Tag Archives: headphones

Nank Runner Diver2 Pro Bone Conduction Headphones

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The Nank Runner Diver2 Pro (henceforth RD2P) headphones are a little bit different from your usual Bluetooth headset or earbuds. Instead of sitting over or in your ear canal, the RD2Ps use bone conduction to get sound into your ears, with the “speakers” sitting a little in front of the ear, resting on the top of your jawbone. The vibrations pass from the RD2P into your skull and then on to the auditory sensors buried deep in your ears: it’s a little bit like how you hear yourself. What are my first impressions? They’re great and I wish I’d discovered them years ago.

The RD2P headphones come in a small box with a little pile of accessories aimed at getting the most out of the RD2Ps. There’s the RD2P headphones themselves, which hook over the ears with the loop going round the back of the head rather than over the top. There’s a bit of spring in the band, making sure that the headphones stick firmly to your head. On the right hand side, there are three control buttons, ostensibly volume up, down and play/pause but combinations of multiple presses change the operating mode of the device. On the inner side, there’s a magnetic pogo pin connector where the data transfer and charging cable connects. The cable is included in the box.

Battery life is stated at 10 hours and I’m not going to quibble with that. I fully charged the headphones when I got them and I’ve still to charge them after about two weeks and a good bit of exercise.

Data transfer? Yes. Not only can the RD2P work as Bluetooth headphones, it also includes a media player with 32 GB of storage, which is fantastic if you want to listen to music while swimming. Obviously you don’t want have your smartphone at the side of the pool and Bluetooth radio waves really don’t transmit well through water, so having a built-in mp3 player is essential. Three presses of the middle button switches between the Bluetooth and media player (TF) modes.

Also in the box are some ear plugs in a little case: I’m not an earplug person so I didn’t use them. Let’s be honest, the whole point of bone conduction headphones is to avoid sticking things in your ear. In addition to the ear plugs, the RD2P comes with what Nank calls “sound quality enhancers”. They’re in pairs, one for each ear, and come in small, medium and large to sit inside the outer part of your ear – have a look at the picture. They did work – I’ll talk about audio quality shortly – but I’m not convinced they’ll be used much. These headphones are aimed at active people doing running, biking, swimming and the enhancers are a bit fiddly and something to lose.

Rounding out the box contents is a small silicone strap for, say, connecting the headphones to swim googles, and of course, some instructions. There’s no carrycase included though one is available from Nank’s store for an extra £15. Probably worth it if the RD2Ps are going to be lugged round in a gym bag and you don’t want to trash them.

The Runner Diver 2 Pro headphones are aimed at people doing sport and I think they do this job admirably especially as they’re IP69 rated which means they’re properly waterproof – according to the spec it’s up to 10 m deep for 5 hours. I tried them running, biking and swimming and for swimming, they’re a total audio revelation. Let’s talk about running and biking first….in terms of fit, the RD2Ps stayed in place really well. The combination of the over-ear loops and springiness of the neckband works well, and no issues with wearing glasses either. They’re very easy to wear generally as there’s no tiredness that sometimes comes from wearing headphones over or on the ears or earbuds in the ear. With cycling you do have to figure out how they’re going to work with your helmet straps which come down round your ears. I had to put the RD2Ps on first and then my helmet, otherwise the helmet strap blocked where vibrating pads rested on my jaw.

An advantage of bone conduction of headphones is that as they don’t obstruct the ears, other sounds can be heard clearly. This is handy if you need to be aware of a car coming up behind your or even if you simply need to hear someone talking to you. Nank advertise a noise cancelling capability with the RD2Ps which is engaged by tilting the earpads backwards closer to the ear canal. The effect isn’t as pronounced or as convincing as ANC earbuds so I wouldn’t rely on them for a transatlantic flight.

