Apple is working on a new pair of Beats true wireless earbuds, according to images found in the latest tvOS and iOS beta codes by MacRumours and 9to5Mac.
Referenced as ‘Beats Studio Buds’ in the tvOS 14.6 and iOS 14.6 codes, they will reportedly feature noise cancellation and, courtesy of an Apple chip, “Hey, Siri” voice control.
As suggested by a MacRumours mock-up image (above) and an animation of the earbuds tweeted by the publication’s Steve Moser (below), they embrace the more familiar rounded form as adopted by the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Pro Buds, Google Pixel Buds and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, without the fitness-friendly ear hooks of the Beats Powerbeats Pro. We can expect them to stick with silicone eartips and come in a choice of black, white and red finishes.
Animations of Beats Studio Buds: 🧵 pic.twitter.com/XYVvYP7ez3May 17, 2021
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Rumours have been circling the launch of the AirPods 3 is imminent. That may still be the case, however Apple has already dropped a bombshell this week by announcing it is adding lossless audio and Dolby Atmos-powered Spatial Audio tracks to Apple Music for free next month.
Could the Beats Studio Buds be released before the next-generation AirPods? Considering that iOS 14.6 is expected to arrive in the coming weeks alongside the new Apple Music features, we should expect the launch of the new wireless earbuds to coincide with, or shortly follow, that.
MORE:
All the AirPods 3 leaks: release date, price, design and news
The lowdown on the heavily rumoured Google Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds
Check out our pick of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy
Apple Music Dolby Atmos will work with all headphones
Today, we learned that Apple’s ultra-premium $550 AirPods Max headphones aren’t ready for the new lossless audio catalog coming to Apple Music next month — and they’re not alone. Apple confirms to The Verge that the HomePod and HomePod mini won’t support lossless audio, either. (MacRumors confirmed the same thing with sources earlier this afternoon.)
The good news is that the HomePod and HomePod mini will indeed support the company’s new spacial audio experiences, which are supposed to provide more immersive audio than a standard stereo or virtual surround mix — we were fairly intrigued trying spacial audio on the AirPods Pro, and it’s also coming to Apple Music next month in a bigger way.
And, Apple says, it’s not like any of these devices will fail to play back lossless tracks completely. They simply won’t be playing them at lossless quality.
Still, it seems like one more reason that Apple should really strongly consider having a fire sale for the original HomePod, which is somehow still available for a increasingly hard-to-justify $300 months after officially being discontinued.
Best Bluetooth speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy in 2021.
Finding the best Bluetooth speaker for your particular needs isn’t the cake walk it might at first seem. It’s nothing to do with shortage of options – every online manufacturer from Apple to Ultimate Ears is vying for a bite of the Bluetooth cherry and by association, your hard-earned cash. The challenge is knowing which model is most worthy of your precious coin. Fret not, for that is where we come in. We’ve done the heavy lifting and rounded-up our pick of the best Bluetooth speakers across all shapes, sizes and prices to ensure you discover a product you’ll be over the moon with.
It may sound obvious, but the key thing when looking for a Bluetooth speaker is to avoid opting for the first model that takes your fancy. Yes, it might be a looker, but is it the best model for you? If you want your love for it to still be strong, after the boys of summer have gone, why not read our independent review of the product – and maybe reviews of competing products in the price category – first? You might discover a few features you didn’t know you could get for the money.
(Image credit: JBL)
1. JBL Flip 5
No frills and fantastic sound quality – this is the Best Bluetooth speaker for value.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 7.4 x 18.1 x 6.9 | Power: 20W | Features: Bluetooth v4.2, PartyBoost for multiple connections to PartBoost enabled JBL speakers, IPX7 rated | Connections: USB-C charger
Reasons to Buy
Solid bass and timing
Great sense of acoustics
PartyBoost stereo pairing
Reasons to Avoid
No aux-in or microphone
Not Connect+ compatible
Basic app
A What Hi-Fi? 2020 Awards-winner. If all you want is a portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds as good as you can currently buy for around £100 ($100, AU$119), you’ll be hard-pressed to better the fantastic Flip 5. JBL’s newest offering sounds great for the price and is rugged enough to cope with a day at the pool.
The Flip 5 is waterproof to an IPX7 rating, boasts a 12 hour battery life and has a USB-C charging port, meaning it goes from flat to fully juiced in just 2.5 hours. It’s a pleasure to use and scores highly for portability, with a wrist strap that slips comfortably over our hand. There’s also a PartyBoost button that helps you pair two PartyBoost-enabled speakers to create a stereo pair, or link over 100 PartyBoost-compatible speakers in mono.
Sound is impressively weighty and agile, with a good punch of bass and a real sense of openness and texture. Assuming you don’t mind the lack of an aux-in port or inbuilt microphone (as seen in the Flip 4), you’ll almost certainly be wowed by this speaker’s sonic chops. A superb performer.
