Audio & Headphones

Sony Future Lab to Show Off Concept “N” Headphones, Preview Software Development Kit at Wearable World Congress

Sony Future Lab Program Concept N Headphones

Back in early March, Sony unveiled their US-based Future Lab Program, which has been tasked with creating prototypes in a fairly open manner in order to gauge consumer interest. For their first product, Sony showed off their concept N headphones. Nick Statt writing for The Verge:

 Codenamed Concept N, the Bluetooth device takes the design of those wacky-looking neck-worn headphones and packs in multi-directional speakers so you can listen to music without buds or over-the-ear pads 

So why is Sony investing time and money into a futuristic headphone? The answer likely lies in where they see the global trend going. As people shift their living habits towards more populated cities like San Francisco, New York, Berlin, and Tokyo, they’ve also shifted their commuting habits towards increased usage of public transportation, biking, and other services. With the sharing economy accelerating, especially in large cities, people are increasingly traveling in more visible ways where you can’t simply close your car doors and blast music.

The idea behind N is to create a system for listening while trying to retain background noise for when you’re wandering about outside or riding your bike. The device also comes with an accompanying pair of cone-shaped ear pieces that communicate with the neckband, in the event you want a more traditional headphone-like experience. The buds, with holes punched through the middle, don’t block outside noises, so you’re still able to, say, hold a conversation while listening to music

More after the jump.

Meet the Sony h.ear on Headphones with Hi-Res Audio & Noise Cancellation

CES 2016 Sony h.ear on headphones

Sony is no stranger to headphones and quality ones at that but at CES, the company’s newly-announced h.ear on headphones were not only able to stand out from the glut of headphones that manufacturers release each year, but from Sony’s own past lineup as well.

It’s obvious from the minute you see the h.ear on headphones (and yes, it’s all lower case) that Sony is going after a youthful demographic. While premium in every aspect, the h.ear on series opts out of the traditional dark tones and instead is offered in vibrant colors which can be seen after the jump. But besides a fun coat of paint, the h.ear on headphones pack a lot of powerful features that could make them your next headphones.

Those details after the jump.

Sony SRS-X77 Specs – Multi-room Speakers with AirPlay & Google Cast

Sony_SRS_X77_00Having arrived in early Fall, the SRS-X77 speakers take the best of Sony audio and inject a healthy dose of tech to make them suitable for any modern home. Utilizing the Sony SongPal app, the SRS-X77 is capable of multi-room streaming (think Sonos) and offers a multitude of ways to connect to it like Bluetooth, AirPlay, DLNA, and Google Cast.

After the jump, we peal away the outer lay of this portable speaker and provide you with the Sony SRS-X77 specs.

Meet the Bluetooth Sony SRS-X77 Wireless Speaker with Multi-room Streaming

Sony_SRS_X77_04

Absent at CES 2015 and not to be mistaken with the Sony Bluetooth X11, X33, and X55 speaker line, the latest entry from Sony targets those who want a bit more power from their portable speakers. Dubbed the Sony SRS-X77 (and not to be mistaken with the SRS-X7), this latest Bluetooth speaker packs a 40 watt punch with a built-in subwoofer and dual passive radiators.

Alongside a smooth sound, Sony has packed plenty of wireless technology to make sure the X77 can play nice with any device you have. Those details after the jump.

Sony Smart Bluetooth Speaker BSP60 Promo Video

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We’ve already covered the Sony Smart Bluetooth Speaker BSP60 fairly in depth. As a quick recap, the small portable speaker is capable of being an alarm clock, your personal assistant via voice control, and yes, it can even play music. Earlier, Sony had shown a quick video that showcased the more fun side of the BSP60 which included it dancing along with music which basically makes it a modern Sony Rolly.

Now after the jump, you can see a more practical application of the BSP60 in a new video promo that shows how the Bluetooth speaker can be incorporated in your daily routine.

Sony MDR-XB950BT Specs

Sony_MDR_XB950BT_1As we often like to, we follow up previous posts with a bit more technical specs. The Sony MDR-XB950BT is the latest wireless headphones from Sony to incorporate Bluetooth and NFC for easy pairing while still managing to offer 20 hours of music playback. In addition to Bluetooth, the XB950BT also offers a built-in mic for handsfree calling, making it an all around versatile unit. After the jump, you can find the Sony MDR-XB950BT specs.

Meet the Wireless Sony MDR-XB950BT Headphones with NFC

Sony_MDR_XB950BT_3Last week, we introduced you to the Sony MDR-1a Premium Hi-Res Stereo Headphones which, as the name suggests, offer support for Hi-Res audio. This week, we’d like to turn your attention towards the Sony MDR-XB950BT. While the name/model might be a mouthful, these latest headphones offer quite a bit of features that will likely resonate with more casual listeners at a more affordable price. As you’ve likely guessed, the Sony MDX-XB950BT are wireless headphones, thanks to the built in Bluetooth which allows for wireless music streaming and a handsfree phone experience thanks to the built-in mic.

After the jump, we reveal more details about the Sony MDR-XB950BT.

