headphones


We’ve always had a soft spot for Ultimate Ears, but things are getting crazy now that it’s flush with all that Logitech money: the headphone makers just introduced the Ultimate Ears 18 Pro custom monitors, which feature six drivers in each earbud. That’s right, six drivers: two each for bass, mids, and treble, along with a four-way crossover and a three-channel design that keeps each low, mid, and high frequencies isolated until they reach your ears. Yeah, we want them — too bad they cost $1,350. We’ll stick with our Super.fi 5 Pros for now then, thanks.

Ultimate Ears 18 Pro headphones feature six drivers per ear originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You didn’t have to wait until now to pick up Sony’s MDR-NC300D noise-canceling earphones — after all, they’ve been imported from Japan since their June debut. Still, now that the ‘buds are hitting official status US routes in February, it’ll be a heck of a lot easier to make that impulse buy. No price mentioned, but expect at least a few Benjamins to automatically eject from your wallet.

Sony’s noise-canceling earphones US-bound in February originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Etymotic is holding down fort in the iLounge Pavilion at CES showcasing its new line of less expensive moving-coil based headphones. The mc-series consists of the hf2, hf3, and hf5, and employs the moving-coil sound tech instead of more expensive balanced armiture hardware. As Etymotic explained, it’s the extra air chamber that makes the moving coil acoustics better than they would normally be. We’re not crazy audiophiles, and we can’t really make a realistic judgment in the middle of the Las Vegas Convention Center, but the sound quality was definitely passable. They’ve got a couple of models sporting in-line remote controls for iPhone / iPod touch, and you can score ‘em in any color to match your iPod nano. Check the neon ‘buds out in our gallery below.

Etymotic moving-coil based earphones ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modder merges Bose headphones with inline Apple remote, shows you how
Everybody knows that Apple's default headphones aren't the best, and while many would argue that those from Bose aren't exactly top-notch either, they're surely a step up. What if you want Cupertino's inline controls and some over-the-ear isolation from Framingham's most famous foreign-sounding speaker company? That's what Freddy Deeble wanted, and that's what he achieved. What seems like a challenging feat is actually a reasonably straightforward mod if you have some soldering skills -- and a general disregard for warranties. The whole process is described in a thoroughly helpful video after the break but, as always, don't call us if you wind up with a set of severed wires and a smoldering pile of rosin.

[Thanks, Freddy]

Continue reading Modder merges Bose headphones with inline Apple remote, shows you how (video)

Modder merges Bose headphones with inline Apple remote, shows you how (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With product names like "Endorphin Rush," "Freedom," and "The Tiger Eyes" for its headphones, it's always been clear that Jaybird strives for a little bit more when it comes to the image associated with its listening devices. So naturally the imaginatively named "SB1 Sportsband" set of Bluetooth headphones would bring one of the classiest designs we've seen for that purpose, and certainly Jaybird's most stunning contribution to the market. The headphones boast about eight hours of stereo music use, feature moisture-protected music controls, and can even handle the odd call or two. They're shipping now for $89.

[Thanks, Matt A.]

Jaybird's SB1 Sportsband Bluetooth headphones finally find their aesthetic calling originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Every time trade shows such as CES and CEDIA open their doors, the collective masses are flooded with headphone after headphone, speaker after speaker. After awhile, one driver looks just as round as the next, and frankly, you start to take for granted what all goes into bringing the tunes we all dig to our ears, dens and underutilized kitchens. One of the mainstays in the audio industry opened their doors up to us this past weekend, and it didn't take much arm pulling to get us inside. We've generally found the design and sound qualities associated with Klipsch gear to be top-shelf, and we've struggled in the past to find too many gripes with the headphones and sound systems we've had the opportunity to review. Needless to say, we were quite curious to hear about (and see) what all goes into imagining, designing, testing and qualifying the 'buds and speakers that we've enjoyed for so many years, and if you share that same level of curiosity, join us after the break for the full walkthrough (and a few heretofore unreleased secrets, to boot).

Continue reading Klipsch headquarters walkthrough: behind the scenes and between the ears

Klipsch headquarters walkthrough: behind the scenes and between the ears originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We recently had the opportunity to tour Klipsch's headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, and while we're currently working up a walk-through showing off gobs of behind the scenes footage from the design lab and quality assurance facilities, we gathered two particularly juicy tidbits that simply couldn't wait. The outfit informed us that since the Image S4i earbuds have been such a success, it will soon be adding its three-button iPhone microphone / remote to the top-of-the-line Image X10, and as you may expect, the resulting product will go by the name Image X10i. They'll officially debut in the same gold and black motif at CES, and they should ship to consumers in early 2010 for $349 (while the original X10 falls to $299). The other discovery was that the hot-selling S4i earbuds (which we tested out a few months ago) will soon be shipping in a fresh color scheme (black and white, as seen above) and with the same metal tin that the S4 currently ships with. This is actually the first third-party headphone set with an integrated Made for iPhone remote / microphone that Cupertino has agreed to sell in white, and we can safely say that this two-tone look will probably have the Apple zealots drooling. Everything else about the $99 set remains the same as the standard S4i (including the cable material, electronics and price), and while we couldn't confirm, we'd say that chances are high for future color options to sneak out in the S4 / S4i range. Check out the new wares in the gallery below.

