ReportWire

Tag: audio

  • AirPods Pro 3 Vs. AirPods Pro 2: Which Wireless Earbuds Are Better?

    [ad_1]

    After years of speculation, Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 are finally here, and while we haven’t tried them for ourselves, they look like they were worth the wait. This generation brings new hardware, features, and some impressive improvements on paper over the last generation, which was refreshed in 2023 with USB-C and a few other features. If you’re in the market for new AirPods, you’re probably already wondering whether you should rush out to scoop up Apple’s long-awaited third-gen, but before you do that, you should know what you’re getting into.

    Luckily, we’re here to give you a categorical breakdown that shows all of this year’s improvements and what’s the same as the AirPods Pro 2. Have at it, folks.

    AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: ANC

    © Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

    When it comes to AirPods Pro, ANC is one of the most important categories, and this year’s generation is no different. Apple knows that, which is why it clearly went back to the lab and took a stab at improving noise-canceling gen over gen.

    According to Apple, AirPods Pro 3 use “ultra-low noise microphones and advanced computational audio” to help give this generation 2x more ANC than AirPods Pro 2. That equates to 4x more ANC than the original AirPods Pro. It’s not all ANC, though. Apple says that this year’s earbuds should also improve passive noise cancellation, thanks to new ear tips that are filled with foam, creating a better seal in your ears.

    Apple doesn’t provide specific numbers for how many dBs are cancelled by its earbuds, but from the sounds of it, AirPods Pro 3 should excel in the ANC department and maybe even give Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (my favorite buds for ANC) a run for their money.

    AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Sound

    Apple AirPods Pro 3 Hero 250909 Inline.jpg.large 2x
    © Apple

    I haven’t gotten to listen to AirPods Pro 3 myself yet, but Apple says its new generation boasts some improvements over the AirPods Pro 2. Behind that is a tweak to the AirPods Pro 3 architecture.

    According to Apple, the AirPods Pro 3 have a “multiport acoustic architecture” that better controls the airflow and the way the sound carries to the ear. Apple couples that with a new Adaptive EQ, which is designed to give the AirPods Pro 3 a better bass response and widen the soundstage. Again, this all sounds good in theory, but we’ve yet to hear them for ourselves. On paper, at least, Apple’s AirPods 3 should be the best-sounding AirPods you can buy right now.

    AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Battery

    Photo: Andrew Liszewski / Gizmodo
    Photo: Andrew Liszewski / Gizmodo

    Battery life is one of the biggest metrics of any good pair of wireless earbuds, and, again, AirPods Pro 3 roll the ball forward here. According to Apple, the AirPods Pro 3 now have 8 hours of playback with ANC on as opposed to the 6-hour average of the AirPods Pro 2. If you want to extend the battery life even longer, you can listen to the AirPods Pro 3 with transparency on (ANC off), and you’ll get 10 hours of battery life on a single charge, according to Apple.

    There’s really no subjectivity here—more battery is just better—but if you’re curious, the AirPods Pro 3 improve upon the AirPods Pro 2 battery by 33 percent when it comes to ANC playback. On top of that, I’d say that AirPods Pro 3 also beat a lot of its non-Apple competition, which usually averages around 6 hours of battery with ANC on.

    AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Features

    A person rides a train while wearing Apple AirPods 3.
    © Apple

    If you’re picking up on a trend, it’s that AirPods Pro 3 are pretty much better across the board, but this is where they really start to pull away. There are some things in the third-gen AirPods Pro that the AirPods Pro 2 just can’t do. One of those things is heart rate monitoring. Thanks to new IR sensors in the AirPods Pro 3, which are combined with the preexisting accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS, these earbuds can track fitness goals, calories burned, and heart rate. According to Apple, AirPods Pro 3 will combine with its suite of fitness tools, allowing Apple Fitness+ users to see real-time performance metrics onscreen. And yes, unlike the PowerBeats Pro 2, you can listen to music while you track your health metrics.

    Another exclusive feature with the AirPods Pro 3 is Live Translation, which does exactly what it sounds like—it translates speech in real time. One cool aspect of the AirPods Pro 3 translation feature is that it uses ANC to lower the voice of the person you’re talking to so you can actually hear the translation in your earbuds. While the feature is still in beta, Apple says you can currently use Live Translation for English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, and Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese are on the way.

    That’s all to say that you’ll be able to do basically everything you can do with AirPods Pro 2 with the AirPods Pro 3—adaptive ANC, hearing test (though the AirPods Pro 3 is allegedly better at that), transparency, and more—but with two big new features in heart rate tracking and Live Translation. Point goes to AirPods Pro 3 once again.

    AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Comfort

    Airpods Pro 2 Statue Of Liberty 1
    © Photo: Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

    Comfort is another huge metric for earbuds, especially if you plan to wear them for long periods or while you’re exercising. Once more, Apple seems to have taken strides here with its new generation of AirPods. While both earbuds have ear tips, Apple says that it used “over 10,000 ear scans with more than 100,000 hours of user research” to tweak the fit of AirPods Pro 3.

    Specifically, Apple says the “external geometry of the ear tip” now aligns to the center of the body for more stability. AirPods Pro 3 also come with five ear tip sizes as opposed to four. With more sizes and a redesign, it looks like AirPods Pro 3 are poised to outpace the AirPods Pro 2 in comfort, too.

    AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Price

    So, there is one thing that’s the same on these two pairs of earbuds, and while that sounds like a point against the AirPods Pro 3, it’s actually a big win for Apple’s newest pair of AirPods. Both pairs debuted at $250, and while you can currently get the AirPods Pro 2 for $200, AirPods Pro 3 still qualify as a static entry price gen over gen. More for the same amount! Nice!

    [ad_2]

    James Pero

    Source link

  • Ragana and Drowse Announce New Album, Share Song

    [ad_1]

    Flenser artists Ragana and Drowse have announced a new collaborative album. The Pacific Northwest musicians recorded Ash Souvenir at the Unknown, in Anacortes, Washington, after premiering the material at the Roadburn Festival, in Tilburg, Netherlands. The album is out November 14. Below, listen to excerpts from the opening song, “In Eternal Woods.”

