Did US President Joe Biden arrogantly snub Chinese President Xi Jinping by pretending to understand Mandarin as he spoke during the China-US Summit?!
Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Joe Biden Ignored Xi Jinping At US-China Summit!
Pro-CCP activists, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), are sharing and promoting a CGTN video, together with a message which claims that US President Joe Biden arrogantly ignore Chinese President Xi Jinping as he spoke during the China-US Summit in Woodside, California!
Did you observed that the US delegation wear earphone except Biden and Blinken to listen to the translation. Do they really understand mandarin? Or they are only being arrogant and do not bother to listen to Xi speaking?
This is typical of all angmor sai (Caucasian shit) behaviour and attitude !?
Joe Biden Did Not Ignore Xi Jinping At US-China Summit!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created or promoted by pro-CCP supporters and/or the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Chinese Delegation Did Not Wear Headphones
First, let me just point out that the Chinese delegation, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, did not wear any headphones or earphones during the opening remarks of the China-US summit meeting that was held in Woodside, California on Wednesday, 15 November 2023.
Perhaps the entire Chinese delegation understood English, and did not require translation. Xi Jinping is said to understand English, even though there is no footage of him actually speaking in English.
Former president Donald Trump actually mocked Xi’s command of the English language, recalling that he managed to say the word, “repeat”:
He looked at me, and he goes, “Repeat”. I didn’t know he spoke English actually. <people laughs>
He said, “Repeat”. I said, what did you just say? Repeat?
So he spoke a little more English than I though, cause he never said “Hello”, but he said “Repeat”.
But unlike the thin-skinned CCP supporters and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), Americans don’t seem to care that the Chinese delegation did not wear headphones. They probably have more important things to argue about (like whether Travis Kelce will cheat on Taylor Swift) than petty nonsense like this.
The CGTN video itself only showed President Xi Jinping giving his opening remarks at the 2023 China-US summit at Woodside, with English subtitles.
Most of the US delegation appears to be wearing black wired headphones, to listen to the English translation of his remarks. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were the only ones who did not appear to wear any headphones.
While pro-CCP supporters and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) are claiming that the two men were arrogantly pretending to listen to Xi Jinping speaking in Mandarin, the truth is – they were both wearing wireless earphones.
What was not shown in the CGTN video was the portion just before Xi Jinping spoke. It showed both Joe Biden and Antony Blinken each putting on a single wired earphone.
The White House video (link) showed the opening remarks of both President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping opening remarks. After Biden finished speaking, he welcomed President Xi Jinping, and handed “the floor” to him:
I look forward to beginning this discussion, and I welcome you, and the floor is yours, Mr. President, and again, welcome back.
Joe Biden can then be seen plugging a small wired earphone into his right ear. As the view switches to show the Chinese delegation, it also shows Antony Blinken putting a similar wired earphone into his right ear.
At the end of the White House video, Antony Blinken was seen removing his earphone, while Joe Biden still had his earphone on.
To be clear – both President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were listening to the translation of President Xi Jinping’s opening remarks. They certainly did not insult President Xi Jinping or the Chinese delegation by pretending to understand Mandarin.
This is just ultimately just another example of CCP propaganda, created / spread by pro-CCP supporters and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).Here are other examples:
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did a man using Bluetooth earphones get electrocuted by the high tension power cable of an electric train?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Man Using Bluetooth Got Electrocuted Near Electric Train!
A video showing a man getting electrocuted and falling onto train tracks has gone viral, together with a message that claims that it happened because he was using Bluetooth earphones too close to the train tracks!
As the Bluetooth was activated on the mobile phone, the current came from the high tension cable of the track and reached the brain through the ear phones
And what happened next? See it yourself
Avoid using Bluetooth on the railway platform while travelling and standing “close to the train track” on the platform. 16/12/22
Truth : Man Near Electric Train Was Not Electrocuted Using Bluetooth!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and shared on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Incident Happened On 7 December 2022
First, let me just confirm that the video is genuine, and was recorded by a CCTV camera at the Kharagpur railway station in West Bengal, India, on 7 December 2022.
It did not happen on 16 December 2022, as the fake viral message claimed.
Fact #2 : Man Was A Train Ticket Inspector
The man was not a train passenger wearing Bluetooth earphones. He was a ticket inspector – a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) to be precise.
There was no mention of the ticket inspector wearing headphones or earphones of any kind in the incident report. As he was working on the job, he would not have been wearing any earphones, much less Bluetooth earphones.
Fact #3 : He Was Hit By A Falling Live Wire
While the ticket inspector was speaking to another person, an electrical cable that was in contact with the Overhead Equipment (OHE) live cable fell on him.
He was electrocuted by that loose cable, with sparks coming off his shoes and head. The ticket inspector fell backwards onto the rail tracks as the other person ran away in fright.
Fortunately, there were no passing trains, and after a few seconds, onlookers (who were probably stunned) came to help him. Miraculously, the man was taken to the hospital, and survived with only burn injuries!
If you look carefully at the video, you can see the cable when it sparks up on touching the ticket inspector’s head.
Fact #4 : Railway Official Confirmed Live Wire As The Cause
Chennai railway official, Ananth Rupanagudi, confirmed the incident, and explained that it was a freak accident that occurred because a long piece of cable fell on the man’s head.
A freak accident – a long piece of loose cable, taken by a bird somehow came in contact with the OHE wire and the other end came down and touched a TTE’s head. He suffered burn injuries but is out of danger and under treatment – at Kharagpur station yesterday afternoon! #Accident
He also revealed that the cable was very long – about 6 to 8 metres in length, and it was touching the OHE live cable on the other end.
Fact #5 : Incident Had Nothing To Do With Location / Bluetooth
To be clear, this incident had nothing to do with the man “standing close to the train track”. It also had nothing to do with using Bluetooth earphones.
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology. It is simply not possible for anyone using Bluetooth devices to get electrocuted by nearby power cables, even if they are exposed.
Now that you know the truth, please help to SHARE this fact check article so other people won’t be fooled by this fake news!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Sony Penang Audio Plant : Slated To Close By March 2022
Just over a year ago, Sony announced the closure of their PG Tec manufacturing facility, which spanned a land area of 172,000 m², with a total built-up area of 95,000 m².
Based in the Prai Industrial Zone, the Sony PG Tec facility produced audio products like the WH-1000XM3 and WP-SP900 headphones, wireless speakers, home theatre systems and Blu-ray players.
It was also the home of a local Sony R&D team that designed the Sony MHC-V81D sound system, amongst other audio products.
At that time, Sony said that the PG Tec audio plant would stop operations in September 2021, and close by March 2022.
The 3,400 or so employees at the Sony PG Tec facility were offered the option of a severance plan, or relocation to the Sony EMCS factory in Bangi, Selangor. Some 1,800 employees are local, while another 1,600 are foreigners.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Sony has decided to close their PG Tec factory, which manufactures audio products like WH-1000XM3 headphones!
Find out what’s going on, and what this means for their 3,400 employees and Sony fans!
Sony PG Tec Facility Will Close By September 2021!
Sony has decided to close their PG Tec manufacturing facility, which spans a land area of 172,000 m², with a total built-up area of 95,000 m².
Based in the Prai Industrial Zone, the Sony PG Tec facility produces audio products like the WH-1000XM3 and WP-SP900 headphones, wireless speakers, home theatre systems and Blu-ray players.
It is also the home of a local Sony R&D team that designed the Sony MHC-V81D sound system, amongst other audio products.
Penang Gov Confirms That Sony Will Close PG Tec Facility
Dato’ Haji Abdul Halim, the Penang Trade, Industry and Entrepreneur Development Exco, confirmed the decision, stating that the Penang state government will hold a press conference to address the matter.
According to him, the decision to close this high-tech manufacturing facility was due to “internal restructuring due to fierce market competition”.
The 3,400 or so employees at the Sony PG Tec facility will be offered a severance plan, or relocation to the Sony EMCS factory in Bangi, Selangor.
Some 1,800 employees are local, while another 1,600 are foreigners.
The Sony EMCS PG Tec facility is still operating at the moment, and will close in stages, fully ceasing operation in September 2021.
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Jabra is introducing a FREE ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) upgrade for all Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t true wireless earbuds!
Jabra Elite 75t + Elite Active 75t Get FREE ANC Upgrade!
On 21 October 2020, Jabra announced a FREE ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) upgrade for all Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t true wireless earbuds!
By taking advantage of the superior Qualcomm digital audio processor already built-into the Elite 75t, Jabra is able to introduce this free ANC upgrade via a firmware update in the Jabra Sound+ app.
The Jabra Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t with ANC as standard will be available for purchase in October 2020.
Jabra Elite 75t + Elite Active 75t : Now With ANC
The Jabra Elite 75t (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is their fourth-generation wireless earbuds, offering two key improvements over last year’s Elite 65t.
Improved Comfort + Secure Fit
Jabra used thousands of ear scans from all over the world, to create a profile of the most optimal 3D shape and size for the Elite 75t.
They promise that they will offer an improved fit that is more comfortable and secure, allowing you to use them for long hours, and without fear of them falling out.
