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When it comes to ad-supported video streaming plans, everyone’s doing it. HBO Max–er, Max–served up its own ad-supported tier, followed by Disney+ and finally Netflix. Now, it appears Amazon wants in on the ad-supported action. Yes, Amazon already has Freevee, its free ad-supported video streaming service, but the Wall Street Journal reports that the e-tailing giant is exploring options for adding an ad-supported tier to its paid Prime Video offering. The talks are still only in the “early phases,” and Amazon could ultimately opt to abandon the idea of launching an ad-supported plan for Prime Video, the Journal notes. Still, debuting an ad-supported version of Prime Video must be an attractive option for Amazon, which just shelled out an astonishing $715 million (the WSJ says) for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. That gargantuan LOTR series was met with tepid reviews and only so-so viewership numbers (I slept through most of it), so Amazon might figure that it’ll take more than Middle Earth to turn Prime Video into a profit center. Amazon could go a couple of different ways with an ad-supported Prime Video tier. One possibility would be keeping the standard Prime Video plan as-is while offering a discounted ad-supported Prime Video plan. As it stands, Prime Video costs $8.99 a month à la carte, or it comes included with Amazon Prime for $14.99 a month. Another option, as the Journal notes, would be to inject more commercials to the existing Prime Video tier (remember, there are already ads in Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football games) and then offer a pricier ad-free version of Prime Video. That latter option would be similar to when Disney raised the price of its ad-free Disney+ tier just as it debuted the ad-supported Disney+ plan, which ended up costing as much as the original Disney+ ad-free offering. In any event, an ad-supported version of Amazon Prime Video seems inevitable, particularly after Netflix caved and launched its own ad-supported tier. Indeed, practically the only major video streaming player without an ad-supported plan is Apple TV+, but even Apple is said to be exploring an ad-supported tier. via TechHive https://ift.tt/1c2RNmZ
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Not everyone was thrilled with the news that Apple’s iOS 17 software would drop the need to say “Hey” before Siri’s trigger phrase, but if you’re in that camp, you can relax. According to 9to5Mac, Siri users will be able to keep “Hey Siri” as Siri’s sole trigger phrase following the arrival of iOS 17, a relief to those of us wary of waking Siri unintentionally. The developer beta of iOS 17, which is now widely available after Apple chose to drop the usual $99 developer’s fee, has revealed exactly how Siri’s trigger phrase options will work under the forthcoming version of iOS. As 9to5Mac details, there will be three options for Siri’s trigger phrases. The first option is either “Hey Siri” or just “Siri,” while the second option is only “Hey Siri.” The third option is no trigger phrase at all, meaning you’d need to manually wake Siri with a button press. You’ll find the Siri trigger phrase options under the “Siri and Search” menu, and once you install iOS 17, the first option (both “Hey Siri” and “Siri”) will be selected by default, 9to5Mac reports. It’s not a huge surprise that Apple will allow users to continue using just the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase once iOS 17 arrives, but it’s a relief nonetheless. Anyone with an Amazon Echo speaker at home knows the aggravation of waking Alexa by accident, either because Alexa misheard the wake word or because you happened to mention Alexa in passing. It’s a lot harder to accidentally wake a voice assistant when you have to say “Hey” first, as is the case with Google Assistant (“Hey Google”) and Siri. While it’s all well and good to have the option of dropping “Hey” from the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase, I’m glad that keeping “Hey Siri” as the sole wake word is still a thing, and that’s what I’ll be doing. Apple announced the upcoming ability to drop “Hey” from the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase during its WWDC keynote on Monday. Besides serving up more options for the Siri trigger phrase, iOS 17 will also allow for back-to-back Siri voice commands without having to use the wake word again. iOS 17 is expected to arrive this fall. via TechHive https://ift.tt/mHU4vuV
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Price When Reviewed$8,490 Best Prices Today: Bang & Olufsen Beosound TheatreBang & Olufsen has pioneered industrial design, technology, and audio enjoyment since 1925. The Beosound Theatre, the subject of this review, marks another milestone in B&O’s storied history. The Beosound Theatre is the most technologically advanced, expandable, well thought out, and aesthetically bold soundbar I’ve ever encountered. While its $8,490 starting price tag ($8,865 as reviewed) is not for the faint of heart, B&O may very well be right in asserting that this will be the last sound bar you’ll ever need. A high-tech marvelThe Beosound Theatre is designed to function as the nerve center of a high-tech entertainment experience. The Theatre combines all the functions of an AV receiver, Dolby Atmos immersive audio processor, network streamer, HDMI switcher, and multi-zone controller, all in a monolithic, visually striking industrial design. Put another way, the Theatre exists to be both heard and talked about.
At its core, the Beosound Theatre sports a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 decoder and boasts a rated frequency response of 28Hz to 23kHz, without a subwoofer—and yes, I confirmed a 28Hz in-room response with Room EQ Wizard measurements. Getting room-shaking 28Hz bass from a sound bar sans subwoofer is just astounding. Collectively, the Theatre’s twelve on-board amplifiers and twelve speaker drivers play a role in delivering that level of performance. There are two 100-watt amplifiers for bass output and ten 60-watt amplifiers for the center, left, right, up-firing, and side-firing channels.