    Ragana (the duo of Maria and Noel) released their latest album, Desolation’s Flower, in 2023. The previous year, Drowse (the solo project of Portland, Oregon, musician Kyle Bates) shared Wane Into It.

    Read about Desolation’s Flower in “The 37 Best Rock Albums of 2023.”

    Ash Souvenir:

    01 In Eternal Woods Pts. 1-3
    02 After Image
    03 In Eternal Woods Pt. 4
    04 Ash Souvenir

    [ad_2]

    Matthew Strauss

    Source link

  • The New Bose QC Ultra 2 Are the Best Noise-Canceling Headphones Right Now

    [ad_1]

    When it comes to cutting out annoying outside noise, there is no brand in history that has denatured more decibels than Bose. The pioneers of noise-canceling haven’t been without challengers in recent years, including Sony, Apple, and others, but Bose has maintained the crown for generation after generation. Perhaps no product showcases this iterative talent more than its latest earbuds, the QuietComfort Ultra 2.

    There wasn’t anything wrong with the first pair. I liked their ergonomic fit, excellent noise reduction, and bold low end, not to mention their excellent microphones, angled toward your mouth in an homage to Apple’s popular AirPods Pro.

    With the new QC Ultra 2, we get wireless charging, more customizable sound, better immersive audio, and improved noise reduction. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re a business traveler or someone who wants a compact pair of headphones that truly removes the sound of the world around you, these are—once again—the best you can buy.

    Generation 2

    Photograph: Parker Hall

    I find it very hard to fault Bose for its rubber-stamped design approach; the previous pair were very comfortable and functioned extremely well. The slight changes that appear on the new model are welcome, and I’m not mad at the lack of physical changes.

    You now get wireless charging in the clamshell case and a guard to prevent earwax buildup, and you can toggle the included touch controls in the app, which is very helpful when doing activities where you might brush your ear.

    Places I don’t find improvements include the weight (the new buds are about a gram heavier but still perfectly fine in your ears) and battery life (the new buds have the same six hours with ANC on, 24 hours in the case as the old model). Bose has even opted for the same drivers in this new generation of buds, with slight tuning adjustments that I’ll get into in a bit.

    Features Galore

    Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Excellent Buds

    Courtesy of Bose

    If you’re new to the world of wireless earbuds or are coming from a more basic pair, the amount of customization that you can do with Bose’s latest buds can feel daunting. You can choose various “modern traditional” adjustments like EQ and noise canceling/transparency modes, but the buds also allow you to dial in two kinds of immersive 3D upscaling (one for staying in place, one for while you move around), among other wild and fantastical new settings that take advantage of modern processors and machine learning tech.

    [ad_2]

    Parker Hall

    Source link

  • Wired Earbuds Are So Back

    [ad_1]

    Belkin showcased a range of recently released Qi2.2 magnetic wireless chargers at IFA 2025, along with other charging accessories and wireless earbuds. Nestled in all of this were two products that immediately caught my eye: the Belkin UltraCharge Magnetic Charger 25W and the SoundForm USB-C Wired Earbuds with ANC.

    I want to talk about that second product, because this is something that has been stuck in a tiny space in the back of my mind for years. I rarely actively seek out noise-canceling wired earbuds, and when I do, I’m always disappointed to find they barely exist. At first glance, there’s not much to Belkin’s SoundForm USB-C headphones: they’re white, with flat wires that terminate in somewhat chunky earbuds. The earbuds are water- and- sweat resistant, feature 12mm drivers (for comparison, Apple’s AirPods Pro use 11mm drivers). Belkin claims they have “rich sound and deep bass.”

    I got to test them a little bit, and yes, they sound decent—they’re not tinny, not muffled, the sound is reasonably balanced, and they’ve got nice-sounding bass, though it won’t rattle your brain by any means. Also, the SoundForm USB-C Wired Earbuds seemed to avoid the kind of boxy sound that I’ve noticed with some Belkin wireless earbuds. The active noise-cancelling (ANC) is far from competing with that of the AirPods Pro 2, but it does drop the noise around you—it seemed like it had a hard time with a narrow band of mid-range sounds. Maybe that’s intentional, to let you hear when people are talking to you, but it’s a weird effect. The wired earbuds also have a transparency mode, or you can turn these modes off.

    The reason Belkin’s new headphones can actually do ANC is that instead of an unpowered 3.5mm headphone jack, they use USB-C. Sure, that limits where you can use them, but it’s a fine trade-off versus ANC wireless earbuds that you have to recharge and whose non-replaceable batteries are doomed to give out.

    Of course, USB-C plugs don’t always last forever—the little pieces that secure them in a port can wear out, making their connection loose and finicky—so there’s a chance these may not endure any longer than the tiny batteries in wireless earbuds, especially if you use them a lot. Belkin representative Jen Wei told me that the company doesn’t hear regular complaints from customers about its USB-C plugs doing this, and it’s true that some last longer than others, but it’s something to be aware of. Still, I’m glad to see Belkin trying this. The SoundForm USB-C Wired Earbuds with ANC will be available in October for $34.99.

    Belkin isn’t the only one bringing back wired earbuds. Sony also announced its own IER-EX15C earbuds (sorry, “in-ear headphones”) at IFA 2025. No ANC in these, but they also connect via USB-C. They’re $30, but for another $5, Belkin’s SoundForm USB-C Wired Earbuds seem like the better deal to get ANC.

    At a glance, the UltraCharge Magnetic Charger 25W is just a MagSafe-style charging puck, but thicker and with a ring-shaped kickstand that you can also use to stabilize your phone. Unlike the UltraCharge 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock that Belkin released last month, product manager Laurelin Stuart-Smith told me at the booth that the standalone puck has a heatsink inside for passive cooling—magnetic charging generates a lot of excess heat, and the 25W power afforded by this charger’s use of the Qi2.2 standard will only make that worse.

