NTT Sonority launches nwm ONE open-ear, wireless headphones with dual-drivers and active noise leakage suppression
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.
The active phase cancellation technology called Personalized Sound Zone is enabled by the dual-driver design. Sound cancellation is less effective with the larger 35mm driver, so the addition of a 12 mm tweeter results in more effective suppression, helping reduce sound leakage that would otherwise annoy others nearby. The nwm ONE has a frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 kHz.
The headphones utilize proprietary NTT voice technology called Magic Focus Voice, which utilizes beamforming with the dual MEMS microphones along with spectral voice separation, to clearly transmit the wearer’s voice during calls in noisy environments.
The nwm ONE connects using a USB-C cable or wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.3. The nwm supports pairing with up to eight audio devices and two active multipoint connections. The headphones support the standard CVSD voice codec as well as the newer, higher-quality mSBC voice codec during calls. The nwm supports the common SBC/AAC audio codecs as well as the newer, higher-quality LC3 audio codec when listening to music. Support for Bluetooth Auracast allows multiple headphone wearers to listen to broadcast music and announcements in gyms and airports.
The nwm ONE measures 6.30 x 7.28 x 3.48 inches (160 x 185 x 88.5 mm) and weighs 6.53 ounces (185 g). The lithium battery provides up to 20 hours of runtime and fully recharges in 1.5 hours. A quick, 5-minute top-off provides an hour of runtime.
The nwm ONE is priced at 39,600 yen (~$250) and is available on Amazon Japan in light gray and dark gray colors. Readers who want an even lighter, open-ear experience can look into the Sony Linkbuds (here on Amazon US) as one alternative. Those without a wireless music player can pick up a high-quality DAP (here on Amazon US).
Machine translated:
A new era of sound experience created by an overwhelming sense of openness. Open-ear overhead ear speaker "nwm ONE" to be released on Thursday, July 18th
- Equipped with two of NTT's core technologies that manipulate sound, the flagship model of "nwm" is born -
NTT Sonority Inc.
July 18, 2024 11:00 AM
NTT Sonority Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hiroshi Sakai; hereinafter "NTT Sonority") will begin selling the open-ear overhead ear speaker "nwm ONE," the first flagship model from "nwm," the first audio brand of the NTT Group that plans and develops products and services based on the concept of "co-existence" rather than immersion, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. It can be purchased at Amazon Direct Store, Rakuten Market Direct Store, electronics retailers, etc. At the same time, we will release the concept movie for this product, "UNMUTE THE WORLD Now is the time to unmute." In addition, to coincide with the release of nwm ONE, we will exhibit the product at "Audio LABO Session 1" sponsored by Real Sound Tech, which will be held at Daikanyama T-Site on July 20th (Sat) and 21st (Sun), and at "Summer Headphone Festival mini 2024" on July 27th (Sat). Please experience the new era of sound experience created by an overwhelming sense of openness.
Mute the noise and immerse yourself in closed sounds every day.
What if you could live with your favorite music while listening to the sounds of the world?
Unmute the World
Now is the time to unmute.
Keep the volume the same and make your life more vivid.
Surrender to nature and go and experience something you have never seen before.
To a new era of enjoying the world with music.
<Special page & concept movie now available>
UNMUTE THE WORLD
Now is the time to unmute yourself.
Product highlights
A new era of sound experience created by an overwhelming sense of openness.
The "nwm ONE" is an overhead ear speaker that combines the spacious spatial expression and light fit unique to open-ear headphones with an overwhelming playback frequency range thanks to its 2-way driver. For the first time in the brand's history, it is equipped with two core technologies that control sound: "PSZ" and "Magic Focus Voice". A completely new audio is born.
[1] Minimalist design that pursues functional beauty
Dual loop design that blends your own sound with the sounds around you. Enjoy your favorite music without worrying about sound leaking to the surroundings, and hear the voices of your precious family and friends. Although it is an overhead shape, it does not seal your ears, so there is no pressure from the light side pressure. Since it is open-ear, your ears will not get steamy, and the ultra-light body of about 185g reduces the burden on your head and neck. It is so comfortable that you will forget you are wearing it, and it is stress-free for a long time.
[2] Equipped with two core technologies that manipulate sound, the first in the brand's history
Equipped with two core technologies that manipulate sound, born from solving problems in calls and communications. NTT's unique "PSZ (Personalized Sound Zone)" technology that confines sound to your ears without blocking your ears, so you don't have to worry about sound leakage even though it is open-ear. NTT's patented technology "Magic Focus Voice" cuts out surrounding sounds and delivers only your voice, reducing the stress of the other party's sound during calls and online meetings.
[3] Equipped with a newly developed 2-way driver that is responsible for rich tone
A newly developed φ12mm tweeter driver that reproduces high frequencies with extension and a φ35mm woofer driver that reproduces low frequencies with low distortion. Each driver is driven by a separate amplifier, and intelligent DSP processing allows you to reproduce sound without distortion even at high volume.
[4] Utility functions that allow you to enjoy sound to your heart's content
Supports 360 Reality Audio, next-generation Bluetooth standard LE Audio/Auracast, and multipoint, and the dedicated app "nwm Connect" also allows parametric equalizer adjustment. Connection methods include wireless connection via Bluetooth and USB audio connection via the included USB Type-C cable. Maximum playback time: Approximately 20 hours. 5 minutes of charging allows 1 hour of listening.
