Sony's PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset made a splash when it landed last year, but there were two inescapable quirks: a lack of bass and a lack of any wired fallback for your other devices. The brand-new Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition should solve both. Its earcups now carry a new trick, BassImpact, that reportedly delivers the headset's eponymous pulses and just that bit more punch at low frequencies. We also can't help but appreciate having a 3.5mm headphone jack (and cable) to plug in an Xperia S or, if you're daring, a device that goes without Sony's logo. The noise-cancelling microphones and the overall headset are considerably subtler as part of the remake, to boot. Gamers will have to go without the Pulse-upgraded headset until the fall -- not to mention pay a higher price, at $150 -- but they can get a video overview after the break to bide their time.

Continue reading Sony intros Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition, lets your non-PlayStation gear feel the bass (video)

Sony intros Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition, lets your non-PlayStation gear feel the bass (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you're looking for something new to wrap around your noggin this coming season, then put it on your radar that Denon will be bringing 11 new sets of headphones to store shelves this August. That number might seem like quite a lot to digest, but it becomes a lot easier when broken down by category. First is the Exercise Freak lineup, a wrap-around earbud design that sells for $149 and will be available in black, blue and yellow. Beyond that, the company has three additional lineups -- the Music Maniac, the Urban Raver and the Globe Cruiser -- and each will be available in earbud and over-the-ear form factors. The Music Maniac headphones ($349 and $499) are designed to cater to audio purists with an acoustically flat signature. Most notable about the Music Maniac lineup is the top shelf Artisan model, which rings in at a healthy $1,199 and pits itself against other audiophile mainstays such as the Sennheiser HD800 and Audez'e LCD2. Meanwhile, the Urban Ravers ($249 and $399) place a heavy emphasis on bass, whereas the Globe Cruisers ($179 and $499) feature noise cancellation. As a nice touch, each of the models feature built-in microphones and volume controls.

Denon is supplying iOS apps for each family of headphones, which is a bit of a novel idea, but they vary significantly among lineups. Music Maniac purchasers will be treated to a music app that combines EQ adjustment and integration with TuneIn Radio, while the app for Urban Raver owners focuses on sharing and discovering new music via Facebook and Twitter. Globe Cruiser users will (oddly enough) be treated to a travel app, whereas Exercise Freak owners will find an app that features GPS integration for activity tracking. If it's any redemption for the fragmented assortment of apps, Denon owners may purchase each individual selection in the App Store for $0.99. If your head isn't spinning yet, feel free to check out the PR after the break.

Gallery: Denon turns up the volume with 11 new headphone models

Continue reading Denon turns up the volume with 11 new headphone models featuring iOS app integration

Denon turns up the volume with 11 new headphone models featuring iOS app integration originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With summer approaching, you're likely looking to get away from that stuffy apartment and out into the fresh air -- and if you're like us, you probably like to take your music with you wherever you go. Keeping that in mind, if you're ready to ditch the (likely) passable in-ears that came with your smartphone / PMP or want to find speakers that can move with you, we've rounded up a few new listening devices that might be worth having on your radar. Ready to bite the bullet and enter the big leagues of portable audio? Head down beyond the break for the ear-tingling details.

Continue reading Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: portable audio

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: portable audio originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Logitech's got just the thing for that $2,000 burning a hole in your pocket. The new Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors are "engineered to your exact needs for fit, look and sound." The wood-paneled in-ear monitors utilize UE's Personal Reference Tuning Box to adjust the output mix of lows, highs and mids. Your two grand also gets you 26 dB of passive noise isolation and a cable that promises to reduce tangling. The new RewardTag offer, meanwhile, offers up rewards for kind souls who happen to find and return your pricey pair. The Personal Reference Monitors will be available in select retail locations at the beginning of next month. PR after the break.

Continue reading Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors offer custom tuning, look great with your smoking jacket

Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors offer custom tuning, look great with your smoking jacket originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 03:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Can't satisfy your appetite for video game tie-in peripherals? Razer's new military aviator-inspired, Battlefield 3-branded BlackShark headsets might do the trick. Each memory foam, leatherette-lined ear cup packs 40mm drivers paired with ambient noise cancellation and enhanced bass. You can also use the detachable, unidirectional boom microphone to yell at teammates to take cover. The whole package rings up at $129.99 -- or €129.99 for those across the pond -- and will be ready for duty in July. Check out the gallery and full PR below.