Read the full review: JBL Flip 5
(Image credit: Tribit)
2. Tribit Stormbox Micro
A fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker that’s serious when it comes to sound
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 9.8 x 9.8 x 3.5cm | Power: 9W | Features: water/dustproof, Bluetooth 5.0, stereo-pairing mode | Connections: 3.5 mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Mature, musical sound
Surprisingly weighty bass
USB-C charger
It’s hard to imagine a home decor, backpack or personal taste that the Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro couldn’t merge in with happily. It’s the size of a stack of drinks coasters, it’s IP67 rated, there’s a useful rubberised strap across the back of it and you can pair two of them in stereo mode.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the bass clout the Tribit is able to deliver. Although a speaker of such dimensions is obviously limited in terms of bass weight, it does remarkably well; close your eyes while listening and you’ll picture a bigger product.
If your budget maxes out at £50 ($60), the Tribit is a splendid option. Similarly, if you only have a small zip compartment in the top of your backpack for a sonic travel companion, this speaker is worthy of that space. Take note, Ultimate Ears: a little-known brand called Tribit Audio just produced a budget belter of a Bluetooth speaker.
Read the full review: Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro
(Image credit: JBL)
3. JBL Charge 5
Updated specs and subtle tweaks for JBL’s fifth-generation Charge
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 22 x 9.6 x 9.4cm | Power: 30W + 10W tweeter | Features: waterproof, Bluetooth v5.1, power bank, voice assistant integration | Connections: USB-C, USB-A
Reasons to Buy
Clearer and more detailed sound
Wider soundstage
Updated dustproofing
The JBL Charge 5 is even more durable and better sounding than the four Charges before it. Its predecessor carried an IPX7 rating, meaning it could handle being submerged in water to a depth of 1.5m, but the IP67-rated Charge 5 builds on that durability by also being fully dustproof. Want a speaker roughly the dimensions of a bottle of wine that’ll charge your phone and sound great? You’ve found it.
Thanks in part to a new 10W tweeter and racetrack-shaped driver, the Charge 5 is currently as good a sound as you can get in a portable Bluetooth speaker design for under £200 ($200, AU$300). It boasts marginal improvements, both sonically and aesthetically, over its predecessor, the five-star Charge 4 (below).
One day JBL may produce a Charge that can be outdone by a new and plucky rival, but rest assured, that has not happened with the rather splendid Charge 5.
Read the full review: JBL Charge 5
(Image credit: Bang & Olufsen)
4. Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)
The weightiest and most refined little speaker we’ve heard in a while
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 4.6 x 13.3 x 13.3cm | Power: 2x30W | Features: Alexa inbuilt, water/dustproof IP67, Bluetooth 5.1, stereo-pairing mode | Connections: USB-C
Reasons to Buy
Expansive sound, weighty bass
Competent Alexa integration
Stunning build and finish
Bang & Olufsen isn’t noted for following the herd. In the Danish electronics specialist’s catalogue you’ll find a wheel-shaped wireless speaker, a TV that opens up like a butterfly, and an 8200-watt monolithic speaker comprising 18 drivers. Its output could reasonably be described as “premium” and “innovative” – and the B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) wireless speaker is no exception.
It boasts similar dimensions to a large floury bap, but that’s where any comparisons with baked goods end. The new A1 supports Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 codec, and of course, Alexa is built-in.
It works a treat, too, delivering a pleasingly comfortable yet authoritative performance that you’d be happy listening to all day. Throw in its classy, well made design, easy to use operation and the bonus of Alexa, and you’re looking at a Bluetooth speaker sequel that has very much been worth the wait.
Read the full review: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)
(Image credit: JBL)
5. JBL Go 3
JBL’s newest soap-sized speaker sounds good – but the finish and battery life won’t wash with today’s class leaders
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 8.8 x 7.5 x 4.1 | Power: 4W | Features: Water/dustproof IP67, Bluetooth 5.1 | Connections: USB-C
Reasons to Buy
Sensible treble
Fuller bass
More volume
Reasons to Avoid
Poor battery life
Not very durable finish
The diminutive, soap on a rope-styled Go 3 features Bluetooth 5.1 instead of 4.1 plus a maximum power output of 4.2W, up from 3W in the Go 2 (listed below). The one specification that hasn’t changed is the Go 3’s stamina. It takes 2.5 hours to charge fully, and you can still only get five hours of playtime from it from a single charge.
If you can live with this, there’s much to celebrate in the sound department at the level. The extra power and overhauled design have resulted in some solid sonic enhancements, and aesthetically it’s perhaps even cuter than the original. We gave this iteration five stars for sound. Will five hours get you through a day at the beach or a lazy picnic in the park though? Probably best to take a wireless charger.