Like other Dolby Atmos-enabled sound bars, the Theatre boasts both physical and virtual channels. The seven internal channels include left, center, right, left and right side-firing, and left and right up-firing, while the four virtual channels are virtual left and right surround and virtual left and front height. ![]() Detail view of the Beosound Theatre’s upfiring and side-firing drivers, which create the illusion of height and surround effects. Ephemia Nicolakis/Foundry The efficacy of those virtual channels directly depends on your room layout. Virtual speaker arrays need side walls to work effectively. They don’t work optimally in rooms with an open floor plan. The sound bar does not pretend to create rear virtual channels, but that’s where the tip of the Theatre’s expandability iceberg comes in. To get the most from a Dolby Atmos immersive audio experience, you need discrete speakers. The Theatre embraces that reality by letting you add up to 16 additional B&O speakers, including eight wired and eight WISA wireless speakers. (WISA is a wireless high resolution, multichannel speaker standard.) What’s more, all 16 channels are assignable, and any of those 16 channels can feed external subwoofers. The Theatre accomplishes this feat through the use of eight B&O Powerlink wired and eight B&O Powerlink WISA wireless adapters. We know that a discrete center channel is the optimal configuration for multichannel movies and music. Were you to add speakers and subwoofers, you can designate the Beosound Theatre to function solely as a center channel speaker, thus allowing it to send the rest of the decoded Dolby Atmos signal to discrete speakers and subwoofers. Now, here’s a high tech bass management feature you won’t find in dedicated AV receivers costing thousands: If the B&O Theatre receives a bass signal, you can opt to have the bass frequencies handled by a connected subwoofer and even redirected to other speakers connected to the Theatre. The Theatre is smart enough to distribute bass to each speaker strategically, optimizing bass frequency playback according to each speaker’s abilities and even matching the phase response of the speakers so they don’t cancel each other out. Why is this bass management feature such a big deal? The science shows that distributing bass across multiple speakers and locations helps to deliver cleaner, tighter, deeper, and more authoritative bass across multiple seats in a room. Connection and streaming options galoreThe Beosound Theatre provides every conceivable connection option to streamline cables and optimize aesthetics. There are three HDMI inputs and an HDMI eARC port with 4K 120fps and 8K 60fps passthrough supporting up to 40Gbps. A USB-C port does double-duty as an analog input via a B&O adapter. The Theatre features a four-port ethernet switch to network your TV and streaming media devices. One of the ethernet ports is designed to work with LG OLED TVs for integrated control with the included Beoremote One and Bang & Olufsen mobile app. The Theatre even includes a cover to hide the clutter. ![]() All inputs and connections are located discretely in the rear of the soundbar, including a four-port ethernet switch. Ephemia Nicolakis/Foundry Want to go wireless? Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi 5 is on board, along with AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, DLNA, and Bluetooth 5.1. For Bluetooth, the AAC and SBC codecs are supported, but no high-resolution codecs such as LDAC or aptX Adaptive. You also have access to Deezer, QPlay, and your iTunes Library from the Bang and Olufsen app. The Beosound Theatre also works with (but lacks built-in) Google Assistant. Flexible design and mounting optionsThe Beosound Theatre’s look and mounting options are all customizable. You can choose an acoustically transparent cloth grille or opt for three responsibly sourced, premium oak covers: light oak, dark oak, or oak. The Theatre’s sound is tuned with the grille on. The oak grille is a pure design element and serves no sonic function. The Theatre’s aluminum base comes in three finishes: natural silver, gold tone, or black anthracite. It’s stunning. The aluminum side wings are separate accessories and come in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch configurations to match corresponding UHD TVs. B&O has a partnership with LG, so if you own an LG Gallery series TV, the aluminum wings will precisely match the width of your LG TV. ![]() The Beosound Theatre soundbar with a light oak grille and table top stand. Ephemia Nicolakis/Foundry You can tabletop-mount, wall-mount, or stand-mount the Beosound Theatre. Of course, each of these options comes with unique B&O functions. B&O’s motorized, aluminum floor stand matches the Theatre’s finish and comes with a VESA mount that supports the Theatre and virtually any TV up to 77 inches. Functionally, the stand turns 260 degrees to either the left or right. B&O also offers a motorized, wall mount arm that automatically rotates both the Beosound Theatre and your TV to a pre-defined angle at the press of a button. B&O gave me a live demo of the arm’s functionality and it’s quite impressive. For tabletop use, B&O sells an optional VESA mount that lets you mount your TV directly on top of the Theatre. Moreover, the VESA mount offers forward and back micro adjustments to align the TV perfectly with the Theatre’s aluminum wings. My review sample came with the light oak grille, aluminum base, and 55-inch aluminum wings. For my installation, I placed Theatre on a table underneath my wall-mounted TV. White glove, zero-touch installation and supportHow can you be sure you’ll get an optimal setup? While the B&O Beosound Theatre is the most technologically complex and powerful soundbar I’ve ever reviewed, it was also among the easiest to set up, thanks in large part to the step-by-step instructions on the companion iOS or Android mobile app. Still, a certain segment of B&O’s clientele will surely gravitate to the white-glove installation service option. The installation service is handled by your local Bang & Olufsen dealer and pricing varies by installation type (wall mount, stand mount, and so on). B&O’s Todd Anderson, the Service and Installation Manager for North America, arrived at my home and walked me step-by-step through a client installation of the Beosound Theatre. With white gloves on, Anderson unboxed, assembled, set up, and configured the Beosound Theatre in our family room. ![]() Todd Anderson, B&O’s Service and Installation Manager, performed the white glove installation service for the B&O Theatre review sample. Ephemia Nicolakis/Foundry Unlike too many. big-box store installers who read the user manual during installation and know virtually nothing about that product, Anderson had in-depth knowledge of the Theatre and was adept at configuring and optimizing the soundbar for my use cases and home environment. It’s a full-on concierge service. The Bang & Olufsen app, common to all B&O products, lies at the heart of this premium service experience. Anderson had me go to Support > Access Control and choose the “Give Control” option on the app to generate an access code. He then entered the code into his app. Anderson never needed access to my phone at any point. Indeed, a B&O installer can perform every aspect of the installation and configuration on your Beosound Theatre without ever touching your personal devices. Anything the installer does—including configurations, preferences, and icon choices—gets copied instantly to your B&O account. Moreover, if you’ve already configured another B&O device via the app with your Wi-Fi credentials, your Wi-Fi password is copied automatically to the Beosound Theatre and can be shared instantly with any future B&O product. Busy clients need not be home for the installation either. So long as someone grants physical access, the installer can configure everything on the Beosound Theatre with just the installation code. The same slick white-glove service continues with support, whether or not you opt for the actual white-glove installation. Should you ever have an issue with the Beosound Theatre, you can contact the 24/7 support and generate another code to grant B&O support temporary remote control of the soundbar to diagnose and resolve any issue remotely. Premium remoteWhile you can configure and control all aspects of the Theatre through the mobile