Tag Archives: headphones

Final’s Porta wireless on-ear headphones strip back the headband to just 40 grams

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Japanese audio brand Final has introduced Porta, a pair of wireless on-ear headphones that rethink one of the most familiar elements of headphone design – the headband. Unlike most headphones with a conventional padded arch, the Porta uses a minimal, single-wire structure called AirWire, reducing the headphones’ weight to approximately 40 grams while aiming to make extended listening more comfortable.

The AirWire design minimises the area of contact between the headphones and the wearer’s head. According to Final, this approach reduces pressure on the top of the head, a common source of discomfort with traditional headphones. The lightweight construction also gives the Porta an unusually stripped-back appearance, with a thin metal-like frame connecting two compact earcups. The pair of cans is a minimalist accessory that goes well with your other no-nonsense gadgets.

Designer: Final

Porta’s aesthetic draws on the visual language of older portable audio equipment. Its orange ear pads recall the bright accents associated with classic Sony Walkman headphones, while a black version offers a more understated alternative. Both variants share the same main body, with the ear-pad colour providing the visual distinction. Final also plans to sell replacement ear pads separately in 2027, giving owners the option to refresh the look without replacing the entire product.

Despite its lightweight construction and retro appearance, the pair of cans incorporates modern wireless connectivity. Bluetooth 5.4 enables connection to compatible devices, while support for the SBC and AAC audio codecs provides compatibility with a broad range of smartphones and other Bluetooth audio sources. The headphones have a stated frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz.

Final says the Porta has been tuned to deliver a lively presentation, with a sense of depth and substance in the midrange and lower frequencies. The company highlights vocal weight as a particular consideration in its sound design, addressing the challenge of maintaining a full listening experience in a lightweight headphone enclosure. These are manufacturer claims rather than independently verified performance results.

A 57mAh lithium-ion battery provides up to eight hours of music playback on a charge. Recharging takes approximately 90 minutes through USB-C, keeping the charging process straightforward. The headphones also carry an IPX4 rating, indicating resistance to water splashes, which offers some protection during everyday use and light exercise.

The design does involve trade-offs. The Porta does not offer active noise cancellation, a feature found in many contemporary wireless headphones. Its modest battery capacity and eight-hour rated playback time also place the emphasis on everyday convenience and low weight rather than extended listening between charges.

Final has priced the Porta at ¥12,800 (approximately $80), with availability in Japan scheduled for October 23, 2026. International availability has not been confirmed, although the brand sells products through its Amazon storefront.

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These retro-modern Headphones put audio adjustments on physical dials and tactile switches

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Adjusting your headphones shouldn’t mean searching for a tiny button or guessing where to tap a touch-sensitive surface. TUNE X3 explores a more hands-on approach, using knurled dials and physical switches that let users feel their way through everyday audio adjustments. Designed by Pressec Design as part of a fictional product family, these concept headphones make tactile interaction a defining feature of their industrial design.

The headphones pair a brushed aluminium chassis with high-contrast orange textile padding across the ear cushions and headband. The raw metallic finish recalls mid-century studio equipment, while the saturated fabric creates a bold visual contrast. Exposed fasteners and a wide-profile headband reinforce the utilitarian character, giving TUNE X3 the appearance of precision equipment. This is a detour from the currently trending minimalist consumer gadgets. It’s like bringing in a muscle car in the era of Tesla EVs.

Designer: Pressec Design

The physical controls are the core of the niche concept. Dedicated dials and tactile switches handle volume, treble, and active noise cancellation (ANC), giving users distinct controls for common listening toggles. Their knurled surfaces provide texture under the fingers, making the interface feel more deliberate than a smooth touch panel. The design suggests a listening experience in which users can reach for a control, recognize it by touch, and make adjustments without navigating an onscreen menu. While the concept does not establish how the controls perform in practice, it places physical interaction at the heart of the headphone experience.

TUNE X3 is part of the same fictional product family as the CINE X3. The designer developed both concepts around a consistent visual language, carrying shared characteristics across the collection without simply repeating the same shapes. Materials, proportions, finishes, and hardware details establish continuity while allowing each product to retain its own identity.

The project also explores how Vizcom can support product-family development by using previous designs as references. This approach helps designers preserve a recognizable character across multiple concepts while continuing to explore distinct forms and functions.

TUNE X3 remains a conceptual design, with no confirmed release date, price, or technical specifications. Its core idea is straightforward – physical controls can make headphone interaction feel more immediate and intentional, while giving the product a distinctive identity shaped by the way users handle it.

