audiosplitz: Sony

CES 2018 - Sony's 2nd Gen True Wireless Earphones

January 10, 2018

To kick off the 2018 with a bang, the yearly Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas always plays host to some really interesting gadgets. Sony usually makes it a point to stamp its mark with some great tech. They duly obliged by showcasing quite a few audio products, but we choose to focus on just this - the Sony WF-SP700N true wireless earphones.

Type - Truly Wireless Buds
Price - TBC

Sony WF-SP700N

Sony is starting to get into the groove with the launch of its 2nd generation pair of true wireless earphones.

What's Special?

1. In its category, they claim these are the first in the world to offer the noise-canceling and splash-proof (IPX4) functionality. Can't disagree with this.

2. Google Assistant - Sony says they are planning to bring this compatibility to these buds and given the prevalence of AI-driven products, this certainly adds to its value when giving voice commands on the move.

3. Ambient Sound - This mode allows external sound in to blend with music playback. Definitely a useful feature should you want to jog safely with nearby traffic.

Other Specs
Battery life - 3 hours
Weight - 7.6g each
Weight (Charging Case) - 45g
Accessories -

Charging case
charging cable (micro-USB)
4 x Silcon earbuds
2 x Arc supporters

Significance
All the big players are now established in the truly wireless arena. What does the future hold? With Apple, Google, Amazon determined to fight it out in the voice assistant domain, manufacturers of true wireless earbuds will likely head toward implementing these in their products within the next year.

Pricing and Availability
These buds will be available in Asia-Pacific from Q2 2018. Pricing is to be confirmed.
4 colors will be available - black, pink, yellow and white.

If you liked what you read, do feel free to support us by buying from Amazon through this affiliate link.

Update (8 May 2018)
The Sony WF-SP700N will be available in Singapore at Sony Stores from 24 May 2018 for SGD 299. When you purchase a unit, you will get a free Fitbit Flex 2, in the form of a redemption letter.

Beats

Red Headphones for SG National Day!

August 03, 2017

Singapore's National Day that falls on 9 August is just around the corner! Folks take time to get festive by sporting the colors of red and white in the streets and this year is no different. What better way to set a patriotic tone than to sport red headphones to go with your attire? That said, here's five stylish headphones /earphones to set the mood for the occasion.

1. Beats Solo3 Wireless
Price - SGD 398 (USD 299)
The (Product) Red campaign in raising awareness for HIV has been going on strong for 11 years now. In the process, you get some great looking red colored products. The Beats Solo3 Wireless is already a great looking pair of on-ears to begin with and certainly made even more striking by the red finish.
Read - Beats Solo2 Wireless review

2. Bose SoundSport Pulse Wireless
Price - SGD 319 (USD 199)
Bose made its foray into wireless sports in-ears last year and upgraded the original SoundSport Wireless (SGD 239) with the 'Pulse' functionality. This adds a heart rate sensor and relays this information to the Bose Connect app. It looks pretty much the same as the non-Pulse version and comes in a single color variant - *drumroll* Red!
Read - Bose SoundSport Wireless review

3. Jaybird X3 Wireless
Price - SGD 215 (USD 129)
Jaybird's latest buds are generation 3 of their huge selling X-series of sports in-ears. They upgraded from the original (named Bluebuds X) with the Jaybird X2 and now the latest incarnation comes with app support. The red variant is called Road Rash and looks pretty darn striking.
Read - Jaybird X3 Wireless review

4. Plantronics BackBeat FIT
Price - SGD 129 (USD 84)
The Plantronics BackBeat FIT has been around for a while and while there are some new colors that were launched in late-2016, the original red version with a greyish hue looks great. Like the name implies, it fits great and makes for a great companion when jogging.
Read - Plantronics BackBeat FIT review

5. Sony MDR-XB950BT Extra Bass
Price - SGD 269 (USD 198)
Sony's Extra Bass series of headphones has been quite a seller for them and the sheer volume of reviews on Amazon (2000+) for the XB950BT can attest to that. They have a newer version called the XB950B1 but hey, there's nothing like the classic version, eh? They, of course, have a red variant.

