Audio headphones used to mean fat padded ear muffs and thick coiled cables. Today's styles can be much more minimalist, complimented by impressive audio processing.
Case in point: the Plantronics .Audio 476 DSP foldable USB stereo headset. This is an over-the-head stereo headset with plug-and-play USB connection. It's lightweight and comfortable, and folds almost completely flat for travel.
But this is much more than a headset for music -- it's designed for today's much broader range of uses, including music, movies, video games, and communications.
For listening, the .Audio 476 features DSP processing, with 24-bit hi-fi stereo sound and acoustically tuned digital equalizer. Plus, it has three-button inline controls, for volume up/down and mic mute.
And for speaking, there's the noise-canceling wideband boom microphone, with 48 kHz sampling rate and 16-bit output. The processing also extends to wideband acoustic echo cancellation for clearer and more natural speaking.
The result is to provide great sound that's convenient to carry and comfortable to wear. The Plantronics .Audio 476 list for $54, and is available at street prices around $35.
See the Portable Audio Accessories Gallery for details and related products.
Find the Plantronics .Audio 476 Headset on Amazon.com