Sony today announced the WF-SP800N sport headphones, its newest wireless noise cancelling model. Designed for an active lifestyle, the WF-SP800N is perfect for any activity, whether it be running outdoors or exercising at home.

This powerful sport headphone enhances music experiences with a secure fit, IP55 rating for water and dust resistance, and long battery life.

“These headphones help any athlete stay focused on their goals as they offer the perfect combination of noise cancelling and sweat resistance,” said Abel Makhraz, Deputy GM, Consumer Sales & Marketing, Sony ANZ. “Whether you’re working out at home or hitting the running trails, WF-SP800N takes your motivation to the next level.”

Durability and long battery life are an outstanding feature, allowing you to do more with WF-SP800N’s IP55 rating: An IP55 rating means that splashes, sweat and dust won’t stop these water-resistant headphones or the workout. Their soft-cushioned arc supporter and three-dimensional curved design ensure a secure, comfortable fit.

Keep the workout going with extended battery life with up to 9 hours music per charge, the WF-SP800N has the battery stamina needed to keep up with the most active lifestyles. The compact charging case offers power on-the-go. Holding a full charge, the case provides up to 18 hours of music playback with noise cancelling switched on and up to 26 hours switched off. When in a hurry, 10 minutes quick charging gives up to 60 minutes of music playback. Thanks to a Bluetooth chip borrowed from the award-winning WF-1000XM3 truly wireless headphones, coupled with an optimised antenna design, the earphones ensure a stable connection with outstanding listening

The WF-SP800N features the latest noise cancelling technology to block out distractions like the sounds of the street. EXTRA BASS delivers powerful, punchy, low-end sound, helping users power through their work or workout. With the free-of-charge “Sony | Headphones Connect” companion app, it’s easy to customise the audio to create a relaxed listening experience at home or to boost the bass to charge up a workout.

360 Reality Audio can be enjoyed on the WF-SP800N headphones when combined with an Android smartphone / iPhone that has a participating streaming services app installed. 360 Reality Audio offers a custom immersive musical field that is perfectly optimised for each individual user when utilising the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app.

Adaptive Sound Control automatically adjusts ambient sound settings to suit the current environment for the ultimate listening experience. Ambient Sound Mode also lets users control the sounds that they want to let in, which can be customised in the “Sony | Headphones Connect” companion app from level 0 to level 20.
Smart control technology enables users to play, stop or skip through music and adjust the volume by simply placing a finger on the right earbud and then turn down the music by placing a finger on the left earbud. The quick attention feature instantly turns the volume down and lets in ambient sound so users can chat without needing to remove the earbuds.

Never miss a beat thanks to wearing detection, which automatically detects when the earbuds are taken out. Pause the music instantly by taking one of the earbuds out and the music will automatically resume when the earbud is put back in again.

Voice Assistant enables you to manage the day with ease using Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Enjoy entertainment, connect with friends, get information, listen to music and notifications, set reminders and more.

The WF-SP800N will be available in New Zealand shortly.

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and it’s contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

The post Say Yes to Music & No to Sweat w. Sony appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Alongside the release of Samsung’s first flagship smartphone release this year, the Galaxy S10, the tech giant also released an ensemble of wearables.

One of those being the very forward thinking, innovative Galaxy Buds, which are the evolution from last year’s offering in true wireless audio, the Icon X.

Galaxy Buds are smaller than the Icons, they don’t protrude as much when in the ear and while I had always thought that the Icons squished in to my ears nice and tight, the Buds feel way more comfortable, natural and I can wear them for extended periods, even forgetting that I have them in (yes I have actually done this, more than once).

Samsung sent over their pearl white model and having reviewed the Icon X last year I was already familiar with the touch sensor controls for audio volume, track control and call taking.

Samsung make connectivity so easy with the Galaxy Wearable App. If you are using a Samsung phone, it will automatically detect the Buds and within seconds you’re connected and good to go.

On an Android smartphone, but not Samsung, the Galaxy Wearable App will still harness the Buds with an instant detection.

iOS (iPhone / iPad) is generally the same aswell – except I did have a few moments of call and music / connectivity drops on an iPhone XS Max. There’s also a couple of compromises – you will lose the ambient sound feature aswell as the music EQ. But they do simply connect via bluetooth, like any other wireless headset and are of course a much cheaper and hell nicer option to the Apple Earpods.