Equipped technology
For the first time in the brand's history, it is equipped with two core technologies that manipulate sound, born from solving problems in calls and communications.
PSZ technology
- Confine sound and minimize sound leakage
NTT's unique "PSZ (Personalized Sound Zone)" technology※, which balances the ultimate contradiction. It applies the principle that sound disappears when a waveform (reverse phase) with a 180-degree phase inversion is superimposed on a certain sound wave (positive phase). The unique hardware design keeps the sound in a certain area around the ear, minimizing sound leakage to the surroundings even without blocking the ear.
Magic Focus Voice
- Clearly extract only the sounds you need
NTT's patented technology "Magic Focus Voice"* was developed with a thorough understanding of the characteristics of the voice. It is a hybrid of two technologies: "Beamforming" which uses the time difference in the sound reaching two microphones to recognize the acoustic space and identify the speaker, and "Spectral Filter" which removes noise and extracts only the voice. It cuts out surrounding sounds and delivers only your "voice".
*This technology was developed by NTT Computer & Data Science Laboratories.
Product Specifications
Official name: nwm ONE
Price (tax included): Open price
Release date: Thursday, July 18, 2024
Color: Dark gray, light gray
Model: Dynamic type
Unit used: 12 mm + φ35 mm 2way
Playback frequency band: 40 Hz to 20,000 Hz
Bluetooth® version: Bluetooth Ver. 5.3
Bluetooth Class: Class 1
Supported Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, HFP, AVRCP, TMAP, PBP
Supported codecs: SBC/AAC/LC3/CVSD, mSBC
Microphones: MEMS type (omnidirectional) x 2
Battery: Li-ion Battery
Battery life*1: Up to 20 hours (when playing music)
Charging time*1 : Approx. 1.5 hours
Multi-pairing: 8 devices
Multi-point*2: Max. 2 devices
USB Audio*2: Supported
Body size: Approx. 160mm wide x 185mm high x 88.5mm deep
Body weight: Approx. 185g
Accessories: USB cable 1.2m (Type-C - Type-C)*3
Other supported functions: 360 Reality Audio*4, Auracast™
The above specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice for improvement purposes.
*1 Varies depending on usage conditions and usage environment.
*2 Combination and operation with all Bluetooth and USB compatible devices is not guaranteed.
*3 USB Type-C® and USB-C® are registered trademarks of the USB Implementers Forum.
*4 360 Reality Audio is a music experience that uses Sony's 360 surround sound technology to create a immersive sound field that makes you feel as if you are in the venue where the artist is performing live. Using the 360 Reality Audio certified headphones "nwm ONE" and the dedicated app "nwm Connect", the sound field is optimized for each individual by analyzing the hearing characteristics. Listeners can enjoy an experience where sound reaches them from all directions in 360°, reflecting the production intention. Personal optimization is supported by 360 Reality Audio Live *5 and nugs.net *6.
*5 "360 Reality Audio Live" live streaming service focusing on domestic music (Sony Corporation | 360 Reality Audio Live official website (sony.net))
*6 "nugs.net" paid live streaming service focusing on US music (Live Music Streaming Online | Live Concert Streams | nugs.net)
Click here for the "nwm ONE" special page: www2.nwm.global/article/one/
Event Exhibit Information
To coincide with the release of the flagship product "nwm ONE", the product will be exhibited at two audio events.
Product staff will also be present on the day. Please come and experience the next-generation sound experience created by the overwhelming sense of openness.
"Audio LABO Session 1 (Real Sound Tech x Kenji Nomura supported by Daikanyama T-Site)"
Date and time: Saturday, July 20, 2024, 11:00-19:00
Sunday, July 21, 2024, 11:00-19:00
Location: Daikanyama T-Site Building 1, 2nd floor
(17-5 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Organizer: Real Sound Tech (blueprint Inc.)
"Summer Headphone Festival mini 2024"
Date and time: Saturday, July 27, 2024, 11:00-18:30
Location: Station Conference Tokyo, 6th floor
(1-7-12 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) Sapia Tower)
*Exhibition booth location: 605A, near the entrance, ⑯nwm
Organizer: Fujiya Avic (Fujiya Camera Store Co., Ltd.)
<About NTT Sonority>
Established on September 1, 2021 as a company that conducts audio-related business using cutting-edge audio signal processing technology. With the purpose of "moving people's hearts with sound technology and creating new standards," we use three technologies to sort sounds, trap sounds, and find specific sounds, and provide products and services that create comfortable acoustic spaces for each individual in various situations, such as business and private life. In 2022, we announced the audio brand "nwm". Based on two core technologies that manipulate sound, we created four audio device products in about two years, making a significant contribution to improving ear issues and QOL. With the launch of the ear speaker "Mimispi," which provides a new experience like a speaker even though it is an earphone, the company is growing into an audio brand that uses sound technology to solve the world's problems.
<About nwm>
nwm is the first audio brand of the NTT Group, created to seamlessly connect your world with the world around you as your lifestyle changes. Based on the concept of co-existence rather than immersion, the company develops products and services that utilize core technology to manipulate sound. The brand name, which is an acronym for "New Wave Maker," embodies the company's desire to propose a better life and create a new wave in the world through sound technology and new ideas.
