Latest news with #headphones
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Cambridge Audio Refines Its Melomania P100 SE Wireless Headphones With New Features
Last year, Cambridge Audio received endless plaudits for its new Melomania P100 over-the-ear wireless headphones. You'd think that having so many accolades would be enough for James Johnson Flint, owner of Cambridge Audio and the driving force behind the Melomania product lineup, but apparently not. Cambridge has decided to update its first pair of wireless ANC headphones with the announcement of the Melomania P100 Special Edition. The new headphones build on the success of the original P100 and this second-generation has new tuning with a more powerful and immersive playback. The bass frequencies have also been tweaked to make the dynamics of the overall sound more refined. Improvements have been made while preserving the transparent and emotive sound of the original P100 that so many people seemed to love. Described as an evolution, the new P100 SE feature Cambridge's proprietary DynamEQ technology, which is designed to ensure details stay intact and balanced even when playing at low volumes. Other new features include a more-cushioned headband for extra comfort during long listening sessions. The new version also sees the addition of a bold Blue colorway with a fresh and stylish look alongside the original Black and White finishes. The other visible change sees the P100 SE sporting the new Cambridge logo and branding, which first appeared on the new Melomania A100 true wireless earphones. Signature Sound Evolved These new P100 SE headphones have a custom 40mm composite driver with a three-layers diaphragm and neodymium magnets. The amplification is Class AB rather than the more usual Class D, which is the same amplification technology used in Cambridge's award-winning CX Series of hi-fi amplifiers. The company says the result is rich and detailed audio with deep bass, clear mids and crisp highs. For those with compatible Android devices, the P100 SE also support Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound platform and the aptX Lossless codec which provides CD-quality playback over Bluetooth with no lossy compression. There are also three levels of Active Noise Cancellation that enables users to tailor listening to their environment, whether that's on a flight, commuting on a train or working from home. Customized Listening Out of the box, the P100 SE produce the classic Cambridge signature sound that's both transparent and natural. The designers say they want to take listeners closer to the music without distorting it. However, everyone has different tastes for how they perceive music. The P100 SE offer an array of options to help the user find the sound that best suits them. The Melomania Connect app has also been revamped so that users can sculpt the sound of the headphones to suit their favorite genre of music. There are six EQ presets or the user can tweak the sound manually to a precise degree using a detailed seven-band EQ. Cambridge has also developed something it calls DynamEQ technology. This aims to keep the music balanced even at lower volumes by subtly adjusting bass and treble levels throughout the entire volume curve. P100 SE ensure that each track sounds full and natural at any volume level. The P100 SE also have a low-latency gaming mode which reduces the delay over Bluetooth to just 80ms. In practise, this means the listener can experience near-perfect screen and sound syncing when playing the latest games or watching movies. Long Battery Life A full charge of the Cambridge Melomania P100 SE can provide up to 60 hours of playing time with the ANC turned on. Switch the ANC off and the headphones can play on for up to 100 hours. There's also a fast-charge function that can turn a five-minute burst charge into two hours of playing time with ANC enabled. The reengineered headband on the P100 SE has been designed to provide greater comfort and to suit every head shape. Cambridge says the clamping force has also been calibrated for long-term comfort for the largest range of head sizes. As part of Cambridge Audio's commitment to sustainability, the P100 SE is made using 50% recycled plastic and the headphones ship in plastic-free and recyclable packaging. Both the batteries and ear cushions can be replaced by the user, which means the headphones should have a potentially longer life before they need to be recycled. The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE ANC wireless headphones are available on August 1, 2025, from or Amazon with a price of $299 / £249 / €279. The headphones are available in Blue, White or Black finishes.
Forbes
18 hours ago
- Forbes
Kali Audio Announces The New HP-1 Multi-Reference Wired And Wireless Headphones
Kali Audio has announced the launch of its new HP-1 over-the-ear DSP-powered headphones. Designed for mixing and studio use, the headphones offer a neutral and accurate representation of a mix. They can also let creatives hear how their work might sound on some of the most popular headphones in use today. The HP-1 headphones feature three voicings: Studio provides a transparent and 'accurate sound' that reproduces music faithfully. The next voicing is called Bass-Heavy and replicates the sound of headphones popular with hip-hop and EDM creators. Finally, consumers can reproduce the sound of popular headphones sold alongside many smartphones and computers. The Three Voices Users can switch between the three headphone voicings by pressing a button on the HP-1. An LED on the right ear cup changes color to indicate which tuning has been selected. A voice prompt also tells the user exactly which voicing they are listening to. Although these are wireless headphones, there is the option of using a wired connection via a 3.5mm jack on the headphones. A suitable cable is included in the box. While a wired connection gives the highest fidelity playback for serious studio use, the pair also work wirelessly with Bluetooth and there is support for SBC and AAC codecs. As well as being a pair of studio headphones, the digital signal processor used in the HP-1 enables the headphones to sound like an all-around performer. Other features include active noise cancelling, wireless calling and physical playback buttons on the headphones that enable them to become part of a listener's everyday listening habits. The Kali HP-1 headphones are a closed-back design with a foldable yoke. Kali uses 40mm dynamic drivers with a frequency response of 18Hz to 22 kHz. The headphones have an internal and rechargeable battery can play for up to 40 hours on a full charge and can be recharged with the supplied USB-C cable. The HP-1 ship in a zippered carrying case that protects them when traveling. The Kali Audio HP-1 headphones are available globally from and priced at $199 / £199 / €199.
