As an avid Pixel phone user, I was excited that Google developed its own earbuds. I sat out on their first iteration of the true wireless version but jumped in with the Google Pixel Buds A-Series. The idea of wireless buds designed to work with my phone is an exciting idea for a non-iPhone user. The last week, both my son and I have put them through their paces.
The Monoprice Monolith M-TWE earphones have been an exciting maze to explore with few dead ends. Monolith went all out on these earbuds adding Sonarworks’ SoundID, Qualcomm aptX Audio, Qualcomm cVc 8.0 Echo Cancelling and Noise Suppression, Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), and making them “Sweatproof.” With a current sale price of $99.99, these true wireless earbuds pack a big punch for a small price.
I recently reviewed the Cleer Ally Plus II wireless earbuds, and they are a fantastic choice for anyone on the go. The Cleer Enduro ANC Noise Cancelling Headphones provide a more robust sound profile and a staggering 60 hours of battery life for over-the-ear fans. This battery life is with using active noise canceling and with some fantastic audio performance. Let’s take a look.
Cleer has released the second iteration of the Ally Plus true wireless earbuds. With long battery life and active noise canceling, and other features, the Cleer Ally Plus II True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds strive to be perfect for anyone on the go. The Cleer+ app allows for adjustments and getting settings perfect for just about any situation.
Some weeks ago, Jabra did something amazing. When they released the Jabra Elite 85T, they also released a firmware update that brought ANC to the Jabra Elite 75T. It was a small touch that showed the company’s commitment to its consumers. Now they’ve done it again with a Jabra Elite 85T firmware update that delivers one-touch access to Alexa.
Master & Dynamic is no stranger to truly wireless earphones, with their MW07 already one of my favorite in-ear headphones to not only go walking with but for use when working from home. So with the bar already set high for me, how can the new Master & Dynamic MW08 earphones surpass their predecessors?
Smartglasses have been a bit of a solution in search of a problem. It seems somewhat obvious that there’s this untapped space on people’s faces that could be filled with technology, but it’s been hard to figure out what, if anything, is enhanced by people needing to utter the phrase “hold up, I gotta go charge my glasses.” Eyeglasses+headphones are a natural fit, but early attempts were bulky, ugly, and expensive. Fauna Audio Glasses are affordable, attractive, and don’t scream, “hello, I have giant speaker-glasses.” Are eyeglasses really improved by the addition of headphones? Read on to find out!
Jabra’s headphones have helped many people who have needed to work from home for the past year. (They are great in the office too but… you know.) Unfortunately, a good headset for Zoom meetings can be pricey. Now, thanks to the new Jabra Evolve2 30, that’s no longer the case. It’s a Jabra, and it’s under $100!
We’re used to hearing (or reading) the word Snapdragon regarding processors, but there is a new Snapdragon in town! If you’ve been frustrated by breaks in connectivity, audio dropouts and glitches, latency issues, and poor audio compression when listening to audio over your wireless headphones, Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound is a phrase you’ll want to remember.
Have you found a pair of true wireless earbuds that fit well in your ears yet? Many people like foam and silicon tips because they help cut out ambient noise and give a more secure seal, but some people hate the feeling of something being jammed into their ear canal. The Earin A-3 Earphones take a different approach; they have an open audio design which leaves them sitting in the user’s ears’ concha. The result is a surprisingly comfortable fit for just about everyone, but it’s also a slightly different experience from wearing and using many other earbuds.
I’ve got something of a mystery on my hands, and I’m hoping the readers of Gear Diary can solve it. I have a pair of TCL SOCL500TWS Wireless Earbuds, which are great, but they fell out of my regular headphone rotation about nine months ago. There’s no real reason for this, they didn’t do anything wrong; I’ve just been reaching for others for work and exercise. Apparently, they felt neglected because a very strange event happened today…
I’m a huge advocate of AfterShokz, especially if you’re the type to listen to music while running, walking, hiking, etc. Having your ears open while still being able to enjoy music is a home run. AfterShokz thinks hearing your surroundings is important when you’re working too, and they’re applying their bone conduction headphones concept to a work-centric headset with the AfterShokz OpenComm. Does bone conduction spiff up well for the office? Read on to find out!
Greg reviewed the very first pair of Master & Dynamic headphones. He swore by them and, in the years since, Judie and I have also become fans. The company’s MW65 Over-the-Ear headphones are among the best ANC headphones I’ve tried. It’s why they are one of only a few items we have ever designated as a Gear Diary Editor’s Choice. Apparently, we aren’t the only ones who appreciate them.
It seems more and more people have started a podcast during the pandemic, and with apps like Clubhouse, Stereo, and Zoom, it’s been made even easier to connect to your community. But how do you do it without spending a fortune on the setup? The answer is with the Shure MV7 Podcast Microphone and Shure AONIC 4 Sound Isolating Earphones.
True wireless earbuds have gotten dramatically better since they made their first appearance a few years ago. New models offer improved connectivity, increased battery life, and better sound. Many even offer active noise cancellation and battery cases that are Qi-wireless charging enabled. The new Jays t-Seven True Wireless earbuds offer all of these advances at an accessible price.
Samsung held its latest Unpacked event this morning, signaling the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The latest Galaxy S21 phones have 5G, updated designs, hardware, and software, but the cameras are the star of the show.
I’ve long been a fan of V-MODA headphones, so I’m excited to report that they have just announced their first Bluetooth active noise-canceling headphones, the V-MODA M-200 ANC. Working in tandem with the new V-MODA app, listeners will be able to personalize their M-200 ANC noise cancellation level and their sound with EQ presets.
Soundcore, Anker’s premium audio brand, took to the virtual stage the present the next generation of their Liberty truly-wireless earbud line, the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro.
You might hear “Lenovo” and think “excellent business laptop,” but they do more than work hard. The Lenovo Legion line of gaming laptops aims to bring the same level of power and excellence to your gaming as they do to your day job (unless your day job title is Gamer). The latest Legion laptops and accessories are here to bring your gaming to the next level!
To celebrate its 75th anniversary, JBL has expanded its headphone lineup with the new JBL Tour Series. These headphones, which will offer both an over-the-ear and a true-wireless option, are perfect for business professionals who want a sleek design with smart features and advanced technology.
Backed by the Kickstarter community in 2014, in 2015, Earin was the first company to introduce true wireless in-ear headphones with their M-1 earbuds, followed by the M-2 in 2017. For CES 2021, they’ve just announced their third generation of sleek, tiny, and innovative in-ear wireless headphones, the Earin A-3.