Better Battery + Charging Capabilities
Jabra extended the Elite 75t’s battery life by 50%, from 5 hours to 7.5 hours. They also extended its charging case’s battery capacity, allowing the Elite 75t to offer a total battery life of 28 hours, versus 15 hours for the 65t.
The Jabra Elite 75t (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) also has fast charging capability – a quick 15 minutes charge in its charging case will give you an hour of battery life.
Incidentally, Jabra will offer an Elite 75t variant in Q2 2020 that will have a charging case with wireless charging capability, in addition to USB Type C wired charging.
MyControl + MySound (Coming In Q2 2020)
Jabra will introduce two new features through a future firmware update – MyControl and MySound.
MyControl lets you personalise the touch controls, with the option of using either left or right earbud by itself. Otherwise, you can only use the right earbud independently.
MySound lets you create and use a personalised hearing profile using a series of audio tests. This will offer you a significant improvement in audio quality.
4-Microphone Technology
Like the Elite 65t, the Jabra Elite 75t (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes with four microphones for clearer voice pickups and better wind noise reduction.
Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity
The Jabra Elite 75t (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) supports Bluetooth 5.0, which allows for lower-latency audio with lower power consumption. That means longer battery life without the fear of audio dropouts!
IP55 / IP57 Dust + Water Resistance
The Jabra Elite 75t is IP55-rated for dust and water resistance. That means it is sweat- and splash- resistant, but not waterproof. Do NOT take it for a swim!
The Jabra Elite Active 75t, on the other hand, is IP57-rated, which allows for water submersion up to 1 meter deep for up to 30 minutes.
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Jabra Evolve2 85 is the flagship of the new Evolve2 family of business headphones. Here is a quick look at the latest Jabra wireless ANC headset for the workplace!
Jabra Evolve2 85 : Wireless ANC Headset For The Workplace!
The Jabra Evolve2 85 is the flagship wireless headset of the new Evolve2 family of business headphones, offering the very best audio technologies Jabra has to offer.
Six Variants!
The Jabra Evolve2 85 is available in six variants, allowing you to select the best variant for your requirements :
Connectivity : USB-A or USB-C
Charging Stand : With or Without
Optimisation : Microsoft Teams or Unified Communication
Active Noise Cancellation
The Jabra Evolve2 85 features their digital hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology, which offers 50% better noise cancellation compared to their previous-generation Evolve 80.
Its over-ear design, with soft memory foam ear cushions cover your ears completely, further improving noise isolation.
More Powerful 40 mm Speakers
It comes with more powerful leak-tolerant 40 mm speakers, paired with their most advanced digital chipset and the latest AAC codec.
10 Microphones!
The Jabra Evolve2 85 comes with not one, or two, but TEN microphones to guarantee the best possible audio clarity.
There are two microphones in the boom arm, and four microphones in each ear cup, to deliver 40% better audio transmission.
Busylight + Microsoft Teams Integration
The signature Jabra Busylight helps alert your colleagues when you are busy, and should not be disturbed.
In addition, the Microsoft Teams variant comes with a dedicated button with a special status indicator LED to signal different issues – missing a call or a meeting, for example.
Battery + Charging
The Jabra Evolve2 85 has a long battery life of 37 hours, and a full charge takes just 2.5 hours, thanks to its fast charge capability!
In case you forgot to charge it, just 15 minutes of charging will give you 8 hours of battery life.
Jabra Evolve2 85 : Price + Availability
The Jabra Evolve2 85 headset will be available for purchase in Beige and Black colour options in June 2020, at these price points :
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The Jabra Evolve2 65 is part of the new, redesigned Evolve2 family of business headphones. Here is a quick look at this new wireless headset for the workplace!
Jabra Evolve2 65 : Wireless Headset For The Workplace!
The Jabra Evolve2 65 is wireless variant of the Evolve2 40, offering the same audio features, with the convenience of Bluetooth connectivity.
Eight Variants!
The Jabra Evolve2 65 is available in eight variants, allowing you to select the best variant for your requirements :
Speakers : Mono or Stereo
Connectivity : USB-A or USB-C
Charging Stand : With or Without
Optimisation : Microsoft Teams or Unified Communication
Improved Passive Noise Cancellation
The Jabra Evolve2 65 features improved passive noise cancellation, through a new angled ear cup design, and engineered oval memory foam ear cushions.
More Powerful 40 mm Speakers
It comes with more powerful leak-tolerant 40 mm speakers, paired with their most advanced digital chipset.
Multiple Microphones
The Jabra Evolve2 65 comes with not one, or two, but three microphones for 25% better audio transmission!
Even if you do not extend the microphone in the boom arm, two other microphones in the right ear cup will pick up your voice.
Busylight + Microsoft Teams Integration
The signature Jabra Busylight helps alert your colleagues when you are busy, and should not be disturbed.
In addition, the Microsoft Teams variant comes with a dedicated button with a special status indicator LED to signal different issues – missing a call or a meeting, for example.
Battery + Charging
The Jabra Evolve2 65 has a long battery life of 37 hours, and a full charge takes just 90 minutes, thanks to its fast charge capability!
In case you forgot to charge it, just 15 minutes of charging will give you 8 hours of battery life.
Jabra Evolve2 65 : Price + Availability
The Jabra Evolve2 65 headset will be available for purchase in Beige and Black colour options in June 2020, at these price points :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Jabra Evolve2 40 is part of the new, redesigned Evolve2 family of business headphones. Here is a quick look at this new headset for the workplace!
Jabra Evolve2 40 : On-Ear Headset For The Workplace!
The Jabra Evolve2 40 is corded variant of the Evolve2 65, offering the same audio features, just without Bluetooth connectivity.
Six Variants
The Jabra Evolve2 40 is available in six variants, allowing you to select the best variant for your requirements :
Speakers : Mono or Stereo
Connectivity : USB-A or USB-C
Optimisation : Microsoft Teams or Unified Communication
Improved Passive Noise Cancellation
The Jabra Evolve2 40 features improved passive noise cancellation, through a new angled ear cup design, and engineered oval memory foam ear cushions.
More Powerful 40 mm Speakers
It comes with more powerful leak-tolerant 40 mm speakers, paired with their most advanced digital chipset.
Multiple Microphones
The Jabra Evolve2 40 comes with not one, or two, but three microphones for 25% better audio transmission!
Even if you do not extend the microphone in the boom arm, two other microphones in the right ear cup will pick up your voice.
Busylight + Microsoft Teams Integration
The signature Jabra Busylight helps alert your colleagues when you are busy, and should not be disturbed.
In addition, the Microsoft Teams variant comes with a dedicated button with a special status indicator LED to signal different issues – missing a call or a meeting, for example.
Jabra Evolve2 40 : Price + Availability
The Jabra Evolve2 40 headset will be available for purchase in June 2020, at these price points :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Edifier W828NB is their latest Bluetooth headphones to offer active noise cancelling capabilities, at a very low price point.
Edifier seems to believe that everyone should be able to afford a decent pair of wireless active noise cancelling headphones, with the W828NB as a more affordable alternative to the excellent W860NB.
In this review, we will take a close look at the Edifier W828NB and share with you our tests of its noise cancelling capabilities. Find out if this is the wireless ANC headphones for you!
Why Active Noise Cancellation?
One of the most important gadgets any frequent traveller must have is a good pair of headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) capability. Whether you want a good night’s sleep, listen to music or watch a movie during a flight or a road trip, active noise cancellation is the way to go.
Passive noise cancellation using over-ear headphones or in-canal earphones may be sufficient for use in an office, but is quite useless on a flight. You can turn up the volume to hear through the noise, but that could damage your hearing.
The best way to listen to music or a conversation in a movie is to use active noise cancellation to literally “erase” the ambient noise. Then you can hear without actually turning up the volume!
Edifier W828NB Gold Specifications
Let’s kick this review off with a quick look at its key specifications :
Specifications
Edifier W828NB
Type
Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
Ergonomic
Features
Adjustable Headband (up to 6 cm total)
Padded headband and ear cups, with faux leather covers
Noise Cancellation
Yes, Active Noise Cancellation
Connectivity
Options
Wireless : Bluetooth 5.0
Wired : 3.5 mm audio cable
Touch Controls
None
NFC Support
No
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Range
10 meters / 30 feet
Audio Drivers
Not specified
Impedence
24 Ohms
Frequency Response
20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Sensitivity
100 dB
Battery
1,400 mAh lithium-ion battery (estimated)
Rated Battery Life
Standby : 1,500 hours
Music without ANC : 80 hours
Music with ANC : 25 hours
Rated Charging Time
4 hours @ 5 watt USB
Edifier W828NB Price + Availability
The Edifier W828NB has a recommended retail price of US$ 89.99 in the US, and RM 399 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) comes in a large premium cardboard box. Let’s unbox it and see what we find inside!
Once you fully unbox it, this is what you will find inside :
One pair of Edifier W828NB active noise cancelling headphones
One Edifier W828NB user manual
One soft travel pouch
One USB Type A to micro-USB 2.0 charging cable
One 3.5 mm audio cable
The soft travel pouch is big enough to fit the Edifier W828NB headphones, as well as its cables.
