Entries from Manifest Tech Blog tagged with 'Headphones'
Noise-Reduction Bluetooth Headsets: Wrap-up
The bottom line from our mini-series on Bluetooth headsets is that noise-reduction technology is the real deal, pulling your outgoing voice from the surrounding ambient noise without significant distortion. The technology has improved, typically with dual microphones, dampening of wind...
Bluetooth Headsets 4: Jabra BT530
Compared to some other sexy designs, the Jabra BT530 is a wonderfully straightforward headset, especially good for occasional use. It has dedicated single-use buttons, instead of requiring memorized multi-tap sequences. There's actually a separate power slide switch on the...
Noise-Reduction Bluetooth Headsets 3: Plantronics Discovery 975
The Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth headset is another interesting design approach from Plantronics, albeit not quite as different as the Voyager PRO (see previous post). The idea is to pack the electronics in a square-ish base unit, with the...
Noise-Reduction Bluetooth Headsets 2: Plantronics Voyager PRO
Compared to the Aliph Jawbone (see previous post) and other in-ear Bluetooth headsets, the Plantronics Voyager PRO is a very different beast. It's an over-ear design, with the electronics in a pod that rests behind the ear, and a...
Noise-Reduction Bluetooth Headsets: Aliph Jawbone Prime
While some technologies may be over-hyped, the introduction of noise-reduction technology in Bluetooth headsets is the real deal. These headsets can work amazingly well with mobile phones, especially in noisy environments like on city streets or even when standing near...
Altec Lansing BackBeat Pro Reference Earphones
(with Brian Dixon) Altec Lansing has a long history in advanced audio and, as a division of Plantronics, has expanded its consumer electronics line to include home audio and home theatre, computer speakers, docking audio for portable devices, and a...
Ultimate Ears 700 Noise Isolating Pro Earphones
(with Brian Dixon) Ultimate Ears designs custom in-ear monitor earphones for professional musicians with wildly different styles -- and claims to be used by 75% of the world's professional touring artists for live performance (see the gallery of Ear Art...
Loud Enough Volume Limiting Earphones for Kids from Ultimate Ears
(with Brian Dixon) Crank it up! We like our music loud -- and when we use earphones out in public we need to turn it up even louder to drown out all the outside sound. But continuous exposure to loud...
Monster Turbine Earphones -- First Bass
The Monster Turbine Earphones, introduced earlier this year, are designed as "high-performance in-ear headphones," featuring "specially engineered drivers that deliver impeccable audiophile-quality sound." And priced at $149, they had better deliver, since they cost half again as much as...
Audio Bone - Bone Conduction Earphones
Today's earphones are all about isolating you from the outside world so you can enjoy your music. They nest in your ear canal to block the sound, and some even have active noise cancellation technology. But sometimes it's important to...
New Fit Earbuds for the Aliph Jawbone
The Aliph New Jawbone Bluetooth headset continues to set the standard in noise reduction with its adaptive "Noise Shield" technology (see previous post). However, the trick to the Jawbone design is the Voice Activity Sensor -- a small nub...
Joby Zivio Boom Wireless Headset
Joby -- the people behind the clever Gorillapod line of flexible tripods (see previous post) have come up with another inventive design. The Joby Zivio Boom Wireless Headset features a telescoping boom that extends the microphone much closer to your...
AcoustiBuds - iPod Earbud Adapters
How comfortable are your earphones? The Apple iPod (and iPhone) earbuds are designed to hook just inside the ear. Other earphones use a design with a soft earpiece that fits into the ear canal. You may find one design to...
Innovelis BudFits - No More Ear Wedgies with iPod Earbuds
Sometimes it's just simple things that make sense, like the Innovelis BudFits -- over-the-ear adapters for Apple iPod and iPhone earbuds, available in several colors for around $9. Yes, the Apple earbuds work fine for casual listening. But, like...
Sleek Audio SA6 Modular Earphones
Some like it hot. Some like it cool. We all have our own individual preferences on how we listen to music -- which also depends on the type of music, from cool jazz to hot rock, vocal to orchestral, simple...
V-MODA Vibe Duo Noise-Isolating Earphones / Headset
Combining "fashion-conscious style and audio-enthusiast sound," the V-MODA Vibe Duo is a noise-isolating dual-use headphone that's also a headset with the integrated hands-free microphone. It's lightweight, with a solid alloy composition and 32-inch black fabric cable. The subtle design...
Bluetooth Accessories for Hands-Free and Sharing
Cell phones have become our ever-present comfort, not only carrying our contact list to stay in touch, but also storing our favorite music to soothe the journey. And with Bluetooth wireless communications, it's really easy to connect to useful accessories...
Aliph New Jawbone Bluetooth Headset
The Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth headset, introduced way back in December 2006, set a new standard in noise reduction with its adaptive "Noise Shield" technology (see previous post). For example, I tested the Jawbone while standing between cars on a train...
