Tag: Headphones

Tech Review – Naenka Runner Pro Bone conduction Open Ear Wireless Headphones

Bone conducting headphones are now a more common sight these days and becoming more visible in store and are a new approach to the audio experince we have tested several now at this stage and the latest offering from Naenka deliver here with their higher end model and are ideal for those who jog,cycle, do fitness and even swimmers they have a simple product with simple to use controls and overall makes it a simple product to use and enjoy no matter the use case you might want them for.

How Bone Conduction Headphones Send Signals to Your Brain?

Some creative minds found a way to make the sound waves pathway much easier, i.e. through bones. They are transmitted directly to the cochlea when the sound waves cause the head’s bones to vibrate, which further transmits the electrical impulses through auditory nerves to the brain. The impulses that reach the brain are the same that reach the ear. The technology has proven to be effective for people who have hearing impairments. The technology is even used to treat hearing loss in the medical field. 

On board you get 8GB of storage which is a first I have seen in such headphones and this is great meaning whilst out on a jog or down at the gym you do not need your phone with you, they do have a proprietary connector which is always a bug bear for me mostly seen on smartwatches but you can forgive this caveat with all the other features on offer.

The build quality is great here and robust and will last after putting them through their paces for about a month they have been in the rain, in the gym and out on my bike and have not had one issue given they have been dropped a few times. Also worth noting they are great to have in your car too. Battery life is decent enough with around 240 hours of standby time and 6-8 hours of play

The sound quality is also quite good offering several formats of music files such as WAV FLAC APE WMA and MP3 with up to 1500 songs storage which is quite good if you ask me and more than enough for a few hours use doing workouts and so on.

You can also listen to your surroundings here to which is important for many these days but with the brighter nights now upon us it will not be that much of an issue, if you are with a group of friends out jogging or walking you can listen them and your music and podcasts on the go.

Naenka Bone Conduction Runner Pro Open Ear Wireless Headphones techbuzzireland

The 16mm drivers deliver decent sound too and one of the better of the few I have tried here in recent times and they do not annoy your passenger seated beside you on the bus or train for example. They are comfortable to wear to and after a few minutes you would forget they are there in fact.

The controls are great and simple here you have two buttons basically and you can take calls,higher and lower the volume skip and reverse tracks and also use your chosen voice assistant and the tactile buttons work really well all on one side making it super easy to use and easy to make the right selection.

Overall these are a well made easy to use product with and IP68 rating making them usable anywhere and easy to do so at that.

Check out the Naenka Lite Pro real hands on review where we show you the product and how they work and no stock images for context

Features

Runner Pro Bone Conduction Bluetooth Headphone

Born for sports   

IP68 Professional sports waterproof bone conduction non – ear black technology             

can be wear while swimming and bathing 

Built-in 8G memory card

16mm large speaker driver, sound quality is shocking and layered

33g Lightweight device 

The signal is as stable as wired

Comfortable wearing

plus size speaker drive

A new generation of vibration reduction technology   

high performance of Sound.

Multiple layers of protection to maintain performance in harsh environments.

Seamless injection molding, integrated molding, to avoid water seepage magnetic suction contact charging change the traditional charging interface without liquid accumulation, anti-oxidation nano-coating on the chip to isolate water vapor

One-key switch between memory mode and Bluetooth mode

8G large capacity storage 1500+ music

WAV, FLAC, APE, MP3, WMA music format support

13mm high frequency resolution is thorough  13mm low and medium frequency dive surging

*The above data comes from laboratory tests, and the actual use environment and equipment are different, there will be slight differences

Naenka Website

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Tech Review – Dottir Sports headphones.

Over the last while I have been testing out the Dottir Sports headphones which have had features specifically selected by two training partners and competitors — both two-time winners of the title “World’s Fittest Woman” at the CrossFit Games Katrin Davidsdottir and Annie Thorisdottir, On first appearance many said they look like Apple rivals but then realised by the branding they are not and again they are cheaper than said rival product which many still pay a hefty price for in my book. If you missed the first look see the video here 

Design Build and Fit

These are probably the best fitting hooked headphones I have tried in some time , they fit really well they give a good seal and will not fall off no matter what exercise you do and you can take that to the bank. They are not heavy you would almost forget they are there after a while and overall comfortable to wear too even for long periods.

