Audio, Sound & Speakers News - Page 5

Apple's getting ready to announce the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series' of devices at an event that is now confirmed to take place on September 12. Now, a new report claims that the new iPhones and refreshed Apple Watches aren't the only things that will debut at that event.

Writing for Bloomberg, the usually well-connected Mark Gurman says that we can expect Apple to also unveil at least one new pair of AirPods during that same event. The new earbuds will come with a USB-C port included, ditching Lightning just as the new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max will. Gurman stopped short of saying which AirPods will be refreshed, but all models will eventually need to make the USB-C switch. Thanks before a 2024 EU law kicks in that requires all similar devices use a common charger - with USB-C being the charger that has been chosen.

That means that the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max will all need to be updated to remove the Lightning connector, although it isn't clear whether that will be the only thing that changes as part of these refreshes. Again, Gurman didn't get into details but some models are more likely to get a proper refresh than others.

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has announced that it is acquiring the premium audio brand Audeze, with Sony making it clear that the company "will continue to operate independently and develop multi-platform products" while benefiting from being under the PlayStation banner.

Audeze's gaming headphone and headset range sit on the premium high-end spectrum, with the company's Maxwell Wireless Gaming Headset retailing for USD 299 while its flagship LCD-GX Open-Back Gaming Headset retailing for USD 899. The latter sits more in the company's audiophile range, where non-gaming headphone products carry price tags in the many thousands of dollars range.

The LCD-GX is as audiophile as you can get with a gaming headset, with the cans featuring Audeze's impressive 103mm Planar Magnetic drivers and an analog design that can double as headphones for mixing and editing audio. It's an interesting acquisition for Sony, especially for the PlayStation brand.

We recently posted our review of the HyperX Cloud III Gaming Headset, the latest version of the company's classic headset in wired form. "The HyperX Cloud III is here, and it retains the supreme comfort and great balanced sound of its predecessor," we wrote in the summary, with the headset earning an award.

With Gamescom underway in Cologne, Germany, HyperX was on hand to launch the HyperX Cloud III Wireless, which is available for USD 169.99. With the same focus on great sound and comfort, HyperX has confirmed that the new Cloud III Wireless will offer up an impressive 120 hours of battery life - quadrupling the Cloud II Wireless.

The headset arrives with re-engineered 53mm angled drivers and, on PC, will support spatial surround with a lifetime activation for DTS Headphone: X. HyperX notes that the new angled drivers have been tuned to deliver and improve on the impressive clarity and sound quality of its predecessor - the Cloud II Wireless.

The new RIG 600 PRO Series from NACON sees the popular gaming headset brand release its first dual wireless audio solution for gamers - simultaneously supporting low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth. This opens up the new headset's versatility, with compatibility covering all major gaming devices - PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile.

With Bluetooth functionality, you can still receive phone calls and notifications in the Dual Mode that utilizes the 2.4 GHz dongle for game audio with Bluetooth functionality for mobile devices. Game Mode disables Bluetooth to avoid interruptions while gaming, with Bluetooth Mode connecting solely to your mobile.

For those connecting to a mobile device, the 600 PRO Navigator app on iOS and Android devices offers full customization options for the headset and microphone.

Razer's latest gaming audio product might look like earbuds, but the new Razer Moray headphones represent the company's first in-ear-monitors (IEM). What's the difference between these and, say, Bluetooth earbuds? Well, for one, anytime you hear the word 'monitors' when it comes to speakers or headphones, expect a focus on balanced, high-quality audio designed for creators and enthusiasts.

And here's the thing: Bluetooth or wireless audio is fine for most people, but the audio quality isn't great - hence why the Razer Moray in-ear monitors are wired. Razer is tapping into a market usually associated with more niche brands, the in-ear monitoring or wired earbud space, with the Moray design following many of the principles seen there, including things like high-quality braided cables and connections.

Designed with the "unique demands of gamers and marathon streamers" in mind, the Razer Moray buds can be used for pretty much anything, thanks to the focus on premium audio quality - bolstered here by THX Certification.

The AirPods Max are the best headphones that Apple makes today, and that includes the headphones that are made by the Apple-owned Beats brand as well. But they're due a refresh and while rumors of that happening have been hard to come by, this concept shows just how awesome it might be if it happens.

What makes this concept so impressive is the way it borrows ideas from the Vision Pro AR/VR headset which itself also borrowed some ideas from the original AirPods Max. With that in mind, take a look at what Parker Ortolani has managed to create. Because it's stunning.

Ortolani says that his new AirPods Max 2 concept takes the Hs and H1 chips to offer new software capabilities that aren't currently available for the AirPods Max, nor will they be when Apple ships iOS 17 to the masses later this year.

There are so many good wireless earbuds on the market that it can be difficult to know where to even start these days. In reality, it's difficult to go wrong but if you really want to push the boat out the upcoming Sony WF-1000XM5 could be the way to go.

Sony hasn't officially announced the WF-1000XM5 yet, but they're expected to be announced soon and a new leak suggests that there are some big changes on the horizon.

According to that leak, the WF-1000XM5 will have 40% larger drivers than the WF-1000XM4 that are currently on offer. That should ensure a more impressive sound, but that isn't all. We're also told to expect the WF-1000XM5 to be around 20% lighter than the previous earbuds thanks to a 1.5g saving off each one.

If you're in the market for a new pair of Apple headphones but aren't keen on the look, feel, or even the weight of the AirPods Max, there might be a new option coming soon.

That new option is the Beats Studio Pro, a pair of headphones that are now said to be just around the corner. We've heard mention of them before, but now they appear to have leaked once again as we get closer to the release of IOS 16.5.

That's because the first Release Candidate update for iOS 16.5 not only mentions the new headphones but also appears to have outed the first image of them as well.

At this point it would be a huge surprise if Apple shipped the iPhone 15 lineup with anything other than a USB-C port, but the latest phones aren't the only Apple products that are getting the USB-C treatment. Apple's worst earbuds are as well.

The loss of Lightning is something that few iPhone owners are likely to shed any tears over, especially if they happen to have any other devices that already use USB-C. The iPad is already a USB-C device of course, as are the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. And every Android phone you buy today will have a USB-C port on its bottom edge. But Apple is only switching because the European Union made it, and now it's switching the wired EarPods as well.

That's right, the EarPods that used to come bundled in with iPhones will now also get their very own USB-C upgrade, although they still won't come in the box with your new iPhone.

Spotify says that it's still planning on adding AirPlay 2 support to its streaming app, but hasn't actually said when that will happen yet. The skeptics out there would suggest that they've heard this all before and that Spotify has little intention of actually following through.

The news came in an interview with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman as part of his weekly Power On newsletter. Gurman was discussing the fact that Spotify still doesn't fully support the HomePod or HomePod mini despite making plenty of noise about perceived problems with Apple's ecosystem.

After Apple opened the HomePod up to allow third-party streaming services to function properly with Siri back in 2020, many of those services took advantage of that move. But Spotify is the notable exception. Interestingly, Spotify claimed that the company didn't receive many requests for HomePod support. That despite a complaint about the lack of HomePod support on the company's own forums having more than 5,800 likes.