ASTRO Gaming, the leader in premium video gaming equipment, today introduced the ASTRO Gaming Call of Duty : Black Ops: Cold War A10 Headset. ASTRO Gaming is the Official Headset licensee of Call of Duty and has been a long time official collaborator of Call of Duty, bringing licensed headsets and accessories to gamers around the world. The new ASTRO Gaming Call of Duty : Black Ops Cold War A10 Headset joins the ASTRO A40 TR, Speakers tags, and A40 TR Mod Kits already on the market today.

"ASTRO has been a key collaborator of Call of Duty esports such as Call of Duty Champs, and the Call of Duty League," said Daniel Siegel, VP of Licensing for Activision. "We're excited to continue our partnership with ASTRO as the Official Headset licensee of Call of Duty. With this latest headset, our fans are sure to get the best audio experience while playing Call of Duty : Black Ops Cold War."

[Editor's note: This press release concerns the US market availability of the product, which may already have launched in other regions before.]

Envision Peripherals, Inc. (EPI), an affiliate of TPV Technology Limited (TPV), today announces the latest addition to the Philips audio line with the luxurious Philips Fidelio X3 headphones. These headphones evolve from the highly acclaimed Philips X2HR, and bring a unique blend of exceptional audio performance, comfort, design and build quality to music lovers across North America. Philips Fidelio X3 headphones are available on Amazon for $349.99 USD, starting September 15, 2020.

The fastest growing major headphone brand, JLab Audio, continues to strive to be ahead of the curve with the UK launch of the JLab GO Air True Wireless Earbuds. Offering 20+ hours of playtime, custom EQ3 Sound, at an incredibly affordable RRP of £29.99/$29.99, GO Air is the smallest true wireless product JLab has ever created. The lightweight buds deliver clean, crisp, audio for the daily listener and features dual connect, incorporating dual microphones that allow the earbuds to be used individually while the other remains in the charging case. Designed to go anywhere, the GO Air and its case are compact and small enough to fit in any bag or pocket. Four colour options, black, white, navy and army green, are now available from John Lewis, Argos, Currys PC World and jlabaudio.com for £29.99.

"JLab's GO Air are the smallest and most affordable true wireless earbuds we've ever designed," said JLab CEO Win Cramer. "JLab is not slowing down when it comes to providing consumers with accessible, innovative options - and GO Air is a testament to our vision for making true wireless available for everyone. Don't be fooled by the price, while affordable, these earbuds pack a punch in both battery life, sound, and feature rich tech including our patented built-in EQ3 sound profiles."

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the release of the HyperX Cloud Core Gaming Headset with 7.1 surround sound for PC and PS4 gamers. Expanding HyperX's impressive headset lineup, the Cloud Core Gaming Headset + 7.1 features virtual 7.1 surround sound for clear positional audio and a more immersive gaming experience. Plus, with HyperX's signature Cloud DNA, the new headset offers the comfort, durability and sound to fit a range of gaming - or today's virtual classroom meeting - needs at a competitive price point.

The HyperX Cloud Core + 7.1 features an advanced audio control box for convenient controls of headset volume, mic volume, mic mute, and an easily accessible toggle for turning 7.1 surround sound on and off. The Cloud Core Gaming Headset + 7.1 also offers multi-platform compatibility with a USB audio control box for PC and PS4 and offers a 3.5 mm connection for platforms with a 3.5 mm port.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the definitive esports headset with the Razer BlackShark V2. Featuring the all-new Razer TriForce Titanium 50 mm Drivers, Razer HyperClear Cardioid Mic with USB Sound Card, advanced passive noise cancellation, and with THX Spatial Audio's new Game Profiles feature making its debut, the BlackShark V2 is the new pinnacle of multi-platform, wired gaming headsets - designed and tested in conjunction with some of the world's top esports athletes.