Gallery: Razer BlackShark Battlefield 3 Headset

Continue reading Razer outs Battlefield 3 aviator headsets

Razer outs Battlefield 3 aviator headsets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For better or worse, your options are plentiful when it comes to palm-sized speakers aimed at improving the audio of your gizmos. While many simply tout Bluetooth or USB connectivity, NuForce is hoping to shake things up a bit with its new Cube. This micro-speaker isn't wireless, but it's got the unique ability to also function as a headphone amp and USB DAC -- all in a footprint of 38.5 x 58.5 x 60.0mm (2.30 x 2.30 x 2.36 inches). Aside from giving you multiple ways to add more kick to your tunes, the Cube packs a rechargeable battery that'll last for up to eight hours. Sadly, however, it doesn't appear like you'll be able to daisy chain units together for a tiny stereo rig. On brighter notes, you'll have a choice of silver, red, blue or black, and an iPod Nano adapter is available to make it pretty much the smallest dock we've seen. It'll cost you a spendy $119 to get the Cube within your ears' vicinity, and you'll find more details in the press release below

Continue reading NuForce compresses a rechargeable speaker, USB DAC and headphone amp into a $119 Cube

NuForce compresses a rechargeable speaker, USB DAC and headphone amp into a $119 Cube originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This week we're once again bringing the audio goods to you, and today's giveaway should be incredibly tempting. 50 Cent's brand, SMS Audio, wants to hook you up with a pair of its premium wireless over-ear headphones, Sync by 50. Priced at $400, these cans are spendier than a fair number of smartphones, but it offers Kleer technology with CD-quality lossless audio and will work up to 50 feet away from your device. And just for kicks and giggles, SMS Audio is also throwing in a snapback hat, shirt and a backpack to go along with your prize, so it's definitely worth heading below the rules and leaving a comment to enter. Good luck!

Continue reading Engadget Giveaway: win one of two pairs of Sync by 50 wireless over-ear headphones!

Engadget Giveaway: win one of two pairs of Sync by 50 wireless over-ear headphones! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tivoli Audio is known for radios that rarely deviate from a tried-and-true formula (save for that snazzy crystal-encrusted Model One), but the company is still capable of surprises. Exhibit A: it's gearing up to release its first pair of headphones. The new Radio Silenz noise-cancelling cans have 40mm drivers in the wooden ear cups, and a "Defeat" button mutes your tunes so you can hear someone talking to you without taking the headphones off. Tivoli says the AAA battery will give you 50 hours of listening. The Radio Silenz will go on sale for $160 in June.

Just because Tivoli is venturing into headphone territory doesn't mean it is losing touch with its roots. In addition to the cans, the company has two new radios, the PAL BT and the Model One BT, both of which support Bluetooth streaming. The $300 PAL BT sports a 2.5-inch, battery-powered speaker, while the $260 Model One's 3-inch speaker is encased in a lovely, retro wooden design. Tivoli will also sell a $200 BluCon wireless Bluetooth receiver. All three products will reportedly launch in late summer.

Update: Still thirsty for more audio news? You'll now find the full PR after the break.

Gallery: Tivoli PAL BT, Model One BT and BlueCon receiver

Continue reading Tivoli enters headphone game with Radio Silenz, has new PAL BT and Model One BT radios

Tivoli enters headphone game with Radio Silenz, has new PAL BT and Model One BT radios originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Audio-Technica has been quiet on the noise-cancelling headphones front for some time, but today it announced a new set of sound-nixing cans, the ATH-ANC9. While earlier ATH models block out 85 percent of outside noise, the new version ups the ante to 95 percent. Also new are three Tri-Level Cancellation modes, each tailored to drowning out sound in a particular environment (airplanes, noisy office and libraries, for example). This over-the-ear set has 40mm drivers and an input sensitivity of 100 dB to make the music you choose to hear sound nice and clear. The ATH-ANC9 comes with two detachable cables, two adapters and an AAA battery. It's available now for $349.95 on the Audio-Technica website and at other retailers. Get the full details in the presser below.

Continue reading Audio-Technica unveils ATH-ANC9 noise-cancelling cans

Audio-Technica unveils ATH-ANC9 noise-cancelling cans originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're not going to lie: we sometimes wish our giveaways could extend out to us as employees. Skullcandy just released its latest lineup of new gear, and the Supreme Sound Hesh -- billed as a mid-tier on-ear headphone that has the sound of sets twice its cost -- looks pretty tempting. The Hesh aims to enhance the bass, natural voice and precision highs, regardless of what you're listening to (we know you enjoy the occasional Air Supply, no need to be ashamed). As always, just read the rules and hook us up with a comment below to enter. There's five sets of headphones to be won this time around!