app, there’s an optional $375 Beoremote One you can add to the package. The remote connects to the Theatre automatically via Bluetooth, so no line-of-sight is required. If you have an LG TV, the remote will provide enhanced functionality. And, if you use an Apple TV as I did, the remote will completely replace the need for a separate Siri Remote. ![]() Detail view of the ergonomic B&O remote. Ephemia Nicolakis/Foundry RoomSense Room Correction optimizes soundA room’s size, layout, and furnishings significantly impact a speaker’s in-room performance. Just think about the sonic difference between a gymnasium and your living room. While room correction software is designed to reduce the anomalies created by the room-speaker interaction, that tech is typically reserved for expensive AV receivers and home theater processors. The Beosound Theater comes with a proprietary room-correction solution called RoomSense. RoomSense uses two built-in microphones in the Beosound Theatre, along with a supplied external microphone that you plug into a port on the front of the Theatre behind the grille. (In typical B&O fashion, even the external microphone is a work of art.) With a single measurement tone from each channel, RoomSense determines the listening position, assigns the appropriate Speaker Roles, and then optimizes distance and volume levels for each loudspeaker automatically. It takes a mere minute. ![]() The included calibration microphone helps to optimize the sound of the Beosound Theatre in your room. The microphone itself is a work of art. Ephemia Nicolakis/Foundry RoomSense then applies compensation filters accounting for each speaker’s position and room resonances before optimizing the system. It’s sophisticated yet super-simple to use. A representative from B&O told me that RoomSense on the Theatre works aggressively below 250Hz. This range generally corresponds to what’s known as the Schroeder Frequency for typical rooms, below which the room dominates the sound. Since the Theatre uses only a single microphone measurement, it is less aggressive above 250Hz. RoomSense applies smoothing equalization from 250Hz to 10kHz as opposed to correcting for more narrowband imperfections. How did RoomSense do? Practically speaking, RoomSense cleaned up a boomy bass response and transformed it into clean, articulate, and authoritative bass lines. I took before and after measurements with REW and found that RoomSense effectively attenuated room modes at around 45Hz and 80Hz by about 7dB. Above 250Hz, RoomSense was indeed less aggressive, simply increasing or decreasing the frequency response at certain points by about 1dB-2dB. What’s really slick about the Theatre is that you can conduct multiple RoomSense measurements to optimize the sound for different seating areas in your room. You can switch among those profiles on the fly via the Bang & Olufsen app, and you can even configure and activate different speaker groupings connected to the Theatre only for specific seating areas. Using the Theatre’s 16 speaker expansion ports, you could theoretically have a 7.1.4 setup in one area and then a 2.0 setup in another area and even re-use the same speakers by re-assigning their respective functions; for example, you could make the front-left and side-right speakers work as the front left and front right. With this functionality, B&O is advancing the concept that sound should move with you around the room and adapt to you, as opposed to you having to adapt to the space. Once again, you generally don’t find this level of flexibility in AV receivers, much less soundbars. Listening testsMy review setup consisted of the Beosound Theatre and Oak grille ($8,490) and BeoRemote One ($375) for a configured price of $8,865. I tested the Beosound Theatre in a 26 x 15-foot rectangular room, which opens to a 12 x 12-foot room in the back. The main listening position was about 12 feet from the Theatre, whose tweeter measured about 36 inches from the floor. I calibrated the Theatre for two additional listening zones: one approximately 45 degrees and 16 feet away and the other further behind the couch in the other room approximately 20 feet from the Theatre. No matter where I sat, the Beosound Theatre busted out bold, detailed, room-filling sound effortlessly. The Theatre will have no problem in large listening spaces. By default, the Theatre upmixes all content, including stereo music and TV programming. If this sounds a bit odd in your environment, you can use the mobile app to create a “direct mode” listening preference that will bypass the upmixing feature or optionally attenuate the degree to which this upmixing takes place. The app gives you extensive control to expand the soundstage and immersive impact. Top Gun: Maverick is an immersive audio demo showcase. At the 1 hour 19 minute mark, Maverick takes out an F-18 for a mock run in the desert. The scene is filled with discrete sonic details and growling bass. The Beosound Theatre delivered the best demo I’ve ever heard on this track from an Atmos-enabled soundbar. Vocals ranging from Jon Hamm’s lecture to Danny Ramirez’s whisper (“We’ll be sitting ducks for enemy missiles”) were clear and intelligible. Bass lines from the F-18’s engines roared and dug deep with authority, punch, and clarity. The soundstage was tall and wide giving a sense of space, making you feel like you’re there in the cockpit surrounded by a canyon. Overhead effects, such as those when the F-18 passes overhead on its final ascent to the target, were believable. Likewise, when Maverick successfully blows up the cement bunker, stone fragments and dirt debris spattered overhead and all around. What’s particularly impressive is that the Beosound Theatre created the slight sensation of virtual left speakers even though my room was open on the left side. A clear shortcoming was enveloping sound effects behind me, which are best served by discrete speakers. The battle scene above Coruscant at the opening of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith in Dolby Atmos is another showcase, complete with several discrete and pinpoint side surround, overhead, and enveloping sound effects. The scene opens with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi maneuvering their light interceptors near a Republic attack cruiser. The Beosound Theatre did a remarkable job creating a sense of space, and it shook my room in ways that only discrete subwoofers have accomplished with its reproduction of the Republic attack cruiser’s deep, thunderous engine roar. That said, my room’s layout detracted from the Beosound’s ability to render discrete sounds in certain locations. For example, sound effects located to the right, such as the missiles chasing Obi-Wan’s light interceptor, were convincing, especially when their sound included height effects. Pans to the left, however, were clearly impacted by the absence of a left wall, thus demonstrating how the Theatre’s performance in your room will vary depending on its physical layout. Is the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theatre worth the cash?The Beosound Theatre may well represent the pinnacle of what a soundbar can be. In the Theatre, B&O marries aesthetics and high-tech performance into an easy-to-use and want-to-use entertainment package, complete with options to suit just about any aesthetic. The Beosound Theater’s sound is all B&O. It’s big, bold, clean, and plays far larger than its footprint. You can use the Theatre as a stand-alone soundbar, or you can maximize your immersive experience by adding up to 16 optional speakers. Such expansion options are unprecedented in a soundbar. Yes, the Beosound Theatre’s breathtaking asking price may put it out of reach for all but the most exclusive clientele. Then again, its flair, flexibility, performance, expandability, ease-of-use, and white-glove setup and support may very well make the Theatre the last soundbar you’ll ever need. via TechHive https://ift.tt/Ln3Ny6H