Bluetooth

Sony 2017 Extra Bass Speakers - Review

June 09, 2017

CES 2017 saw the announcement of 4 new speakers in Sony's portable wireless range, namely the Sony SRS-XB10, SRS-XB20, SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB40. Last month saw their launch and availability in Singapore. We now look at the unique features of each, but the main focus will be on how they perform collectively.

Type - Portable Wireless Speakers

What's The Big Deal?

1. Sony SRS-XB10

Sony's tiniest Bluetooth speaker

The SRS-XB10 is Sony's most inexpensive unit and is the most compact of the four speakers. Its silicon strap serves two useful purposes - it can serve to attach to a backpack or to prop the speaker on its side to direct music toward your ears.

Price - USD 48 / SGD 79
Weight - 260g
Dimensions - 75 x 75 x 91mm
Battery Capacity - 1,400mAh
Playback Time - Up to 16 hours
Charge Time - Approx 4.5 hours (by USB charge)

2. Sony SRS-XB20

Great sound in a portable frame

The XB20 is the lightest rectangular unit and is probably likely to be compared with the Bose SoundLink Mini II (670g) due to its similar form factor and weight. There's a single lighting tone that compliments the speaker's color nicely. It's possibly the unit that juggles weight, sound quality and portability most effectively 'cos it's light and you can still charge through a standard micro-USB cable.

Price - USD 98 / SGD 169
Weight - 590g
Dimensions - 198 x 68 x 69mm
Battery Capacity - 2,100mAh
Playback Time - Up to 12 hours
Charge Time - Approx 4 hours (1.5A) / Approx 12 hours (500mA) (by USB charge)

3. Sony SRS-XB30

Bass-boomer with good sound control

At close to one kg in weight, this is where the bass picks up, especially if you turn the volume above the mid-level. This is a solid speaker that, along with the XB40, features multi-color party lights. It hits a more than reasonable 24 hours of playback but requires charging through an AC adapter.

Price - USD 148 / SGD 269
Weight - 980g
Dimensions - 228 x 82 x 86mm
Battery Capacity - 4,200mAh
Playback Time - Up to 24 hours
Charge Time - Approx 4 hours (by AC adapter)

4. Sony SRS-XB40

Party animal

The XB40 is undoubtedly the life of a party. When you play David Guetta's thumping hits, you get the feeling that the low frequencies engulf you. That's of course ideal when you have big spaces where you need sound to reach out to. The party lights are most visible in the XB40 with flashing strobe and multi-colored lights punctuating the night. Hits 24 hours playback and requires an AC adapter.

Price - USD 248 / SGD 329
Weight - 1,500g
Dimensions - 279 x 100 x 105mm
Battery Capacity - 5,400mAh
Playback Time - Up to 24 hours
Charge Time - Approx 4 hours (by AC adapter)

Common Features On All Speakers
Now, let's check out the commonalities and we'll elaborate what's the value of each feature.

All the 4 speakers feature:

IPX5 water resistance
Sony's Extra Bass feature
Near Field Communications (NFC)
Auxiliary input (3.5mm)
Similar playback controls
Link Up Capability
Party Lights (except SRS-XB10)

1. IPX5 Water Resistance
This means that the speakers will not be affected even when a water jet is sprayed. It does not mean that they are waterproof so don't dunk them in a pool! Just note you'll have to close the covers to the ports to ensure everything works fine.

2. Sony Extra Bass
It's as the description says - pressing this button basically adds an additional depth to the bass levels. Only the SRS-XB10 doesn't have a dedicated button but incorporates this feature by default.

3. Near Field Communications
Sure the speakers connect to your music device by Bluetooth but they simplify the pairing process by including NFC. You just need to power on the NFC on your smartphone and hold it to the NFC point on the speaker (marked by the N logo) and you should be paired.

4. Auxiliary input
If your music device needs to be connected by a 3.5mm cable, then that's what this port is for.

5. Similar playback controlsThe layout of the controls is exactly the same for the XB20, XB30, XB40 where they are laid out in a straight line - Call / Play / Add / - / + / Power. The XB10 is similar though it drops the 'Call' button. We'll talk about how 'Add' functions shortly.