Unfortunately, the package does not include a 3.5 mm aircraft plug adaptor, which means you won’t be able to connect it to the audio system of older airliners.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Edifier W828NB Up Close!
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) is a sturdy-looking pair of wireless headphones. Designed for travel, it can be folded for compact storage inside its travel pouch.
If you are used to gaming headsets, you may find its ear cups on the small side, but that’s because they are designed to hug your ears.
The build quality is good, with a blend of quality plastics, metal and faux leather. We like the choice of a smooth matte finish that is fingerprint smear resistant. Overall, it feels like a premium pair of cans.
Unlike the excellent but more expensive Edifier W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY), the W828NB lacks touch controls or a hard travel case. On the other hand, it supports Bluetooth 5.0 and is 25% cheaper!
Let’s delve deeper and see what we find, shall we?
Edifier W828NB Controls
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) saves cost by doing without the W860NB‘s touch controls.
The ANC switch at the bottom of the left ear cup controls its active noise cancellation circuitry. You can actually turn on its ANC feature on without playing any music, if you just want some peace and quiet.
On the right ear cup, you will find the Power button which turns on its Bluetooth connectivity, and the Volume control buttons.
You can actually use the W828NB without “turning it on”, or if it runs out of battery power. Just plug in the provided 3.5 mm audio cable and you are good to go!
But note that the Volume control buttons only work when you are connected to your smartphone or music player using Bluetooth.
Edifier W828NB Audio + Charging Port
You will find the 3.5 mm audio port at the bottom of the left ear cup, which allows you to connect the W828NB directly to your smartphone or music player, or the airplane’s audio jack.
Unfortunately, while Edifier provides a long 3.5 mm audio cable, they did not include an aircraft port adaptor. You will need to purchase a separate adaptor, if you wish to connect to the audio systems of older airliners.
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) is rated to last for 25 hours, with ANC turned on and music playing wirelessly through Bluetooth. You recharge its battery through this micro-USB port at the bottom of the right ear cup.
Edifier did not include a USB charger, only a USB cable which you can connect to your computer, your smartphone’s USB charger or even a power bank.
According to Edifier, it will fully recharge in 4 hours using a 5 watt USB charger or USB 3.0 port. If you are recharging it using an older USB 2.0 port though, it should take twice as long.
How Comfortable Is The W828NB?
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) has an adjustable headband that is padded at the top, and wrapped in soft faux leather.
The headband can be extended by 3 cm on each side, in 9 steps. When fully retracted, it is small enough to fit a child of about 8-9 years of age.
Its ear cups are amply padded and covered in faux leather. Being designed for travel, the ear cups are on the small side. The good news is that they hug your ears, preventing slippage even when you shake your head to the music.
On the other hand, faux leather does not breathe like real leather. So it will get humid inside the smaller space pretty quickly if you are wearing them in warmer weather.
The ear cups can be folded inwards, for a more compact form factor that allows it to fit into the soft travel pouch.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Edifier W828NB Active Noise Cancellation Capability
Active noise cancellation is conceptually simple. One or more microphones pick up ambient noise, which is used to generate opposing sound waves that cancel out the noise before it reaches the user’s ears.
However, it has not been easy or cheap to implement. For one thing – noise detection and the generation of its opposing sound waves happens in real-time.
It is complicated by the need to mix the noise-cancelling sound waves with the actual audio output (of your song or movie), and deliver the output without any noticeable lag.
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) is one of the few affordable wireless headphones to boast active noise cancellation. It has an ANC microphone at the side of each ear cup, pointing backwards.
From what we can tell, the W828NB uses analogue negative feedback circuitry to generate its noise cancelling sound waves.
Analogue noise cancellation is simpler and cheaper to implement, but limits its active noise cancellation to the lower frequencies.
For active noise cancellation of higher frequencies, they would need to add a fast digital signal processor to handle the complex noise cancellation algorithms.
Edifier W828NB Noise Cancelling Performance
We tested the Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) on seven flights, recording its noise cancellation capability using a cardioid microphone, the best examples of which you can see in this video.
Before you watch the video, please keep in mind that it was quite impossible to fully isolate our microphone in the ear cup. So the actual effect is more pronounced than what you’ll hear in this video.
In the airplane cabin clip, you can distinctly hear how the W828NB cuts out the low-frequency rumble, but the higher-frequency sound of the air-conditioning is still audible.
Turning on active noise cancellation will markedly reduce low-frequency noise. This gives you a better appreciation of whatever you are listening to. However, this includes voices of people around you. In fact, airline announcements were clearer with ANC turned on, than turned off.
However, we noticed some static feedback whenever the plane landed. It always happened right after the plane touches down – it’s as if the static feedback is caused by the sound of the airplane’s tyres. It tapers off as the plane slows down.
Bluetooth 5.0
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) has a big advantage over the more premium Edifier W860NB – Bluetooth 5.0.
Its Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity is more than twice as fast as the W860NB‘s Bluetooth 4.1, allowing it to deliver audio data at lower latencies. It also uses less power.
This should let the W828NB avoid audio synchronisation problems that sometimes affects Bluetooth 4.x devices.
It is also the reason why the W828NB can wirelessly play music for 80 hours (without ANC), compared to just 45 hours for the W860NB.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Edifier W828NB : Our Verdict
Anyone who has ever tried using headphones with active noise cancellation on a flight will appreciate what a difference they make.
They will also realise just how useful noise cancellation can be in other applications – better audio clarity at lower volumes, concentrating better in a noisy office, sleeping better, etc.
The key impediment for the widespread adoption of active noise cancellation can be summed in one word – COST.
Headphones with active noise cancellation are generally much more expensive than regular headphones, and some are prohibitively so. This is where the Edifier W828NB comes in.
Priced at just $89.99 / S$157 / A$119.99 / RM 399, it is incredibly affordable. In fact, you can equip a family of three with W828NB wireless headphones for the same price you would pay for a single pair of Sony 1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones!
But just how effective are its noise cancellation capabilities?
The Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) is best at cancelling out low-frequency noise. At higher frequencies, it is limited to passive noise reduction courtesy of its over-ear design and padding.
That means it will effectively cut out most of the annoying rumble of jet engines and road noise; leaving voices quite audible.
If you really need to cut out the higher frequencies, then you need to splurge on headphones that perform digital noise cancellation like the Sony WH-1000XM2 (US | UK | MY) or the latest Sony 1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones.
The ability to block voices may or may not be a good thing, depending on your point of view. It may be nice to cut out annoying chatter and crying babies, but that may mean you won’t be able to hear important announcements or alerts.
We also noticed that it has a static feedback issue whenever a plane lands. Edifier should definitely look into this problem.
However, we love that the Edifier W828NB used Bluetooth 5.0, with a large battery with enough battery life to last even the longest flight and then some. We also like its classy matte finish, and excellent build quality.
Overall, the Edifier W828NB (US | AU | SG | MY) offers a great combination of features, at a great price point. It really punches above its weight.
Edifier W828NB : Where To Buy?
The Edifier W828NB has a recommended retail price of US$ 89.99 in the US, and RM 399 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
We managed to get our hands on the award-winning Edifier W860NB Bluetooth ANC headphones in both the regular Black colour, and the more exclusive Gold edition.
Check out our colour comparison of the Black and Gold colours, and let us know which you prefer!
The Edifier W860NB ANC Bluetooth Headphones
One of the most important gadgets any frequent traveller must have is a good pair of headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) capability.
Whether you want a good night’s sleep, listen to music or watch a movie during a flight or a road trip, active noise cancellation is the way to go.
The Edifier W860NB is one of the few affordable Bluetooth headphones with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) capability.
Turning on its ANC feature literally “erases” ambient noise, letting you listen to music or the conversation in a movie without turning up the volume!
Edifier W860NB Specifications
The Edifier W860NB in both Black and Gold colour options have the same specifications :
Specifications
Edifier W860NB
Type
Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
Ergonomic Features
Adjustable Headband (up to 6 cm total)
Padded headband and ear cups, with faux leather covers
Noise Cancellation
Yes, Active Noise Cancellation
Connectivity Options
Wireless : Bluetooth 4.1
Wired : 3.5 mm audio cable
Bluetooth 4.1 with support for :
– Qualcomm aptX
– A2DP SBC (sub-band coding)
Bluetooth Range
10 meters / 30 feet
Audio Drivers
40 mm Neodymium drivers with titanium dome diaphragms
Impedence
32 Ohms
Frequency Response
20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Sensitivity
97 dB
Battery
1,400 mAh lithium-ion battery
Rated Battery Life
Standby : 1,500 hours
Music without ANC : 45 hours
Music with ANC : 25 hours
Rated Charging Time
4 hours @ 5 watt USB
Edifier W860NB Colour Comparison
Let’s take a close look at both Black and Gold colour options, and compare them side-by-side :
Now that you have seen both Edifier W860NB models side-by-side, which colour do YOU prefer? Black or Gold?
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Edifier W860NB Black + Gold Colour Purchase Options
The Edifier W860NB has a recommended retail price of US$ 119.99 in the US, and RM 499 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Are you looking for an affordable pair of active noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones? The Edifier W860NB Gold might just be what you are looking for.