Update: due to some technical difficulties, we're extending the deadline for submitting your comment to 11:59AM on May 9th. Thanks!

Continue reading Engadget Giveaway: win one of five pairs of Skullcandy Hesh on-ear headphones!

Engadget Giveaway: win one of five pairs of Skullcandy Hesh on-ear headphones! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Were you eying Bowers & Wilkins' P5 headphones, but put off by the initial $300 (now $250) sticker price and not so inclined to the in-ear C5? Someone at the company heard you, as we're now getting the P3 for a more affordable $200. What changes when you pocket the extra cash? You'll get aluminum and other hallmarks of buying the British outlet's audiophile gear, but the cost trimming brings a special "ultra-light acoustic fabric" instead of sheepskin leather and a more portable folding design instead of the pivoting earcups found on the P5. Bowers & Wilkins is light on performance details, but it promises that the design will be comfortable for long listening sessions, and there are both universal and Apple-friendly in-line remotes to make your phone calls and skip tracks. Black- and white-hued versions of the P3 should be hitting American shops in June.

Update: Ah, some things in this life are just too good to be true. In this case, a B&W representative has just informed us that the stated $250 price point for the P5 headphones was an error within the press release. They are indeed still $300.

Continue reading Bowers & Wilkins kicks out P3 headphones, brings upscale sound to the commoners (update)

Bowers & Wilkins kicks out P3 headphones, brings upscale sound to the commoners (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 20:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Koss may be known for its budget-minded offerings in the headphone space, but today it's announced something to shake things up a bit. Falling under the Striva moniker, Koss has created what it claims as being the first lineup of headphones to use "WiFi technology that receives music directly from the Internet without wires." To start, there's the over-ear Pro model, loaded with gesture controls for volume and channel adjustments, while an in-ear set, dubbed Tap, is also available for extra portability. Interestingly, the Taps don't use a connecting wire -- instead, "microprocessors" inside of of each earpiece consistently ensure that the stereo signal stays in sync. To elaborate, both models feature Koss' Core, which the company describes as battery-powered microprocessors coupled with WiFi components. Utilizing its new MyKoss server, you'll be able to pull content from a variety of free audio streams and customize your own listening experience with the included music management software. Lastly, if you don't have a WiFi connection -- in cases such as using your cellphone -- each unit comes with a "matchbook-sized" Content Access Point, which lets you create a WiFi hotspot to enable wireless listening wherever you are.

If these headphones have piqued your interest, get ready for the kicker: the Taps are priced at $500, while the Pros are set at a slightly cheaper $450. Both models are available from Koss today, and you'll find more info in the press release and video just after the break.

Gallery: Koss Striva Pro and Tap headphones (press photos)

Continue reading Koss intros Striva headphone systems, lets you stream music over WiFi straight to your ears

Koss intros Striva headphone systems, lets you stream music over WiFi straight to your ears originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What the heck? Did Barnes & Noble score a deal with Dr. Dre? Is the whole reading thing just not doing it for the company anymore? Whatever the case may be, it seems that the Nook name is ready to branch out a bit from the e-reader space. After first appearing in name alone on the very suspicious date of April 1st, the Nook Audio has finally been pictured -- and it looks a heck of a lot like branded headphones. We've reached out to the company for comment. We'll let you know when we get to the bottom of this one.

Update: Barnes & Noble has responded to our earlier inquiry with a a big 'ole "no comment."

Update 2: How 'bout some buds to go with your new set of cans? [Thanks, Tyler]

Nook Audio pops up on Barnes & Noble's site, with no e-ink to speak of originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sennheiser intros ritzy IE 800 earphones and HDVD 800 amp, your wallet screams originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Engadget Giveaway: win one of five V-Moda Crossfade M-80 on-ear headphones!

Engadget Giveaway: win one of five V-Moda Crossfade M-80 on-ear headphones! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Plantronics BackBeat Go headset sports tangle-free cord, 'rich' stereo sound

Plantronics BackBeat Go headset sports tangle-free cord, 'rich' stereo sound originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: SMS Audio Sync by 50 wireless headphones review

Continue reading SMS Audio SYNC by 50 wireless headphones review

SMS Audio SYNC by 50 wireless headphones review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Sony Z series Walkman player review

Continue reading Sony Z Series Walkman Player review

Sony Z Series Walkman Player review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Creative pumps out $99 HN-900 noise-canceling headphones originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Koss revamps Porta Pro headphones with iPhone remote, intros 'interlocking' earbuds

Koss revamps Porta Pro headphones with iPhone remote, intros 'interlocking' earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fiio's E17 Alpen headphone amplifier 'peaks' performance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Around these parts, we've generally had favorable opinions of Klipsch's audio products. Whether it's been something as small as its S4 line of smartphone oriented in-ears or grand speaker systems like its AirPlay-enabled G-17 Air, we've usually ended up awarding the brand our highest praise. If you'll recall, it was little over a year ago that Klipsch introduced its $150 Image One on-ear headphones -- the company's first set ever that weren't of the intra-aural variety, and a favorite of our own James Trew.

