Logitech UE 900 Noise-isolating Earphones

Logitech launches its new UE 900 is a high-end noise-isolating earphones designed to deliver studio-grade sound. The new earphones pack four precision balanced armature speakers – two for the low end, one for the mid-range, and one for high frequencies, and a three-way crossover to provide “soundstage with soul-satisfying bass, heavenly highs and a crisp, piano-like timbre.”


For maximum comfort and noise-isolation, the UE 900 comes with five sizes of silicon cushions and three sizes of Comply foam cushions, each designed with a large-bore opening to ensure the sound is delivered cleanly. The detachable, braided cables are included, one with in-line microphone and control for answering calls and controlling music when use with iPhone or iPod, and the other is a standard cable.

The Logitech UE 900 is priced at $399.99.



Source: itechnews

LG TONE+ HBS-730 Bluetooth Headset supports VoLTE

LG announced its new TONE+ HBS-730 Bluetooth stereo headset with upgraded feature to deliver richer and clearer audio experience. It includes support for VoLTE (Voice over LTE) calls, allows users to hold conversations in High Definition (HD) sound between VoLTE-capable devices. The sleek headset has a behind-the-neck design.

LG’s TONE+ features aptX, a ‘professional grade audio codec’ to enhance audio performance and deliver CD-quality sound, and extended bass register to increase the available sound range. It supports multi connection for pairing to two devices at the same time. It also includes Audible Pairing Assistance to reveal the connection status when another device is connected, Vibrating Call Alert to notifie the user of incoming calls, Audible Battery Status Alert and Mic Mute. It can be used with the BT Reader Android application to monitor and read incoming SMS.

The LG TONE+ offers 15 hours of talk time and up to 500 hours of standby time. It will be released by the end of this month in blue black and white pearl colors.

Satechi BT Lite Headphones

Introduction:

Oh Satechi! We’ve checked out quite a few Bluetooth offerings from them already this year, so there’s no arguing that this latest one is sure to catch a few eyes with its inexpensive price point. However, this is the first time we’re scoping out something geared for those who prefer a more personal music experience. Strutting an enticing $44.99 price point online, the Satechi BT Lite Headphones also catches our attention thanks to its retro design, but let’s hope that its audio performance can equally churn out something enjoyable.

Design:

Rather than sporting any one of the many modern designs we’ve been seeing with other Bluetooth headphones, the Satechi BT Lite takes the retro approach of using yesterday’s over the head style. So yeah, it’s definitely eye-catching! With its horseshoe-like appearance, its glossy plastic body has some leeway in bending and flexing in order to fit over our head – albeit, it seems as though it’s more on the small side as a whole. Extending the earpiece to their maximum length, we’re not that confident that it’ll accommodate people with larger sized heads. Despite that, the headphones themselves are padded perfectly and flex to provide one comfortable feel.

Source: phonearena

Accutone Pisces Band Stereo Headphone Review

Accutone is known for making quality headsets for the corporate industry for decades. They’ve produced some of the world’s best headset and monitors that’s been used by call centers, corporations, professional musicians and now, they’re bringing their expertise to the consumer market.

What we have here for review is the Accutone Pisces Band which is their top-of-the-line high-definition stereo headphone with an in-line microphone and digital control. It comes in 3 different flavors: White, Orange and Black. Looks really awesome but how does it fare? Read on for our review.

Packaging

The box is a clear plastic so you can clearly see what the Pisces Band looks like. You can see from the box that it’s compatible with all Apple products from the iPod to the iPhone up to the latest iPad. There’s nothing much to see in the box, not even the specs which I was hoping to see as any audiophile would want to know what they’re buying.

Underneath the shiny silvery base of the headset, you’ll see a stylish-looking white carrying case and the user manual.

Construction

The Pisces Band feels solid and tough. The entire headset is made of genuine aluminum metal so it won’t break easily. The leatherette used in the headphones is quite comfortable and doesn’t heat up as much as other foams from headphones I’ve used. And if ever they need to be replaced, they can easily be removed (see user manual). The ear cups are quite small which can be uncomfortable for long periods of time for people with big ears.

