CDR-King SATA HDD Docking Station Combo (CW-D2)

Docking Station Combo w/ 3.5 HDD loaded

Necessity is the mother of invention.  I was in a bind when my desktop's power supply was destroyed.  I was rarely using the unit anyway and I was already using laptops.  The desktop was more than 5 years old and I was given the option to buy a new power supply and LCD monitor, since it's CRT monitor is already busted anyway.  The desktop's bios is already acting up and I only need my files.

CDR-King SATA HDD Docking Station Combo (CW-D2)

memory card reader on the front of the docking station

So I decided to just buy a SATA HDD enclosure for my existing Hard Drive.  As I was buying the HDD enclosure, this docking station combo caught my eye.  It's almost the same price and has more options, by just removing and replacing a HDD, much like game cartridges of old Family Computer (NES) days.

back portion of the Docking Station Combo

This Docking Station Combo can be used for 2.5 & 3.5 HDD sizes. And has card readers on the front and 2 USB connections at the back for flash drives.









There are three(3) models to choose from, as far as I know, one has no USB ports at the back and no memory card readers on the front, the other one has an additional eSATA port at the back.

Only difference per model is P100(about $2), the model I bought cost P680(about $16).  

Note: Hard Disk Drives used here are SATA versions.

CD-R King website page for the product: http://www.cdrking.com/?mod=products&type=view&sid=11726&main=165

Behringer HPM1000 Multi-Purpose Headphone

Behringer HPM1000

Ok, before we talk about Behringer HPM1000, let me explain how I started obsessing with headphones.  As I mentioned on my last blog, I am currently obsessed with headphones.  I'm not into the brands and hype of a headphone.  I'm more into the clear quality of sound at the right price.  I would gladly buy a good pair of earphones, as long as it is within a reasonable price range.  What is exactly the reasonable price range for me?  I would say about within the price range of 1,000Php (about $22) to 2,000Php (about $45).  It could go beyond 2,000 but not beyond 3,000Php (about $68).

I was hooked to good earphones by Superlux brand, thru their ad on Facebook.  So yes, at times, the ads in Facebook works as long as the person viewing it has interest or curiosity in someway.  I was curious on what the fuzz is all about, since at that time, for me a headphone is just like an earphone/earbud and vice versa.

So, how good is the Behringer brand?  It's quite good, actually.  The model HPM1000 is ideal for movies on a laptop and music.  It feels good on the head and ears.  I have been using it for more than 3 months.  It's still performs well, and believe me, I'm a rugged user of headphones.  The sound is good for the price of Php1,200 (about $28).

Let's see the pros and cons of this headphone:

Cons:

1. Looks cheap and cannot be used as status symbol (like Monster's Beats by Dr. Dre)
2. Sweat and oil sticks to the pads, and there is something on the top padding that hits my noggin, but after a while you get use to it. 
3. As with most headphones, you need to remove them once in a while for your ears to dry-out from sweat

Pros:

1. Sound quality is good for the price, especially in movies.
2. Built sturdy and would last longer than expected
3. Feels good on the head with the padding design they have
4. Bass is good and can be used for games and music
5. Comes with a larger jack, you can screw on and then plug directly to your hifi-stereo
6. L shape portion on the jack.. you won't have to worry about accidentally pulling the jack off your device, impossible when the thick cable is more than a meter long.

Sure, you will see an imitation of same design, but does it sound the same as the original?

Before I bought my Behringer orignal headphone.  I bought an imitation from a local store, CDR-King, it's an exact copy except it was a headset and colored black.  The headset sounded OK, but was not the same as the original and it broke after using it for a month.  The  Behringer orignal headphone I'm reviewing lasted more than 3 months, and will probably last more than 2 years... I'll blog about this headphone again after a year or when it breaks.

Bought my Behringer headphone pair from In-Tune music store in Robinsons Galleria.  They do have other branches, they have one in SM Megamall, as far as I know.