In esports, clarity of sound and communications is everything. Being able to hear the slightest audio cue and communicate clearly with teammates makes the difference between the glory of the win or being a footnote on the tournament roster. For the Razer BlackShark V2, Razer has developed an entirely new 50 mm audio driver which, coupled with a new custom-tuned microphone and superior passive noise cancelling earcups, creates the ultimate triple threat in esports - clear sounds, clear communication, and minimal external noise - a deadly audio trinity.

Tailored to the needs of next generation broadcast, streaming, and high-quality immersive music delivery, the MPEG-H 3D Audio Baseline Profile is the ideal answer to industry demands, providing truly immersive experiences and unmatched advanced next-generation audio features including user interactivity and accessibility. As a subset of the existing MPEG-H 3D Audio Low Complexity Profile, it enables maximum interoperability with existing devices that have implemented that particular profile while at the same time significantly reducing the implementation and testing effort.

Taking the next step to make the new profile easily accessible and facilitate its widespread usage, Fraunhofer IIS as the major contributor to the MPEG-H 3D Audio standard is collaborating with interested industry partners on establishing a licensing program for patents essential to the MPEG-H 3D Audio Baseline Profile.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the release of the Razer THX Spatial Audio App for Windows 10. Featuring advanced 7.1 surround sound with adjustable virtual speakers for superior positional accuracy, the Razer THX Spatial Audio App enhances gameplay and is available for use with all headphones and earbuds. Now, every gamer can upgrade to the very best spatial audio experience, using their existing 3.5mm, Bluetooth or USB headphones.

"Together with THX, we have developed an immersive audio solution that addresses the core gamers' needs - dynamic and accurate positional audio," said Alvin Cheung, senior vice president of Razer's peripherals business unit. "We've achieved this by drawing on THX's cinematic audio expertise, then adding a wide range of customization tools, to fine tune and personalize the listener's soundscape."

The purpose of this new collaboration is to create a new audio proposition to cater for the high-end segment within gaming by leveraging on Bang & Olufsen's core capabilities of sound, design and craft. This will include "Designed for Xbox" functionalities, which will ensure seamless connectivity and an enhanced user experience. Vice President and Head of Product Management at Bang & Olufsen, Christoffer Poulsen is excited about the new collaboration and the long-term commercial potential for Bang & Olufsen.

SteelSeries, the leader in gaming and esports peripherals, today announces its acquisition of A-Volute, the leading independent developer of 3D sound solutions for gaming, including its flagship Nahimic software. The acquisition of A-Volute will continue to bolster SteelSeries' reputation of industry-leading gaming audio performance across both hardware and software.

For nearly two decades, SteelSeries has been a frontrunner in the gaming industry, offering high-quality gaming peripherals to pro and enthusiast gamers. Its SteelSeries Engine software platform has millions of daily users and is integrated with games and applications. Over the years, the company has built a strong brand and has leveraged this to outpace category growth globally. The award-winning Arctis line of gaming headsets redefined the category as is the new standard in excellence in gaming audio hardware.

Cooler Master, a global leader in designing and manufacturing innovative gaming peripherals and PC components, has unveiled its latest lineup of headsets for gamers of all types: the MH600 Series.

The MH600 Series emphasizes high performance and premium sound quality with a core suite of features standard in every model:

• Swiveling ear cups and fabric mesh cushioning for superior, long-lasting comfort
• Hassle-free portability with detachable cords and foldable frames
• Adjustable omnidirectional boom mic for superior voice quality and minimal background noise
• Premium sound quality with 50 mm neodymium audio drivers

Edifier, the prominent designers and award-winning manufacturer of premium sound systems and well-known for its bookshelf speakers, today introduced their newest products, the TWS NB, TWS6, GM6 and G7, to its ever-expanding audio and gaming accessory lineup.

To fill a gap in the marketplace, the TWS NB features active noise technology found in noise-canceling over-ear headphones, in a sleek, truly wireless earphone design while boasting a fully noise-free, immersive listening experience at an affordable cost. Equipped with Knowles tri-frequency balanced armature driver, the TWS6 delivers a rich and powerful, all-encompassing sound in a compact and elegant design. In terms of gaming, the GM6 offers a truly portable mobile gaming experience with the security of listening to every sound in tandem with the visuals, while the G7 brings high quality, surround sound audio in a heat regulating, easy-to-use and stylish headset.