Sony MDR-1a Specs

Sony_MDR_1A_RedEarlier in the week we introduced you to the Sony MDR-1a Premium Hi-Res Stereo Headsets which offer a sophisticated design and booming base. Beyond the more premium design and generally better sound which is found in premium headphones, as the name suggests, the Sony MDR-1a support Hi-Res audio, a new digital format that’s designed to better capture music and offer a more lossless sound experience. For those in need of a little bit more details on the headphones, we’ve included the Sony MDR-1a specs for you, after the jump.

Meet the Sony MDR-1a Premium Hi-Res Stereo Headphones

Sony_MDR_1A_Red_1Over the last two years it’s becoming abundantly clear that Sony believes that music is meant to be a transformative experience. Not content with tinny sounds from ear buds and MP3 files, Sony has been investing heavily in Hi-Res audio, a new format (and not propitiatory!) that’s meant to capture the equality many audio aficionados believe was lost when we transitioned to MP3. Besides needing proper hardware to support His-Res audio, something which Sony is incorporating more and more into their products like the Sony Xperia Z3, you also need Hi-Res headphones in order to truly drive home that experience when you’re on the go.

After all, it only does so much good if your device can output Hi-Res but your headphones can’t bring through the extra quality. To that end, the Sony MDR-1a Premium Hi-Res Stereo headphones exist. More after the jump.

Sony Bluetooth and Noise Canceling Headset (MDR-ZX750BN) Launches in India

Sony Bluetooth and Noise Canceling Headphone MDR-ZX750BN

If you’ve been wanting to get your dance on in India but have been tied to silly cords that don’t let you get the movement you want than the following news should cheer you up. Sony is officially bringing their Bluetooth and noise canceling headphone (MDR-ZX750BN) to India and it has a whole lot of goodies for music fans. Some of those include Bluetooth for wireless music listening and NFC for easy pairing to smartphones and tablets, say like the upcoming Sony Xperia Z3?

After the jump, we talk price and details.

FIFA Bans Players Using Beats Headphones at World Cup; Sony Remains Official Sponsor

Amazonia Stadium Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014 front

Football may celebrated as the ‘international sport of the world’, bringing people together from every corner of the world in a way that few cultural events truly do, but it’s easy to forget that behind the glamour and fun, it’s big business too. For example, this is estimated to be the most expensive World Cup ever, costing Brazil more than the previous two Cups combined at roughly $14-16bn. It also represents the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world, with more than 1 billion unique viewers expected to watch online, by smartphone, TV and in public places. Just imagine what those figures mean to companies in communications, PR, marketing, also for merchandise producers and a whole lot more. Like Sony, for example.

FIFA has just announced that it’s banning players from wearing Beats branded headphones from all stadia involved in the World Cup.

Read on to find out why.

We Unbox the Sony Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (SRS-BTV5)

The Sony Wireless Speaker SRS-BTV5 is a Bluetooth speaker with speakerphone functionality built-in for iOS and Android devices. Designed to be stylish, portable, and powerful, the BTV5 not only makes pairing and streaming of music easy from your mobile device, but also comes at an affordable price range of $69.99 MSRP, making it attainable by most measures. Interested? Our video unboxing (above) has more details.

iF Design Awards Celebrates 26 Sony Products

iF Product Design 2014 Logo

Sony has proven itself once again in design terms, with no less than 26 of its products earning the seal of approval from the iF Design group, with three products earning a gold award. In individual company achievements, Sony ranked the third highest awarded company, ahead of rivals Apple and LG.

iF is an international group that recognises excellence in product design. It is their aim to “strengthen public awareness of design” and their logo has been an illustrious global standard of design for over sixty years. This year’s event took place on February 28th in Munich, Germany.

It probably surprises few that Sony would do well with awards for design. The company has always raised the bar with iconic and effortless designs with current class-leaders in the Xperia Z2, the PlayStation 4 and the luxury X9000A Bravia TV line to name but a few.

Read on to find out which Sony products earned gold and which two awards come at a bittersweet time.

Sony Invites You to Hear High-Resolution Audio

Sony_Walkman_NW_ZX1_01

You may remember our previous coverage of Sony’s portable media players featuring high-resolution audio. High-resolution audio promises to do for audio what high-definition did for video. If you haven’t yet graced your ears with this, then prepare to hear a lot more from your favourite music than you’ve heard before. Sony has been busy organizing industry efforts behind the scenes to help stimulate the up-take of high-resolution audio. Why bother with dedicated media devices any more? Sony presents: ‘bringing audio quality back’.

Sony at IFA – New High-Resolution Walkman F886 Announced

f886_1You might question the need for a single device when smartphones are made to be capable music players. But the Walkman F886 is the latest Sony media player that wishes to provide the audio dream that typical smartphones just can’t provide. Audiophiles will want to look beyond a multi-tasking device like a smartphone and instead find a device that is dedicated to providing a personalised audio experience with accurate sound reproduction. Enter: Walkman F886, with high-resolution audio better than CD quality, Sony says.