Audio

Tangara is aimed at music and gadget lovers who miss the charm of the Apple iPod, but not the extreme limitations imposed by Apple's closed ecosystem. The new music player is completely open source, so it can be developed further or modified at any time.

The Dolby Atmos-capable mid-range system from Bose is a stand-alone solution with five speakers and the option to upgrade it with a corresponding subwoofer. Amazon has now put the Smart Soundbar 600 back on sale for its lowest price yet.

LG has introduced three new soundbars for 2024. These offer, depending on the specific model, 9.1.5 sound and thus spatial audio - within physical limits, of course.

Dangbei has announced that it will unleash the "next dimension in 4K laser home cinema" at CES 2024. The Las Vegas show will serve as a launch event for the global versions of the 2 projectors that will usher it in. The Mars Pro 2 and X5 Ultra are backed to introduce brand-first specs such as ALPD 5.0, and will debut alongside Dangbei's apparent answer to one of LG's more experimental monitors.

The Hisense HS2100 2.1 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer is now available in North America and Europe, with a 45% discount currently offered to US customers. The new model has a maximum output of 240W, with features including DTS Virtual:X, an HDMI ARC port and Bluetooth connectivity.

It looks like the next couple of years are going to be big for the Apple AirPods lineup with the possible introduction of two new AirPods models, the refreshed AirPods Max, and the AirPods Pro (3rd generation). Mark Gurman, the source behind the information, has also alleged that Cupertino is developing hearing aid functionality for the new AirPods.

iQOO has confirmed that it will launch the Neo9 and 9 Pro later in December 2023 - however, according to the latest leaks, the premium mid-range Android smartphones will bring an entire ecosystem of products along with them. They are said to include the brand's first round AMOLED display smartwatch, as well as some new wireless earphones.

Lenovo has introduced the Wireless VoIP Headset, a new Bluetooth headset that supports Multipoint connectivity. Shipping in early Q2 2024, the Lenovo Wireless VoIP Headset is Microsoft Teams certified and offers up to 30 hours of battery life, among other features.

Lenovo has presented new, fully wireless headphones. These do not conform to typical design convention and are intended to be particularly comfortable to wear during sport, for example. High audio quality is promised.

Apple has started selling the USB Type-C charging case it introduced earlier this year with its refreshed AirPods Pro 2. Already available in multiple markets, including Europe and the US, the $99 accessory is an expensive way to bring USB Type-C connectivity to a pair of AirPods Pro 2 earbuds.

OnePlus already offers relatively inexpensive earphones in the Nord Buds 2, which feature active noise cancellation and particularly large drivers for deep bass. Render images now reveal the fundamentally revised design of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3.

Huawei's latest accessory looks like it needs a particularly intense form of ear-piercing - however, it is in fact a new kind of wireless earphone that doesn't go in the ear at all. Instead, the FreeClip is held in place with its new "innovative C-bridge design" for the OEM's take on open-ear audio.

According to some recent reports, Bose is wrapping up the production of Bose Frames - the lineup of smart audio glasses. By the end of this year, Bose Frames products will not be available for sale, while the existing owners will continue to get support.

As per some recent reports, Apple Music is planning to offer incentives to artists and record labels if they make their music available in spatial audio formats. With this new policy, artists will receive higher royalties and make Dolby Atmos music more mainstream.

Loewe's latest amplifier is said to offer a combination of power and features that are not found elsewhere. The manufacturer packs 1200 watts of power into 4 ohms, numerous streaming features and a wide range of ports into an extremely compact case.

The 3rd gen Apple AirPods are once again discounted to their lowest price yet of $140, last seen in the Black Friday week. The earphones, otherwise priced at $169, feature spatial audio and adaptive EQ, a 6 hour battery life, and an IPX4 rating for both the earphones and the case. The AirPods Pro 2 are also currently discounted by 20% to $200.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones, which replaced the popular QuietComfort 45 from the current lineup, are enjoying a 29% discount. With this deal in place, you can get yourself a pair for just $249.

In what might be a mega-leak in terms of next-gen Android smartphones from Asus, the ROG Phone 8 and 8 Pro are officially slated to launch with advanced Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity. Furthermore, the next ZenFone will also have this spec - not to mention its series' first ever Ultra variant. The intriguing development might hint at a significant change in design choices compared to the last few years.

Final Audio’s UX3000 has had a successful launch last year. It challenged the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 at less than half the price. Now, the brand has unveiled the Final Audio UX2000 ANC headphones, which undercuts the UX3000 but promises to deliver better overall performance.

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Computer speaker, the first device of its kind from the brand, in China. The two-channel speaker has various preset modes for music, gaming and movies. Other features include ambient RGB lighting, a built-in microphone, Bluetooth connectivity and a range of ports.

Final Audio has refreshed the ZE8000, less than a year after it introduced its '8K Sound' earbuds. Now available as the ZE8000 MK2, the new earbuds have a 5 dB higher maximum volume than their predecessors, among other audio improvements.

While Sony has already launched a successor, the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are still a good purchase. As a matter of fact, they are still considered to be a proper pair of flagship wireless headphones. And things just got even better for those who were eyeing them. The headphones are currently enjoying a $120 discount from the listing price on Amazon.

A clear sign of the music streaming industry recession, tech billionaire Jack Dorsey announced widespread layoffs at Tidal's parent company Block Inc. Around 1,300 employees are expected to be let go.

Xiaomi released the Redmi Buds 5 Pro late last month. And during the official debut, Xiaomi teased a fancier-looking edition that would soon be coming out for gamers. Well, the Redmi Buds 5 Pro eSports edition is here, and it’s currently on sale in China for CNY499 (around US$70).