6. Link Up Capability
A great feature to have especially if you have more than a few of the new Sony speakers available. There are 2 link up modes:

a. Wireless Party Chain Mode
Three of the speakers, namely the XB40, XB30 and XB20 can be linked together. The result is audio comes out from all the speakers simultaneously. You need to pair a primary speaker, acting as a master, to your music device then hold 'Add' and '+' buttons together until a beep sound is heard. You then turn on the second speaker and hold the above mentioned buttons again. Once done, then 2 speakers are connected. Though we linked just three of them, Sony states that up to 10 speakers can be supported in this mode. The flipside is it can be quite tedious to link all speakers if you're going to repeat the same steps again and again.

Interestingly, you can control certain functions from the master speaker such as activating Extra Bass, party lights, playback and the power. To give an example, we tried the SRS-XB30 as the master. Powering off the XB30 causes all connected units to simultaneously switch off. If you perform these same actions on the slave speakers (eg. XB20), you will only activate the functions on a singular unit.

b. Stereo Mode
There's also a Stereo Mode where you can link two speakers of the same model together where one acts as the left channel and the other as the right channel (for example, linking one XB20 to another XB20). I was unable to test this out as I had four different models on hand but judging on the success rate of linking the 3 speakers in wireless party chain mode, linking them on stereo mode shouldn't be a problem.

So What's The Ideal Speaker For...

Now that you've seen the four speakers, you may be a little confused what speaker would suit your needs. To make things simple, we have a few user profiles that serve to give a rough idea on possible usage patterns.

1. A Beach Bum
Recommended: SRS-XB20
You want something portable to hit the beach with. Of course, you need good sound quality and the convenience to charge through a micro-USB port should the need arise. The form factor of the SRS-XB20 would be a great candidate.

2. A Party Host
Recommended: SRS-XB40
You love hosting parties. Doesn't matter if they are wild ones or just a meeting between friends as long as you can a sound profile that fills the room. The XB40 would be ideal due to its ability to easily make its impact felt around huge rooms.

3. A Tertiary Student in Hostel
Recommended: SRS-XB30 / SRS-XB20
You stay in your student accommodation during the week when going for class and love having fellow students over for drinks (we mean coffee of course!). If so, the XB30 makes a good choice. If you do shuttle back and forth to your home every weekend, then the XB20 may offer a more portable option.

4. A Parent
Recommended: SRS-XB10
If you are a parent like myself, it's a strong possibility that when you go out, you'll be lugging a whole lot of stuff with you - milk powder, diapers, change of clothes, toys, blabla. The whole idea is to minimize the load you're carrying and that's where the SRS-XB10 is ideal. It's really light and the loudness is quite decent to entertain the babies / toddlers / kids to their fav Netflix / YouTube channels.

Where To Buy

The four Sony Extra Bass speakers can now be purchased at Sony Stores and Sony authorised dealers.

Credit to Sony for the review units.

Bluetooth

Sony NW-WS623 Walkman - First Look

May 03, 2017

Sony is no stranger to waterproof earbuds. They continually refine their products as we see here today with their new NW-WS623 Walkman (SGD 199). While it looks practically the same as the WS413 that we reviewed last year, they added a long-desired feature called (*drumroll*) Bluetooth! Here are our first impressions.

What's the Big Deal?

1. Bluetooth
Damn right. While it's a feature that's in practically every wireless pair of earphones, the previous iteration did not need it as there was 4GB of memory built within to use when swimming. However, Bluetooth is always a good to have feature especially if you enjoy jogging while streaming from Spotify. These earbuds can link to your phone through NFC too.

2. The Best Features Remain
Generally, the noteworthy features of its predecessor remain for the WS623. It's a 32 gram unit with a 12 hour battery life and an ambient sound mode that allows you to toggle between good noise isolation and keeping in touch with environmental sounds. It's still waterproof and dustproof and looks mighty decent.

