Tag: Headphones

Urbanista celebrate 10 Years and launch the exclusive Urbanista London True Wireless in Burgundy Red. #TrueWireless #Urbanista

It’s been a decade since Urbanista launched the first of their award-winning collection of headphones, earphones and speakers, each named to reflect the unique atmosphere and qualities of different cities around the world. Now, ten years later, music lovers globally recognise Urbanista products for their sleek Scandinavian design and superior audio experience.

Urbanista was founded in 2010 and since then has launched 21 audio products named after the world’s greatest cities. CEO Anders Andreen comments: “I am extremely proud to have reached this 10-year anniversary milestone with a company that I have seen grow since the very beginning. Our tagline is ‘Designed for Life in Motion’ and we have been on a mission to provide audio products to compliment those that live an active life. We aim to offer products at an accessible price that are packed with features and, at the same time, allow our customers to express their own personal style. Thanks to a passionate team with a culture to always get things done have grown over 1900% in the last six years and have ambitious plans for the next decade to come.”

TEN YEARS, TEN CITIES

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Urbanista has called on 10 influencers from 10 cities around the world to create individually curated city guides. From London to Tokyo, New York City to Sydney, the city guides are designed to help you discover what these local influencers love about the place they call home. The guides provide a glimpse of each city’s unique qualities that inspired Urbanista to name their products after them, including things to do, what to see, and where to eat.

The city guides include London, Paris, Athens, Sydney, Stockholm, Tokyo, New York, Barcelona, Berlin and San Francisco. Explore more at www.urbanista.com/10years.

INTRODUCING URBANISTA LONDON: BURGUNDY RED

Alongside celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Urbanista is proud to launch to market Urbanista London in an exclusive colour, Burgundy Red, available only at www.urbanista.com/london from the 19th October 2020.

Tuomas Lonka, Brand and Marketing Director comments: “As a fashion-forward brand, Urbanista is proud to bring stylish colours to its collection. We launched Urbanista London to market in four colours and we are excited to add the fifth addition of Burgundy Red, a colour perfect for the Autumn Winter season ahead.”

Priced at £129, these new earphones are packed with style and creativity and are inspired by the vibrant and busy city of London. With Active Noise Cancellation or Ambient Sound Mode, Urbanista London allows listeners to either completely block out the outside world or hear their surroundings without interruption to their listening experience. Also available in Midnight Black (Black), Rose Gold (Pink), White Pearl (White) and Dark Sapphire (Blue) and comes with a sleek and slim colour-matched charging case. https://www.urbanista.com/uk/london

Review – The Creative SXFI Gamer headphones. #Gaming #Tech #SXFI #Headphones

The Creative SXFI GAMER initial opening was a delight, bright colors with the full specification visible on the box, in terms of contents, compatible, technical specification. On opening the box clear instructions and read me first was visible, with a variety of accessories. The headband was made of a  steel frame what is synthetic Leatherette which was comfortable. large buttons were visible on the headset with a large volume dial for payback. a great feature with the inclusion of a USB C cable with the USB C to  A adapter. The earpads were larger then I would normally expect from a gaming headset.  This does not come with a Bluetooth option as a setup for wired connectivity only. It requires a USB input and has a 3.5mm audio input.

 

 

Features:

1.Headband

Synthetic Leatherette

Steel frame

  1. RGB Rings Light button

Toggle button to turn earcup lighting ON -> Rainbow (alternating colours) -> OFF

  1. CommanderMic

Uni-directional

Noise-canceling mic

SXFI InPerson microphone technology (distinguish chat over game audio)

  1. Super X-Fi button

Press button to toggle audio profiles

OFF -> Super X-Fi mode -> Battle mode (gaming) -> OFF

  1. Volume Control Dial

Controls the playback volume

  1. Mic Mute button

Press button to toggle Mic Mute ON/OFF

Mic Mute ON (flashing red LED on CommanderMic) -> Mic Monitoring disabled

Mic Monitoring enabled by default (solid red LED on CommanderMic)

  1. Headphone jack

4-pole analog jack

Super X-Fi disabled (passive mode without USB Type C connection)