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If you’ve just bought a new 4K TV, you might be wondering if you need to buy a new HDMI cable to go with it. If you already have an HDMI cable, the quick answer is: Probably not. We’ll explain why in detail shortly. First, we’ll explain the four basic types of HDMI cables and offer our purchase recommendations for each category if you don’t already have a cable or if you need to replace a damaged cable. HDMI cable types explainedAn HDMI cable is just a conduit between your TV and media device, be it a DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K UHD Blu-ray player; media streamer; video game console; or PC. Different types of HDMI cables do exist, but their designations indicate how much data they can carry. (Spoiler: There’s really no such thing as a 4K HDMI cable.) When pared down to the most basic information, the video resolution guidelines—as set by the HDMI Forum Technical Working Group that defines the specification—are:
The best 4K HDMI cable to buyBest Passive High Speed HDMIMonoprice HDMI High Speed Cable![]()
Price When Reviewed: $11.98
Best Prices Today: $8.99 at Monoprice | $9.59 at Amazon
The more detailed versions of the guidelines matter if you want more than just a basic TV signal: If you play video games at more than 30 frames per second, for example, or you intend to make full use of an HDR TV, or you want an HDMI cable that can also carry data over ethernet (most people do not, but that bandwidth can be used for other things). Best PASSIVE HIGH SPEED HDMI (another option)AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable – 6 Feet![]()
Price When Reviewed: $7.84
For these types of scenarios, you must take refresh rate (measured in cycles per second, stated as Hertz, and abbreviated as Hz), the level of color precision (aka color depth, measured in bits; e.g., 8-bit, 10-bit, or 12-bit), and color data compression (i.e., chroma subsampling) into consideration. best active high speed hdmiMonoprice Select Active Series High Speed HDMI Cable![]()
Price When Reviewed: From $12.99
The higher you go with refresh rate and bit depth—and the less color data compression you opt for—the more data that will be pushed to your TV. ![]() If you attach a gaming PC capable of gaming at 4K/60fps to your TV, you’ll need an HDMI cable that can handle that level of data transmission. best passive premium high speed hdmiMonoprice Certified Premium High Speed HDMI Cable![]()
Price When Reviewed: $12.98
Best Prices Today: $8.99 at Monoprice | $9.45 at Amazon
Accordingly, you’ll need an HDMI cable that has adequate bandwidth. A Premium High Speed HDMI cable should cover the highest demands you’d ask of a 4K TV with a 60Hz refresh rate. best passive ultra high speed hdmiMonoprice 8K Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 Cable (6 ft)![]()
Price When Reviewed: $14.99
Best Prices Today: $14.99 at Monoprice | $15.72 at Amazon
If you bought a 4K TV with a true 120Hz refresh rate, like for use with a PlayStation or Xbox, you should move up to an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. ![]() Right-click to open this chart in a new tab. This information from the HDMI Licensing Administrator will help you determine which HDMI cable is appropriate for your needs. Any of the higher standards will of course work with any lower-resolution video signal, but they won’t make lower-resolution video look any better. HDMI Licensing Administrator When to reuse an HDMI cable you already ownThe HDMI cable that you already have might support all the features you need. Here’s how to figure that out. If all you plan to do is watch TV and nothing furtherJust connect your TV and media device using your existing cable. If you get a steady image with no artifacts, you’re good to go. No additional thinking is required. If you want to watch HDR content, play games at 60 or 120fps, use a TV as a monitor, etc.You can determine if your existing cable is adequate in one of two ways.
Of the two methods, the second is a little more reliable—typically, you’ll immediately get a signal (or you won’t). But it’s usually best to start with method one first and then try method two. If you end up with a blank screen during method two, switching back to viewable settings can be a hassle depending on your device. ![]() Only want to watch Netflix shows (such as The Crown) in 4K and nothing more? If the HDMI cable you’re using now provides a steady picture, you’re all set. When should you buy a new HDMI cable for your 4K TV?If the HDMI cable(s) you have on hand can’t meet your requirements—say, playing 4K content at 120Hz or with HDR—then you’ll need to shell out for a new one. You can also buy a new cable if you want to ensure compliance with a particular HDMI spec. For example, Ultra High Speed HDMI cables must be certified to earn the label, and should thus have guaranteed compatiblity with HDMI 2.1 devices like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. You want to hide your HDMI cable inside the wallIf you’ve hung your TV on the wall and now want to run your cables inside the wall to keep them out of sight, you likely won’t be able to use an HDMI cable already on-hand. Professional installers use in-wall-rated HDMI cables for this purpose, and so should you if you’re doing the work yourself. In-wall-rated cables are made to resist fire (like during a power surge or if something nearby is burning) and not give off toxic smoke if they do burn. For such cables, look for one of two National Electric Code (NEC) certifications: either Class 2 or Class 3 (abbreviated as CL2 and CL3). The difference is in the maximum voltage that each must accept: CL2 must accept up to 150 volts, while CL3 must accept up to 300 volts. In both cases, the cable’s jacket will also be thicker and better insulated to protect the wires inside as the cable is pulled through the wall and bent inside tight spaces, such as a junction box. Either certification is sufficient for HDMI signals. In-wall rating should not add a significant amount to the price of the cable. You need to send audio/video signals over a long distanceIf your source device is at one end of the room and your display is at the other (such as a video projector and its screen), or if your source and display are in different rooms, you might need a cable with a built-in signal amplifier to ensure the data can be transmitted from one end to the other. You’ll commonly find these cables classified as “active” HDMI cables (preface each of the cable types we’ve already discussed with “active”). Another solution for long cable runs is an HDMI signal booster, such as the Key Digital KD-HDFIX22. That doesn’t mean you need to pay $30 or more for a cable (though active cables do cost more). The price of the cable doesn’t necessarily ensure performance. Rather, its classification and its certification do. You can buy a very inexpensive cable and still get top-notch performance. Our recommendation is to pick from among Monoprice or AmazonBasics options, which have huge followings for their affordability and reliability. (See the sidebar for specific suggestions.) Active and/or exotic cables (e.g., cables that use fiber optic strands instead of copper wires) for very specialized installations will cost more, but they don’t perform better than their more plebeian counterparts in typical installations and transmission distances. If you don’t know which exact cable to get, or you’d like to peruse available options on your own, be sure to consider the following: High-quality HDMI cables needn’t be expensiveWe can’t stress this enough, and it applies across the board—including in-wall-rated cables. Certified Premium High Speed HDMI cables have passed additional testing in order to sport the label. (You’ll find more information about HDMI certification and how to verify authenticity at the preceding link.) But you don’t need to pay a big markup to get that peace of mind: Monoprice, for example, sells two different 6-foot Certified Premium HDMI cables for less than $10 each. And you can buy a 15-foot, CL3-rated high-speed AmazonBasics HDMI cable for $13. ![]() These cables are extremely overpriced. There’s no need to spend that much on any passive HDMI cable, including in-wall-rated cables such as these. Alaina Yee/Foundry When you search for HDMI cables, use keywords only as a starting pointIf you look on Amazon or Monoprice.com, you’ll sometimes see products with names like “Ultra Slim High Speed Cable.” If you’re not paying close attention, you might not realize this particular example is just a high-speed cable: The “ultra” in this case refers to how thin the cord is, not the speed at which it’s capable of carrying data. Ensure you get the right cable by looking at the actual specs. The quickest way to determine the type is to look for its bandwidth rating.
