keyword: Music

which-is-the-best-ue-speaker?-megablast,-blast,-megaboom,-boom-and-wonderboom-compared

Which is the best UE speaker? Megablast, Blast, Megaboom, Boom and Wonderboom compared

(Pocket-lint) – Ultimate Ears (UE) is well-known for its excellent Bluetooth speakers, all with a distinctive look made from rubber and fabric materials. They’re also known for their bright and vibrant colour options and giant volume buttons.

  • Best wireless speakers: The top Wi-Fi speakers to choose from

Which UE speaker is the right one for you though? With several options available offering various features at different price points, we have broken them all down from the MegaBlast to the Wonderboom to help you find the best UE speaker to suit your needs.

UE / Pocket-lint

UE Megablast

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The UE Megablast is the top speaker in the Ultimate Ears portfolio – the loudest and most powerful. It offers the distinguishable UE design with giant volume buttons and a combination of rubber and fabric, with a power button on the top and a Micro-USB port on the bottom. There is also a contact charging option but the Power Up accessory is sold separately for £35.

The Megablast features two 25mm tweeters, two 55mm active drivers and two 85 x 50mm passive radiators inside for a frequency range between 60Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 93dBC. It has 360-degree sound and it’s an excellent performer in terms of sound quality. It also offers a Bluetooth range of 45-metres and it is compatible with the UE App and Equaliser.

The Megablast comes with Amazon Alexa built-in, replacing the need for an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot, though we didn’t find the Alexa experience as smooth as Echo, even though the sound quality is far superior. Multiple microphones are on board with beam-forming technology and noise cancellation for far-field voice recognition, and the Megablast promises 16 hours of battery life.

  • UE Megablast review
  • Ultimate Ears Megablast review: Mr Boombastic, say me fantastic
UE / Pocket-lint

UE Blast

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The UE Blast is the smaller version of the Megablast, offering exactly the same design, ports and features, including Amazon Alexa built-in and far-field voice recognition but in a much more compact device.

The Blast still delivers 360-degree sound but it ditches the tweeters found in the Megablast and opts for two 35mm active drivers and two 81 x 39mm passive radiators instead. It offers a frequency range between 90Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 90dB. Like the Megablast, it also has a Bluetooth range of 45-metres but it doesn’t offer the Equaliser feature of the UE App.

Due to its smaller size, the UE Blast has a slightly smaller battery capacity compared to the Megablast, delivering up to 12-hours instead of 16-hours. It still has the Micro-USB port on the bottom, as well as the contact charging option for the Power Up, however.

UE / Pocket-lint

UE Megaboom 3

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The UE Megaboom features a more seamless design than the Blast range. It has a “Magic Button” on its top which allows users to play, pause and skip tracks without using their phone, as well as access playlists with a long press from services including Apple Music and Deezer.

The Megaboom offers 360-degree sound and delivers great sound quality, via two 50mm drivers and two 55 x 86mm passive radiators. It has a frequency range between 60Hz and 20kHz, a maximum sound level of 90dBA and it is compatible with the UE App and Equaliser, whilst also offering a 45-metre Bluetooth range.

The Megaboom doesn’t have Alexa built-in. The UE Megaboom 3 has a battery life of 20-hours though, more than the Megablast, and charging is more convenient thanks to a repositioned Micro-USB port on the back and a built-in contact charging port for the Power Up on the bottom. The Power Up is sold separately, however.

  • UE Megaboom 3 review
  • Ultimate Ears UE Megaboom 3 review: Booming excellence
UE / Pocket-lint

UE Megaboom

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The original UE Megaboom is a few years old and it has been replaced by the Megaboom 3, though you should still be able to get hold of this model if you so wish. It offers a more rugged design than the Megaboom 3 with a rubber band down the front, and it has a 3.5mm aux-in port too, something its replacement doesn’t offer.

Inside, the Megaboom has the same speaker array as the new model with two 50mm drivers and two 55 x 86mm passive radiators. The original Megaboom has a frequency range between 65Hz and 20kHz, a maximum sound level of 90dBA and it offers a Bluetooth range of 30-metres.

There is no Alexa capability on the Megaboom and you also don’t get the “Magic Button”. It too gets a 20-hour battery life, but it is charged via the Micro-USB port that is at the bottom of the speaker making it a little less convenient. The original Megaboom is not compatible with the Power Up charging dock.