  1. USB Type C port

Supports direct Android device connection

Supports desktop computers like PC/Mac

Supports gaming consoles like PS4 and Nintendo Switch

 

Technical Specification

Headphone

  • Driver: 50 mm Neodymium magnet
  • Frequency response: 20–20,000 Hz
  • Impedance: 32Ω
  • Sensitivity: 114 dB / mW @ 1 kHz
  • USB input: 5V

Microphone

  • Type: Unidirectional noise-reduction
  • Frequency response: 100–16,000 Hz
  • Impedance: < 2.2 kΩ
  • Sensitivity: -42 dB @ 1 kHz

Compliance markings are located on the surface upon removal of ear cup cushion

which can be removed by hand.

 

 

 

SXFI App

The app was downloaded for a  Samsung S8 phone and also tested on S10. The app had the option to experience magical  Audio reality ( This was a bit of creatives marketing team getting carried away )  this allowed the personalization to perform a head mapping inclusive of the ears which allowed the app to adjust the sound to individual requirement. The app allows you to play content that is loaded on the phone. Unfortunately this worked it was noted traditional calls the earphones worked for the S10 but did not for the S8. This would have been expected to be similar for both models for calls made and received. ( a slight personal gripe )

 

 

Overall

The audio experience cannot be faulted. The over the ear covered the complete ear resulting in excellent noise canceling with the Mic superior to most microphones used.  When playing 8D audio the overall experience was superior to many headphones tested. As a gaming earphone, the app was of little use but the audio, when used the  SXFI button on the headset for specific games, was a noticeable difference. (  Creative use computer software for the SXFI button to enhance the audio)

A slight niggle, when used as multipurpose headphones connected to a phone, was observed ( Albeit the instruction do not market this for this propose)

The RGB lighting had a soft tone with the option to adjust/turn off as required, this stood out in terms of the packaging colors and the colors to include the red light to ensure the mic was faced the correct direction. The design in terms of comfort is excellent with a superior mic and an overall great base when combined with other Creative products. The tailoring of the audio experience is remarkable with no outside interference to hear via the Mic or earphones, An overall and well-considered headphones from packaging, quality, and overall audio experience.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holography-Technology-Detachable-ClearComms-Microphone/dp/B07L83RMPJ

Review – The Creative Super SXFI AIR headphones. #Tech #Creative #SXFI #Gaming #Headphones

The Creative Super SXFI AIR headphones are something special and probably the best gaming headphones to date I have reviewed not only in respect to gaming but these deliver for personal use as well as gaming delivering sound that puts you right in the centre giving you a real immersive feeling no matter what you have these connected too.

Super X-Fi technology uses computational audio to recreate the listening experience of a high-end multi-speaker system in a professional studio, and delivers the same experience in headphones.

On setting up you will need to scan your ears and face via the app,there is two apps in fact and you then have a profile created,not only this you can customise the RGB lighting on both cups to your taste too which gives them an additional effect given you will not see it when wearing but they look cool regardless.

When it comes to comfort these also shine here and cover the ears giving you extra noise cancelling without doing anything in the app to enhance the experience. They make a great seal and fit nicely over the ears and can be worn for long periods of time and not feeling uncomfortable in doing so after my hours of testing.

On the headphones we have a touch sensitive area where you swipe which lets you control the music by skipping tracks,control the volume calls and you also can access your voice assistant too so these double as a gaming headset and a personal one too and they do not disappoint here at all I was really impressed with how good these are at the price they command.

On the left side we have a Micro SD card slot which allows you to carry music on the go which is a neat idea so you are not tied to your smartphone USB-C ports 3.5mm socket and source button alongside the Super X-Fi button which makes the punch when turned on change the headset completely ,you also have your little mic via a little stump if you will which is much better than a retractable one or fixed. On the right side there is no buttons so it all happens on one side which I like and is not confusing.

Comfort is also excellent here even for long term usage the cups are deep and give really good isolation off the bat without doing a thing then you have two apps to choose from to enhance the experience, no lag latency noted whilst gaming or listening to music and the controls work a treat once you get the thumb memory going. Overall for gaming these are the best I have tested yet but we have another pair to check out too so stay tuned for that review and see the video below for more. I do so gaming but not much but however these really drop you into the centre of the game and as for using as a pair of standalone headphones they are really really good and better than I expected and are up there with my top 5 pairs of headphones right now which is saying alot.