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4 Times a Day the StillFrame Headphones Switch Jobs For You

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A lot of people spend the entire eight hours of a working day just sitting in front of their screens. You probably have your speakers on or put on your headphones to listen to some background music or for online meetings. But for those of us who don’t want to spend one-third of the day like this, we go through different “phases,” which means that the audio that accompanies us throughout the day also changes. From commuting to work to sitting down at your workstation to going on a dinner date and finally relaxing at home, you don’t want the same setting all day.

That’s the more interesting way to look at the StillFrame Headphones. Rather than asking them to create one uninterrupted listening session, imagine taking them through a day full of stops and starts. They offer Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes, Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, a USB-C wired option, and dual microphones with noise control. Each feature has a place in that routine, even if no two days follow quite the same route.

Click Here to Buy Now: $245

The first part of the day for most of those who go to a regular office is the morning commute. You might be on a noisy train with a lot of people talking or walking along a busy street with a lot of city noise. StillFrame’s Noise Cancelling mode will help you focus on what you’re listening to and drown out some of the chaotic noise around you. It is always there as an option for times when you want to immerse yourself in your playlist or the next chapter of the book you’re listening to.

When you do need to let the world back in, you don’t have to turn off your podcast episode at a crucial moment. The headphones have a Transparency Mode option that’s there with a tap for moments when you need to order a coffee or you’re walking somewhere that requires your full attention. Just tap between the two modes for what you need at the moment without having to pause or stop what you’re listening to. It’s also a good reminder that the world isn’t always a distraction.

When you finally reach your office, you might have a scheduled meeting sometime during the day. StillFrame is useful even for work things, as it has dual microphones with noise control so you can shift from consuming audio to communicating with others using the headphones. That doesn’t mean every conversation will sound perfect in every environment. It does mean you can move from a podcast or playlist to a meeting without reaching for a separate pair of headphones just because your role in the audio has changed.

When you finally get home to your cozy bed, you sometimes still want to continue listening to that audiobook, start a new podcast episode, or let some soothing music lull you to sleep. You can choose to continue using your StillFrame headphones over Bluetooth 5.4 or use the USB-C wired option if you’d rather plug in. Either way, the wired option is an alternative to wireless listening and not a reason to assume the headphones will work after their battery runs out.

A few other details help round out the picture. StillFrame weighs 103 grams and has a stainless-steel headband, a minimalist frame, and 40mm drivers. Its ear cushions attach magnetically, making them easy to swap; the white model comes with extra pairs in light gray and turquoise. Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours per charge, though actual use may vary. Those details aren’t the main story here, but they help explain what you’re carrying from one part of the day to the next.

No pair of headphones can make a commute quiet, a meeting short, or a busy day slow down. What StillFrame Headphones offer is a set of ways to respond as those moments change. You can focus, let the world in, take a call, or settle into an evening listen. The best setting isn’t one you choose in the morning and keep all day. It’s the one that fits where you are now.

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Improved Neurable One ANC headphones actively track brain activity while sounding great

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Neurable has been working on non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) technology for decades now. They now bring years of R&D in neuroscience to practical consumer electronics for everyday living. Just like we use tracking devices and smartwatches to get insight into vital bodily functions, the company wants to make brain health and cognitive performance commonplace.

A few years ago, they introduced the MW75 Neuro headphones in collaboration with Master & Dynamics, and we were already impressed. Now Neurable has launched a pair of cans that are better and developed a standalone. The basic functionality remains the same, as the headphones track your brain wave activity throughout the day to identify the high-focus times and the ones where you start to fade off.

Designer: Neurable

The latter is an important insight as you’ll be prompted to take a break, or dive deeper into your cognitive performance thanks to the Smart Brain Breaks feature. It’s like keeping a tab of your mental health, just like we do with our physical health using wearable trackers. This new version improves on the one developed in conjunction with M&D, as Neurable headphones now track live and long-term data. This is important, since you’ll now get notifications when your focus tasks, meditation routines, or sleep are not optimal.

According to Ramses Alcaide, CEO of Neurable, “Neurable One is the product we’ve been working toward for more than a decade. It takes everything we’ve learned about bringing brain sensing out of the lab and makes it intuitive and useful in everyday life.” The latest version saves data over longer sessions, even outside the specific focus sessions. As per Ramses, a stable reading can be ensured when data is collected over weeks and months. The Neurable One headphones do exactly that, leading to more reliable analysis.

The headphones do the heavy lifting as they combine audio performance, clean ANC functionality, and EEG tracking in real time. These cans are lighter and more comfortable to wear, compared to the earlier versions. The 12 EEG sensors are integrated into the ear pads for continuous tracking without the user even realizing it. The brainwave data gathered from the tracking is analyzed and presented as meaningful insights via the compatible Android or iOS app.

