Bang & Olufsen is no stranger to the true wireless game. The company has a number of wire-free models under its belt at this point, but there has been on glaring omission over the years: active noise cancellation (ANC). Today, B&O remedied the issue with its new Beoplay EQ earbuds. The pricey audio accessory not only offers the ability to reduce ambient ruckus, but earbuds also feature solid battery life, wireless charging and more. The only potential deal breaker is the price: $399 (£349/€399).
Similar to flagship earbuds from the likes of Sony and others, Bang & Olufsen’s “Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation” setup on the Beoplay EQ is powered by a dedicated ANC chip. This means the Bluetooth chip isn’t pulling double duty. That component combines with a set of four microphones to continuously monitor your surroundings and automatically adjust ANC levels as needed. That’s the “adaptive” bit. Two additional microphones are equipped with “retune noise reduction technology” that B&O says results in “crystal clear” calls. Mileage varies greatly on claims of voice quality when it comes to true wireless earbuds, so that description is definitely something that will need proper testing. When it comes to sound, the company’s app offers a feature called Beosonic that allows you to fine-tune things as you see it.
In terms of battery life, Bang & Olufsen says you can expect 6.5 hours on the earbuds themselves with two additional charges in the case. That case supports wireless charging and in true B&O fashion, it’s made out of aluminum. The company included a quick-charge feature that gives you two hours of listening time in 20 minutes. To help you find the best fit, there are four sizes of silicone tips and one pair of Comply foam tips in the box. Lastly, the Beoplay EQ is IP54 certified, so they should withstand dust and water splashes just fine. That’s enough to keep the earbuds working through your sweaty workouts.
The Beoplay EQ will be available in most of the world August 19th in black and gold color options. The earbuds actually go on sale today in China and Japan, but only in black. Gold will be available in those countries next month.
When it comes to brand tie-ins and promotions, we have to say that Microsoft has actually done a pretty fantastic job so far. The company has come up with all kinds of weird and wacky promotions for its Xbox gaming platform, and we reckon that its latest collaboration has to be its most delicious to date.