It is one of the few Bluetooth headphones in the market that offers active noise cancellation capabilities at an affordable price point.
In our in-depth review of the W860NB Gold active noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones, we will show you why it won our Reviewer’s Choice Award!
Why Active Noise Cancellation?
One of the most important gadgets any frequent traveller must have is a good pair of headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) capability. Whether you want a good night’s sleep, listen to music or watch a movie during a flight or a road trip, active noise cancellation is the way to go.
Passive noise cancellation using over-ear headphones or in-canal earphones may be sufficient for use in an office, but is quite useless on a flight. You can turn up the volume to hear through the noise, but that could damage your hearing.
The best way to listen to music or a conversation in a movie is to use active noise cancellation to literally “erase” the ambient noise. Then you can hear without actually turning up the volume!
Edifier W860NB Gold Specifications
Let’s kick this review off with a quick look at its key specifications :
Specifications
Edifier W860NB Gold
Type
Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
Ergonomic Features
Adjustable Headband (up to 6 cm total)
Padded headband and ear cups, with faux leather covers
Noise Cancellation
Yes, Active Noise Cancellation
Connectivity Options
Wireless : Bluetooth 4.1
Wired : 3.5 mm audio cable
Bluetooth 4.1 with support for :
– Qualcomm aptX
– A2DP SBC (sub-band coding)
Bluetooth Range
10 meters / 30 feet
Audio Drivers
40 mm Neodymium drivers with titanium dome diaphragms
Impedence
32 Ohms
Frequency Response
20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Sensitivity
97 dB
Battery
1,400 mAh lithium-ion battery
Rated Battery Life
Standby : 1,500 hours
Music without ANC : 45 hours
Music with ANC : 25 hours
Rated Charging Time
4 hours @ 5 watt USB
Edifier W860NB Gold Price + Availability
The Edifier W860NB Gold has a recommended retail price of US$ 119.99 in the US, and RM 499 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Edifier W860NB Gold Up Close!
The Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY)) is an elegant-looking pair of wireless headphones. We like how Edifier chose to use a very nice smooth matte surface that is fingerprint smear resistant.
The W860NB Gold is also very well-built, with a good blend of quality plastics, metal and faux leather. It has a good heft, and feels like a premium pair of cans.
Nestled in both ear cups are 40 mm neodymium drivers with titanium dome diaphragms, designed to deliver strong bass with a wide soundstage.
Despite its modest price point, the W860NB Gold boasts touch controls, as well as a very nice and tough storage case and all the accessories you’ll ever need.
Overall – this is a nice hassle-free buy-and-enjoy package, but let’s delve deeper and see what we find, shall we?
Edifier W860NB Gold : Buttons + Touch Controls
The Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has two separate power controls on the right ear cup.
The Power button turns on its Bluetooth connectivity and touch controls, while the ANC switch turns on its active noise cancellation circuitry.
They actually work independently of each other. You can turn on the active noise cancellation capability without “turning on” the W860NB Gold.
In fact, you can also listen to music using the 3.5 mm audio cable without, yes, “turning it on” using the Power button. Similarly, you can turn on its Bluetooth connectivity and listen to music, without turning on ANC for a longer battery life.
Its touch controls are also on the right ear cup. But they only work when you are connected to your smartphone or music player using Bluetooth.
The touch controls allow you to change tracks and volume, or accept and end calls, without touching your smartphone or music player.
Just swipe right or left to skip ahead or backwards, and swipe up and down to control the volume. Tapping the centre twice pauses and resumes your music, or accepts and ends a phone call.
Edifier W860NB Gold : Audio + Charging Ports
On the left ear cup, you will find the 3.5 mm audio port. It allows you to connect the W860NB Gold directly to your smartphone or music player, or the airline’s audio jack, using the provided aircraft port adaptor.
Hidden under a rubber cover is a micro-USB port that serves as a charging port. Edifier did not include a USB charger, only a USB cable which you can connect to your computer, your smartphone’s USB charger or even a power bank.
They say that it will fully recharge in 4 hours using a 5 watt USB charger or USB 3.0 port. If you are recharging it using an older USB 2.0 port though, it should take twice as long.
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How Comfortable Is The W860NB Gold?
The Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has an adjustable headband that is padded at the top, and wrapped in soft faux leather.
The headband can be extended by 3 cm on each side, in 9 steps. When fully retracted, it is small enough to fit a child of about 8-9 years of age.
Its ear cups are also padded and covered in faux leather. Being designed for travel, the ear cups are on the small side. The good news is that they hug your ears, preventing slippage even when you shake your head to the music.
On the other hand, faux leather does not breathe like real leather. So it will get humid inside the smaller space pretty quickly if you are wearing them in warmer weather.
Incidentally, the ear cups can be folded inwards, for a more compact form factor if you prefer not to keep it in the hard case, which is admittedly quite bulky.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Edifier W860NB Gold’s Active Noise Cancellation Capability
Active noise cancellation is conceptually simple. One or more microphones pick up ambient noise, which is used to generate opposing sound waves that cancel out the noise before it reaches the user’s ears.
However, it has not been easy or cheap to implement. For one thing – noise detection and the generation of its opposing sound waves happens in real-time.
It is complicated by the need to mix the noise-cancelling sound waves with the actual audio output (of your song or movie), and deliver the output without any noticeable lag.
The Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is one of the few affordable wireless headphones to boast active noise cancellation. It has an ANC microphone at the side of each ear cup, pointing backwards.
From what we can tell, the W860NB uses analogue negative feedback circuitry to generate up to 97 dB of noise cancelling sound waves.
Analogue noise cancellation is simpler and cheaper to implement, but limits its active noise cancellation to the lower frequencies.
For active noise cancellation of higher frequencies, they would need to add a fast digital signal processor to handle the complex noise cancellation algorithms.
Its Noise Cancelling Performance
We tested the Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) on eight flights, and many road trips. We tried to record the effect of its noise cancellation capability using a cardioid microphone, the best examples of which you can see in this video.
Before you watch it, please keep in mind that it was quite impossible to fully isolate our microphone in the ear cup. So the actual effect is more pronounced than what you’ll hear in this video.
In the airplane cabin clip, you can distinctly hear how the W860NB cuts out the low-frequency rumble, but the higher-frequency sound of the air-conditioning is still audible.
In the car cabin clip, when active noise cancellation is turned on, the low-frequency road noise is cut out. But you can still hear the higher-frequency wind noise, and even the radio music in the background.
Turning on active noise cancellation will markedly reduce low-frequency noise. This gives you a better appreciation of whatever you are listening to. However, this includes voices of people around you. In fact, airline announcements were clearer with ANC turned on, than turned off.
Edifier W860NB vs. Sony WH-1000XM2
This is a grossly unfair comparison, to be sure. But this is something quite a few of our readers will want to know – how does the Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) compare against a premium ANC wireless headphone that costs 3X as much – the much vaunted Sony 1000XM2 (US | UK | MY)?
Based on our subjective tests using the awesome Sony ZX300 Walkman (US | UK | MY), here is how the W860NB Gold compares in active noise cancellation performance to the Sony 1000XM2, in our opinion :
about 80% as good in the lower frequencies, and
about 50% as good in the higher frequencies.
This is very good performance. Impressive actually, when you consider their large price difference.
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Qualcomm aptX Support
The Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) supports the proprietary Qualcomm aptX audio codec. When used with smartphones, music players and other devices that support aptX, it can deliver lower latencies and better audio quality.
The aptX audio codec is more efficient than the default SBC (Sub-Band Coding) Bluetooth audio codec, delivering a higher bit rate with lower latency. The lower latency is especially important when you watch a movie with wireless headphones, because nothing is more distracting than a movie with unsynchronised audio!
However, make sure you enable aptX on your smartphone or player, or you will end up using SBC. Most smartphones, for example, default to SBC, even if they officially support aptX. In fact, you may need to make the change in Developer Options.
The W860NB does not support the newer and more advanced aptX-HD, which delivers HD Audio over Bluetooth; or aptX Low Latency, which promises a very low latency for better video and gaming performance. This is something for Edifier to look into adding into the next version.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Edifier W860NB Gold : Our Verdict + Award
Anyone who has ever tried using headphones with active noise cancellation on a flight will appreciate what a difference they make.
They will also realise just how useful noise cancellation can be in other applications – better audio clarity at lower volumes, concentrating better in a noisy office, sleeping better, etc.
The key impediment for the widespread adoption of active noise cancellation can be summed in one word – COST.
Headphones with active noise cancellation are generally much more expensive than regular headphones, and some are prohibitively so.
This is how the W860NB Gold stands out above its competitors. Its affordable price point allows you to literally equip a family of three with W860NB wireless headphones for the same price you would pay for a single pair of Sony 1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones!
But just how effective are its noise cancellation capabilities?
The Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is best at cancelling out low-frequency noise. At higher frequencies, it is limited to passive noise reduction courtesy of its over-ear design and padding.
That means it will effectively cut out most of the annoying rumble of jet engines and road noise; leaving voices quite audible.
