audiosplitz: Neckband

Beats' and Apple's 2016 Audio Lineup

September 09, 2016

This was an incredibly exciting week for audio tech, with IFA 2016 held last weekend and Apple's Special Event just yesterday where the iPhone 7 was launched.

I was itching to send out a couple of articles out but I decided to refrain. I was in Krabi, Thailand (yet again) for the past week but with two babies in tow this time round. It was a wonderful experience where time could be spent as a family and a conscious decision was made to live as a digital hermit. I feel that sharpening the saw gives new perspectives to life and this trip definitely reinforced this view.

And now that I am back in SG, with a keyboard proper, let's dive in to check out what Beats and Apple have in store. I'll tear away the marketing talk and attempt to present a balanced view of these new products.

What's The Big Deal?
Well, the talk of the town centered on the iPhone 7's headphone jack (or lack thereof). We had talked about this sometime last year, but now that the removal of the 3.5mm jack is cast in stone, Bluetooth earphones are now a much more interesting proposition. Sure, Apple made a Lightning connector but the SGD 14 (USD 9) accessory seriously looks daft to use considering that you can't charge the phone simultaneously. So with that, there are 4 products to check out - 1 Apple and 3 Beats, all wireless and powered by Apple's W1 chip that promise more power on a single charge.

Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter

1. Apple AirPods
So we found out that the rumors were true. This is Apple's first attempt at truly wireless buds that Earin, Bragi and Samsung have all already released. They weigh an ultra light 4g and promise a 5 hour (listening) battery life on a single charge, better than most we've tried, and up to 24 hours in total when combined with its 38g charging case. Its design appears to mimic the mono Bluetooth headsets (remember those?) worn in the early 2000s. Could be a hit or miss. We'll look on in anticipation at how it fares.

Battery Life - 5 hours / 15 min Quick Charge for 3 hours
Colors - White
Price - SGD 238 / GBP 159 / USD 159
Availability - October 2016

2. BeatsX
This is the first Beats product with a new industrial design since the Apple merger and they are in-ear neck-phones, a category popularized by the LG TONE. They should sit comfortably around the neck, come with wingtips for better fit on the go and the buds magnetically latch to each other when not in use.

Battery Life - 8 hours / 5 min Quick Charge for 2 hours
Colors - White/ Black
Price - SGD 198 / GBP 129 / USD 149
Availability - Autumn 2016

Read - BeatsX Neckband Headphones Review

3. Beats Solo3 Wireless
It appears that you've seen these 215g on-ear headphones before. You sure have because it looks identical to its predecessor, the Solo2 Wireless that we reviewed. The big diff is the Solo2 had 12 hours of power whereas the new Solo3 Wireless boasts a more impressive 40 hours. All the colors are designed to match the new iPhone 7 range. Oh, and price is almost SGD 100 down (SGD 490 to SGD 398).

Battery Life - 40 hours / 5 min Quick Charge for 3 hours
Colors - Gloss Black /Gloss White /Silver /Rose Gold /Black
Price - SGD 398 / GBP 249 / USD 299
Availability - Out now

4. Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless
The design of these sports wireless in-ears is practically the same as the Powerbeats2 Wireless (also reviewed), apart from the color accents being applied to different areas for the Active Collection range (Blue/ Red/ Yellow). The battery has doubled from the 6h of its predecessor to 12h. Price-wise, it's more agreeable at SGD 268 instead of SGD 310.

Battery Life - 12 hours / 5 min Quick Charge for 1 hour
Colors - Black /White/ Flash Blue/ Siren Red/ Shock Yellow
Price - SGD 268 / GBP 169 / USD 199
Availability - Autumn 2016

Beats Powerbeats 3 Wireless - Shock Yellow

Bluetooth

Motorola VerveOnes+ - True Wireless and Waterproof

June 23, 2016

Just a week back (16 June), Motorola launched a slew of 5 earbuds to light up the portable audio space. Headlining the troupe are the VerveOnes+, a pair of true wireless earbuds that are "completely waterproof".

What's the Big Deal?
These Motorola-branded earbuds are actually developed by Binatone that acquired the exclusive license rights in 2015 to manufacture certain Motorola accessories.

That said, we see the introduction of the VerveLife family of products namely 5 Bluetooth earphones - 2 truly wireless, 1 sports wireless and 2 neckband buds. In case you are wondering what the '+' is for, it's to mark the sports-centric models where they come with an IP57 rating where there is waterproof protection from sweat and rain.

1. VerveOnes+ True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
USD 249.99 - On Amazon
Headling the products are the VerveOnes+. We have seen some awesome truly wireless earbuds and this potentially ranks right up there, especially with the IP57 waterproofing. You swivel the edge of the black/orange case to unveil the buds that can last 3.5h on music playback and up to 12h with charging from the case.