There’s a bit of clamping force which is good and bad in different ways. Good in a sense that it’ll keep the headset from falling and keeping your tunes to yourself and bad in a sense that it might give you headaches after long usage.

The folding mechanism feels has that assuring lock and doesn’t feel like it’ll snap for a long time. This folding design is suitable for people on the go for its added portability.

The cable is flat and a tad bit short but it’s not a problem when it’s connected to a gadget on your pocket. Flat cables also don’t tangle as much as rounded cables.

This headphone comes with an in-line mic and volume controls so it can be a nice companion to your iPhone. Using the volume controls is not as responsive as I hope it would be. The construction is rather flimsy as compared to the build of the headphone itself and the buttons are not that easy to click. But if you can learn to control it deftly, you can also use it to skip to the next or previous track as well as pause/play. However, it only works on iOS devices, not on Android or other phones.

Performance

As with all headphones, when you buy them new, you need to burn them in first. This is to loosen the drivers and will definitely open up the sound a lot more. I did the standard sine sweep for 24 hours.

When I first got the headphones, the sounds were muffled and I couldn’t justify the price on this one. But after a week, I got to hear the dynamics of these cans. The lows really cut through the sound and doesn’t muffle the mids and highs.

The bass really feels natural and doesn’t target the bassheads market. It’s just the right amount of bass. I played some bass heavy RnB music which I don’t listen to much, but listening to them in these ‘phones is certainly a delight. I played Kenny G’s Romantic Collection and I can feel the high notes of his sax through my spine. There’s also very good instrument separation, as you can identify where the sound is coming from, giving the midtones their very own distinct sound space. The Pisces Band’s drivers have a nice balance from the low-end up to the high-end tones. (Disclaimer: Sound perception is very subjective and my experience with the same headphones might be different from yours)

The sound stage is actually good despite being a closed-back ‘phone. It doesn’t leak as much so you can use it on the library without disturbing anyone. But these headphones are loud, it’ll leak if you max out the volume. From experience, 70% is already loud enough for me.

Conversations with the mic on an iPhone are clear according to my friends on the other line. Something I’m not really surprised about since Accutone is known for delivering high-quality headsets for call centers and they applied the same quality over to their music headsets.

Conclusion

These are a great set of ‘phones for people who’s always on the go. The compact folding design and the stylish carrying case can easily fit in your luggage or you won’t mind carrying it around like a clutch bag. It outputs great audio, has great looks and great durability, the perfect combination for mobile headphones. And the call reception quality you’re getting from the in-line mic is just a bonus.

The Accutone Pisces Band retails for Php8,450 which can be a bit steep for some but actually, it’s worth every peso you’re paying for. You can buy the Accutone Pisces Band from The Online Gadgeteer and comes with free delivery and one-year warranty.

Genius’ first professional 7.1 gaming headset, the CAVIMANUS

Known for its wide array of PC peripherals and accessories, Genius is slowly making its way to the professional gaming scene with the introduction of their first ever professional 7.1 channel gaming headset, the CAVIMANUS.

The CAVIMANUS has a virtual 7.1 channel system and is powered by a 40mm neodymium driver. It also has a vibration function and an LED that shows when the power is on. You can find the volume control on the ear cup and you can fold the microphone away during games that don’t require talking.

Genius CAVIMANUS Features:

• Virtual 7.1 channel provides excellent gaming experience
• Vibration function
• Gold-plated USB connector
• Powerful 40mm driver unit
• Unidirectional microphone

The CAVIMANUS headset is already available in stores and retails at just Php3,595. Now that’s an inexpensive 7.1 gaming headset.

Logitech BH320 USB Stereo Earbuds for Unified Communications

Logitech introduces the new business-oriented BH320 USB stereo earbuds for Unified Communications, which provide enterprise-grade in-ear audio for PC telephony and videoconferencing. The BH320 is the first earbuds qualified as Optimized for Microsoft Lync and it is compatible with popular UC platforms such as Microsft Lync, Skype, Cisco IP Communicator. The earbuds feature a stylish design with a sleek black finish and brushed aluminum accents.