They are well built and I do like the colour however the longevity of it holding up is another matter but they are easy to clean,on each side you have buttons which are raised and easy to use even blindly but when putting the headphones on you may accidently hit on them which is no huge deal to be honest but it does take two hands to fit them right but after a while the one handed approach is good if you are a user of such styled headphones which there is plenty of out there in the market aimed at fitness folk.

The housing is plastic with a matt finish to them and looks well in the colour we tested which is White and there is an Ash Grey option too which is nice, more colours would be nice and we might see that change down the road as we do with many brands out there now.

Controls

The controls are simple to use as mentioned and you also have a touch area too that you tap to execute play and pause and your voice controls, all of this we demonstrate in the video review below so do check it out, you have all the usual features there too such as volume control and skip/reverse tracks etc.

Sound

These unfortunately do not have an app to change the EQ but you can use one on your phone if you wish but they tend to be via third party apps and are not great but the thing is they sound pretty good out of the box as is with nice bass and volume and all testing that I normally do came back to be fine across the board, they also have auto play and pause, you have also got ANC whilst not the best I have heard it is fine and you also have transparency mode if you want to hear what is going on around you especially if you are out jogging on dark evenings etc.. Calls are fine and clear for the few I took whilst testing and that was both ends.

They do a great job overall to be fair and they are ideal for the fitness type and gym gurus and also come with an IPX7 rating with decent battery and the charge case is really cool to and also their choice of packaging is nice to see going forward with the environment in mind.

Dottir Audio headphones techbuzzireland

Specs

SOUND
Powerful 13mm dynamic drivers that provide strong bass and precision across the frequency curve.

Pump out amazing sound to keep you pumped throughout your workout. Up to 35dB noise reduction Hybrid ANC

DESIGN In-ear headphones/ IPX7 waterproof and ergonomic design for athletes/ Magnetic earbuds with in-ear detection for auto play and pause

Weight: 9.32g each earbud. Metal finish charging case for added durability

Compact sports true wireless headphone charging case

CONNECTIVITY
Bluetooth 5.2 with Qualcomm 3040 chipset/ Bluetooth range over 10 meters (33 feet)

Compatible with iOS and Android, as well as laptops and tablets/ Audio codecs: SBC, PCM, AAC, APTX, APTX HD

POWER

Up to 72 hours of listening time (12 hours in earbuds and 5 full charges in the charging case). USB-C charge connector

Wireless charging compatible

CONTROLS

Volume Controls/ Multi-function button/ Three microphones on each headset for improved ANC and voice clarity/ Built in voice-assistant

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First Look – HiFiMan Deva Pro Headphones and TWS 800 earbuds

It has been a while since we had tech in from HIFIMAN but the good guys there have sent us over two new products to check out and this is great as one is for the headphone fans and one for earbud fans and if you are a fan of both like me well then you are in the right place for either product. HIFIMAN just to recap is a world leader in quality audio products premier headphones and portable music players that utilize planar magnetic drivers and so on so matter what you choose here audiophiles will be happy.

The Deva Pro Headphones

These are open back planar magnetic headphones which look super premium and on a quick first test comfortable and light you can switch between a bluetooth with their module or use the wired 3.5mm TRS option and this is a first for me to see personally with a bluetooth module included in the pack which is extra cool..

Some quick specs.

