Headphones

My Phones volume-reducing headphones for kids

By Jude Garvey

21:54 September 23, 2009 PDT

There’s something about seeing ear buds in young ears that makes me nervous - not just because of concerns about damage to the ear canal, but also because there’s no way of telling how high the volume is turned. MyPhones headphones from Griffin Technology are set to a maximum of 85 decibels - so even though you can’t always control what your kids are listening to, at least you know there won’t be long-term damage to their hearing. Read More

Tested: Sennheiser HD 800 vs beyerdynamic T1 audiophile headphones

By Tim Hanlon

06:46 September 17, 2009 PDT

At IFA earlier in the month I had the opportunity to test a pair of Sennheiser's HD 800s and beyerdynamic's newly-announced T1 headphones, neither of which are your average set of headphones. Both are their respective companies' flagship products, and represent extensive research and development, the goal of which is to reproduce the source material as accurately and naturally as possible. And they don't come cheap - starting at around $1,300 US dollars. Read More

Dicota's award winning BacPac Control with built in ipod controller

By Mick Webb

15:13 September 8, 2009 PDT

With increasingly convenient technology comes ever-inventive ways to take it from one place to the next. Dicota has unveiled the BacPac Control, featuring room for a notebook up to 15” with the added bonus of an iPod controller integrated into the bag’s shoulder strap. Read More

Sony makes some noise - S Series Walkman with built-in speakers

By Mick Webb

22:14 August 27, 2009 PDT

Sony has announced the latest update of its enduring stalwart, the Walkman, with some additions to their range of portable music players. Rather than just providing music for one, the S-Series includes built-in speakers to share the sound, while the new E-Series offers a stylish entry-level option. Read More

Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

By Tim LeFevre

00:08 August 24, 2009 PDT

After more than 30 years of continual research into noise reduction technology, Bose has released the QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Canceling headphones. Further engineering advancements in active and passive noise reduction technologies have ensured the QC 15 headphones offer more attenuation of unwanted noise in louder environments, across a wider range of frequencies. Read More

Belkin's solution to the iPod shuffle dilemma

By Darren Quick

02:34 July 29, 2009 PDT

The headphones Apple includes with its range of iPods have never been a major selling point. Sure, they do the job, but many people choose to scrap Apple’s trademark-white earbuds in favor of higher quality units. That was why many people cried foul when Apple released the third generation iPod Shuffle, which features controls located on the headphone cable. Belkin has released a new headphone adapter that restores your ability to listen to the Shuffle on headphones of your own choosing. Read More

Solar-powered Bluetooth headphones sound like a top idea

By Darren Quick

00:53 May 21, 2009 PDT

When it comes to wearable devices that harness the power of the sun, it would seem to make sense that the obvious place for solar panels would be the place that generally gets the most sunlight – namely the top of the head. That might not be desirable for items such as backpacks, jackets or sunglasses, but it’s such a perfect fit for headphones that you wonder why no one has thought of it before. Engineering student Shepeleff Stephen has hit on the obvious with his concept for Bluetooth-enabled headphones that incorporate solar panels into the headband. Read More

Sony X-Series Walkman packs OLED display and noise canceling technology

By Darren Quick

06:00 May 14, 2009 PDT

Sony has set its PMP sights firmly on the iPod Touch with the new X-Series Walkman. Sporting a similar form factor and much of the functionality of its Apple competitor, the X-Series manages to hold its own with the inclusion of an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) touch screen and integrated digital noise canceling technology. Read More

Genius' $50 noise-cancelling GHP-04NC headphones

By Mick Webb

05:45 April 2, 2009 PDT

As recently reported here at Gizmag, when it comes to headphone quality a growing number of consumers seem to be sacrificing sound for style. Fortunately there are companies out there still looking to cater for aural afficianados and the latest effort from Genius - the GHP-04NC Noise Cancelling headphones - have the added bonus of costing half as much as the company's offering from 18 months ago. Read More

Are iPods killing music perception?