Creative sent us these to review with no compensation paid nor copy approval and did not influence my findings and are seeing this review the same time as you..

BUY

Review – Skullcandy Crusher Evo Headphones. #Skullcandy #CrusherEvo #Tech

The skullcandy crusher headphone range has been popular with regular upgrades over the years and when they introduced sensory haptic bass it changed how you consume music and more it is a feeling you need to experience first hand be it in store or perhaps from a friend who has a pair the in store option perhaps not available now but once you try them you will experience something quite unique. This technology has been around a while but not implemented much and aside Skullcandy I have only seen it in one other product to give you an idea of how it works and woojer strap was a product I reviewed some time ago which has a similar effect.

 

 

I am a huge headphone fan with a massive collection like my earbuds and have a huge portfolio reviewed here like our earbuds and we have many more on the way we have the biggest range of true wireless covered here in Ireland to suit all pockets and a massive range of headphones too so you can see what you get for your money. I have reviewed older versions of the Skullcandy Crusher range and from day one I was hooked and today their new evo model keeps me hooked and only recently checking out their Crusher Anc which again are fantastic these bring the sensory bass to a new level with the Evo.

The Evo are similar in many ways with features and design with some tweaks and differences between these and the recent ANC in Cherry Red and come with a nice matt Black finish, Comfortable,sturdy and not a fingerprint magnet with simple to use controls that keeps you away from your phone and a slider for the sensory bass it is a well designed set of headphones that just deliver again. These are not aimed at true audiophiles however but overall the listening experience is unique all round and whilst it might not be for all it is something for you to try and feel, No lag latency noted on any platform I listen to either. Yes you feel the music you feel immersed it is something special..

Check out more on the Crusher Evo here and check our review below..

Buy –  https://www.skullcandy.co.uk/crusher-evo-wireless-headphones

Skullcandy sent these to us to review with no compensation paid,influence or preview.

 

 

 

Planet Buddies Launch Child Friendly and Sustainably Packaged Headphones & Wireless Speakers. #PlanetBuddies #Tech #Kids

Planet Buddies, an environmentally conscious brand announces their lineup of products designed and created specifically for children. The Planet Buddies brand was born out of a dedication to raising awareness for endangered animals all over the world and educating children on what they can do to help.

The product range includes a family of headphones, wireless speakers and tablet cushions, all representing endangered, vulnerable or threatened species including ‘Pepper the Penguin’ and ‘Olive the Owl’. The products each have a story about its character, why they are endangered and practical tips on what children can do to help protect all life on our planet such as turning off lights when they leave a room.

Headphones

Planet Buddies have launched three types of headphones to kick start the range. The headphones are all suitable for children aged 3+ with adjustable headbands and safety limited to 85DB to protect hearing as recommended by the World Health Organisation. The child-safe audio limit on the headphones helps to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Listening at a maximum level of 85 decibels makes it safe to enjoy up to 8 hours of audio a day. The headphones are designed with children in mind and are made from high quality materials to withstand handling, knocks and drops they are bound to endure. Including an in-line microphone and multi-function control button, Planet Buddies headphones allow you to answer/end calls, pause and play music, skip tracks, and activate Siri/Google Now.

Get Creative

The DIY “colour and swap” headphones allow your kiddies to get creative with 24-character cards and 4 crayons to customise and change their design.  Accompanied by an eco-friendly travel case, the headphones are foldable and portable in design allowing minimum bulk and easy transportation. Price: £24.99

Choose Your Favourite Endangered Animal

Representing ‘Noah the Whale’, ‘Milo the Turtle’, ‘Olive the Owl’ and ‘Pepper the Penguin’, the Planet Buddies wired headphones are designed to be fun, stylish and ultra-comfortable with super-soft padding on the ear cushions and headband. These headphones are also foldable and compact and come with an eco-hemp travel case so you can take your entertainment, wherever your adventures take you. Price: £19.99