  • Acoustically Invisible Stealth Magnet: Unlike the sound waves created by a conventional magnet, the special shape of Stealth Magnets enables the waves to pass through the magnets without generating interference. HIFIMAN’s advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full-range.
  • HIFIMAN Heritage: HIFIMAN’s NEO “supernano” Diaphragm (NsD)- The new NsD is 80% thinner than previous designs, resulting in fast response and detailed image with lush, full range sonics.
  • Bluemini R2R, Small but Mighty- The DEVA-Pro companion Bluetooth/USB module: HIFIMAN Custom-created HIMALAYA R2R Architecture DAC: Non-over Sampling Concept; Low-energy Consumption; High Sampling Rates
  • Easily Switch Between Wireless and Wired: The socket can accommodate both dual-sided unbalanced 3.5mm cable and a single-sided 3.5mm balanced cable (left socket). Bluemini R2R is easy of use by connecting on the left socket. Input Option 1 – Bluetooth A variety of HD Bluetooth protocol (Bluemini connection on the left socket) Input Option 2 –Wired Inbox 3.5mm balanced cable (3.5mm TRRS on the left)

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The TWS800 earbuds

Next up is their latest earbuds which are also pretty cool and stand out like the Deva Pro headphones, with a pillow type case and metal casing these are something different and offer everything you need out of the box for what we hope is an excellent audio experience. You get a built in amp which is also new to me having reviewed over 200 pairs of earbuds IPX4 dust resistance, BT 5.0 up to 31.5 hours use, topology diaphragm, audiophile tuning and much more and I cant wait to see how these perform over the coming weeks..

Any questions on either of the products above drop a comment below and feel free to ask what you like and we answer all comments, so stay tuned for a full hands on review soon here and on You Tube, we don’t give you stock image reviews with no context.

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Tech Review – Edifier W820NB wireless headphones with ANC

Over the last few weeks we have been testing some headphones at all price points which is great for the consumer and the latest from Edifier which come in under the 100 euro mark have been on my ears for two weeks now and it is time to talk about them and if they are worth your money and with Edifier we never expect a poor performance and indeed that is the case here again with their latest cans..

These are plain and to the point built mostly of plastic light and comfortable and comfort here is great even for long periods of use and as with all my headphones they get tested for hours as it suits me here in the house to try out everything they have to offer be it for work or leisure.

The controls on the headphones are all one one side here too which make it simple for the user with raised buttons, now they do look cheap but are easy to use blindly and tactile and do a great job every time you press them and this is something people prefer this over swiping or touch based headphones so overall you cant really complain.

Both side have the old ratchet arm extensions which solid and will not move once on your head, also there was no clamping feeling noted here during my time with them, this is something that can happen even with more expensive headphones but not the case here at all. The cups are soft and plush as is the headband so overall a really comfortable pair of headphones. Battery life is also decent enough here at this pricepoint and again this will differ between people and how they use them with volume levels and ANC etc, you can toggle between ANC modes and also a gaming mode in the app.

When it comes to sound these do a great job, to make it to the point they are decently loud, deliver on highs lows and mids with a nice bit of bass thrown in and for music movies and more anyone will be pleased with the listening experience that is not a real audiophile, coming from someone who has tested most of the companies products for the price they sound good is my point and you also get access to their Edifier Connect app which enhances the experience even more even though there could be more options in the app. Check the video review for more on the headphones and the app.

Edifier W820NB and Edifier Connect app

Main Features:

  • Hi-Res Audio standard for a rich listening experience
  • Active noise cancellation technology isolates unwanted noise
  • Ambient sound mode allows you to hear environmental sounds such as traffic or flight announcements
  • Built-in microphone with DNN (deep neural network) noise cancellation for clear phone calls
  • Large driver with titanium diaphragm delivers crystal-clear sound
  • Low latency for game mode gives players an immersive gaming experience
  • Up to 49 hours continuous playback
  • Lightweight headset assures comfortable fit

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Tech Review – Urbanista Los Angeles solar powered headphones

I love my earbuds and headphones and have a big collection and love to try things new and over the years we have seen new things come along and give more value to the customer, for example ANC and Hearthrough are two such technologies that have now become a staple feature and this have even creeped down to earbuds under the hundred euro mark whereas these where features you would pay much more for when they became a thing..

But what about solar powered headphones then you might ask and what is the benefit here over just plugging them in with a cable Thing is I have used these since launch and not ONCE have I had to use a cable to charge and this is just fantastic in my eyes and one less cable and socket to be worried about.