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Gizmodo
Nothing Headphone 1 vs. AirPods Max: Which Over-Ear ANC Headphones Win?
Sometimes, picking a pair of headphones feels like an impossible choice. There are lots to choose from, and the barrier to entry is enough to send haptic chills down one's spine. If there's one thing that most can agree on, it's that Apple's AirPods Max are probably the standard for people considering headphones in the U.S., especially if you already own an iPhone. But AirPods Max are so damn expensive, right? Is it worth shelling out $550 for a pair of headphones when competitors like Nothing's $300 Headphone 1 exist and offer good-looking AirPods alternatives for a price that undercuts Apple by $250? There's a lot to unpack in that question, but luckily, I've tested both for you (and a lot of other audio products) and can offer my sage guidance on where to throw hundreds of dollars if you need to save yourself from the scourge of subway sounds or your neighbor's incessant singing. First, let's start with the looks. See AirPods Max at Amazon See Nothing Headphone 1 at Amazon At the risk of pointing out the obvious: AirPods Max and Nothing's Headphone 1 look very different. While Apple's super-popular headphones opt for a minimalist design, Nothing's Headphone 1 have a retro-inspired look that riffs on cassette tapes of yore. Undoubtedly, you'll have your own thoughts on which looks better—these things are subjective after all—but from a more objective standpoint, they also use different materials that make them feel noticeably different. AirPods Max, for example, use stainless steel and anodized aluminum, which means two things: they feel more premium, and they're also a little bit heavier—that's just physics for you. Nothing's Headphone 1 wins points for unique style, but they're made mostly from plastic and a little bit of aluminum so they definitely feel a lot cheaper but are also a lot lighter. Which pair speaks to you is a matter of preference, but if you're looking for a lighter carry, Nothing's Headphone 1 has AirPods Max beat: the weight breakdown here is 329g compared to almost Headphone 1 have a retro-inspired design. © Raymond Wong / GizmodoNothing's Headphone 1 also expand on AirPods Max's hardware with a whole host of physical buttons that include a dedicated track skip/fast-forward/rewind paddle, a volume roller, and an on/off switch. AirPods Max have a crown for volume adjustment and pause/play and that's it; to the frustration of many, there's no on/off switch. The number of buttons on the Headphone 1 was a welcome surprise when I tested them out, and while I wish they were a little more refined and less finicky to use, they do set the Headphone 1 apart not just from Apple but from pretty much every brand of over-ear headphones. Aesthetically, you'll have to dig deep and figure out what you want out of a pair of headphones. If you want something that's more of a fashion statement, the Headphone 1 are going to speak to you. If you want something that's going to fade into the background, then AirPods Max are more your speed. Personally? I find AirPods Max to be a bit on the boring side, but I respect that not everyone cares about looking the part of a Brooklyn-based hipster. I'm opting for the Headphone 1 in this department for feeling lighter on my head and also bringing a design that I find exciting, sleek, and worth writing home about. Sorry, AirPods Max, stainless steel or not, the minimalism thing is a little bit tired. Sure, your eyes may be the first way you judge a pair of headphones, but ultimately, your ears are what really matter. As a result, you're probably wondering: can Nothing's Headphone 1 really challenge the AirPods Max in the sound department? The answer is… to be honest, yes. I was pleasantly surprised to find the sound on the Headphone 1—tuned in collaboration with hi-fi audio company KEF—actually held its own against the significantly more expensive and popular AirPods Max. Nothing's headphones performed particularly well in the low-to-mid-range frequencies, though—sorry, budget seekers—I think Apple's AirPods Max premium still means something in the audio department. As I wrote in my review, I still think Apple's AirPods Max have a noticeable edge when it comes to sound. In particular, mids-to-highs have slightly more texture and room, which makes vocals feel more organic and clear. That being said, Nothing holds its own against a competitor that charges a very hefty premium, and the fact that it comes close at all is definitely a feat. Still, better is better, and AirPods Max still feel clearer and more dynamically rich, even if by a close margin. A big reason why people buy over-ear headphones is that they may not like sticking earbuds inside their ears, which is fair, because even the most comfortable ear tips will become irritating over time. So, with comfort in mind, you're probably wondering if AirPods Max feel as luxurious as the materials they're made out of or, on the other side of the coin, if Nothing's Headphone 1 feel rougher with less premium materials. At the risk of spoiling the result, this one is almost too close to call. One of the first things that struck me about the Headphone 1 is that they fit my head well, which may not be a selling point for everyone, but for me, a person with a small head, that's a huge win. Not only was the fit snug, but the vegan leather headstrap and earcups also felt cushy and smooth on my head