Just regular-looking headphones? I don't know, they're pretty common, and I don't usually think of people who wear them as idiots.
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This is a problem that alone would prevent me from buying these. Also, they don't even work with a Mac.
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Philips Unveils Lightning-Based Fidelio NC1L Noise Canceling Headphones With No Need for Batteries
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Just regular-looking headphones? I don't know, they're pretty common, and I don't usually think of people who wear them as idiots.
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This is a problem that alone would prevent me from buying these. Also, they don't even work with a Mac.
Apple's proprietary 30-pin and lightning cables have had advantages over the alternatives for years. With 30-pin it was what directly drove the huge array of connected devices for those things while the competition had virtually nothing on offer or often relied on both a power and a 3.5mm connection. Today, with lightning, the capabilities have not yet been fully executed so it's less obvious to the users, but for the time being I'll take the fact that it's more durable, more physically secure, and far easier to plug in than micro-usb. It also provides a far more consistent experience for connecting to external audio devices like cars and DAC's.
The benefits of these headphones have already been discussed here. They can drive headphones that normally require a separate battery. They can transfer content digitally from the device to an outboard DAC and amp which means you can get higher resolution audio playback. These are just a couple of potential uses from the very first product that has been offered. Just because you don't see the benefit doesn't mean there isn't one.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
So the DAC inside iDevices is lower quality? Thus, the need to pump the audio out of an iDevice in a digital form so that external hardware can do the conversion? So if this is some kind of real problem that needs a solution, why doesn't Apple just build the better DAC inside iDevices?
As to the "no battery" benefit, I use headphones with both iDevices and MacBooks. So if I went this way, I'd need a set for iDevices and another set for Macbook... or an adapter. Even if it was the latter (the adapter), I can buy a LOT of AAA batteries for what an Apple adapter will probably cost. Since I use rechargeable AAA batteries, just ONE can last for years. In fact, I've gone through 1 and am on the second one over the last (about) 10 years.
My neck doesn't get tired of lugging that one AAA battery around. It's not a burden of added weight on my ears. The headphones I have don't seem overly large to accommodate that one battery. And, personally, I'd rather get the juice for the noise cancelation from a separate battery than eating more juice from the battery inside my iDevices.
So I appreciate the perceived benefits- I just don't see them that well myself. I'm glad you see them and hope this will be a great set of headphones for you.
As to the "no battery" benefit, I use headphones with both iDevices and MacBooks. So if I went this way, I'd need a set for iDevices and another set for Macbook... or an adapter. Even if it was the latter (the adapter), I can buy a LOT of AAA batteries for what an Apple adapter will probably cost. Since I use rechargeable AAA batteries, just ONE can last for years. In fact, I've gone through 1 and am on the second one over the last (about) 10 years.
My neck doesn't get tired of lugging that one AAA battery around. It's not a burden of added weight on my ears. The headphones I have don't seem overly large to accommodate that one battery. And, personally, I'd rather get the juice for the noise cancelation from a separate battery than eating more juice from the battery inside my iDevices.
So I appreciate the perceived benefits- I just don't see them that well myself. I'm glad you see them and hope this will be a great set of headphones for you.
There is an entire market of external amp and DAC's that has exploded over the past decade. There is a limit as to what can be done inside a device as small as an iPhone. The phone's chips also only decode standard resolution - nothing above 16bit/48khz. With outboard processors you can decode higher resolution files.
In fact connecting my headphones via lightning appeals to me exactly not at all at the moment, but I don't allow that to cloud my vision to the point that I can't see that there might be benefits for others, or future benefits that I have not yet anticipated.
Yeah, I can buy a LOT of batteries for my JVC noise canceling headphones for the $200 I saved (it only uses 1 AAA for 12 hours+ use). Plus it works with any music device including my Gen1 and Gen4 ipods, not just the newest iPod and iPhones. Thanks, but no thanks.
Ghetto? The term is ancient by headphone standards and comes from the fact REAL headphones are shaped like a "can" (i.e. you wouldn't call earbuds "cans" for any reason). As for what is might sound like, do you prefer the terms "buds" which sounds like you might be into Cannabis?
I guess it's a good thing I don't use a subway, then (there aren't any here; unbelievable that everyone in the world doesn't live where you do, eh?) Personally, I think it's far worse to listen to horrible awful quality sound that don't fit many ears right (e.g. earbuds) than worry about how you look with something over your ears. I buy headphones for noise cancellation mobile (yeah I like to hear my music, not airplane or lawnmower engines) and professional quality sound for my home studio. Earbuds have NO place in either.
Ghetto? The term is ancient by headphone standards and comes from the fact REAL headphones are shaped like a "can" (i.e. you wouldn't call earbuds "cans" for any reason). As for what is might sound like, do you prefer the terms "buds" which sounds like you might be into Cannabis?
