Just half a year after Apple originally announced a program which would allow headphone manufacturers to connect their headphones to an iOS device’s Lightning port, the first set of models to take advantage of the capabilities are being shown off at CES 2015. The two new models are JBL’s Reflect Aware in-ear version and Philips’ Fidelio NC1L on-ears. They not only draw audio signals from the Lightning port but power as well. This enables both sets to provide active noise canceling without the need for batteries.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with JBL’s Reflect Aware models, they are designed specifically for athletes with a system that JBL says is the first to allow the mixing of ambient sounds with active noise cancellation. An example of this would be a runner being able to hear a car horn but remove engine noises when running on the road. Reflect Aware also touts a four-button remote control and a “rugged, sweat-proof design.” As of right now there isn’t any word on when it will be made available but they will come in at $149.99 when they do go on sale.
Meanwhile, Philips also released another set of Lightning-compatible headphones dubbed the NC1L. This is the company’s second set of Lightning-connected headphones, the first of which was the Fidelio M2L which was announced last September (despite the fact that the model has yet to ship in the US). Much like its predecessor, the NC1L features a 24-bit DAC. The NC1L boasts active noise cancellation (which is also powered by the Lightning connector) with four microphones that analyze the environment inside and outside the earcups. The Fidelio NC1L is set to be released in North America in April with a retail price of $299.
Are any of you interested in either of the headphones or do you prefer to stick to a more traditional headphone-jack based device instead?
Source: Harman, The Verge
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