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Dolby’s Dimension headphones bring home theater sound to your ears
For more than 50 years, Dolby's brand has been synonymous with top-of-the-line audio (and visual) quality. Its innovations in the space, including recent technologies like the Atmos immersive sound, can be experienced in movie theaters and living rooms around the globe. But Dolby has become a household name without actually building its own consumer products. It's always worked with third-party manufacturers on the hardware used to deliver its tech to your ears. That changes, though, with the introduction of Dolby Dimension. They're a pair of over-ear wireless headphones designed with a particular set of people in mind: video-streaming binge watchers.
The Rock's Under Armour headphones are built for intense workouts
Wireless headphones are dime a dozen, unless you want a pair that's on- or over-ear and designed to handle intense workouts. There are plenty of solid options for fitness buffs, including the JLab Epic2 and Jaybird X3, but those are earbuds. Bose's QuietComfort 35 IIs, meanwhile, are great over-ears, but they're not made from water-resistant materials -- and you want that if you're using them at the gym. That's a gap Under Armour hopes to fill with its new Project Rock wireless, on-ear headphones, which are specifically designed for workouts and were created with input from training junkie Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock.
Klipsch Mode M40 noise-cancelling headphones review
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!
Sennheiser unveils $1k HD 700 reference headphones, HD 25-based Amperior for mobile audiophiles
Here at CES, Sennheiser's just unveiled its latest duo of headphones set to please audiophiles at home and on the go. First up is the company's HD 700, which at a glance, appears to be a suave hybrid of its esteemed HD 800 and 650 reference cans. If you've lusted after the HD 800, but couldn't stomach the $1,500 price, you'll be happy to know that the HD 700 can be yours for a cool (albeit still wallet-thinning) 1,000 smackers. Notably, these 150-Ohm, open-backed headphones are loaded with 40mm Duofol dynamic drivers, and are capable of an impressive 10Hz to 42kHz frequency response. Next up, its Amperior supra-aural headphones take the already portable HD 25 DJ 'phones, and spices 'em up with an iDevice-compatible inline remote / mic, updated specs and aluminum, closed-back earcups. While there's no word on pricing just yet for the We're told that the Amperior will sell for $350, and it'll hit shelves along with the HD700 this March. HiFi audio lovers will find a detailed rundown of each unit's ear-tingling specs in the press releases after the break.
Ask Engadget: best over-the-ear headphones?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Simon, who seems interested in something a bit more... substantial than in-ear monitors, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking for a quality piece of over-the-ear headphones to go with my continuously growing iTunes library. That means I'm also looking for a set that comes with an inline mic / control akin to the official pair of Apple bundles in with the iPhone. I've been looking at the Marshall FX cans but as this is my first real foray into audio equipment I'm more hesitant than usual." Loving your cans? Not so much? Let us know your experience either way in comments below!
Sleek Audio terminates agreement with 50 Cent, puts over-the-ear plans on hold (updated)
You may remember our brief run-in with 50 Cent back at CES, where he announced a partnership with Sleek Audio for Sleek by 50, a pair of "wireless hybrid" headphones with built-in Kleer technology. Today the company revealed that it has terminated its agreement with G-Unit Brands, 50's licensing company, and that it will be "re-evaluating our Wireless Hybrid over-the-ear headphones at a later date." There's no word on why the collboration went awry, and the company only indicates that it has decided to focus on its in-ear offerings instead. Of course, we've got way more than 21 questions about what made the relationship go sour, but hate it or love it, Sleek by 50 is no more. Disheartening PR after the break. Update: Looks like it was 50 Cent who terminated the deal, after all. According to XXL, our man told the magazine that he has "established a new company that is developing a complete line of audio accessories, including wireless headphones." Well, too bad for Sleek Audio. Thanks Matt!
Urban Ears Tanto multicolor headphones are a grab bag of ugly, but still cooler than you
Everyone knows that the only way to prove your non-conformity is to wear multi-colored headphones. At least that seems to be the theme Urban Ears is hinting at via its Tanto headphones, which are assembled from randomly colored parts at the factory -- if that somehow wasn't clear enough from the image above. Besides a terrible aftertaste of the 80s, these cans feature handmade 40mm drivers, an inline remote with a multi-function button for answering calls / controlling music, and even a microphone -- making them ironically friendly for modern-day smartphone owners. Urban Ears even includes a few additional cables to ensure the headsets work with stereo sources and Nokia phones. These vivacious fellows are on sale now for $47 in limited quantities -- if you like what you see, grab a pair before the remainder-part supply bins run dry.
Modder merges Bose headphones with inline Apple remote, shows you how (video)
Everybody knows that Apple's default headphones aren't the best, and while many would argue that those from Bose aren't exactly top-notch either, they're surely a step up. What if you want Cupertino's inline controls and some over-the-ear isolation from Framingham's most famous foreign-sounding speaker company? That's what Freddy Deeble wanted, and that's what he achieved. What seems like a challenging feat is actually a reasonably straightforward mod if you have some soldering skills -- and a general disregard for warranties. The whole process is described in a thoroughly helpful video after the break but, as always, don't call us if you wind up with a set of severed wires and a smoldering pile of rosin. [Thanks, Freddy]