    The UltraCharge Magnetic Charger 25W will be available in November for $39.95.

    There’s one more thing I want to nerd out about from Belkin’s booth: the BoostCharge Retractable Car Charger 75W. Its integrated USB-C cable extends 75cm (roughly 2.5 feet) and offers 60W charging. The device also has two ports (one USB-A and one USB-C) and Belkin says it actively optimizes power delivery when more than one thing is connected.

    I’m always very skeptical about retractable cables, or just retractable things in general—I’ve just owned too many cheap ones whose springs give out, rendering them annoying and useless. I’m also always wary of integrated cables for the same USB-C plug wearing out. I can’t speak to how long the USB-C plug on this device will last, but retractable cables can be done well, and at least from the brief time I had tugging on Belkin’s new car charger’s USB-C cable, it felt pleasantly smooth, with none of the odd clunkiness that tells you This Thing Will Break Soon.

    The BoostCharge Retractable Car Charger 75W will be available in the US in October for $29.99.

     

    [ad_2]

    Wes Davis

    Source link

  • Justin Bieber Releases New Album Swag II

    [ad_1]

    After announcing its imminent release yesterday, Justin Bieber has dropped Swag II. Like its July predecessor, Swag, the record features production from the likes of Dijon, Mk.gee, Carter Lang, and Bieber himself. There are features from Lil B, Tems, Bakar, Hurricane Chris, and Eddie Benjamin among the 23 tracks. Check out the album below.

    Dylan Wiggins, Daniel Chetrit, Eddie Benjamin, Mike Will, and Camper are also among the new record’s producers. Since the release of Swag, Bieber has shared music videos for “Yukon” and “First Place.” The original album had guest appearances from Druski, 2 Chainz, Gunna, Sexyy Red, Cash Cobain, Lil B, and more.

    [ad_2]

    Jazz Monroe

    Source link

  • Sigur Rós Announce 20th Anniversary Reissue of Takk…, Share Rarities

    [ad_1]

    Sigur Rós have reissued their landmark album Takk… for its 20th anniversary. Today’s digital release precedes sets of 5×10″ and 3×12″ and a CD version, all coming on September 26, via Krunk. Takk… (20th Anniversary Remaster) comes with five rarities, two of which are officially out now for the first time: “Melrakki” and “Elfur,” both recorded in the lead-up to Takk…. Listen to those below.

    Three more B-sides—“Refur,” “Ó Friður,” and “Kafari”—have been remastered for the reissue. Scroll down for the tracklist. The band brings the final leg of its orchestral tour to North America next month.

    All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

    Sigur Rós: Takk… (20th Anniversary Remaster)

    Takk… (20th Anniversary Remaster):

    01 Takk… (2025 Remaster)
    02 Glósóli (2025 Remaster)
    03 Hoppípolla (2025 Remaster)
    04 Me∂ bló∂nasir (2025 Remaster)
    05 Sé last (2025 Remaster)
    06 Sæglópur (2025 Remaster)
    07 Mílanó (2025 Remaster)
    08 Gong (2025 Remaster)
    09 Andvari (2025 Remaster)
    10 Svo hljótt (2025 Remaster)
    11 Heysátan (2025 Remaster)
    12 Melrakki
    13 Refur (2025 Remaster)
    14 Ó Fri∂ur (2025 Remaster)
    15 Kafari (2025 Remaster)
    16 Elfur

    [ad_2]

    Jazz Monroe

    Source link

  • Drake Releases New Song “Somebody Loves Me Pt. 2”

    [ad_1]

    Drake shared more new music via his Iceman livestream series. On a new episode, he premiered “Somebody Loves Me Pt. 2”—essentially a Cash Cobain remix of the $ome $exy $ongs 4 U track “Somebody Loves Me”—a song with Yeat apparently called “Dog House,” and a new one that might be called “Thats Just How I Feel.” Only “Somebody Loves Me Pt. 2” has gotten an official release, and you can hear it below.

    Drake launched his Iceman series in July and shared “What Did I Miss?” Later that month, he posted the second episode and released a song with Central Cee called “Which One.” It’s widely assumed that Drake is gearing up to release a new album called Iceman, a follow-up to the PartyNextDoor collaboration $ome $exy $ongs 4 U and the 2023 solo effort For All the Dogs.

    [ad_2]

    Matthew Strauss

    Source link

  • Animal Collective Announce Feels 20th Anniversary Reissue, Share “Grass” Demo

    [ad_1]

    Animal Collective are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Feels with a special reissue of the album featuring nine B-sides and previously unreleased demos. Feels (20th Anniversary) is out on vinyl, CD, and digitally on October 17 via Domino. What’s more, the experimental indie-rock band is also putting out FeelsLive 04/05, a collection of live recordings taped to MiniDisc at shows from 2004 and 2005 tours. That’s also out on cassette, MiniDisc, and digitally on October 17. Listen to the never-before-released demo of Feels classic “Grass,” and see the full tracklist, below.

    Animal Collective’s most recent studio album, Isn’t It Now?, came out in 2023, while Panda Bear put out his own solo LP, Sinister Grift, this past March. Animal Collective also dropped two songs earlier this summer, “Love on the Big Screen” and “Buddies on the Blackboard.”

    Revisit Pitchfork’s interview “The Strangest Trip: Animal Collective on the Legacy of Animal Collective.”

