls of words can be overwhelming for readers, so we recommend keeping the information as scannable as possible. The body copy is where important information should live. Remember: Your header doesn’t have to carry the weight of your newsletter - body copy can come in with the assist. There’s an approach to copywriting that can be best summarized as “Say it straight, then say it great.” But whatever you do, it has to say something of substance. Either way, you need to grab their attention and endeavor them to keep reading. Copy can be witty and sharp, or directly address a pain point you know they have. Your header should do one of two things (or both): First, it should draw the reader in. Consider the layout typeĪs in - do you want your newsletter to be: fixed, fluid, responsive or adaptive? To avoid overwhelming you with information (and empowering you to learn on your own terms), we recommend checking out UX Alpaca’s article on layout types. Also, it’s worth noting that we’ve organized this blog post based on newsletter type - i.e., newsletters for schools, businesses, holidays, digital and more. Though, in the end, you'll have a fantastic-looking newsletter in less time than it will take to find a template from Microsoft Word or Publisher. There’s a few principles to keep in mind as you concoct your newsletter, even if you start with a pre-existing template. To access tables in other schemas, in the Database window’s toolbar, click the Data Source Properties icon. Repeat the instructions in this step to access additional tables. The first set of rows from the table are displayed. In DataGrip, in the Database window, expand your resource node, expand the schema you want to browse, and then expand tables.Use DataGrip to access tables in your Azure Databricks workspace. Repeat the instructions in this step for each resource that you want DataGrip to access. If the connection succeeds, on the Schemas tab, check the boxes for the schemas that you want to be able to access, for example default. Otherwise the test might take several minutes to complete while the resource starts. You should start your resource before testing your connection. On the General tab, for URL, enter the value of the JDBC URL field for your Azure Databricks resource as follows: Clusterįind the JDBC URL field value on the JDBC/ODBC tab within the Advanced Options area for your cluster. Select the Databricks driver that you added in the preceding step. On the Data Sources tab, click the + ( Add) button. ![]() Use DataGrip to connect to the cluster or SQL warehouse that you want to use to access the databases in your Azure Databricks workspace. Step 3: Connect DataGrip to your Azure Databricks databases Browse to and select the DatabricksJDBC42.jar file that you extracted earlier, and then click Open.On the General tab, in the Driver Files list, click the + ( Add) button. ![]() Click the + ( Driver) button to add a driver.In the Data Sources and Drivers dialog box, click the Drivers tab.Set up DataGrip with information about the Databricks JDBC Driver that you downloaded earlier. Step 2: Configure the Databricks JDBC Driver for DataGrip exe file.įor more information, see Install DataGrip on the DataGrip website. zip file, extract its contents, and then follow the instructions in the Install-Linux-tar.txt file. An Azure Databricks cluster or SQL warehouse to connect with DataGrip.Download the Databricks JDBC Driver onto your local development machine, extracting the DatabricksJDBC42.jar file from the downloaded DatabricksJDBC42-.zip file.A Linux, macOS, or Windows operating system.Requirementsīefore you install DataGrip, your local development machine must meet the following requirements: ![]() This article was tested with macOS, Databricks JDBC Driver version 2.6.25, and DataGrip version 2021.1.1. ![]() The addition of the carbon plate gives the shoe fantastic lateral stability and twist resistance. The elastic nature of the shoe allows it to open up for entry and also retracts to snuggle your foot.” Just grab those tabs on the top and the heel and shove your family of piggies right inside. As one tester wrote, “The shoe goes on like a slipper. If you have wide feet, you’ll also find these are a winner. If your game needs stability and comfort, you can find both with the Carbon. ![]() The best spiked golf shoe for 2023 is the FootJoy HyperFlex Carbon. Best Spiked Shoes: FootJoy HyperFlex Carbon Pros still swear by spiked shoes and with improvements in spike design, the all-day comfort is only improving with each new release. While the spiked shoe market does appear to be shrinking, we don’t see it disappearing anytime soon. We recommend spiked golf shoes for anyone who places a high value on traction and staying grounded through any tempo swing. The best spiked golf shoes were tested by two experts who spent more