Price is still an important clue about the type and quality of an HDMI cableYou won’t find a respectable Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for $3, but you can find a good High Speed cable at that price, although it might be limited to a lower refresh rate. (Then again, true High Speed cables are far less common.) By paying attention to bandwidth rating, refresh rate, and price, you can avoid unreliable cables. Options outside of the better-known inexpensive brands (AmazonBasics and Monoprice are currently the top two) can be tempting, but some budget cables have weak electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, which can disrupt your Wi-Fi network, and they might cause visual artifacts and signal drop-outs. If you see a two-pack of High Speed HDMI cables for the same price as a single Monoprice or AmazonBasics option, proceed with caution. On the flip side, bandwidth rating and price can also help you discover cables that punch above their weight, such as the AmazonBasics High Speed HDMI cable. It’s not certified as a Premium High Speed cable, but the manufacturer promises it can deliver that much bandwidth (18Gbps). Unsurprisingly, it’s also priced higher than a typical budget 6-foot High Speed HDMI cable. Active HDMI cables should not cost exorbitantly more than their passive counterparts. While prices do go up, you can find them for well below the usurious rates of highly marketed cables at Best Buy and similar stores. On Monoprice, for example, a 6-foot 4K Slim High Speed HDMI cable costs less than $9; its active counterpart is priced at $28. Buy only as much HDMI cable length as you needThe longer the distance that a signal needs to go, the more likely that parts of that signal won’t reach its destination without amplification (e.g., an active cable or a signal amplifier box). The general rule of thumb is that for lengths of six feet or less, a passive cable is more than adequate. Between six and about 25 feet is negotiable, and above that, most people will opt for an active cable or a signal amplifier. ![]() Active HDMI cables includes a signal booster to prevent artifacts and drop-outs over long distances. The receiving chip in your TV can also influence whether or not a passive cable will work over long distances—if it’s better at adjusting for a weaker signal, you won’t need the signal boost. Ignore nonsense features like gold plating on HDMI cablesGold-plated connectors make a marginal difference with analog signals, because the connections don’t oxidize, but they don’t matter at all with the digital signals an HDMI cable carries. If you care about a solid picture, you only need to pay attention to a cable’s speed rating and length, and whether it’s passive or active. That’s it. HDMI cables vs. HDMI specificationsIf you’ve heard of HDMI specifications (e.g., HDMI 1.3, HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0, and HDMI 2.1), you might wonder how HDMI cables relate to them. As mentioned above, an HDMI cable is just a conduit for data to travel along. You can think of it like a pathway: Choose a wider one (i.e., higher bandwidth) if you have more data that must march along it at the same time. HDMI specifications outline what kinds of features are allowed to travel along that path: resolution, color depth, types of chroma subsampling, and more. With each new specification, each new feature has increased HDMI’s bandwidth requirement. ![]() HDMI Licensing Administrator We go into more detail on the latest HDMI specifications in our HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 primers, but all you really need to know is which features your hardware supports and which features you intend to take advantage of. Once you’ve narrowed that down, you’ll know which type of HDMI cable you need. Our colleagues over at Tech Advisor have also reviewed the best HDMI cables. via TechHive https://ift.tt/IzX0MuA
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One of the most basic features available in many music playback apps–the ability to crossfade between songs–has been among the biggest missing features in Apple’s Music app, but that’s set to change later this year. According to MacRumors, the just-released developer beta of iOS 17 finally adds crossfade functionality to the Music app for iOS. Crossfade, which allows for fading out of one song while smoothly fading into the next track, is a common feature among music playback apps. Both Spotify and Tidal offer crossfade functionality, among other streaming music competitors, and even the desktop version of Apple’s Music app for Mac has a crossfade setting. Its absence from the mobile version of Apple Music has long been a head-scratcher. Apple Music![]()
Price When Reviewed: Apple Music: $10.99/mo; Apple Music family plan: $16.99/mo
Best Prices Today: $10.99 at Apple Music
Apple didn’t specifically mention the arrival of crossplay for the iOS Music app during its WWDC keynote on Monday, but the feature was discovered in the newly released developer beta of iOS 17. MacRumors has a warning for those who try to enable crossfade in the iOS 17 beta: doing so will crash the Music app (or more specifically, it will crash the app if you try tapping the Music tab). Presumably the bug will be squashed in a subsequent beta. Besides crossfade functionality, other changes are coming to the Apple Music app. One Music feature that was briefly mentioned by Apple in a press release is Collaborative Playlists. According to Apple, Collaborative Playlists will “make listening to music with friends easier than ever before,” without serving up additional details. A screenshot of the feature on MacRumors shows a playlist that’s shared between four friends, complete with user icons on each song indicating (presumably) who shared each track. Overall, Collaborative Playlists on the Apple Music app sounds like a similar feature on Spotify, which allows you to set a playlist to be “Collaborative” between friends. Apple says that Collaborative Playlists for the Music app are coming “later this year,” and thus not necessarily at the same time as iOS 17’s initial release, MacRumors notes. Finally, a few subtle interface changes are coming to the Apple Music app with iOS 17, with MacRumors reporting that animated album covers will soon appear on the full-screen music player. In another change, the minimized Music player will boast a shadow to make it look like it’s hovering over the screen. iOS 17 is expected to arrive this fall. via TechHive https://ift.tt/R5Mns2f
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TP-Link isn’t the only home security camera manufacturer offering full-color night vision. Like the Tapo C325WB announced late last week, Reolink says its new model CX410 camera can capture full-color video even in low-light conditions, without the need to turn any lights. This feature is enabled by Reolink’s ColorX technology combined with the camera’s 1/1.8-inch CMOS and F1.0 lens with a 89-degree horizontal field of view. The camera captures video with resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels at 30 frames per second. An onboard four-element LED spotlight can also illuminate the area in front of the camera with up to 400 lumens of brightness with a color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin.
![]() Reolink says this scene was captured by its new CX410 home security camera at 9:00 p.m. with no additional light sources. Reolink A key feature differentiating Reolink’s product is its ability to operate on power over ethernet (PoE), in which both data and electrical power are carried over the same CAT5 or higher cable. This eliminates the need to have a source of electricity outside your home. But for this to work, buyers will need to have a PoE NVR (network video recorder), switch, or injector. Alternatively, Reolink sells conventional AC power supplies separately. The Reolink CX410’s aluminum enclosure is outfitted with a microphone and speaker for two-way audio, and the camera supports both people, pet, and vehicle detection. A microSD memory card slot is available for local storage of video recordings (cards with capacities up to 256GB are supported, but none is provided). Reolink’s new home security camera is available now for $94.99. via TechHive https://ift.tt/XutFGcn
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At a glance
Expert's RatingPros
Cons
Our VerdictIf bass is ace in your book, you’ll dig the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2. Playing music on this headphone feels like you’ve strapped a pair of 12-inch subwoofers to your head. Its noise cancellation pales in comparison to the higher-priced competition, however, and it’s far from being a high-fidelity component. Best Prices Today: Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
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The Skullycandy Crusher ANC 2 is aptly named. It will almost literally crush your ears with its thumping bass response, but its active noise cancellation is pretty weak sauce. Skullcandy says it’s targeting “tech-savvy audiophiles” with this headphone, but most audiophiles eschew active noise cancellation, and I don’t know of any who would seek out an audio product that so zealously overemphasizes a given frequency range the way the Crusher ANC 2 does the low end. But for those looking for a headphone with massive amounts of thump, this is the one to buy. Note: Walmart sells these headphones in a box labeled Crusher ANC XT 2, but the same product is inside.