    All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

    Animal Collective: Feels (20th Anniversary)

    Feels (20th Anniversary):

    01 Did You See the Words
    02 Grass
    03 Flesh Canoe
    04 The Purple Bottle
    05 Bees
    06 Banshee Beat
    07 Daffy Duck
    08 Loch Raven
    09 Turn Into Something

    01 Must Be Treeman
    02 Fickle Cycle
    03 People
    04 Tikwid
    05 My Favorite Colors
    06 Banshee Beat (Demo)
    07 Bees (Demo)
    08 Grass (Demo)
    09 Tikwid (Demo)

    FeelsLive 04/05:

    01 Wastered (Live Bowery Ballroom 8/15/04)
    02 Loch Raven (Live Haverford College 4/23/05)
    03 Did You See the Words Edit (Live Haverford College 4/23/05)
    04 Fickle Cycle (Live Ottobar 11/19/04)
    05 Grass (Live Ottobar 11/19/04)
    06 Daffy Duck (Live Ottobar 11/19/04)
    07 Turn Into Something (Live Coltrane 4/22/05)
    08 Sponge Luke (Live Bowery Ballroom 8/15/04)

    [ad_2]

    Nina Corcoran

    Source link

  • Snag a Solid Discount on Our Favorite Bluetooth Speaker

    [ad_1]

    Trying to boost the volume at your end-of-summer parties? The JBL Flip 7 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is discounted by $20 on Amazon, bringing the price down to just $130. That might not sound like a huge discount, but it brings it more in line with its competitors, and temporarily erases the price bump from the previous version.

    • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    We’ve given high marks to several rounds of the JBL Flip series speakers, thanks to their great battery life, portable form factor, and impressive volume. JBL upgraded this generation of the Flip with some important upgrades, like a larger battery, improvements to the tweeter, and a detachable strap for when you’re on the move. It’s currently our editors’ favorite Bluetooth speaker, beating out a variety of other great options.

    The audio quality is as great as ever, with surprisingly sharp detail for such a small and portable speaker. It’s punchy and bold, with a sound profile that’s designed to stand out even at a crowded backyard barbeque or pool party. While it gets a little distorted at max volume, our reviewer noted that it does get really loud, breaking 75 decibels a few feet away. There’s a mobile app too if you want to tweak the equalizer yourself, or use one of the presets.

    It’s sturdy too, with an IP68 weather resistance rating, which should help it avoid any issues on your beach day with sand or splashing. There are some other minor changes that JBL says improves the shock rating for the speaker, which should help protect it from the bumps and scratches it’ll surely experience on your next adventure.

    One downside here is that the JBL Flip 7 switched from the proprietary PartyBoost to the new Auracast system. The upside is better compatibility with other Bluetooth speakers, but it also means older models of the Flip aren’t available for multi-device listening. It’s a good future-proofing feature, but if you aren’t currently looking at a new phone or earbuds, it might not be that exciting.

    For just $130, you could do a whole lot worse than the JBL Flip 7, with a great feature set, excellent audio, and all the portability features we’ve come to expect from a premium Bluetooth speaker.

    [ad_2]

    Brad Bourque

    Source link

  • Dolby Atmos FlexConnect Lets You Place Speakers Anywhere

    [ad_1]

    While Dolby imposes no hard limit on the number or type of speakers (or subwoofers) you can use in a single FlexConnect system, each manufacturer’s choice of processor determines what’s feasible.

    What you can’t do is use any other company’s wireless speakers—whether they’re FlexConnect-compatible or not. Naturally, this raises the question of compatibility. When other companies eventually make their own FlexConnect TVs, speakers, or soundbars, will they only work within that brand’s family of products? Dolby says this kind of brand lock-in isn’t built into Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, but neither does it require compatibility between FlexConnect products.

    TCL Exclusive (for Now)

    Photograph: Simon Cohen

    Unfortunately for now, TCL’s implementation of FlexConnect is proprietary. I’ve repeatedly asked Dolby’s reps which companies have signed up to be a part of the Atmos FlexConnect world, but they’ve steadfastly refused to comment, choosing instead to let TCL own the limelight during the initial launch.

    Each TCL Z100 is rated at 170 watts RMS, which is delivered via three front-facing drivers (woofer, midrange, and tweeter) plus an up-firing driver for height effects. TCL says it uses a 1.1.1-channel layout, which means it can receive and reproduce one front/surround/rear channel, plus height and low-frequency effects (LFE) channels.

    TCL doesn’t say how low the Z100’s woofer can go, saying only that “low frequencies are optimized and gained, lowering the extension frequency to deliver more thrilling and powerful bass performance.”

    You can’t configure the Z100 to be part of a multiroom audio setup like you can with a Sonos or Bose soundbar, but you can switch it to Bluetooth mode for direct audio streaming from a phone. Two Z100s can be stereo-paired. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth mode isn’t managed by Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, so you may want to think carefully about speaker position if you use it frequently.

    Flexin’

    Dolby Atmos FlexConnect Lets You Place Speakers Anywhere

    Photograph: Simon Cohen

    Unlike soundbars and AV receivers, which typically override a TV’s internal speakers, Dolby Atmos FlexConnect incorporates them, channeling content and frequencies in a way that works with the rest of the speakers in the system. Presumably, most of that content will be center channel (dialog, key sound effects), with the wireless speakers filling in as needed.

    [ad_2]

    Simon Cohen

    Source link

  • Blue Bendy Share New Song “Poke”

    [ad_1]

    Blue Bendy have shared their first single since the release of debut album So Medieval last year. “Poke” is produced by Balázs Altsach, and you can listen to it below.

    “Poke,” to an extent, is about the Facebook feature meant for saying “hello” to friends. “Who started the rumour of my insanity, and is a Facebook poke still hot 10 years on?” Blue Bendy vocalist Arthur Nolan asked in a statement. “This pretty much sums up our last 18 months perfectly. Maybe with a pinch of salt.”

    “Poke” is also the first Blue Bendy song to feature the band’s new members, bassist Dina Willcock and drummer Tristan Petsola. They round out a sextet also featuring Arthur Nolan, guitarist Oliver Nolan, pianist and synthesizer player Olivia Morgan, and guitarist Joseph Nash. See the band’s upcoming tour dates below.