  • UE Megaboom review
  • Ultimate Ears UE Megaboom review: Boom and bass
UE / Pocket-lint

UE Boom 3

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The UE Boom 3 is the smaller model of the UE Megaboom 3 and the successor to the popular Boom 2. It offers the same design as the Megaboom 3 but in a smaller and more compact model, and there are personalisation options too if you pay a little extra through the MyBoom service. The “Magic Button” is on top like the Megaboom 3, offering play, pause and skip capabilities, as well as access to playlists (music service dependant) and you get the more streamlined design too.

Inside, everything is exactly as it was on the Boom 2 so you’ll still get that excellent sound. There are two 50mm drivers and two 50 x 80mm passive radiators, delivering a frequency range between 90Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 90dBA. Like the Megaboom 3, it offers a Bluetooth range of 45-metres and it is compatible with the UE App and Equaliser.

The Boom 3 isn’t smart like the Blast, but it does offer a 15-hour battery life, which is charged via the re-located Micro-USB port on the back, or the Power Up contact charging port on the bottom.

  • UE Boom 3 review
  • Ultimate Ears UE Boom 3 initial review: Booming brilliant
UE / Pocket-lint

UE Boom 2

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The UE Boom 2 is the smaller and more compact model of the original Megaboom. It is an excellent speaker for its size, offering portability and great sound quality within its convenient body, which is a perfect fit with a bicycle drink holder. There is no Magic Button interface like the newer Boom 3, but there is a 3.5mm aux-in jack.

Like its replacement – the Boom 3 – there are two 50mm drivers and two 50 x 80mm passive radiators, delivering a frequency range between 90Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 90dBA. Its Bluetooth range is a little lower at 30-metres instead of 45-metres and it isn’t compatible with the UE App and Equaliser either.

Battery life sits at 15-hours on this speaker, like the Boom 3, though it is charged via the Micro-USB port that is positioned at the bottom of the device rather than the back, making it a little more awkward. The Boom 2 isn’t compatible with the Power Up contact charging dock either.

  • UE Boom 2 review
  • Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2 review: Booming back for the sequel
UE / Pocket-lint

UE Wonderboom 2

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The Wonderboom 2 updates the original Wonderboom and brings with it stereo pairing, for those who want a more sophisticated sound. It also features an outdoor sound button, which drops the bass and projects the treble, making it much better for listening outdoors.

It has two 40mm active drivers and two 46.1 mm x 65.2 mm passive radiators delivering a frequency range between 75Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 86dBA, or 87dBA in Outdoor Mode. Its Bluetooth range is 30-metres and it is IP67 water and dust resistant.

The Wonderboom 2 has a 13-hour battery life, lasting a little longer than the original model, while still offering the same compact and powerful delivery of your music. If you don’t want to stereo pair, you also have the option to group with another Wonderboom speaker.

  • UE Wonderboom 2 review
  • Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 review: Stereo pairing sounds even sweeter
UE / Pocket-lint

UE Wonderboom

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The UE Wonderboom is the smallest and most compact Ultimate Ears speaker but don’t let that put you off. It’s a brilliant little speaker, perfect for bringing everywhere with you thanks to its portable size, even if it has been replaced by the Wonderboom 2.

There are two 40mm active drivers inside, coupled with two 46.1 x 65.2 mm passive radiators, delivering a frequency range between 80Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 86dBC. It only has a 30-metre Bluetooth range like the original Megaboom and the Boom 2, and it isn’t compatible with the UE App and Equaliser but it’s still a great option. 

The Wonderboom isn’t a smart speaker either and it doesn’t have any fancy features like the Magic Button on the Megaboom 3 and Boom 3, but it is possible to pair two Wonderboom speakers together and it has a 10-hour battery life, which isn’t bad given its small size. The Power Up charging dock isn’t supported but the Micro-USB port is conveniently placed at the back for easy access.

  • UE Wonderboom review
  • Ultimate Ears UE Wonderboom review: An explosion of musical joy

Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.

the-best-lightning-headphones-2020-for-your-iphone-or-ipad

The best Lightning headphones 2020 for your iPhone or iPad

(Pocket-lint) – To listen to music on any iPhone since the iPhone 7, you either need a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones, a 3.5mm to Lightning converter (no longer included in the box for 2018 and later iPhones) or a pair of wired headphones that will connect to the Lightning port. 