How does the Skullycandy Crusher ANC 2 sound?The Skullcandy Crusher ANC is equipped with 40mm drivers with a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz (no tolerance given). So, as you might expect, it delivers more than adequate bass response even without enabling the Crusher effect.
The headphone is less impressive at producing higher frequencies; in fact, the jangly guitar and Hayley Williams’ vocals sounded rather flat while listening to Paramore’s “Big Man, Little Dignity,” from the band’s album This is Why, streamed from Tidal. Turning to tracks with more bass emphasis, I listened to Gorillaz’ “Tarantula,” from its Cracker Island album. With Crusher mode engaged at 20 percent, the bass guitar and kick drum stomped all over the synthesizer arpeggios and the drummer’s hi-hat. I had a similar experience listening to Pharrell Williams’ vocals on Daft Punk’s “Lose Yourself to Dance,” from Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary Edition), streamed from Qobuz. ![]() Skullcandy’s branding is surprisingly understated given the over-the-top nature of its Crusher haptic bass feature. Michael Brown/Foundry According to Skullcandy, the Crusher drivers operate at frequencies from 10- to 150Hz, with a peak around 40Hz. I found the Crusher effect downright unpleasant at anything higher than 20 percent. At 50 percent and above, the pressure from those haptic drivers—the source of that thump—began to feel as though someone was rhythmically slamming their cupped hands over my ears. Does the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 have effective noise cancellation?The Crusher ANC 2 is outfitted with four microphones that monitor environmental noise, so the headphone can cancel it out. I didn’t detect a major difference in audio performance toggling the feature on and off (using a slider on the right-hand earcup), which means the headphone wasn’t negatively affecting the music I was listening to. ![]() The large thumbwheel on the Crusher ANC 2’s left-hand earcup adjusts the level of “Crusher” haptic bass effect. Depressing the thumbwheel turns the effect off. Should the headphone’s battery die, you can plug in a 3.5mm audio cable and use it passively.Michael Brown/Foundry But Skullcandy’s ANC wasn’t highly effective at masking undesired sounds. It removed at least some of the low-end rumble from the simulated aircraft cabin noise that I played on external speakers, but it was almost entirely ineffectual at masking the high-end shoosh. The same slider can enable a Stay Aware mode for those times when you want do want to hear what’s going on around you. This uses the headphone’s mics to pipe outside sound into the headphone, so you can hear traffic noises if you’re walking, and for those times when you want to listen for announcements of a PA system or speak to someone without doffing your headphones. If ANC is an important headphone feature, you’ll want to stick with the higher-end offerings from Sony or Bose. Does the Crusher ANC 2 support voice commands?Skullcandy has a bigger-than-average bag of tricks when it comes to voice commands. It not only has Alexa onboard, but you can also speak commands for play and pause, volume up and down, and to skip forward and back on your playlist. You can give the headphone device-specific instructions, such as “Hey Skullcandy, ANC On,” “Hey Skullcandy, Stay-Aware off,” “Hey Skullcandy, more [or less] Crusher” to adjust the level of the headphone’s bass-boosting Crusher effect. You can also initiate Spotify and iHeart radio music streaming by saying to the headphone: “Hey Skullcandy, Spotify” or “Hey iHeart, play….” There’s even a setting that lets you use voice commands to take a photo with your phone’s camera. None of these features—apart from Alexa—require a broadband connection. Is the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 comfortable to wear?![]() The Crusher ANC 2 is a comfortable headphone with generous memory foam padding in its earcups and the top of its headband. Michael Brown/Foundry Even with its headband and yoke being fabricated mostly from plastic (the upper headband is stainless steel), the Crusher ANC 2’s 11.8-ounce weight puts it on the heavier end of the spectrum. The Sony WH-1000XM5, by comparison, weighs just 8.8 ounces. I nonetheless found the Crusher comfortable to wear for long listening sessions, thanks to the 10-position, indexed headband; the generous amounts of memory foam underneath the patent-leather cushions on its earpads; the padded twill fabric on the underside of its headband; and optimal clamping pressure. You’ll need to remember that the Crusher’s orange power button, its thumbwheel for dialing in the amount of Crusher effect, its USB-C charging port, and its 3.5mm aux input are located on the left-hand earcup, because the black-on-black markers identifying the left and right elements of these cans are nearly impossible to see. That memory will be useful when you store the headphone in its case as well. ![]() Shaped surfaces on the Crusher ANC 2’s buttons make them easy to differentiate while you’re wearing the headphone. Michael Brown/Foundry Three buttons on the right-hand earcup handle play/pause and answer/end phone calls (middle button); volume up (top button); and volume down (bottom button). A slider beneath that third button toggles ANC on and off and enables Stay Aware mode, which pipes in some ambient sound into the headphone to increase your situational awareness. Skullcandy says buyers can expect up to 60 hours of battery life with noise cancellation disabled, and up to 50 hours with ANC turned on. A 10-minute “rapid charge” delivers up to four hours of battery life. The headphone has no “sleep” mode, however, which means its practical battery life will be much shorter if you don’t remember to turn the headphone off when you’re not using it. On the bright side, the headphone will operate passively if you connect it to a source using the provided 3.5mm audio cable. How do phone calls sound on the Crusher ANC 2?![]() The right-hand/left-hand indicators are too small to see, and the monochromatic color scheme doesn’t help. Michael Brown/Foundry The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 is outfitted with a Bluetooth 5.2 radio and exhibited excellent range both when connected to my Dell laptop and to my iPhone 12. Support for multi-point connections meant I could listen to music on the laptop and either make or take phone calls without first needing to disconnect. The headphone is outfitted with dedicated mics for phone calls and voice commands; in other words, it doesn’t use the same mics for ANC purposes. During phone calls, people at the other end of the call sounded clear, and they said the same of my voice. But they also said they could hear some of the noises in my environment—including my chihuahua barking as the letter carrier came to my front porch to deliver mail. There’s support for the AAC and SBC codecs, but Android users will miss being able to use any of the aptX codecs. Sony’s high-resolution LDAC isn’t supported, either. Does Skullcandy have an app?Skullcandy IQ, available for Android and iOS, is a full-featured app that lets you make precise customizations to the Crusher ANC 2’s feature set. One of the app’s most interesting features is Personal Sound Processing, in which you wear the headphones while taking a hearing test developed by Mimi Hearing Technologies. Based on the results of this test, the app suggests a custom EQ setting for you, which you can tweak using three presets (“softer” or “richer”), plus an “intensity” slider. I didn’t find the personalization to be particularly effective, so I just turned it off. ![]() Noise cancellation isn’t much of a reason to buy the Crusher ANC 2 headphone, but the rest of Skullcandy’s app offers a lot of customization features. Michael Brown/Foundry A separate Equalizer mode has EQ presets for music, podcasts, and