Audio-Technica is also introducing two SonicSport wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones. The ATH-SPORT90BT features a built-in music player for the ultimate in on-the-go listening convenience and along with the ATH-SPORT60BT includes a number of useful upgrades from previous models. Both headphones offer a host of fitness-friendly features including IPX5 waterproof-rated construction, a built-in mic and controls for smartphone and portable device operation, and stay-in-place designs that keep them secure even during intense workouts. Both feature improved high-sensitivity drivers for impactful, immersive sound and offer longer battery life along with additional improvements.

Audio-Technica's SonicSport ATH-SPORT90BT (SRP: US$159.00) has newly-designed 6 mm drivers with a powerful magnetic circuit and dedicated headphone amplifier, to bring high-quality full-range (20 - 25,000 Hz) audio reproduction to listeners with active lifestyles. The ATH-SPORT90BT includes a built-in 4 GB music player, making it the ultimate portable music device - no need to carry a smartphone around during workouts. The headphones can also be paired with a smartphone or other Bluetooth device if desired.

Audio-Technica is introducing four new high-performance Hi-Res Audio headphones. The over-ear ATH-AWKT and ATH-AWAS audiophile and over-ear ATH-WP900 portable headphones combine beautifully crafted woods with superb sound quality, and the ATH-IEX1 features an exclusive hybrid multi-driver system for an unmatched in-ear listening experience.

Like all the new wooden headphones, the over-ear ATH-AWKT is handcrafted at our factory based in Tokyo. The ATH-AWKT (SRP: US$1,899.00) features housings made from prized Kokutan (striped ebony) hardwood. Long used for woodwind instruments and pianos, Kokutan is distinguished by its attractive black and brown stripes, and the housings have a hand-applied semi-gloss finish that brings out the wood's natural beauty. In addition, the high density of the Kokutan wood suppresses unwanted resonances to contribute to the headphones' clear, natural sound.

Audio-Technica is introducing its ATH-ANC300TW truly wireless in-ear headphones, which combine Audio-Technica's next-generation truly wireless technology with newly-designed digital hybrid active noise-cancelling (ANC) electronics. The result is improved high-fidelity sound and superior noise cancelling performance, all without requiring any connecting wires.

The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC300TW (SRP: US$249.00) utilizes digital hybrid noise cancellation. In this design, the ANC mics are located both in front of and behind the driver, with one of the ANC mics mounted in a unique horizontal configuration within the sound chamber. This allows the location of the driver and geometry of the chamber to be optimized for an ideal balance of ambient noise reduction and audio performance. The ATH-ANC300TW's 5.8 mm drivers feature a diamond-like carbon coated diaphragm that combines light weight with rigidity for faster response time and reduced distortion, along with powerful, impactful sound with generous bass response and improved high-frequency extension and clarity.

Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster G3, a portable gaming USB DAC Amp that marks the latest addition to the Sound Blaster revolution ignited 30 years ago. Designed and built with game console users in mind, Sound Blaster G3 is the first Sound Blaster that works directly on PS4 and Nintendo Switch via a driverless plug-and-play format, and is also compatible with PC and Mac. Palm-sized and weighing in at a mere 32 grams, it boasts a great balance of the fabled Sound Blaster audio signature, on-the-go customization and other nifty gaming features at an attractive price tag.

Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster X3, its latest addition to the illustrious Sound Blaster line-up of sound cards which ignited the PC audio revolution 30 years ago. A high-resolution USB DAC with multi-channel audio playback, it combines Creative's multiple award-winning technological breakthroughs - the famed Sound Blaster digital processing technology and game-changing Super X-Fi headphone holography - for a compelling solution which audio enthusiasts simply cannot ignore.

