Audio, Sound & Speakers News - Page 1

Razer's latest gaming audio product might look like earbuds, but the new Razer Moray headphones represent the company's first in-ear-monitors (IEM). What's the difference between these and, say, Bluetooth earbuds? Well, for one, anytime you hear the word 'monitors' when it comes to speakers or headphones, expect a focus on balanced, high-quality audio designed for creators and enthusiasts.

Razer Moray in-ear monitors designed for streamers, image credit: Razer.

And here's the thing: Bluetooth or wireless audio is fine for most people, but the audio quality isn't great - hence why the Razer Moray in-ear monitors are wired. Razer is tapping into a market usually associated with more niche brands, the in-ear monitoring or wired earbud space, with the Moray design following many of the principles seen there, including things like high-quality braided cables and connections.

Designed with the "unique demands of gamers and marathon streamers" in mind, the Razer Moray buds can be used for pretty much anything, thanks to the focus on premium audio quality - bolstered here by THX Certification.

The AirPods Max are the best headphones that Apple makes today, and that includes the headphones that are made by the Apple-owned Beats brand as well. But they're due a refresh and while rumors of that happening have been hard to come by, this concept shows just how awesome it might be if it happens.

What makes this concept so impressive is the way it borrows ideas from the Vision Pro AR/VR headset which itself also borrowed some ideas from the original AirPods Max. With that in mind, take a look at what Parker Ortolani has managed to create. Because it's stunning.

Ortolani says that his new AirPods Max 2 concept takes the Hs and H1 chips to offer new software capabilities that aren't currently available for the AirPods Max, nor will they be when Apple ships iOS 17 to the masses later this year.

There are so many good wireless earbuds on the market that it can be difficult to know where to even start these days. In reality, it's difficult to go wrong but if you really want to push the boat out the upcoming Sony WF-1000XM5 could be the way to go.

Sony hasn't officially announced the WF-1000XM5 yet, but they're expected to be announced soon and a new leak suggests that there are some big changes on the horizon.

According to that leak, the WF-1000XM5 will have 40% larger drivers than the WF-1000XM4 that are currently on offer. That should ensure a more impressive sound, but that isn't all. We're also told to expect the WF-1000XM5 to be around 20% lighter than the previous earbuds thanks to a 1.5g saving off each one.

If you're in the market for a new pair of Apple headphones but aren't keen on the look, feel, or even the weight of the AirPods Max, there might be a new option coming soon.

That new option is the Beats Studio Pro, a pair of headphones that are now said to be just around the corner. We've heard mention of them before, but now they appear to have leaked once again as we get closer to the release of IOS 16.5.

That's because the first Release Candidate update for iOS 16.5 not only mentions the new headphones but also appears to have outed the first image of them as well.

At this point it would be a huge surprise if Apple shipped the iPhone 15 lineup with anything other than a USB-C port, but the latest phones aren't the only Apple products that are getting the USB-C treatment. Apple's worst earbuds are as well.

The loss of Lightning is something that few iPhone owners are likely to shed any tears over, especially if they happen to have any other devices that already use USB-C. The iPad is already a USB-C device of course, as are the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. And every Android phone you buy today will have a USB-C port on its bottom edge. But Apple is only switching because the European Union made it, and now it's switching the wired EarPods as well.

That's right, the EarPods that used to come bundled in with iPhones will now also get their very own USB-C upgrade, although they still won't come in the box with your new iPhone.

Spotify says that it's still planning on adding AirPlay 2 support to its streaming app, but hasn't actually said when that will happen yet. The skeptics out there would suggest that they've heard this all before and that Spotify has little intention of actually following through.

Apple HomePod - Image source: apple.com

The news came in an interview with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman as part of his weekly Power On newsletter. Gurman was discussing the fact that Spotify still doesn't fully support the HomePod or HomePod mini despite making plenty of noise about perceived problems with Apple's ecosystem.

After Apple opened the HomePod up to allow third-party streaming services to function properly with Siri back in 2020, many of those services took advantage of that move. But Spotify is the notable exception. Interestingly, Spotify claimed that the company didn't receive many requests for HomePod support. That despite a complaint about the lack of HomePod support on the company's own forums having more than 5,800 likes.

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is the latest premium gaming headset from the peripheral maker and audio company. It supports all gaming devices, Bluetooth, active noise-cancellation, and other notable features.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, image credit: Turtle Beach

Regarding active noise cancellation, Turtle Beach claims that it's "the most effective, competitively benchmarked noise-cancellation available in a gaming headset," with dedicated internal microphones that lead to a reduction of up to 25dB. This makes the new Turtle Beach Stealth Pro gaming headset something you could effectively take on the go or use while traveling.

This tech extends to the noise-canceling TruSpeak boom microphone, which is also detachable. With support for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Windows PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, and mobile/tablet devices (via Bluetooth), it's certainly versatile.

After more than a few leaks in recent weeks, the Nothing Ear (2) wireless earbuds are now here, and they promise a lot. The earbuds claim improvements almost across the board when compared to the previous Ear (1) offering. All while maintaining the same price.

Externally, you'd be hard-pressed to tell which of the earbuds is which from a distance. The Nothing Ear (2) look very similar to the Ear (1) complete with the black and white look that also includes a transparent element that somehow makes the earbuds look classy and cheap at the same time. Personal taste will likely dictate what you see.

In terms of features, there are some tangible improvements. Nothing has added the ability to connect to two devices at once for easy switching, so those who want to connect to their computer and phone can do so quickly. There's also a new ear fit test to make sure you're getting the perfect seal.

Anyone hoping to be able to use a HomePod with a screen on it will have to wait a little while before that happens, it seems. And it won't happen in 2023 at all.

That's according to a new report which claims that Apple has pushed plans for a screen-based HomePod until 2024 at the very earliest as it works to ensure it's putting money and resources into products that it deems most important. The HomePod with a display, it seems, isn't on that list.

The report in question comes via Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing in this week's Power On newsletter. Gurman says that Apple is keen to ensure that it doesn't have to lay off workers in the same way that competitors Google, Meta, and Amazon all have. Part of that seems to be ensuring that it isn't spending money where it doesn't need to but still funneling attention and finances to other projects.

Nothing is set to announce its Ear (2) wireless earbuds on 22 March and now a new leak appears to have shared details about what the earbuds will have in terms of specifications. We've also been treated to what seems to be official product marketing shots for the as-yet-unannounced noisemakers.

With Nothing having already confirmed when the new Ear (2) earbuds will be announced very soon indeed it was perhaps only a matter of time before more information started to leak out. And that's what's happened with leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka OnLeaks) sharing information with TheTechOutlook.

As expected, it looks like Nothing hasn't changed all that much from the previous model which means that we continue to have a clear case design in terms of the earbuds as well as the case. There are some tweaks though, with the noise-canceling microphone seemingly now moved to the top of the earbud. Whether that will improve performance or not, time will tell.