Hasta La Gadget!

We know you haven’t slept in the week since we first got wind of Sony’s MDR-NC300D heaphones and while, sadly, there is (as of yet) still no domestic street date, we do have some more details and a fun little video to tide you over. Billed as the “world’s first” digital noise canceling canal earphones (and we’re inclined to agree) these guys boast 98.4% noise reduction, an integrated S-Master amplifier, 16mm diameter drivers for each bud, and three separate noise canceling modes. For those of you with a more technical bent, you’ll be pleased to know that the ‘phones sport a playback frequency of 6Hz ~ 24kHz, a sensitivity of 103dB/mW, and a 16Ω impedence. And it runs on AAA batteries — meaning these aren’t the iPod killers that we’ve seen in similar devices. This bad boy will hit the streets and shelves of Japan on June 21st for ¥30,975 (around $315).Video after the break.

[Via Sony Insider]

Continue reading Video: Sony’s MDR-NC300D noise-canceling canal earbuds

Filed under: Portable Audio

Video: Sony’s MDR-NC300D noise-canceling canal earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As any iPod owner can attest, earbud-style headphones are compact, discreet, and notoriously tangle-prone. Which is why this clever concept makes perfect sense.

By attaching a run-of-the-mill zipper to a pair of equally run-of-the-mill earbuds, designer Ji Woong has created genius Zipper Headphones that can be zipped up when not in use, thereby preventing the dreaded headphone tangle. 

Here’s hoping this zippy little prototype makes it to production.

[via Design Milk]

Klipsch has never really been a company to cater to the low-end, but there’s likely never been a time in the outfit’s history to better introduce a lower-end pair of earbuds than right now. The Image headphone line, which started in August of 2007 when the X10s launched at $349, has grown a few members since. Today, we’re talking a look — er, a listen, actually — at the $79 Image S4 in-ear headphones, and while these are far from “cheap,” they’re definitely in the realm of feasibility for anyone considering a set of ‘buds that are marginally more awesome than the stock ones bundled with PMPs these days. Head on past the break for a few impressions.

Continue reading Klipsch Image S4 impressions

Filed under: Portable Audio

Klipsch Image S4 impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 May 2009 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eytmotic‘s $180 hf2 earbuds with in-line controller for iPods and iPhones have been around for awhile. In that time, they’ve racked up plenty of gold statues and plaques to backup their claim of delivering “the most accurate, unaltered sound of any earphone or headset today.” Now Etymotic has teamed up with ACS (Advanced Communication Solutions) to deliver silicon sleeves custom-moulded for your inner-ear to ensure a perfect, comfy fit while further isolating you from the ambient noise around you; a trick that allows you to pickup audio detail at lower volumes and thus spare your hearing. Of course, ACS’ 15 minute customization service is available for other buds as well, but offering it within the hf2 Custom Fit bundle as a £90 (about $130) voucher redeemable at any of 300 approved ear impression outlets in the UK is a pretty shrewd move.

[Via Tech Digest]

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Filed under: Portable Audio

Etymotic hf2 Custom Fit buds bundle ACS’ customized ear-mould service originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn’t want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back — so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We’ll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we’ve got a set of Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone W/ Built-in Mic ready to rock your skull and let you chat it up. Read the rules below (no skimming — we’re omniscient and can tell when you’ve skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

Huge thanks to Radius for providing the gear!

The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for “fixing” the world economy, that’d be sweet too.
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you’ll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) set of Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone W/ Built-in Mic. Approximate retail value is $49.99.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Monday, April 13th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

Filed under: Announcements, Portable Audio

Engadget’s recession antidote: win Radius earphones for iPhone 3G! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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