No drops or connection issues whatsoever on Android, Samsung or not.

Controlling the Buds is as mentioned via touch. Swipe or tap to play, pause, volume up or down and take a call. As impressed as I was with the Icon X when they first released in 2018, the smaller Galaxy Buds when wedged in your ears also still manage to pick up your voice via its dual microphones on a call precisely and clearly with no echo or lag. This includes VOIP calls aswell (Skype and Facebook).

The Galaxy Buds come with a carry case, also smaller than the Icon X. Easily fitting in the pocket and super light weighing in at only 6 grams, the carry case will offer up to 2.5 full charges of the Galaxy Buds, which will last up to 6 hours of continuous play time per single Bud charge.

The Galaxy Wearable App has its own unique features for the Galaxy Buds. Featuring audio and hardware by the top shelf AKG within each Bud, you can tweak your audio settings via the Galaxy Bud menu.

I had a good fiddle around with this on all devices that I paired with. Out of the box, the audio wasn’t impressive at all. Quiet and tinny. So there’s a definite need to toggle the audio enhancements to your liking – and if your device has a builtin EQ like Dolby Atmos or similar, also have a play around with that too until you get it just right.

Paired with your smartdevice you can wirelessly transmit to your ears any form of audio; your personal music library, streaming from Spotify, movies and of course gameplay. Actually, the Galaxy Buds have superb gaming sound.

The Buds themselves are teeny. If you use them for fitness, the corresponding Galaxy App will track your workout, run or walk via the Buds. Not that they are likely to ever drop out of your ears, but if you do lose one, or both, track it down with Find My Buds.

You can also get spoken notifications for any App you have on your smartdevice (providing the individual App allows it). I turned this off though, as it became really really annoying.

There are two major differences (three if you include size) between the predecessor, Icon X and the Galaxy Buds. Missing from the Buds is the builtin 4GB storage. While this would be handy for some who prefer to use the Buds on their own without a smartdevice, I have to admit that with my Icon X, I never used the internal storage, except for when initially reviewing them. So not a great loss.

The next huge advancement is that the Galaxy Buds will also wirelessly charge via their case. If you have a wireless smartphone charger at home, just place the Buds in their case and rest on the wireless charger.

You can of course do this via the power feature on the Galaxy S10. As I don’t have an S10 on hand I tried with my Huawei Mate 20 Pro which also offers the same feature – and yep they charge up and didn’t dent the phones battery one bit.

Cabled a full charge from totally dead takes roughly 15 minutes, wireless took longer, around twice the amount of time at 30 – 40 minutes.

Galaxy Buds are small personal audio must haves from the future. Slimmed down, restyled, snug fitting and with the right tweaking, creates an audio experience close to wired headsets. For me they are near perfect.

Open the case, pop them in and go.

The post Galaxy Buds Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony Mobile Communications has today announced that the Xperia Ear Duo will be available in Australia from 28th of May 2018.

“The Xperia Ear Duo is the result of combining what we’ve learned from our extensive history within the audio and acoustics space, along with growing consumer interest in wearable technology,” said John Featherstone, Managing Director, Sony Mobile Oceania. “Ear Duo is the first wireless headset to deliver a breakthrough Dual Listening experience – the ability to enjoy your music, receive your notifications all whilst being able to hear what’s going on in the world around you.”

Xperia Ear Duo features Dual Listening technology, so you can listen to music and receive notifications, whilst simultaneously hearing environmental sound or conversation, be that during a workout, while in the office or on your commute.

The Spatial Acoustic Conductor, developed by Sony’s in-house technology incubator Future Lab Program, allows the sound generated behind the ear by the unit’s driver to be transmitted directly into the ear. The specially designed ring supporter surrounds the ear canal so your music can blend seamlessly with sounds from your environment.

The volume intelligently adjusts based on your surroundings and background noise, with Sony’s Clear Phase audio technology eliminating sound dispersion for crystal clear listening.

Driven by Sony’s ultra-low power consuming “CXD5602” chip and a sophisticated multi-sensor platform, the “Daily Assist” feature will recognise time, location and activities to offer relevant information throughout the day – reminding you what time your next meeting is when you reach the office or narrating the latest news headlines.