What is Powerfoyle

The patented Powerfoyle material harvests all forms of light, indoor and outdoor. It is commercially available used in the world’s first self-charging headphones, Urbanista Los Angeles and also the first self-powered bicycle helmet, POC Omne Eternal. So this basically means you can charge your headphones when you have light inside or outside as you will see demonstrated in the video below or you can see a snippet HERE from my headphones, this is really cool and I hope to see this implemented more in tech in the coming years.

 

 

Charging

Since I have got these headphones I have not had to charge my headphones once because of two things mainly then what happens naturally.. Seen HERE is my headphones on my bedside locker and then I have my window up top during the day and I work from my office table placed right beside my window which means the headphones are constantly getting a charged.

Urbanista now have an app

Finally Urbanista now have an app however it falls short on features which is a let down for me however I will let them off this time and hopefully they improve this over time and this for me will enhance the user experience and give them more qudos in the headphone space their products do sound great in general out of the box but having a better EQ experience would enhance the game altogether. The app is visually pleasing but that is as far as it goes and a start, so guys come on give us some more…

Build and fit

The Los Angeles take much of their design from the Miami only this time round the headphones have solar powered built in on top of the headband you can see both pairs side by side in the unboxing video. I felt these where a little tight to begin with however no seem fine and are a comfortable pair of cans to enjoy using for many hours.

Controls

Controls are clean and simple the main controls for me are small for my huge hands but I got use to them over time, all features are present for controls and we go through all this in the video review below everything is kept simple here and the fact I have big fingers should no affect most people who decide to buy these on my status overall they offer a clean experience with an easy tap to control your headphones.

Urbanista Los Angeles techbuzzireland

Battery

Not much to say here being frank, you are basically limitless on this which is just great

Sound

Pretty much the same as the Miami no complaints here and again the ANC works really well indoors and outdoors and from my usual test run they passed with flying colours, they do have some bass thrown in there too and for all my giving out about the app the listening experience is great to be fair they are loud, punchy and no distortion on max volume and no lag latency noted over testing for 3 weeks you will not be dissapointed.

Conclusion

If you liked the Miami you will like these but the thing is about upgrading from those to these, same design and similar audio experince but I have to say yes they are worth the upgrade with not having to charge them or worry about charging them at all and this not being biased it is embracing in the latest technology but Urbanista for me over the years I have been testing have always been a solid product and this puts them afront adopting new technologies and lets see who follows behind them, as of yet nobody has in the headphone space.

Urbanista Los Angeles Key Features

  • Virtually infinite playtime
  • Always charging when exposed to light, both outdoors and indoors
  • 80 hours of battery reserve
  • Hybrid active noise cancelling
  • Ambient sound mode
  • On-ear detection
  • USB type-C charging
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Siri and Google Assistant
  • Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows
  • Urbanista Mobile App Compatible
  • Available in Midnight Black (Black) and Sand Gold (Gold) 

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Tech Review – SHURE Aonic 40 wireless headphones

The Shure Aonic 40 are one of their latest new headphones to hit the market and the first pair of cans in 2022 and I have been testing these bad boys out and have been impressed with my findings, Shure who is a well know brand and deliver on Audio experience have a nice pair of headphones here and I think anyone who tries these out will be impressed. You can check out the full unboxing HERE

Comfort

Comfort is excellent here even over long periods of use which I tend to do with my headphones be it at home or out on a walk, the latter I tend not to do much but do so to test them out, no sweating head clamping or fatigue was noted even over 4 hour sessions and for some gaming and this is good to see, though the environment and temperature might differ for others.

Controls

Laid out simple, the keys might be a but small for those with bigger hands like me for example but got the muscle memory going rather quickly as I went straight in with these for a few days alongside my other review products, the keys work well and function as they are meant to and placed on the right side where you can control volume tracks and more there is a pairing key on the left side, the power key is multifunctional and you can get your battery status here and clear paired device list, I tested these on an iPhone 13 pro and Google Pixel 6 and all worked perfectly fine.

