Headphones that not only sound good but also look chic - at this month's IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin, manufacturers showcased new creations that produce a lot of sound in a tiny space. Here's an overview. In-ear headphones with Bluetooth often have the earbuds connected by a cable, but the latest joint offering from Onkyo and Gibson Innovations has done away with that - instead, the right and left ear buds of the W800BT are connected wirelessly.
The headphones also have a mic in the right earpiece. Starting in November, the device will retail for 300 euros (336 dollars).
Harman showcased Bluetooth headsets with active noise cancellation which can be switched off by pressing a button. There's the circumaural JBL Everest Elite 700 and an in-ear model designed for sports, the JBL Reflect Aware.
Both will be available in Europe from October from 280 and 180 euros respectively.
Beyerdynamic presented a high-end, in-ear model at the IFA, the AK T8iE. It's the first headphone set with so-called Tesla technology, namely a ring magnet and an ultra-fine wire coil to achieve high efficiency and a fast response.
The result is said to be a neutral and accurate rendering of the entire audio spectrum. The price of the headphones is 990 euros.
With its Zik 3.0 NFC-Bluetooth headphones, Parrot is concentrating on intelligent noise reduction, touch control on the right earpiece and a headset function. Another new feature is a wireless charging option using the Qi standard. It's expected to hit the market later this year. No price has been announced.
The Plantronics Backbeat Sense headset weighs in at just 140 grams and is foldable. It comes in black-brown and white-light brown and is available for 180 euros.
In the case of Sennheiser's closed over-ear headphones, the HD 630VB, users can decide how much bass they want in their music as it has an aluminum knob which adjusts how much bass intensity is delivered. The headphones cost 500 euros.
The Kenwood KH-KR900 is classic black with a red cable. These over-ear headphones have four reflex ports in each ear-phone to improve the bass reproduction. The headphones can be folded for transport, have a wired remote control and cost 150 euros.
Sony's H.ear On headphones are very light and have a no-frills design. The aluminum audio coil is covered with copper to ensure excellent linearity at high tones while the titanium coating of the speaker diaphragm minimises unwanted vibrations. The H.ear-on costs 180 euros.
At the high end of the market there's Panasonic's Technics EAH-T700, an acoustically closed over-ear headphone set that reproduces music in each earphone via a two-way system.
A 50-mm converter processes the middle and lower registers while a 14-mm super-tweeter works exclusively in the upper frequency range, giving a total frequency range of 3 hertz to 100 kilohertz. The model will hit the market later this year at a price of 1,200 euros.
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