The button on each bud is for play / pause and is configurable via the Hubble Connect app.

Let's check out what this can do:

2. VerveOnes True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
USD 199.99
This has the same features as the VerveOnes+ but have no waterproofing.

3. VerveLoop+ Wireless Bluetooth Sports Earbuds
USD 79.99 - On Amazon

This is a sports wireless model where there is a singular cord linking the left to right buds. It offers a top-in-class battery life of 9.5 hours, comes with 4 eartips and 3 ear loop stabilizers for better fit and IP57 waterproofing.

Like the UA Headphones Wireless, the charge point is on the in-line remote.

4. VerveRider+
USD 79.99 - On Amazon
This is a sports neckband pair of buds where you can sling them comfortably around your neck.

The buds magnetically latch onto the ring for easy storage and last for a decent 12 hours of music playback.

If you have 'em, flaunt them.

5. VerveRider
USD 69.99 - On Amazon
This has the same features as the VerveRider+ but has no waterproofing.

All the VerveLife products are supported by the 'Hubble Connect for VerveLife' app that can be downloaded from Apple AppStore or Google Play, though note that support extends from iOS 8 / Android 4.4.4 and above. In case you misplace your buds, the app will help to locate their last location. How neat is that?

Availability
They're supposed to be up for sale on 16 June on the VerveLife store. They currently can't be purchased in Singapore. However, you can support us by getting them via the respective Amazon affiliate links below:

VerveOnes+ USD 249.99
VerveLoop+ USD 79.99
VerveRider+ USD 79.99
VerveRider USD 69.99

Bluetooth

Bose's Foursome of Wireless Headphones

June 05, 2016

5 June - Bose launched 4 wireless headphones, signaling its intent and direction in the noise canceling and sports audio space. This is jaw dropping news to say the least.

What's So Special?
This is an incredibly exciting launch for the portable music world. We had predicted last year that Bose would offer a sports wireless model but to see 4 new products released at once is heart-stopping :)

1. Bose QuietComfort 35 (QC 35)

i. Noise Canceling - Everyone was wondering when Bose's classic wired noise canceling QC 25 would go wireless and that time has come. If the active noise canceling (ANC) ability is even on par with the QC 25, we have ourselves likely the best wireless ANC pair in the market.

ii. Design - These headphones are a clear design hybrid between the QC 25 and AE2 SoundLink headphones with playback controls on the right side + NFC. In addition, Bose provides a Connect app (iOS / Android) which was previously only compatible with the AE2. We will check out its full potential once we lay our paws on a unit.

iii. Battery Life - At 20 hours, this provides a decent amount of power, considering that this serves both the Bluetooth and ANC functionality.

10 July 2016 - We have reviewed the Bose QC35 (SGD 549 / USD 349.95 on Amazon)

2. Bose SoundSport Wireless
i. Sweat and Water Resistance - This looks way different from its wired SoundSport predecessor and for good measure. These Bluetooth / NFC buds are designed for resistance to sweat and water and certainly look the part.

ii. Fit - These are fitted with what the Bose QC20 have - StayHear+ tips and they are super comfy in terms of ear fit. Look no further than the Jaybird X2 Wireless and Plantronics BackBeat GO 3 for competitors.

iii. Charging on the Go
The buds have a rather average 6h battery life. To make the deal sweeter, an optional (and intuitively-named) accessory called the SoundSport charging case (just USD 49.95 please) gives an additional 18h of juice when stored for a full charge of about 2h.

Credit - CNET

14 July 2016 - We have reviewed the SoundSport Wireless (SGD 239 / USD 149.95 on Amazon)

3. Bose SoundSport Pulse
These are pretty much similar to the SoundSport Wireless and to top it off, there's an integrated heart-rate monitor and has 5h of battery life. More to come once more info is in.

4. Bose QuietControl 30 (QC 30)
If you're familiar with neckband-type earphones (think LG TONE) and Bose's top notch noise canceling QC20 earbuds, this is a product that marries these two great features into a singular product.

Pricing
We pinged Atlas on the pricing in Singapore (SG).

Update - 21 Oct 2016:
For now, here's the lowdown (USD prices from Amazon):
QC35 - SGD ~~599~~ 549 (USD 349)
QC30 - TBC (USD 299)
SoundSport Pulse - SGD 349 (USD 199)
SoundSport Wireless - SGD 239 (USD 149)

Availability
We checked with Atlas, Singapore's distributor, on local availability.