and ears, respectively. There's actually a pretty big difference material-wise when it comes to earcups on the AirPods Max, as Apple's headphones are made with a mesh textile. Those mesh materials are designed to be more breathable than their counterparts, and while I'm not a big cardio guy, I'm willing to bet that they might be highly preferable to someone who wants to wear headphones while exercising. Another major difference is in the head strap, which is a solid piece of plastic with memory foam and vegan leather on the Headphone 1. That's opposed to AirPods Max, which have a mesh band that achieves a couple key things. First, it helps reduce the weight of the headphones, which have some heft due to the premium materials. Secondly, the mesh band also (similar to the mesh earcups) makes AirPods Max more breathable, giving them an edge for anyone who's more fitness-focused. Ultimately, both headphones are comfortable, even despite the weight difference, but I think I'm going to have to give AirPods Max the nod here if just because the materials and design of the earcups and head strap make them more suitable for a wider variety of use cases. Battery life is key in any gadget, but for headphones, that metric feels even more important since running out of juice while you're on an airplane or commuting to work can be a huge drag. Given the importance of battery life, you'd think that shelling out more money for a premium product gets you more juice as a given, right? Couldn't be more wrong. Nothing's Headphone 1 trounce AirPods Max in the battery life department, delivering up to 35 hours with active noise cancellation (ANC) on as opposed to AirPods Max's 20 hours. I find those battery life estimates to be accurate in my testing, and if you're looking for more longevity, the Headphone 1 have an edge. Both pairs of headphones have pretty much all the features you'd expect, including transparency (mixes music and ambient noise), adaptive noise cancellation, and spatial audio. Both headphones also have software-based hearing tests that allow you to customize the EQ of your audio to your specific hearing idiosyncrasies, and can also be custom-tuned either via Nothing's X app or on iOS for Apple AirPods Max, though Nothing's is more granular. Both also take advantage of custom hi-res codecs if you're an audiophile looking for the best, lossless sound, though iOS doesn't support LHDC (Low Latency High Definition Audio Codec), so you should keep your ecosystem in mind here. I will say AirPods definitely have an advantage if you're in the Apple ecosystem, since they switch more seamlessly between working on your MacBook or iPhone. While feature-wise these headphones are pretty much a tie, Nothing gets the nod for having a much longer battery life. It's hard to argue with not having to worry about charging up your headphones. A good component of any premium pair of headphones or earbuds is their ability to cancel outside noise, and on that front, Apple's AirPods Max always get high marks. But just because Apple gets the kudos doesn't mean that they're necessarily that good, right? Wrong. AirPods Max do have an edge when it comes to noise cancellation, and while Nothing boasts an impressive 52dB of cancellation, lab tests from Sound Guys show that AirPods Max still beat the Headphone 1 with an impressive 88% noise reduction compared to the Headphone 1's 85% reduction. Anecdotally, I can notice the difference when switching between the two headphones, and I think it has a lot to do with the earcups. I find AirPods Max's cups create a tighter seal around my ears, which just naturally blocks out more sound. Apple's noise-cancellation tech does the rest. If you're looking for headphones with truly great noise cancellation, Apple's AirPods Max still get the point here. Everyone has different priorities when it comes to audio, but there are still some categories that are unavoidable. You need your headphones to sound good, of course, but you also need them to fit your head, be comfortable, and block out noise effectively. Apple's AirPods Max are still some of the best at doing all of those things, but they come with a burdensome premium that might scare a lot of people away. Nothing's Headphone 1, on the other hand, still excel in those key metrics, and while they fall slightly short in major categories like sound quality and ANC, they also make up for those shortcomings with a cool design, lots of features, and a heck of a lot of buttons. If you have the money and want the best of the best there's no reason not to go Apple, but I'm a firm believer that Nothing's Headphone 1 still get you most of the way there, and if you're a fan of what Nothing is putting down in the design department, you won't regret saving yourself $250 and going with the underdog. See AirPods Max at Amazon See Nothing Headphone 1 at Amazon
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
You'll Never Catch Me Running Without These High-Performing Outdoor Headphones
