BlueAnt X5 Stereo Bluetooth Headset

The good

• Quite large
• 3.5mm adaptor for non-Bluetooth devices
• Easy to use controls

The bad

• Detachable boom microphone
• Flat overall sound

Comfort/fit/fashion

BlueAnt’s X5s are large for Bluetooth headphones — although not quite as chunky as the Jabra BT620S — with very comfortable leather-style headphone coverings — this makes them very comfortable to wear, although like the Samsung SBH170, they can tend to feel a little loose around the back of the head — your experience may vary. The BlueAnt logo on the X5s is fairly inconspicuous, although the obvious Bluetooth logo on the side might just make you a mugging target.

Where the X5s stand out from the Bluetooth headphone pack is in the inclusion of a standard 3.5mm audio-jack connector, which lets you use the X5 headset with non-Bluetooth devices.

Sound quality

Sound quality on the X5s was acceptable but never great, with a rather flat overall sound. If you’re listening to just phone audio or compressed music it’s probably less of a concern, but as you can use the supplied adaptor to connect up to better-quality audio sources, it’s worth noting.

Pairing/ease of use

Pairing with the X5s was very simple, with good pickup and a very good range, easily making the Bluetooth standard 10 metres from our testing devices. The simplified controls — which use short and long presses of the volume keys to perform different tasks — are easy to learn and thanks to the Braille-style nodules on them, simple to find for quick adjustment. The microphone, however, is fiddly, as it connects to the USB port on the headset, boom style, and we were constantly worried that we would lose it.

Altec Lansing Debutes BackBeat 906 Stereo Wireless Headphones

The BackBeat™ series of stereo headphones with mic provide a superior on-the-go listening experience, delivering outstanding sound quality and clear, convenient communications. Hear your outside world with a quick tap of the OpenMic™ button or enhance your music using bass-boost feature.

BackBeat 903 and 906 Bluetooth® wireless headphones incorporate Plantronics dual-mic AudioIQ® voice technology for exceptional call clarity. BackBeat 906 includes a Bluetooth adaptor to stream music from your iPod®, MP3 or other audio device.

 

Features
- Wirelessly stream and control music as you walk, run, work or play
- Separate your voice from the noise using dual-mic AudioIQ® technology
- Hear your outside world with a quick press of the OpenMic™
- Enjoy the full dynamic range of your music using bass-boost feature
- Personalize your fit with telescoping and swivel adjustments
- Easily store this flexible design in your pocket or bag

Pricing and Availability
Available late February 2009 at select CE retailers and www.alteclansing.com . BackBeat 906 retails for $129.95 (U.S. MSRP) and the BackBeat 903 (without adaptor) for $99.95 (U.S. MSRP). For more information visit: www.alteclansing.com

Sennheiser’s HD800 Headphones Cost £1,000!

Although it’s not wireless, for £1,000 I’ve got to include this in a post.

It’s described as ‘the first serious headphone of the 21st century’.  The HD800 claims to be ‘the world’s first headphones ever to truly make you forget you are wearing any’ and crafted for perfection.

Hand-made in Germany, the HD800 is on show at the Las Vegas CES.

It features:

• Sennheiser‘s most advanced driver technology: 56 mm ring radiator driver (patent pending)
• Biggest coil (40 mm) and magnet (42 mm) yet to deliver natural sound field
• Curved sonic wave front simulates spatial hearing experience (patent pending)
• Metal headband with inner damping element (patent pending)
• Four wire OFC cables with gold plated plugs
• Luxurious alcantara ear pads
• Special high precision headphone connectors
• Type: open, circum-aural dynamic stereo

Read more about these stereo heaphones.

Product Download (PDF)

AKG headphones sound out US market

From cheapo buds to premium cans

Macworld Expo  At this week's Macworld Expo, audio giant Harman International announced that it would begin selling its premium-quality headphone brand, AKG, in the US consumer market.…

Sony W-series Walkman: Wearable and wireless

There’s more than one way to do a wireless MP3 player, and building it directly into a set of headphones may seem like the easy way out, but it gets the job done.