Xperia Ear Duo also responds to head gestures – the advanced sensors allow you to answer or decline incoming calls by shaking or nodding your head, or skip through music by shaking your head left and right. You can also control your music and volume by simply tapping and scrolling on the earpieces.

Voice control is also built in with flexible access to the personal assistants you use most, whether it’s Google or Siri. Quad microphone beam-forming isolates the sound of your voice, filtering out external noise to help you set reminders, send messages, make calls or launch an application, with ease.

Made from durable stainless steel and soft rubber, Xperia Ear Duo sits under the ear to avoid interference with glasses or accessories. The open-ring supporter comes in three different sizes, and IPX2 splash proofing means it’s comfortable enough to wear all day, every day.

You’ll be able to enjoy up to four hours listening on a single charge, and the innovative compact case doubles as a charger, providing up to three times more power when you’re on the move. What’s more, the case offers a fast charging feature, giving you one hour of listening with just seven minutes of charging when using the optional fast charger accessory (UCH12W).

Xperia Ear Duo will be available through JB Hi-Fi, and at Sony Kiosks and Online for RRP $399 AUD from the 28th of May in a sleek black design. The fast charger accessory, UCH12W can be purchased from Sony for RRP $49 AUD. The companion application for the Xperia Ear Duo is available for free download at the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

The post Sony Launch Xperia Ear Duo appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you are a audiophile, like myself, then you want to have rich, highly detailed sound not only in your home but also as you’re out and about.

AKG, owned by Harmon / Kardon, have always been synonymous with top shelf audio gear. With their 2018 Award Winning N5005 inner earphones they aim to raise the bar even higher.

Now, all the way back in 2008 I shelled out a small fortune on a pair of Ultimate Ears TripleFi. These were the UE top of the line at the time (and still are). At the price tag, I hoped I was making a sound (pun intended) investment. It turns out that I did. To this day I have not come across a set of inner ears that even skims the surface of the audio quality the TripleFi have.

A decade on, and having had to replace two cables and one entire ear-piece the UE TripleFi are still my wired go to’s.

When I first met with the New Zealand AKG team and was shown the N5005s my eyes lit up. I HAD to give them a go. I had to see if they could trump the aging but still killer UE’s.

Proving that AKG are serious about sound and user experience, the N5005 come with three interchangeable cables. Two of these being braided, one for 3.5mm, 2.5mm and one enabling you to go wireless with Bluetooth connectivity.

All cables have both audio controls and handsfree functions. Each small ceramic encapsulated earpiece clips on to its colour coded wire, then all cables are designed to twist around your ear, having the earpieces sit snug and flat inside the ear opening.

For those that have not had a high end set, or sports earplugs before, wrapping them around the shape of your ear will take a bit of getting used to. Generally though, it ensures that the earpieces do not come loose while walking, running or jogging.

Also in the box is a set of four swap-able frequency filters to fine tune your audio to your preferences or the type of audio that you’re listening to.

For my time with the N5005’s I predominantly used the Bass Boost, but trying out the other frequency filters did add a more clearer or stadium like enhancement. Always though it depends on the type of audio and also the device used for playing audio.

Each singular earpiece has 5 drivers (x2 High Range, x2 Mid Range, x1 Low Pass) powering and pumping music or media into your ears, separating out the highs from the lows.

The best experience I got while using these was from gaming, which gave an almost home theater like experience.

Watching Netflix was also pleasing as you could feel the audio separation there too, music not so much.

This wasn’t to say that music did not produce it’s own signature AKG quality.

Primarily used on my Galaxy Note8 (which has a AKG enhancement) music, whether from microSd or Spotify gave a clear and crisp reproduction, but I felt that I never gained a full ‘Bass Boost’ experience.

The N5005’s surprisingly use silicon inner-ear buds. For a supreme set such as these I had expected to find foam buds. Usually high end inner ear headphones utilise foam buds to not only ensure that the buds stay in your ear, but also for outside noise cancellation.

When the audio device was at full volume, naturally all outside intereference was blocked out. But at a mid volume, walking around the city, there was still outside noise creeping in.

Within the box you will find a mix of silicon ear buds, to cater for aesthetics and sizing.

