Bose’s best headphones are even better wireless

When it comes to headphones, it can sometimes be easy to forget about Bose. The company doesn't debut new models as frequently as the competition, choosing instead to focus on quality, comfort and its highly touted noise-canceling tech. Bose's previo...

The best in-ear noise-cancelling headphones

By Geoffrey MorrisonThis post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here.The Bose QuietComfort 20 is the best set of in-ear noise-cancelling headphones, based on our objective testi...

Street by 50 headphones gets over-ear active noise cancellation

Street by 50 headphones gets over-ear active noise cancellation

SMS Audio is rolling out the latest addition of its Street by 50 line of headphones (you know, by this guy). The news here is the addition of active noise cancellation, to help you block out unwanted ambient sound -- the bad airplane / crowded restaurant kind, not the good Brian Eno kind. Street by 50 Over-Ear Active Noise Control sport 40mm drivers and leather ear cushions, and should get you upwards of 70 hours of play time on a set of batteries, according to SMS's numbers. The foldable headphones come in black and silver and will run you $280. For what it's worth, that price will also get you a removable cable with a mic and a hard shell carrying case. Press release-type details can be found below.

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Beats unveils refreshed Studio headphones with 20-hour battery, improved comfort

Beats unveils refreshed Studio headphones with 20hour battery, improved comfort

You haven't forgotten about Dre, have you? His Beats Studio headphones -- the ones that started the whole celebrity-endorsed portable-audio craze in 2008 -- are finally getting a full-on revamp. Well into its post-Monster life, Beats Electronics has addressed the chief complaints of the original. An extension of a modernized silhouette, the new Studio is 13 grams lighter (263g), with improved padding and ergonomics to provide better comfort. Better yet, these over-ear cans pack a headband that won't snap so easily during extreme bends. Updated noise-cancellation tech enables the Studio to automatically adjust depending on your surroundings -- it even intensifies the effect for further noise reduction when the cable (which naturally features an in-line remote and mic) isn't plugged in.

The days of needing to carry an extra pack of Duracells are gone too; the Li-Ion battery promises 20 hours of music playback. Meanwhile, a variable-color LED displays juice levels and an automatic power control keeps the cells from draining if you forget to turn 'em off. The company's new DSP, Beats Acoustic Engine (BAE), aims for a voicing of "balance, accuracy and emotion," and the cans apparently leak out less sound to those around you. So, is it more than just a new take on the bass-heavy S-curve that's managed to "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" for five years? You can find out this August for the admission price of $300, in your choice of black, white or red.

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Source: Beats Electronics

Bose unveils SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker, QuietComfort 20 noise-cancelling in-ears (ears-on)

Bose unveils SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker, QuietComfort 20 noisecancelling inears earson

Nestled near an entrance inside Grand Central Terminal, Bose just unveiled its latest two portable audio creations: The SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker (A2DP) and QuietComfort 20 noise-cancelling in-ears. Measuring in at 2 x 7 x 2 inches (slightly larger than palm-sized), the aluminum-wrapped SoundLink Mini is slightly larger and heavier than a JawBone Jambox. Like its bigger brethren, the Mini has dual-opposing passive bass radiators and a two custom neodymium drivers for mids and highs. Bose claims these new drivers will output twice the volume of other, similar speakers.

While the unit will bust out the jams for seven hours, it sadly uses a proprietary charging dock. Thankfully, however, the Li-Ion battery is user replaceable. All the controls rest as a strip of silicone buttons on the top, while the side features a 3.5mm input jack. We're digging the look of the naked metal, though, rubber covers and a nylon carry pouch will be on offer for protection. The unit's audio quality was very pleasing, without any notable harshness. We noted an acceptable level of bass on the lowest notes of dubstep tracks and there wasn't too much distortion when cranked up. Join us past the break for more info on the in-ears, as well as all the pricing and availability details for both items.

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Bell Labs doubles beams in fiber optic lines to reach 400Gbps on a global scale

Bell Labs doubles light in fiber optic lines to reach greater distances

It's comparatively easy to run fiber optic lines at high speeds; it's another matter to sustain that pace between continents. Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs has found a way to go that extreme distance by relying on the basic concept behind noise-cancelling headphones. When the researchers send data across two light beams in opposing phases, they can superimpose the signals and neutralize the distortion that would normally occur at long ranges. Such clean output lets Bell Labs ramp up the signal strength and maintain high speeds across whole oceans: its test pushed 400Gbps through 7,954 miles of fiber. There's no word on how soon we'll see twin-light technique put into practice, although we suspect that a networking giant like Alcatel-Lucent wants the extra bandwidth as quickly as possible.