Of course, at the end of the day, these are a pair of cans that are meant for enjoying your favorite tunes, so they need to sound good. Loaded with 40mm beryllium drivers and six microphones, the headphones promise crisp audio delivery and satisfying ANC and Ambient mode performance. The battery life of 22 hours will get you through music listening marathons, but bear in mind, the number drops to 12 hours when the EEG mode is turned on. That means you’ll get through a day of listening to music and subconscious brain analysis going on in the background for long-term mental health. The headphones are priced at $499, which is a bit steep, but you’ll have to consider the functionality they bring to the table.

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HiBy’s $99 W4 Is the Headphone Adapter That Refuses to Look Like One

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You’d think wired headphones and earplugs would have gone the way of the dodo, along with the 3.5mm jack in smartphones. Of course, everyone still has a pair they swear by, or ones that no advanced or premium pair of earbuds have ever managed to outdo yet, but they can no longer be used with your smartphone. The HiBy W4 HiFi Amplifier, however, wants to change the game, and unlike the usual anonymous and uninspiring adapter, it comes in bright colors and with chunky controls that are only too happy to be seen in public.

Portable audio adapters conjure up images of black boxes or dongles that dangle from a phone’s USB port, functional but terribly inelegant. The W4 goes in the opposite direction with a geometric design that’s almost Bauhaus-inspired: a chunky square with a touch of color, and a ridged volume dial that’s just begging to be turned. It’s both retro and modern in a delightful way.

Designer: HiBy

The HiBy W4 is all about the tactile experience. The volume dial lets users easily control the volume without looking, a time-saver when the amplifier or your phone is tucked in the bag. The 2-inch touchscreen shows playback information and puts settings under your fingertips, literally, giving your thumb something to poke at other than your phone and its myriad distractions.

Of course, having a Hi-Fi amplifier, no matter how portable, means carrying yet another thing in your pocket or bag. With MagSafe being all the rage these days, it’s no surprise that HiBy offers an optional magnetic backplate to keep your MagSafe-compatible phone or case and the W4 cozy together. What is surprising, though, is that the plate doesn’t come standard with the package.

The HiBy W4 doesn’t magically make your wired headphones wireless, and a cable will still run from your favorite pair into the box. Bluetooth 5.4, however, takes care of the “last mile” between your phone and the amplifier, supporting both LDAC and other aptX formats your phone supports. Dual CS43198 DAC chips handle the conversion, all without you having to worry about such technical matters.

The W4 supports both the usual 3.5mm jack as well as an additional 4.4mm balanced output for headphones with two cables. Additionally, you can also use the W4 with a computer via USB-C, serving as a desktop DAC. Since the same port is used for charging, the W4 has a special “UnCharge” mode that prevents the connected device from charging the W4’s internal battery, saving your laptop or your phone from additional drainage.

That built-in battery is convenient, though it does mean you have another thing to remember to keep charged before you step out the door. The W4 is advertised to last up to 6.3 hours of continuous AAC playback on a full charge. That number is for the 3.5mm jack only, though, and the uptime goes down to 5 hours if you start using the 4.4mm output as well.

At $99, the HiBy W4 is admittedly a hard sell unless you’re a true-blooded audiophile. It doesn’t completely make headphone cables disappear, its optional magnetic phone attachment is sold separately, and it’s yet another gadget you have to remember to charge and take with you. It does, however, save your favorite headphones from being left out of innovation, and the bright, vibrant colors offer a choice of style to go along with it.

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Nothing’s $399 Headphones Take Aim at Sony, Bose, and Apple at Once

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Consumer electronics have usually been opaque, literally and figuratively, but there was a time when manufacturers actually glorified transparent designs. Nothing tried to bring back that design, as well as that culture, including its first over-ear headphones that let you see part of what makes it tick. The new Headphones (1) Pro pushes that even further by cramming three separate drivers in each cup, then pricing it at only $399. It’s clearly aiming for the likes of Sony, Bose, and Apple, but with an important promise: better sound should look like something rather than nothing at all.

Three drivers isn’t merely a “more is better” kind of deal. It drastically changes how a cup functions by splitting roles: a 40 mm dynamic driver handles bass, a smaller precision driver takes the mids, and a solid-state xMEMS unit with a silicon diaphragm covers treble. This helps avoid muddiness that results from a single driver trying to cover the entire frequency range, especially at the same time.

