After a mixed start at CES 2009, it's been an excellent year for music gadgets. Slowly the world is getting over its lust for hording mp3 downloads in favour of streaming and digital music, possibly a sign that it's maturing. Sound quality has become important once more rather than just access to one's collection on the move, and the natural pace of technology has meant better bit rates to back it up. At the same time, the high end audio has become more affordable under the pressure of a world recession, while the cheap tat at the other end that doesn't deliver is gradually disappearing. So, in light of such promise, just how were we taken from A to B and who best reflected the consumer's desire in audio gadget function and form?

Dock/Radios

It's hard to believe that the dock/radio market has expanded after what already seemed like saturated times in 2008. The usual suspects like Gear4, Altec Lansing, Pure, Roberts and Logitech are still churning them out both large and small at a steady rate but what we've seen is an increasing move of the high end brands in their embrace of the mp3 and that now ubiquitous 30-pin dock connector. Naturally, the audiophile-friendly manufacturers have admitted defeat in their own way and it's generally been a huge boost to the sector in both design and sound engineering.

Arcam's second foray into the field with the irDock cleans up RF interference, Yamaha has joined the fray with the company's first iPod products, even LEGO got involved as part of the range of 2009 tech products. On the design side, Bowers and Wilkens helped up the ante and many have followed producing almost a new branch of the market into style-led devices many of which have a distinctly 70s, 80s, futurist or retro feel. Revo, YBA and Grove Neo are all good examples, not forgetting an appearance from Phillippe Starck and some completely out the box styles from Bang & Olufsen that we probably should have all expected.

While style and audio quality marched on, so has the technology being driven by the theme of connectivity which has been the strongest throughout all gadgets this year. The dock/radio masters have been the ones pushing boundaries of functionality furthest with touchscreen interfaces and some even with their own app stores, widgets and native support for both Twitter and Facebook. Internet radio has been the add-on for most and with over a third of the world listening to it, it's small wonder. Between that, DAB, SD card slots, mp3 support and USB drives, this sector is fast catching up with the mini-systems and separates above them.

Mini-Systems & Hi-Fi

These gadgets have remained very much the preserve of the serious music fan and probably more so with the lower end of the market doing well in 2009. At the same time, the acceptance of the dock has meant most now have attachments, as well as USB ports and support for digital music as well. The likes of Marantz and Denon are still offering up the goods with perhaps more focus on aesthetics than ever before, but none typifies more the situation than the rare appearance of the NaimUniti system - the very first from this high end manufacturer in the new era.

Headphones

Quality has been the theme oozing from the headphones market in 2009. It all started rather frighteningly at CES with it seeming like we'd have to rob a bank in order to satisfy our aural delights. Denon and Sennheiser both came out with classy on-ear phones at around the ?1000 mark but with Sony's launch of the XB, we knew that on-ear style was making a comeback and that we could afford it as well. Sennheiser followed suit, as did many others in the field, but soon we were to find out where the real trend lay - the in-ear design.

Noise cancelling and isolating has been the story for headhones in 2009. Both technologies have, of course, been around for many years now but never before have we seen them come in such a large price range. Sony and Denon were the first to bring noise-cancelling to the small form, while many such as Logitech, with their purchase of Ultimate Ears, Klipsch and Shure chose to find ways to isolate the interference from the outside world. Etymotics went one stage further by offering custom ear-moulds with their range, including the service from ACS. And finally, Radiopaq took the altogether different approach of both specially tuning headphones for digital music and even creating an adaptor to do the same almost at source.

MP3 players/PMPs

One of the most exciting areas of gadgetry in 2009 has been PMPs. With the addition of HD screens, the support of all sorts of video codecs and the commonplace occurrence of touch technology, it's been one of the main focuses of convergence throughout the industry.

It was another mixed start in the field at CES with the Android-sporting GiiNii Movit proving one of the highlights of the show and yet it's failed to appear on our shelves. Sansa came up with a new approach with SlotRadio, which was later improved, and Samsung surprised us all with the challenger to the iPod touch in the shape of the P3. Since then, we've seen an entire new range from the Korean giant in Beat, and Sony has been working hard with the X, B and W series showing off both functionality and innovation of lifestyle design.