Exclusive: Klipsch introduces iPhone-friendly Image X10i and black / white S4i earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Marcus, who's looking to hook himself up with a solid USB headset / microphone for Skype calling, podcasting and just generally having a royally great time.
"I've found myself using my PC for a lot of conversations lately, and I'm also considering recording a podcast to share with anyone who will listen. There are tons of USB headset / microphones out there, and I'm hoping someone has some solid recommendations based on experience. I'll consider both headsets and standalone mics, by the way, but I'd like to keep the bill under $100 if possible. Help!"
To be completely honest, we're still trying to determine for ourselves which device is best for these kinds of activities. If you've found a diamond in the proverbial rough, spill it in comments below, won'tcha?

Ask Engadget: Best headset / microphone for podcasting? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Headphones have a magic way of tangling themselves in inexplicably complicated knots. Many techniques for keeping headphones tangle-free work but they badly kink and over tighten them in the process. Use an over-under wrap for easy and cord-friendly storage.

Over at HackCollege they tested out a bunch of different cord-wrapping techniques with the goal of finding a technique that was easy to use, didn't impart kinks or curls to the headphone cord, stress the headphone jack, or require any fancy undoing to return the headphones to their natural state. They ended up using an over-under wrap held in place with a simple twist tie. Watch the video below to see it in action—you can jump to around the 1 minute mark to skip the intro and get right into the technique.

Have another cord-wrapping technique or tool that you think is a better solution? (We've always liked the devil horns method.) Let's hear about it in the comments.




When you've got the brand cachet of a Bowers & Wilkins, the decision to launch your first-ever headphone will be met head-on with plenty of pre-defined market expectations. But with products spread wide across diverse audio tastes and prices, well, pretty much anything goes. So it's probably no surprise then to find B&W prostrating itself to the dollar with its P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphone. These Made for iPod noise-isolating cans with speech and device control are meant for use far beyond your carefully constructed "critical listening" audio nest at home. You can, however, swap out the iPod cable for the B&W supplied gold-plated cable by popping off the magnetically attached ear pad. Mind you, the P5 does not offer electronic noise cancelation, instead, the listener is isolated through a combination of the P5's closed-back design and sealed leather ear pads. They also bring the promise of "unfatiguing performance" thanks to B&W developed ultra-linear neodynium magnets and Mylar diaphragms. Naturally, we'll reserve judgment until these babies ship sometime in January.
Show full PR text
Bowers & Wilkins headphones hit the streets

Concert for one


Unfatiguing natural sound gets you closer to the music. Noise isolating design for use on the move. Metal an sealed-leather construction maximizes comfort, for life-long listening. Made for iPod(R), weith cables supplied for speech and device control.


Bowers & Wilkins is proud to announce its first ever headphone. Designed for use on the move, the P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphone allows people to have Bowers & Wilkins sound quality wherever they are.

Some 45 years of audio experience has gone into the P5; close to five-decades of research into what true sound is. The ultimate aim of all Bowers & Wilkins products is to bring the listener as close as possible to the sound intended by the recording engineers. That is as true of the world-renowned 800 Series speakers used in the likes of Abbey Road Studio, as it is for the best sounding premium iPod(R) speaker available, Zeppelin. And now it's true for Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones.

Recognizing that many mobile headphones can be tiring when listened to over extended periods, Bowers & Wilkins' engineers at the world-famous Stenying Research Establishment have worked tirelessly to produce a headphone with a natural, unfatiguing performance. The use of specially developed ultra-linear neodymium magnets and highly optimized Mylar diaphragms provide the best possible sound quality. As always, countless hours of critical listening and tuning have played a major part in the P5's natural and engaging performance.

This pristine sound performance is married to design and construction techniques aimed at isolating as much noise as possible, for consumers that do not require full electronic noise cancellation. This isolation is achieved through a combination of the closed-back design featuring a rigid metal faceplate, and the sealed-leather ear pads. These materials not only remove a lot of external noise, providing an enveloping listening experience without completely removing the user's sense of place, they also offer an extremely comfortable user experience. The leather-clad headband has been designed for extreme comfort where it interfaces with the side of the head, while the softest available sheep's leather from New Zealand has been used for the ear pads. Recognizing the dominance of Apple's iPod and iPhone(R) in the portable media market, the P5 comes supplied with a Made For iPod approved cable, which allows for speech and device control. It also comes supplied with a high-quality, standard audio cable with gold-plated plugs. Switching between the two is facilitated by the magnetically attached ear pads, which simply pop off allowing access to the cable.

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin and Zeppelin Mini provide the best possible sound from an iPod at home, and now the P5 lets you take that great performance with you wherever you go. Bowers & Wilkins P5 is available from January 2010 To find your nearest Bowers & Wilkins stockist visit www.bowers-wilkins.com.

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Bowers & Wilkins first ever P5 headphones follow the iPod money trail originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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