JVC Gumy Air Earbuds
JVC has updated its line of popular and inexpensive Gumy earbuds. The original Gumy (HA-F130) is available in fun colors for only $9.95 -- a tasty snack impulse buy to pick up at the checkout counter. The new JVC Gumy...
Plantronics Discovery 925 - Designer Bluetooth Headset
Plantronics may not have a particularly sexy company name, but it has been producing innovative headsets for mobile phones, cordless phones, and computer audio. And its acquisition of Altec Lansing in 2005 added strength in portable and powered audio systems....
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 Noise-Cancelling Headphones
(with Brian Dixon) Coming from a name like Audio-Technica, with its background in high-performance audio for home and professional use, we had high expectations for the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones. And we were not disappointed; With a list...
Maxell NC-IV Noise Cancellation Headphones
Tired of the background noise in your life -- the whine of computer fans, the hum of the air conditioning, the roar of the train or plane, or just the clatter of all the people around you? Today's noise reduction...
Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro Headphones
(with Brian Dixon) Earphones are convenient and easy to carry, but you still give up a lot of performance compared to higher-quality headphones. Or maybe not ... Ultimate Ears develops custom molded professional ear monitors for professional / touring musicians...
JVC Bi-Metal and Air-Cushion Headphones
(with Brian Dixon) Headphones are a great luxury when you travel -- They deliver better sound, provide over-ear coverage for sound isolation from your fellow passengers, and even can add active noise cancellation technology to reduce the hiss of air...
JVC HA-NC250 Noise Canceling Headphones
(with Brian Dixon) The JVC HA-NC250 Noise Canceling Headphones are JVC's new top-of-the-line model ($199 list, $139 street price) -- both with better performance and better comfort than the earlier HA-NC80 model. The soft earpieces provide good sound isolation, the...
AirDrives: Outer-Ear Stereo Earphones
And now for something different in earphones -- the AirDrives "Outer-Ear" Stereo Earphones. These don't insert into your ear like earbuds, or cover your ear like headphones -- instead they hook over your ear, with the speaker hanging outside...
Noise Reduction -- Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset
I've just blogged about a couple of Bluetooth headsets with noise reduction technology -- along with other interesting features: - Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Headset - BlueAnt Z9 Bluetooth Headset Both do a nice job of noise reduction,...
Stereo Headsets -- Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Headset
Wireless headsets for mobile phones are so mono -- designed for only voice calls. But mobile phones are becoming music players -- to sync, download, and stream music in full-up stereo -- which demands that your second ear come into...
Noise Reduction -- BlueAnt Z9 Voice Isolation Bluetooth Headset
Bluetooth headsets for mobile phones were originally about getting rid of wires, but now they have become our lifelines, as we go though our day's activities chatting away. But it's noisy out there in the world, especially when trying to...
Audio Accessories Trends
We're entranced by video -- sucked in to TV shows and movies and now short clips on YouTube -- but we're also seeing a flowing of music and audio -- with MP3 players and mobile phones and libraries of albums...
Plantronics .Audio 480 Virtual Phone Booth Headset
With its acquisition of Altec Lansing, Plantronics has developed some interesting new devices combining its expertise in lightweight communications headset products with enhanced sound and music capabilities. The Plantronics .Audio digital computer headset line ranges from lightweight stereo voice headsets...
Sennheiser CX 400 Earphones
Sennheiser continues to introduce interesting new earphone designs, in its CX series of in-ear headphones, in Classic, Street, and Style lines, and in an array of fun colors. You can pick the style and features that you prefer: - The...
Sony Wireless Bluetooth Headsets
It's the best of both worlds for mobile music fans -- A multi-use stereo headset to listen to your music, that also has an integrated microphone for hands-free mobile phone use. These take advantage of two upgraded Bluetooth specs: A2DP...
Turtle Beach Ear Force AK-R8 Surround Headphones
(with Brian Dixon) Whether you're a dedicated gamer who loves the excitement of chasing through virtual worlds, or a movie fan who enjoys playing DVDs on your widescreen PC, it's the power of 5.1 surround sound audio that gives the...
JVC In-Ear Noise Canceling Headphones
Following up on my earlier post on the JVC Noise Canceling Headphones with folding over-ear design (model HA-NC80), JVC has released its first In-Ear Noise Canceling Headphones (model HA-NCX77, $79.95). These are rated to cancel up to 80% of the...
Aliph Jawbone Noise-Canceling Bluetooth Headset
Bluetooth headsets for mobile phones let you talk without wires, but at the cost of a possibly noisy connection for the person listening to you -- After all, you're talking out the side of your mouth to a tiny microphone...
JVC Noise Canceling Headphones
Earbuds and headsets, earphones and headphones -- listening has moved beyond delivering sound to also cutting out unwanted noise. You can block some sound with in-ear buds or over-ear pads, and then go further to add in active noise cancellation...
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