Philips, Creative and iRiver have all put in the time and just about everyone has made sure that they include Wi-Fi, DivX support and as much streaming capability as they can muster. Whether your PMP is big or small, just about all of them can play video now and even some can record it as we saw in the refresh of the iPod range with the 5th generation nano and notably not in the iPod touch, which now suffers even stronger competition from the Zune HD amongst others. Last, littlest but certainly not least, do spare a thought for the 3rd generation, lozenge of an iPod shuffle which thankfully has its own voice to help shout about it too.

Fortunately, all the PMPs have more memory stacked in them than ever before else they'd not be much use for storing video and the larger screen devices such as the Archos 5 are now almost indistinguishable from actual computers. Doubtless a flurry of internet tablets in the coming 12 months will permanently blur the divide. As for the likes of INQ's upcoming Spotify phone and the increase in the mobility service, we can save that confusion for next year's awards.

What do you think?

But these are just some of the fantastic choices our ears have had in 2009. What would you like to see held aloft as the winner of Pocket-lint Best Music Gadget 2009? Who have we missed out? Which are your unsung heroes and of those we've already mentioned, which would get your vote? Let us know in the comments below and you can help our panel decide which make the shortlist of nominees to be announced here on Pocket-lint on 16 November. We'll have all out coverage of the Vodafone Pocket-lint awards 2009 right here. Don't miss a minute of it.

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Related links:

• News - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 announced
• News - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards date confirmed and tickets on sale

Tags: Audio Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards MP3 players PMPs Headphones iPod docks Radios

Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - music gadgets originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:38:56 +0000

Headfunk has launched another set of its earbuds, this time customized for the?SNO!zone indoor ski slope in Milton Keynes, Castleford and Glasgow. They're basically a set of the company's "Badass Buds" but in blue and white.

They have silicon eartips that enhance the noise isolation and try to make sure that it's just you in there with your music - not the lady yapping on the phone next to you, too. Headfunk reckons it also helps with the fit - meaning that they shouldn't fall out during "active use".

?They have 8mm neodymium microdrivers that are apparently extra-sensitive, though the exact specs of that sensitivity aren't disclosed. There's an inline volume control, though, and 80cm of rubber cabling, complete with an extra 1m extension cable.

They're available now and cost ?50.

Tags: Audio Headphones Headfunk Headfunk Snozone

Headfunk launches SNO!zone earbuds originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:16:53 +0100

It's easy to think of on-ear phones when choosing a computer headset, but the Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME solution proves that in-ear isn't only for your MP3 player. The first major advantage is that the canal-tight buds make for an excellent noise isolation, which not all headphones can produce. Closed cup headsets are usually pretty good at this but even they don't always provide that complete seal between you and the outside world.

For people with their games consoles and PCs tucked in away in a quiet corner of the house, that might not be a problem but. if you have to share the room with other people - perhaps watching TV or using the phone or just clanking about in the kitchen - then the PC 300s are something seriously worth considering.

As with headphones of all levels, they do the job, so it's really a case of measuring up just how well they do it compared to the money you're asked to spend. If you look hard, you can find them at around the ?60-?70 mark and the short answer is that they are indeed well worth the outlay.

They're made of a standard, light-weight, black cable material of 1m in length running from the green and purple colour coded 3.5mm plugs at one end through a volume control, then a microphone and finally to the ear buds set at different lengths with the shorter going to your left ear and the longer heading round the back of your neck and into you right. And, at 7g of weight, there are simply no comfort issues at all.

If that's not long enough for you, the PC 300s come with a 2m extension lead which should span the distance between most console and sofa setups. The build is light but strong, the volume control is smooth and easy to use and the choice of three sets of simple, rubber, black ear sleeves will fit any lug holes they meet. The buds themselves are a sturdy, good looking and not too heavy or cold mix of black plastic and metal with a well-chosen protective gauze over the drivers.