The center button plays a part here too which is in between the volume up and down keys where you can skip and reverse tracks and restart tracks if you wish, you can control your calls here too and activate voice assistant if you desire..

Sound is great on these even without the app however when you use the app this changes there is several profiles on the app to switch between and here you can clearly hear a difference unlike other headphones out there between these and especially between the ANC and Environment modes and is quite remarkable, again unlike subtle changes you might often find but here there is a clear definition between all.

As for the audio experience it is also great and with the enhancement of the app as mentioned they are a joy to listen to for hours on end with no lag latency and just select the profile that suits you best sit back and take it in whatever you prefer to pick but do test them all and hear the difference and that is what these are all about. Bass is great and so is highs lows and mids and direction.

Battery life is also quite good however this differs per person and the settings applied as we all know but a 15 minute charge commands you another 5 hours of with quick charge and overall you can expect around 25 hours in total which will again differ, there is more out there that offer more but again they may not offer the quick charge feature.

Conclusion

These are excellent simple as that,check the video review for more below.

 

  • Portable Design: The foldable, rugged design and carrying case are ideal for compact storage and durable enough to withstand your next adventure.

  • Adjustable Noise Cancellation: Block out surrounding noise and immerse yourself in the AONIC 40 listening experience with three digital ANC settings crafted to deliver users the best noise cancellation, wherever travels lead.

  • Long-Lasting Comfort: Made with premium materials, including glass-filled nylon and aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, the AONIC 40 offers quality comfort and durability made to last.

  • Premium Call Quality: Dial-in to video conferencing or phone calls with exceptional audio, thanks to dual beamforming microphones. Dual USB audio mode enables two-way mic communication with the included USB-C cable or connect with Bluetooth® 5 wireless technology for enhanced stability and a range of up to 30 feet.

  • Accessible Controls: Answer calls, adjust volume, and control Active Noise Cancellation and Environment Mode levels with the push of a button.

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VIDEO LINK

First look at the Dottir Audio Ultra-Competitive Sports-focused Headphones

At the beginning of this Month Dottir Audio launched their new headphones with have been designed by crossfit champions and some notable features stood out on the launch day which was 72 hours of battery life and they also have an IPX7 rating which both are super features to have, these also have wireless charging which is great as I love to have this feature but having said that it is not a must have feature.

As usual we will get a real hands on up close look review soon and today we let you see what you get in the package which is also impressive and first impressions last on presentation so if you have any questions feel free to ask on our social or You Tube channel and we will be back soon with a full review.

With a packed feature set in a rugged form factor, Dóttir features Active Noise Canceling technology, a fully waterproof construction and an ergonomic, wraparound design that ensures the headphone stays in place, add to this a total playtime of up to 72 hours with a wireless charging case that provides up to five additional charges, and you have a clear winner and dependable companion.

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Tech Review – Padmate S30 Bone Conduction Open-Ear Sport Headphones

Over the last few weeks we have been testing out the latest from Padmate and this product is for the sports fan and perhaps more and it is their new S30 Bone Conduction Open-Ear sport headphones. Small and compact too they are ultra portable ultra light and fit really well.

So what are the Padmate S30 Bone conduction headphones all about..

Open ear design

The open-ear design, powered by bone conduction technology, allows you to hear your surrounding sounds clearly and provide bud-free, comfortable listening, and also a perfect partner for listening to audiobooks.

Bone conduction technology

Enjoy hours of music without damaging your ears. It features bone conduction technology that creates vibrations to transmit sound through the bones of your face (jawbones and cheekbones) directly to the inner ear.

IPX5 waterproof

The nano-coating inside the headset can easily resist sweat and rain, making the Padmate S30 an ideal choice for outdoor sports, running, jogging, hiking, MTB, cycling. (Not intended for swimming)

Battery LIfe

With 150 mAh of polymer battery and easy commands such as play, skip, pause, and back-a-track, you can enjoy music, calls, audiobooks, and podcasts all day long. 6 hours battery life at max volume, more than 8 hours batter life at 50% volume. 150 hours standby time this pretty much came true for real life use during my testing. There is no volume controls present but this is not a huge deal.