I guess it's a good thing I don't use a subway, then (there aren't any here; unbelievable that everyone in the world doesn't live where you do, eh?) Personally, I think it's far worse to listen to horrible awful quality sound that don't fit many ears right (e.g. earbuds) than worry about how you look with something over your ears. I buy headphones for noise cancellation mobile (yeah I like to hear my music, not airplane or lawnmower engines) and professional quality sound for my home studio. Earbuds have NO place in either.
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Because the problem with any DAC inside a slim device is that it picks up noise from the CPU, memory bus, display, radios, and battery charger (etc.). Not much, but enough to drop the quality below the best audiophile DACs. Move the DAC outside the same metal box as all the biggest noise makers and their antennas, and the problem eliminating noise becomes a lot easier.
I'm sure it will be a successful niche product but now that you can get AAC and Apt-X over Bluetooth and you can use it on planes at all times, I can't think of a reason why I'd be willing to put up with headphone wires. I'm done with those!
Probably because the only people who care about lightning are people with iPhone 5 and above. USB is the standard sweetie.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
So it sounds like at least a few of us are rationalizing this by finding fault with the DAC inside iDevices. I hang out here a fair amount of time and I hardly ever see anyone griping about the quality of (music) sound that comes of out iDevices. I do see an abundance of arguments of how people have embraced iTunes media over better quality sources because they "can't hear the difference." So it seems we can rationalize both lower quality or higher quality when it serves whatever argument we want to make? Lower quality iTunes music is "good enough" that I can't hear the difference AND we need to embrace a narrow proprietary new hardware standard so that off-board DACs can deliver a higher quality of sound than what is possible within iDevices???
Thus, we can rationalize spending $300 on new headphones with a proprietary jack that will only work with very select Apple products (not including Apple Macs) and if we also need headphones when we're using Macs or anything else, we can either own (and carry) a second pair or maybe an adapter.
Sounds great!
Thus, we can rationalize spending $300 on new headphones with a proprietary jack that will only work with very select Apple products (not including Apple Macs) and if we also need headphones when we're using Macs or anything else, we can either own (and carry) a second pair or maybe an adapter.
Sounds great!
"only" people with iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6 and 6plus... And also iPad 4, iPad Mini, iPad Air. Tens of millions of devices. I wouldn't downplay the size of this market.
microUSB may be the standard today, but it only supports USB 2.0, so it's to be replaced very soon by a new connector which supports USB 3.0 and, unlike the current microUSB 3.0 connector, is reversible (like Lightning).
So it sounds like at least a few of us are rationalizing this by finding fault with the DAC inside iDevices. I hang out here a fair amount of time and I hardly ever see anyone griping about the quality of (music) sound that comes of out iDevices. I do see an abundance of arguments of how people have embraced iTunes media over better quality sources because they "can't hear the difference." So it seems we can rationalize both lower quality or higher quality when it serves whatever argument we want to make? Lower quality iTunes music is "good enough" that I can't hear the difference AND we need to embrace a narrow proprietary new hardware standard so that off-board DACs can deliver a higher quality of sound than what is possible within iDevices???
Thus, we can rationalize spending $300 on new headphones with a proprietary jack that will only work with very select Apple products (not including Apple Macs) and if we also need headphones when we're using Macs or anything else, we can either own (and carry) a second pair or maybe an adapter.
Sounds great!
No one has ever heard the difference between 320 kbps mp3 and lossless in a double blind test. The aac files from the itunes store are just as good if not better than 320 kbps mp3.
Ok, so I looked it up and only found lighting cables. I did find references to the Lightning USB adapter, but nothing else. Please provide names to all of these other proprietary connectors.
The space currently occupied by the headphone 3.5mm jack would be freed up for a slightly larger battery, I imagine.
I think the main consideration in omitting batteries may have been wear-comfort, ie to cut down on weight (and bulk).
One would hope they considered the power needs of their DA converter and noise-cancelling circuitry, and came to the conclusion battery drain was minimal, and outweighed by the improved wear comfort.
There's still the issue that for a fairly pricey $299, these headphones can only be used by devices sporting a Lightning connector…..
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I'm not buying until they release a Thunderbolt version. I'd be able to listen to 100 albums at once...in 3D.
You know I was just wishing for a version of the Bose QC25 that would somehow drain my phone battery faster while also locking me into a proprietary port. Awesome magic.
I can't imagine why anyone would buy this. I mean don't they want the option to use $300 headphones with something else, a MBP maybe? a friend's non-iToy device? There is just zero advantage for a ton of drawbacks.
I can't imagine why anyone would buy this. I mean don't they want the option to use $300 headphones with something else, a MBP maybe? a friend's non-iToy device? There is just zero advantage for a ton of drawbacks.
No need for batteries (I have QC15's, and it's a pain when they go out).
The thought that people can wear these around the house/work, and not need to charge the iPhone/iPad/iPod when using it. I think that's a valid point.
Works seamlessly with iPad/iPhone/iPod.
It's niche-y, but with Apple, that's a pretty wide niche.
Noise canceling headphones only have to have a microphone at the ears, and put out a equal in amplitude wave opposite to the sound coming to the headphones. Most people don't work near extremely loud noises, so these things don't need to consume a lot of power.
