Hasta La Gadget!

When the Scout in-ear headset launches this fall, it’ll actually be Nox Audio’s second debut product — the first is the Specialist we just reviewed — but unlike that pair of supra-aural cans, these little devils may actually have quality sound. Even in the hustle and bustle of the E3 2010 floor, we were able to make out clear, nuanced audio from their balanced armature drivers, and were impressed by the build quality as well. The silicone tab attached to each phone kept them more easily affixed to the ears, and both the in-line microphone and send / end button for calls were so tiny a Nox rep had to point them out — at first, we thought they were part of the cord. At an estimated $70, though, we’ll be eager to see how they compete with Klipsch, not to mention Apple’s model.

Nox Audio explores audiophile options with Scout mini headset, we go ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For the debut of their company Nox Audio, some creative headphone designers went all-out, crafting a feature-packed folding headset ready to rock PC chat, console gaming and even iPhone use. Priced at $80, the Specialist isn’t going to do all that without some compromises, of course — join us after the break to find out which uses these cans were best suited for.

Continue reading Nox Audio Specialist review

Nox Audio Specialist review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Occasionally, we long for simpler times — times when “handsfree” meant little more than connecting a corded earbud to your phone and calling it good. Nowadays, of course, things are a little different: Bluetooth is quite literally everywhere, headsets have their own frickin’ apps, and bone conduction tech is the real deal. Take this Sound ID 510, for example, featuring its very own iPhone app (which Sound ID made sure to get approved by Apple ahead of the actual hardware’s release) that lets you control a number of settings, check your battery level, and find the set if you misplace it. To be fair, it’s not the first time we’ve seen an on-phone companion app for a Bluetooth earbud, and something tells us it won’t be the last; that’s right, welcome to our frightning new reality. Look for the 510 to hit shops in early June for about $130.

Sound ID’s 510 Bluetooth headset has iPhone app to match originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 00:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You have a brand new iPad and you’re enjoying some streaming Netflix or a movie you’ve loaded up on the device yourself, but the iPad’s built-in speaker just doesn’t cut it for you. Perhaps you’re traveling, on a plane or a train, and you want a way to watch video and hear the audio from it without fiddling with headphone cables or bothering everyone around you. Enter the new iSkin Cerulean line of Bluetooth audio gear for the iPad. The Cerulean TX transmitter, RX receiver, and F1 headphones are designed to give you portable Bluetooth audio that looks good without cables or batteries.

The only drawback to the Cerulean line is that it all relies on Bluetooth for audio, which may be great for portability but it’s pretty harsh on audio quality. Most Bluetooth audio peripherals compress the audio stream enough that it’s noticeable even to non-audiophiles, and true audiophiles won’t go near it. However, if portability and flexibility are your goal, the iSkin’s Cerulean transmitters and receivers not only give you a way to get wireless audio from your iPad to your ears, they also work with other speaker docks and peripherals that can make the most of the compressed audio.
 

Denon sells a lot of headphones. At the company’s press event, where it celebrated 100 years of operation, an executive said Denon’s $1,000 pair of headphones was so popular that it was always on backorder.

If I worked at Denon, I’d be suggesting we make a $2,000 pair of headphones, but the company is offering plenty of more affordable models. This summer it will launch six more pairs, bringing the total number in the line to 14.

New models will include the AH-NC800 (a noise-canceling model that will list for $349 in August), the over-ear AH-D1100 (listing for $199 in September), the AH-D510R (listing for $99 in August), the AH-D310R (available in August for a $69 list price), the in-ear AH-C560R (shown here; listing for $99 in June), and the in-ear AH-C260R (available in June for a low list price of $49). Central features for the line include iPhone/iPod compatibility and the company’s already excellent comfort fit.