TrulyObscure - sounds

sounds Category

Latest

Loud, Clear and Untethered: Audio Technica and Plantronics

I have the sounds of J.S. Bach filling the air right now, and canʻt help but wonder at the many different ways there are to listen to music. Think about it, we have everything from scratchy transistor radios all the way through the most complex audio systems technology affords us. Itʻs really a marvel. Iʻm fortunate, in this moment, to be able to listen to this beautiful music as loud as Iʻd like. There are times though when I donʻt have the luxury of filling all of the space around me with music, and that’s when I’m the most appreciative of good choices available for personal sound. Over the years, Truly Obscure has looked at many options for in-ear and over the ear headphones as well as headsets, often with very pleasing results. Today we’re going to look at two wireless headphone sets, one of which also offers a microphone.

Audio Technica brings us the QuietPoint ATH ANC27 over the ear headphones offering both active noise cancellation and wireless capabilities. If you’ve never used noise canceling headphones I would urge you to give strong consideration to a pair the next time you’re buying headphones. The joy of not having to turn the volume on headphones way up just to drown out the noise around you is nearly indescribable (especially when you’re surrounded by cranky children on an airplane). These particular headphones offer some neat features that set them apart from some of the other noise canceling headphones on the market right now. The ATH ANC27’s utilize the same sound canceling technology used in their award winning ATH-ANC7b headphones, providing 85% noise reduction.

In addition to very clear sound and surprisingly decent bass performance, they have a detachable cable which allows them to work entirely without wires. The AAA battery lasted quite some time- we took ours on moderately long flights and didn’t have any trouble with power, over 30+ hours of use! It worked with our iPhone and with the in-flight entertainment system (using the adapter that comes with it) with no problems. These headphones are also compatible with iPods and most laptops and audio devices, and feature cushioned ear pads comfortable enough for lengthy listening sessions. Look for the ATH-ANC27s starting this month directly from Audio Technica or from Amazon for around $120.

Still staying wireless we also looked at the Plantronics 995 headset. While these headphones function quite well with regular audio sources, where they really shine is with use in online gaming and Skype calls. Sound quality is definitely slightly better in the previous headphones, but we were impressed with clarity in VOIP calls made via this headset. Both making and receiving calls with this headset, the sound was static-free and without distortion, and the microphone was easy to position as well as get out of the way (simply flip up). And setup is easy- the dongle is a bit large, but just plugs into any USB port.

Many of our writers double as gamers, and the consensus is that they are equally good for long runs playing Urban Terror or World of Warcraft as for online phone calls. There are controls for your music in the headphones, so even when using these a distance from the music source you’ll have the ability to adjust volume and skip tracks in both iTunes and WMP. The range on these headphones was right around 40 feet, slightly further in large rooms, and slightly less if there were lots of walls to contend with. We absolutely recommend this headset if you spend much time at all playing games or using Skype or any other web-based phone calls. There were two small annoyances however- the padding on the ears was a bit thin, making them a bit uncomfortable in longer sessions, and charging them was a bit of a pain since you cannot use them and charge at the same time. Charging is done via the included micro-USB cable which plugs into a regular USB port. The Plantronics 995 headset can be found on Amazon as well, or directly from Plantronics for around $110.

Recent

Myine Abbee portable music playerMyine Abbee Music System -- Radio In, Commercials Out

The Myine Abbee is a commercial-free music system, recording your favorite radio stations and automatically filtering out the annoying DJ talk and commercials. It’s kind of like a TiVO for your radio, with the same automatic advantages. We’ve been interested in this product since we heard it was a 2010...
continue reading »

IPEVO: Good Design Doesn't Have to Be Expensive

When we last checked in with IPEVO, we were enthralled by their Kaleido Digital Photo Frame, and what we really liked was the the attractive and unique look and feel. Today, we’re reviewing two other pieces of gear from them, both of which combine sleek design with insides that a...
continue reading »

Bower And Wilkins Zeppelin Mini: Smaller, Still Potent

For some of us, an iPod or iPhone dock isn’t simply a way to charge our device and maybe listen to a bit of music alone. Most docks we’ve seen and used tend to sound pretty weak next to a real speaker system, and couldn’t serve duty at a party....
continue reading »

End of The Year Audio Roundup with Tritton, Zowie, and Astro

It’s been a great season for gamers- plenty of fantastic titles have been drawing our attention away from tasks like writing. And any gamer worth the title likely needs a headset- either for a microphone that won’t pick up and echo sounds or for those occasions when a roommate or...
continue reading »

The Multi-Room Audio Solution: Sonos S5

We’re always looking for good audio solutions- devices that make our lives simpler, and make listening to our music easier or better. Case in point- it’s really hard to take music from your computer and stream it wirelessly to multiple rooms at the same time, a constant problem for larger...
continue reading »

Kicker Dials It To 11

Yes, our holiday list has been completed, and our round-up posted, but it’s never too late to fit in a few extra presents under the tree or into that stocking. Heck, we’re just beginning the twelve days of Christmas! And we’ve got two items one a perfect smaller present and...
continue reading »

Quick Hit: Transcend this MP3 Player

Believe it or not, there are still folks out without an iPod or iPhone. There are in fact other music players, from many other companies still competing against Apple’s advantages, trying to get or maintain a toehold in the MP3 player market. Transcend is one of those firms- best known...
continue reading »

Put Away The Plastic Tree, Pick Up a Plastic Instrument

We’ll get this out of the way right upfront- if you don’t already have Rock Band 2 or it’s companions on some platforms, and you like music and own a gaming console, then you should stop reading and get it. Unless, of course, your friends already have it, and you...
continue reading »

Holiday Sounds from Grace Digital, Altec Lansing, Blue Mics

We’ve got a little something for everyone this holiday season, from kitchen equipment to video cameras and webcams. Sure, you may have already went out and done your holiday shopping yesterday- but for those who are procrastinating or just waiting for the right item, here are three different audio gadgets...
continue reading »

Zagg and Altec Lansing Sound Off

We’ve been over this, and hopefully you’ve listened- you’ve replaced those dull default iPhone earbuds with something more appropriate, more stylish, better-sounding or wireless. If you haven’t listened, though, now’s a good chance to make yourself a New Year’s resolution and pick up some new personal audio equipment. Zagg isn’t the...
continue reading »
« - previous posts