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Apple's 'AirPods Studio' Headphones May Feature Head and Neck Detection and Equalizer Settings
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It’s the same list price as the latest Bose QC and Sony WH-XM1000 noise canceling headphones. Those 2 products go on sale frequently but usually only for a short time. I know the Sony CAN use a cord and phono jack, I don’t know about Bose, but they both aimed at BlueTooth.
If the sound quality is close to either Sony or Bose there will be enough people buying them. Or if there is some feature that no one else has, although I don’t know what that would be. But if it fails it’s not going to be price (alone) that does it, it will be features the competition has that they don’t.
Something as simple as automatic on/off detection when the headphones are removed is brilliant. To just take the headphones off but have the music actually stop is great - I use play counts a lot, and hate having my phone chug along playing music because I forgot to pause it.
I’m not down with lossy sound, but if I was, I like that these are (rumoredly) flippable. Just wondering if the fit will be compromised that way. And I like that the eq is adjustable. I’d like an open back option though.
Isn’t there supposed to be a lossless version of Bluetooth available within the next couple of versions? I thought I read that one was nearing approval a year ago.
Edit- its called Aptx lossless but it’s not a true lossless format like FLAC or ALAC. I’ll let other people argue about whether it’s bunk or not.
The difference is I know when I’m pairing a Bluetooth devise. I do now know which instrument is supposed to come from which side.
Haha ... the sound was nice at that time when it was introduced. Also, funny enough had a line-in ... something the HomePod is missing
But this ... head sensor? "If it nah 'tect mi ball'ead, mi nah buy"
Yeah AKA aptx hd. Heard about it awhile ago, but didn’t care to research it because it wasn’t true lossless. Then I didn’t hear anything about it until now years later lol. Maybe I’ll look into it at some point to see what the real deal is, but my feeling is if it was truly ground-breaking, then I would have been hearing more buzz.
That was before they bought a headphone manufacturer. I think audio quality has gone up post Beats.
I’d be happier if they would license the W1 to Sennheiser or something though!
Some are, sure, but you don't have to spend that much to get into the "audiophile" tier. Or what some might call "mid-fi". High-impedance Sennheiser HD 600 can be had for $300. They are fully balanced too. There are good affordable offerings from Audioquest, AKG, and Meze as well. $349 is a lot for headphones that aren't going to offer that kind of "reference" quality. I find that for closed-back headphones, you do have to spend closer to $1000 to match the quality of more affordable open-back.
I'm glad that Apple is serious about sound, but they're definitely not at the level of Sennheiser, Fiio, etc. Apple Music and its lack of lossless streaming or MQA or compatibility with FLAC is proof of that.
Please tell me that "O($70)" isn't a try to abuse Big-O notation for prices. That'd be so AWESOMELY absurd and nonsensical and misapplied that it would give a lot of context to your contribution.
I await with abated breath for your confirmation
Well, you could probably use feedback from the speakers to determine which ear is which.
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I think the streamlining was to destroy the beats brand.
pretty sure they come with some accessibility settings.
I am pretty sure they already test it with the AirPods Pro, remember the feature where they test the fit of the rubber cup? They play a sound which and the microphone that is position inside the headphones can recognize the echo and therefore the shape of the ear channel, or something like this. Not an expert, this is just how I understood it, might be wrong
Remember that Steve died in 2011?
Remember that Bill Gates once thought 640kb RAM were enough?
Remember the HomePod?
Remember that people and companies adjust their orientation from time to time?
Other than the L/R detection, other headphones already do the play and pause when you remove em don't they?
Guess its the L/R thing and the initial pairing being the unique point.
Otherwise Price wise and other things seem pretty standard for that range, either way look forward to seeing em.
Guess its the L/R thing and the initial pairing being the unique point.
Otherwise Price wise and other things seem pretty standard for that range, either way look forward to seeing em.
Spot on. The AirPods are more of a convenience than a true audio experience. I use them to run with or train with, but when I want to critically listen, I use my M&D MW07+ for wireless, or Shure SE-846 for audiophile level listening. This is not an innovation simply because Apple now employs this technique for detection. My B&W PX and P7's had this for a while.
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You make a good point. I use the AirPods simply because they go in, and turn on. This is a super handy feature. However, when compared to my Shure SE-846, with OFC Double Helix handmade cables and custom ear molds, there is no question as to the more outstanding sound. Simply put, sound is objective. What sounds good to one person, sounds not so good too another person.
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Things change. Apple makes shrewd hires.
Yup. That’s one of the things that I really like from other manufacturers Like Sony, Audio-Technica, ect, they give you color choices other than just ‘classic white‘ from Apple. I think the AirPods are a great device for example, but there’s zero reason why Apple can’t offer an alternative color other than just white, it’s just them being ‘Apple’ for the sake of being stubborn without broadening the scope of their sales for the consumer by offering additional colors.
I am definitely interested. My 1st gen QC35 is on it's last legs. Might also try the XM4 from Sony.
Oh, sorry, with "Studio" in the name, I assumed these were actually intended for audiophile use, not airplane travel. Noise canceling is the antithesis of good sound quality, because if you need it, you've already lost the battle.
I've never had much luck with noise canceling at any price. It's a gimmick.
noise cancelling is great on the Airpods Pro. I use mine most the day, working from home.
Care to explain how 120 Hz screen refresh indicates "Pro" in a phone? What do these "phone professionals" do with the higher refresh rate?