If you really need to cut out the higher frequencies, then you need to splurge on headphones that perform digital noise cancellation like the Sony WH-1000XM2 (US | UK | MY) or the latest Sony 1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones.
The ability to block voices may or may not be a good thing, depending on your point of view. It may be nice to cut out annoying chatter and crying babies, but that may mean you won’t be able to hear important announcements or alerts
The W860NB Gold also impressed us in other ways. it has very useful touch controls on its right ear cup, and a large battery with enough battery life to last even the longest flight and then some. We also like its classy matte finish, and excellent build quality.
Overall, the Edifier W860NB Gold (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) offers a great combination of features, at a great price point. It really punches above its weight.
We are so impressive with its value proposition, we gladly award it our Reviewer’s Choice Award! Great job, Edifier!
Where To Buy The W860NB Gold?
The Edifier W860NB Gold has a recommended retail price of US$ 119.99 in the US, and RM 499 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The AfterShokz Xtrainerz is a tough pair of waterproof standalone MP3 headphones with bone conduction technology, designed for swimmers!
Let’s take a closer look, and see how the AfterShokz Xtrainerz differs from its Bluetooth brother, the AfterShokz Aeropex!
AfterShokz Xtrainerz
AfterShokz Xtrainerz is basically a standalone version of the AfterShokz Aeropex, with a built-in media player and 4 GB of storage.
Join our good friend Adam Lobo for his explanation of the key features of the AfterShokz Xtrainerz, as well as the AfterShokz Aeropex which boasts Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
New Bone Conduction Tranducers
The AfterShokz Xtrainerz (US | UK | AU | MY) features bone conduction transducers that are now angled at 30-degrees, for significantly reduced vibration and improved audio quality.
It has also been enhanced with PremiumPitch 2.0+ technology for a dynamic bass and higher volume, with minimal vibration.
8 Hour Battery Life
The AfterShokz Xtrainerz (US | UK | AU | MY) has a long battery life of 8 hours, letting you enjoy a whole day of music without worrying about battery life.
Waterproof Design
Rated at IP68, you can submerge the AfterShokz Xtrainerz (US | UK | AU | MY) under 1.5 meter of fresh or salt water for up to 30 minutes.
On top of that, it is corrosion resistant – the AfterShokz Test Team put it through a 72-hour salt spray test with zero corrosion.
Its magnetic charging port is designed to detect moisture and alert you, while preventing charging to avoid damage.
4 GB Storage
Leave your phone and audio player on the shore, or at home! The AfterShokz Xtrainerz (US | UK | AU | MY) has 4 GB of storage – enough for at least 500 MP3 songs.
In addition to MP3, its built-in audio player also supports WAV, WMA, AAC and FLAC audio formats, so you can enjoy your music from different sources.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The AfterShokz Aeropex are Bluetooth bone conduction earphones designed to handle the harshest weather conditions, and even a dip in the pool!
Let’s take a closer look, and see how the AfterShokz Aeropex been improved from its predecessor, the AfterShokz Trekz Air!
AfterShokz Aeropex
AfterShokz Aeropex (US | UK | AU | MY) builds upon the popular AfterShokz Trekz Air, improving it with IP67 water-resistance, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
Join our good friend Adam Lobo for his explanation of the key features of the AfterShokz Aeropex, as well as the standalone AfterShokz Xtrainerz.
New Bone Conduction Tranducers
The AfterShokz Aeropex (US | UK | AU | MY) features bone conduction transducers that are now angled at 30-degrees, for significantly reduced vibration and improved audio quality.
It has also enhanced with PremiumPitch 2.0+ technology for a dynamic bass and higher volume, with minimal vibration.
Longer Battery Life
The AfterShokz Aeropex (US | UK | AU | MY) has a longer battery life of 8 hours, letting you enjoy a whole day of music and calls without worrying about battery life.
Waterproof Design
The AfterShokz Aeropex (US | UK | AU | MY) is sweatproof and waterproof. Rated at IP67, you can submerge it under one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.
Its magnetic charging port is designed to detect moisture and alert you, while preventing charging to avoid damage.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Everyone knows that the Samsung dropped the 3.5 mm headphone jack in the Galaxy Note 10, but did you know they also dropped the DAC too?
In this article, we will explain why the missing DAC is so important, and what all Galaxy Note 10 users should be aware of before they purchase any USB-C earphones or dongle.
What Is A DAC?
Generally, a DAC, short for Digital-to-Analog Converter, is a chip that converts digital signals into analog signals.
In smartphones, a DAC is used to convert the digital audio data into analog audio signals that are transmitted to the speakers or earphones.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Not Have A DAC?
When a smartphone designer removes the 3.5 mm audio jack, it opens up two possibilities :
keep the DAC to support any USB-C dongle or earphones the user may want to use
remove the DAC to save space and cost, and add it to the USB-C dongle instead
Samsung chose option B, so the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 lacks a DAC for audio conversion.
So What If The Galaxy Note 10 Does Not Have A DAC?
Regular 3.5 mm earphones are passive – that means they rely on the DAC of your smartphone and music player to convert the digital signals.
They will NOT work with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, unless you use a USB-C to 3.5 mm dongle with a built-in DAC.
If you try using passive earphones and a passive USB-C dongle with your Galaxy Note 10, you will get a message that the dongle is not supported, and the audio will play through the speakers instead.
Who Cares? It’s Time To Upgrade To USB-C Earphones!
That may be true, but did you know that quite a few USB-C earphones are passive too, and lack a built-in DAC? These USB-C earphones will NOT work with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.
Fortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 comes with a nice pair of AKG-tuned active USB-C earphones.
Best of all, these AKG earphones will work with all USB-C smartphones and music players, because it has a built-in DAC!
What About External Microphones?
Those who use an external 3.5 mm microphone to improve the quality of their audio recording should take note too.
The lack of a DAC means you need a DAC-enabled dongle to record audio. Anything else, and you will end up with silence.
So Which Dongle Should I Buy For The Galaxy Note 10?
Samsung obviously would prefer you to buy their USB-C Headphone Jack Adaptor, which will provide “Ultra High Quality Audio by converting digital files to analog (up to 24-bit / 192 kHz)“.
However, it costs a pretty penny, with a recommended retail price of $14.99 / £10 / ~A$ 21.99 / ~RM 62.99.
If you prefer to purchase a third-party USB-C headphone jack adaptor for less, make sure it comes with a DAC.
What Earphones Should I Buy For The Galaxy Note 10?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 already comes with a really good pair of AKG-tuned active earphones. But in case you need another pair, make sure they are active earphones (with their own DAC) :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Are you looking for an affordable pair of active noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones? The Edifier W860NB might just be what you are looking for.
It is one of the few Bluetooth headphones in the market that offers active noise cancellation capabilities at an affordable price point.
Read our in-depth review of the W860NB active noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones, and find out why we gave it our Reviewer’s Choice Award!
Updated @ 2019-01-02 :Updated the review with additional points and information. Corrected several minor mistakes.
Originally posted @ 2018-12-02
Why Active Noise Cancellation?
One of the most important gadgets any frequent traveller must have is a good pair of headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) capability.
Whether you want a good night’s sleep, listen to music or watch a movie during a flight or a road trip, active noise cancellation is the way to go.
Passive noise cancellation using over-ear headphones or in-canal earphones may be sufficient for use in an office, but is quite useless onboard a flight. You can turn up the volume to hear through the noise, but that could damage your hearing.
The best way to listen to music or a conversation in a movie is to use active noise cancellation to literally “erase” the ambient noise. Then you can hear without actually turning up the volume!
Edifier W860NB Specifications
Let’s kick this review off with a quick look at its key specifications :
Specifications
Edifier W860NB
Type
Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
Ergonomic Features
Adjustable headband (up to 6 cm longer)
Padded headband and ear cups, with faux leather covers
Noise Cancellation
Yes, Active Noise Cancellation
Connectivity Options
Wireless : Bluetooth 4.1
Wired : 3.5 mm audio cable
Bluetooth v4.1 with support for :
- Qualcomm aptX
- A2DP SBC (sub-band coding)
Bluetooth Range
10 meters / 30 feet
Audio Drivers
40 mm Neodymium Driver
Frequency Response
20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Sensitivity
97 dB
Battery
1,400 mAh lithium-ion battery
Rated Battery Life
Standby : 1,500 Hours
Music Without ANC : 45 Hours
Music With ANC : 25 Hours
Rated Charging Time
4 Hours (5 V @ 1 A)
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Edifier W860NB Price + Availability
The W860NB has a recommended retail price of US$ 119.99 in the US, and RM 499 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Edifier W860NB Up Close!
The W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is an elegant-looking pair of wireless headphones.
We like how Edifier chose to use a very nice smooth matte surface that is fingerprint smear resistant.
The W860NB is also very well-built, with a good blend of quality plastics, metal and faux leather. It has a good heft, and feels like a premium pair of cans.
Nestled in both ear cups are 40 mm neodymium drivers with titanium dome diaphragms, designed to deliver strong bass with a wide soundstage.