By Tim LeFevre

21:23 March 18, 2009 PDT

It seems that most people are content with the performance they get from their white iPod earbuds – subpar audio in a convenient package. Has the performance of a humble set of headphones been forgotten in favor of something more compact, and to some more fashionable? Yes is the answer according to an informal study by Stanford Professor of Music, Jonathan Berger, and apparently it doesn't end there - young people actually prefer the “sizzle” sound of MP3’s. Read More

Panasonic's Zirconia in-ear headphones for audiophiles

By Darren Quick

22:30 January 22, 2009 PST

Home shoppers have long been aware of the miraculous properties of Zirconia of the cubic variety. Now audiophiles can discover these wonders through Panasonic’s high fidelity in-ear headphones, which promise ultra-clear sound reproduction with virtually no distortion thanks to a sound chamber made of Zirconia, which has less resonance than plastic or aluminum. Read More

Ears-on with Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones

By Tim Hanlon

00:15 January 10, 2009 PST

While we covered the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones back in July 2008, it took a trip to the Monster Audio booth at CES 2009 for Gizmag's Tim Hanlon to get his ears on a set. So how do they compare with the benchmarks set by the German engineering coming out of companies like beyerdynamic and Sennheiser? To put it bluntly, he was blown away. Read More

Pioneer HDJ-2000 DJ Headphones

By Noel McKeegan

16:33 November 26, 2008 PST

Pioneer's latest high-end HDJ-2000 professional DJ headphones promise new levels of sound quality and durability in a lightweight magnesium swivel/fold design that's both comfortable to wear and easy to transport. Key specs include a frequency response of 5 Hz to 30,000 Hz, 50 mm driver units, a zero resonance heavy-duty build and the capacity for 3,500 mW of input which prevents distortion at sustained loud volumes. Read More

Able Planet releases budget version of noise canceling headphones

By Emily Clark

23:52 September 7, 2008 PDT

Able Planet has introduced a new model of noise canceling headphones aimed at cost-conscious audio-philes who also like to protect their hearing. The new USD$99 Clear Harmony NC200 foldable headphones utilize the company’s patented LINX AUDIO and state-of-the-art active noise cancellation (ANC) technologies. Read More

Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones

By Tim Hanlon

19:14 July 22, 2008 PDT

July 23, 2008 Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are the result of collaboration between Dr. Dre, Monster Cable and industrial designer Robert Brunner. There's certainly no question that they look the part, but with an impressive list of features and specifications to back them up, you might just consider dropping USD $349 on a pair this Friday. Read More

Hearing Components $79.95 noise reducing Comply NR-10 earphones

By Kyle Sherer

00:06 March 17, 2008 PDT

Hearing Components’ latest noise reducing earphones, the $79.95 Comply NR-10, share a common design with earphones used by the US Army and Special Forces. The Comply NR-10 uses the military technology to deliver 48 decibels of noise reduction, blocking out more noise than the alternatives, without requiring additional battery power. Read More

Logitech to release wireless stereo VoIP headset

By Noel McKeegan

18:16 March 6, 2008 PST

March 7, 2008 As the rapid growth of VoIP communications continues (Skype for example, had 276 million user accounts at the end of 2007 and almost 8 million people are shown as online as this article is being written), its no surprise to learn that computer peripheral specialist Logitech has entered the wireless headset market. The Logitech® ClearChat PC is the company’s first wireless stereo headset designed for Internet calling with a PC and uses 2.4 GHz wireless technology and a USB transmitter to deliver a cordless link that's effective at up to a distance of 33 feet (10 meters) from the computer. Read More

