Headphones
The newly announced Bose® QuietComfort™ 45 headphones retain a lot of what QuietComfort™ 35 II fans came to love and adds even more. You get the same great active noise cancellation, ability to convert them for wired use, volume-optimized EQ, and more, but can now enjoy improved battery life, clearer hands-free calls, and a new Aware Mode that lets you interact with others without needing to remove your headphones.
Maybe you’re not yet familiar with Devialet. It’s a company that isn’t yet a household name in the audio game here in the US, but it has garnered an impressive reputation in its native Europe, as well as with the broader audiophile crowd, thanks to its high-end wireless home speakers that focus on amazing sound and ultra-unique design.
In June 2021, Apple revealed two exciting developments for music lovers: Apple Lossless and Apple Spatial Audio, each on offer for Apple Music, and each available now—provided you have the right hardware and the right OS.
What does this mean for you, the consumer? Let’s take a look.
Apple Lossless
We need to begin by defining “lossless” and “lossy.” I’ll use a mnemonic device to make it simple:
A lossless file exhibits no loss of audio quality when compared to the original master. A lossy file—such as an MP3 or an AAC—does exhibit a loss in
With more and more companies offering CD-quality streams, hi-res tiers, and lossless audio options, the temptation to reserve a bit more of the paycheck for pleasurable listening is greater than ever. Apple, Amazon, Tidal, Quboz, Deezer, and others have concluded that giving music lovers extra fidelity is a worthwhile endeavor, a move that is generally applauded by industry professionals and “normal people” alike. However, before you shell out various monies on high-quality streaming services, make sure your hardware (physical devices) can
Musicians, DJs, sound engineers, and others looking for a workhorse pair of in-ear headphones will be pleased to hear that Sennheiser has announced a new member in its series of earphones aimed at professional users. The IE 100 PRO follows the IE 500 PRO and IE 400 PRO models and offers the same modular design elements that allow these in-ear models to function as either wired or wireless monitors. By simply attaching either the 3.5mm
For music creators, producers, and engineers seeking a thoroughly fulfilling headphone experience akin to listening through studio monitors, Focal offers the Clear MG Professional, a set of high-end Hi-Fi headphones built to exude world-class looks, sound, and feel. Like the original Clear Professional, these cans incorporate a circumaural, open-back design, but the MG model elevates the performance to provide an
Today, in a surprise announcement, Apple unveiled its long-rumored, over-ear wireless headphones, the AirPods Max. Featuring a premium build, custom acoustic design, Apple's lauded H1 chips, and advanced listening features like Adaptive EQ and Active Noise Cancellation, the AirPods Max look, on paper, to be well worth the wait.
Shopping for mom has never been easy. After all, what do you get the woman who once put, “Some grandkids would be nice,” on her B&H Wish List? (Real subtle, Ma, thanks.) Luckily, B&H carries plenty of awesome alternatives, including great gift ideas from companies like Apple, Bose®, and DJI. Here are some of our top recommendations.
Google Nest Mini
According to the Internet, there’s an old couplet that goes: “Man may work from sun to sun / But woman’s work is never done.” According to my mom, that couplet was written about her. If
Do you have a budding podcaster in your life? Do you have no idea what to get them this holiday season? Read on!
USB Microphone
The USB microphone is a perfect gift for anyone curious about getting into podcasting. It collapses several pieces of equipment into one affordable package. We're recommending the RØDE NT-USB Mini, a condenser mic that offers a warm, clear sound. This wallet-friendly mic naturally rejects room tone, which is great
Mixing in headphones is a somewhat controversial topic in the pro audio world. Some producers and engineers mix primarily in headphones (often out of necessity) and others denounce the practice as entirely useless, preferring to work only on studio monitors. But I think that everyone can agree that a sound mix, whether it’s a song, podcast, video, or other, needs to sound good on headphones and on larger speakers. For me, and many other engineers, that balance is often
Have you ever put on your favorite pair of earbuds and thought they sounded muffled? Not quite as crisp as you remember them sounding? If so, the fix may be as easy as giving your buds a deep cleaning.
Let's face it—most of us don’t clean our earbuds very often, even though we wear them inside our ears, for crying out loud. On top of it being a bad health habit (dirty earbuds have been found to have very high relative levels of bacteria on them), gunked up, waxy speaker openings can have more of a negative impact on the sound quality than
As someone who has been obsessed with all things audio for most of my life, I always find it interesting to hear what people have to say about sound quality. I find it especially fascinating to hear the opinions of people who aren’t in the audio field themselves. A great live sound engineer once said to me, “Most folks know something doesn’t sound right; they may not be able to tell you why, but they know something sounds off the mark.” I think there’s a lot of truth to that statement. Just ask my wife, who’s heard a lot of the songs I’ve
For 30+ years, ULTRASONE has been specializing in high-end audiophile, studio, DJ, and music enthusiast headphones. The company’s stated objective is to manufacture advanced headphones with an emphasis on the professional audio sector, while utilizing sustainable materials. All high-end headphones are meticulously handcrafted in Germany. For a complete list of ULTRASONE products, click here.
Most of us spend a ton of time at our desks working, and if you’re a music lover, as I am, there’s a good chance you rely on your favorite tunes to help you make it through the workday. As someone who works in pro audio, comfortable, isolating, great-sounding headphones that don’t tire my ears are essential to the work I do. But, even when I’m not editing a podcast or mixing a song, I still usually have my headphones on because I’m listening to music while writing articles or emails. So, in my years as an audio engineer, as well as a writer, I
Pioneer DJ announces its new HDJ-CUE1 headphones, which include DNA from its flagship Pro line of headphones and feature several customizations. The HDJ-CUE1 comes in a dark silver finish and includes a 3.9' coiled cable, while three Bluetooth versions come in matte black,