than 30 hours directly testing 18 total products. Buying Advice: How to Choose the Best Golf Shoes.Best Women’s Golf Shoes: adidas Solarmotion BOA.Best Value Spikeless Golf Shoe: Skechers Go Golf Elite 5.Most Comfortable Golf Shoe: PAYNTR X 001F.Best Spikeless Golf Shoes: adidas Codechaos 22.Best Spiked Golf Shoes: FootJoy HyperFlex Carbon.And if you need help choosing, be sure to check our out buying advice at the end of the article. Jump to one of our top picks or scroll on to see the entire list. Whether you have wide feet, a need for traction or a desire for comfort, we have you covered. Through testing, we found there is no specific answer to the spiked vs spikeless debate, rather it comes down to a matter of personal preference. We tested more than 50 pairs of shoes across spiked, spikeless, and women’s styles. Our team of testers looked at a variety of factors including, stability, support, traction and comfort. Whether you want to play a casual round or competitively hit the course every week, finding the best golf shoes will increase your comfort and, dare we say, decrease your score. It has a lovely methanol smell-minty and fresh but also interspersed with fall’s rich and earthy musk. That’s why a sage fall wreath is the perfect choice for your front door. ![]() Sage Wreathĭid you know that sage has some healing properties? White sage in particular, has been known to be used to cleanse a space and free it of any negativity. Then use wire cutters and floral wire to tighten the twigs, florals, and other props and carefully secure your wreath.ĭo you know what would really kick this up a notch? A raffia bow like this! You can also secure a few burlap ribbons and twine them around the grapevine wreath to finish it up a bit. Floral Fall WreathĪfter that last super spooky black skull wreath, how about we mellow things down a bit? A traditional fall floral wreath is what you’ll need.įirst, pick out your wreath form-preferably a grapevine wreath to make it rustic and earthy. Here’s an idea, you can use glow-in-the-dark skulls, too! How cool would that be! Then your spooky skeletons will be spookier still! 4. So let’s make it count with the spookiest wreath ever! Your fall wreath is the first thing that trick or treaters will see when they visit your home. Solar Skull and Rosesįall wreaths are often a great way to start preparing yourself and your homes for the biggest fall festival-Halloween night! And what says Halloween more than spooky skulls and eerie eyeballs? You can also switch out the flowers for some holly or simply wispy sprigs of baby’s breath. You can add some ribbons, fake acorns, and some dried sprigs and herbs to spice your wreath up. But instead of fall-colored florals, how about you pick out some muted shades instead? You’ll also need a hot glue gun, cutting pliers, twine, and your faux fall florals. Only, for this one, you’ll need to use this embroidery hoop instead of a traditional wreath form. Here’s yet another elegant pastel fall wreath for you to try out. Grab this white grapevine wreath and start crafting. The point is that even fall-themed, it’s subtle and almost pastel-hued as opposed to the deep reds and warm oranges you usually expect from a fall wreath. They’re perfect for weddings and events, for your front door, or even just over your mantle. This elegant wreath is unique and distinctive yet sublimely timeless. So when there’s a chance to merge shabby-chic with the fall season, I say grab it! Shabby-chic is perhaps my favorite decor style ever. Here are 27 DIY fall wreath ideas for you to explore! 1. I bet the inside of your home is already decked out in all its fall themed-splendor.īut what about your front door? You do know that your front door and porch are the first things your guest and any passers-by see of your home? So it’s super important to decorate that space, as well.Ī gorgeous fall wreath is what you’re looking to jazz up that space-something elegant in full fall colors or perhaps something spooky to welcome Halloween? ![]() With the fall season upon us, it’s important to get ahead of your fall decorating. With Big Lots extensive selection of fall décor, you will find the perfect decorations and accents to celebrate fall this year.