  • Best noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones for blocking out noise when you’re working from home

Lightning headphones do have a special quality; they’re capable of receiving lossless stereo 48kHz digital audio output from Apple devices and sending mono 48kHz digital audio input. They can also draw power from an Apple device (even if the device is asleep).

Apple’s Lightning port can also support headphones with integrated digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) and amplifiers, so audio travelling through the Lightning port will pass into the headphones digitally, thus avoiding typical analogue signal interferences you get with other headphones.

We’ve picked some of the best pairs of Lightning headphones available now, comprising over-ear and in-ear models, at a variety of price points.

The best Lightning headphones to buy today

Belkin

Belkin RockStar iPhone Headphones with Lightning Connector

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Available in both black and white, these wired Lightning headphones also come in a USB-C version for Android phones. They’re Apple-certified and come with a tangle-free cable. Naturally, they’re at home with calls or music, while there’s also an in-line volume control. 

As you can see, they’re inexpensive compared to many other Lightning headphone options, too. 

Audeze

Audeze Sine DX

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Audeze Sine DX is a pair of on-ear Lightning headphones, that we’ve had the pleasure of listening to. Like the EL-8 Titanium below, the Sine have a 24-bit DAC integrated into the cable for high-resolution audio, and also have planar magnetic drivers to help keep distortion at bay. We couldn’t fault the Sine when we reviewed them, so if it’s the best Lightning headphones you’re after, look no further.

Audeze

Audeze EL-8 Titanium

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They’re not cheap, but the Audeze EL-8 Titanium are sure to give you a fantastic sound from their combination of planar magnetic drivers and a dedicated DAC integrated into the cable. The DAC bypasses the iPhone’s internal one and so is capable of handling high-resolution audio, whether it be from a streaming service or local files.

Libratone

Libratone Q-Adapt in-ear

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Libratone’s Q Adapt in-ear Lightning headphones use the power from the Lightning port to power their CityMix noise cancellation technology. There are four varying levels of noise cancellation, which either lets some external noise in, so you’re aware of your surroundings, or blocks it out entirely.

Pocket-lint

Audeze iSine10

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Like their on-ear and over-ear brethren, the Audeze iSine10 use planar magnetic drivers in their construction and come supplied with a Lightning “Cipher” cable that you can attach to connecting to the Lightning port of your iPhone. This means you get an integrated 24-bit DAC capable of improving the quality of music, in conjunction with a dedicated app that lets you adjust the equaliser settings in real-time. They produce an incredibly well-balanced sound and let’s be honest, look damn cool.

  • Audeze iSine10 review: In-ears unlike any other
Pocket-lint

JBL Reflect Aware

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If you’re someone who loves to exercise while listening to music, the JBL Reflect Aware warrant your attention. Their sports-focused design means they’re water- and swear-resistant and as the name implies, they have a reflective coating that reflects light if you’re out on roads in the dark, so drivers can see you. They feature noise-cancelling tech that can be turned on or off within the dedicated companion app but most importantly, they sound great, if a little bass-heavy at times.

  • JBL Reflect Aware review: Lightning earphones for sporty iPhone 7 users
Pioneer

Pioneer Rayz Plus

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The Pioneer Rayz Plus have built-in noise-cancelling technology that promises to adapt to your ears, but also lets in enough external noise to make sure you stay aware of your surroundings. When you take them out of your ears, the music you were listening to automatically pauses and starts again when you put them back in.

A convenience key on the in-line controls can be set to open a music app, mute calls or launch Rayz controls, which allows you to adjust various headphone settings. Perhaps one of the best features of the Rayz Plus though, is they let you charge your iPhone while listening to music.

Writing by Dan Grabham. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.

apple-ipad-air-(2019)-vs-ipad-9.7-(2018):-which-should-you-buy?

Apple iPad Air (2019) vs iPad 9.7 (2018): Which should you buy?

(Pocket-lint) – Last year Apple updated the lower-end of the iPad family with an iPad mini 5 alongside a new 10.5-inch iPad Air. The 2018 iPad 9.7 was also been replaced with a larger 10.2-inch version as well.