One of the best parts of the design, though, is the unassuming looking professional standard microphone that hangs comfortably away from your face. It has a frequency response of 18-15,000Hz which in real terms means that it effortlessly picks up the full details of whatever instructions you maybe muttering to your Call of Duty teammates and just how you feel about their style of play.

The audio coming in the other direction is no disappointment either. The noise isolation means you get don't get any distortion of the sound from over-amplification and the sound scape is very complete. Although a balance, it doesn't sit right in the middle with all the sections equally represented. It's not supposed to. The majority of gaming noises are at the mid-range and at the bass and, accordingly, it's those that are by far the best represented in the PC 300s. The top end may be a little quiet and without personality but the middle is dead on the money and the bottom end is huge, dramatic, if slightly on the spongy side, but are guaranteed to make you jump out your seat when the in-game action hots up.

You aren't just restricted to computers and consoles either. The phones work perfectly well with an MP3-player by using just the one 3.5mm plug. You'll get better sound quality than a pair that came free with your iPod, but the less interesting top notes mean that a dedicated set of buds of equal value would probably offer a better experience on the move.

To top it all off the Sennheiser PC 300s come with a nifty rubber travel case with a magnetic clasp that you can't help but open and close over and over, so satisfying is the action. Lovely touch, just a shame it's not big enough to comfortably fit the full 3m extension.

Verdict:

They're not the world's cheapest gaming headphones and there's something a little weird about going in-ear at home but the experience is a very, very, good one well worth the ?60-?70 outlay. Lots of positives here with not a bad word to say about them at all.

The PC 300s are perfectly acceptable for just listening to your audio tracks too but, if that's a main point for you, then you'd best buy a pair better suited for pure music audio rather than in-game sound scapes. You'll get more bang for your buck on something specialised for that purpose.

The only real question mark above this in-ear headset is whether or not people really want a wired set of phones for gaming and Skype. Regardless of how many metres long the cables are, you're still tethered to a console or PC and ultimately it just means more tangling and more chance of tripping people up. On the plus side, you'll never have forgotten to charge them or run out of batteries during gameplay. So, if you want to go in-ear and you're happy to deal with the cables, then these Sennheisers are most heartily recommended.

Tags: Audio Headphones Headsets Sennheiser Gaming Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME

Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME headset originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

After the EU's volume limit proposals have been revealed, Logitech has followed Griffin's lead in launching volume-limiting headphones for kids.

The "Loud Enough" noise-isolating earphones come with built-in volume control that reduces the maximum volume of the original source by at least 30% percent compared to standard ear buds.

The new earphones also come with three soft ear-cushions in sizes ranging from extra small to medium and are said to be tough and durable.

Available with matching cases in blueberry, mint or plum, the Logitech Loud Enough earphones are available now for ?29.99.

Tags: Audio Headphones Logitech Dad

Logitech "Loud Enough" earphones launch for kids originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:27:25 +0100

Bluetooth headsets get a bad press. Although they are amazingly practical, allowing you to use your phone whilst keeping your hands free, they've always had something of an image problem. A problem that is probably reinforced by just about every estate agent in the world rolling up to meet you in his flashy BMW, wearing his Bluetooth headset.

Stereo headsets can perhaps be seen in a different light and the Jabra Halo in a different light altogether. The Jabra Halo gives you a compact a slickly-designed headphone arrangement more at home on hoodies than regional sales managers.

A uniformally slim profile right round the headband, the Halo will also slip under the afore-mentioned offending hood with ease, and no one would even know you were wearing them.

The Jabra Halo folds too, making it into a more convenient bundle to pack into a bag - with a touch neoprene cover in the box - once you arrive at your destination. They don't fold as flat as some wired models because of the 29mm wide headband.

The actual earpieces are adjustable so you can fit the headphones to your head and perfectly comfortable for wearing for long periods, thanks to them being really light. Of course there is no adjustment to the shape of the actual band, so if you have a uniquely shaped head, you might find the Halo rests on a few high points on your skull.

The right-hand ear contains all the workings, with a single button in the centre, and a touch area on the leading edge. This touch area will all you to adjust the volume of the music you are listening to as well as skip tracks back and forwards, as long as your connected Bluetooth device accepts it.

The single central button lets you pause your music (although we found performance varies depending on what Bluetooth device you are using it with). That same button also lets you accept and hang-up calls. When a call comes in, the music fades, you hit the button, and take your phone call.

In our tests we found that the Halo performed well in calls. Jabra boast that their headset contains a technology named Noise Blackout which helps your voice stand-out and avoid background nasties. In practise it works pretty well, especially considering that you don't have a mic poking out across your face. We tested it in a variety of backgrounds and never had any complaints: your voice can come across as rather distant, but it is still clear. Equally, incoming callers were loud and clear.

As a stereo headset however, it is pitched at those that want to listen to music from their phone too, so the Halo forms a perfect companion for all those music phones on the market.

Audio performance is pretty good, providing a nice bassy, rich audio experience; the Jabra Halo perform better than many of the bundled in-ear headphones that you get with mobile phones. But the performance doesn't match that which you'll get from some of the more substantial cans out there. The design of the Halo also means that sound leakage is a bit of a problem as you turn the volume up.

A Micro-USB socket lives at the bottom of the right-hand earpiece and allows charging, as well as connecting up to a 3.5mm cables to hookup to audio devices without Bluetooth. It's a nice move, meaning that you don't need additional headphones for your iPod.

In the box you get a wall charger, the 3.5mm cable, a short Micro-USB cable for charging and the neoprene cover, so you are covered for most possibilities. The battery will give you 8 hours of talk and music and 13 days of standby and charges in 2 hours.

Verdict:
Overall we like the Jabra Halo. A unique design that folds away securely enough to survive kicking around the bottom of your bag. We were happy with the audio performance and impressed with how comfortable they were to wear over long periods.

If you are looking for a smart and unique stereo Bluetooth headset, then the Jabra Halo might just be for you.

Tags: Phones Headphones Bluetooth Headsets Jabra Jabra Halo Audio Jabra Halo

Jabra Halo Bluetooth headset originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:17:48 +0100

Sony Ericsson has announced the launch of the "clever" MH907 headphones, the end result of its "the way you listen to music is going to change forever" teaser campaign.

Apparently a world first, the motion activated efforts work automatically once you stick both the earphones in your ears.

Using Sony Ericsson's "SensMe" tech, to pause the music, remove one of the earbuds. The same works to answer and end calls.

Sony Ericsson says you can't accidentally answer a call when your phone is in your pocket or bag since MH907 "is only activated by body contact".

Due to be available in yellow and white and "Titan" chrome, the headphones will work with most Sony Ericsson phones with a fast port connector.

Read

Related links:

• VIDEO - Kristofer Strom's animated MH907 demo

Tags: Audio Sony Ericsson Headphones Earphones Phones Sony Ericsson Mh907 motion activated headphones

Sony Ericsson MH907 motion activated headphones revealed originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:42:20 +0100

Griffin has launched headphones for children - the MyPhones - that have a maximum volume limit to "protect young ears".

The MyPhones cap volume at 85 decibels, apparently the maximum sustained volume level as recommended by regulatory agencies. In addition, the headphone design means they don't go in the ear so are also thought to be safer in that respect.

To try and make the safe choice more attractive to nippers, the MyPhones can be customised. Kiddies can design their own shell caps and there's also a "GoCase" for on-the-move.

Griffin's MyPhones are available in Apple stores worldwide, although a quick keyword search on the UK online Apple Store brought back nada.

Tags: Audio Headphones Griffin Dad Griffin MyPhones Apple

Griffin MyPhones headphones for children launch originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:18:53 +0100

One of the first frustrating things you'll notice about the AKG K 340 earphones is that the familiar R and L to tell you what 'phone to put in what ear is so damn small that you'll need a pair of glasses just to see what's what.

