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headphones

Review: Sony WH-XB910N

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Price: ₹14,990

Recently, we reviewed Sony’s latest TWS earbuds, and here we are, with the latest of their over-the-ear headphones. If the WF-1000XM4 features a balanced sound profile, the WH-XB910N is specially made for bass lovers as Sony brands the XB series as Extra Bass.

The headphones are available in black and blue colours, and we received the blue version. The device has a nice matte finish on the exterior with a rougher pattern on the headband. The top of the band has a faux leather wrapping on the exterior along with a soft cushioning pad at the inner surface. The earpieces rotate about 120 degrees, flex about 30 degrees to adjust to the contours of your head and can be folded inward for storage. The headphones come in a sleek oval-shaped hard fabric case, which also includes a USB-C to USB-A cable and an aux cable. The overall finish feels premium, and the top of the pivot area has a glossy finish that enhances this feel. The Sony branding on both ends of the headband completes the styling. The left earpiece houses the physical controls and ports, which include the power button, noise cancellation/ambience button, 3.5mm aux jack and USB-C charging port. The right earpiece looks plain, but the broad flat surface hides a touch panel that can be used to pause or play music, control volume and switch the tracks. You can also make use of the Quick Attention mode by placing your hand over the right earcup, which pauses noise cancelling mode momentarily, allowing you to listen to ambient sound. At 252 g, the headphones are quite light. The soft earpads are comfortable and do not cause any discomfort or pain even with extended use.

The WH-X910N uses a 40 mm driver unit and features dual noise-cancelling with feedforward and feedback mics on each side. The noise cancellation is effective but not quite the best we have experienced in premium headphones. The device supports 360 Reality Audio for an immersive experience with a suitable audio input. The headphones offer 48 ohms impedance in wired connection with the unit turned on, and 16 ohms while it is turned off. This makes it compatible with most smartphones and other low-power devices, irrespective of the type of connection. The headphones are compatible with LDAC codec for high-res audio playback in Bluetooth mode. As mentioned earlier, this device is made for thumping bass, and it remains true to this assigned role. In fact, the device is a bass lover’s haven, bringing out those fine reverberations in percussion. The Headphones companion app offers adaptive sound control, switching the sound profile according to your location and status. It offers a number of equaliser presets such as Bright, Excited, Mellow, Relaxed, Vocal, Treble Boost, Bass Boost, and Speech, along with Manual and two Custom modes so that the sound is always within your control when you are on a call or listening to music. Though you can tweak the sound via custom modes to bring up the mids and highs for some balance, it still remains faithful to bass. If you are using an iPhone, you can tweak the sound even better from the EQ mode.

The XB910N can be paired with two devices over Bluetooth, and the headphone intelligently switches between the two inputs. However, when paired to a laptop and a smartphone, the 910N would pause music played on the laptop when there is an audio notification on the phone and would not resume playback automatically. The headphones are stated to provide up to 30 hours of battery life, and we found this to be quite close. Of course, this depends on the volume of playback and ANC. You can top up the battery quickly for 10 minutes for up to 4.5 hours of extra playback with an optional AC adapter.

The device offers voice control with Google Assistant and Alexa.

RATING

WE’RE IMPRESSED Multi-device connection, high-res audio support, comfortable fit, good battery life, companion app

WE’D IMPROVE Some sound leakage observed, playback doesn’t restart after phone notification

THE LAST WORD These headphones offer good comfort and convenience. True bass enthusiasts will appreciate its sound profile.

Soundcore launches Life Note 3 Bluetooth Headset (TWS) with Gaming Mode

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Soundcore, by Anker, expands its TWS portfolio after announcing the launch of the Life Note 3 Headset in India. The noise-cancelling earbuds promise enhanced call performance & thumping bass with gaming mode, and strive to offer a seamless transition from work to play mode.

These wireless earbuds come in a glossy case with carbon fibre finish, that offers a modern look. The ergonomically-designed earbuds sit suitably in the ear and comprise of custom 11mm composite drivers. The exclusive Bass Up Technology further intensifies bass. The TWS headset works wirelessly up to 10m range with a battery life of up to 35 hours.

The TWS supports multi-mode noise cancellation, a distraction-free listening experience that syncs the noise cancelling as per the location for an optimized experience. Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor modes (can be switched via the Soundcore app) are tailored to block out irritating background noises in each environment. The TWS earbuds offer three different transparency modes – full, vocal and enhanced vocal mode.

The Transparency mode keeps the user aware of the surroundings.  The Soundcore app, in turn, allows users to create an EQ profile and choose from 22 different EQ settings.

Furthermore, Life Note 3 noise-cancelling earbuds have 6 microphones and an exclusive algorithm to tune out background noises for  a better calling experience. The TWS also supports Gaming mode, which can be activated via the Soundcore app for an immersive audio experience. “Find my headset’ can be activated on the Soundcore app to find the lost earbud; that will emit a loud noise to help locate the missing earbud.