movies, or you can create your own EQ mode by adjusting five sliders (for low, low-mid, mid, high-mid, and high frequencies). You can save this custom EQ and recall it later by touching the Custom button, but you can store only one of these custom modes. The app also lets you re-map the Crusher ANC 2’s buttons and its thumbwheel. The volume-up, volume-down, and middle buttons can be programmed to perform actions with single-, double-, and triple presses as well as 1-second holds. The thumbwheel is limited to custom actions based on a double-press; a single press rotates between setting the Crusher level to 20-, 50-, and 80 percent; a long press toggles Crusher mode on and off. Does the Crusher ANC 2 come with a case?![]() Skulllcandy provides a much-better-than-average hard-shell case for storing its Crusher ANC 2 headphone, which folds up to form a more compact size. Michael Brown/Foundry Skullcandy provides a zippered, twill fabric-covered hard-shell case with its Crusher ANC 2 headphone, with a space to store the included USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable and 3.5mm audio cable. The case is lined with a soft fabric, and the headphone’s articulated earcups fold in to make the unit smaller. The L and R markings inside the case will help you orient the headphone correctly when storing it—if only the headphone’s earcups were so well marked. Is the a Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 a good value?With a $230 asking price, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 is not an inexpensive headphone, but it’s much cheaper than the top names in over-ear noise-cancelling headphones; namely, the $400 Sony WH-1000XM5, the $400 Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2, and the $329 Bose Quiet Comfort 45. Each of those headphones delivers better noise cancellation and–perhaps more importantly–more faithful audio reproduction than the Crusher ANC 2. But Skullcandy’s headphone is very well built for the price, it also has a strong feature set and a great app that offers a raft of customizations. The Crusher ANC 2’s real claim to fame, however, is its polarizing Crusher haptic bass feature. There really is nothing like it, and listeners–and gamers–who value thump over all will completely dig it. I know my 16-year-old grandson does. via TechHive https://ift.tt/5lfKpUF
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Best noise-cancelling headphones6/6/2023 When you’re in the market for headphones, you’ll see that noise-cancelling headphones are becoming the most popular variety. There’s a good reason for that: They block out ambient noise that can distract from you enjoying your favorite tunes. While they’re particularly useful for air travel and daily commutes—especially via mass transit—they’re also great at isolating you from at-home noise pollution, whether that be the whoosh of your HVAC system, the whir of your computer’s cooling fans, or your neighbor’s lawn mower. Many people, on the other hand, don’t like active noise cancellation, believing that it compromises audio reproduction. Indeed, that was a much bigger problem a few years ago, and we’d encourage you to check out a modern set. Still not interested? No worries, you’ll find our top picks in conventional headphones at the preceding link. Updated June 5, 2023 to add a link to our Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 review. Sony WH-1000XM5 — Best over-ear noise-cancelling headphone![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $399.99
Best Prices Today: $398.00 at Amazon$399.99 at Sony
Sony didn’t just refine its previous generation of noise-cancelling headphones, they redefined what was possible. The WH-1000XM5 are the finest noise-cancelling headphones Sony has ever made, and they’re the best noise-cancelling headphones we’ve ever reviewed. They’re supremely comfortable to wear for long listening sessions, they deliver unparalleled noise cancellation, and–most importantly–they sound absolutely fantastic. These are the noise-cancelling over-ear headphones to beat. Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 — Best over-ear noise-cancelling headphone, runner-up![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $399.00
Sony takes the crown in terms of whizbang features, support for surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos and its own 360 Reality Audio, and superior active noise cancellation. But B&W’s cans sound every bit as good, and they’re certainly no slouch when it comes to active noise cancellation. Apple AirPods Max — Best over-ear noise-cancelling headphone for Apple users![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $549
Best Prices Today: $499.99 at Best Buy$549.00 at Apple549 at Apple
There’s a lot to love about Apple’s AirPods Max, including the elegant design, the best-in-class physical controls, the solid ANC, and the superb transparency mode. Most importantly, the sound is sublime. Then there’s the quirks, including the silly-looking and minimally protective Smart Case, Lightning instead of USB-C, no out-of-the-box wired listening, and so-so battery life. But if you’re deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Max will be a thrill for your ears. Focal Bathys — Most luxurious noise-cancelling headphone![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $799.00
Best Prices Today: $799.00 at Crutchfield$799.00 at Focal$799.00 at Headphones.com
Very good active noise cancellation nonetheless takes a backseat to audio fidelity in Focal’s exquisite Bathys wireless headphone, and we’re just fine with that. Mark Levinson No. 5909 — Most luxurious noise-cancelling headphone, runner-up![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $999.00
Best Prices Today: $999.00 at Crutchfield$999.00 at Mark Levinson$999.00 at Word Wide Stereo
If you’ve got it, flaunt it–knowing that the lofty price Mark Levinson expects to fetch for its 5909 noise-cancelling headphones is justified by its performance and exquisite craftsmanship. These headphones sound as luxurious as they feel wrapped around your ears. Anker Soundcore Space Q45 — Best mid-priced over-ear noise-cancelling headphone![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $149.99
Best Prices Today: $129.99 at Amazon$149.99 at Anker
Great sound, great comfort, great looks: Anker has gone lux and made the Soundcore Space Q45 one of the best headphone experiences in its price range. Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones — Best budget-priced over-ear noise-cancelling headphone![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: Price when reviewed: $49.99; price as of February, 2023: $89.99
Best Prices Today: $59.99 at Wyze Labs$89.98 at Amazon
It’s hard to believe how inexpensive these noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones are, but that’s par for the course for Wyze Labs, a company that never seems to fail to package the most bang for the buck in every product they make. While their audio quality doesn’t compete with the higher-end models, and they might not be as durable as some of the more expensive brands, you won’t be too upset if they break and need to be replaced after a few years. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II — Best in-ear noise-cancelling headphone overall![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $299.00
Best Prices Today: $249.00 at Amazon$249.00 at Best Buy$249.00 at Lenovo
With CustomTune sound calibration, best-in-class noise cancellation, and a smaller, smarter physical design, Bose isn’t just reaching for the crown with the QuietComfort Earbuds II, it’s already seized it. Sony WF-1000XM4 — Best noise-cancelling in-ear headphone overall, runner-up![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $279.99
Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Best Buy$278.00 at Amazon$279.99 at Sony