In Spotify's newsroom, CEO Daniel Ek has announced that the music streaming service is laying off 17% of its workforce. This comes as result of the economic circumstances and the recent slowdown in growth, despite a positive balance sheet.

EarFun touts its new Free Pro 3s as "dual certified" TWS earbuds, in that they officially support both Hi-Res Audio and Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon Sound suite of audio features, aptX Adaptive included. They are also rated for a decent level of ANC, even though their noise-cancelling tech is of the hybrid variety. The Pro 3s' case is also backed to deliver "generous" battery life and also supports wireless charging.

Released earlier this year, the JBL Tune Buds come with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, ANC alongside a smart transparency mode, as well as a generous battery life of up to 48 hours (12 for the earbuds and 36 more via the case). The US$59.95 price instead of US$99.95 is a good deal, except for the undiscounted Purple version.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra now cost US$379 and US$329, respectively, thanks to an ongoing promotion. They can be purchased at that price via Amazon and Best Buy.

The Redmi Buds 5 Pro is Xiaomi's latest pair of TWS earbuds. Already available in China, the Redmi Buds 5 Pro contain various upgrades over the Redmi Buds 4 Pro, including longer battery life, better ANC and LHDC 5.0 support for higher-quality Bluetooth audio transmission.

Founded in 1980 and an independent subsidiary of Samsung since 2017, Harman is well-known for its presence in the automotive, consumer, and enterprise audio markets. Roon's acquisition gives Harman access to a music player for all major operating systems and the Nucleus hardware server appliances.

LG has announced that it will showcase new tech rated to help "Reinvent your Future" at CES 2024. The company will also reinvent itself as more of an AI-focused "Smart Life Solution Company" during the upcoming trade expo in earnest, which will also see it score more CES Innovation Awards than ever before on devices such as its OLED TVs, portable speakers and UltraGear gaming monitors.

Samsung has announced a new way to catch them all for its fans in Spain, by turning their Galaxy Buds-series TWS earbuds into Pokéballs. This can be done with one of the new Eco-Friends shells for their cases. They come in various forms and integrate a lanyard for ease of carrying.

Realme has announced that it has successfully shipped at least 200,000,000 smartphones. The brand has only been in this industry since 2018; nevertheless, this is only 1 of many major sales milestones achieved in that relatively short time. It has unveiled this latest news ahead of the launch of its next flagship Android device.

Sennheiser’s HD 458BT noise cancelling headphone is currently available on Best Buy for just US$70, after a 65% discount. The headphone features Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX and AptX Low Latency codec support, 30 hours of battery life and weighs just 238 g for maximum comfort over long listening sessions.

OnePlus is gearing up to launch third-gen flagship-series TWS earbuds, according to a new filing discovered on the FCC database. The "Buds 3" are thought to launch with up-to-date specs such as Bluetooth 5.3 and ANC - then again, the possibility of their imminent launch might give those currently doing their Cyber Weekend shopping for the existing Buds Pro 2 little cause for concern.

The FW5 are new and completely wireless earphones from FiiO, aimed at audiophile customers. A Qualcomm QCC5141 chip is installed and the battery life is said to be long.

QCY indicates that its latest headphones come for a fraction of the price one might expect for audio accessories of their top-end specs and features. They include up-to-date Bluetooth technology, "Hi-Res" Audio and active noise cancellation (ANC). The H3s have been unveiled with a well-timed additional discount.

With audiophile-grade sound quality, active noise cancellation, and a whopping 60-hour battery life, the Momentum 4 Wireless from Sennheiser is a remarkable pair of over-ear headphones that will impress audiophiles and casual listeners alike. Thanks to Amazon's 38% price cut, they are now more lucrative than ever.

Audio and design firm Teenage Engineering has just launched the EP-133 KO II, an XL version of one of their popular Pocket Operator synths. The KO II is a portable, battery-powered multi-track sampler and sequencer, allowing users to build entire songs using audio samples recorded or transferred to the device and applying various effects to them.

The Sony HT-X8500 relies on a relatively simple 2.1-channel setup with a pair of integrated subwoofers. But thanks to Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, the affordable soundbar should provide an immediately noticeable upgrade compared to integrated TV speakers.

FiiO, best known for its IEM earphones and portable DACs/amps, has launched its first mechanical keyboard with built-in DACs and headphone amplifiers. It has an 81-key 75% layout, gasket mount design and hot-swappable Gateron G Pro 3.0 yellow key switches. The audio circuit uses Cirrus Logic DACs supporting 32 bit/384 kHz audio and high output op-amps for driving high-impedance headphones.

Khadas has announced that its innovative Mind PC is part of its latest Black Friday sale. Its module-compatible core is available with either the Intel Core i5-1340P or Intel Core i7-1360P at its very first retail discount. Alternatively, the Khadas Tea DAC with MagSafe for iPhones is here to "re-define mobile audio excellence" for much less than US$200 for a limited time.

Sonos has announced that it will be entering a new multi-billion dollar product category in 2024, which will “complement current Sonos devices” and will “delight customers and drive immediate revenue.” It is believed the new category is headphones, based on a leaked internal memo that confirms Sonos has a headphone division.

Thanks to a massive 70% discount relative to the original MSRP, the LG S80QY has turned into a decent option for television owners who are in the market for an affordable soundbar with subwoofer and Dolby Atmos support.

Sennheiser has just added its latest wireless ANC headphones to its Black Friday 2023 offerings for the first time - then again, its new first-party sale price seems to have prompted another retail platform to do even better. Meanwhile, new deals on even more audiophile-oriented wired headphones from the same brand have been unveiled.

Status Audio is offering up to 53% of a variety of its TWS earbuds and wireless headphones, including the quality Between 3ANC buds which offer excellent audio quality and great active noise cancelling. This sale runs through December 1st.