In this feature, we compare the 2019 iPad Air with the 2018 9.7-inch iPad. Note that there is now a new 2020 version of the iPad Air as well. 

  • Apple iPad Air (2020) vs iPad Air (2019): What’s the difference?

iPad Air vs iPad 9.7: Price

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The 2019 iPad Air starts at $499 and £479 in the UK for the 64GB model, with the 128GB model starting at £629. 

Design

  • iPad Air: 250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1mm, 456g
  • iPad 9.7: 240 x 169.5 x 7.5mm, 469g

The Apple iPad Air (2019) and the iPad 9.7 (2018) both feature aluminium builds and they are both available in Silver, Space Grey and Gold colour options.

Unlike the iPad Pro line, the iPad Air and iPad 9.7 have large bezels at the top and bottom of their displays, with the company’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor featuring within the bottom bezel on both. The iPad Air does slim down the bezels however, allowing for the larger display in a similar footprint to the iPad 9.7.

The iPad Air is 10mm larger than the iPad 9.7 and 5mm wider. It is slimmer though, at 6.1mm compared to 7.5mm, and it is lighter too, starting at 456g compared to 469g.

Display

  • iPad Air: 10.5-inch, 2224 x 1668, 264ppi
  • iPad 9.7: 9.7-inch, 2048 x 1536, 264ppi

The Apple iPad Air (2019) has a 10.5-inch display, while the iPad 9.7 has a 9.7-inch display. Both are Retina displays and they both have a pixel density of 264ppi, with the iPad Air offering a 2224 x 1668 resolution and the iPad 9.7 offering a 2048 x 1536 resolution.

The iPad Air has a fully laminated display though, along with an anti-reflective coating, a P3 wide colour display and Apple’s True Tone technology, all of which the iPad 9.7 misses off its spec list. Both devices offer compatibility with the first generation of Apple Pencil.

Hardware and software

  • iPad Air: A12 Bionic chip, 10 hours battery, Touch ID
  • iPad 9.7: A10 Fusion, 10 hours battery, Touch ID
  • Both: iOS 12

The Apple iPad Air features the A12 Bionic chip under its hood, with a Neural Engine and an embedded M12 coprocessor, which is claimed to deliver a 70 percent performance boost over the iPad 9.7. For reference, the Apple iPad 9.7 has the A10 Fusion processor with embedded M10 coprocessor.  

Battery life is the same between the two models, however, with both the iPad Air and the iPad 9.7 offering up to 10 hours of web browsing, watching video or listening to music. They are also both charged via the Lightning port, with USB Type-C reserved for the iPad Pro line.

As we mentioned, both the iPad Air and the iPad are compatible with the first generation of Apple Pencil, but the iPad Air is also compatible with Apple’s Smart Keyboard. 

Two-speaker audio is present on both and both the iPad Air and the iPad 9.7 have the Touch ID fingerprint sensor rather than Face ID. 

Cameras

  • iPad Air & iPad 9.7: 7MP front, 8MP rear
  • iPad Air & iPad 9.7: 1080p video

The Apple iPad Air and the iPad 9.7 feature the same camera capabilities. Both devices come with an 8-megapixel rear camera offering an aperture of f/2.4 with autofocus, HDR for photos and tap to focus.

A 7-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD camera is on board both devices too, capable of Live Photos, Auto HDR for photos and videos and Burst Mode. There is also a Retina Flash on board both models.

In terms of video recording, the iPad Air and the iPad 9.7 both offer 1080p from their front and rear cameras. Their rear cameras are also capable of 3x video zoom and slo-mo video for 720p at 120fps.

Conclusion

The iPad Air 2019 offered a performance upgrade over the standard iPads, along with display improvements including an anti-reflective coating, True Tone technology and a wider colour gamut.

The iPad Air also offers a larger display in a slimmer and lighter build, as well as Smart Keyboard compatibility.

The iPad 9.7 and 10.2 are both cheaper than the iPad Air though, and you still get Apple Pencil compatibility, the same camera hardware and features, as well as the same quoted battery life.