Designer: Nothing

With titanium arms and glass panels, it’s a design and engineering miracle that the Headphones (1) Pro is actually 2 grams lighter than its predecessor at 327g. That’s thanks to Nothing’s typical outside-the-box thinking, modifying the internal frame structure rather than simply swapping out materials. It might sound over-engineered, but your head and ears will thank Nothing for it, especially during a long cross-country flight.

Those additions don’t come at the cost of comfort, thankfully. With a 10% wider headband, softer cushions, and an 8mm silicone baffle inside each ear pad to improve the seal against your skin, Nothing wants to make you feel like you’re wearing nothing at all, pardon the pun.

Glass sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but Nothing’s got you covered here as well with drop tests to ensure its survivability. Even if it does crack, a plastic film still keeps things working so you don’t have to weep over your new travel companion. Plus, the panels are designed to make it easy for a technician to heat it from the outside and remove it, both for replacement as well as for repairing parts inside.

You might think that over-ear headphones wouldn’t need much noise cancellation, but Nothing wasn’t leaving things to chance. A total of 10 microphones are employed for adaptive noise cancellation, advertising a whopping 46db of reduction. There’s a new Flat EQ switch as well, giving listeners a bit more control over tuning, an appeal to those who need to work with sound rather than just listen to it.

The one thing that does take a bit of a hit is battery life, now down to around 30 to 68 hours, with and without noise cancellation, respectively. That said, Nothing makes up for it with super-fast charging that juices up the headphones for around four hours of playback with just five minutes of charging. The Nothing Headphones (1) Pro doesn’t just bump up the specs but has also redesigned the lifestyle accessory to fade into the background, leaving nothing between you and the music you love.

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Most Headphone Cushions Fail Eventually, Beats 360 Made That the Point

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A headphone’s cushions usually wear out quietly, flattening over months until someone finally notices the sound has gotten muffled and the padding has gone stiff. Beats 360 turns that inevitable decline into a design feature instead, building its entire flagship around cushions you’re meant to swap on purpose, not just replace once they’ve failed. It’s the first Beats over-ear model built this way, and that single decision reshapes almost everything else about the product.

Two cushion textures ship as genuine alternatives rather than one default with a spare in the box. Performance Knit brings a breathable, athletic feel suited to workouts, while UltraPlush trades that airiness for a softer, quieter grip around the ear. Both come in colors like Black, Cloud, Pink, and Sky, with extra shades sold separately, turning a single headphone into something closer to a wardrobe piece than a fixed gadget.

Designer: Beats by Dre, Apple

That swapping only works because Beats rebuilt the internal engineering around it. Moving to a wireless-first design freed up headband space once reserved for cable routing, letting engineers redirect that room toward weight distribution and tension instead. The result carries less bulk pressing down during a long run or a full workday at a desk, without sacrificing the structural integrity needed to survive an actual gym bag.

Durability gets a genuine upgrade alongside comfort. Beats 360 carries an IPX4 sweat and water resistance rating, a first for the brand’s over-ear lineup, achieved partly by re-engineering the rear acoustic chamber rather than just sealing a few seams. Sweat during a workout or a sudden downpour on a commute stops being a reason to leave these at home, which matters more than any spec sheet number for how often they’ll actually get worn.

Sound quality moves forward through genuinely new hardware rather than incremental tuning. Three-layer diaphragms paired with double neodymium magnets mark the first driver architecture of their kind in a Beats product, backed by noise cancellation Beats claims outperforms Studio Pro by up to 1.75 times combined active and passive reduction. A dedicated button on the earcup switches between full noise cancellation and transparency mode, a physical control that skips the usual app-diving during a run or a commute.

Connectivity avoids picking sides between ecosystems. Bluetooth 5.3 handles one-touch pairing and switches seamlessly between Apple and Android devices, while Find My and Find Hub support mean a misplaced pair stays traceable regardless of which phone someone carries. That kind of cross-platform ease removes one more excuse for leaving a good pair of headphones behind on a trip.

Battery life stretches to 32 hours even with active noise cancellation and spatial audio running simultaneously, closing the gap that usually forces a choice between immersive sound and all-day stamina. A 5-minute charge through USB-C adds roughly an hour of playback, useful insurance against the one morning someone forgets to plug in overnight before heading out the door.

Material sourcing quietly backs up the durability pitch. Beats built the 360 using 80% recycled plastic across the ear cups, speaker enclosure, and internal components, the highest share the brand has used in any product to date, alongside fully recycled rare earth elements in every magnet. None of that shows up in a five-second unboxing video, but it’s baked into a headphone clearly meant to last through repeated cushion swaps rather than a single fashion cycle.

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