Mobile Audio Hub

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 (Gen 3) gaming headphones for consoles and PCs takes a different approach to multi-platform support. However, it also stirs up some confusion with compatibility.

In less than a month, Apple is expected to unveil three AirPods models alongside the iPhone 16 handsets. While two would be AirPods 4 variants, the third one will allegedly be an AirPods Max refresh with USB-C charging. The rumors also claim that Apple will discontinue the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 soon.

Marshall has unveiled the Willen II portable speaker. The compact device has several differences compared with the original model, including enhanced battery life and Bluetooth Auracast for improved sharing capabilities. You can now pre-order the Willen II, which will launch later this month.

The Marshall Emberton III, a new portable speaker, is now available to pre-order. Compared to its predecessor, the Emberton II, the latest version has several upgrades, including a longer runtime between charges and the addition of a microphone. Plus, the model features Bluetooth Auracast for enhanced music sharing.

Released more than four years ago, the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless over-ear headphones remain extremely popular, with over 8,000 units sold on Amazon in the last month. With a list price of $349.99, this premium piece of audio hardware is now down to an all-time low of $198, thanks to a 43% discount.

CheckMag Android power users love splurging those hard-earned salaries on apps to make their lives not only more efficient, but full of fun as well. Let's take a look at some of the best paid Android apps for August 2024.

The Hisense HS2000, HS3100 and HS5100 soundbars have been unveiled. The HS3100 is already available in countries worldwide, and those in the US can purchase the HS5100, while the HS2000 will launch later this year. Features of the entry-level models include support for Dolby Digital Plus and various equalizer modes.

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 6 Active are being launched globally. New wireless headphones come with relatively large drivers. The feature set is rather simple and Google Fast Pair is supported.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 comes with an improved design that's smaller, lighter, and more comfortable without compromising on performance and battery life. It also comes with AI features.

The Cambridge Audio Evo One is an all-in-one solution for HiFi sound, as the British audio specialist packs 14 drivers into a relatively compact speaker, including six woofers. A display and smartphone app are intended to simplify operation.

Anker is launching new and powerful headphones onto the market that come with strong ambient noise suppression and can even measure ambient pressure. Other modern features are supported, one of which is intended to prevent accidental loss.

Google's next set of Pixel Buds Pro earbuds are set to be unveiled later today alongside a slew of new Pixel smartphones. In the meantime, a reliable leaker has shared various upgrades that Google will showcase with the Pixel Buds Pro 2, including a new in-house Tensor chipset aimed at improving noise cancellation.

Featuring a waterproof design, 13 mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with support for the SBC and AAC codecs, as well as active noise cancelling, the Blackview AirBuds 8 are a steal even at $29.99 (thanks to a 14% Amazon discount). Better, our exclusive discount code takes these earbuds down to a dirt-cheap $9.9.

Following complaints of defective units of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Samsung was forced to halt shipments of its latest premium earbuds. Now reports say it has resumed shipments which can be deduced to mean it has sorted out the quality issues.

Moondrop has released the Block true wireless earbuds with a low-latency game mode. The earbuds sit comfortably in the outer ear unlike in-ear earbuds that are inserted into the ear canal. The 13 mm driver and special tuning help enhance the bass.

Hisense’s new AX5125H, a 5.1.2 Ch Soundbar with a wireless subwoofer, is now available in various countries globally. The model offers a surround sound experience with two rear wireless speakers and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:Virtual X. Plus, multiple modes are available to customize the audio based on your chosen content.

In an unexpected yet characteristically bonkers move, Teenage Engineering has released the EP-1320 Medieval – a version of its best-selling EP-133 K.O. II groovebox with a medieval-Europe theme. In addition to the text and graphics on the panel and LCD, the theme carries over to the audio samples on board the EP-1320, which is otherwise nearly identical to the original EP-133.

EarFun launches the new wireless headphones with ANC, Auracast, and Qualcomm chip. The headphones are said to be unaffected by sweat.

Victrola’s flagship wireless streaming turntable, the Stream Sapphire, first showcased at CES 2024, can now be pre-ordered for $1,300. It not only features integration with Roon, UPnP, and the Sonos’ ecosystem, but also supports lossless FLAC streaming, making it the perfect turntable for the modern audiophile.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones have seen a hefty price cut on Best Buy. You can get a pair of these active noise-cancelling headphones for $249.99, which is a $100 discount from the regular price without any deal or sale in place.

With over 10,000 units sold in the last month, the Apple AirPods Max have remained very popular for more than three years since their release. With a launch price of $549, they are now available on Amazon for $399.99, thanks to a 27% discount. The bundle with AppleCare+ also gets a 25% discount and can be acquired for $453.99.

A new leak has shown off Sony's upcoming WF-C510 TWS earbuds. They offer marginally better battery life and the ability to pair with two devices simultaneously.

Nintendo has unveiled its Zelda-themed wireless earbuds in new white and green colors. The earbuds claim to deliver high-quality sound with deep bass and clear treble. Unfortunately, these earbuds are currently exclusive to the UK and Ireland, with no immediate plans for a wider release. Priced at £34.99, the earbuds come with essential accessories, and they feature Zelda's 'Triforce' insignia on the earbuds as well as the game logo on the charging case.

OnePlus' next flagship wireless earbuds are projected to land with a new charging case in an updated choice of colors. Now, they are also believed to be more expensive than their Buds Pro 2 forebears on their launch. Meanwhile, more of their specs have allegedly been exposed in another new leak.