    Blue Bendy:

    09-04 London, England – Village Underground ♥
    09-05 Paris, France – Popup! ♥
    09-07 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Cinetol ♥
    09-09 Nijmegen, Netherlands – Merleyn ♥
    09-10 Berlin, Germany – Badehaus ♥
    09-12 Cologne, Germany – Artheatre ♥
    09-13 Hamburg, Germany – Molotow Club ♥
    09-18 Edinburgh, Scotland – Mash House
    09-19 Manchester, England – Gullivers
    09-20 Bristol, England – Rough Trade Bristol
    10-28 Oxford, England – Little Bully
    10-29 Ipswich, England – Smokehouse
    10-31 London, England – O2 Academy Brixton ✶
    02-05 London, England – Oslo

    ♥ with Floodlights
    ✶ with Black Country, New Road

    All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

    [ad_2]

    Matthew Strauss

    Source link

  • JBL’s Boombox 4 Speaker Can Pump Out Less Distorted Sound Thanks to AI

    [ad_1]

    Sometimes you need a Bluetooth speaker that’s going to knock people’s socks off, not necessarily in terms of audio quality (though that’s nice too), but in pure, unadulterated volume. For JBL fans, there’s one wireless speaker that delivers on that promise in a package that’s not a total pain in the ass to cart around, and that’s the Boombox, which just got its fourth version and some significant upgrades to boot at IFA 2025.

    The highlight here, according to JBL, is that the Boombox 4 is giving you more for less, at least in the weight department. While JBL shaved two pounds off the Boombox 4 compared to the last generation, it also has 50% more output than its predecessor. Coupled with JBL’s AI Sound Boost, the company says the speaker should deliver more output while minimizing distortion, too.

    You should know that this speaker is still 13 pounds, though, so it’s not something you’re going to want to carry around for long periods. JBL says the Boombox 4 has two additional woofers and three passive radiators this time around for a total of 210W of power. The Boombox 3, for reference, has 180W of total power when plugged in, but 136W when running on battery power.

    See JBL Boombox 3 at Amazon

    Even with that boost in power, JBL says the Boombox 4 should deliver solid battery life, with 28 hours of juice regularly and 34 hours if JBL’s Playtime Boost feature is activated. One thing that I love here is that the battery is replaceable now, which is great for longevity. More replaceable batteries in gadgets, please! Two other nice touches include the ability to connect to an external device via USB-C for lossless audio (a big deal for the audiophiles among us) and a light-up JBL logo that lets you know when the speaker’s bass boost is activated. JBL’s Boombox 4 is available for preorder now and debuts at $549.95. The speaker is slated for a full release on Sept. 28.

    Meet the JBL PartyBox 720. © JBL

    If you’re looking for even more power, JBL is also introducing a new edition of its JBL PartyBox. The PartyBox 720—a big-boy party speaker that makes the Boombox 4 look cute—has a whole 800W of power. That’s the same wattage as the PartyBox 710 speaker, but the PartyBox 720 woofers are 9 inches compared to the 8-inch woofers on the 710. The biggest shift here is that the PartyBox can now run on a battery as opposed to having to be plugged in. Altogether, JBL says that its PartyBox 720 can last for up to 15 hours on its own. Oh, there are also wider wheels this time around, which should make lugging around a house-shaking Bluetooth speaker a lot easier. JBL’s PartyBox 720 is available for preorder now at a debut price of $1,099 and will be released broadly on Sept. 21.

    See JBL Party Box 710 at Best Buy

    [ad_2]

    James Pero

    Source link

  • Marshall’s Mid-Century-Looking Soundbar Would Make Don Draper Cry Tears of Joy

    [ad_1]

    Marshall’s lineup of non-rockstar-grade audio gear just got a little bigger. As a part of IFA 2025, the company announced the Heston 60, a more compact soundbar that complements its previously released Heston 120. As usual, Marshall is keeping things mid-century with a design that invokes its classic amps and includes tactile controls (buttons instead of knobs like those used on the Heston 120), woven fabric, and PU leather. It also comes in either cream or black, but if you don’t buy the cream version, you’re just wrong in my opinion.

    While the look is mostly the same as the Heston 120, aside from the knobs (bummed those are gone, by the way), there are some key differences between the two soundbars. For one, the Heston 60 is much more compact, which makes it ideal for anyone with less room, though you’ll get less boom for your buck. The Heston 60 has seven amplifiers compared to the Heston 120’s 11 amplifiers. It’s much quieter at 56W of total power compared to 150W of peak power. For most people, that will be more than enough, though, and despite the less powerful sound, the Heston 60 has some other tricks up its sleeve.

    No more knobs makes me sad. © Marshall

    One cool feature is that the Heston 60 can be mounted on the wall or set on a TV stand thanks to specially designed waveguides and angled drivers. Depending on whether the Heston 60 is mounted or not, you can flip the reversible control to suit the soundbar’s orientation and even move the Marshall logo, which is magnetic. Probably my favorite thing about this soundbar is that it really leans into repairability. According to Marshall, the Heston 60 has a host of replaceable parts, including the fret (the speaker grill), end caps, drivers, and circuit boards, which encompass some of the most important parts of any soundbar.

    As far as connectivity goes, the Heston 60 should rise to the occasion, with HDMI 2.1 eARC, a 3.5mm jack, and Bluetooth 5.3. It’s also compatible with AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect. There are also several modes for specific situations. While music and movie modes are straightforward, voice and night modes are kind of interesting. Voice mode accentuates dialogue in movies (for all those subtitle people out there), and night mode actually works to dampen loud sound effects and keeps dialogue listenable so you don’t wake the whole damn house up.