Īlso, shop our bountiful selection of fall flavors and fall baking goods at your local Big Lots store or order online for curbside pick-up, same-day or standard delivery.Make your very own fall wreath! Get some inspiration with these autumn wreaths that are super fun to make and look amazing in your house. Shop our extensive selection of indoor and outdoor fall décor that includes fall floral & wreaths, wall décor, and candles. Big Lots Fall Décorīig Lots carries several styles of fall décor to choose from for your home at prices that will save you money and get your home ready for the season. Same-day delivery is available for select items for an additional fee. Standard delivery is free for orders of $59 or over. You can shop in our stores or online we have in-store pickup or home delivery. At our everyday low prices, you can stock up and decorate your entire house. If you are a DIY-er, Big Lots has picks, bushes and garlands - just add your creative touches. Why stop there? We have pre-made floral arrangements that you can use to enhance your indoor décor. ![]() We have a selection of colorful wreaths to add a welcoming touch. Big Lots has Fall Wreaths & Artificial Flowersįreshen up your front door with a fall floral wreath from Big Lots. ![]() The lead is thick and resilient but not annoying to sharpen. Pica-Marker Gerhard Möck : Part Number 6060 : Product Dimensions 20.3 x 2. To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy Notice. This has been one of the best mechanical pencils I have owned. Pica Dry Bundle (1 x 3030 Pencil + 1 x 4050 Refill) in Blister Packaging. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie Preferences, as described in the Cookie Notice. ![]() Click ‘Customise Cookies’ to decline these cookies, make more detailed choices, or learn more. Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalised ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. This includes using first- and third-party cookies, which store or access standard device information such as a unique identifier. If you agree, we’ll also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie Notice. We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements. Pica Big Dry Marker Pen Pack of 12 Pencil Refills Black Graphite. The RRP is also referred to as the list price and is defined as the highest possible price that a buyer would pay for a specific product before any discounts (Source of gross list prices: Germany).We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie Notice. Pica 3030 + 4040 Dry Pen including Special Lead Base Set, Carpenter's Pencil, Green, Blue, White. FREE delivery Thu, May 4 on 25 of items shipped by Amazon. Pica Big Dry Marker Pen Pack of 12 Pencil Refills Graphite White Red 6045. Pica Pack of 2 DRY Longlife Automatic Pen Graphite 3030. Pica DRY Bundle (1 x 3030 Pencil + 1 x 4020 Refills) Blister Packed. ![]() RRP is the price recommended to retailers by the manufacturer, importer or wholesaler as a resale price to the customer. PICA 3030/SB Dry Longlife Automatic Pen (2 Pack) 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,587. TRACER Deep Hole Construction Pencil with 6x Replacement Lead Pack and accompanying Site Holsters all-in-one Marking Kit. *** Savings compared to RRP = the manufacturer’s recommended retail price. All prices plus shipping and excluding customs duties or other additional costs (import sales tax) for deliveries outside the EU. PICA 3030/SB Marker: automatic marker graphite DRY Longlife - This product is available in Transfer Multisort Elektronik. ** Payment methods may vary from country to country. Goods are also delivered on Saturdays (DHL). Pica Pen + 4 Graphite 2 Red 2 Yellow (3030 + 4020). 1x 3030 Pica-Dry Longlife Automatic Pencil + 1x 4070 Pica-Dry Refills Summer Heat graphite 2B, red, white NEW: The only Construction Marker with effective. 30 day returns - Buyer pays return shipping. * Note on delivery time: Day = Monday to Friday, no public holiday in Bavaria or Saxony. Get it by Thu, Sep 8 - Tue, Sep 13 from Blackburn, Lancashire. GmbH is a 100% subsidiary of EIBMARKT® GmbH holding. © 1997-2023 GmbH - Kemmlerstrasse 1 - 08527 Plauen - Germany eibabo® and eibmarkt® are registered trademarks of EIBMARKT® GmbH holding company ( eibabo® is a company of GmbH. ![]() Congo, Democratic Republic of (formerly Zaire) You could even create a recap video to make it even more visual. These make it visually easier to look at and comprehend. Including business statistics and tables are also great. ![]() When you mention how well your company is doing it makes your employees feel valued. These highlights show your employees that their work matters and what it’s all going towards. Including the c ompany’s wins helps your employees see how their contributions lead to the success of the company. If you’re looking at adding them to your internal newsletter, how about mentioning “5 fun facts about a team” or reminding your broader team of “the 10 events you did for the community this past year”? 