As ever, the decision of which iPad you should buy between the iPad Air and the iPad 9.7 comes down to whether you need the latest hardware and the larger screen, or whether you can survive with a 9.7-inch screen, slightly older processor but with many of the same features.

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Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Dan Grabham.

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Snapchat officially launches in-app TikTok competitor called Spotlight

Snap is finally ready to compete with TikTok and will pay creators to post on the platform. The company is officially announcing a new section of Snapchat today called Spotlight that’ll surface vertical video content from users that’s more meme-like and jokey instead of the day-in-the-life content Snap previously encouraged. Imagine, basically, TikTok but in Snapchat.

To entice people to post snaps regularly, the company says it’ll divvy up $1 million between the most popular creators on the app per day through the end of 2020. This means if someone has a particularly viral video, they might earn a large chunk of the $1 million pot. It doesn’t matter whether that person has a massive number of subscribers; the amount people receive is primarily based on unique views compared to other snaps that day. Users can continue to earn from their video if it’s popular for multiple days at a time.

Spotlight, which will have its own dedicated tab in the app, is launching in 11 countries, including the US, UK, France, Germany, and Australia. The videos you’ll see in the section can be up to 60 seconds long and, as of right now, cannot be watermarked. That means people can’t just download their (or others’) viral TikToks and upload them to Snapchat. Once you tap into Spotlight, you’ll see snaps programmed to what Snapchat’s algorithm thinks you might enjoy. It bases this decision mostly on what you’ve viewed in the past and how long you’ve watched. Anyone can submit a snap, they’ll just have to tap “Spotlight” when posting to ensure it populates the section.

Although the format will be familiar to anyone who’s ever watched TikTok, Snap says it’s made specific decisions based on its user base. For one, Spotlight snaps won’t feature a public comments section, and profiles themselves are private by default, so Snapchatters can keep their accounts locked down while still posting content.

The Spotlight section has been hinted at for months, given that Snapchat announced music in snaps back in August. The app lacked a feed for these snaps up until now, however. The company already allows users to submit their snaps as part of a location that anyone can drop into and watch to get a feel of what’s happening in a given place at any moment. They appear in Snap Map. But unlike that feature, which is more documentary in nature, Spotlight is specifically designed for viral video formats.

With Spotlight, Snap is clearly acknowledging the success of TikTok’s short-form viral videos, similar to Instagram’s admission with its launch of Reels in August. In Instagram’s case, however, it plainly allows people to bring their TikTok content over to the platform. Snap is instead trying to encourage people to use its own creation tools and prevent monetization fraud by keeping people in its app. Stories used to be the format everyone wanted to copy, thanks to its success on Snapchat. Now, it’s the TikTok video.

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Amazon Music adds behind-the-scenes trivia for songs with new X-Ray features

Amazon is adding new X-Ray features to its music streaming service, which let you see extra pieces of trivia about the music you’re listening to. The feature is available in the US and UK across “tens of millions” of songs, and Amazon says it’s looking to expand this list over time.

X-Ray isn’t an entirely new feature for Amazon. It’s already available on the company’s Prime Video streaming service where it shows information like which actors are in a current scene, and it’s previously been able to show real-time lyrics for songs in Amazon Music. What’s new are the additional pieces of trivia the feature now shows about tracks. These range from interesting tidbits about an artist’s backstory to more perfunctory information about when a song was released and the spot it reached on the Billboard charts.

To access the trivia on compatible songs, you can swipe up on the “X-Ray” icon on compatible tracks. From there, you can swipe through each fact or tap on the “Credits” section at the bottom of the screen to see a track’s complete credits.

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Philips Fidelio X3

Our Verdict

The time for home headphones might well be returning, and Philips has staked its claim well with the Fidelio X3

For

  • Detailed presentation
  • Rich midrange
  • Comfortable

Against

  • Lack energy
  • Treble could be more open

“Like a concert hall for your ears,” reads the literature accompanying the Philips Fidelio X3 over-ear headphones. With concert halls shut for most of this year, there hasn’t been a better time to release a pair of open-back headphones since the market moved to more portable models a few decades ago.

Concert halls, we hope, will soon be open again, but we could well continue to spend more time at home than we did previously. So, if you’re using headphones at home rather than when you’re out and about, the inherent sound leakage of open-back headphones may no longer be quite the compromise it once was – and there is often a clear sonic benefit to this design.