    Heston sub 200 subwooder marshall.
    That’s a good-looking woofer. © Marshall

    If you’re wondering where your low-end is going to come from, Marshall is also launching a subwoofer, the Heston Sub 200, which borrows a similar energy from the Heston 60. There’s the same amp-inspired mid-century look, and the Heston Sub 200 is equally as repairable. It’s wireless, too, which is nice if you’re like me and hate stuffing a bunch of cables behind your couch, even if you won’t ever see them. The sub will connect with the Heston 120 if you already own Marshall’s bigger soundbar. As is the case with Marshall’s previous entrant into the soundbar space, neither the Heston 60 nor the Heston Sub 200 will come cheap. Both will launch officially on Sept. 23 for $699 and $599, respectively.

    [ad_2]

    James Pero

    Source link

  • Blawan Announces New Album SickElixir, Shares New Song “NOS”

    [ad_1]

    Blawan has announced his debut album for XL. Out October 10, SickElixir is the British producer’s follow-up to a string of EPs including BouQ, Dismantled Into Juice, and Woke Up Right Handed, as well as the 2018 LP Wet Will Always Dry. Listen to the LP’s lead single, “NOS,” below.

    Blawan rose to cult renown with a series of records for UK labels including Hessle Audio. He collaborates with Pariah in the live duo Karenn, the metal-inspired duo Persher, and their Voam label.

    Blawan will play an album-release show at Village Underground in London on October 10. Find his tour itinerary, including a handful of U.S. dates, below.

    All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

    Blawan:

    09-05 Tilburg, Netherlands – Draaimolen
    09-13 Birmingham, England – Digbeth Triangle
    09-19 Philadelphia, PA – Making Time
    09-20 Queens, NY – Basement
    09-21 San Francisco, CA – Portola Festival
    09-26 Los Angeles, CA – Into the Woods
    09-27 San Diego, CA – Crssd Festival
    10-10 London, England – Village Underground
    10-18 Manchester, England – The Warehouse Project
    10-22 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Parallel
    11-01 Turin, Italy – C2C
    11-10 Barcelona, Spain – Mira Digital Arts Festival
    12-13 Warsaw, Poland – Expo XXI

    [ad_2]

    Jazz Monroe

    Source link

  • Billy Bragg Shares New Protest Song “Hundred Year Hunger” for Palestine

    [ad_1]

    Billy Bragg, the British folk-rock singer and lifelong figure in protest music, has shared a new song for Palestine. The release coincides with the launch of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail yesterday (August 31) to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Written and performed by Bragg, with additional keyboards and backing vocals by JJ Stoney, “Hundred Year Hunger” takes its title from the book of the same name by E Mark Windle. Give it a listen below.

    Bragg explained the song’s backstory on Instagram, writing, “‘Hundred Year Hunger’ looks at the current famine that Israel has created in Gaza through the lens of a century of enforced food insecurity and malnutrition imposed on the Palestinian people, firstly by British imperialism, then as a weapon of mass displacement by the state of Israel.”

    “Sumud is an Arabic word which translates into English as steadfastness or perseverance,” he continued. “It is used by Palestinians to describe their nonviolent everyday resistance against Israel’s occupation. Sumud emphasises the commitment of the Palestinian people to remain on their land despite hardship and oppression, elevating their everyday existence into a form of resistance. Lan narhal translates as ‘we will not leave’. Together ‘Sumud! Sumud! Lan narhal’ conveys the determination of the Palestinian people to refuse to be displaced.”

    It’s been four years since Bragg last released a full-length album, 2021’s The Million Things That Never Happened. He did team up with R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe for a collaborative cover of Eric Bogle’s “My Youngest Son Came Home Today” in 2023, though. Bragg originally covered that track for his 1990 album The Internationale, slightly modifying the 1982 war protest song, which was inspired by the Troubles.

    Read “Cease-Fire Now: 16 Benefit Compilations for Palestine.”

    [ad_2]

    Nina Corcoran

    Source link

  • These Wireless Earbuds Have a Screen, ChatGPT, and a Cute Robot Face—but They Sound Terrible

    [ad_1]

    I like wireless earbuds because I love music. It’s very straightforward; music exists, and I want to listen to it, and wireless earbuds are the thing that gets me to the thing I love. Problem solved. You can’t see it, but I’m smugly dusting my hands right now like a mathematician at a chalkboard. There’s a symbiosis between the buds and me. A simplicity. A supply and demand so fundamental that in the gadget world, it feels like a law of nature.

    But, as much as I love wireless audio, there are some reasons for loving buds that I have never thought of before. For instance, productivity. It has never once occurred to me that wireless earbuds can turn me into some kind of capitalist brain machine, as much as employers would love that. Or using them to “remember everything” and/or “know everything.” I personally like it when they make fun sounds, but I guess becoming some kind of omnipotent techno-deity would be sick, too. I have also never thought to use them as a tool to record every conversation I ever have without telling anyone, either—probably because I ain’t a NARC. But this is the age of AI, and maybe I’m just not thinking big enough; maybe I need to expand my mind; maybe it’s time to optimize my future, maaaan.

    Oso AI Earbuds

    These ChatGPT-equipped wireless earbuds are fine for transcription but nothing else.

    Pros

    • They transcribe calls and live events
    • Mic catches a wide array
    • Fun on-case screen!

    Cons

    • Awful for listening to music
    • Mired by paywalls
    • Loose-fitting earbud design
    • Too expensive for the faults

    To help open me up to the possibilities of wireless earbuds in the era of AI, I shoved a pair from a brand called Oso in my ears. These $170 AI wireless earbuds were crowdfunded through Kickstarter and promise big things. Marketing highlights include “revolutionizing productivity, one conversation at a time,” and “remember everything, know everything.” And here I was just trying to have a news roundup podcast serenely explain to me how messed up the world is!

    © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

    To pave the way toward a more productive self, Oso AI Earbuds have zeroed in on using ChatGPT via the cloud to power a few capabilities. Chief among them seems to be transcription. Indeed, with a companion app, you can use your Oso AI Earbuds to listen to your surroundings and then have that conversation, or presentation, or YouTube video transcribed by AI in the cloud. There’s nothing groundbreaking about AI transcription, but I guess putting it in wireless earbuds is a newish approach? I used Oso’s wireless earbuds to record some stuff while I was at a press briefing, and it worked fairly well, despite the fact that the presenters were not native English speakers and the volume of their mics wasn’t ideal. You can also use it to record virtual meetings and calls.