5. Utilize listiclesĮveryone loves lists, they’re what make articles and blog posts easily digestible. Mentioning your employees in your internal business newsletters helps make them feel acknowledged and encourages them to open these newsletters more often just to see if they’re mentioned. How about sharing a little video of the new hires presenting themselves? Something as simple as introducing them in your newsletter after they’re hired can give them confidence in their new work environment. When you onboard new employees you should be sure to acknowledge them. Doing so helps your newsletter to look appealing and easy to navigate. Since you can’t be sure where your employees will be when they’ll receive your email, make sure that the formatting for your company newsletters is compatible with both desktop and handheld devices. Implement templates that are compatible with all sorts of devices You want your employees to be able to go back to the email should they need it. While you want to entice your team to open the email, when thinking about the subject line, make sure you’re clear about the content of what you're sharing. Use attention-grabbing words and incorporate them into your newsletter’s subject lines. Make sure you use fun, engaging subject lines so they’ll want to read more. The subject line is the first piece of the newsletter your employees will see. The average open rate for newsletters is 21%, which means that if your subject line isn’t interesting enough you can expect the newsletter to go unopened. Use these internal communication ideas and internal communication video examples to your advantage! 1. Now that you know the main goals your newsletter should achieve, let’s have a look at some of the key elements to include in your content. Educational articles/blog posts that relate to their field of workīest Ideas and Examples of Internal Company Newsletters.Here are some examples of resources you can include in your newsletter: Helping your team to better their skills, health, and well-being gives your team purpose and value. Studies say that the lack of resources in the work environment can cause complications in work performance. This can help encourage them to grow, broaden their skills, and connect with them on a personal level. Provides resources for employeesĬreate value in your company newsletters such as providing resources for your team. Making sure that positive relationships are being built ensures continued productivity and a happy work environment. Creates company-to-employee relationshipsįrom shared values to business objectives, employers should always remind their team how vital their work is to the company. When thinking about what to share, try to make sure your content is inclusive, meaning any employee reading it will be able to understand your content and feel a connection to it. Internal newsletters can reinforce company culture, reminding employees about company values, expectations, and overall functioning as a team. With 40% of people saying they feel isolated at work, company culture is a big deal, especially if you want to take care of your business along with your employees. From employee alignment to delivering global news, they can help businesses in so many aspects that build positive work environments. There are many benefits to having an internal company newsletter. These company newsletters need great structure to be valuable and worthwhile. ![]() Knowing how beneficial internal company newsletters are is crucial before jumping ahead. Targeting your audience (in this case, your employees) is key to making sure they are being read. That is if they’re interesting enough to read. They are also proven to be more effective in employee work performance. Internal company newsletters are the perfect way to boost your company engagement and form bonds with your employees through internal communication. ![]() They are typically sent out via email for the convenience of both the employee and employer. ![]() Create a stunning video in minutes Try for free What Is an Internal Company Newsletter?Īn internal company newsletter is usually an electronic form for employees filled with important company information, updates, milestones, and other employee-engaging content. ![]() Small and portable – can clip onto cot, pushchair or car seatĪdjustable night light (which can be turned off if not needed) Type: Rechargeable (built-in battery) | Number of sounds: 11 What we loveġ1 different sound options, including white noise, nature sounds, and lullabies Price on writing: £33.99 | Buy now from Amazon Key specs Here are the best white noise machines for babies. We also consulted consumer reviews and expert opinions to find the best white noise machines for babies currently available. We've trawled through the web and the Mumsnet forums - the biggest online network of UK parents - to find which ones come with glowing references and which aren't worth the bother. Sleep deprivation can have a real impact on a person’s physical and mental health, so it’s important for both you and your baby to sleep well. There are various types of white noise machines on the market, from basic sound boxes to cuddly, noise-emitting comforters and sleep aids. What's more, their soothing sounds don't interfere with baby monitors and will help make your little one's travel cot feel more familiar when you're away from home. Parents often find that the best white noise machines can not only help their little ones to fall asleep more quickly, but actually help them sleep through the night. ![]() ![]() With the evenings getting lighter and spring on the way, many parents swear by white noise machines to help their little ones nod off. Luckily, there are some tools that you can use to help improve your baby’s sleep. When you become a parent, you soon learn that, unfortunately, not all babies actually sleep ‘like a baby.’ Even once you've spent time and money choosing the best crib and making sure it's comfy, helping your baby learn to sleep well can be one of the biggest struggles for new parents, and it’s an issue that can linger through their toddler years and beyond. ![]() ![]() Looking for a compact sound-booster that is just at home on your desktop as it is in your pocket? Then you should try the latest instalment in AudioQuest's line of portable DACs – the DragonFly Cobalt. Read our full Chord Mojo 2 review The best USB DAC And what about existing Mojo owners? Honestly, Chord has left us no choice but to recommend the upgrade. iFi also offers a cheaper option with its GO Blu, which has the added bonus of a Bluetooth connection between it and the source.īut for those who are after a primarily portable or desktop DAC solution in this price region (and cannot triple their budget to Chord Hugo 2 territory), we believe the decision to Mojo 2 or not to Mojo 2 is far easier. ![]() While from a performance point of view the Award-winning Mojo 2 can just as confidently raise a hi-fi system’s game too, some of those looking for a system boost might reasonably prefer a dedicated system alternative with more suitable connections, such as the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M. And while those familiar with Chord’s most affordable product will see from the accompanying image that the aesthetic hasn’t exactly been overhauled for the sequel, significant progress has been made elsewhere to protect its position as the pinnacle of portable DACs. The fittingly named Mojo 2 is the long-anticipated, re-engineered replacement to the 2015-released original Mojo, which burst onto the scene as a real benchmark-setting game-changer in the then-fledgling world of portable DACs/headphone amps. Read our full iFi Zen DAC V2 review The best portable DAC The Zen Air DAC is even more affordable, but we're yet to put that one through its paces. Offering a significant upgrade over computer sound quality in an era where people need it most, the Zen DAC V2 is another feather in the cap for iFi’s budget Zen series. At the other end is another Pentaconn balanced output, which sits alongside the more conventional 6.3mm socket. This budget DAC, which can be USB or mains powered (though a mains adapter doesn’t come in the box), is excellent in both the features and performance department for the money.Īt one end is a USB Type B input, plus RCA line-level and 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced outputs. The output of the Zen DAC can be switched between fixed and variable, meaning the iFi can operate as a digital preamp if you so wish. They pay off, as the DAC's current What Hi-Fi? Award-winning status demonstrates. It’s what iFi has done with its budget home DAC and headphone amp offering, with the original Zen DAC now making way for a ‘V2’ model that offers improvements in terms of processing, MQA decoding and circuitry. But at the same time we realise that in a competitive industry such as hi-fi, making the best even better off your own back isn’t necessarily a bad idea. The ‘if it ain’t broke…’ saying isn’t lost on us. The very best DACs, such as those listed below, will make your hi-fi, desktop or portable audio system sing, but something sub-optimal – or sticking to the ones used in regular do-it-all components like those mentioned above – will prevent you from getting the most out of your set-up. So they play an instrumental part in making digital music worthwhile for many of us. Indeed, without a DAC your digital music collection is nothing but a sizeable collection of “0s and 1s” that makes sense only within the digital domain. (Essentially, if a digital device has a headphone jack or another audio output, know that it has a DAC built-in.) Any device that delivers digital sound – be it a laptop, games console, portable music player or phone – requires a DAC to convert its digital audio to an analogue signal before it can be output to speakers, headphones or another analogue device. ![]() You might not realise it, but most of us make use of at least one digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) every single day. |
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