There is only one benefit to silicon earbuds over foam and that is that they take a very long time to deteriorate. Maybe this is why they are a staple for the N5005s.

There’s a lot of extras that come with the AKG N5005, more than you may likely ever need. The inclusion for three differing cables included braided was a huge plus for me (who has had to replace high end cables before).

Audio quality is outstanding even via mixed media devices, from Android to Apple through to PC / Laptop. The N5005’s are pricey though. You will not get any change from around $1K USD.

But, did they overshadow my decade old UE’s?

No.

But they got real close. The closest any high end earplugs have got to in comparison. The shortfall being the lack of being able to ‘feel’ the bass, even with the Bass Boost filters on. Also opting for silicon buds instead of foam.

Trivial for some, maybe, but to get that fuller audio experienceyou need to ensure that all outside intereference is blocked and even while audio can be fully detailed and crystal clear, there is something to be said for feeling that rumbling bass in your ears.

Despite these two factors, I would still seriously consider owning a set of these. What the N5005’s aim to do they do and exceed at. Top quality build, hard wearing and packaged with enough extras to ensure years upon years of trouble-free usage aswell as the option to go from wired to wireless in an instant.

The post AKG N5005 Earplugs Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Personal audio in the last decade has taken leaps and bounds changing how we consume media and how we experience it.

JBL, a subsidiary of the audio giant Harmon, have been making top shelf audio products for over 70 years, from in-car systems through to recently Bluetooth, A.I. enhanced speaker systems and headphones.

The recently released JBL T110BT are a small factor set that will connect up to any Bluetooth enabled device.

Naturally you are most likely to use these with your smart phone or tablet, or portable gaming system.

Bluetooth connectivity is usually a simple affair, especially with iOS or Android. Windows 10 can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to a wireless audio connection though.

The T110BT are a single magnetic cabled set of earplugs styled and coloured to the signature look of most other JBL products.

Offering up a superb range both indoor and out door my time with the earplugs has seen zero drops with it’s BT 4.0 sync and the T110BT is super comfy to wear with each earbud staying put while walking or running.

The T110BT will give you around 6 hours of wireless audio time and will fully recharge in 2 hours.

Since receiving the unit I have not charged them and have had these for just over a week. They have been used every day for one to two hours. So roughly I’ve got probably 10 – 11 hours so far and they are still going.

Built for Bass the T110BT uses builtin 8.6mm high-end drivers to try to replicate the big audio sound of a stadium, concert or similar.

I paired the T110BT up with a Note8. Sound quality was good, no it was great, but didn’t blow me away. I do admit that I’m super picky when it comes to headphone and earplug audio.

Pairing up with an iPad was even less of an experience – but this is due to iOS devices lacking any real audio enhancements.

However, for gaming on the Nintendo Switch – perfect.

The T110BT perfectly replicated my home audio system. Up close and personal in the realms of Zelda and launching my Kart with Mario and friends never, ever sounded so good.

Back to the Note8, watching Netflix and films from the storage card proved to be a good fit for the T110BT aswell.

I found though, that being a set of earplugs designed for Bass, it lacked the thump when listening to music.

Perfectly placed on the around the neck cable is a mic and series of remote buttons, allowing you to take calls hands-free (which worked perfectly everytime) and control your playlist and volume.

The T110BT does not have it’s own amplifier, so your audio is limited by the device that you are using.

Other BT headsets that I have tested as of late have their own audio volume which goes farther and louder than your device can.

In the box, it’s relatively simple.

There is no carry case, unfortunately, so you’ll need to take care if you move around with the T110BT’s.

A set of differing sizes for the plugs are there and, well that’s it really, except for a couple of instruction manuals and a micro-USB charging cable.

Although they do have really good sound quality, the T110BT’s are of the lower price point or a JBL personal audio headphone.

A full recommend if you are after an audio solution that is not obtrusive (the ear speaker pods are super small), gives you wireless freedom, is superb audio at a low price point and can last an extended amount of time.

The post JBL T110BT Headphone Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony launches two new sports wireless headphones for the active, stylish music lover who’s always on the go. These high quality headphones are just as good when worn in a high intensity cardio class, a yoga session or in everyday life.