Despite its modest price point, the W860NB boasts touch controls, as well as a very nice storage case and all the accessories you’ll ever need.
Overall – this is a nice hassle-free buy-and-enjoy package, but let’s delve deeper and see what we find, shall we?
Touch Control + Buttons
The W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has two Power buttons on the right ear cup.
The Power button turns on its Bluetooth connectivity and touch controls, while the ANC switch turns on its active noise cancellation circuitry.
Note that they work independently of each other. You can actually turn on the active noise cancellation capability without “turning on” the W860NB.
In fact, you can also listen to music using the 3.5 mm audio cable without, yes, “turning it on” using the Power button.
The W860NB has Bluetooth touch controls on the right ear cup as well. They only work when you are connected to your smartphone or music player using Bluetooth.
The touch controls allow you to change tracks and volume, or accept and end calls, without touching your smartphone or music player.
Just swipe right or left to skip ahead or backwards, and swipe up and down to control the volume. Tapping the centre twice pauses and resumes your music, or accepts and ends a phone call.
Audio + Charging Ports
On the left ear cup, you will find the 3.5 mm audio port. It allows you to connect the W860NB directly to your smartphone or music player, or the airline’s audio jack, using the provided aircraft port adaptor.
Hidden under a rubber cover is a micro-USB port that serves as a charging port. Edifier did not include a USB charger, only a USB cable which you can connect to your computer, your smartphone’s USB charger or even a power bank.
They quote a charging time of 4 hours with a 5 watt charger or USB 3.0 port. If you are recharging it using an older USB 2.0 port though, it should take twice as long.
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How Comfortable Is The W860NB?
The W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has an adjustable headband that is padded at the top, and wrapped in soft faux leather.
The headband can be extended by 3 cm on each side, in 9 steps. When fully retracted, it is small enough to fit a child of about 8-9 years of age.
Its ear cups are also padded and covered in faux leather. Being designed for travel, the ear cups are on the small side. They hug your ears, preventing slippage even when you shake your head to the music.
On the other hand, faux leather does not breathe like real leather. So it will get humid inside the smaller space pretty quickly if you are wearing them in warmer weather.
Incidentally, the ear cups can be folded inwards, for a more compact form factor. It won’t fit the provided storage case, but it will be easier to store in your bag!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Active Noise Cancellation
Active noise cancellation is conceptually simple. One or more microphones pick up ambient noise, which is used to generate opposing sound waves that cancel out the noise before it reaches the user’s ears. However, it has not been easy or cheap to implement.
For one thing – noise detection and the generation of its opposing sound waves happens in real-time. It is complicated by the need to mix the noise-cancelling sound waves with the actual audio output (of your song or movie).
The W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is one of the few affordable wireless headphones to boast active noise cancellation. It has an ANC microphone at the side of each ear cup, pointing backwards.
From what we can tell, the W860NB uses analogue negative feedback circuitry to generate up to 97 dB of noise cancelling sound waves. Analogue noise cancellation is simpler and cheaper to implement, but limits its active noise cancellation to the lower frequencies.
For active noise cancellation of higher frequencies, they would need to add a fast digital signal processor to handle the complex noise cancellation algorithms.
Noise Cancelling Performance
We tested the W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) on eight flights, and many road trips.
We tried to record the effect of its noise cancellation capability using a cardioid microphone, the best examples of which you can see in this video.
Before you watch it, please keep in mind that it was quite impossible to fully isolate our microphone in the ear cup. So the actual effect is more pronounced than what you’ll hear in this video.
In the airplane cabin clip, you can distinctly hear how the W860NB cuts out the low-frequency rumble, but the higher-frequency sound of the air-conditioning is still audible.
In the car cabin clip, when active noise cancellation is turned on, the low-frequency road noise is cut out. But you can still hear the higher-frequency wind noise, and even the radio music in the background.
Turning on active noise cancellation will markedly reduce low-frequency noise. This gives you a better appreciation of whatever you are listening to. However, this includes voices of people around you. In fact, airline announcements were clearer with ANC turned on, than turned off.
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Edifier W860NB vs. Sony WH-1000XM2
This is a grossly unfair comparison, to be sure. But this is something quite a few of our readers will want to know – how does the W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) compare against a premium ANC wireless headphone that costs 3X as much – the much vaunted Sony 1000XM2 (US | UK | MY)?
Based on our subjective tests using the awesome Sony ZX300 Walkman (US | UK | MY), here is how the W860NB compares in active noise cancellation performance to the Sony 1000XM2, in our opinion :
about 80% as good in the lower frequencies, and
about 50% as good in the higher frequencies.
This is very good performance. Impressive actually, when you consider their large price difference.
Qualcomm aptX Support
The W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) supports the proprietary Qualcomm aptX audio codec. When used with smartphones, music players and other devices that support aptX, it can deliver lower latencies and better audio quality.
The aptX audio codec is more efficient than the default SBC (Sub-Band Coding) Bluetooth audio codec, delivering a higher bit rate with lower latency.
The lower latency is especially important when you watch a movie with wireless headphones, because nothing is more distracting than a movie with unsynchronised audio!
However, make sure you enable aptX on your smartphone or player, or you will end up using SBC. Most smartphones, for example, default to SBC, even if they officially support aptX. In fact, you may need to make the change in Developer Options.
The W860NB does not support the newer and more advanced aptX-HD, which delivers HD Audio over Bluetooth; or aptX Low Latency, which promises a very low latency for better video and gaming performance.
This is something for Edifier to look into adding into the next version.
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Edifier W860NB : Our Verdict + Award
Anyone who has ever tried using headphones with active noise cancellation on a flight will appreciate what a difference they make.
They will also realise just how useful noise cancellation can be in other applications – better audio clarity at lower volumes, concentrating better in a noisy office, sleeping better, etc.
The key impediment for the widespread adoption of active noise cancellation can be summed in one word – COST.
Headphones with active noise cancellation are generally much more expensive than regular headphones, and some are prohibitively so.
That is how the W860NB stands out above its competitors. Its affordable price point allows you to literally equip a family of three with W860NB wireless headphones for the same price you would pay for a single pair of Sony 1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones!
But just how effective is its noise cancellation capabilities?
The W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is best at cancelling out low-frequency noise. At higher frequencies, it is limited to passive noise reduction courtesy of its over-ear design and padding.
That means it will effectively cut out most of the annoying rumble of jet engines and road noise; leaving voices quite audible.
If you really need to cut out the higher frequencies, then you need to splurge on headphones that perform digital noise cancellation like the Sony WH-1000XM2 (US | UK | MY) or the latest Sony 1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones.
The ability to block voices may or may not be a good thing, depending on your point of view. It may be nice to cut out annoying chatter and crying babies, but that may mean you won’t be able to hear important announcements or alerts
The W860NB also impressed us in other ways. it has very useful touch controls on its right ear cup, and a large battery with enough battery life to last even the longest flight and then some. We also like its classy matte finish, and excellent build quality.
Overall, the W860NB (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) offers a great combination of features, at a great price point. It really punches above its weight.
We are so impressive with its value proposition, we gladly award it our Reviewer’s Choice Award! Great job, Edifier!
Where To Buy The W860NB?
The W860NB has a recommended retail price of US$ 119.99 in the US, and RM 499 here in Malaysia. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
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The Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless noise-cancelling headphones have just been unveiled. Discover what Sony’s latest noise-cancelling wireless headphones offers!
The New Sony WH-1000XM3 Headphones Are Here!
The new Sony WH-1000XM3 Headphones with Next-level Noise Cancellation was just unveiled! This headband-style around ear headphone model offers features from the previous WH-1000XM2 (US | UK | MY) model while adding multiple key improvements.
Next-level Noise Cancellation
The Sony WH-1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) features a new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, a processor with approximately four times better performance than its predecessor.
This feature can negate transport noise and cancel out daily background sounds such as street noise and human voices.
It also features Dual Noise Sensor technology that captures ambient noise with dual microphones and cancels the noise through the processor.
Superior Sound
These headphones deliver high-resolution audio based on a 40mm driver unit with a Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) diaphragm that handles heavy beats and can reproduce a full range of frequencies up to 40kHz. This enables you to listen to your music the way the artist intended.
The HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 works not only for noise cancelling but also for delivering sound quality with 32-bit audio signal processing. This offers high sound quality, best-in-class signal-to-noise ratio and low distortion for portable devices.
Smart listening
The activity recognition feature—Adaptive Sound Control—automatically detects your physical situation and adjusts to changes. With Adaptive Sound Control, you can hear ambient sounds together with music when walking, announcements while waiting, and be immersed in music with noise cancellation when traveling..
This smart listening experience is enabled by the SENSE ENGINE. Personal preferences can be customized with the Sony Headphones Connect App.
User Control
Quick Attention Mode lets you hear what is going on around you without taking your headphones off.
Placing the right hand over the earcup decreases music volume instantly and allows you to hear and quickly respond to those around you.
Other ways of controlling the sound includes swiping the touchpad on the right earcup to turn the volume up/down or to change track.
Another improvement is the addition of the Customizable Automatic Power Off function on the Sony Headphones Connect App. It enables the headphones to stay on and in noise-cancellation mode without being connected to a device. This feature is very suitable for passengers of long-haul flights requiring a much needed rest in-flight.