So if you feel this is the time to invest in a serious pair of wired home headphones, you will find plenty to entice you with the Philips Fidelio X3. 

Comfort

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They look the part, for a start. Where you might opt for something more durable than attractive for those cans rattling around your work bag five days a week, the Fidelio X3 combine both with a leather and metal design that almost demands to be looked after.

Comfort has to be a priority for home listening, too – those hour-long train journeys are nothing compared to whole afternoons lost listening to music at home – and Philips has certainly succeeded here. The Fidelio X3 are light but substantial, like a good winter duvet.

An inner headband adjusts to fit your head, while the outer one adds a bit of weight. The memory foam ear cups combine comfort with the right amount of clamping to give that imperative good seal.

Build

(Image credit: Philips)

Acoustically transparent Kvadrat speaker fabric covers the inner workings of these headphones, but don’t be fooled into thinking these are closed back. Air will flow through the fabric freely, eliminating air pressure build-up behind the drive unit diaphragm, but also letting a lot of sound leak out, as is usual with open-back designs.

Philips Fidelio X3 tech specs

(Image credit: Philips)

Sensitivity 100dB

Max power 500mW

Impedence 30ohm

Frequency response 5Hz – 40kHz

Dimensions (hwd) 11 x 23 x 19cm

Weight 380g

Double-layered ear shells are used to reduce structural resonance and vibration, while the neodymium drivers are engineered to tilt at 15 degrees, aiming to fit the natural geometry of your ear for optimal accuracy at high frequencies. The diaphragms of those 50mm drivers are also composed of multiple polymer layers and filled with damping gel.

The Fidelio X3 are technically compatible with any source with a headphone jack, and come with a 6.3mm adapter to go with the 3.5mm jack at the end of their 3m cable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care when pairing.

Headphones such as these, aimed at analysis as well as musicality, are deserving of high-quality sources and material. If you’re playing music through your phone or laptop, for example, the least you can do is feed them with a hi-res streaming service and use an external DAC. During testing, we find these are more forgiving of poor quality audio than some rivals, but you’re still cuffing their ability by using Spotify straight from a headphone jack.

Sound

(Image credit: Philips)

With a little running in, these Philips headphones prove they don’t only look and feel luxurious – they sound it as well. The presentation is predictably more open than any closed-back pair around this price, but that doesn’t mean you need lose solidity or a full-bodied presentation. The Fidelio X3 are not shy to offer that kind of richness.

We use ours with the Chord Hugo 2 DAC, and they make good use of the incredible detail on offer. Vocals are plumped well by a generous bass and lower midrange, but there’s texture within them as well. It’s a natural-sounding presentation of voices and instruments that allows both for deeper listening and for zoning out, satisfied you’re hearing things as they’re meant to be.

They’re happy organising big arrangements, too, whether that’s a dense pack of snarling guitars or an orchestra in full swing; the separation on offer does not deny a sense of everything being tied together or the confidence that another few instruments could be thrown in before the Fidelio X3 began to struggle.

Everything is played with consummate ease; the only issue is that sometimes it feels like these Philips are a little too laid back. Swap to the Fidelio X3’s main competitor, the Award-winning Grado SR325e, and the whole energy of the music changes.

The treble is most evidently livelier, which does mean you have to be even more careful with the quality of your source with the Grado headphones, but it can almost sound like the music is playing at an entirely different speed. Greater agility and more dynamic punch allow tracks to skip along more freely, and it feels as if there’s more detail on offer here too.

The more you swap from one to the other, the more pronounced these differences seem to become. Rhythmic coherence and dynamics are often what sets Grado above the rest – when it gets things right, at least – and their ability to make a hugely energetic and entertaining pair of headphones, without wearing out your ears, is accentuated by the comparison with Philips’s Fidelio X3.

Verdict

There is a lot to love about these Philips open-back Fidelio headphones. Many will even prefer their more subdued performance, which can indeed allow for a measured deeper listening experience.

However, that is the thing that holds it back from becoming a class-leader. We’d love a more open treble and a bit more life but, even so, the Fidelio X3 should appear on your audition list.

SCORES

  • Sound 4
  • Comfort 5
  • Build 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best over-ear headphones

Read our Grado SR325e review