When it comes to audio quality, don’t expect these to be IEMs, but it’s still good. Music is detailed and clear, a little bit brighter, perhaps a bit thinner and the biggest difference is a reduction in bass. There’s not that “oomph” at the low end that can be expected from air-transmitted sound. Don’t get me wrong, I was delighted when I heard these for the first time simply sitting at my desk – they’re very clear and you can hear great detail. And we haven’t even talked about swimming…getting in the pool with these on is revelatory experience when your head is under the water. The music suddenly becomes richer and fuller: I couldn’t stop grinning for my first few lengths and I was amazed that other people didn’t hear the music as I swam past. They’re truly brilliant. It’s crazy being at the bottom of the pool (2.6 m) bopping away to your favourite mixes.

I’ve used other products with waterproof earbuds which were supposed to seal the ear canal and keep the water out. However, as soon as water got past the seal the sound became all muffled and there was never any fixing the problem while in the pool. You still do get odd effects with the RD2Ps depending on whether your head is in or out of the water as the liquid drains in and out of the ear but you can still hear the music or podcast. Wearing the earplugs helps with that but I’m quite happy doing the crawl with one ear occasionally out of the water. I honestly can’t see myself doing lengths without the RD2Ps ever again.

Any problems? The female voice that announces functions like “Pairing” or “Bluetooth mode” is a bit, err, vibrate-y and gives me the tingles, which doesn’t happen when listening to a podcast.

Pricewise, the full price is around UK£155 but there’s discount on at the moment which brings the price down to about £125 and they’re available directly from Nank’s online store. The Runner Diver2 Pro headphones were supplied to me for review by Nank but I can genuinely say that I’d spend my own money on these for the swimming performance alone. Definitely recommended.

Thanks to Nank for supplying the Runner Diver2 Pro bone conduction headphones for review.

JLab Offers Skin Tone Wireless Earbuds with the Go Air Tones

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Over the years, headphones have been predominately black with a few exceptions like Sennheiser’s HD414s and their iconic yellow ear pads. Apple made white fashionable with the AirPods and since there have been a few companies offering vibrantly coloured earbuds.

Today, rather than standing out, the JLab Go Air Tones earbuds look to blend in with a collection of seven skin-toned wireless earbuds. These have been available in the USA for a few months and they are now available in the UK and Ireland.

Taking the more colourful Go Air Pop earbuds as a base, JLab worked with Los Angeles-based Orly Color Labs to develop a series of authentic skin tones. Starting with over 60 different shades, the selection was whittled down to seven skin tones that are inclusive and diverse.

Elina Gitig, Orly’s Director of Special Projects, and Emma Guy, Orly Color Labs’ Senior Mixologist, made sure that the skin tone shades not only matched actual skin tones, but were also flattering. To ensure that these shades can be replicated on earbuds, the team also matched each shade to a Pantone color.

I think the Go Air Tones are great for anyone who wants to be discrete and JLab should be applauded for making the effort and investment.

On to the technical details….the Go Air Tones offer 8 hours of listening time on a full charge with an additional 24 hours available from the charging case, though it will take a little over 2 hours to charge the earbuds from empty. Three earbud tips (S, M, L) should provide ear comfort and it’s possible to use each earbud on their own if desired. The earbuds feature touch controls for a range of functions including volume, track control, answering calls and connecting to your smart assistant. There’s no noise cancellation but that’s not unexpected at this price level.

As I mentioned earlier, the Go Air Tones are launching in UK and Ireland and can can be purchased for £19.99 from JD Williams and Amazon in the UK and Harvey Norman in Ireland for €24.95.

Nothing ear(1) ANC Wireless Earbuds PreSale Saturday

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Earlier this week, Carl Pei’s new tech startup, Nothing, launched its first product, the ear(1) wireless active noise cancelling earbuds for a very competitively priced US$99 / GB£99.

Long time GNC readers will likely recognise Carl Pei’s name as one of the two founders of OnePlus, leaving the smartphone brand last year to start this new project with the financial backing of Google Ventures (now GV) along with a number of private investors, including Tony Fadell, creator of the iPod, and Casey Neistat.

The ear(1)s have comprehensively managed to step away from comparisons with other wireless earbuds with a unique design and a transparent charging case. Carl Pei said, “Nothing ear (1) is a breath of fresh air in a cluttered and indifferent market, setting the tone for our connected digital world to come. It marries advanced technology, precise engineering, and groundbreaking design at an unbelievable price.”