Comfortable And Practical
The Sony WH-1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones have a new, slimmer silhouette and weigh less than their predecessor.
The deeper earcup and thicker headband cushion add comfort. They also come with a stylish fabric case that as well as new color options of black or platinum silver with gold highlights.
The headphones also offer up to 30 hours of battery life with Bluetooth connectivity, the 1000XM3 headphones have an upgraded Quick Charging function that provides up to five hours of wireless playback after a mere 10 minutes of charging3 5 via a contemporary USB type-C port.
Voice calls are also made clearer with the introduction of multiple microphones and are totally hands-free.
“We are proud to deliver the third generation of our industry-leading noise cancelling headphones,” said Yang Cheng, head of video and sound at Sony Electronics. “Our latest model takes noise cancelling to the next level with Sony’s innovative QN1 processor to deliver only your favorite music and nothing else.”
Sony WH-1000XM3 Price And Availability
The Sony WH-1000XM3 (US | UK | MY) headphones comes with a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of RM 1,599 / US$ 349.99 / £ 329 and is now available from Sony Stores and authorized retailers.
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Sony has just launched the new WI-C600N wireless headphones with noise-cancelling technology! Catch a glimpse of this latest Sony music gadget right here!
The Sony WI-C600N Wireless Headphones
Sony unveiled the new WI-C600N wireless headphones, its latest Bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones!
Noise Cancelling Technology And Ambient Sound Mode With Superior Sound Quality!
The new WI-C600N wireless headphones is equipped with DSEE enhancement and 6mm Dynamic Drivers aimed at music lovers.
It also comes with wireless sound quality and noise cancelling features.
The Noise Cancelling Technology eliminates loud distractions while the Ambient Sound Mode lets in just the right amount of outside noise to keep users aware of their surroundings. All with just a push of a button!
Hands-free Music and Calls With Lightweight Neckband Design
Users can go completely hands-free while making calls or listening to music with the WI-C600N wireless headphones.
It comes with a built-in microphone and is compatible with Google Assistant and Siri.
The headset is engineered to be comfortable for prolonged use.
The light-weight neck band fits securely and is made with an elastic material to improve wearing comfort.
One-Touch Listening And 3 Stylish Colours!
The WI-C600N wireless headphones support one-touch listening so users can instantly stream their favourite music via Bluetooth with just a tap of their smartphone.
It comes in three stylish colours: black, grey and blue.
Sony WI-C600N Price + Availability
The Sony WI-C600N wireless headphones will be available in Sony Stores and authorised retailers in Malaysia beginning January 2019.
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Sony just launched their Hear On 2 Wireless NC (WH-H900N) headphones, and Hear On 2 Mini Wireless (WH-H800) headphones! In addition to improved capabilities, they are now available in five trendy colour options. Check them out below!
Introducing The Sony Hear On 2 H900N & H800 Headphones
The new Sony WH-H900N (Price Check) and WH-800 (Price Check) Hear On 2 headphones will come in five specially-curated colours – Horizon Green, Twilight Red, Grayish Black, Pale Gold and Moonlit Blue. They are designed to be paired with the Sony NW-A40 Series Walkman audio player, that is also available in those five colours.
They also support the new Sony Headphones Connect app that gives you greater control over the headphones, including the equaliser. You can even choose sound effects like Arena, Club, Concert Hall or Outdoor Stage.
The Sony WH-H900N Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
The new Sony WH-H900N (Price Check) wireless headphones offers noise cancelling capability in a more compact, around-ear form factor. It offers similar touch controls to the premium Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones, as well as direct control via the Sony Headphones Connect app.
The WH-H900N also boasts a 28 hour battery life, and Quick Charging capability – just 10 minutes gets you 65 minutes of battery life!
The Sony WH-H800 Mini Wireless Headphones
The Sony WH-H800 (Price Check) offers an even more compact on-ear design, which fits easily into bags. Yet it boasts high quality wireless audio quality with LDAC or DSEE HX and Hi-Res Audio capability (with cable). In its wireless mode, you can use it for up to 24 hours. It also has Quick Charging capability – get 90 minutes of battery life with just 10 minutes of charging!
The Sony Headphones Connect App
For the new Sony Hear On 2 family, the companion Sony Headphones Connect app is packed full of controls to fully utilise the capabilities of both the WH-H900N and the WH-H800 headphones.
The Sony H900N & H800 Price & Availability
The new Sony WH-H900N and WH-H800 headphones are available right now with the following recommended retail prices :
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Sony just launched three new Sony 1000X series wireless headphones with industry-leading noise cancellation technology! They are the improved WH-1000XM2 headphones, the around-the-neck WI-1000X, and the WF-1000X ear buds. Check them out below!
Introducing The 2017 Sony 1000X Series Headphones!
The 2017 Sony 1000X series delivers industry-leading noise cancellation in three headphone styles – the WH-1000XM2 (Price Check) headband headphone, the around-the-neck WI-1000X (Price Check) earphones, and the WF-1000X (Price Check) ear buds.
They also introduce the world’s first companion app, with Adaptive Sound Control that detects your activity and automatically switches to your preferred noise cancellation profile. This is made possible by the Sony SENSE ENGINE integrated into the 2017 Sony 1000X series headphones.
In addition, the WH-1000XM2 and WI-1000X (Price Check) come with the world’s first Atmospheric Pressure Optimising feature. It uses sensors and the Sony SENSE ENGINE to monitor the atmospheric pressure to optimise their noise cancelling performance.
The Sony WF-1000X Wireless Ear Buds
The star of the show is the truly wireless style WF-1000X (Price Check) , completely free of wires and fitting snugly in your ear while incorporating industry-leading noise cancelling technology.
With a 6mm driver, the sound from the WF-1000X (Price Check) earphones is dynamic despite their miniscule size. As soon as you take them out of the case these headphones automatically power on and connect to the last device they were paired with – pop them in your ears and you are ready to go.
Charge the WF-1000X (Price Check) in the sleekly designed charging case for up to 9 hours of usage.
The Sony WI-1000X Around-The-Neck Earphones
The around-the-neck style WI-1000X (Price Check) is designed for the commuter who wants to add some sophistication and efficiency to their daily commute and business trips with up to 10 hours of battery life (with wireless noise cancelling turned on).
With the world’s first Atmospheric Pressure Optimising feature, this pair is perfect for enjoying in-flight entertainment systems via a wired audio connection. the WI-1000X (Price Check) also has a zip-style cable management and vibration alerts for incoming calls.
The hybrid driver unit with BA and 9mm dynamic driver brings the best sound quality to your ears with a multitude of other sound features such as High Resolution Audio, LDAC, DSEE HX and S-Master HX.
The WH-1000XM2 Wireless Headphones
The WH-1000XM2 (Price Check) are the improved headband-style premium noise-cancelling headphones, offering multiple new features and exceptional battery life, for a deeper, longer listening experience and more options to tailor the sound to your environment.
It boasts the unique Ambient Sound mode, Personal Noise Cancellation Optimiser and Quick Attention mode in this around-ear style. If you are a frequent flyer, then you will notice improved noise cancellation performance with the new Atmospheric Pressure Optimising feature that analyses your surrounding atmospheric pressure.
Enhanced to last 40 hours with an audio cable, or 30 hours wirelessly, the Quick Charge function gains 70 mins of battery life with just 10 minutes of charging, so you can use your 1000XM2 (Price Check) wherever you are, whether that be flying across the sky or on your commute to work.
The Sony Headphones Connect App
For the 1000X family, the companion Sony Headphones Connect app is packed full of features for adaptable listening, utilising your mobile device’s accelerometer sensor to detect your activity and adjust music and sound settings to best suit your environment.
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The 2017 Sony 1000X Series Price & Availability
The 2017 Sony 1000X series headphones will have the following recommended retail prices :
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Hsinchu, Taiwan, 4 October 2016 – It’s easy for hard core enthusiasts to find top notch gaming headsets, but when it comes to budget-minded users, the balance between headset quality and price can sometimes be challenging. HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology, now have the solution for it, solidifying its commitment to creating quality gaming gear for everyone with the release of the HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headset.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger
Designed to make even the most casual gamer feel like a pro, the HyperX Cloud Stinger features HyperX signature memory foam and 50mm directional drivers to deliver a comfortable, high-quality sound experience at an affordable price.
HyperX Cloud Stinger weighs just 275 grams and is built with 90-degree rotating ear cups to provide hours of comfort for console and PC gaming. The lightweight headset includes 50mm directional drivers that are tilted to position sound directly into the ear, resulting in a broader and more accurate in-game sound.
HyperX Cloud Stinger also offers a convenient set of features for gameplay, including a swivel to mute the microphone, an adjustable steel slider for long lasting durability, and volume controls on the headset.
With optimal audio performance and sound quality, the HyperX Cloud Stinger ensures crisp and clear audio to help gamers quickly locate rivals for game play advantage across platforms. HyperX Cloud Stinger is multi-platform compatibility out-of-the-box with PC, Xbox One 1, PS4, Wii U and mobile devices2. HyperX Cloud Stinger is backed by a two-year warranty and legendary HyperX reliability.
