Headphone News

Here’s something I can’t find any use for at all, a set of waterproof, bone conducting headphones.

That’s right, bone-conducting. Put these suckers on your head and they transmit the sounds to you via your skull. Who needs ears?

To make things even better, the Vibone EZ-80WP are also waterproof so you can listen underwater. If only I hadn’t lost my underwater iPod.

I’m not sure when they’re released or how much they’ll cost but, if anyone can read Japanese, I’d love to know so I can order a pair before my summer holiday.

[found via Gizmodo]

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Anyone looking for some headphone bargains should check out the Amazon.com headphone sale.

There are some really good deals in there including 60% off Altec Lansing inMotion iM716 Headphones and 50% off Philips HN 110 Folding Noise Canceling Headphones.

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Fatman have released a new set of in-ear noise isolating earphones, the Fatman Fatfones.

The Fatfones are designed to fit snuggly in the listeners ear canal, blockng out ambient noise allowing a clearer sound at lower volume.

Although there are loads of alternative in-ear earphones out there, the Fatfones have the advantage of their low price, only £30.

[found via TechDigest]

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The people over at Untangled Life have written a great article on the range of wireless headphones that work with an iPod Nano.

It’s an interesting read, especially for those who are looking for something that little bit different. I think my favorites are probably the mTune-N which allow you to plug your Nano straight into the full sized headphones. I’m not sure if I would recommend jumping about with them on though, just in case the little beast flies out!

Also of note are the iMuffs, which, as well as having a great name, allow you to connect to your iPod using Bluetooth and control your music via the headphones. The only downside is that you need to connect a small Bluetooth adaptor into your iPod Nano, but it’s a small price to pay for headphones that look this good. I guarantee heads will turn.

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Without a doubt, Sennheiser are one of the leading headphone manufacturers in the world. The company, formed in Germany in 1945 have over 60 years experience in headphone and microphone technology giving them an undoubted edge over their competitors.

From their humble beginnings in a village workshop in Wennebostel, near Hannover, Sennheiser have expanded to four production facilities in three countries around the world. In addition, the company started by Professor Dr. Fritz Sennheiser now employs over 1600 people around the world.

Unusually for a headphone manufacturer, Sennheiser offer products in all markets, from entry-level to top-of-the-range. For example, the Sennheiser HD650, often rated as amongst the best consumer headphones in the world, sell for nearly $500 while the PX100 are available for around $20.

Although Sennheiser already hold a position near the top of the headphone pile, they are not content to rest on their laurels. Their R&D lab is legendary and has been credited with the invention of much headphone technology including open headphones, multi-channel wireless transmission and head-related surround sound.

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SkullCandy have released their newest pair of noise canceling headphones, the SkullCandy Proletariat NC 635.

As well as being noise canceling, the NC 635 use Skullcandy’s LINK system that allows you to pair the headphones with your mobile and use them as a handsfree kit, all without wires. Of course, this needs power so the whole shebang is powered by two AAA batteries.

The fullsize headphones fold down to allow them to fit in your pocket and come in a shiny gold and black colour scheme that wouldn’t look out of place in Studio 54.

The headphones are available now, priced at around £100.

[found via Tech Digest]

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Audio-Technica have announced their latest set of ear-pad headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-EM700.

The headphones are available in two versions, the ATH-EM700 costs ¥12,600 and is made of aluminum while the ATH-EM700Ti is made of titanium and will cost ¥17,325.

The selection of light-weight metals allows the aluminium version to weigh in at a reasonable 25 grams with the titanium version only 4 grams heavier.

Personally, I’m not that keen on the earclip or the metal look, it’s a bit too Star Trek for me. Of course, some people like that…

[Found via Digital World Tokyo]

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The people at Focal have released the the V-Moda Bass Freq earphones, a set of ‘phones for people who love to hear the bass in their music.

They run on a frequency of 8Hz - 22000Hz and can output a brain shaking 122dB at 20Hz.

Luckily they’re noise isolating so should spare everyone else in the train from having their heads explode.

The earphones are available in the three colours, the standard black and white plus a shocking shade of red.

[found via Mobile Magazine]

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Jays, Sweden’s new headphone manufacturer, have released their first product, the noise isolating d-Jays.

They’re an interesting looking pair of earphones, though I quite like them. I think.

The earphones come with four different sizes of ear canal sleeves and promise to eliminate 90% of ambient noise

Jays d-Jays are available in both black and white versions and will sell for around $80 when they go on sale in August.

[found via Ubergizmo]

Related Link: Sound Isolating Headphones The biggest range of sound isolating headphones in the world. Sale starts now on all sound isolating headphones!

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South Dakota have come up with a novel way of helping the blind to vote - putting headphone jacks on voting machines so they can have the ballot read to them.

According to an article in the Black Hills Pioneer the AutoMARK voting machine has been set up so that

those with physical disabilities can easily vote secretly and independently. For example, without the machine, there is really no way for people who are blind to vote without assistance. The AutoMARK is equipped with several jacks in which blind voters can plug headphones or speakers and have the information on the ballots read to them.

To be honest, I’d never really thought about how blind people get a fair and secret ballot, so this seems an excellent idea to me. Hopefully it’ll be a success.

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