For anyone who walks, runs, cycles or does just about anything outside on a regular basis, I always give the same piece of advice: Ditch those noise-canceling headphones. Don't get me wrong. I have a pair of big over-the-ear headphones that have spectacular noise cancellation and I love them. But when I'm outside -- especially if I'm close to fast-moving cars and heavy traffic -- I need to be able to hear the world around me and not just my music or whatever podcast I'm bingeing at the moment. In those cases, I want something like the OpenFit true wireless headphones from Shokz. I love a good pair of headphones but I don't love spending a ton of money on them. My threshold is about $100, which is why when all of my cycling friends started raving about bone-conduction headphones a few years back, I was more than a little hesitant because I would probably only use them when working out. However, now is a great time to get in on this innovative headphone technology. These headphones are designed to be used in places where bone conduction may not be enough and, as a result, I'm rarely seen without mine on. You can grab these headphones at a great price in black and beige, both marked down to $160 right now -- a $20 discount off the usual list price. A week after I picked these up, I was nearly sideswiped by a pickup truck and the only thing that saved me was hearing it come up behind me. There's a reason these are recommended on our list of the best running headphones you can buy. If you're looking for outdoor-friendly workout headphones, my first recommendation is always Shokz, formerly known as Aftershokz. Bone-conduction headphones sit just outside your ear, resting on the bone. Music vibrates through a set of pads into your skull and you hear those sounds as if they're coming from a speaker a few feet away. You can hear everything you're listening to on your phone without interrupting the sounds coming from the rest of the world around you. For cyclists and runners -- really anyone who does anything outside -- this is a game-changing experience. It's more accurate and pleasing than traditional headphones with "passthrough mode" and you sacrifice very little in audio quality. My favorite bone-conduction headphones -- and I've tried them all -- are the OpenRun Pro headphones from Shokz. They're waterproof (which means they're easy to clean when I'm all sweaty), the battery lasts me about 7 hours on a charge (perfect for those 70-mile riding days), and they're comfortable enough that I can wear them all day and not feel them pressing on me. They charge magnetically with a proprietary charger but Shokz includes two cables in the box in case you lose things, as I do. If these headphones are a little rich for your blood, no worries. Shokz also has cheaper OpenRun and OpenMove bone-conduction headphones with up to 6 hours of battery life and IP55 dust and water resistance. Whether you're physically active outdoors or you just like exploring new things, I highly recommend giving these headphones a try. The Shokz OpenMove make a great gift for an outdoor runner The Shokz make a great purchase, either for yourself or as a gift for the outdoor runner in your life. Not only are they the best of their kind, but giving these to a runner may also give you some peace of mind to know they're a little safer when they're out running alongside busy streets or other high-traffic areas. For more discounted tech, check out our editors' picks for the best headphone deals.
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
These Marshall Bluetooth Headphones Are Back to Their Lowest Price, Not Even $100 for This Premium Pair
If you've been on the hunt for a new pair of headphones that look good, sound good, and aren't crazy expensive, then what you need is a pair of Marshall Major V Bluetooth headphones. These aren't meant for hopping onto a Teams call to hear about Q3 financials, no no no. These stylish and comfortable accessories are meant for listening to good music with a roaring bass and brilliant sound. And great news. Amazon has them for a solid 38% off. That brings the price down from $160 to an even $100. You don't need to pull out to calculator app on your phone to realize you'll be saving a cool $100. he Marshall Major V headphones feature Marshall's signature sound its known for with thunderous bass, smooth mids, and crisp treble. Marshall has been in the audio business for over 60 years with iconic products from huge amplifiers to headphones like this, meeting the needs and expectations of musicians and people who really care about quality sound. See at Amazon The headphones feature a customizable button that can be set to whatever makes most sense to you. Use it to access the voice assistant on your phone or to instantly boot up Spotify. One of the most important metrics to a good pair of Bluetooth headphones is its battery. What good is it being wireless if before you can even reach the end of an album, you're plugging them back in? Not a problem on the Marshall Major V. These on-ear headphones will last over 100 hours on a single charge. That's over four days of nonstop listening before they need to charge again. When they finally do need a charge, they can be charged wirelessly if you prefer. It takes only three hours to get from zero percent to full charge. Take these headphones anywhere you go. They are designed to be rugged and durable so they last long and can handle getting banged around a bit. They can fold up when not in use, making them fit into your back easily without taking up too much space. The Marshall Major V Bluetooth headphones comes in four stylish colors. Choose the classic black or get a bit more fancy with the brown or cream. There is also a really sleek midnight blue, but unfortunately those are still sitting at full price. The first three are all discounted for a full $60 off. They're normally $160, so that brings them down to just $100 for a limited time. See at Amazon