Plus, there are none of those audio-fidelity issues you might run into with technologies such as RF and Bluetooth, which is probably why Sony elected to take this route with its new W-series Walkman. This 2GB MP3 player is built into a set of impressively small ear bud-style headphones and sports a palatable price tag of just US$69.

As you might expect, the W-series Walkman has no screen and is pretty light on extras. Music plays in shuffle mode by default, though Sony offers an innovative feature called Zappin that lets you browse through tracks by ear by playing a snippet of the chorus of each song. You can choose between long and short settings for this mode, and if you come across a song you want to hear, a press of the jog button will start it from the beginning.

The W-series Walkman, more formally termed the NWZ-W202, has a rather paltry rated battery life by Sony’s standards - a mere 12 hours - but given the ultracompact form factor, we can overlook this detail. Besides, 12 hours is more than enough for any workout we can think of. Plus, there’s quick charge, which gives you 90 minutes of battery life from a three-minute charge, and the entire 12 hours in just 30 minutes. The W-series is expected to be available by the end of March.

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Upgrades and sidegrades from Scosche

Scosche, makers of the Kickback iPhone case, is not slowing down in its support of the iPod and iPhone platforms. The company recently announced its 2009 accessories line-up for the Apple platforms.

First up in the company’s “Listen” line are the IDR400M and IDR600 ear buds and the HZ5 TuneStream Bluetooth headphones.

According to Scosche, both the ID400M and ear buds are noise isolating and the ID400M features a hands-free mic. The IDR600 also has a sliding magnetic cable management system.

The HZ5 TuneStream Bluetooth headphones have a wireless range of up to 30-feet, a hands-free mic, and offer up to eight hours of continuous playtime, according to Scosche.

Next on the list under the “Power” line is the PassPort Home Dock. A home version of Scosche’s recent car dock for the iPhone and iPod. According to Scosche, the Home Dock is designed to fix the charging error associated with several iPod docking stations. The adapter will snap into an iPod or iPhone universal dock.

According to Scosche, it will also soon begin shipping its Recoil. A car charger that features a retractable 4-foot cord and a magnetically locking dock connector.

Also coming is the accessory we’re most excited about, the Showtime (had enough trendy names yet?). The 6-foot long audiovisual cable lets users display videos from their iPod or iPhone through any display with RCA inputs.

Last but not least are new versions of the aforementioned Kickback. Now in orange and pink. As well as new versions for the iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPod Classic.

 

Tri-Specs Inc. Unveils Stereo Wireless Headphone Sunglasses

Tri-Specs Inc. Unveils High-Tech, High-Performance, High-Fidelity Sunglasses at CES

Blending fashionable designer sunglasses, wireless stereo headphones, and Bluetooth headset functionality, TriSpecs Eyewear is the hottest way to connect to mobile phones and music players.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) January 7, 2009 — Tri-Specs® Inc., the company that combines high-tech and high-fashion in user-friendly consumer electronics, is now offering Bluetooth-enabled eyewear that combines the best acoustic technology for noise cancellation and voice quality in mobile communications with acoustically enhanced, premium stereo sound for a great MP3 music experience using buttons on the arms of the glasses.

TriSpecs™ are highly styled glasses with a simple user experience and STEP Labs’ unsurpassed noise elimination acoustic technology. They combine dual microphones, dual speakers, and Bluetooth connectivity in a mobile accessory which produces the best voice quality and intelligibility on the market.

“Beyond the form and function of these glasses, their performance is without equal,” said Isaac Levy, CEO of Tri-Specs, Inc. “Once you try them, you’ll know why TriSpecs are a must-have accessory in every wireless and fashion accessory manufacturer’s product line.”