QuietComfort 35 (QC 35):
Silver / Black - Pre-orders in June 2016

SoundSport Wireless:
Aqua / Black - Pre-orders in June 2016
Citron - Pre-orders in Sep 2016

SoundSport Pulse:
Red - Pre-orders in Sep 2016

Credit - CNET

QuietControl 30 (QC 30) - Pre-orders in Sep 2016

Bluetooth

Sony Concept N / Future Lab Program

March 18, 2016

Sony, just this month, launched an R&D initiative called the Future Lab Program. Its creation was fueled by a need for devices built upon more customer input. The idea is to "share concept prototypes with users while still at the development stage, and look to them for inspiration, leveraging their feedback to refine and evolve its projects".

This was swiftly followed by the announcement of a product called Concept N at SXSW (South By Southwest) Interactive Festival in Texas on 12 Mar. Its premise according to Sony is a "hands-free user interface that creates a new way of experiencing audio such as music and sound, allowing the user to receive audio information without having to insert any object into his or her ear."

If taken purely from the audio perspective, you sling the device around your neck and the music gets channeled upwards toward your ears like a pair of speakers. How neat is that? It gets better. Sporting the LG Tone look and Google Glass technology in its features, read on to find out more.

What's the Deal?

1. A New Trend?
Sony aren't the first to come up with the concept of speakers around the neck. Music Wrap, born from Kickstarter have initiated something similar just last month. Will this be the start of a product type that'll sell truckloads? Only time will tell.

2. Sound directed only to you
Apparently, the sound is targeted directly at your ears to the extent that you can hear the music. Others can tell you are listening to music but won't be able to discern exactly what, according to Nylon.

3. Open-ear earphones
If the open sound direction does not appeal, Sony provides open-ear earphones where you fit an open circle, with a dangling tube linked to drivers, into your ear. This has the effect of letting you hear ambient sound while being able to listen to music from the drivers.

Credit - Engadget

4. Integrated Camera / Voice Controls
This is where the similarity between neckband headphones like the LG TONE fades and you think more of a futuristic product. Like Google Glass, we have a device that can give you information such as weather and GPS location upon request. Just like you say 'Ok Google' to initiate Google services, the Concept N is triggered by 'Listen up Arc!'. The camera can open up on demand and take photos when needed.

Credit - Engadget

Pricing / Availability
As the Sony Concept N is purely a concept, there's no news as yet on when this futuristic product will launch. It certainly looks fantastic and banks on the top technology available today. Let's give it a year and see if it goes to mass production.

aptX

LG TONE Active (HBS-850) - Full Review

January 26, 2016

To say the LG TONE series has been successful is quite an understatement. As of July 2015, it has chalked up some impressive stats - selling in excess of 10 million units worldwide and being the top wireless Bluetooth headset brand (by units sold) in the US.

Recognizing that the sports segment has huge potential, LG announced the worldwide rollout of the LG TONE Active (HBS-850), a sports oriented unit, in that same month. We were fortunate to check out its Singapore launch held in Dec 2015, grab a unit and now, deliver a full review!

Design
Out of the 4 colors to choose from - Lime, Orange, Blue and Pink, we obtained the Lime version, which actually dazzles in a bright yellowish veneer.

Now for the unboxing experience.
You can feast your eyes at the product instantly through the transparent blister.

Taking the top lid off gets you full access to the TONE Active, but not before peeling off a plastic fastening tab. There's a small box flanked on the top and a big one smack between HBS-850.

The big one includes the user guides while the small one bundles all the relevant accessories.

Taking everything out, the full packaging contents include:
- LG HBS-850
- 2 x Ear gels (S / M)
- 2 x Stabilizer tips (S / M)
- Charging cable
- User guide

Let's talk about the LG HBS-850. Choker? Collar? Whatever you may name it, the LG TONE sure is a looker. Wearing it around the neck as fashion accessory is certainly an option. For practical purposes, it holds around your neck and doesn't fall off easily. Its design is undeniably striking, sporting bright colors that accentuate this notion. The retractable earphones are really convenient too - pull them out to slot in the ear and pull again to stash it back into storage. This is more apparent if you try to insert earbuds of other sports earphone types such as clip-ons or over-ears with one hand.

It weighs a pretty meaty 51g, not light compared with other sports earphones like the Jaybird X2 Wireless (13g) or the Beats Powerbeats 2 Wireless (24g). However, there's a purpose for the weight that we'll look at later.

Features
The TONE Active has an IPX3 rating. This is basically a International Protection Marking system that rates the degree of protection afforded against the elements. Nutshell - it's supposedly water and sweat resistant.

Running on the Bluetooth 4.1, promising longer battery life, pairing is a cinch. Just hold the power button, activate your device's Bluetooth, select 'LG HBS850' and that's basically it. All this done with accompanying voice prompts and flashing LEDs to clearly indicate the pairing progress statuses.