It is there, but in something like four point black on brown.

Okay so it's no deal breaker, but it does means that every time you want to put these 'phones on you've got to squint your eyes looking for a letter smaller than a gnats cock.

That bug bear aside, the AKG K 340's are an in-ear headphone from the company that mostly specialises in high end headphones for performers and those who like the stage.

In the box you get the headphones, ear buds to fit you ear and a semi rigid case to store them in.

Available in a range of colours the 'phones themselves are made from plastic making them light in the ear and fairly comfortable. We say fairly comfortable, because after all it's your ear not ours. Personally we found them a touch loose and no good for running, but you might be fine.

Comfort is one thing, but sound is another. Overall the K 340 are okay, coping well with the music we gave it on a variety of devices however hampered by that ear fitting. Pushed in an held they sound perfect, but given room to move and the bass disappears and you're left with a rather tinny experience.

We tested it with the usual array of dance, German techo, Norah Jones and American punk and all proved that headphones can cope with a range of different music styles however in all case we experienced a lot of leakage both in and out.

On the bus this resulted in having to turn the volume virtually all the way up on both our MP3 player and the headphones - something we weren't too comfortable doing. Perhaps realising sound leakage is going to be a problem, AKG has included a rather handy volume slider on the headphone cable.

A quick slide and the volume is boosted or reduced and it's a lot easier than finding your MP3 player or phone to control the volume.

The good news, I suppose, is that the headphones can cope with the increased volume.

Verdict:
For a while now our favourite headphones have either been the Etymotic hf2's or the Philips SHE9850 as both deliver a brilliant sound quality and fit.

Unfortunately for AKG, the K 340 earphones don't come up to scratch and therefore we can't recommend them over those two sets.

Tags: Audio Headphones Earphones AKG AKG K 340 AKG K 340 headphones

AKG K 340 headphones originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Sennheiser has produced a pair of headphones designed for monitoring applications within the broadcast, studio, film and music industries - the HD 380 Pro.

They have a closed-back design to minimise the amount of sound leaking in from the outside - passive attenuation of up to 32dB - and they also have a very high sound pressure level, meaning that when you need them to go loud, they will.

They have a frequency response of 8Hz to 27,000Hz - much wider than the typical 20Hz - 20,000Hz of an average human's hearing. They won't muck the sound around either - delivering a linear sound reproduction. Impedance is just 54 ohms, so they're able to be driven well by weak sources.

The headphones fold up for easy storage, and weigh 220g. They come with a zipped carry case and a 3.5mm jack with quarter-inch screw-on adaptor. They cost ?140, and are available now.

Read

Related links:

• News - Sennheiser launches HD 238 headphones

Tags: Audio Headphones Sennheiser Sennheiser HD 380 Pro

Sennheiser HD 380 Pro unveiled originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:48:48 +0100

Philips has announced the launch of the GoGear Muse, a new PMP that comes complete with noise-cancelling headphones.

It also offers Philips FullSound tech which claims to enhance dynamic, bass, treble and stereo imaging of compressed MP3 files, restoring them closer to the levels found on the original recording as well as "balance" soft and loud tracks.

Available in 16GB and 32GB memory sizes and measuring 110 x 55 x 8.9mm, the player offers a 3-inch screen, supports MP3, WMA, AAC, APE, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, Real Audio and WAV, as well as MPEG4, WMV9 and RMVB.

Philips says the noise cancelling headphones feature inbuilt microphones on the ear buds to detect and measure the background noise while a digital signal processor then creates an equal noise but in opposite phase to cancel out the unwanted sound.

Finally, the player's battery life is said to be good for 30 hours of music playback or six hours of video.

The GoGear Muse is available now in 16GB and 32GB memory sizes with estimated pricing of ?159 and ?179.

Tags: Audio MP3 players Philips Phlips GoGear Muse PMPs Headphones

Philips GoGear Muse media player launches originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:40:21 +0100