Read the full review: JBL Go 3
(Image credit: JBL)
6. JBL Charge 4
A fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker that’s serious when it comes to sound.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 22 x 9.5 x 9.3 | Power: 30W | Features: waterproof, Bluetooth v4.2, power bank, voice assistant integration | Connections: 3.5 mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Rugged and water resistant
USB port for charging
Great sound quality
Reasons to Avoid
Perhaps too subtle for some
The fact that we really like the JBL Charge 4 should come as no surprise to those who read our Charge 3 review. Not only is this one of sweetest-sounding Bluetooth speakers around at this end of the market, it serves up a whopping 20 hours of playback from a single charge. Impressive.
JBL has fine-tuned the sound in this latest iteration to please even pickier ears. Obviously there’s a limit to the bass floor in a speaker of this size, but the low-end is tasteful – and there’s plenty of punch.
You get a nice array of features for the money, too. The IPX7 water resistance means the Charge 4 can handle being submerged in water to a depth of 1.5m. And unlike the Flip 5 (above), you can also use the Charge 4 to juice up your phone – or any other device that will charge over USB from a 5V supply.
The Flip 5 (above) is cheaper and lighter, but the Charge 4’s rugged design, excellent battery life and ‘battery sharing’ make it a near-perfect speaker for camping, beach trips and home use.
Read the full review: JBL Charge 4
(Image credit: Linn)
7. Linn Series 3
One of the best wireless speakers we’ve heard with a premium price tag.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm):25 x 29.6 x 20.6 | Power: : 2x100W | Features: Wireless integrated Linn DSM player, Exakt digital crossover | Connections: Ethernet, USB, HDMI ARC
Reasons to Buy
Wonderfully articulate
Luxury design
HDMI ARC for TV connection
Reasons to Avoid
No analogue inputs
No Tidal Masters support
Let’s address the elephant in the room: the Series 3 is one of the most expensive wireless speakers we have tested. It’s over three times the price of the B&W Formation Wedge. Can such an outlay be justified? Well, yes.
Linn’s gorgeous design aesthetic and proprietary Exakt technology certainly helps. Linn Exakt aims to reduce phase errors by intentionally delaying higher frequencies so they arrive at your ear at the same time as lower frequencies. It also keeps the music signal’s data in the digital domain for as long as possible to avoid any degradation caused by signal processing. We’ve heard Exakt do its thing in many a Linn product before, and here again it contributes to an absorbing performance packed with stunning midrange clarity and a level of insight that sets it apart from more affordable competitors.
As you’d expect, the Series 3 is packed with premium features and Linn’s well established streaming platform, which offers access to networked servers and high-quality music services Tidal and Qobuz via Linn’s app. You even get an HDMI ARC socket, which allows you to connect the speaker to a TV.
At £3000 ($3850, AU$5800), we can hardly describe the Series 3 as a bargain, but we are utterly convinced of its appeal.
Read the full review: Linn Series 3
8. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
An affordable Bluetooth speaker with a weighty sound and good battery life.
SPECIFICATIONS
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Power: Battery | Battery life: 13hrs | Charge time: 2.6hrs **Dimensions (hwd):** 10.4 x 9.5 x 9.5cm | Weight: 420g
Reasons to Buy
Punchy, entertaining sound
Hefty bass
Decent battery life
Reasons to Avoid
No wi-fi or smart assistant built-in
No mic for hands-free calls
Ultimate Ears has really made a splash in the Bluetooth speaker market with a number of colourful, fun-sounding and portable models. One its most biggest hits? The impressive Wonderboom 2.
It’s waterproof, sandproof, dustproof and is also designed to float, so it should withstand the most lively of pool parties. Battery life is 13 hours and a full charge takes just under three.
Sonically, the Wonderboom 2 is an exciting listen. Bass is impressive bass given its small dimensions and there’s plenty of detail and a fine sense of attack. You also get a ‘boost’ button on the underside of the unit. When pressed, it restricts the bass frequencies, allowing the UE to play louder through the midrange, which in turn makes the sound easier to hear when the unit is used outdoors.
There’s no built-in mic or app, but the Wonderboom 2 is easily one of the best sounding Bluetooth speakers you can buy for the money – and a What Hi-Fi? 2019 Award-winner too, y’know.
Read the full review: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
(Image credit: Dynaudio)
9. Dynaudio Music 5
A superb sonic performance from a distinctive speaker.
SPECIFICATIONS
Connectivity: Bluetooth and wi-fi | Power: 250W (mains powered) | Inputs: analogue audio jack, Toslink optical digital audio | Battery life: N/A | Dimensions (hwd): 20 x 66 x 18.5cm : | Weight: 5.4kg
Reasons to Buy
Expansive, weighty and accurate
Great for larger rooms
Top-notch build
Reasons to Avoid
No AirPlay 2
No Spotify Connect
The Dynaudio Music 5 is the second-largest one-box speaker in the company’s inaugural, four-strong Music series. And love or loathe its angular looks,we can’t help but be won over by how the Dynaudio Music 5 sounds.