Fancy Dress

The third in the range are created to spark the imagination. ‘Charlie the Tiger’ and ‘Pippin the Panda’ are headphones designed with a furry headband with animal print and ears so that children can get into character. The headphones have soft padded earcups for maximum comfort and are equipped with two 3.5mm jack ports so you can connect any second pair of wired headphones and share what you’re listening to! Price: £19.99

Key Features:
Child-safe limited to 85db to protect hearing
Adjustable headband suitable for children aged 3+
In-line mic and mute/play functions
3.5mm jack compatible with most audio devices
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Foldable, portable design (excluding Pippin the Panda and Charlie the Tiger)
Eco hemp carry pouch included (excluding Pippin the Panda and Charlie the Tiger)

Find out more at: https://www.planetbuddies.co.uk/uk/headphones

Wireless Speaker

The ‘Pepper the Penguin’ wireless speaker is perfect for children to listen to music, reading along to their favourite audiobook or to add that extra entertainment to a day trip or a holiday. With 4 hours playtime and 60-day standby time, Pepper is ready for his next adventure whenever you are. Connect wirelessly to any Bluetooth 5.0 compatible device, including tablets and smartphones. When connected to your smartphone, Pepper the Penguin wireless speaker allows you to answer and end calls at the touch of a button, while the built-in microphone lets you talk hands-free. The multi-speaker pairing function allows you to connect Pepper the Penguin speaker with any other Planet Buddies wireless speaker to achieve a full surround-sound effect.

Priced at £29.99 the wireless speaker is designed in exquisite, adorable detail with Pepper’s own unique story printed on the packaging to help educate children on the environmental issues that impact endangered penguins.

Key Features:
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Bluetooth 5.0 compatible with iOS and android devices
Up to 4-hour total playtime (60-day standby time)
Full-range sound system with 3w output power
Built-in microphone for hands-free call handling

Find out more at: https://www.planetbuddies.co.uk/uk/speakers

Tablet Accessories

Matching the rest of the products in the range, Planet Buddies have launched four tablet holders, which in vibrant printed colours, also represent the endangered species. Priced at £19.99, the tablet cushions allow children to comfortably watch their device handsfree in landscape or portrait mode, whilst improving posture and reducing neck and upper back strain. Designed to be ultra-lightweight, the tablet stand is the perfect travel accessory for optimum viewing everywhere you go. The cushion stand also features two discreet and convenient pockets for storing small items such as your smartphone or charger.

Key Features:
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Promotes good posture and reduces neck and upper back strength
Holds universal mobile devices in portrait and landscape mode
Ultra-lightweight and suitable for travel
Includes two convenient pockets for storing small items
Soft, high quality fabric made from 100% polyester

Find out more at: https://www.planetbuddies.co.uk/uk/tablet-accessories

Doing their bit to help the environment, the packaging for each Planet Buddies product is made from 100% recyclable cardboard, with NO plastic window, and is printed with soy-based inks. None of the products or packaging in the range contain any single-use plastics and customers are encouraged to recycle wherever possible.

Michael Bartlett Managing Director at Planet Buddies comments:

“We are excited and proud to launch the Planet Buddies range of products. We hope parents and children alike will enjoy getting to know our products and characters whilst learning about how we can help preserve the future of our planet.”

TCL turns up the volume in the wireless headphone category with new MOVEAUDIO S200 true wireless headphones for under €100 #TWS #IFA20 #TCL

TCL, one of the world’s best-selling consumer electronics brands and leading technology companies, is introducing a new pair of completely wireless headphones featuring all the advanced technologies that buyers expect, but priced at under €100. While wireless earbuds have historically been a premium offering, TCL continues to level the technology playing field with the new MOVEAUDIO S200 True Wireless headphones in a way that should be music to your ears. The headphones offer an enhanced audio experience, complete comfort and easy connectivity with all your devices, making them a must-have accessory for anyone who wants to take calls or listen to music, wirelessly.

 

“Like other parts of our TCL consumer technology ecosystem, we’re bringing the expertise we have built in home entertainment to the mobile experience which has influenced the development of our TCL MOVEAUDIO S200 True Wireless headphones,” said Sharon Xiao, GM of the Smart Connected Device Business Group at TCL Communication. “With this latest addition to our mobile audio lineup, we continue to expand our true wireless portfolio with a focus on ergonomic design, audio quality and of course value; which is core to every TCL product we manufacture.” 

