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The USPTO is big on Apple patents this morning, with a new application published around earbud technology spotted by AppleInsider. Apple’s own earbud designs have been mostly underwhelming, even if the last change for the stock set that comes with iPhones and iPods was an improvement. The new patent application describes tech that could be truly game-changing, however, by adjusting earbud output to match any user’s specific ear canal size and shape.

The somewhat sci-fi patent applications describes a method that measures earbud fit based on various signals, including electrical current, acoustic indicators with a mic including signal frequency and more. The ultimate result of those evaluations would then inform the earbuds how they need to change audio delivery to compensate for a less than perfect seal, altering balance, changing equalizer settings and adjusting noise cancellation response.

In addition to changing its sound output levels to try to counteract the effects of a less-than-perfect seal, the Apple method described in the patent would also be able to alert users of the imperfect fit on their device, presumably so that they could reseat the earbud in their ear themselves. But if the compensation methods put to work to fix problems like left-to-right balance that result from bad earbud fit are good enough, users shouldn’t have to worry all that much about getting things just right, adjusting during runs or other activity or anything else to change the quality on their own.

Apple has taken a few cracks at earphones, including its in-ear variant and the latest stock earbud redesign, but it has yet to hit a home run. If this patent comes into play with shipping products, that could change everything, and the in-ear model Apple sells is definitely due for a refresh

Bang & Olufsen already offers headphones, and it has the B&O Play line to serve a mobile-oriented world. Wouldn’t it be nice if the two categories mixed? As of today, they do. The B&O Play H3 in-ears and H6 over-ears apply that Danish love of aluminum and leather to the kind of headphones you’d want to pack with your MP3 player or smartphone. The H3 carries 10.8mm drivers, a mini bass port and a 20Hz to 16kHz range in a unibody shape that should hold up to exercise; the slightly more stationary H6 over-ears sport 40mm drivers and a wider 20Hz to 22kHz range. Both have primarily iOS-oriented in-line mics and remotes, although the H6 alone has Monster-sourced daisy chaining support to share tunes with others. Don’t expect a significant break in B&O’s premium pricing just because they’re B&O Play-branded headsets, however. The H3 and H6 will respectively cost €249 and €399 when they hit some retail stores in May, and US pricing isn’t likely to be much cheaper.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video

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Source: B&O Play

Believe it or not, few musicians’ in-ear reference monitors are tuned to emphasize voice; singers might have to compete for attention with wailing guitars and drums inside their own heads. Rather than risk artists shouting themselves hoarse, Ultimate Ears has launched its Vocal Reference Monitors. Separate versions for men and women focus on their typical vocal ranges and narrow the frequency range to between 90Hz and 8kHz, cutting out the more extreme sounds of instruments in the mix. The $999 price rules out the Vocal line for most garage bands — it might, however, be perfect for pros whose screaming isn’t part of the act.

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video

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Source: Ultimate Ears

The love of audio. It’s a dangerous condition, because every minute spent obsessing over headphones or specs or conflicting opinions is a minute not spent enjoying your favorite tracks or discovering new ones. That’s why a review like this, which compares the iPhone 5 with rival phones based largely on acoustic qualities, runs a high risk of time-wastage — no one really needs a cacophony of flowery words with no concrete conclusions.

How to steer clear of the technological equivalent of a wine-tasting? By trying our damnedest to focus only on the more practical pros and cons of these top handsets, specifically from the POV of someone who listens to a lot of music on their phone. We’re talking about someone who likely prefers high-bitrate recordings and who is ready to spend money on something better than the earbuds (or EarPods) that come in the box.

In addition to testing Apple’s new flagship we’ll also look at the iPhone 4S, which is now a ton cheaper than it was a few weeks ago, as well as the Galaxy S III (both the global and the Sprint US version) plus the HTC One X (global and AT&T), and run them all through an audiophile obstacle course that goes right from purely subjective observations through to slightly more scientific tests as well as storage, OS and battery comparisons. There’ll also be some consideration of the iPhone 4, Nokia Lumia 800 and PureView 808, although it’ll be more condensed.

And yes, we’ll end up with an overall winner, but the research here is about more than that. Different phones may suit different people, depending on their priorities. Moreover, new handsets are just around the corner — the Lumia 920, the Note II, the LG Optimus G and whatever other goodies the future undoubtedly holds — and so it makes sense to have a bed of knowledge against which new entrants can be judged. Interested? Then let’s get started.

Continue reading Smartphones for audiophiles: is the iPhone 5 more musical than its rivals?

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Mobile

Smartphones for audiophiles: is the iPhone 5 more musical than its rivals? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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“This is the best sounding in-ear product below $250,” SteelSeries’ Chief Marketing Officer, Kim Rom, told us between songs. “I’ll go on record saying that.” Rom was talking about the firm’s new Flux In-Ear Pro headset, and had similar words for the brand’s foldable on-ear Flux cans. The earbuds and their full sized companions are part of the company’s “freedom to play” campaign, and it has the utmost confidence in them. Rom even told us the foldable Flux headset lasted 90 minutes in the firm’s “soccer test,” a SteelSeries tradition that plays out exactly like it sounds: international football with consumer electronics. Our hands-on was decidedly less rough.

Continue reading SteelSeries Flux and Flux In-Ear Pro headsets ears-on (video)

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Wearables

SteelSeries Flux and Flux In-Ear Pro headsets ears-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 23:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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