Apple today announced AirPods Max, innovative wireless headphones that bring the magic of AirPods to an over-ear design with high-fidelity sound. AirPods Max combine a custom acoustic design, H1 chips, and advanced software to power computational audio for a breakthrough listening experience with Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and spatial audio. AirPods Max come in five gorgeous colors, including space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and pink, and are available to order starting today, with availability beginning Tuesday, December 15.

"AirPods are the most popular headphones in the world, beloved for their effortless setup, incredible sound quality, and iconic design. With AirPods Max, we are bringing that magical AirPods experience to a stunning over-ear design with high-fidelity audio," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "The custom acoustic design, combined with powerful H1 chips, and advanced software enable AirPods Max to use computational audio to wirelessly deliver the ultimate personal listening experience."

GIGABYTE, the world's leading premium gaming hardware manufacturer, today announced the new gaming headset - AORUS H1. AORUS H1 adopts 50 mm drivers and builds in 7.1 virtual surround sound which allows gamers to get more precise directions from the sounds. For example, gamers always recognize the enemies' actual positions by the footsteps, which allows gamers to win the game without missing any key-detail sounds. With ENC technology microphone (Environmental Noise Cancellation, ENC), which efficiently filters out the background noise so the communication remains crystal clear no matter where you are. Enjoy clear communication with your team to discuss strategy, let's fight for the victory. Furthermore, for users who care about the sounds, AORUS H1 Audio software provides kinds of modes that can adjust customized settings such as the equalizer, environment modes, and voice effects, etc., which will bring more and improved sound experiences.

GIGABYTE takes extended gaming time into account and the lightweight AORUS H1 can directly alleviate the weight on your head. With the flexible structure design, ear caps have flexible ranges for different face contouring, the soft and breathable earmuffs, and the flexible headband can fit various head shapes, so users can adjust to a close-fit, and avoid excessive ear pressure. The AORUS H1 gaming headset makes it more ergonomic and brings users to wear it comfortably with the best gaming experience.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro earbuds, featuring both THX Certified audio for high-fidelity sound and advanced hybrid Active Noise Cancellation to achieve an unrivaled, undisturbed listening experience with crisp, clear audio and impactful bass, ready for any situation - no matter if you are on the go or working from home.

As with the fan-favorite standard Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds, the Pro model features convenient touch controls and voice assistance compatibility, a customized low latency Bluetooth connection and extended battery life with the recharging case. A comfortable, secure fit with enhanced noise isolation is guaranteed by an in-ear design and the inclusion of premium memory foam Comply ear tips. The Hammerhead True Wireless Pro earbuds are also IPX4 rated for sweat and splash protection.

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.

MSI, a world leader in gaming and content creation hardware, unveils the MSI Sound Tune, an AI-powered noise cancellation software that filters out all the unwanted background noises to remarkably enhance users' communication experiences. "MSI is constantly pushing the boundaries of technology. The new MSI Sound Tune breaks the traditional boundaries on noise reduction by integrating deep learning AI technology to audio signal processing, allowing users who have to work from home amid the global pandemic to communicate clearly and stay productive with their tasks," said Harry Kao, MSI Technical Director.

MSI Sound Tune's AI-powered noise cancellation is achieved through Deep Neural Network (DNN) with more than 0.5 billion Synthetic Noisy Speech Data to help simulate the way human brain works. The traditional noise reduction technology, with its manually compiled algorithm, doesn't work well in environments with complicated noise sources, such as keyboard noises, construction site noises, coffee shop whispers, or the loud noise that overwhelms the vocal sounds. Comparatively speaking, the MSI Sound Tune, utilizing human brains' excellent ability to distinguish human vocal sounds from environmental noises, can extract the vocal sounds from complicated environments, giving users extra clear, noise-free commuication in various surroundings.

zAnother day, another audio product quick look. This time, the folks over at Philips get some love with the US launch of their PH805 active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones, the news of which we covered before. The company has gone through big changes over the years, and one of the effects has been regional business units operating independently enough to have separate launch windows for products. Take this very product, for example, which had been out for purchase for a couple of months already last year in Europe and parts of Asia, and Philips USA only just got it in 2020. Somehow, we had no coverage on this to date, but that changes now.

The PH805, also referred to as the PH805BK or TAPH805BK, follows a trend of product names that make little sense, but all you need to know is that this is from the same company and team that brought out the excellent Fidelio series that offered great value for money to those wanting an open-back, over-ear headphones with a neutral signature without any real shortcomings across the frequency range. They are readying the new Fidelio x3 for launch soon, but the PH805 aims to interest a different segment entirely. In particular, the frequent traveler or mobile user that wants a lightweight set of cans with ANC and wireless connectivity. It ships in a retail packaging that is well designed, with the company and product name on the front along with a large render and marketing features throughout, with a clear note on Google Assistant compatibility. Sorry, iOS users! Read past the break for more on the Philips PH805BK, including an unboxing, user experience, and what it costs to get you one of these in the USA.