3. Earbuds Provided
Like its predecessor, the WS623 does not skimp on earbuds. There's 8 pairs of buds - 4 pairs for swimming purposes (a silicon layer covers the hole where music is channeled) and 4 for conventional usage. Oh, and they're all color coded to prevent confusion.

Pricing and Availability
Sony NW-WS623 (4GB) - This will be available from Sony Stores worldwide in May 2017 for USD 148 / SGD 199. The colors will be Lime Green / Blue / Grayish White / Black.

Sony NW-WS625 (16GB) - This looks the same as the WS623. The difference is its increased storage and the addition of a remote commander that can be fit on your finger. Instead of adjusting the controls located around your head, you just hit the control on your finger. Together, it goes for USD 198.

Who's It For?
This Sony WS623 is SGD 50 more than the WS413 but you'll have to consider your expected usage to see if it makes sense. If you swim lots, the WS413 is quite sufficient but if you reckon you spend more time streaming music from your phone for normal usage like jogging / commuting, the WS623 is hands down the unit to choose from.

Beats

Top 5 Neckband Headphones of 2016

October 21, 2016

Neckband headphones (aka behind-the-neck earphones) are an increasingly common category of portable audio devices. In 2014, you'd see everyone with conventional wired earphones plugged in or maybe even corded Bluetooth buds. Now in 2016, you may be starting to see a stronger take up rate of neckband headphones.

Neckband Headphones - Motorola VerveRider+

Popularized by the LG TONE series that sold an astounding 10 million units as of July 2015, it's easy to understand why other manufacturers want a piece of the pie. Among those who've taken the plunge in 2016 are Beats and Bose.

What Are They?
Behind-the-neck headphones are basically audio devices with a collar that hang snugly around your neck. Almost all of them have Bluetooth capability to connect to your phone for music playback. The earbuds are connected to the collar by a cable.

So what's the appeal to this? There are many opinions on this. It's futuristic looking (think Star Trek), undoubtedly striking and possibly a fashion statement. One important reason is the convenience. Just plug your buds into you ear and when done, take 'em out and hang them around your neck. All this without needing to wind or stash them into your bag.

Now let's dive in to see what are the...
Top 5 Neckband Headphones of 2016

1. BeatsX

Price - SGD 198 / GBP 129 / USD 149
Launched in Apple's September 2016 Keynote was the BeatsX. While much attention was on the AirPods, these mark the very first neckbands from Beats. It comes in white or black and has a battery life of 8 hours or 2 hours on a 5 min quick charge.

2. Bose QuietControl 30 (QC30)

Neckband Headphones - Bose QuietControl 30 (QC30)

Price - USD 299
The Bose QC30 is a stylish marriage between neckbands and the wired QC20. It provides noise canceling capability and ambient sound adjustment while retaining comfort and convenience. It lasts 10 hours on a full charge and gives 1 hour of playback with a 15 minute charge.

3. LG Tone Active (HBS-850)

Neckband Headphones - LG TONE Active HBS-850

Price - SGD 189 / USD 69
We reviewed the LG HBS-850 in early 2016. These are sweat-proof neckband buds and boast retractable earbuds. They come with good app support that allows voice prompts of messages. Excellent sound too.

4. Motorola VerveRider+

Price - USD 79.99
We previously did a first take of the Motorola VerveRider+, a sports neckband pair of buds. The buds magnetically latch onto the ring for easy storage and last for a decent 12 hours of music playback.

5. Sony MDR-XB70BT

Price - USD 99
First seen at IFA 2016, the MDR-XB70BT boasts 12mm dynamic drivers and comes in 3 vibrant colors. It weighs 43g and can play music for up to 9 hours.

Audio Quality

IFA 2016 - Sony's Portable Audio Lineup

September 25, 2016

IFA held in Berlin is always a great place to find breaking news on the latest in consumer electronics. This year didn't disappoint. In this article, let's focus on Sony, which launched a whole slew of portable audio products. Sony President and CEO, Kazuo Hirai was there to talk about the company's latest developments.