Fast forward to the present, and the company's unleashed its second proper over-the-head headphone, the Klipsch Mode M40 with active noise-cancellation. In recent years, headphones have exploded in popularity -- many companies have been furiously trying to blend good sound with fashion-forward looks. It's safe to say that's Klipsch's end game here, and is asking that you part ways with 350 bones to get in on the action.

Put simply, these aren't a follow-up to the Image Ones, but rather, a luxury pair that takes cues from the company's reference series headphones. Of course, as we've come to expect from Klipsch, the M40s do have some notable tricks up their yokes aside from their debatably fashionable looks -- the company promises they'll cancel noise for a massively long 45 hours on a single AAA battery, and both earcups feature an interesting dual-driver array with a 15mm tweeter and a 40mm woofer. So, have the M40s made us smitten with Klipsch all over again? Or not? Maybe something a bit more complicated? Click on past the break to find out!

Gallery: Klipsch Mode M40 noise-cancelling headphones review

Continue reading Klipsch Mode M40 noise-cancelling headphones review

Klipsch Mode M40 noise-cancelling headphones review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Headphone-wearing pedestrian injuries triple as audiophiles stop noticing onrushing trains originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading CES 2012: headphone and speaker roundup

CES 2012: headphone and speaker roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Turtle Beach announced a duo of new XBOX 360 and PS3 gaming headsets on day one of CES, and we were able to spend a bit of time with one of them, the XP400, on the show floor. It's Turtle Beach's flagship gaming headset, featuring adjustable Dolby 5.1 virtual surround sound, a non-A2DP dual-pairing Bluetooth radio for picking up phone calls during gaming sessions, a 15 hour rechargeable battery and dual-band 2.4/5GHZ built-in WiFi.

The actual over-the-ear pieces have a much better layout from previous models, though there are almost as many buttons as there are on the controller you'd be wielding -- with volume up / down, chat volume up / down, mute, Bluetooth pairing, limiter button and tone buttons. The included dual-band WiFi adapter that connects to your gaming console of choice is small and pretty minimalistic in design. The adjustable surround angles feature seems useful but we can't help but to feel it's a bit gimmicky -- we have a hard time figuring out which setting is better. One feature that we really like is the new Limiter function, which allows you to keep the volume relatively high to listen for those footsteps (lower in volume) but won't blow your ear drums out when a RPG rocket (explosion-like volume levels) hits you in the face. The sound was also crisp and loud as we completed our spec-op mission at the Turtle Beach gaming booth, where the headset's noise-blocking abilities proved to be particularly handy. Hit up the gallery below for a close look at the $220 gaming headset set to be available this quarter.

Gallery: Turtle Beach XP400 adaptive surround sound headset (ears-on)

Joe Pollicino contributed to this report.

Turtle Beach XP400 wireless gaming headset hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Able Planet BT500, NC1200 headphones (first look and ears-on)

Continue reading Able Planet reveals BT500 Bluetooth headset, NC1200 noise-cancelling headphones (first look and ears-on)

Able Planet reveals BT500 Bluetooth headset, NC1200 noise-cancelling headphones (first look and ears-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Monster and Beats Electronics discontinue partnership, audiophiles rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Turtle Beach expands its wireless headset lineup, intros XP400 with adjustable surround sound, stereo XP300

Turtle Beach expands its wireless headset lineup, intros XP400 with adjustable surround sound, stereo XP300 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Noise cancellation maestros Wolfson Microelectronics have announced a pair of buds, designed for mobile phones. The Digital Silence DS-421D is fitted with microphones in each earbud and promises to last for 14 hours of audio playback on a single battery charge. The headset totes three different ANC profiles; a wide-frequency general, airplane for low-frequency engine hums and office for neatly sidestepping the daily workplace banter. Fortunately, the Gundam color scheme isn't final, but you can expect to see the finished articles in Spring 2012. Check the full specs in the press release below.