    I took a call with the Oso AI Earbuds and used them to transcribe part of it, and while the transcription worked just fine, the experience for the person on the other end was not ideal. According to the person I called, these wireless earbuds pick up a lot of ambient noise—she was able to hear someone moving glasses in Gizmodo’s communal kitchen, an elevator beep, and someone having a phone call about 20 feet away from me. On one hand, it’s good that these wireless earbuds can pick up so much, since it means they won’t miss a word when you’re recording, but for the person on the other end, the experience can be ridiculously distracting. It’s especially strange considering the wireless earbuds are advertised as having “dual beamforming mics with ENC.” That’s not a typo for ANC; ENC stands for “environmental noise cancellation.” I’m not sure which environmental noise the Oso AI Earbuds are cancelling, but they certainly weren’t interested in tackling ambient noise in my office.

    Oso Ai Earbuds.
    The Oso AI Earbuds have a screen for showing an AI assistant’s “face” and the time. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

    Another pillar of the Oso AI Earbuds is being able to use them as a voice assistant powered by ChatGPT. Again, this isn’t a novel idea; Nothing’s wireless earbuds were the first to advertise a ChatGPT integration last year. I tested that feature out, and while I could see its potential usefulness in theory, I wasn’t wholly impressed with actually using it for real-life stuff like figuring out where to eat or what the Knicks’ score is. I was looking forward to testing out if there was any difference between testing ChatGPT out last year and now, but unfortunately, Oso’s AI Earbuds had other plans.

    Since iPhones don’t play nice with anything that doesn’t come freshly baked out of Foxconn with an Apple logo on it, Oso’s app offers a Siri shortcut that is supposed to act as a workaround for activating the buds’ voice assistant, which has (comically, I may add) been dubbed “Judy.” I added my Judy shortcut to Siri in iOS just like the app asked, but when I tried to activate it by uttering “Siri, Judy,” like the shortcut is designed to do, I was met with a notification that I have not paid for “Laxis Pro,” which is a premium version of the app that powers the AI wireless earbuds. I’m not sure if that’s a bug or not, but if it’s not, I suppose no one ever said reaching productivity god status came without a price—in this case, a literal one in USD.

    There are a bunch of other weird things about these wireless earbuds that are both fun and totally useless, and they’re maybe my favorite part of Oso. For one, the case has a display on it, and that screen has a silly-looking robot face. It grabbed my attention and the wonder of other Gizmodo staff right away, because (duh) cute robot assistant. Unfortunately, I’m still unsure what the purpose of that face is outside of just looking cute. There are also some other features on the screen that let you control aspects of the buds or audio playback, like skipping tracks, play-pause, and preset EQ adjustments for “rock,” or “pop” etc… There’s also a timer, a volume slider, and a screen that shows the date and time. All of those can be swiped through Tinder-style. Nothing about this experience is necessary or really that useful, but I love it anyway. These are the types of strange form factors you can only get in a crowdfunded device, and even if they’re impractical, it breaks the monotony of AirPods dupes.

    Oso Ai Earbuds.
    © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

    As long as we’re talking about hardware, it’s worth touching on some stuff I definitely don’t like. One of those things is the wireless earbuds themselves, which don’t have ear tips, but just a bud that is meant to nest in your outer ear (think AirPods 4). That design is intentional since it allows you to hear your surroundings with the wireless earbuds in and makes them more comfortable during longer periods of use, but it also just kind of sucks. I never feel like the Oso AI Earbuds are fully secure in my ears, and I know I’m not alone in feeling that way with earbuds sans tips. That design also has a ripple effect on the worst part of these buds: the sound.

    These are not wireless earbuds you should listen to music on. The sound is flat and not super loud, which is a problem given the ambient noise bleed I described above. No amount of preset EQ can fix that, either. Music playback, while built into the experience via the case with touch controls and preset EQ is clearly an afterthought here, and if you’re looking to get a pair of wireless earbuds that can work for AI transcription and double as your daily driver for music, you will be very disappointed. That’s a bummer on any pair of wireless earbuds, but especially so when you consider the $170 price tag.

    Oh, and battery life is middling. Oso rates the wireless earbuds for 6 hours of playback, which would be fine until you realize that most earbuds at this price have 6 hours of battery with ANC. These wireless earbuds, as a matter of record, do not have ANC. If you can stand listening to Oso AI Earbuds for extended periods, the case holds 21 hours of battery.

    Oso Ai Earbuds.
    © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

    Maybe I’m expecting too much from a pair of crowdfunded wireless earbuds, but I was promised (at the very least) a useful tool for productivity. And maybe recording everything all the time, pissing people off that I’m calling off with ambient noise bleed, dealing with unexpected paywalls, praying that my wireless earbuds don’t fall out of my ears on the subway platform, trying to figure out whether the face on my earbuds case is mad at me, and failing to use a voice assistant named Judy are getting me closer to the ultimate cog in the productivity machine, and I just can’t see it yet. Or maybe the simplest explanation is best. Maybe wireless earbuds don’t have to help me transcend—maybe they shouldn’t. Maybe it’s okay that they just do what they’ve always done: connect to my phone and play some really good fucking music.

    [ad_2]

    James Pero

    Source link

  • These Hi-Fi Speakers Are Made out of Rocket Fuel Tanks

    [ad_1]

    Momentum for space development is growing on a global scale.

    The rocket company SpaceX, led by CEO Elon Musk, has been carrying out numerous missions since putting its partially reusable Falcon 9 rocket into service. The company now boasts the highest launch frequency in the world, and this has helped boost the number of rocket launches worldwide to 254 last year. This is a dramatic increase of more than 20 percent compared to the previous year.

