Bose has just launched a set of headphones called the AE2. These headphones have not incorporated Bose legendary noise cancellation technology, but include a more sophisticated application of the proprietary Bose TriPort acoustic headphone structure. Bose says that this technology drastically improves the quality of sound, as a result of which, music sounds better and more natural throughout the frequency spectrum.

The Bose AE2 headphones are circum-aural (around the ear), and the new ear cushions are made of memory foam which so that they can be worn by people with different head shapes. They also distribute weight more evenly around the ear to reduce pressure points, making the overall experience a lot more comfortable.

These headphones can be used with just about any audio device including the iPod, iPhone, iPad, portable media players and computers. The headphones have a new fold-flat ear cup design and a single, detachable cable and can be stored in the carrying case that has been provided by Bose.

In the headphone realm, Bose is probably bestknown for its noise-canceling (NC) line of QuietComfort models. But it islong made some non-NC models, including an around-the-ear design as well as an on-ear design. Bose has shortened those names to AE and OE, respectively, and now the AE model reviewed here is up to version 2.

Music zealots can now get their hands on the newest offering from Logitech, the Ultimate Ears 18 Pro Custom Monitors. Bringing the sound definition and clarity to one’s band, these in-ear monitors adorn a six-speaker design and have been handcrafted to provide a comfortable fit while reducing the ambient noise by 26dBs. They have been designed for performing artists as well as audiophiles.

The Ultimate Ears 18 Pro Custom Monitors with its proprietary six-speaker design can effortlessly fit six individually tuned drivers in each ear. It brings in amazing instrument and vocal clarity in the mid range and also extended sound reproduction of the high notes and powerful and visceral low end.

“Ultimate Ears is synonymous with live stage performance, and the Ultimate Ears 18 Pro monitors are an extension of this lineage,” said Philippe Depallens, Logitech vice president and general manager of the Ultimate Ears product unit. “These new in-ear monitorsare our next-generation, top-of-the-line professional monitors that build on decades of music and technology expertise. With the Ultimate Ears 18 Pro monitors, you get the distinctive Ultimate Ears sound signature you expect and deserve.”

Apart from the six-speaker design, Ultimate Ears’ latest monitors combine four-way crossovers with acoustic and electrical tuning, patent-pending triple-sound channels and a new low-distortion cable. Every sound channel provides an acoustically tuned in-line filter to keep the frequencies separate and balanced till they blend in the user’s ears and not the monitor.

The Ultimate Ears 18 Pro Custom Monitors also offer compatibility with wireless transmission systems and portable media devices. They come dressed in a rugged, personalized aluminum roadie box to withstand the rigorous tours.

The Ultimate Ears 18 Pro Custom Monitors are said to hit shelves in February for a suggested retail price of US$1350 (approx Rs. 61,676). Well, this price does not include the cost to have a qualified audiologist create your ear impressions while the optional ambient noise function can be included for an additional US$50.

Creative, a brand mainly known for its MP3 players and PC speakers, also has a decent line up of headphones, including these sleek looking new models, one of them being the HQ-1400. We have received it for review, so let’s check it out.

The design of these circumaural closed back headphones is quite robust with a tinge of gloss black on the outside of the cans and on the flap below the headband. The headband itself, along with the rest of the exoskeleton of the HQ-1400 is black matte finished. The fit and ergonomics of the product is really plush due to its soft cushion pads, it’s got a nice velvet feel. The adjustable headband adds to the comfort.The drivers are stated 40 mm, made of neodymium magnet with Copper Clad Aluminum wire voice coil - a proprietary term they use is CCAW. The impedance is 32 Ohms, and sensitivity is high enough at about 105 dB/mW. The cord length is really long at 3 m, also with a gold plated mini plug at the end. The frequency response rated is 20 Hz -20Khz.

The sturdy build and super clean finish really raised our expectation for the performance, and we were more or less satiated in that regard. The frequency response output consisted of deep lows, though not bang on tight in terms of timing. It was more of a large enveloping LF response. The mids and high were present in decent amounts, not overpowering in level and also not making the sound edgy.

Loudness wise the headphones are really impressive, a really sensitive response is on the cards. Moreover the output is audibly clean sounding, there is not too much discernible THD at the highest level.

The MRP of the Creative HQ 1400 is Rs. 1690, which is a decent price for the unit. It looks great due to its suave exterior, and for the price it has a good sound output. The main thing is the low bass and healthy loudness. The bass is not that tight, plus highs are not as refined and “airy”, but they add up well in toto. It’s a good buy for a music lover or multimedia enthusiast, looking for a reasonably priced pair of solid headphones.

Sony has launched MDR-NC7 noise canceling headphones that feature a foldable and swivel design.Claiming a battery life of approximately 50 hours, the haedphones have a dual-use capability that gives users the option to listen to music with or without the noise cancellation feature. The 30mm driver (Neodymium magnet), and an on/off switch for noise cancelling will allow someone to use the headphones even if the battery runs dry.

