04/24, 1:45pm
Etymotic teams with ACS
Maker of high-end headphones, Etymotic, has recently announced that it has partnered with the UK's Advanced Communications Solutions (ACS) to offer its hf2 headphones with silicon earbuds that are custom-molded to fit the contours of a wearer's ear. This process, performed by ACS, involves pouring a fast-setting compound into a user's ear and then using the mould to produce the earbud. This results in near-perfect isolation from ambient sounds, letting users listen to music at lower volumes and without the conflict of outside sounds. A bonus is a better fit that will keep the earbud in place for longer.
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11/06, 10:05am
Etymotic hf5
Etymotic today called out the official launch of the hf5, its fifth-generation of pure listening devices and the effective successor to its well-known ER-6i buds. The new models have a newer, metallic body style Etymotic claims is more comfortable. Audio fidelity has also purportedly been improved. Although the frequency range has dropped slightly to 20Hz - 15kHz, noise isolation has been improved to block outside sounds as loud as 42dB and to muffle louder noises. This in turn lets users play music at more reasonable volume levels.
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08/14, 8:55am
Logitech and Ultimate Ears
Logitech this morning said it has acquired Ultimate Ears. The $34 million deal gives Logitech its first true entry point into in-canal earphones and includes a lineup of devices geared both towards regular portable media players as well as audiophiles and professional concert or studio monitors. The move is more specifically intended by Logitech to support its iPhone and iPod lineups, which so far consist only of speaker docks.
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01/14, 1:40pm
Etymotic phone headsets
Timing the launch with this week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Etymotic has released two new cellular headsets, the hf2 and the etyBLU. The hf2 is based on the company's ER-4P audiophile earbuds (pictured), but is intended specifically for iPhones; this means the inclusion of a microphone, as well as an end/send switch which doubles as a track skip button. The primary feature of the headset though is noise isolation, which may cut out as much as 42dB of external sound. It can be used with standard 3.5mm audio outputs when not attached to an iPhone. The hf2 set is selling now for $179.
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