 

Offering great value and performance, the TCL MOVEAUDIO S200 True Wireless headphones leverage ENC noise reduction technology to reduce background noise and ensure that you always experience crystal clear calls. Four built-in microphones use beamforming technology to filter out external noise and focus on your voice, ensuring you are easily heard and understood. Each compact earbud is equipped with a highly precise and sensitive coil that brings your music to life, from deep bass to gentle acoustics. The headphones connect using Bluetooth 5.0 with a dual-Bluetooth transmission that ensures low latency while you’re watching movies or playing games. They also fit comfortably and offer an IP54 rating that makes them waterproof, dustproof and sweatproof, with a snug superellipse design that’s easy to wear the entire day.

 

Music fans will love the smart wearing detection feature, which automatically plays or pauses songs when you put on or take off the headphones, allowing you to pick up right where you left off. Touch gestures allow you to say goodbye to digging your phone out of your back pocket; allowing you to manage calls, music, volume and more with simply a touch. And, the headphones are native voice assistant compatible, quickly alerting Google Assistant or Siri with a long press. These integrations make it easy to switch between activities without having to remove the headphones from your ears.

 

Pairing the TCL MOVEAUDIO S200 True Wireless headphones with your device is also incredibly easy. Enable fast pairing by simply opening the charging case cover and giving it a single tap. Your mobile device will also provide you with a status update on the headphones’ battery life, so you always know if you need to give them a charge. 

 

The TCL S200 True Wireless headphones provide up to 3.5 hours of battery life on a single use, or up to 23 hours of battery life when used with the charging case. The charging case comes in an ultra slim casing design that fits perfectly in your palm or your pocket, and the classic silver tip on the earbuds is minimalist, yet elegant. The headphones come in three color options that fit your personality: white and black. The TCL MOVEAUDIO S200 True Wireless headphones will be available globally for only €99 EUR starting at the end of the month.

 

 TCL MOVEAUDIO S200 True Wireless Headphones,https://www.tcl.com/us/en/products/headphones. 

Skullcandy announces the Crusher Evo. #Tech #Headphones #CrusherEvo

Today, Skullcandy, the original lifestyle audio brand, announced the launch of Crusher® Evo, the newest model in the famous Crusher franchise.

Crusher Evo delivers an unprecedented immersive audio experience — combining two notable audio advancements:  an improved version of Skullcandy’s patented Sensory Haptic Bass and Personal Sound from Audiodo™, a progressive audio personalization technology enabled through the Skullcandy App.

The Sensory Haptic Bass feature has long been the defining attribute of the Crusher franchise and is widely recognized as the only audio experience of its kind. New Crusher Evo boasts a further refined version of the hallmark platform with more multi-dimensional haptic vibration patterns across a wider range of bass frequencies.

“Skullcandy fans have always loved Crusher because it truly delivers a one-of-a-kind immersive bass experience. It allows users to not only listen to their music or movies, but actually feel them. Crusher Evo takes that immersion to an even higher level than ever before,” says Jeff Hutchings, Skullcandy Chief Product Officer.

Together with the Sensory Haptic Bass improvements, Skullcandy has partnered with Sweden-based Audiodo to offer Personal Sound: A groundbreaking capability to tune Crusher Evo to users’ unique hearing profiles.

A Crusher Evo user simply connects the headphones to the Skullcandy App, then takes a quick audio test to determine their unique Personal Sound Profile in both left and right ears. The Audiodo technology then automatically adjusts the incoming audio levels to optimize the sound of the headphones to each individual user’s profile. The remarkable result is that users typically hear layers and sounds in their audio that were never perceptible to them before.

“We know that everyone’s hearing is different,” says Hutchings. “So it’s no surprise that what one person may deem as ‘great sound’ may not be great for someone else. The Personal Sound feature enables everyone to find that ideal balance of audio levels that are matched precisely to them and only to them.”

When the two advancements are combined, Skullcandy fans will enjoy an experience unlike anything else available on the market.

“The result of bringing together our patented Crusher haptics with Personal Sound by Audiodo™ is something that’s pretty mind-blowing the first time you experience it. In testing, we found it really enjoyable to see how surprised people are when they hear and feel what they’ve been missing. There’s just nothing like it,” Hutchings concluded.