Three all-new Bluetooth 5.0 wireless headsets from LG Electronics combine a slim, seamless design with stunning sound performance thanks to built-in Meridian Audio technology. These latest additions to the popular LG TONE family of wearable audio systems (models HBS-XL7, HBS-SL5 and HBS-SL6S) are available for purchase on LG.com starting today and coming soon through major wireless providers nationwide. Prices and availability will vary by provider and retailer.

For music lovers, each model, backed by a Hi-fi Sound Solution with Meridian Audio, comes with improvements to the design of the original LG TONE, crafted for a clearer and more balanced sound. A composite diaphragm inside the speaker unit produces clarity in high and low ranges. The high-strength metal layer creates accurate treble, while a plastic layer produces rich, deep bass.

Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) is the pinnacle of neglect and contempt Microsoft has shown towards the all-important audio subsystem of the modern PC. With it, Redmond has one-upped its last big move against audio, by killing the DirectSound hardware pipeline and mongrelizing PC audio under Intel's lousy and fundamentally anti-competitive Azalia specification that solves common audio compatibility problems under a scorched-earth guiding principle - "kill any feature that could possibly lick our aftersales support budget, by dumping every aspect of audio onto a very restrictive host-signal processing (HSP) architecture, let people come up with their own soft DSPs, because CPUs can handle them." Windows 1903 proves how this approach wasn't a silver bullet against PC audio problems, and is fallible.

I've never owned a PC without a discrete sound card. My first "multimedia PC experience" was powered by a Creative kit that included a Sound Blaster PCI, an Infra-CDROM drive, a clip-on mic, and tiny stereo speaker boxes. ISA-based integrated audio solutions back then were bested by greeting cards. I've since made it a habit to buy a sound card every 5 or so years. No gleaming SNR numbers by Realtek can convince me that an integrated audio solution can best a $100 discrete sound-card, and I've owned plenty of motherboards over the years with the most premium Azalia implementations (be it the ALC889 or the modern ALC1220). My current machines feature an ASUS Xonar AE (a bang-for-the-buck ESS ES9023P implementation with a 150 Ω amp), and a Creative SB Recon 3D. Both cards implement the Azalia pipeline at some level, to survive operating with post-Vista Windows. The SB Recon 3D uses a chip that converts PCIe to the HDA bus; while the Xonar AE uses a PCIe to USB chip and a USB (Azalia) to I2S chip (essentially a USB headset laid out on a sound card with a high-quality analog side). Both cards are borked after the "upgrade" to Windows 10 May 2019 Update (1903), and two successive "Patch Tuesday" updates haven't managed to solve it.

Creative Technology Ltd continues its legacy of revolutionizing audio with the launch of its most advanced PCI-e sound cards ever - the Sound Blaster AE-9 and Sound Blaster AE-7. Built with only the most premium components, and complemented with the latest technologies from Creative, these sound cards are designed to define a new performance standard in this class for the ultimate PC entertainment experience.

Up till 1989, the only sounds coming out of the PC were mere beeps. The same year, Sound Blaster was born, and PC audio was transformed forever. Since then, over 400 million Sound Blasters have been sold; and the Sound Blaster brand has become synonymous with the term sound card and high-quality PC audio - first for gaming, and then movies and music. With experience and expertise refined over three decades of audio innovation, Sound Blaster has continued to reinvent itself with the development of digital audio processing technologies. Each new innovation served to redefine what the ultimate audio experience really means, such as when it evolved beyond the PC in the form of external sound cards for platforms like gaming and entertainment consoles.

Razer , the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today introduced the Kraken X wired gaming headset. It is designed to be ultra-light and comfortable with 7.1 surround sound for all-day gaming that won't break the bank. Razer is also announcing that all its gaming headsets launched from 2019 onwards will offer 7.1 surround sound capabilities to provide the unfair advantage in gaming.