It might be a powerful, but the Music 5 has the sonic nous to keeps things refined. While the Award-winning Naim (below) just edges it for both subtlety and a slightly livelier sound, there isn’t much in it – and the Dynaudio Music 5 boasts superiority in other ways. In a larger room, it boasts better weight, scale and authority. Sound is smooth, detail-rich, refined and resoundingly listenable.
Connectivity is excellent, too, with aptX Bluetooth, wi-fi and AirPlay all present. Open up the Dynaudio app and you’ll discover NoiseAdapt, a feature that helps sound cut through a noisy room – useful during loud parties.
Assuming you love its distinctive styling, the Dynaudio Music 5 is a sophisticated performer and a superb buy.
Read the full review: Dynaudio Music 5
10. Audio Pro Addon C3
Portability, multi-room skills and excellent sound quality in an impressive package.
SPECIFICATIONS
Connectivity: Bluetooth and wi-fi | Power: Battery | Inputs: 3.5mm | Battery life: 15hrs | Dimensions (hwd): 11.5 x 21.5 x 13.5cm | Weight: 2.45kg
Reasons to Buy
Mature, refined sound
Impressive timing
Tight, textured bass
Reasons to Avoid
Control app could be slicker
The Audio Pro Addon C3 isn’t just the best Bluetooth speaker at this price, it’s a stylish, wi-fi connected, multi-room capable centrepiece – plus it’s a What Hi-Fi? 2019 and 2020 Award winner.
Sound is focused yet open and airy, meaning you can fill a decent sized room with immersive, weighty sound. It has an fantastic sense of refinement for such a small speaker, not to mention a rear-firing bass reflex port that delivers plenty of low-end grunt.
This model won’t charge your smartphone but it does feature an ethernet port, giving you the option to hardwire it to your home network. The battery serves up around 15 hours playback (less if you crank the volume up to the max).
The C3 supports streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music, and while there’s no built-in voice assistant, you can control the speaker via the Alexa app.
If you’re after something more rugged and portable, we’d suggest rivals such as the Ultimate Ears Megaboom or JBL Xtreme. But as a sensational-sounding multi-room proposition, this speaker gives Sonos a serious run for its money.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon C3
(Image credit: Naim)
11. Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
Just a few tweaks make for a superb second version of this premium Bluetooth speaker.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 21 x 22 x 21 | Power: : 300W | Features: Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Roon Ready, Hi-res up to 24-bit/384kHz, remote control | Connections: 3.5mm aux, USB, optical S/PDIF, Ethernet
Reasons to Buy
Open, detailed and expressive
Loads of streaming options
Multi-room ready
At What Hi-Fi?, we know full well the value of revisions. Yet still, it was quite the surprise when first we heard about one made by Naim, with its second generation of the Mu-so Qb wireless speaker. The previous iteration was great, earning five stars when it was first reviewed. This version, however, is even better.
You can now choose between an Olive, Terracotta or Peacock grille alongside the standard black, but the best tweaks Naim has made go far deeper. Remove whatever colour grille you’ve gone for and you’ll be rewarded with upgraded and optimised midrange and bass drive units, all powered by a total of 300W of amplification.
You won’t be short of streaming options, thanks to Chromecast Built-in and Apple AirPlay 2 alongside Bluetooth for streaming from a device, as well as Spotify Connect, Roon Ready, internet radio and Tidal. You’ll also be able to access files up to 32-bit/384kHz anywhere on your home network via the updated Naim app
With punchy bass and sparkling and rich tones across the frequencies, we had no hesitation in awarding the Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation our 2020 What Hi-Fi? Award for the best home wireless speaker over £500 – for the second year running.
Read the full review: Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
12. Amazon Echo Dot (3rd generation)
One of the best and cheapest ways to introduce Alexa to your home.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 4.3 x 9.9 x 9.9 | Features: wi-fi, multi-room, Bluetooth V4.0, Alexa voice assistant, Spotify, TuneIn, Amazon Music | Connections: 3.5 mm stereo
Reasons to Buy
Clear, solid sound
Improved Alexa capabilities
Budget price
Reasons to Avoid
Alexa intelligence is limited
Amazon’s ever-expanding collection smart speakers dish up decent sound and a whole load of voice functionality for not a lot of money. The Echo Dot is one of the cheapest in the range – and a great little portable device that’s perfect for the kitchen or bedroom.
The fabric-covered puck features a 4cm driver that pumps out decent enough sound. Alexa sounds loud and clear and, for the money, music sounds rich and full. It’s perfectly acceptable as a background music device, plus you can always wire in other devices via the 3.5mm aux output for better sound.