The Logitech BH320 utilizes five-band parametric equalisation on both the microphone and speaker paths for optimal sound quality that closely matches the experience of normal speech in the same room; and features active echo cancellation for clear voice. It comes with in-line control remote answer/hang-up, volume increase/decrease and mute controls. The earbuds connects to computer via USB. It has a six-foot long cord for increased range of movement, and comes with a travel pouch.

Sony MDR-V55 and MDR-ZX600 Headphones

Sony MDR-ZX600

Sony has announced two headphones in Europe, the MDR-55 and the MDR-ZX600 with street-smart urban design. Both models feature a compact design with swiveling earcups that fold flat for easy storage and carry. They are equipped with large 40mm driver units with Neodymium magnets to deliver rich sound with extended bass and detail-packed highs.

Sony MDR-V55

The Sony MDR-V55 is a DJ-focused headphones with reversible earcups, while the MDR-ZX600 has a classic look with a fresh twist with real metal accents and a colorful ring detail. They both come with flat, tangle-resistant cable.

The MDR-V55 and MDR-ZX600 will be released in April, and come in four eye-catching colors – black, white, red, blue.

Sony MDR-ZX600

Sony MDR-ZX600

Sony MDR-ZX600

Sony MDR-ZX600

Sony MDR-V55

Sony MDR-V55

Promac PRO One Earphones, surprisingly good for a budget earphone

Wait Promac? Earphones? Yep! Same brand that makes those TVs I often associate as “raffle prizes”. Now they’re venturing in the world of headphones and what we have here is their PRO One (they also have PRO2 and PRO3). The PRO does not stand for professional-grade by the way.

The Promac PRO One earphones is advertised as having a detailed and bass-driven sound signature. For the curious ones, the PRO2 is said to give you warm and bright sound while the PRO3 has an in-line mic. That’s their lineup and they’re taking it slowly by introducing these affordable ones first.

Anyway, back to the Promac PRO One. At first, it looks like your typical in-ear earphones with a high gloss finish. But when you pull it out from its plain-looking packaging, you would see an angled driver design (not meant for over-ear wearing) for a comfort fit and a flat tangle-free cable with a cinch to keep those buds together when not in use.

Comfort fit you say? Yes, the angled design works and it’s one of the most comfortable and “just right fit for my ears” earphone I’ve used. It’s snug, not too tight and not loose either and they have two extra silicon tips too in case the default one doesn’t feel right on your ear.

Performance

To test this Promac PRO One, I have a couple of entry-level buds in the form of the Philips SHE800 and the Superlux HD381 to compare it with and a Nokia phone as my music player.

According to the packaging, the Pro ONE has a detailed and bass-driven sound signature. Well one thing’s for sure, the bass is not that strong. It’s there but the sound is not necessarily bass-driven as they claim. After using it to listen to Kanye West’s Niggas in Paris, it felt that bass was weak compared to the Philips SHE800 which has the same driver size. It’s not that bad though especially if you don’t need those powerful bass. Let’s just say there’s not much bang in T-Pain’s Bang Bang Pow Pow.

Its strength would be in the details. Despite having a not-so big soundstage, you can still clearly hear the details of your music. The mids and the highs are well reproduced and surprisingly crisp for an earphone of this caliber. Wale’s Lotus Flower Bomb sounded rich and vibrant with the synths smoothly flowing from left to right without muddying the treble. Piano and the string instruments on the Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years were spot on although I’m sure it will sound better on a bigger soundstage.

Because of the snug fit, sound isolation is better than your typical entry-level earphones and there’s only a little bit of sound leakage coming from this when worn. I’ve used this at the gym and it does a good job muting the gym’s own music. Although it’s less powerful than the Superlux HD381, the Promac PRO One can keep the music in your ears instead of broadcasting it to the people around you.

Coming from an untested brand with an affordable price, it’s easy to doubt its build quality. Unfortunately, I can’t help you there as I’ve only been using this earphone for two weeks during commutes and workouts. What you’ll get from Promac is a one-year warranty for these and they will even replace it if it’s unrepairable and still falls under warranty terms.