Sound

They sound fairly decent overall however there is no access to their app as yet hopefully this changes down the road to give you their full app experience as it is one of the best ones out there but users will be fine with the volume and soundstage from the device, highs lows and mids are find direction is good and so on, being different from your traditional earbuds/headphones one might feel off put but don’t be.

Fit

Designed for athletes and more these wireless headphones stay put for all-day listening while keeping you motivated and aware of your surroundings.

With up to 10m of range, you will never have to reach your device again and again. It effortlessly connects with smartphones, tablets and other Bluetooth-enabled devices in no time

Features and FAQ

CAN OTHERS HEAR YOUR MUSIC?

No. Padmate S30 sends vibrations into your inner ear through bone conduction technology, leaving your ears open to your surroundings while still providing a private listening experience.

DOES PADMATE S30 COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES?

No, Padmate S30 will come in one standard size.

CAN I SKIP SONGS WITH PADMATE S30?

Yes, pressing 3 times on the “Power off” Button to play next song , pressing 4 times on the “-” button to play the previous song.

CAN I USE SIRI/GOOGLE ASSISTANT/ALEXA WITH MY PADMATED S30?

After connected with devices, you can activate voice assistant (such as Siri, etc.) by pressing 2 times on the “Power off” Button.

CAN PADMATE S30 BE USED TO TAKE CALLS?

Yes, Padmate S30 has two microphones for phone calls.

DOES PADMATE S30 COME WITH A WARRANTY?

Yes, Padmate S30 comes with a one-year warranty that covers manufacturer defects. The warranty does not cover misuse of the product, loss or theft.

Get 20% off with the code TB20

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Video Review

First look – SHURE Aonic 40 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

Only recently Shure announced a new line up of products and these are aimed at more so creators and musicians but not only that they launched the new Aonic 40 and they have just landed here and we look forward to checking them out and are the first pair of headphones to land in 2021, we have many other really cool products here in house and more on the way so be sure to stay tuned for more, today however we feast our eyes on the latest pair of cans from SHURE which I look forward to testing out as the latter end of 2021 was an earbud bonanza and we have plenty of new full reall hands on reviews coming your way.

Today we take a detailed first look at the headphones and off the bat they give us and excellent presentation which is something I like to see and overall the package as a whole gets full marks, how they sound is what we are here for so that full review will be on site soon, having a quick test this morning they are comfortable and block out the external work but lets see how they sound over the next while and if you have any questions fire away below or on our social.

 

Reliable, Superior Audio Performance Meets Rugged Design and Effortless Functionality. The AONIC 40 Headphones are the latest edition to the reliable Shure AONIC line of headphones and earphones, offering a stylish, yet portable design with the brand’s iconic sound at a competitive price point. These new headphones are the all-in-one unit for superior audio, highlighting a collapsible design with a compact footprint, adjustable noise cancellation with Environment Mode, quick charge, crystal-clear call quality, accessible and customizable controls, and more.

  • Portable Design: The foldable, rugged design and carrying case are ideal for compact storage and durable enough to withstand your next adventure.

  • Adjustable Noise Cancellation: Block out surrounding noise and immerse yourself in the AONIC 40 listening experience with three digital ANC settings crafted to deliver users the best noise cancellation, wherever travels lead.

  • Long-Lasting Comfort: Made with premium materials, including glass-filled nylon and aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, the AONIC 40 offers quality comfort and durability made to last.

  • Premium Call Quality: Dial-in to video conferencing or phone calls with exceptional audio, thanks to dual beamforming microphones. Dual USB audio mode enables two-way mic communication with the included USB-C cable or connect with Bluetooth® 5 wireless technology for enhanced stability and a range of up to 30 feet.

  • Accessible Controls: Answer calls, adjust volume, and control Active Noise Cancellation and Environment Mode levels with the push of a button.

AONIC 40 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are now available at select retailers and at https://www.shure.com/en-GB/products/headphones/aonic40.

Video Link