November 2021 - 16

Studio Upgrade Roundup
Omnicharge: Omni 20+
and OMNI ULTIMATE
Omnicharge builds portable power solutions for laptops,
smartphones, cameras, tablets, etc. While not explicitly
designed for the audio industry, they can also easily
power a portable keyboard, drum machine, and even an
audio interface. For review, I was sent the OMNI 20+ and
the larger OMNI ULTIMATE. These are not your typical
pocket-sized power banks.
The OMNI 20+ measures 5.0 " x 4.8 " x 1.1 " and
weighs 1.35 lbs. It ships with two USB-C charging cables
(USB-C and USB 3.0). It uses an 18650 Li-ion battery and
has a 20,000mAh, 71Wh ± 5% capacity.
The front of the unit has three buttons for power, outlet
controls and menu navigation via a handy OLED screen.
Around the back are two 18W USB-A ports, a 3-prong
100W AC input, a 60W USB-C port, and a 150W DC
barrel connector. The latter two ports are bi-directional;
they can charge or be charged. Finally, the top of the unit
supports 10W wireless charging.
The OMNI ULTIMATE is a larger 6.6 " x 5.7 " x 2.1 " beast
that weighs 3.08 lbs. It boasts an 18650 Li-ion battery
with a 38,400mAh, 142Wh ± 5% capacity. It comes with
an external DC power cable and a special adaptor cable
for charging its removable battery. An onboard socket
allows you to recharge said battery while running off a
second spare battery, meaning zero downtime in the field.
It also features three buttons and an OLED screen on the
front, two 18W USB-A ports, a 3-prong 100W AC input,
a 60W USB-C port, and 150W DC barrel connector. It
does not offer wireless charging.
Both units are fully configurable, allowing you to choose
which ports are active, and each one supports passthrough
power (you can power other devices as it charges). The
OLED screen offers detailed visual feedback of power consumption,
and the OMNI ULTIMATE provides even greater
control over each port's power needs.
Both units have been indispensable since they arrived,
most often powering and charging my iPhone XS Max,
iPad Pro and powered gimbal during long video shoots.
While the OMNI 20+ is perfectly sized and powered for
the above tasks, the OMNI ULTIMATE is the ultimate companion
for remote recording and mixing gigs. It was able
to recharge my laptop and effortlessly supplied power to
my portable audio interface as well. I also found both units
handy when 'glamping' in our vintage camper, handling
portable rechargeable lanterns and keeping our smartphones
juiced while we slept.
Price: $199 OMNI 20+; $399 OMNI ULTIMATE
More from: omnicharge.co
16 RECORDING November 2021
OWC: Envoy Pro Elektron
Other World Computing (OWC) is well known for its
high-performance enclosures, memory upgrades and storage
solutions. Its latest hard drive offering is the OWC
Envoy Pro Elektron, a super-compact 3 " x 2 " x .5 " USB-C
3.2 solid state hard drive available from 240GB up to
2TB storage capacities. The drives ship with a 26 " USB-C
cable that includes a USB A adaptor.
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is fully sealed in a dustproof
/ waterproof aluminum body (IP67-darn near indestructible)
that disperses heat. The Elektron is one of the
fastest USB-C drives in the OWC stable, boasting a speed
of 10Gb/s.
I put a 1TB model to work as a portable audio and video
drive. On my 2019 USB-C equipped Mac Mini, I achieved
speeds of 900MB/s. On my older 2013 iMac, using an
OWC Thunderbolt Dock, I was able to get speeds in the
700MB/s range. This is twice as fast in most cases than my
older USB and Thunderbolt 1 drives, most of which topped
out in the 300-400MB/s range. Check out the OWC Envoy
Pro Elektron if you are after a portable, bullet-proof and
ultra-fast SSD for samples, video, and/or audio work.
Price: $249 (1TB)
More From: shop.macsales.com
http://shop.macsales.com http://www.omnicharge.co
November 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2021