You need to connect the Echo Dot to power, so it’s not as portable as some options on this list. But on the upside, the Echo Dot can be used to play music, answer questions, read the news, check the weather, set alarms and control compatible smart home devices, from TVs to home cinema amplifiers and speakers.
For the money, it’s one of the best cheap portable speakers around.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Dot (3rd generation)
13. Audio Pro Addon T3
Bigger than some rivals, but still portable enough to give serious consideration.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 11.5 x 21.5 x 13.5 | Power: 2x 5W + 15W Digital class D | Features: Bluetooth V4.0 | Connections: 3.5mm stereo, USB
Reasons to Buy
Full sound
Expressive and dynamic
Faultless build
It might be one of the less portable speakers in this list, but the T3 can still be carted around thanks to the carry handle. It’s robust rather than heavy, and boasts a battery life of up to 30 hours. Like bass? You’re in luck – the solid chassis and rear-firing bass port will have you tapping your toe in no time.
There’s no wi-fi (if you want wi-fi, opt of the Addon C3), but the Bluetooth-enabled T3 features a similarly classy design with textured surfaces and a leather embossed handle .
Audio Pro tends to ignore gimmicks in favour of high-quality sound but this speaker does have the facility to charge up your smartphone or tablets via a USB port. You also get an auxiliary input for your TV/MP3 player/record player.
Sound is superb, with plenty of depth and detail throughout the frequencies. If you want something for home and in the garden, this could work nicely – maybe not the one for your carry-on luggage, though.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon T3
14. JBL Xtreme 2
One of the best Bluetooth speakers we’ve heard with bags of ability.
SPECIFICATIONS
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Power: Battery | Inputs: 3.5mm | Battery life: 15hrs | Dimensions (hwd): 13.6 x 28.8 x 13.2cm | Weight: 2.39kg
Reasons to Buy
Clean, clear sound
Balanced bass
Robust build
Reasons to Avoid
Hefty design
No wi-fi or multi-room smarts
The JBL Xtreme 2’s boombox design has fun and excitement written all over it. The rugged, IPX7 waterproof exterior, 15 hour battery life and ability to charge your phone from its USB port mean it’s a great option for the beach.
Wireless features have been stripped-back, though. There’s no wi-fi, so you can’t stream from Spotify. And it won’t let you talk to Alexa or Google Assistant, just set a button to activate them in the manner of an earphone’s in-line remote.
JBL Connect+ is the most unusual feature on this otherwise standard Bluetooth speaker. It lets you link up to 100 JBL speakers, to make the equivalent of a nightclub PA in your home.
There’s plenty of boom to the sound, but we’re not talking ridiculous levels. That deep powerful bass is also nicely controlled too. Mids are of a high quality and highs show more clarity than you traditionally get from such a product. For the money, the JBL Xtreme 2 is brilliantly balanced Bluetooth speaker.
Read the full review: JBL Xtreme 2
15. Ultimate Ears Blast
Energetic performance, Alexa onboard and Wi-Fi connectivity.
SPECIFICATIONS
Connectivity: Bluetooth and wi-fi | Power: Battery | Inputs: N/A | Battery life: 12hrs | Dimensions (hwd): 118.8 x 6.8 x 6.8cm | Weight: 463g
Reasons to Buy
Great portable design
Exciting, dynamic sound
Good detail and punchy timing
Reasons to Avoid
Top end can get excitable at loud volumes
Alexa features not exhaustive
Ultimate Ears has a knack for making Bluetooth speakers that combine the right combination of sound, design and rugged features, and it does so again with the Blast. Its cylindrical 360-degree design means it throws sound evenly around the room, while the tough ‘IP67 waterproof’ exterior means it can can survive in 1m of water for 30 minutes.
It’s crammed with connectivity, too. You get Bluetooth, wi-fi and Alexa smart assistant voice controls, meaning you can turn up the volume or play songs through Amazon Music Unlimited without lifting a finger. Far-field voice recognition is excellent, and there’s a nifty LED strip that glows and blinks when you interact with Alexa.
The lack of 3.5mm audio input might bother some, but we found the Blast to be a real crowd-pleaser. The 360-degree sound and bass output is far better than one might expect for this kind of money; throw in Alexa smarts and you have a fun, energetic speaker that offers plenty of bang for your buck.
Read the full review: UE Blast
(Image credit: Amazon)
16. Amazon Echo Show 5
One of the best Bluetooth speakers we’ve seen with a screen.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions (hwd): 8.6 x 14.8 x 7.3cm | Connectivity: Wi-fi, USB, 3.5mm line-in | Battery life: n/a | Power: 4W
Reasons to Buy
Alexa voice-control
Decent sound and video
Nicely put together
The Echo Show 5 is the latest in a long and fast-moving line of Amazon products intended to get us all invested in its virtual assistant, Alexa. Where much of the Alexa-enabled kit out there is audio based, concentrated on the Bluetooth speaker market in particular, the Echo Show 5 embraces both sound and video in its abilities to communicate. So, as well as playing music or reading out information, you can access video content on the 5.5in LCD touchscreen. There’s also a camera for video calls.
The Echo Show 5 is a diminutive device, and as such cannot possibly offer the scale of sound that some specialist wireless speakers can. But then it offers so much more ability and functionality than a run-of-the-mill Bluetooth speaker. For what it is, we find the sound perfectly acceptable. It runs fairly warm, sonically, which helps voices on radio and the like, and makes for a comfortable listening experience. There are better speakers out there but this is much more than that. It opens up the world of the digital assistant to a whole new audience for both audio and video; and if that’s what you’re after, this is about as good as you’ll get.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Show 5
17. Dali Katch
This Dali Bluetooth speaker ticks all our boxes.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions (hwd): 13.8 x 26.9 x 4.7cm | Connectivity: aptX Bluetooth, 3.5mm | Battery life: 24hr | Power: 50W
Reasons to Buy
Powerful, full-bodied sound
Great dynamics and timing
Long battery life
If you’re after a premium portable speaker, there’s every chance that the Dali Katch will blow your cashmere socks off. Dali, better known for its traditional hi-fi speakers, has managed to extract a sound that is quite simply incredible for something of the Katch’s stature.
Two tweeters and a pair of aluminium woofers, driven by a Class-D amplifier, make for a total power output of 50W – not to mention an impressive amount of detail and a nice dose of velvety low-end.
The speaker boasts buttons for power, volume and pairing, which is made easier with the option of NFC. There are also two EQ presets: one for freestanding play and one for positioning on a shelf. And let’s not forget the excellent battery life: just two hours of charge will get you around 24 hours of music playback via Bluetooth.
The Katch isn’t cheap, but you do get what you pay for – a weighty, dynamic sound that defies this speaker’s dimensions.
Read the full review: Dali Katch
18. Ultimate Ears Megablast
A lively, entertaining Bluetooth speaker with plenty going for it.
SPECIFICATIONS
Connectivity: Bluetooth and wi-fi | Power: Battery | Inputs: N/A | Battery life: 16hrs | Dimensions (hwd): 23.7 x 8.8 x 8.8cm | Weight: 1.19kg
Reasons to Buy
Dynamic, detailed sound
Enthusiastic, punchy rhythms
Precise, taut basslines
Reasons to Avoid
Presentation is slightly lean
Not fully featured just yet
The powerful UE Megablast takes the performance of a portable Bluetooth speaker at this price to a new level. If you’re looking for thumping bass, well, let’s just say you’ve come to the right place.
Design-wise, the Megablast is waterproof (IP67 rated), so it will survive being dunked in the pool or exposed to a sudden downpour. Battery life is 16 hours, which is pretty respectable given that it has Alexa voice smarts built-in.
Say the wake word ‘Alexa’ and a white LED strip on top of the Megablast glows in recognition. Features include voice-controlled music playback over wi-fi, through Amazon Music Unlimited and TuneIn radio, plus support for the likes of Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music. There’s no 3.5mm audio jack, though.
A combination of pounding bass and enthusiastic sense of rhythm make for a hugely enjoyable performance. It might not be the most pocketable speaker around, but few rivals can match the Megablast for bass quality. An absolute treat.
Read the full review: UE Megablast
(Image credit: Sonos)
19. Sonos Roam
A pleasing Bluetooth speaker with a full-bodied sound.
Want a Sonos speaker you can drop in a backpack? Meet the Sonos Roam, the multi-room titan’s first truly portable battery-powered speaker (the 2019 Sonos Move is technically portable but weighs a hefty 3kg to the Roam’s 430g).
The Roam works perfectly well as a standalone Bluetooth speaker but it’s also designed to be immersed in the company’s burgeoning multi-room ecosystem. Features includes support for AirPlay 2, voice controls and Sonos’ Trueplay tech, which uses the built-in mic to tune bass and treble to suit your surroundings.
Headed to the beach or the pool? You’ll be pleased to note the IP67 rating, which gives it complete water and dust resistance. The built-in battery offers a pretty decent 10 hours playback and support for Qi wireless charging.
Sound is confident, bold and better than you might expect from an outdoor/party speaker at this price. Other Bluetooth speakers offer a more expressive and detailed sound but if you’re invested in the world of Sonos, the Roam is a smart buy.
Read the full review: Sonos Roam
20. JBL Go 2
Impressive sound from an impressively small and portable package.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 7.1 x 8.6 x 3.2 | Power: 3W | Features: IPX7 waterproof, Bluetooth V4.1 | Connections: micro-USB | Finishes: 12
Reasons to Buy
Tidy design
Balanced sound
Decent bass
Reasons to Avoid
Battery life could be better
The budget JBL Go 2 might be the perfect holiday accessory. It’s a tiny speaker, no bigger than a bar of soap, which makes it small enough to slip into your pocket. There are 12 colours in the range, including the retro-fabulously pearlescent yellow model pictured above.
The Go 2 has a full waterproof IPX7 rating, so it won’t matter if you drop it in the pool by mistake. Features are thin on the ground, but you go get an aux input, plus a noise-cancelling speakerphone and built-in mic for handsfree calls. There’s no wi-fi, though, and the battery life is a little disappointing: 2.5 hours of charging returns a maximum playing time of just five hours.
Despite an output of just 3W, the Go 2 punches above its weight when it comes to sound. For the money, it’s a lively, balanced and cohesive performer. If you’re the sort of person who likes to travel light, we think this is up there with the best Bluetooth speakers of its type.
Read the full review: JBL Go 2
21. Bose SoundLink Mini II
This Bose portable speaker is a decent option for the money.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 5.1 x 18 x 5.8 | Features: Bluetooth V3.0 | Connections: 3.5mm stereo, micro-USB
Reasons to Buy
Full-bodied sound
Weighty bass
Portable
Reasons to Avoid
Lows lack precision and agility
If you’re after a portable speaker that doesn’t scrimp on bass weight, the SoundLink Mini II could be just the ticket. The small but hefty design pumps out a big, bassy sound that will get you dancing by the pool.
Bose has kept features to a bare minimum; there are buttons for power, pairing (you can link two devices at a time and switch between them) and volume. You also get an aux input and a USB input for charging. Battery life is 10 hours – pretty good for a speaker of this size.
The big attraction here is the sound quality. While lots of portable speakers offer fuller bass, it’s often boomy or distorted. That’s certainly not the case with the SoundLink Mini II, which sounds taut and expressive. Vocals are exceedingly rich and instruments are given space to breathe. In fact, the sound is as good as anything we’ve heard at this price and stature. Other speakers are better value for money, but this high-quality Bose speaker is still a fantastic buy.
Apple’s just announced that it’s adding lossless, hi-res and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos tracks to the Apple Music service. Not only are these benefits being added without the subscription price going up, we’ve also now discovered that you won’t even need to use Apple’s own headphones in order to listen to tracks in Dolby Atmos.
In a post-announcement briefing, Apple’s Buddy Judge explained that the new Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos feature will work with any headphones – as long as you manually enable it.
Once the update goes live next month, if you go into Settings on your iPhone or iPad and then to Music, a new Dolby Atmos option will be available. This is set to Automatic by default, which means Dolby Atmos tracks will play correctly when you’re listening via any W1- or H1-enabled pair of Apple or Beats headphones (the AirPods Max, AirPods Pro or standard AirPods, for example), but not when you’re using third-party headphones. However, if you switch this option to Always On, even these non-Apple headphones will play back the Dolby Atmos tracks correctly.
It’s worth noting that this setting only applies to Spatial Audio Dolby Atmos tracks in Apple Music and not to Spatial Audio content in other apps such as TV. Spatial Audio in the TV app is a slightly different beast in that it also utilises the sensors in Apple’s own headphones to enable head-tracking. It seems to us that this does open the door to more simplified, non-head-tracking Spatial Audio movie support coming to third-party headphones in the future, though.
As has been rumoured for the past week or so, Apple Music is adding support for lossless audio, as well as and Dolby Atmos-powered 3D audio (aka Apple’s Spatial Audio).
The service’s 75 million-strong catalogue will be available in CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) or hi-res (24-bit/48-192kHz). There will be 20 million songs in lossless audio at launch, with the full 75 million available by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, “thousands” of tracks will be available in Apple’s Spatial Audio tech (as previously featured in its AirPods Pro and AirPods Max headphones). Spatial Audio adds “multidimensional sound and clarity”, making the audio sound much more immersive.
Both features will launch in June and won’t cost Apple Music subscribers any extra money. The monthly subscription cost remains £10 ($10, AU$10).
Apple has described the new features as Apple Music’s “biggest advancement ever in sound quality” – which we’d have to agree with.
Read all about: Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos and hi-res audio
It’s not the first streaming service to support lossless, of course – Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer and Amazon Music HD all offer lossless listening. But it has pipped Spotify to the post, with the green giant not launching its own lossless tier, Spotify HiFi, until later in the year.
As expected, Apple’s lossless streams use ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) to offer more detail and informationion in a recording. That should mean higher audio quality, albeit also bigger file sizes – estimates put it at around 36MB of data for a three-minute track.