The headphones weigh approximately 134g (including AAA battery) and work on a 30 - 20,000Hz range with a maximum outputof 100mW and a sensitivity of 102dB/mW while it is switched on and 100dB/mW in switch off mode. A plug adaptor is also supplied to connect directly to stereo or dual jack of in-flight music services.

Japanese company igma-Apo has announced its latest in Bluetooth headphones, in the body of a 2.1 Bluetooth headset with an exquisite and almost uncanny look. In perfect sync with the company's slogan “minimal, simple, compact,” these contraptions sport a very sober and almost Spartan design, straightforward and with no compromises. Since they haven't been made available at large yet, impressions on the functionality of the design are still a matter of the future. Yet, one could easily suppose that some will hate these products, while others will simply adore them.

The Bluetribe headphones have been designed to work in both outdoor and in indoor environments, with Bluetooth-enabled music sources, no matter whether we're thinking about iPods or computers, media servers or other similar devices.

Even more, the built-in microphone and the two-way connection make these headphones the perfect and most stylish gadget for conversations when paired with compatible gear, letting you interact with the world and use the Bluetribe headset for more than music. On theaudio side, they come with 30 mm drivers, but there is no word on the frequency range. Still, the 95 dB signal-to-noise ratio should make listening to these headphones a fairly pleasant experience.The left ear piece contains the rechargeable battery, while the right one features the on/off button, play, pause, stop, track up or down keys, as well as the volume adjustment controls. One full recharge of the battery is supposed to give you up to 11 hours of listening or making phone calls, all within a 33 feet radius (approx 11meters).

The ear pads have generous dimensions and come in rather uncanny shapes, at least for 2009: either hexagonal or square, with no details given as to whether they are interchangeable or not. Moreover, Sigma-Apo offers a version with a docking iPod/iPhone adapter. A possible drawback could be the fact that these nifty headphones have been announced only for Japan, thus chances to see them in other countries are slim to none. At the same time, no price has been named.

Expanding its music accessory collection, Sony Ericsson has unveiled its latest range of music accessories including 3 new sets of speakers and 3 new stereo headphones.
The three new sets of speakers include the MBS-200, MBS-400 and MPS-100, while the three new stereo headphones include HBH-IS800, HPM-88 and HPM-66.The MBS-200 wireless portable speaker allows users to stream music from mobile phone via Bluetooth, which mutes when receiving a phone call. For more powerful sound, there is the MBS-400, which bundles two speakers and allows users to enjoy high-quality stereo sound. Meanwhile, the MPS-100 is a mini-speaker that can be plugged into the mobile phone and is said to be priced affordably.
Coming to the headphones, the HBH-IS800 is a pair of sleek wireless stereo headphones that allows users to listen to music and answer calls discreetly. This Bluetooth headphone is touted to be the smallest headset of its kind on the market. Next is the HPM-88 noise canceling headphone that allows listening to music without background noise, claiming to reduce outside sound by up to 75 per cent. Using Sony technology, this is the first noise canceling mobile phone headset on the market that is powered by the phone itself. Last but not the least is the HPM-66 ear, the active, behind-the-ear stereo headphones.
This new range of music accessory is scheduled to be available in select markets from Q4 2008. However, the pricing is still to be revealed.

Logitech today unveiled its ClearChat Comfort USB headset, which connects to the PC through the USB port to produce high-quality digital audio, independent of the quality of your computer's sound card.
"A PC is no more a luxury but a necessity in today's world. People use PCs for various purposes like watching movies, playing games, video calling etc. But many people are not satisfied with the comfort and quality offered by the regular Headsets. We have introduced the Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB to provide maximum audio quality without compromising on comfort. We are confident these headsets will appeal to a large number of people," said Subrotah Biswas, Country Manager, India & SAARC, Logitech.The ClearChat Comfort USB headset features a padded headband and earpads. For additional convenience, the headset is equipped with in-line volume and mute controls. It also comes with a rotating, noise-canceling microphone.

The product is priced at Rs 2,695 and comes with a one-year warranty.

QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise canceling bose headphones bring the future of Ultra noise cancellation to reality, these headphones really reduce that unwanted distractions which can be too irritating while listening to your favorite music.

How it works? Well these bose headphones are incorporated with award-winning technology which digitally identifies and reduces noise without compensating with the music quality, movie dialogues and delivers each and every chimes and bell the best way it can be.

Now talking about the design! this pair of bose headphones comes in heady to flaunt silver matte finish, and it is designed such that once you wear them and go deep into music you will forget if you had them on your head. and the surrund sound delievered in such a compact device is like unbelievable.

Made specially for Airline travelers but buyers soon reviewed like how these bose headphones made their music experience better in other places like while traveling by buses and trains, office, and even at home far better.For more information subscribe in the email.