Verdict

What you would like with the Promac PRO One is its snug fit, flat cable and excellent sound details for an earphone that costs only Php499. Yes, it’s costs just half a grand. I’m not going to recommend this to those into hip-hop or rap music or those who don’t want to be seen with the Promac brand on their ears but for other genres and those who don’t care about brands, the Promac PRO One is my new top pick for a budget earphone.

a-JAYS One+ in-ear earphones with inline mic/remote review

We’re no stranger to the a-JAYs lineup which is a very decent replacement for your stock earphones. JAYS’ a-JAYS series is the entry-level earphones from the Swedish audio company that gives you value for your money.

Anyway, the a-JAYS One+ retains the same good sound quality as that of the original version but only adds an in-line mic with a single push button that functions as a remote to handle your calls and music.

  

It still has the same nice packaging, the tangle-resistant flat cable, and 5 pairs of silicon sleeves with sizes from XXS to L to ensure the best fit with maximum external sound insulation. Yes, my picky ears find the sleeves very comfy. The angled jack makes it more resistant to damage due to bending.

Even though the a-JAYS One+ is marketed towards Android users, you can use it even on non-Android phones and still have a functioning mic and in-line remote.

The single button on the in-line remote does almost everything you would want from a music/phone remote. A single click will either answer/hang up a call, or pause/play your music depending on what you’re doing. Double-click will either move to the next track or decline a call. A triple-click will switch to previous track. Click-hold and double-click-hold will turn the volume up or down. It’s also compatible with most applications such as VoIP, Skype, iChat and voice memo.

For more info visit Here: pinoytechblog

Motorola SF500 and SF700 Sports Headphones with Heart Rate Monitor

Motorola SF700

Motorola is launching two new sports headphones with built-in heart rate monitor – the wireless SF700 and the wired SF500. Both of them are equipped with in-ear sensor to detect your heart rate, meaning there’s no need for a chest strap. They provide one-touch heart rate read outs to ensure you can monitor your workout closer than ever before.

Motorola SF500

Designed to use with the MOTOACTV, the SF500 and SF700 can transmit the heart rate information for your workout to the fitness tracker. 

The SF700 comes with built-in microphone and controls for making phone calls, while the SF500 has in-line remote control for music playback and calls. Other than MOTOACTV, these sports headphones also work on other devices such as mobile phone, tablets, computers, MP3 players/PMPs.

KIRF: Beats Tour earphones from Beats by Dr. Dre

When I first saw this being sold in one of the stalls in the Mall, I could not believe they’d carry Beats by Dr. Dre along with 2nd hand phones and other China phones so I suspected it was a fake.

But if you look at the packaging, you’d certainly tink this is the real thing until you found out how much they are selling it for — Php400 ($10) as against the $189.95 (Php10,900 in Astroplus/Astrovision) on the Beats by Dr. Dre website.

They even keep the details as close as possible — the manuals, the warranty card and carrying case are all included in the box.

The earphones definitely looks like a knock-off with the finish on the buds itself looking to peel off anytime soon. Feels plasticky too.

I am told these knock-offs have been selling in stalls for some time now. I also saw Power Beats by Dr. Dre for only Php1,800 (SRP is Php11,500). 

This article originally appeared at - yugatech

HTC buys Beats by Dr. Dre, plus a little bit of cool

HTC has announced today that is has invested into Beats by Dr. Dre, the company that makes headphones and loudspeakers.

In a press release sent to the media today, HTC wants to integrate the technology behind Beats into HTC handsets:

HTC® and Beats™ have been working together to create superior mobile audio experiences for consumers, which will result in a line of HTC devices integrated with Beats sound innovations.
“Beats has found a unique way to harness popular culture in a manner that is unlike any other brand today,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “It’s an exciting brand that has been built around providing something very special, and we believe our strategic partnership will provide customers with unbeatable sound on HTC phones. We obsess over every detail of a consumer’s mobile experience and audio is a critical part of that experience.”

HTC is currently using SRS sound enhancement technology in some of their products (specifically the HTC Sensation) so it makes sense for them to invest into an audio technology they can call their own.

However, when they picked Beats, I wondered what sort of unique technology the company possess that HTC would be interested in.

It’s pretty obvious though that this strategic partnership is more aligned to branding and marketing — a position that Beats by Dr. Dre can definitely bring. HTC’s $300 million investment is definitely a move to further push brand recognition in the US. 

This article originally appeared at - Yugatech