Callpod Dragon Bluetooth 2.0 Headset offers 100+ meter range

By Darren Quick

14:37 February 3, 2008 PST

February 4, 2008 Callpod Inc’s Dragon Bluetooth headset for mobile phones, PDAs, VOIP products and computers boasts a range of 100 meters or 328 feet – a big step up over the standard 10 meter or 30 feet range common for Bluetooth headsets. The Dragon also silences ambient noise and annoying pops and clicks with its proprietary Dual-Mic Noise Suppression technology, which isolates the user’s voice while removing background noise. In addition, the Dragon can connect with the PC for Skype calls while on a mobile call, allowing users to switch between the PC and mobile phone with a press of a button. Read More

Genius BT-03l Bluetooth headset

By Darren Quick

17:30 December 5, 2007 PST

December 6, 2007 The Genius BT-03l touch Bluetooth headset is the first headset in the world to feature a capacitance touch panel with slide control which allows the volume to be adjusted by simply sliding the bar using the touch sensor. Designed to compliment Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and PDAs, the BT-30l supports A2DP hands free so users can take a call or listen to music which is automatically muted when receiving an incoming call. Read More

Sony Ericsson’s W380 Walkman phone

By Darren Quick

20:30 November 8, 2007 PST

November 9, 2007 Sony Ericsson has unveiled the latest addition to its Walkman phone portfolio, the W380. Featuring gesture control functionality, which allows users to mute calls or silence the alarm with a wave of their hand, the clamshell design W380 features a 512MB Memory Stick, FM radio with TrackID, plus an external display with customizable light effects and one-touch control buttons on the top of the phone so users can see who’s calling or manage their music without having to flip the top. Read More

CERULEAN F1+TX Bluetooth headphone and transmitter for iPod

By Darren Quick

00:12 November 3, 2007 PDT

November 3, 2007 iSkin has bundled its TX transmitter and F1 headphones as the CERULEAN F1+TX, a Bluetooth audio package for iPod that enables wireless control and simultaneous connection to a mobile phone. Read More

AKG wireless headphones unveiled at IFA

By Shaun McKeegan

01:05 September 4, 2007 PDT

September 4, 2007 AKG's K930 wireless stereo headphones are among the plethora of noteworthy new products Gizmag has encountered at the IFA show in Berlin this week. With a range of approximately 100 meters, the K930 headphones do not require a line of sight from the transmitter enabling the signal to penetrate through walls and ceilings and greatly expanding the user’s mobility. Read More

Headphones: Motorola goes for Bluetooth, JBL adds noise cancellation

By Loz Blain

June 23, 2007 Two sets of headphones we thought rated a mention: Motorola has released a set of Bluetooth wireless "DJ" headphones which pair with either music devices, games consoles or mobile phones, using a built-in microphone, and JBL have come out with an affordable headset that incorporates an ambient noise cancellation system. Read More

Bose In-ear Headphones

By Mike Hanlon

May 7, 2007 In a trend mirrored around the world, US MP3 sales have been rapidly increasing, with a 32% rise in 2006 capping an eight year climb that never fell below the double-digits in percentage gain. And since people (grudgingly) replace headphones far more often then they replace MP3 players, headphone product innovation is expected to increase alongside the market, with companies trying to distinguish themselves and tap into the demand. Bose promises that its first venture into in-ear headphones will offer a wide frequency range and an ergonomic design. The US$100 headphones, (which are not noise-reducing or sound-isolating), can be fitted with three differently sized silicone ear tips to ensure that extended listening is made comfortable. Read More

Koss Cobalt wireless headphones

By Mike Hanlon

August 11, 2006 High fidelity stereophone manufacturer Koss has announced a wireless Bluetooth stereophone it will call the Cobalt and we fancy these will be very worthwhile additions to the personal entertainment kit. Built to last, the US$180 Cobalt has a “No Questions Asked” Lifetime Warranty. The Cobalt uses advanced Bluetooth frequency-hopping technology to provide a 30-foot range, so you can move freely while taking a call, or listening to your favorite music or movies. If you’re working on your PC, the Cobalt is also sold with a USB dongle transmitter that plugs into your computer for streaming and VOIPing. Read More