The playback controls are found on both the left and right sides. The right has the volume up / down. On other selected Bluetooth earphones, holding the '+' will skip to the next track. On this unit, when you hold the button, it will do the reverse ie. jump to the previous track. No worries 'cos you get used to it in a jiffy. The left side has two buttons - Power and multi-function button.

There are two features that are not immediately obvious but add great value to the product -
1. Built-in equalizer - There are 3 modes and this is changeable on the go by holding the multi-function button for 2 seconds. The default is a Bass Boost setting. Pressing again in a cyclic manner, will give you Normal and Treble Boost modes. Our preferred mode for jogging or traveling was the Bass Boost. In the office, Normal did great. Thankfully, your last setting will be remembered whenever you turn off the device.

2. LG Tone & Talk App
You can get this app on Google Play. The handy part is it can read out messages or notifications from different apps and it does have different language support. Curiously, I did not see this same app in the App Store.

The micro-USB port is hidden by a rubber cover on the inner ring. When charging, the indicator displays a solid red light, progressing to violet once hitting the 80% mark and blue at full capacity.

Performance
And now for the jog!

I took the LG TONE Active for a 2.15km run at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. I tested out both the Medium-sized issued silicon tips and Comply Foam Isolation Plus (Tx-400) tips (purchased separately) for jogging. We split its usage evenly during the run while the equalizer setting was at Bass Boost.

Besides the zig zag lines at the end of the jog, the GPS worked erm...fairly accurately.

1. Default Silicon Tips (M-size)
These tips are functional - they do their job in delivering quality sound. The isolation does a decent job but you can still hear the grass cutting through the music. The fit is great 'cos unlike the traditional under-ears earbuds (eg. Jabra Sport Coach), there's nothing that tugs the earbuds downward so they are always kept in place.

2. Comply Foam Isolation Plus (Tx-400) (M-size)
Update (19 Jul 2016) - To understand Comply Foam tips and the different types available, do read this article.

You are practically jogging in a world of your own. The default tips were good but the noise isolation on Comply Foam is considerably reduced to the extent that you'd get a little worried for your safety if you're jogging with road traffic closeby. Fit remains the same, but probably psychologically more assuring as the foam expands to lodge in the ears. The bass is actually upped an ante with these tips, something that worked perfectly fine for my run with Armin Van Buuren's Take Me Where I Wanna Go pounding my ears.

I'm not the kind that drenches the product in sweat after jogging. From my perspective, what can be said is the product still works perfectly fine. The sweat points are mainly around the black rubberized section surrounding my neck. The visible surface dried off pretty quick though you may wanna note that you may need to open up the stabilizers as some residual sweat may gather there.

Wearing them around the neck feels comfortable. Sure you feel something there, but it doesn't intrude into your physical activities that you consider it a hindrance.

There's absolutely no cable rustle at all ie. no mechanical vibrations due to the LG TONE HBS-850 that get transmitted to your ear during the jog. The reason is simple - the ultra -thin earphone cable is never overly stretched when you jog. This is a actually a great feature. The only impact is actually the sensation of the tips of the LG TONE that throb up and down intermittently (like probably 10% of the entire jog) against your collar.

To test the sound quality in detail, we sat in an office setting. The first sensing was that the quality was actually not too good - at least until we realized that the default setting was Bass Boost. Once Normal was activated, Keane's To The End Of The Earth suddenly took on a new dimension. The balance was struck by a piano accompaniment that felt more dramatic while the low frequencies came through with resolve. Simply put, use Normal (or Treble Boost if you love even more detail) in your office and Bass Boost when jogging.

The TONE Active's 180mAh Lithium-Polymer battery can last for a decent 9.5 hours of music playback for less than 2h of full charge. Once powered, it boasts a healthy 13h talk time or an equivalent of 430h of standby. The battery life of the Jaybird X2 Wireless (8h) and Beats PowerBeats 2 Wireless (6h) is less, likely due to a more compact form factor.

Overall
We enjoyed using the LG HBS-850 very much. The really convenient placement over the neck and ease of slotting the earbuds to fit was great. The almost non-existent microphonics, the great sound quality and adjustable equalizer really sealed the deal to make this an excellent choice for joggers.

Where To Buy
If you like the LG TONE Active, you can purchase from Amazon via our affiliate link from USD 77.
Compatible Comply Foam M-size eartips (400 series) can be purchased from Amazon too. 3 pairs go for Isolation - USD 12.95 and Isolation Plus (with WaxGuard) - USD 19.95.

Audio Sources
Take Me Where I Wanna Go - Armin Van Buuren, VanVelzen (Tidal 1411kbps FLAC) on Samsung Galaxy S4
To The End Of The Earth - Keane (Tidal 1411kbps FLAC) on Samsung Galaxy S4

Credit to Leader Radio Technologies and Hearing Components for review units.

You may be interested in: