Bose, one of the leading audio companies in the world today announced two brand new products, that for them create a deeper sound experience, if you are on yourself, or with a group of friends.
Soundlink Mini
The biggest ‘mobile’ announcement today is a new mobile audio experience. A mobile, high-quality bluetooth speaker. No one is waiting for just another one of those, so they anted up their game, and created a portable speaker that will create an immersive sound that is very impressive for it’s small form factor (680 Gram – 24 ounces).
Showing a demo with an iPod on speaker, switching to bluetooth was as drastic as VHS to Blu-ray.
Using special-designed passive bass boosters, custom transducers and high-quality components, the Soundlink Mini is a tiny product, packing quite the punch.
The exterior is made of anodized aluminium, making it scratch-resistant. Also included in the box is a charging station. On a full charge, that takes two hours to complete, the device boasts an impressive seven hour of playback time over bluetooth, with the volume maxed out. Additional accessories include color covers and a carry case.
During a test spin after the presentation, we can confirm the audio to be impressive for such a small form factor, without any distortion, even while playing a movie from a notebook. We will test these thoroughly as they become available.
The Soundlink Mini will be available July 11th, for €199,95.
Next up: Headphones.
Everyone by now is familiar with noise-canceling headphones. Bose again, wants to raise the stakes, with the introduction of the QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headset.
The moment you put them in, it’s just crazy how silent everything becomes. People talking around you just become moving faces like a Jim Carrey movie. Cars passing by are just gone, and you are isolated in your music.
I will never be able to use this I thought, as I will be killed in traffic before the end of my next song. As if they could read my mind, they announced a brand new Aware-modus. If you are out in traffic, this mode makes it possible to listen to music, with noise canceling still active, yet be able to hear announcement in an airport, or a passing car that honks at you because you are in it’s way. Basically it filters out low frequencies, so it enables you to listen to your music, and not get killed in traffic, or miss your flight because of a changed gate. Seems pretty nifty!
Another announcement to this already incredible product is their new StayHear (see what they did there) technology. Which basically is a fancy name for added extra silicone tips around the buds, so you will put them correct in your ears. Easy and logical.
Because these are active earphones, it needs power too. That’s what the big controller does. With a 16 hour Lithium LiOn battery, it makes sure your active noise canceling keeps working throughout the day.
Using their TriPort technology, combined with an active equalizer and Bose Noise Canceling Technology aim to make this the best product out there to enjoy your music on all layers and quality the artist intended.
After the presentation we got a change to test these as well.
As a modest fan of Apple’s rather cheap, yet good EarPods, I did looked a bit weary at the QC20i. Not that I don’t like to pay for quality, but my earbuds often get washed, lost, broken, or confiscated by my fiancee.
Adding to that, a 300 euro price-tag is ten times the price I pay for my white ones. Nothing was wrong with those. Until I put them on. The world disappears around you. The music takes the front hand, and the sound quality is just absolutely top-notch.
However, the set is a bit clumsy. Just after the iPhone audioplug (and Android compatible version will also be released, is this rather big battery pack, almost as big as my iPhone itself. If you keep your phone in your pocket on the entire trip, no problem, but there is no rocking out with these in your hand. The iPhone remote (with the Awareness button) is also a bit clumsy with it’s large format and small buttons. Also silly that they divided the controls over 2 separate boxes.
If you can overcome these issues, this is a great product! Expect a full test as soon as we receive review samples.
The QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headset will be out summer 2013 for the price of €299,95.
