Audio – Gough's Tech Zone

Reversing the mindless enslavement of humans by technology.

Review: 1MORE Sonoflow Pro Bluetooth 5.4 ANC Over-Ear Headphones HQ51

After my LDAC adventures with my QCY Melobuds Pro, I decided to try some over-the-ear headphones instead. Thanks to yet another OzBargain posting, I was alerted to the Xiaomi-related 1MORE Sonoflow Pro HQ51 Bluetooth 5.4 ANC headphones being sold at … Continue reading →

12-29
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Analysis: Telstra Santa 2024 (#HOHOHO) – What’s Changed?

In a previous post, I announced the return of Telstra’s free calls to Santa for 2024. In that post, we were waiting for Santa to come online, but I had already determined where he was hiding in the phone network. … Continue reading →

12-26
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Alert: Telstra’s Santa Back for 2024! (#HOHOHO)

On my way to work the other day and … have you heard? Telstra’s free calls to Santa are back for 2024. They’ve even started to decorate a number of their payphone booths to advertise the initiative. Simply rock-up to … Continue reading →

11-09
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Review: QCY Melobuds Pro In-Ear Bluetooth v5.3 ANC Earbuds (BH24HT08A)

Back in November 2022, I became the lucky owner of a pair of Apple AirPods Max thanks to winning an element14 contest. Since then, it has been my daily commuter, providing a lovely amount of isolation from outside noises with … Continue reading →

11-03
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Review: FIFINE AmpliGame AM8 RGB USB/XLR Dynamic Mic

While I continue to mostly write blogs, the rest of the world has moved on to producing video content and podcasts. In our modern, cramped and noisy world, setting up the right studio environment and ensuring high production values becomes … Continue reading →

08-12
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Project: Generate High-Quality Industrial Fire/Alarm Sounder Audio with Python

I can’t believe how fast 2024 is going by … Australia Day long weekend has already come and gone. Unfortunately for me, I spent it being rather sick with a flu-like illness which I’m still recovering from … but that … Continue reading →

01-29
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Analysis: Free Calls to Santa (#HOHOHO) 2023 – Now with AI!

UPDATE: AI service ended on Christmas Day 2023, leaving a pre-recorded message only. It has become a yearly tradition at Telstra, it would seem, to offer free calls to Santa from payphones around the festive season by dialling #464646 or … Continue reading →

12-15
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Random: Happy Birthday, Reflections, Time Sinks & Toilet Rolls

It’s literally been weeks since I have posted on this blog and it makes me uncomfortable just saying that … as I have been meaning to write but things keep getting in the way. This past month has been a … Continue reading →

04-23
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Tech Flashback: Nokia 1800 Mobile Phone (w/Ringtone Recordings, feat. Virgin Mobile)

The previous post featured a Nokia 3350, a close cousin of the legendary 3310. This post looks at a much later 2G Nokia phone – a very basic product from the tail end of the Nokia’s dominance in the phone … Continue reading →

12-30
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Tech Flashback, Teardown: Nokia 3350 GSM Mobile Phone (w/Direct Ringtone Recordings)

I’m sure everyone remembers the Nokia 3310 – whether it’s because of its legendary status as being so durable that it is often depicted as being indestructible in numerous internet memes, or being such a big best-seller that they even … Continue reading →

12-29
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Update: Calling “NORAD Tracks Santa” (2022)

In my last posting, I looked at the various call-Santa lines around the world and found the NORAD Tracks Santa line at +1-877-HI-NORAD. Not having previously had any contact with such a service, all the way from Australia, I was … Continue reading →

12-26
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Event: Phoning Up Santas Around the World (in 2022)

It’s almost Christmas, which means it’s time for Santa-related postings. In one of my recent postings, I looked at Telstra’s #HO HO HO free-calls to Santa from payphones event and discovered where it is actually being run from. But perhaps … Continue reading →

12-20
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Event, Analysis: Free Calls to Santa (#HOHOHO) from Payphones (& More!)

I must have had my head in the sand for a while, as I heard about Telstra’s latest offering on the news – free calls to Santa from their payphones! Unfortunately, Channel 10 didn’t tell us the number … but … Continue reading →

12-12
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Tech Flashback: Teletypewriter (TTY/TDD) Calls, Payphones & More

The invention of the first practical telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 was taught in schools as one of several historically significant inventions that demonstrates the application of science and engineering to impact society as a whole. While the … Continue reading →

06-26
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Bumbling My Way Through Valentine’s Day 2022 with a Mixtape!

Oh my. What’s this? A package for urgent delivery to me by Valentine’s Day. That’s never happened before. As it turns out, this was a result of me entering a competition on Bumble, a dating app of sorts, which I … Continue reading →

02-12
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#JBLXMAS: JBL Wave 100TWS & Betty’s Burgers Experience

Christmas Day may have passed, but for me, it’s time to get into some Christmas presents. This season is always flush with competitions, and as someone who never turns down a chance to get their hands on something new, I … Continue reading →

12-26
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Quick Review: Lenovo Live Pods LP3 Pro BT5.0 TWS Earbuds

Merry Christmas to everyone reading this on Christmas Day. Today, I have another gift to myself which doubles up as an impulse buy. I’ve never owned a set of true-wireless stereo in-ears before. Part of the reason is that in-ears … Continue reading →

12-25
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Random: Sydney in Lockdown, Public Transport & Random Observations (& More)

It’s been around two months since my last random posting and lots of things have changed. Unfortunately, with my head buried in work, I’ve accumulated a lot of random thoughts and observations which have been bouncing around my head … … Continue reading →

06-27
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Random: Farewell 2020 at Long Last? Introspection with a Side of Random

It’s been ages since I’ve posted a random post – which is no surprise since I usually fill them up with “random” content which I record on my day to day outings. But this year has been completely different – … Continue reading →

12-27
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2020JP: Nagasaki Pt 5 – Planes, Trains (but no Automobiles)

I’ve done a good deal of writing about my experiences in Nagasaki and the tramway which runs through it, but I haven’t focused at all on how I got to and from there in the first place. In this post, … Continue reading →

04-18
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