[Image credit: JL Hopgood, Flickr]

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Via: BBC News, The Verge

Source: Nature Photonics

Logitech unveils lineup of UE headphones for in, on and around your ears (hands-on)

Logitech unveils lineup of UE headphones for in, on, and around your ears

Logitech acquired Ultimate Ears awhile back to take advantage of its experience with professional audio, and now it's leveraged some of that institutional knowledge to create a UE line of headphones aimed at consumers. First up, there's the $100 UE 4000 on-ear model that comes in three colors: black, blue and magenta, plus a detachable cord with an in-line mic and audio controls compatible with iOS devices. The UE 6000 model takes things up a notch with an over-ear design that folds up for easy storage on the go, has an in-line remote, plus it adds active noise cancellation technology for $200. Then there's the UE 9000 Bluetooth wireless cans that also have ANC and a full suite of on-ear controls for iPhone or iPad, which can be had for $400. Lastly, there's the $400 UE 900 in-ear headphones sporting a quad-armature design and two sets braided cables -- one with in-line controls, and one without. All of the UE models start shipping in the US today, and will be available in Europe next month. We got to try on and try out all of Logitech's new gear for a brief listening session awhile back, so join us after the break for our impressions.

Continue reading Logitech unveils lineup of UE headphones for in, on and around your ears (hands-on)

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Logitech unveils lineup of UE headphones for in, on and around your ears (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely

Etymotic MusicPro 915 earplugs bring highend noise blocking to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safelyPremium electronic earplugs usually find their homes with musicians eager to preserve their hearing at all costs; anyone within the crowd has more often been left to either use cruder plugs or cover their ears. Etymotic wants to bridge that difference with the Musico.Pro 9-15. The combination of ER-9 and ER-15 earplugs matches its namesake not just through the choice of components, but through active noise cancellation that removes 9 to 15 decibels from the sound only when the rock gets too raucous: listeners can hear fellow concert-goers and even boost their volume without skewing the sound of the band. Pricing plays its own part in reaching out to the crowd, too. As high as the new Musico.Pro set's $399 price might be compared to a typical pair of ear blockers, it's low enough that a dedicated fan of virtual Tupac can afford to go to the concert protected rather than voluntarily take on some hearing damage.

Continue reading Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely

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Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 01:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Microphones Tiki USB mic now available at Best Buy, coming to Apple stores July 15th

Blue Microphones Tiki now available at Best Buy, coming to Apple stores July 15th

Remember that miniature USB mic we saw back at CES from Blue? Well, the outfit just announced that the Tiki is hitting store shelves with the same $59.99 price tag we expected. The mobile recording peripheral is now available at Best Buy and is slated to hit Apple stores and other retailers at the month's half-way point. In case you're in need of a refresher, the diminutive unit features Intelligent Speech mode for recording interviews or meetings and Natural Recording mode for capturing your best Jack White guitar riffs. You can also expect proprietary noise cancelling technology, voice isolation and intelligent mute with the kit that is sized similar to a USB flash drive and connects via said ports. If you're itchin' for a closer look before adding one to your mobile recording setup, take a peek back at our hands-on for a few detail shots.

Continue reading Blue Microphones Tiki USB mic now available at Best Buy, coming to Apple stores July 15th

Blue Microphones Tiki USB mic now available at Best Buy, coming to Apple stores July 15th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Noctua’s noise-canceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels

 Noctua's noisecanceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels

Having trouble tuning out the hum of your PC fans? Maybe it's time you took another look at Noctua's NF-F12 integrated noise cancellation fan. According to the firm, the Computex prototype kept things about 20dB quieter by utilizing a patented RotoSub ANC technology to emit anti-noise directly from the fan's own blades. Noctura hopes to dampen the cooler's 2,500 RPM hum to the overall noise level of a slower 1,500 RPM fan. Builders looking to piece together a quieter machine can look for the noise reducing cooler an the latter half of 2013. Your old fan? Well, you could always use as a makeshift turntable. Hit the break for a peek at a more silent tomorrow.

Continue reading Noctua's noise-canceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels

Noctua's noise-canceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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