TriSpecs integrate the patented STEPvoice™ software from STEP Labs. STEPvoice uses the physics of sound propagation to define the shape and arrival time of sound waves to isolate voice signals from undesired noises. STEP Labs’ software is able to tell the difference between the wearer’s voice and other voices, sounds, and noises, preserving the natural fidelity of the voice and producing near-perfect voice recognition performance, and impeccable noise cancellation.

“The form factor of TriSpecs glasses allowed our acoustic engineers to design a dual-microphone solution that produces an unbelievable Bluetooth headset experience,” said Michael Hickerson, President of STEP Labs. “Stop by our booth at CES to hear TriSpecs’ exceptional voice quality for yourself - even when surrounded by 95 decibels of noise from the show floor.”

TriSpecs sunglasses are now available with a variety of features, styles, and colors.

• Power turns on by extending the in-ear speakers
• Voice prompts and voice dialing for easy, hands-free use
• Instant, dynamic volume to compensate for noise changes in the environment
• Retractable standard earbud speakers or upgrade with in-ear barrel speakers
• One-touch activation of phone calls
• MP3 and call control buttons on the arms of the glasses
• Available in black, white, and metallic with optional designs and style elements

Wireless OEMs, retailers, wireless carriers, and fashion accessory companies who would like to add TriSpecs to their product line are encouraged to get full details and try them in person. Tri-Specs will available throughout CES in North Hall Booth 931.

About Tri-Specs, Inc.:
Tri-Specs is a consumer electronics manufacturer that blends high-tech and high-fashion into attractive, consumer-friendly devices using worldwide patents, top designers, and quality manufacturing. New styles and features in the TriSpecs platform are released regularly and are available to be manufactured and branded for Tri-Specs customers worldwide. TriSpecs is a trademark of Tri-Specs, Inc, a New York based company. For more, please visit http://www.TRIspecs.com.

About STEP Labs
STEP Labs is a venture-backed, Silicon Valley-based acoustic software and acoustic design services company whose technology produces natural sounding voice communications even in extreme noise environments. STEP’s patented technology enables near-perfect voice recognition and hands-free communication across a wide range of wireless telecommunications and consumer electronic devices. STEP Labs, STEPware, and Step OnBoard are trademarks of STEP Labs Inc. http://www.step-labs.com

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Ears-on with Shure’s SE115 headphones

Shure unveiled its new SE115 line of in-ear headphones today at Macworld 2009. Aside from being colourful (offered in red, blue or pink), the SE115 share the same design as the SE110 headphones we reviewed last year, with the exception of the audio driver technology, which has changed from a balanced armature driver to a dynamic driver. Shure was nice enough to let me try on a pair, and the sound was undeniably beefier than we recall hearing on the SE110 but a bit lacking in the crispness associated with the balanced armature driver found in its predecessor. We only listened to the Shure SE 115 for a few songs from my Zune 80 (yes, we brought a Zune to Macworld), so we'll reserve judgement until we get to spend more time with them. Our first impressions, however, weren't earth-shattering. Sonically, we think Apple's US$79 (AU$109) dual-driver in-ear headphones offer better detail and overall balance. However, nothing can beat Shure when it comes to construction quality. Still, at US$99, the Shure SE115 are great for bass heads and offer the same awesome build quality and professional cabling you'd find on any of the company's higher-end models. You also get Shure's unique "black foam" ear tip fit kit and a generous two-year warranty.

What a Deal: Panasonic RP-BT10 iPod Wireless Headphone for $26.99

What a deal from Amazon.com.

Sale price $26.99. Regular price $199.99.

Panasonic RP-BT10 Bluetooth Headphones (White)

Stereo Wireless Headphones in 2009 Volvo XC70

Stereo wireless headphones are showing up in the coolest places…in the new 2009 Volvo XC70, stereo wireless headphones are part of the optional dual screen rear entertainment system.  Read more about the XC70, 3.2-litre inline or turbocharged six-cylinder, six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, and electronically-controlled all-wheel drive.

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