Continue reading Wolfson ready Digital Silence noise-cancelling headphones for Spring 2012

Wolfson ready Digital Silence noise-cancelling headphones for Spring 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Sennheiser unveils $1k HD 700 reference headphones, HD 25-based Amperior for mobile audiophiles

Sennheiser unveils $1k HD 700 reference headphones, HD 25-based Amperior for mobile audiophiles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Parrot's AR.Drone 2.0 may have been one of the more joy-inducing wares we've seen here at CES, but that was yesterday. Today, we dare to say that that one of two audio devices just unveiled (and designed by Philippe Starck, we might add) has our jaw dropping, and our ears tingling -- the absolutely gorgeous Zik Bluetooth touch-activated headset, pictured above. The Zik's loaded with goodies -- Bluetooth connectivity, active-noise cancellation, NFC and touch controls on either earcup, not to mention its jawbone and "presence" sensors among a few other notable tidbits like its DSP-enabling app that adds a "concert-type" vibe to its sound. As far as that second device goes, Parrot's introducing a singular stereo version of its Zimku wireless tower speakers, aptly named Zikmu solo. Head past the break to find our brief impressions and a video overview of a pre-production Zik, and hit up the galleries below for some closeup shots of it and the Zikmu solo.

Gallery: Parrot Sik by Starck Bluetooth touch-activated headset (hands-on)

Gallery: Parrot Zikmu Solo wireless stereo speaker

Continue reading Parrot reveals Starck-designed Zik Bluetooth touch-activated headset, Zikmu Solo wireless tower speaker (hands-on)

Parrot reveals Starck-designed Zik Bluetooth touch-activated headset, Zikmu Solo wireless tower speaker (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Plantronics GameCom 780 7.1 surround sound gaming headset -- hands on

Continue reading Plantronics GameCom 780 7.1 surround sound gaming headset hands-on

Plantronics GameCom 780 7.1 surround sound gaming headset hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Plantronics accidentally outs GameCom 780 7.1 surround sound headset originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Engadget's CES 2012 Preview

Engadget's CES 2012 Preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

2011 has been a tremendous year for tech -- Amazon launched a $200 Android tablet, AT&T and Verizon continued their LTE expansion, Apple killed off the Mac mini's SuperDrive and Samsung introduced a well-received killer 5.3-inch smartphone. But tiny tech startups made their mark as well, proving that you don't need an enormous R&D budget to spur innovation. Still, development isn't free, and unless your social circle includes eager investors, seed money has been traditionally hard to come by.

For many of this year's indie devs, crowdfunding sites have been the answer, with Kickstarter leading the pack. We've seen an enormous variety of projects -- including a deluge of duds and plenty more semi-redundant iPhone accessories -- but a few treasures soared above the swill to be featured in our Insert Coin series, with many of those meeting their funding goals and even making their way into the hands of consumers. Now, as 2011 draws to a close, we've gone through this past year's projects to single out our top ten, and they're waiting for your consideration just past the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: A look back at ten top projects from 2011

Insert Coin: A look back at ten top projects from 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ed Hardy headphones hope to ink up your ears originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• 40mm "high performance" drivers
• 106 dB SPL
• 20-20,000 Hz
• 32 ohms
• 4 ft cord
• gold plated plug

Continue reading Wicked Audio's Solus headphones let you listen like a DJ at the flick of a switch

Wicked Audio's Solus headphones let you listen like a DJ at the flick of a switch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Razer punts Tiamat 7.1 surround sound headset release from Christmas to January originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We just met with Sony at its New York City store on Madison Ave. in Midtown, and boy did it have some excellent news for in-ear headphone lovers. While sitting down in the PlayStation Lounge, we briefly demoed nearly every piece of its lineup of XBA balanced armature intra-aurals, which if you'll recall, were announced for parts of Asia back in September. While the 11-model lineup, ranging from standard buds to Bluetooth and noise-cancelling sets, is just beginning to hit those regions now, we've been told that folks in the US can expect them to arrive on American shores next year, with official availability details due at CES. The units we checked out are voiced and finished as those set to hit production, but according to Sony, some of the cabling now in place will change before the stateside release. Interested audiophiles and music lovers can click on past the break for the full details, as well as our initial -- and brief -- impressions.

Gallery: Sony XBA balanced armature in-ear headphones (hands-on)

Continue reading Sony's XBA balanced armature in-ear headphone lineup headed to the US, we go ears-on

Sony's XBA balanced armature in-ear headphone lineup headed to the US, we go ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Urban Ears Plattan headphones prove that quilted isn't just for toilet paper anymore originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.