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Ears-on with Klipsch's latest intra-aural headphone lineup: Image S4 (II) series, X7i
Been fancying a new set of in-ear headphones as of late? If you'll recall, it was last week when Klipsch quietly revealed its new $200 Image X7i and a trio of Image S4 (II) series in-ears. Today, after getting our mitts on the new Image One on-ear models at its NYC event, we were able check out the in-ears for the first time. To refresh your memory, the X7i is the company's first set crafted from ceramic materials, featuring balanced-armature drivers and intended as a step-down option from its $350 X10i. The S4 (II) models, on the other hand, are unsurprisingly refreshes of its tried and true S4 line. So if you're interested in finding out more, join us past the break for our detailed impressions.
Real-world impressions of Dolby Atmos surround sound (ears-on)
Dolby and AMC are both marketing the latest in surround sound technology heavily this past weekend with the release of "Brave," the first movie mixed and presented in Dolby Atmos. There are only 14 theaters in the world with the setup right now and one of them, and with one just an hour away yours truly decided to make the trek and report back for those who can't. Read on to see if our impressions of this new tech live up to the hype.
Able Planet reveals BT500 Bluetooth headset, NC1200 noise-cancelling headphones (first look and ears-on)
Looking for your next set of utilitarian headphones with a touch of aural-spice? While we were roaming the halls of CES, Able Planet (known for its hearing-aid-based Linx sound-clarifying technology) has given us a behind the scenes look some hand-built, pre-production models set to release later this year. Join us past the break for our overview and initial impressions. (Pro Tip: you'll want to read-on if wireless or noise-cancelling headphones pique your interest.)
Sonos Play:3 compact streaming media Hi-Fi gets official for $299, we go ears-on
Chances are you've already seen the Sonos Play:3 thanks to the leaktacular thing we call the internet. Now the tiny streaming Hi-Fi system is official and ready to start beaming that shiny new Spotify account you just scored all around your home. Inside the relatively compact chassis is a trio of digital drivers, one tweeter and two mid-range, as well as three Class-D digital amps. Unlike its big brother, which has been rebranded the Play:5 (instead of the S5), there's no active subwoofer on board, but it does sport a passive bass "radiator" that adds a surprising amount of depth to this little shelf speaker. The $299 streamer requires a Bridge ($49) to actually kick out the jams but, once you've got the basic system in place, you can tack on additional Play:3s and even combine them as a stereo pair for better separation of those all important right and left channels. There's even an accelerometer built in that automatically switches from standard to mono and tweaks the EQ settings when the speaker is turned on its side. We only spent a brief period of time with the Play:3, but it was surprisingly loud and quite clear even at neighbor-annoying volumes -- though, we're reserving final judgment until our review unit shows up. In the meantime, check out the galleries and the PR below. %Gallery-128643% %Gallery-128645%
TV Ears TV ears-on: it could save your marriage
You know how much we love gadgets, right? With gadgets like the TV Ears TV, our love is easily recognizable. We had a chance to go ears and eyes on with the rig at CES. Wearing the dangling headset wasn't like walking on a cloud, but the volume was easily adjustable using the chin strap. We didn't get a chance to try out the Jitter-Bug-esque remote, but we're guessing that using the dongle is a walk in the park. Although it might not be your cup of tea, if you get a senior discount at the movies this might just be for you. %Gallery-82522%
Sennheiser RS170 wireless headphones ears-on
We don't generally run around plucking wireless headphones off their stands, but the CES Innovation Award here drew us in for a quick test job. In spite of the almighty din around us, these RS170 headphones delivered terrific noise insulation. They don't feature any sort of active noise cancellation, but just popping the sealed cans atop our noggin was sufficient to neutralize a vast proportion of the mayhem around us. The sound too was impressive -- certainly nothing unexpected given Sennheiser's reputation. What was pleasantly surprising, though, was the $300 asking price and since these are already available we've been able to find them online for as little as $250. For that you also get bass boost and surround sound functions, but from our limited time with the set we'd say you'll be getting some pretty awesome audio straight out of the box. %Gallery-82386%
Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones
What we have here today isn't just another pair of ordinary headphones: Sony Ericsson's MH907s are button-free, minimalistic headphones that activate upon the magical touch of your skin. Well, your ears to be precise. You must bear in mind that the MH907s are exclusive to Fast port-equipped Sony Ericsson phones thus excluding the forthcoming XPERIA X10 -- so chances are you're already not interested. That said, we shall see if Sony Ericsson is really going to change things forever with these gleaming buds featuring SE's SensMe Control technology, or by just stopping everyone from using their 3.5mm headphone jacks. Read on to find out how these €39 ($57) headphones fared. %Gallery-75958%
Apple In-Ear Headphones hands-on, ears-on, and impressions
We've been wanting to get some extended face time with Apple's In-Ear Headphones (yes, that's the product name) ever since we spied them at the company's Fall "Let's Rock" event. Of course, they didn't exactly hit the scene on time, and we were starting to get suspicious. Tack on the rumor they wouldn't be compatible with iPhones, and we felt downright indignant. Imagine our surprise, then, at the discovery that they not only sound really, really good (warm lows and crisp highs, a distinct lack of that modern, pushy mid-range), but they do work with the iPhone (the 3G we've got here, at least). Regular playback is a charm, and we had no problem making and receiving calls with the buds and attached mic -- though strangely the remote doesn't seem operable on the phone, thus deflating our excitement ever-so-slightly. Regardless, the sound quality is pretty boss for the price (besting other, more expensive models we've checked out), and they're a huge step up from Apple's previous offerings. Check out some looks at the beauties in the gallery below.Update: It looks like the remote can be used for answering and ending calls on the iPhone, as well as pausing, playing, and advancing tracks. No volume control though -- very odd!%Gallery-38551%
Zivio Boom hands (and ears) on
At first glance, the Zivio Boom seems like a novel approach to the Bluetooth headset problem, but as we experienced, it's actually a little less pleasure and a touch more pain. The design and packaging of the product are highly stylized and sufficiently handsome to be sure, but once you get down to the meat, this peripheral leaves quite a bit to be desired. In our tests, not only was the sound quality of the earpiece far below the standards you'd expect from a product in this price range ($129.95), but the general design of the Boom is lacking in many regards. Firstly, the ear-clip is held onto the device by a magnet -- and not a very powerful one at that -- which renders the component largely useless. The headset does an okay job of staying on with the varying size bud attachments, but it still felt a bit heavy without hanging it off of something. All of that might be surmountable were it not for the abysmal sound quality we experienced. The thin, telescoping microphone seemed like it would do a better job at picking up audio than a standard Bluetooth headset, but it didn't hold up next to Jawbone's offerings, and the fragility of the metal makes it seem like we're only a day or two away from cashing in the warranty. The reception quality wasn't any better -- we literally had to ask a friend of ours if they were speaking through a towel. Both on the receiving and transmitting ends, we found the Boom to be a disappointment. There's no question that this is a good looking device -- just not one that we can really recommend.%Gallery-32042%
