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PlayStation is buying premium headphone brand Audeze
Sony Interactive Entertainment (i.e. Sony's PlayStation division) is looking to make more waves in the audio space. It has struck a deal to buy premium headphone maker Audeze to help it "continue innovating when it comes to the audio experience of PlayStation games."
Audeze reveals its latest gaming headset with planar magnetic drivers
Although the Xbox version of Audeze Maxwell is $30 more expensive than the PlayStation model, it comes with an 'auto-activating' Dolby Atmos license.
The Audeze Penrose gaming headset for PS5 is available now
After missing its original September release date, Audeze’s $299 Penrose gaming headset is now available to purchase.
Audeze's Penrose is a $250 wireless headset for audiophile gamers
Audeze has unveiled a wireless headset called Penrose, which features its planar magnetic driver technology and was designed with both console and PC gaming in mind. The Penrose is Audeze’s latest addition to a growing family of gaming headsets, including the Mobius, which is the first planar magnetic headset for gamers. Mobius blew us away when we tested it back in 2018, and while it’s still more affordable than similar headsets, it costs $100 more than the Penrose.
Audeze's $99 Bluetooth cable makes iSine headphones 'wireless'
Just after the iPad Pro was announced, I wrote about how sad I was to be forced away from my current pair of headphones, the Audeze iSine 10. You see, iSine models are best paired with a Lightning cable that features Audeze's custom DAC, giving great audio quality -- and the new iPad drops the Lightning port. Well, someone, somewhere, heard my cries, as Audeze is releasing a cable compatible with all iSine models that converts them from Lightning to Bluetooth.
Spare a thought for the guy with Lightning headphones
It was a questionable decision to opt for headphones that work with two devices. Nevertheless, I do love the Audeze iSINE 10s that I've used every day for the past year and a half. Sure, I can't charge and listen to music at the same time, but thanks to a Lightning cable feeding data and power to Audeze's in-line DAC, they sound fantastic on both my iPad and my iPhone. Unfortunately, I'm now stuck with some wonderful headphones that are roughly half as useful as they were yesterday, as Apple has just switched from Lightning to USB-C for its latest iPad Pros.
The nine headphones that made our back-to-school guide
So you're headed off to college in the fall. What are you going to use to help you focus when you're on deadline? To tune out the rowdy partiers down the hall? Whether you need a pair of earbuds, a set of sound-cancelling cans or just a pair of budget headphones that don't suck, our annual back-to-school guide has you covered. If you can only afford one pair, Jabra's Elite 65t wireless earbuds are our go-to recommendation. Athletes will appreciate the Jaybird Run earbuds or perhaps the wired Beats X 'buds, while market leader Bose remains our top pick in the noise-canceling category. (Go with the QuietComfort QC35 II.) And if you're looking for an over-the-ear-style headset, we have picks from Audeze, Blue, TMA-2, Corsair and Even, including a few models designed for gamers. Find all that and all our other picks in Engadget's full back-to-school guide.
Audeze’s ambitious Mobius is more than a gaming headset
Tucked inside an unassuming office park just south of LA, there's a modest factory where some of the best audiophile-grade headphones are assembled on a daily basis. Audeze has built its reputation on planar magnetic technology, drivers that produce a more natural sound thanks to better frequency response and super thin components. During my visit, the company was making its final preparations to launch Mobius, a gaming headset that packs in audiophile sound and 3D audio to create a more immersive experience, especially for gamers. The company's headquarters is just under an hour from LA in Santa Ana. Here, all of the Audeze headphones are assembled. The company even makes its planar magnetic drivers in the modest production facility, a setup that allows it to put together everything by hand, closely monitor quality control and maintain a steady R&D pace.
Audeze makes $2,495 earbuds only an audiophile could love
Audeze built a reputation on really good (and more portable) planar magnetic headphones. Back in September the company debuted its first in-ear model: the iSine. Despite looking somewhat like a mini TIE fighter, those bulkier earbuds do a solid job of improving sound quality for people who prefer that fit to an on-ear or over-ear set of headphones. There's even a separate model made specifically to pair with a VR headset. This week, Audeze took another huge step in its in-ear lineup by announcing the $2,495 LCDi4.
Teaching the uninterested about headphones
By Aaron Souppouris and Mat Smith There's a constant divide at Engadget between those who care about audio and those who don't. I (that's Aaron) fall mostly in the first category: I appreciate high-end headphones, but my budget typically leaves me with pairs costing $200 to $300. My current daily 'phones are AKG K702s for home and Master & Dynamic MH30s for out and about. My colleague Mat Smith couldn't be more different. He uses a mix of unremarkable Sony earbuds and Bluetooth headphones and responds to "audiophile" conversation with a bespoke mixture of groans and eye rolls. This CES, I decided to spend a morning getting him excited about headphones. It went ... OK? The rules were simple and our methodology entirely unscientific. We would travel from booth to booth, listening to a single track over and over. Because we're mean, the Engadget CES team deemed Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" the perfect fit, despite the holidays being long gone. After adding a 1,411Kbps (16/44.1kHz) FLAC file to my iPhone, we headed onto the show floor, stopping at Sennheiser, Audio Technica, HiFiMan, Audeze and Klipsch. In general, I was looking for portable headphones that work well when connected to a phone. For each listen, I had Mat tell me his thoughts before we moved on to the next booth.
Audeze modified its in-ear planar magnetic headphones for VR
When Audeze announced it's iSine in-ear planar magnetic headphones last summer, the company also touted the device's ability to play nice with the Oculus Rift. Here at CES, Audeze is officially announcing a dedicated VR version of the TIE fighter-esque audio accessory. The iSine VR, as it's called, will work with the HTC Vive, PlayStation VR and StarVR headsets, on top of the previously announced Rift compatibility.
Audeze's iSine buds will upgrade your Oculus Rift audio
When I first saw Audeze's new planar magnetic in-ear headphones my eye was drawn to the slightly goofy design. But, any self respecting audio lover will probably overlook that if the sound is right. And, on first listen, it looks promising. Audeze has been making planar magnetic headphones for a while, but this is the first time it's squeezed the technology into an in-ear headset (it claims, it's the first time by anyone, ever). Why should you care about that? Well, depending who you ask, some will claim that planar drivers are a good mid-ground between regular dynamic drivers, and pricey electrostatic ones. An unexpected bonus, is that Audeze worked with Oculus so they play nice with Rift, if you're looking for a dedicated set for your VR headset.
Audeze crammed audiophile tech inside its in-ear headphones
Audeze knows a thing or two about planar magnetic headphones and the company is taking on a new form factor with its latest release. The iSine 10 and iSine 20 are the company's first in-ear headphones that employ the aforementioned audio technology. In fact, Audeze says that these audiophile earbuds are the first to offer planar magnetic tech in this style.
Audeze's Sine are lightweight planar magnetic headphones
Usually, planar magnetic headphones aren't the most portable cans. At this year's CES, Audeze unveiled its much more portable Sine planar magnetic on-ear headphones. What does that mean exactly? Well, the planar magnetic tech uses a thin diaphragm rather than typical headphone drivers, touting higher accuracy and more detailed sound. These particular cans are also lightweight and don't pinch in on your head, which sometimes can be a struggle, especially with the extra heft you have when dealing with audiophile-grade headphones.