HyperX Cloud Stinger Key Features:
✓ Lightweight Design – Minimal weight for enhanced comfort✓Audio Precision – Optimal audio performance and sound quality ✓ Adjustable Steel Slider – Long lasting durability and stability; high-quality build ✓ Intuitive Volume Control – Easily accessible volume slider to adjust audio on the headset ✓ Noise-Cancellation Microphone – Clear voice quality; conveniently flip the microphone to mute ✓ Multi-Platform Compatibility – Enjoy comfort and enhanced audio experience on PC or console; plug into amobile device2 and wear the headset on the go
Additional HyperX Cloud Stinger Specifications:
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Headphone
− Driver: Dynamic, 50mm with neodymium magnets
− Type: Circumaural; closed back
− Frequency response: 18Hz-23,000Hz
− Impedance: 30 Ω
− Sound pressure level: 102 ± 3dBSPL/mW at 1kHz
− T.H.D: ≦ 2%
− Input power: Rated 30mW, Maximum 500mW
− Weight: 275g
− Cable length and type: Headset (1.3m) + Extension Y + cable (1.7m)
− Connection: Headset – 3.5mm plug (4 pole) + extension cable – 3.5mm stereo and mic plugs
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At the recently-held Sony Sound Stage 2016 event, Sony took the opportunity to introduce their new Sony Signature Series premium audio products. They even brought in Sony’s Chief Sound Architect, Koji Nageno, to explain the technologies behind the Sony Signature Series models.
The Sony Signature Series
The Sony Signature Series was created, partly to showcase Sony’s engineering excellence in audio, and partly to celebrate their 70th anniversary. Combining High Resolution Audio capability with the very best Sony analogy and digital audio technologies, Sony designed the Sony Signature Series products to deliver the ultimate in sound quality.
The first four Sony Signature Series devices to be introduced are the Sony MDR-Z1R headphones, the Sony NW-WM1Z and NW-WM1A Walkman audio players, and the Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amplifier. All Signature Series models are based on the newly standardised φ4.4mm balanced connection.
Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones
The MDR-Z1R headphones boast 70mm HD drivers that have a wide frequency range with up to 120kHz playback in High Resolution Audio. Its equalised opening and resonance-free housing further ensures faithful reproduction of High Resolution Audio sources.
It is fitted with genuine leather ear pads, a lightweight beta titanium headband, and a stainless steel wire mesh housing protector. This is no doubt, an exquisite product that exudes luxury in every component.
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Sony NW-WM1Z & NW-WM1A Walkman Hi-Res Audio Players
Both Hi-Res Audio players support the DSD Native format (11.2 MHz), and the new Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX) technology that upscales lower bit rate files to near Hi-Res Audio quality. They also add a newly-developed FT CAP to the amplifier, allowing for 4x higher power output to the headphones.
The higher-end NW-WM1Z comes with a gold-plated oxygen-free copper chassis, while the NW-WM1A comes with a sleek aluminium chassis.
Sony TA-ZH1ES Headphone Amplifier
The Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amplifier supports Hi-Res Audio up to 22.4 MHz (DSD) and 768 GHz, 32-bit (PCM), and comes with the D.A. Hybrid Amplifier Circuit – a combination of the S-Master HX digital amplifier and an analog amplifier. It also features the new DSEE HX and DSD Remastering Engine, which converts lower bit rate files to near Hi-Res Audio quality.
The Sony Signature Series Audio Technology Explained
If you are into the technical details of how Sony achieved the new level of digital audio performance with the new Sony Signature Series models, Koji Nageno, Sony’s Chief Sound Architect, explains it all.
The Sony Signature Series Prices & Availability
The Sony Signature Series models and accessories are now available here in Malaysia. Their recommended retail prices are as follows :
Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones – RM 7,099 / ~US$ 1,775
Sony NW-WM1Z Walkman – RM 9,999 / ~US$ 2,500
Sony NW-WM1A Walkman – RM 4,999 / ~US$ 1,250
Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amplifier – RM 8,999 / ~US$ 2,250
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At the Sony Sound Stage 2016 event held on October 6, Sony showed off their latest h.ear series, Extra Bass series and Active series audio players and headphones. Let’s take a look!
The Sony Sound Stage 2016 Showcase
The Sony Sound Stage 2016 kicked off with a showcase of Sony’s h.ear series, Extra Bass series and Active series audio players and headphones.
Then they gave us a quick tour of some of their new headphones. Check it out!
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The Sony Walkman NW-A30 Series
The audio player that was seen powering the headphones in the showcase was the Sony Walkman NW-A35, from the new Sony Walkman NW-A30 series.
The Sony Walkman NW-A30 audio players support DSD formats, and boast five Panasonic POSCAP capacitors which helps its S-Master HX digital amplifier to cut distortion and noise across a wide range of frequencies. They also have two clock oscillators that switch to provide optimal modulation for the sampling frequencies of different content.
The Sony Walkman NW-A30 series audio players are compact and weigh only 98 g. Even so, they have enough battery life to support up to 45 hours of MP3 playback, or 30 hours of Hi-Res Audio playback. They are also easy to connect wirelessly, thanks to their Bluetooth and NFC capabilities.
With an improved 3.1″ touch screen, the Sony Walkman NW-A30 series is available with 16 GB (NW-A35) or 32 GB (NW-A36HN) of internal storage, that is expandable via a microSD card. In addition, the Sony NW-A36HN is paired with a pair of Hi-Res Audio digital noise-cancelling in-ear headphones.
The new Walkman NW-A30 series will be available from November 2016 onwards at all Sony Stores and authorised Sony Centres in five colours – Viridian Blue, Cinnabar Red, Charcoal Black, Lime Yellow and Bordeaux Pink. The A35 is priced at RM 899 / ~US$225, while the A36HN is priced at RM 1,099 / ~US$ 275.
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IRVINE, Calif. — Razer today announced the release of the new Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 headset and Razer Hammerhead V2 in-ear headphones.
The new Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 and Razer Hammerhead V2 both have an enhanced chassis that is CNC milled out of aircraft-grade aluminium, and flat-style cables that are ideal for mobile gaming and music use. Engineered for improved acoustic clarity and more powerful bass for which the Razer Hammerhead series is known, the in-ear headset and headphone are equipped with extra-large 10 mm dynamic drivers—a 20 percent increase from their forerunners.
The Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 comes with three quick-action control buttons on the in-line microphone, which is fully-compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Three ear tip sizes and an optional bi-flange attachment provide superior sound isolation, as well as customizable comfort for increased versatility. An included splitter cable allows it to be connected to devices with dedicated audio and microphone jacks.
Alternately, the Razer Hammerhead V2 was developed for users who want a streamlined mobile audio solution, possessing all the features of the Pro V2, minus the in-line mic and controls.
“The demanding requirements of on-the-go gaming inspired us to make the original Razer Hammerhead with uncompromised sound quality in a form factor that was comfortable and could take a beating,” says Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. “This next evolution of the Hammerheads offers more power, sound quality, durability and portability than ever before.”
Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 / Hammerhead V2 Specifications
Package Contents
[adrotate banner=”4″]Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 or Razer Hammerhead V2 analog in-ear gaming & music headset
Audio / microphone splitter cable (Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 only)
3 pairs of sized silicon ear tips
1 bi-flange attachment
1 carrying case
Audio and microphone compatibility
Devices with 3.5 mm audio jack
Devices with 3.5 mm audio + microphone combined jack (Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 only)
In-line remote functionality
· Full functionality on Apple iOS and Android mobile devices with a 3.5 mm combined jack (Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 only)
Price & Availability
Razer Hammerhead Pro V2 – USD 69.99 / EUR 79.99
Razer Hammerhead V2 – USD 49.99 / EUR 59.99
Razerstore.com: available now; Worldwide: May
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24 March 2016 – The Sony MDR-XB650BT is a Bluetooth compatible, compact addition to the existing EXTRA BASS series of Sony headphones. With a 30mm driver exclusive to this range, together with an incorporated bass booster structure and dedicated EXTRA BASS diaphragm, the headphones achieve highly realistic notes that precisely carves out the rhythm and groove feeling of rich bass.
Keeping you wire-free, One-touch Bluetooth connection and music playback is offered via NFC. Compatible with AAC and aptX Bluetooth codecs, it enables a premium audio quality sound even when listening wirelessly.
The headphones have been designed specifically to enhance the playback for deep bass. Fitting with an increased contact surface area, it achieves a stable fit that can withstand the punchy and deep bass notes. The ear pads have a soft texture and fit close to the skin, achieving excellent wearing comfort and well-balanced sound. The swivel structure design enables the housing section to be folded flat, making them easy to store and convenient to carry around wherever you go.
With 30 hours of continuous music playback rechargeable anywhere via USB, your party won’t stop even at the break of dawn.
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Sony EXTRA BASS MDR-XB650BT Specifications & Availability
The new Sony EXTRA BASS MDR-XB650BT headphones is now available in Malaysia at all Sony Stores, and selected Sony Centres.
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