Of course, Crusher Evo is also designed and engineered with a wide range of features to meet the everyday lifestyle demands of today’s audio consumer, including:

• Long-lasting 40 hours of battery life.

• Rapid Charge technology — delivering 4 hours of play on just a 10-minute charge.

• A full suite of media controls directly from the headphones. Users can take calls, change tracks, adjust volume controls and activate native device assistants (Google, Siri, etc) — without ever touching their phone.

• Built-in Tile™ finding technology that allows Crusher Evo owners to easily “ring their headphones” to locate them if ever lost.

• Flat-folding and collapsible design for easy portability.

• Streetwear-inspired carry case.

• Auxiliary cable for non-Bluetooth connectivity (ex: watching or listening to content on airplane consoles).

Crusher Evo is available now on Skullcandy.co.uk/crusher-evo-wireless-headphones in True Black and Chill Grey for £149.99.

First look at the Poly Voyager 4245 office and Blackwire 8225. #Poly #Voyager4245 #BlackWire8225 #Tech

Poly recently announced some new products that are ideal for the office and now the work from home environment which has seen a sharp rise due to the pandemic.  The Voyager 4245 and Blackwire 8225 have arrived for testing and if you have any questions feel free to ask below or on any of our channels during the test period.

Blackwire 8225.

The Blackwire 8225 is easy for IT to deploy and manage and is designed to drastically reduce the noise and distraction that comes with every style of workplace – from the home office to the traditional office. Three settings of advanced hybrid active noise cancelling (ANC) technology allow users to adjust to fit their work environment and seamlessly tune out distracting household noises such as vacuum cleaners, or workplace chatter from colleagues. A noise-cancelling microphone enhanced with Poly Acoustic Fence technology ensures users sound crisp and clear from wherever they work by automatically reducing distracting background noise, like nearby talkers or dogs barking, so that the only sound heard on the other end of the line is clear, premium audio of the speaker talking.

READ MORE 

Voyager 4245

The Voyager 4245 wireless headset system enables your employees globally to experience high levels of wireless freedom, comfort, and audio quality. Connecting to deskphones, PCs, and mobiles—the Voyager 4245 enables your journey from on-premises equipment to the cloud. Unlike other solutions, the Voyager 4245 Office delivers unlimited talk time,so you never lose that connection with a customer. It delivers 3-way connectivity for more flexibility and has Microsoft Teams certification to futureproof your devices.

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First look at the Jabra Evolve 2 85 #Jabra #Evolve2 #Tech #Office #WFM

Jabra recently announced a range of new headsets for professionals and we have the all new Evovle 2 85 in with us we are currently wrapping up our Evolve 2 65 review so stay tuned for that. This headset in particular was something I have been looking forward to because I have the 85h which for me have been the best headphones I have tested in the last few months, Given there is rivals out there some of which never arrived these take the champions spot for me.

The Evolve 2 85 is a hybrid version if you will which gives the user the ability to use both in office or for personal use which is great with a mic arm that folds aways out of sight you would not even notice it,this is important because you could save alot of money here shifting between headsets and they are ideal for my personal environment and many others out there,these offer comfort and an overear experience killing all the outside world,again something I like.

The Evovle 2 offers Digital Hybrid ANC and ten microphones in total, including two microphones in the fully integrated boom-arm and eight in the ear cups. Users can enjoy up to 37 hours wireless battery life, 40MM speakers for immersive music, and an integrated busy light with 360-degree view on both ear cups. The headset has been developed to take full advantage of the latest in audio chipset technology, enabling the Evolve2 85 to be one step ahead in battery life, solid connectivity and audio processing. Also, the sleek Evolve2 85 is designed with both the office environment and ‘on-the-go’ professional in mind, which ensures the headset can be worn regardless of where you’re working.

Feel free to ask any questions in the interim whilst I test these out but for now on a quick test I am impressed and would not expect any different from Jabra. Evolve2 85 STEREO MSRP £382 MSRP (£416 MSRP with desk stand for charging)

Find out more about Jabra at www.jabra.co.uk/evolve