Apple's 2nd-generation AirPods can now be purchased for a whopping 43% discount, thanks to an ongoing sale on Amazon. Although over 5-years old, the AirPods offer superb convenience and respectable audio quality, although modern features such as spatial audio and adaptive EQ are absent.

A new leak gives us our first look at the OnePlus Buds Pro 3. It adopts an entirely new case design compared to its last-gen counterpart.

Shanling has launched the M1 Plus, a high-resolution portable sound player, priced at 1,298 yuan ($179). This third-generation player features the ES9069Q DAC and dual SGM8262 operational amplifiers, delivering a power output of 661mW at 32Ω. The M1 Plus is quite compact, offering up to 12.5 hours of battery life. The M1 Plus will be available for purchase in early August.

A reliable leaker has demonstrated that Bose will soon release new versions of its QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Ultra Open Earbuds. While a release date remains unknown for now, all upcoming refreshes have already been pictured from various angles.

A typically reliable leaker has lifted the lid on how much Google intends to sell the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for when the earbuds land next month. The same leaker has also revealed what they believe are the earbuds' launch colour names, which differ from those Google is said to have assigned to its forthcoming Pixel 9 series smartphones.

Google will offer its upcoming earbuds in four colour variants, Charcoal, Porcelain, Aloe and Hot Pink. It will keep its predecessor's design and arrive alongside the Pixel 9 series on August 8.

Edifier is now offering new and completely wireless headphones. These feature a unique design and are worn over the ear instead of being inserted into the ear canal. IP certification is available.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds3 Pro design update has apparently backfired on the company with reports of generationally reduced build quality thus far. However, the new flagship wireless earphones' switch to an Apple AirPod-like design has a point, according to a popular YouTuber. It may make it easier for a Buds 3 Pro user to remove and replace some (but not all) important components.

A leak has revealed the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 around three weeks before the completely wireless earphones are to be officially unveiled together with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google appears to be revising the design in several places.

I-O Data Soundgenic Plus network audio servers deliver online music streaming, local music streaming, CD ripping, and more at a reasonable price point. The server allows music enthusiasts to archive their entire local CD collection, add music files from computers, and enjoy their music on digital audio players, tablets, or smartphones in addition to home theater systems.

Spotify CEO talked about a "deluxe" version of Spotify today during an earnings call. The premium tier with Hi-Fi audio, which is still in the works, is expected to cost around $18 and offer features like advanced library management and AI-powered playlists. This comes after delays to the initial "Spotify HiFi" plan and a shift in strategy to compete with rivals like Apple Music. While the exact features are unknown, the rollout is still reportedly happening later in 2024.

The I68 from Xiaomi are new and completely wireless earphones from Xiaomi with a particularly affordable price tag. They are earphones with large drivers and are protected against dust and water.

Astell & Kern, under its Activo brand, has just launched its most affordable portable digital audio player yet, the Activo P1. The P1 sports a 4.1 inch touchscreen and is capable of streaming from popular music services over Wi-Fi, with a balanced audio out option and Bluetooth 5.3. Price at launch is $440/£399/€420.

ViewSonic touts the LX700-4K as the first ceiling-mounted home theater projector to have an RGB laser and official Designed for Xbox branding. It is backed to deliver optimal 1440p gaming at 120Hz when it is not playing movies in 4K with HDR at high brightness and vibrant colors. The new DLP projector is rated to throw an image of up to 300 inches with perfect, auto-adjusted orientation.

NTT Sonority has launched the nwm ONE open-ear, wireless headphones with dual-drivers and active noise leakage suppression. The open design allows wearers to hear the surrounding environment while support for Sony 360 Reality Audio provides immersive surround sound. Active phase cancellation technology reduces sound leakage to prevent annoying others nearby.

Samsung touts the new 3 Pros as the most 'techy' iterations of the Galaxy Buds series thus far. Ironically, however, their new LED-laden design has led to problems for those who ordered them as a result of the recent Unpacked 2024 event. Some of their buyers have reported the suspension of their pre-orders as the OEM apparently deals with some defect-prone aspects of its new flagship TWS buds.

Xiaomi touts the Buds 5 as a new source of flagship-level audio with features such as spatial audio and HiFi sound quality in an "exquisite" new design. The new Buds support the Qualcomm aptX Lossless codec as well as active noise cancellation (ANC), yet are priced at the equivalent of ~$100.

Dyson is offering new, large headphones that come with various functions and a long battery life. Active noise suppression is on board, which is said to filter out ambient noise hundreds of thousands of times per second.

The Discman is making a comeback with modern convenience features such as USB-C, a rechargeable battery and Bluetooth aptX HD. Thanks to a balanced 4.4 mm headphone connection, the CD player is said to generate particularly high audio quality.

Plaud has added the Anthropic Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI to its Plaud Note AI voice recorder through a Pro Plan subscription. Plaud Note is a credit card-sized voice recorder than automatically transcribes and summarizes meetings, lectures, conversations, and instructions in 57 languages using AI models such as ChatGPT GPT-4o.

Beats by Dre has teamed up with Minecraft to launch special edition Solo 4 headphones on July 18. Priced at $199, they have the same specs as the standard Solo 4 - Bluetooth, USB-C, 3.5mm jack, 50-hour battery life, a 40mm audio driver and personalized Spatial Audio. The special edition Solo 4s will be available at Apple and Target.

Skullcandy is now offering new, completely wireless headphones. They come with a rather unusual charging case and can be easily attached to a clothing or key ring, for example. The headphones are waterproof.