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The best in-ear headphones under $40
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the full article here. If you're looking for the best in-ear headphones on a budget, get the Brainwavz Delta With In-Line Microphone. After 32 hours of research on hundreds of in-ear headphones priced at $40 or under, seriously considering 179 models, and testing 68 with our panel of audio experts, we found the Brainwavz Deltas are the best for the money. Our panel unanimously voted them the best-sounding of all those tested in this category, plus they fit comfortably in most ears and are a steal at $22. They sound better than the Apple EarPods, so if you're looking to upgrade or replace those or want something decent and inexpensive, these are your best bet.
The best exercise headphones
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the original full article below at TheWirecutter.com. If I were looking for a pair of headphones to use in my workout, I'd want the Relays by Sol Republic. They are hands down the most comfortable headphones to wear while being active. They sound good, stay put without chafing or tugging, are light and resistant to sweat, and come with a lifetime of free tips (because you know those lil' buggers love to get lost in a gym bag). I came to this conclusion after extensively testing 38 models. Our tests involved a professional listening panel, three stress tests, and real workout tests. After all that, I'm confident the Sol Republic are the best fit for your fitness routine.
Sol Republic's new Relays in-ear buds promises to fit any ear, for any occasion
Sol Republic has just taken the wrapper off its latest in-ear headphones, which it's calling the first "cross-over" earbuds because it's designed for both fitness buffs and the everyday commuter. It offers a "FreeFlex" technology that promises a secure, universal fit in any ear due to an adjustable ring around the ear tip, and it's also water- and sweat-resistant for those of you who like running in the rain. As you might expect, there are also volume controls, a microphone and a button that'll let you answer calls or switch tracks. As for sound quality, Sol Republic says the Relays are powered by a new I5 Sound Engine that "delivers full sound with balance and details that bring out the best in any type of music." Just like all other Sol Republic headphones, the ear tips, which come in four different sizes, are replaceable for life. The Relays are available now in black for $79.99 at Verizon stores and the company's website, and the whole color gamut -- black, white, Horizon Blue and Lemon Lime -- will arrive in nationwide retailers some time in February 2014.
Tracks Air Bluetooth headphones by Motorola and SOL Republic can pair with two devices at once
We've seen plenty of Bluetooth hardware with dual modes, dual channels, dual mics and even dual sub-woofers, but dual device connectivity? That's a little less common. It's a feature on the new Tracks Air headset from Motorola and SOL Republic, and it means you can listen to music or a movie on your tablet while still being able to receive a call from your mobile, rather than being forced to pair with just one or the other. Tracks Air cans won't come cheap, at $200, but they'll bring a bunch of other practically-minded specs, including a 150-foot range that could, according to the guys at SOL, potentially let you leave your phone in the gym locker while you listen to it on the treadmill (although we imagine a huge number of factors and reinforced concrete walls might get in the way of that). Battery life is claimed to be 15 hours, but there's a back-up cable so you're not left stranded on long journeys, and the "PowerTracks" headbands will be interchangeable with future colors and styles coming next year. Meanwhile, expect availability of the headset itself at major stores from early November.
SOL Republic outs Master Tracks XC over-ear headphones for $250
SOL Republic's just taken the wraps off of what it's calling the first "professional-caliber" headphones it's made: the Master Tracks XC. When it comes to audio chops, the company says it created a new XC Sound Engine design for the cans that grant them acoustic accuracy, reproducing deep bass and a strong, distortion-free mid-range. What's more, the over-ear headphones have been been "studio tuned" by DJ Calvin Harris, and more than a year's work has gone into their creation. A rugged six-foot cable with a 5-inch coil and a 1/4-inch adapter accompanies the hardware, as does a cable bearing a microphone and three buttons. If the Master Tracks XC strikes your fancy, you can scoop them up this month for $250.
Deck Bluetooth speaker by SOL Republic and Motorola offers 300-foot range, fits in a pocket
Remember that SOL Republic Bluetooth speaker that made a sneak appearance at Verizon's Droid event? Well, it's actually official now and the company wants to ensure its first foray into audio outside headphones is a success. Dubbed the Deck, the speaker is the result of a team-up between SOL and Motorola, with SOL providing its audio know-how and Motorola handling the wireless connectivity bit. The $200 speaker features a flat design that might fit into a pants pocket. Vertically positioned drivers and a side-facing port provide 360-degree sound, and an outdoor mode boosts the highs and cuts the lows if you need to fill open areas with sound. Additionally, deck boasts a usable range of 300 feet, a sprawling distance compared to the the usual 30-foot line-of-sight limit you'll encounter on devices like the Beats Pill and Jawbone Jambox. Its Heist setting lets up to five devices connect without needing to enable a pairing mode and, like the name suggests, any user can steal the speaker by hitting play on their device. Rounding things out, you can expect roughly 10 hours of battery life, water-resistance (via a sonically-transparent bag), speakerphone functionality and a 3.5mm input / output. Interested? It costs $200 and is up for pre-order today in yellow, blue, red and "gunmetal." Shipments are expected to begin before August is over. In the meantime, you can join us after the break for our initial impressions. %Gallery-195167%
Verizon reveals new Droid accessories, includes SOL Republic headphones, speakers and external batteries (eyes-on)
What do you need after getting your very own Droid Mini / Ultra / Maxx? Why, accessories to go along with them, of course. Big Red introduced a slew of add-ons to accompany the newly announced phones this morning, which include cases from Speck, Incipio and Otterbox, a set of SOL Republic headphones, a SOL Republic Bluetooth speaker and matching 4,000mAh and 2,000mAh external batteries to extend the life of your just procured handsets. The speaker features something called Heist mode, which lets up to five people log on via Bluetooth. Unfortunately that's all we can share about these for now, as they've yet to announce pricing, availability or anything else for that matter. We'll be sure to share more once we have more information. To get a closer look at some of these accessories, have a peek at our eyes-on gallery below. Update: We've learned that the battery packs have been out for awhile now, and run anywhere from $39.99 to $79.99 depending on desired capacity. %Gallery-194451% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Engadget Giveaway: win one of three SOL Republic Tracks headphones, courtesy of ColorWare!
The giveaways don't stop coming, and why should they? Everyone loves the chance to win free stuff. This week we have three pairs of custom-designed SOL Republic Tracks HD headphones up for grabs, thanks to our friends over at ColorWare! These guys are all about coming up with cool designs, as you can probably tell just by scoping out the units we're giving away (seen above), and they can add their touch to plenty more than just headphones: laptops, phones and gaming consoles are a few examples. So check out the rules below, and leave a comment to get entered!
SOL Republic intros Amps and Tracks headphone lines, we go hands-on
Oh my is this interesting. Monster Cable's VP of marketing Kevin Lee (a key figure involved with its Beats by Dre headphone line) has co-founded a new headphone company dubbed Soundtrack Of Life Republic, and we were able to get a very brief hands-on with some handmade prototypes. It's no secret that we're not fans of Monster around these parts, but being that SOL Republic isn't directly tied to it -- and because the headphones bring with them some interesting features without being crazy expensive -- we've decided to give them a quick whirl. It's all detailed just past the break. %Gallery-131400%
