While iOS won’t support the standard, macOS officially supports aptX (not to be confused with aptX HD) as a Bluetooth audio codec. However, macOS will likely favor AAC as Apple’s apps such as iTunes prefer the codec.
When you’re using headphones for studio production, you want cans that reproduce the sound exactly as it’s being recorded – nothing added, nothing changed, nothing taken away. That’s a preference many of us share outside the studio, and what monitor headphones are all about. Marshall has today launched a wireless version of its top-of-the-range Monitor headphones.
Despite criticism, it appears that Apple’s decision to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack might at least be well-timed. According to NPD, Bluetooth wireless headphones exceeded sales revenue of their wired counterparts in the US during the June sales period.
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I’ve always been slightly torn when it comes to headphone choice. While I make no claims to being an audiophile, sound quality is my number one criterion when it comes to selecting headphones. I like neutral sound characteristics that faithfully reproduce what the musicians intended us to hear. I also like high-quality, traditional materials with understated looks. That tends to leave me choosing from the traditional hifi brands.
At the same time, though, I’m a gadget guy. I loved the touch-panel controls of the Parrot Zik. The only thing that put me off those is that, plane journeys aside, I’m not a fan of noise-cancelling cans. I like to be able to hear just a little of what’s going on around me – enough to hear when an announcement is being made on a train, or that I’m about to step in front of a bus – and the Zik headphones don’t sound good in passive mode.
So when Phiaton announced the BT 460, which has a similar touch-and-swipe interface, I thought I’d give them a try. These also have one further claim to fame on the gadget front: they automatically pause music when you take them off, and auto-resume when you put them back on …
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Jaybird, maker of the popular sweatproof X and X2 Bluetooth headphones, has announced two new models planned for release in the second quarter of this year. Designed to appeal to athletes, the X3 ($150) and Freedom ($200) have both been redesigned from earlier, similarly-named models, and now use power-efficient Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology for full compatibility with current-generation iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. Each will be available in five colors, and work with Jaybird’s MySound app to create user-defined equalizer settings…
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Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
VIZIO 49-inch 120Hz 4K LED Smart HDTV $600 (Reg. $720), 43-inch $548 or $528 w/ Prime (Reg. $599)
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VIZIO 49-inch 120Hz 4K LED Smart HDTV $600 (Reg. $720), 43-inch $548 or $528 w/ Prime (Reg. $599)
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As part of a launch event for its new Android smartphones, Motorola has announced two new Bluetooth headphones it’s hoping might also appeal to iPhone users.
The $59.99 Moto pulse are stylish-looking on-ear headphones with beefy 40mm drivers, fold-flat ear cups for portability and a claimed 18-hour battery life. The $69.99 Moto surround earbuds are aimed at sports and fitness use, being both waterproof and sweatproof and equipped with a collar band designed to be light yet remain in place during exercise.
A companion iOS app provides easy pairing, battery notifications and ‘Find my iPhone’ type functionality to reunite you with either pair of headphones if you lose them.
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Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive: $110 shipped (Reg. $130), more http://t.co/MX0Sx068Qb pic.twitter.com/iI1LeOQUPW
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 22, 2015
WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive: $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more http://t.co/MX0Sx068Qb pic.twitter.com/XppZTF5hGu
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 21, 2015
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$100 worth of Best Buy gift cards for $85 http://t.co/ueVyGChnb0 pic.twitter.com/uA5IXoND2Z
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 17, 2015
Back when white earbuds dominated the market, Beats by Dre proved that mainstream customers were willing to pay $300 for large wired headphones and nearly $400 for wireless versions — even plasticky, overly bassy ones. The subsequent shift towards big headphones nearly killed makers of premium in-ear models, leading many audio companies to mimic Beats’ formula. But there were holdouts: iconic audio companies including Bowers & Wilkins refused to compromise their materials or change their sonic signatures to match Beats. Instead, B&W offered premium-priced headphones made from premium-quality materials, and let customers pick between plastic Beats or metal and leather alternatives.
Today, Bowers & Wilkins is debuting P5 Wireless ($400), a Bluetooth version of last year’s luxurious P5 Series 2 (and the since-discontinued original P5). Mixing chrome, brushed aluminum, and ultra-soft sheep’s leather, P5 Wireless is virtually indistinguishable from P5 Series 2 apart from its ability to operate with or without a 3.5mm audio cable. Classy in ways that even the top-of-line Beats Pro can’t match, P5 Wireless is the first Bluetooth headphone I would recommend to fans of classic premium audio gear…
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
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Friends have often expressed surprise at the fact that I continue to use wired headphones. My beautifully-portable and much-loved Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones go with me almost everywhere, while my Master & Dynamic MH40s are my go-to headphones in the living room.
Friends know my aversion to visible cables, and I’m usually an ‘any excuse for a gadget’ type guy, so why, they ask, do I continue to wear wired headphones? There have been a couple of reasons for that. First, the ‘yet another device to charge’ factor – to add to my Macs, iPad, iPhone, bike cam, GPS and now Apple Watch.
Second, the sound quality of Bluetooth headphones hasn’t compared well to wired ones in my experience. I’ve tried a bunch of Bluetooth headphones in the store, but none persuaded me. However, designing with wood and leather is always a good way to catch my attention, so I thought I’d try House of Marley’s Liberate XLBT over-ear headphones …
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Up until now, Bluetooth wireless audio was purely optional for Apple’s devices: every iPad, iPhone, and iPod has shipped with a 3.5mm audio port to connect with wired earbuds and headphones. The Apple Watch is different: it’s Apple’s first fully wireless device, with no user-accessible ports to connect accessories, even though it can work as a standalone music player during workouts. The lack of a headphone port is actually a positive, since tethering your wrist to your head with a cable would look silly, and isn’t ergonomically ideal. Thankfully, Bluetooth headphones have come a long way over the past few years, shrinking from gangly and boxy earmuffs into earphones comfortable enough to exercise with.
Since one of the Apple Watch’s major selling points is fitness functionality, this quick guide to the best Apple Watch headphones and earphones focuses mostly on accessories that can work anywhere, rather than options you can’t wear while exercising. But I’ll include some larger options, too, just in case you’re picking a pair for non-athletic use, or to share with your iPad, iPhone, iPod, or Mac…
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Nintendo Wii U Deluxe w/ Super Mario 3D World & Nintendo Land $260 shipped (Reg. $300+) http://t.co/I9gcq8saPp pic.twitter.com/XH0A5gvDSh
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) March 26, 2015
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Last Call updates:
iTunes Free App of the Week: ProCam 2 ($1.99 value)
Omaker 10,000mAh Dual 2.1A USB Batteries with 1W flashlight: $17 Prime shipped, (+ 5200mAh battery: $30 shipped)
2.5-inch SATA III SSDs: Samsung 850 250GB $110 (Reg. $150), Crucial MX100 256GB $90 (Reg. $128)
Apple discounts nearly forty of the most popular productivity apps for iOS and Mac
Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina display (newest) 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB: $1,599 ($200 off)
Apple 11.6-inch MacBook Air (newest version) 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB $750 (Reg. $899)
Apple 11.6-inch MacBook Air (mid 2013) 1.3GHz/4GB/256GB: $849 (orig. $1,099)
Today’s your last chance to enter to win this Ion desk lamp from Schoolhouse Electric! http://t.co/tIvK0bhaTu pic.twitter.com/Mv6xf6xfb0
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) January 30, 2015