    In Japan, Honda has begun developing a reusable rocket, and it was reported just this June that it had successfully taken off and landed in its first launch test. However, despite Japan being described as a suitable location for rocket launch tests due to its geography, there were only five launches in Japan last year, far behind the number of launches by nations with advanced space programs like the United States, China, and Russia.

    The Japanese company &Space Project aims to reverse this trend and expand the base of Japan’s space industry. The company has launched a new initiative in cooperation with Noon by Material Record, a research and development project led by the Nomura Corporation Group, which produces acoustic devices using sustainable materials.

    This partnership has given birth to Debris, a speaker fashioned out of the tank of a space rocket. The design incorporates scrap parts from the test fuel tanks of the commercial rockets produced in the town of Taiki in Hokkaido.

    A release party for Debris was held this past June at CITAN in Nihonbashi.

    PHOTOGRAPH: MASASHI URA

    Taiki is is a hub for Japan’s space industry and home to the Hokkaido Space Port, which is used by private companies and university research institutes around the world involved in space development. It’s also used by Honda for its reusable rocket takeoff and landing tests.

    [ad_2]

    Kenji Takeda

    Source link

  • DJI’s Mic 3 Takes the Best Wireless Microphone and Makes It Better

    [ad_1]

    I tested the Mic 3 with cameras, computers, and smartphones, using both direct connection and receiver connection methods. It paired painlessly with everything I threw at it, from my mirrorless camera to my iPhone, and the audio quality remained consistently excellent across different devices and environments. It’s part of the OsmoAudio system too, meaning the transmitter can directly link with DJI cameras like the Osmo 360, Osmo Action 5 Pro, and Osmo Pocket 3, bypassing the receiver entirely while still offering high-quality audio.

    Missing Pieces

    Photograph: Sam Kieldsen

    The Mic 3 isn’t perfect, but I found little to complain about. The transmitters no longer include a 3.5-mm input for connecting external lavalier microphones, which might frustrate people who prefer to hide their mics completely. DJI has also dropped the Safety Track recording mode that was available on the Mic 2, but it’s entirely possible to rig one up using the available options.

    US availability remains uncertain; like other recent DJI products, the Mic 3 isn’t officially launching in America due to ongoing tariff concerns. US consumers may be able to source units through third-party retailers, but that’s far from ideal for a product that should really be widely available. At $329 for the complete two-transmitter, one-receiver, and charging case package, the Mic 3 is actually cheaper than the Mic 2 was at launch, which I think is a remarkably good value for a product that’s superior in almost every way. DJI’s decision to sell individual components separately is welcome too. It means users can start with a basic setup and expand over time, or replace a damaged or lost component without too much fuss.

    The DJI Mic 3 essentially combines the best aspects of both the Mic 2 and Mic Mini into a single, well-rounded package. It’s more compact and practical than the Mic 2, and far more advanced than the Mini. For content creators, filmmakers, and podcasters looking for a wireless microphone system that just works, it’s very hard to find fault with it.

    The only real question is whether existing Mic 2 owners need to upgrade. If the improved portability and expanded feature set appeal to you, the Mic 3 represents a solid step forward. But the Mic 2 remains an excellent microphone in its own right, so there’s no urgent need to make the switch unless those new features and upgrades genuinely solve problems you’re currently facing.

    [ad_2]

    Sam Kieldsen

    Source link

  • Alabama Shakes Share First New Song in 10 Years

    [ad_1]

    Alabama Shakes are back with their first new song in a decade. “Another Life” is the rock trio’s first original track since the 2015 album Sound & Color—and their debut single for new label home Island. Listen to it below.

    “When I wrote ‘Another Life,’ I was thinking about all the lives we carry,” Shakes vocalist and guitarist Brittany Howard shared in a statement. “The ones we’re living right now, the ones that slipped away because of different choices, the what ifs, the what wasn’t meant to be, the goodbyes, and the chance encounters that feel divine. This song is about those threads and how they stretch across time and space, connecting every version of who we are. It’s about letting them come together, letting them harmonize, and realizing that goodbye isn’t really goodbye. It’s more like I’ll see you later. A collective story that never stops unfolding. I’m glad we opened this door into this reality of us making music together again.”

    Alabama Shakes—the trio of Howard, Heath Fogg, and Zac Cockrell—went on official hiatus in 2018. Since then, Howard has released two solo albums under her own name: 2019’s Jaime and 2023’s What Now. The band are currently in the midst of their first tour since 2017, which will continue through the end of September.

    Read about Sound & Color at No. 138 on “The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s.”

    [ad_2]

    Walden Green

    Source link

  • Paramore’s Hayley Williams Officially Releases New Album Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

    [ad_1]

    Hayley Williams of Paramore has released a new solo album comprised of the 17 tracks shared earlier this summer and the new bonus song “Parachute.” Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party is out now on streaming services, with physical releases arriving on November 7 via Post Atlantic—Williams’ own label, started after her 20-year contract with Atlantic ended—and distributed by Secretly Distribution. Listen to the new album below.

    Since granting the title track with a music video, Williams has also shared a visual for “Glum,” directed by AJ Gibboney and Zac Farro, which you can watch below. Williams and Daniel James wrote, played, and recorded most instruments on Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, with additional help longtime collaborators Brian Robert Jones and Joey Howard. Jim-E Stack also contributed to “True Believer.”

    Back in 2020, Williams made her solo debut with the full-length album Petals for Armor. She followed it up with the three-track Petals for Armor: Self-Serenades EP that same year and Flowers for Vases / Descansos in 2021. She described the latter LP as “a prequel, or some sort of detour between parts 1 and 2 of Petals.” Afterward, Paramore wrote and released their fifth studio album as a band, This Is Why, in 2023.

    Read the interview “Hayley Williams Breaks Down Every Song on Her Deeply Personal Solo Album, Petals for Armor.”

    All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

    Hayley Williams: Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

    [ad_2]

    Nina Corcoran

    Source link