The Soundcore Life Note 3 costs Rs. 7,999 and is available on Flipkart with an 18-month warranty.

Play launches two foldable headphones: PLAYGO BH22 and BH47

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PLAY has integrated their proprietary features into their latest wireless headphones which come in a foldable design and at affordable prices. With added flexibility in the devices connectivity, these headphones stay true to the standards maintained by Play over the years in bringing state-of-the-art consumer tech products to the market.

Play has launched two headphones, The PLAYGO BH22 and the PLAYGO BH47.

PLAYGO BH47

The PLAYGO BH47 is powered by a Qualcomm chipset and also features active noise cancellation for complete isolation. The BH47 comes with a speaker size of 40mm and comfortable ear cups which enable the users to wear them for longer durations. Striving to provide a refreshing audio experience, the BH47 has a battery life of 30 hours while needing 3 hours to charge completely. Connectivity-wise the BH47 supports Bluetooth v5.0 and consists of an AUX cable for wired outputs as well. BH47 also offers multi-point connection which allows users to pair up to two devices simultaneously.

The BH47 is compatible with voice assistants of Google, Siri, and Alexa ‘that allow users to change track or accept & reject calls’. The BH47, designed for young professionals who are on-the-go, is priced at Rs. 6,999.

PLAYGO BH22

The PLAYGO BH22, on the other hand, is also equipped with 40mm speakers and dual equalizers in order to provide enriched audio. Like the BH47, the BH22 supports Bluetooth v5.0 and an AUX cable as well. It, too, allows users to pair with up to 2 devices simultaneously. The BH22 offers 35 hours of playback time and requires 4 hours to charge completely. It supports Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa to allow users to change tracks and manage calls. The BH22 is available in the Champagne and Lush Lava colour and costs Rs. 2,999.

To know more about the availability and specifications of the BH47 and BH22, please visit this page.

boAt’s first gaming headset – the Immortal 1000D – features Dolby Atmos

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With gaining tremendous growth and popularity over the past few years, boAt forays into the gaming industry by doing what they do best – producing a gaming headset with a stylish design and premium features. The boAt Immortal 1000D is the company’s first gaming headset which is highly affordable and is designed to ‘provide impressive clarity and detail to create a more realistic and thrilling experience’.

The Immortal 1000D consists of 50mm drivers for high fidelity audio, and is also integrated with the Dolby Atmos technology which makes gaming and entertainment more immersive through three-dimensional precision and coverage which, in gaming, also enables players to react faster, even to enemies who are above or behind the players.

The Immortal 1000D also features boAt’s very own 7.1 Channel Surround Audio, created through boAt Plugin Labz. Users have the option to switch between the 7.1 Channel Surround Audio and the Dolby Atmos while in use. This gaming headset also comes with Dual mics for distortion-free communication, reproducing clear voice.

Utilising a USB-connector, the Immortal 1000D sports a long, sturdy, secure, and durable braided cable. With the special closed earcups aided by plush cushions, a perfect seal for enhanced sound isolation is delivered through the Immortal 1000D. Sweat and heat build-up generated by skin contact is minimised through a new breathable and weaved material.

The earcups have a built-in automatic ‘breathing’ RGB LED light effect as well. This headset also comes with a remote to control audio, mic, and LEDs for optimal use as well.

The boAt Immortal 1000D is available for Rs. 2,499 in two colour variants: Black and White Sabre. They are available on Amazon and boAt’s website. For more information on the Immortal 1000D gaming headset, please visit this page.

Sennheiser’s HD560S is an ultralight headset for audiophiles

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The Sennheiser HD560S is built for those who take their music seriously – whether it is for those making music or just audiophiles tuning in for their dose of music. Sennheiser claims the HD560S is designed for ‘analytical listening sessions’ and their main purpose is to ‘show how a track is intended to be heard’, rather than leaving it at the mercy of the headset’s sound design.

The HD560S offers a frequency response of 6Hz – 38KHz with a smooth low-frequency extension that enables the headphones to deliver complex and superior-quality bass sounds. These headsets offer a sensitivity of 110dB/1V and a low THD of <0.05% at 90dB, along with offering a wide dynamic range.

The HD560S is lightweight and extremely comfortable, thanks to the ultralight chassis and the around-the-ear design complimented by a ventilated cup, and velour ear pads. With a 120-ohm impedance, the HD560S is versatile enough to be used with any audio source. It also comes with a detachable 3-meter cable, 6.3mm jack and a 3.5mm adapter with a flexible 15cm lead.

Sennheiser being at the helm of innovation and revolutionising audio solutions, has meticulously crafted HD 560S to the most demanding standards. At Sennheiser, we are committed to introducing products that cater to the needs of our diverse consumers. These audiophile headphones meet Sennheiser’s criteria for exceptional performance and will be a perfect companion for those who evaluate a recording’s entire journey through the audio path

Kapil Gulati, Director, Consumer Segment, Sennheiser India

The Sennheiser HD560S costs Rs. 18,990 and is available on all e-commerce platforms. For more information, please visit this page.