What's So Special?
Sony introduced a 6 new products in its portable audio range (I must emphasize 'portable') - 2 players, 1 headphone and 3 wireless in-ears. All support Sony's LDAC codec, which promise a high quality sound over Bluetooth. Let's check out the unique features of each.

Players -
1. NW-WM1Z / NW-WM1A Walkman

Sony introduces a new Signature Series flagship line of products for audio purists of which the WM1Z, with a gold-plated copper chassis and black WM1A are a part of. Sized at 73 x 124 x 20mm, both are capable of High-Resolution Audio.

They support Sony's LDAC codec for wireless high quality sound over Bluetooth (no news on aptX though) and come with a microSD slot to add more music if needed. There's Sony's DSEE HX audio upscaling technology to digitally enhance the sound quality. Wanna know the price? Read on. Your eyes may just pop.

WM1Z (gold) specs - 455g / 256GB / 33h MP3 playback
WM1A (black) specs - 267g / 128GB / 33h MP3 playback

You can now purchase the NW-WM1Z on Amazon for USD 3,199.

2. NW-A30 Walkman

For something more affordable, the NW-A30 series slots in nicely with the Sony's h.ear lineup with 5 sprightly colors.

NW-A35 specs - 98g / 16GB / 45h MP3 playback
NW-A36HN specs - 98g / 32GB / 45h MP3 playback / includes noise-canceling (NC) in-ears

Headphones -
3. MDR-1000X (Wireless over-ears)

The noise canceling headphone category is really spicing up with the Bose QC35, Plantronics BackBeat PRO+ and Sennheiser PXC 550 having been released recently. Sony's offering is the MDR-1000X, weighs 275g and looks pretty darn good.

The MDR-1000X is an over-ears headphones and a High Resolution Audio device that supports the LDAC codec (yes, it's compatible with the WM1 series). Its most interesting feature is its 'Quick Attention' mode where you place a palm over the earcup to allow a conversation to take place. It sports touch controls and you can activate ambient sound mode to stay aware of your surroundings while listening. Available in Beige / Black.

Specs - 275g / 20h (NC on) and 22h (NC off) playback

You can now purchase the MDR-1000X Beige or Black from Amazon at USD 399.

Wireless In-Ears -
4. MDR-XB80BS (Sports Clip-ons)

These are of the clip-on variety, similar to the Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless. They are washable, have an extra-bass mode, come in three colors and when connected by Bluetooth, can stream music with Sony's LDAC codec.

Specs - 27g / 7 hours playback / IPX5 rated / 12mm dynamic drivers

You can now purchase the MDR-XB80BS Black / Red / Blue from Amazon at USD 149.

5. MDR-XB50BS (Sports Wireless)

These are straightforward Bluetooth in-ears with arc supporters to insert in the ear to minimize dislodgement. They also have an extra-bass mode and come in Red / Blue / Black.
Specs - 22g / 8.5 hours playback / IPX4 rated / 12mm dynamic drivers

You can now purchase the MDR-XB50BS Black / Red / Blue from Amazon at USD 79.

6. MDR-XB70BT (Neckband)

The XB70BT are neckband earphones, a category popularized by LG TONE, that come in 3 colors.
Specs - 43g / 9 hours playback / 12mm dynamic drivers

You can now purchase the MDR-XB70BT Black from Amazon at USD 99.

Availability
They will all be slated to be available in Singapore in October to November 2016. If you want to get any of the products earlier, do click on the links above to purchase from Amazon.

Pricing
We are checking on Singapore pricing. If it is the same as last year, this will be released closer to the launch date. For the moment, here are the expected prices worldwide.

The pricing is as follows:
(Use landscape mode on mobile to view)

Product	Retail Price
NW-WM1Z Walkman	USD 3199
NW-WM1A Walkman	EUR 1200
NW-A35 Walkman	AUD 349
NW-A36HN Walkman (with NC in-ears)	AUD 449
MDR-1000X headphones (NC)	USD 399
MDR-XB80BS sports in-ear	USD 149
MDR-XB50BS sports in-ear	USD 79
MDR-XB70BT in-ear	USD 99