A truly wireless design is important when wearing headphones on the go, as it means you are free to do whatever sports you wish without your headphone cables getting in the way. Firstly is the truly wireless WF-SP700N headphones which combine, for the first time, two features you need most when working out; digital noise cancelling to block out the chaos and focus on your training, and a durable, splash-proof design.

Sony WF-SP700N

Sony’s Noise Cancelling headphones become smarter with the Google Assistant Sony’s Noise Cancelling headphones will be optimised for Google Assistant via an update. Ask questions, tell it to do things, it’s your own personal Google, always ready to help. The Assistant can help you get things done, listen to music, hear your incoming messages, make calls and more.

Sony Noise Cancelling lets you concentrate and zone in to your training, in the noisy environment of a gym with machines and people talking, so you can enjoy your music clearly on the treadmill. If you’re exercising outside, just turn on the Ambient Sound mode to stay aware of the surrounding sounds.

These headphones also offer the famous Sony EXTRA BASS sound that combined with Noise Cancelling will give your music a deeper, punchier bass to focus on enhancing your performance. The companion Sony | Headphones Connect app even allows you to tailor your sound settings.

Sony WI-SP600N

With an IPX4 rating, the WF-SP700N headphones are splash-proof meaning you can wear them in the rain, or while sweating in the gym. Supplied with arc supporters, they fit very securely in your ears no matter what activity you are doing. They are available in four colours including black, white, pink and yellow.

The WF-SP700N’s come with a compact charging case and benefit from approximately three hours of battery life, plus two additional charges from their case, offering a total of nine hours in between charges. The WF-SP700N’s have NFC one-touch connection and are compatible with the Sony | Headphones Connect app, which now features “Quick Sound Settings” so you can recall your favourite equaliser and ambient sound setting with just two taps of the headphones button. Alongside the truly wireless style, Sony brings out a standard wireless in-ear model, the WI-SP600N, which has the same Digital Noise Cancelling and sound technology as the WF-SP700N, plus the same splash-proof rating.

The compact earpieces are connected by a discreet cable that sits behind the neck and they also feature arc supporters which are designed to ensure both flexibility and a secure fit. With this pair, you can keep listening for up to approximately 6 hours. The WF-SP700N and WI-SP600N will be available from May 2018 with their pricing details still to be determined.

The post Water Proof, Wireless & Noise Cancelling appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Boost your fitness regime with, well, Wings.

Panasonic bring the beat back wirelessly with their Wings audio earplugs designed for fitness junkies who do not wish to be entangled in cables.

Wings are Bluetooth connecting audio plugs that are designed to fit comfortably around the shape of your ear using a 3D Flex Sports Clip. The ear fittings are flexible enough to sit snug for any promising athlete and of course this means that as you jostle about during your work out the ear plugs do not give or pop out.

When first adorning the the Wings myself, I struggled to get them on (I even had to resort to the User Manual). They do take some getting used to especially if you are not used to fitted earplugs. But once you niche it you wonder why you never had anything like them before.

Wings can be paired with Android or Apple smartphones and with the on-cable mic and controls you can mix up that workout playlist, answer calls and so on without the need of stopping to grab your phone or Bluetooth audio device.

Shane the Gamer was given the BTS30 Model to review. These pack a hell of a punch when it comes to both audio depth and clarity. The have the same styling and audio prowess as the higher end model, bar one function.

The higher end Model BTS50 is designed for the more nightly fitness gurus with front facing LED lighting for visibility in low light. Sure you do look like a cyborg, but remember, safety first.

Both Wing Models are water resistant, but not waterproof (so do not attempt to go swimming with them on) and come in a myriad of colours.

Panasonic Wings are an extreme headset with high fidelity audio feedback and being rechargeable is an added bonus.

One full charge however will see you right for a few days usage up to a week (depending on how regularly and how long you use them). A quick 15 minute charge will keep you going for upto an hour.

Now, it can also be said that you don’t need to be treading the pavement or performing your most extreme ‘downward facing dog’ posture. Wing’s will suit anyone in any condition. They are afterall, wireless headphones.

We also paired them up to a Bluetooth equipped laptop and portable gaming device. All worked beautifully.

No matter what your intended use, the Panasonic Wings are a tight comfortable fit that will have you literally tuning out, working out and out and about straight from the box.

To find out more, visit the Official Wings Website

The post Panasonic Wings Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.