The Kraken X is designed to deliver superior comfort all day long. Seriously, all day. It features a fresh redesign that slims down the familiar Razer Kraken profile to an extremely light weight of just 250 grams (0.55 lbs), making it one of the lightest gaming headsets in the market today. Paired with soft memory foam ear cushions, glasses-friendly eyewear channels and an adjustable headband, the Kraken X serves as an undeniably comfortable gaming headset.

In January 2019, EVGA launched the NU Audio Card. The NU Audio Card was designed to produce the most immersive audio and lifelike gaming experienced on a PC. This was achieved, in part, by partnering with Audio Note (UK), Ltd. - a world-renowned audio company dedicated to using only the highest quality components and materials in its products, even if it means creating the components in-house. The result is an audio card that features specs often used in higher-end audiophile equipment but at an affordable price for PC enthusiasts. This partnership produced an audio card that has been praised by many reviewers for its Lifelike Audio quality and its dedication to audio fidelity.

Today, EVGA releases a free software update that further enhances and upgrades the capabilities of the EVGA NU Audio Card for owners using Windows 10. The NU Audio Card is now enhanced by Nahimic with 3D Audio for Gamers, along with many other features.

If you just started playing Devil May Cry 5, which was released today, and wonder why you can hear sound effects and music, but no voices in the cutscenes, then use the following easy fix.

Set your Speaker Output Configuration in Windows to "Stereo". For some reason it defaults to "5.1 Surround" on many systems, including mine.

Fully step by step guide below.

Today, Logitech G, leading innovator of gaming technologies and products, introduced a new lineup of gaming headsets, engineered to deliver the ultimate in sound science and the most immersive audio gaming experience. "Whether you're into tricking out your battlestation or tearing it up in your favorite battle royale game, we want you to get the superior audio and comfort you deserve," stated Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager, Logitech Gaming. "We're always exploring new ways to deliver amazing gaming experiences, and that's just what we're bringing to the table with these new headsets."

If you had not heard of Sonarworks prior to this or the press release that went out last week, you may not be alone. The Latvian company is a little over 6 years old, and has since already managed to grab attention of some of the largest players in the audio market, including car makers interested in stereos, DJs, music producers, and of course more typical headphone and speaker makers. Their True-Fi desktop program claims to calibrate headphones to where everyone is able to hear the same sound no matter where they are- provided you use a supported headphone. This makes use of software sound processing and filtering, and the process works well enough to where they say over 30,000 recording studios worldwide currently use their technology.

At CES 2019, Sonarworks demonstrated the mobile version of their True-Fi program, currently in the Apple and Google Play stores as unreleased versions that will remain free until ready, following which it will cost $3.99/month or $99 for a lifetime license (the desktop version costs $79 by itself at this time). I was able to try out the app at their suite, and then also at home on my own phone, and came out impressed with the changes made. I did happen to have one of the ~300 currently-supported headphones though, and Sonarworks say they are working on adding more all the time. Users can also specifically request support to their own headsets if not on the list, although that might involve round trip shipment to Latvia. Read past the break for more, including their equally exciting personalized audio feature coming later this year.

We were invited to take a look at the Kanto Audio suite at CES by their PR firm, and the brand itself has been on my mind for a while now- offering good quality powered monitor speakers at various price points. This year they are bringing out their new high-end TUK powered speakers, which were first shown off last year, and the entire spec sheet reads like a must-have for many audio enthusiasts, including yours truly. The TUK comes in white or black color schemes, is rated at 130 W RMS for the pair, and features AMT tweeters with 5.25" aluminium concave cone drivers coupled with an on-board DSP and a Class D amp.

I/O includes Bluetooth 4.2 with Qualcoom AptX HD and AAC codec support for those who need it, but most will end up using one of the several wired options encompassing optical TOSLINK, RCA and Phone inputs, a USB DAC for us PC users, subwoofer out, and a headphone jack. So if you fancy connecting a turntable to it to play some old vinyls, go for it! Oh, it also has a USB charger to use with portable media players as well. Read past the break for more on the TUK and other Kanto Audio products we saw this past week.