I have to admit that when I first saw the design, I thought the NOTHING ear(1) logo on the side of the earbuds was actually a small LCD display that would, say, show the tracks being played or the podcast being listened to. Sadly this isn’t the case but it would be really neat if it did.

In terms of specs, the ear(1) earbuds have active noise cancelling, wireless charging, IPX4 water resistance (sweat and splash), in-ear detection, over five hours of battery life and 34 hours of listening with case recharging. The 11.6mm drivers have been tuned by the audio nerds at Teenage Engineering for balanced bass, mid, and treble performance. Bluetooth 5.2 provides wireless connectivity. Nothing provides a complementary app to customise the audio experience of the ear(1)s and to help you find them when they’ve fallen down the back of the sofa.

If, like me, you missed the keynote launch during the week, the event is available on YouTube for viewing – the Sound of Change.

However, what you might not want to miss is a presale of the ear(1)s over at nothing.tech at 1400 BST on Saturday 31st August for purchasers in the UK and US. It is a limited drop and I don’t know exactly how the sale will go down, but it’s probably worth registering on the web site in advance.

If you miss this opportunity, the ear(1) earbuds will be going on general sale from 17 August, though there will be some other opportunities to get in on the hype through a couple of fashion sites like HBX, Mr Porter and Kith. Clearly, the ear(1)s are for the cool kids.

Get Some Sleep with Kokoon Relax Headphones at CES

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Sleep deprivation seems to be the curse of the 20th Century but for most people, the problem is simply living busy lives. According to NHS Choices, 1 in 3 people in the UK are affected by insomnia, with 50% of respondents in a recent survey by Mintel reporting struggles with sleep. All of us will have occasionally experienced those nights, lying awake, unable to switch off, but usually we’re back to ourselves the next night. However, for some, getting to sleep can be a clinical problem that needs help beyond getting to bed early.

For those people, there are CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) techniques that can help with the problem. Tim Antos was one such sufferer and it was his experience of guided audio relaxation techniques that encouraged him to setup Kokoon with the mission to help people relax and sleep easier. After attending many sessions at a sleep clinic he “wanted to make all this knowledge, all these great tools I learnt in the sleep clinic more accessible to the everyday consumer to use on their own terms”.

Developed with staff at Europe’s largest sleep laboratory, the Kokoon Relax headphones combine bio-sensing with adaptive audio within an ergonomic noise cancelling headphone to provide personalised, bespoke assistance to help people switch off and relax. Simplistically, that means it uses EEG sensors to monitor brainwaves, motion and heart rate, and adjusts the sounds depending on how sleepy the wearer is.

The Kokoon app features techniques, tracks and concepts developed with sleep professionals to optimise the chances of falling asleep. The app helps insomnia sufferers by delivering a customised content experience developed for the individual using the sensor data gathered from their body and environment. For example, as the wearer falls asleep, the audio changes in response, fading out the content and introducing white noise to mask out disturbances. The system also tracks what helps someone doze off, then personalising content for greater effect.

On top of this, the Kokoon Relax headphones have been designed with comfort as a priority. There’s no point getting to sleep only to be woken up by uncomfortable headphones digging into the scalp. The Flexmould Comfort patented design helps Kokoon headphones conform to the shape of the user’s head, and by using high quality natural fibre fabric, air flows easily through the ear cups to keep the wearer’s ears cool and comfortable (I often get hot ears). The ear cushions are detachable for washing too.

The Relax headphones can be used just like any other Bluetooth 4 headphone. With great sound from 40mm electro-dynamic drivers, it makes them ideal for listening to music and watching movies whilst travelling, or simply relaxing in a busy place. And at only 350g or 12oz they make the perfect travel companion with folding earcups and a carry case is included too. There’s a choice of two colours, black or grey.

The Kokoon Relax headphones are now shipping internationally from Kokoon.io for US$349 / GB£315, and there are some new year offers on. They can also be purchased from Amazon.com and selected retailer.