Sony’s true wireless headphones are a phenomenal choice for anyone looking for active noise-cancellation from a high-end in-ear headphone. Boasting exceptional performance with music and phone calls, an impeccable fit, and–of course–best-in-class active and adaptive noise cancellation, no other manufacturer can beat Sony’s effort today. Let’s see how long that situation lasts. Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 — Best budget-priced in-ear noise-cancelling headphone![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $149.99
Best Prices Today: $129.99 at Amazon$149.99 at Anker Soundcore
These outstanding in-ear headphones deliver noise cancelling, customizable EQ; AAC, aptX, and LDAC codec support; and even a health-tracking feature. Google Pixel Buds Pro — Best in-ear noise-cancelling headphone for Android users![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $199
Best Prices Today: $159.99 at Amazon$199 at Google
Android users envious of the tight integration that Apple AirPods Pro offer iPhone users will be overjoyed with the flawless integration and solid audio performance that Google delivers with its best in-ear noise-cancelling headphones. Apple AirPods Pro (second-generation) — Best in-ear noise-cancelling headphone for Apple users![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $249
Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Amazon$199.99 at Best Buy$249.00 at Adorama
The original AirPods Pro were pretty decent for their time, but the second-generation version tops the original in almost every way, boasting greatly improved sonics and bass response, twice the ANC, a new Transparency mode that blunts excessively loud exterior noises, better battery life, and a MagSafe-enabled carrying case that now works with Apple Watch chargers. Of course, the best AirPods Pro features will only work within the Apple ecosystem, which means Android users would be better off looking elsewhere. Shopping for active noise-cancelling headphonesHeadphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) identify sound waves associated with noise and electronically generate an inverse sound wave that cancels it out. Here’s what we mean: A sound wave is similar to the ripples in a pond. Toss a pebble in the pond, then introduce ripples of the opposite pattern, and you’ll smooth the pond’s surface. Active noise cancellation (ANC) works in a similar manner. Microphones mounted on the headphone analyze ambient sound waves and then produce inverse sound waves that will cancel them out. ![]() Most ANC headphone manufacturers, including Sony, provide a mobile app that lets you tailor their headphone’s noise cancellation to your preferences. As you might expect, the ANC technologies from some manufacturers are incredibly effective; others, less so. We’ve tested models from AKG, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, JBL, Libratone, and Sony and found them to be very good. Adaptive noise cancellation is the most sophisticated type of ANC. It operates on the same principles, but adapts to your surroundings to apply more or less of the effect and to even bring in sounds from the outside world. ![]() There’s more than one way to block ambient noise, closed-back over-ear headphones and in-ear headphones like the iMore Triple Driver shown here, can perform the task without introducing inverse soundwaves. And in many cases, without batteries. Some adaptive noise-cancelling solutions even take into account how fast you’re moving, the air pressure around you, and whether you’re likely in a plane, taking a walk, or holding a conversation. Many operate in conjunction with a mobile app on your smartphone. Some individuals find that ANC headphones exert pressure on their ears, creating a similar sensation to being under water. If you find ANC headphones to be uncomfortable, you’ll prefer a model with good passive noise cancellation. That type of headphone deliver other benefits, too: They’re the least likely to color the music you’re listening to, and they don’t need batteries. On the other hand, not all headphones with passive noise cancellation are wireless. via TechHive https://ift.tt/keshZW0
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Nope, we didn’t get a smart display during Apple’s WWDC keynote on Monday, but we did get a new iOS 17 feature that brings smart display-type features to an iPhone lock screen. Rumored just weeks ago but unveiled officially today, StandBy is an iOS 17 feature that snaps on when your iPhone is locked, charging, and positioned horizontally. The mode is essentially an expansion of the Lock Screen widgets that came to the iPhone last year with iOS 16, except the widgets delivered by StandBy offer more of a “full-screen experience,” similar to that of a smart display. Among the widgets available in StandBy mode include a variety of clock faces, calendars, weather, Apple Music playback, and photos from the Photos app. Most interesting to smart home users is a widget that shows the status of various HomeKit devices, such as smart bulbs and locks. ![]() iOS 17’s StandBy mode offers a variety of widgets, including at least one for Apple Home. Apple StandBy also supports the Smart Stacks and Live Activities introduced with iOS 16, as well as incoming calls and Siri. When StandBy is enabled, you can view the display by tapping on your iPhone’s screen, or the display can be always-on if you have an iPhone 14 Pro. It’s not clear how interactive StandBy mode is. For its part, Apple says StandBy offers “glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance,” as opposed to a true smart display with on-screen buttons that you can tap. Still, iOS 17’s StandBy is as close as we’ve seen to an actual Apple smart display, and if the rumors are to be believed, it’s as close as we’ll get for quite some time. iOS 17 is expected to arrive this fall. via TechHive https://ift.tt/xXUAMwy
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Whether you want to block out a screaming siren or chat with a friend on the street, your AirPods Pro are about to get better at helping you focus on your audio. During Apple’s WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple announced a series of features coming to the latest AirPods Pro that will make the earbuds smarter at deciding which sounds to let in, and which to screen out. Due to arrive this fall in a software update, the new Conversation Awareness feature for the second-generation AirPods Pro will automatically detect when you begin speaking to someone, and will automatically lower the volume of any music or podcasts you’re listening to, focus the sound of voices in front of you, and reduce the level of ambient noise. Also coming with the update is Adaptive Audio, a feature that blends active noise cancellation and Transparency mode and will automatically “tailor” their respective levels depending on the ambient sound conditions, presumably upping the ANC for emergency sirens, jackhammers, and other transient loud noises. Next, Personalized Volume will use machine learning to automatically “fine-tune the media experience” according to current “environmental conditions” and your long-term listening preferences. We’re curious to learn more about what Personalized Volume is, and precisely how it works. Another new feature is coming to additional AirPods beyond the second-gen Pros. The Mute or Unmute feature will let you press the stem of your AirPods or the Digital Crown of your AirPods Max to quickly mute or mute yourself. The Mute or Unmute feature will work on the first- and second-gen AirPods Pro, as well as the third-ten AirPods and the AirPods Max. Finally, Apple says that Automatic Switching between AirPods and other Apple devices will be getting better, with the update making seamless switching “faster and more reliable.” All the new AirPods features will arrive this fall in a free software update, Apple says. via TechHive https://ift.tt/kzamiNQ |