Audeara “Hearing Test” Headphones at CES 2018

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We’ve covered Audeara’s headphones on GNC before but they’re so interesting that they’re worth a second shout as it’s CES and all manner of advanced technology is on show.

Audeara are the world’s first full fidelity headphones with an built-in hearing test to protect user’s ears and deliver a completely personalised listening experience.

Everyone has a degree of hearing loss. Not just as a result of every loud gig they’ve been to, every busy street they’ve walked down, or every police siren that’s ever gone past but also damage can be sustained purely by listening to their headphones too loud. More and more young people have some loss of hearing, with an increasing number with the same hearing health usually associated with a 60 year old.

Audeara headphones can be used to test and retest hearing over a lifetime and adapt music to the user’s individual needs. They make music better, not louder, and provide perfect sound as it’s personalised for each person’s hearing. The first time the headphones are worn, the user undertakes a hearing test – the results of which, are subsequently stored in the headphones themselves. The headphones use this hearing profile to adjust the sound signal as it passes through them. They adjust the right ear differently from the left, making sure each part of the signal reaches the user’s brain in a way that’s heard as a perfect reflection of the intended signal.

What makes the Audeara headphones especially powerful is that all the technology is inside the headphones themselves. After the first test, the app isn’t required again unless the user wants to retest. This means headphones are no longer passive magnets for signal conversion, instead, they’re sophisticated tools for personalised sound reproduction.

The A-01 headphones are on pre-sale for AU$399 (that’s Australian dollars) with delivery expected in February 2018.

There’s video explaining the technology here.

Brainwavz B200 Earphones Review

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Headphones are packing in more and more features – Bluetooth connectivity, in-line remotes, microphones, even digital assistants like Alexa and Google. But sometimes you just want to strip it all back and focus on the sound. You want to listen to the music, not just hear it, and that’s what Brainwavz are serving up with the B200 earphones. Sitting in the mid-to-upper end of their audiophile B series, the B200s promise “a balanced and accurate sound signature, with little to no colouring in the mids and a slight focus on the upper mids sound…delivering an overall sound the artist would have intended when producing the song.” That’s a big promise so let’s hear if the B200 earphones deliver.

Based in Hong Kong, Brainwavz have been around since 2008 and have built a range that includes earphones, headphones, Bluetooth ‘phones and accessories including stands. Prices go from US$20 for basic earbuds to $180 for the top of the range B400 earphones

The B200s arrive in an understated black box with red-highlights. Opening it, inside is a zipped pill-shaped travel case, with matching red highlights. Unzipping reveals the earphones neatly wrapped in a velcro band, a shirt clip, and a selection of ear tips. There’s one set of red Comply memory foam tips, plus 10 silicone rubber tips in S, M, L (two pairs of each size in total). It’s a satisfactory package.

Unwrapping the earphones and looking closer, there’s a gold-plated 3.5mm audio jack with the cable coming out at about 30 degrees. The main cable feels like it’s braided and then covered in a soft-touch rubber. The cable then splits to the left and right ears with a cinch slider to keep the wires under control, and suit audiophiles, they’re of equal length. Unlike many earphones, the wires go up and over the back of the ear. The wires have a thin moulding on them to hold the over ear shape. The earphones themselves have almost a coffee-bean shape to them, with slightly curved facets. It’s all plastic, so aficionados of bare metal need look elsewhere. It’s all very understated.

The B200s are very comfortable to wear, even for extended periods. I’m not sure what makes them comfortable because the eartips look like every other eartip. It might be that the wire goes upwards over the ear rather than down. Who knows? There’s a little bit of a knack to getting the buds in and the wire looped over but helpfully L and R are stamped on the inside of the earphone. Sound isolation is good too with very little of the outside world leaking in.

Getting the heart of the matter, what are the B200s like to listen to? Frankly, they’re pretty good and give the listener a lovely balanced sound with excellent clarity and what I feel is just about the right level of bass. They’re particularly rewarding if you can get away from Spotify et al and listen to a uncompressed source – remember those CD things? I’ve been listening to John Legend’s Darkness and Light and it’s just glorious.  No question, Brainwavz deliver on their promise and who needs an inline control when it sounds this good? Less is more.

Taking a quick look at the tech specs…
Drivers : Dual Balanced Armature
Rated Impedance : 30 Ω
Frequency Range : 12 Hz ~ 22 kHz
Sensitivity : 110 dB at 1 mW
Cable : 1.3 m Y-Cord, Over the ear, OFC Copper
Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold plated

Wrapping up, the Brainwavz B200 earphones sound great and will complement almost any music genre. They’re very understated – no-one’s going to be recognised the brand from across the street. tThe B200s were announced for the UK market back in June, but since then Brainwavz have updated the B200 model to version two which includes detachable audio cables and a transparent body. As a result, the pictures of the B200 earphones on the Brainwavz website look different to the ones shown here but I’m sure they sound just as good. The B200s v2 are priced at GB£90 / US$120 and if you get in quick you’ll find a few Christmas discount codes. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Video review below.

Thanks to Brainwavz for supplying the B200 earphones for review.

1More E1001 Triple Driver Earbuds

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As I unpacked the box for the 1More E1001 triple driver headphones, I realised that there was good chance that these earbuds might be something a little bit special given both the attention to detail on the packaging and the price at just under GB£100. Was I disappointed? Let’s take a look and find out.

Starting with the E1001’s box, it’s designed to look like a much-loved hardback book, with detailing on three sides to give the impression of pages. Held shut by a magnetic catch, opening the outer cover reveals pencil-drawn draughts of the headphones construction. On the right are the earbuds, and lifting the tray reveals accessories in neat boxes.

The largest box holds additional eartips for the E1001s. In total, there are six sizes of silicon earbuds going from 10 mm up to 14.5 mm, plus three sizes of foam tips at 11, 13 and 14.5 mm sizes. With having a range of sizes, swapping based on use is realistic: one size for listening at home on the sofa and a larger size for walking in the park.

Other boxes contained instructions, a pleather case for the headphones, an aircraft adaptor and a clip for holding the cable in place. The clip does make a big difference when using the E1001s on a call as otherwise the microphone picks up too much background noise. Both the adaptor and the clip are finished in brush gold effect.

Returning to the headphones themselves, the body of the earbud is made entirely from metal; there’s no plastic here.  With two contrasting colours on the earbuds – soft gold and blue grey – the E1001s live up to expectations with a lovely finish. If gold’s not your colour, there’s a silver version to lower the bling level. The earbuds point forwards slightly and I had no problems with comfort and fit.

The cables running from the earbuds are equal length, and the right side has an inline control for volume, next track and taking calls. The control sticks with the grey and gold colouring. 1More keep it simple when it comes to the control – don’t expect to be able to manage two calls or anything fancy, but it does work on both iOS and Android. The lower part of the cable is braided and ends in TRRS 3.5mm jack. The total length is about 1.2 m from jack to earbud.

With the physical review completed, let’s move onto the important bit….what do they sound like? In one word, stunning. Tuned by a Grammy-award winning sound engineer, Luca Bignardi, they deliver an accurate listening experience which is frankly wasted on smartphones and mp3s. I hooked up the E1001s to a Yamaha amp with Pioneer CD source and listened to albums all over again. I particularly enjoyed listening to acoustic tracks, especially R&B like Keb’ Mo’ where you can hear every slap of the guitar, every nuance in the vocals, every thump of the bass. There’s tremendous clarity and detail in the sound coming out of these earbuds and the triple drivers deliver where it’s needed. Unless I’m going to the gym, these are my current favourites for listening.

Priced at GB£99.99 and US$99.99, these aren’t cheap but in terms of bang for buck, the E1001s are great value. If you are interested in buying from the UK, there’s currently a coupon on the website to get 20% off, which is an even better deal. When you consider 1More released its first headphones in 2015, it’s astonishing that it’s now producing earbuds of this quality in 2017: the established players in this market should be concerned.

Thanks to 1More for providing the E1001 triple driver headphones for review. Unboxing video below.