There are three tiers of lossless audio to accommodate different files sizes and situations in which you can play them: CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz), 24-bit/48kHz, and 24-bit/192kHz. You can choose which quality you would to stream or download in through the Settings > Music > Audio Quality section of Apple Music. While music up to 24-bit/48kHz can be played natively on Apple devices, playing anything above that – 24-bit/96kHz or 24-bit/192kHz streams, for example – requires connecting an external DAC. Apple is calling these highest-quality streams ‘Hi-Resolution Lossless’.
Apple’s Spatial Audio, meanwhile, is enabled by Dolby Atmos for Apple Music. By default, Apple Music will automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip*, as well as the built-in speakers in the latest versions of the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Compatible devices, therefore, include the iPhone 12 family, AirPods 2 and Beats Powerbeats Pro. Playing from an Apple TV 4K into a Dolby Atmos device will work too.
What’s more, Apple’s Buddy Judge has now confirmed to us that Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos will also work with all headphones. If you’re using non-Apple headphones you’ll simply have to switch the new Dolby Atmos setting to ‘Always On’ rather than the default ‘Automatic’.
At launch, there will be “thousands” of tracks available in Spatial Audio, and Apple says it will be adding new tracks “constantly”. It will also put together a set of Atmos playlists so you can easily find something to listen to. Albums available in Dolby Atmos will sport a badge on the detail page to make them easy to spot.
Apple says it’s working with artists and levels to produce more songs in Spatial Audio.
Now all we need is the heavily rumoured, suspiciously imminent AirPods 3 to drop this week…
Faced with new competition from Apple, Amazon today announced that it will no longer charge an added fee for the “HD” tier of Amazon Music that lets customers stream audio at CD quality and above. From now on, lossless audio will be available to all Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers at no extra charge. Billboard was first to report the development.
This makes Amazon the first company to offer lossless music at the industry’s standard $9.99 subscription rate. Amazon Music Unlimited is even cheaper ($7.99 per month) for Prime customers. And yes, the high-quality audio will also now be available for customers paying that price. Family plans are eligible for Amazon Music HD at no added cost, but student plans are exempt. Before Amazon entered the picture, the going rate for a lossless music subscription was $19.99; that’s what Tidal continues to charge.
What’s making this change possible? Well, as Billboard points out, with all the music streaming heavyweights now going in on lossless audio, music labels care more about pushing up subscriber count totals across these services than the higher subscription premiums that they previously demanded for hi-res audio.
The price drop for Amazon Music HD comes on the very same day Apple announced the launch of lossless audio on Apple Music. Apple teased significant news over the weekend after rumors began swirling late last week about the possibility. The company’s Apple Music Android app spilled the details a bit early and signaled that an announcement could be imminent.
Amazon Music HD has been performing strongly for Amazon. A previous Billboard report said the service is up 100 percent year over year. The service offers over 70 million songs in CD quality, with over 7 million exceeding that and available in “ultra HD” quality.
Barely two weeks after strong suggestions of an Apple Music Hi-Fi tier began circulating – an Apple offering to combat the hotly-anticipated Spotify HiFi – it seems we may not have to wait much longer.
Apple is said to be planning a new HiFi tier for its Apple Music streaming service (which some sources claim will coincide with the launch of its AirPods 3 true wireless earbuds) and a few clues have now been spotted within the Apple Music source code.
As noted by 9to5Mac, new references to ‘Lossless’ and ‘Hi Res Lossless’ have appeared within the source code of the Apple Music web app, as have the words ‘Dolby Audio’ and ‘Dolby Atmos’.
(Image credit: 9to5Mac (via Apple) )
These new mentions presumably indicate that tracks in Apple Music will soon be available in two higher-quality lossless formats. This corresponds with a report from 9to5Google, which claims that Apple Music for Android is readying support for two ‘lossless’ bit rates: 24-bit/48kHz and 24-bit/192kHz.
The strings in the Android app suggest that the highest quality lossless stream will consume up to 36MB of data for a single three-minute track – but there’s apparently no mention of Dolby Atmos or Dolby Audio in the code of Apple Music 3.6 for Android. To clarify: Apple had made a reference to both, in iOS 14.6 beta 1, but then removed any mention of a high-fidelity service in beta 2.
The mentions of ‘Dolby Atmos’ and ‘Dolby Audio’ in the Apple Music web app could mean that some songs will be labelled in this way and may support Apple’s Spatial Audio feature found in AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
If high-quality streaming does indeed arrive with iOS 14.6 (set to drop in late May or early June) there’s every chance the Cupertino giant will beat arch rival Spotify to the punch.
MORE:
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Need new music? 10 Apple Music playlists to listen to right now
It seems Spotify HiFi is missing something – but will it matter?
Read up on the best music streaming services 2021: free streams to hi-res audio
Apple is teasing a major Apple Music announcement. “Get ready,” a post in the service’s Browse tab reads, “music is about to change forever.” Tapping the image reveals an animated video, though it just consists of the music streaming service’s logo spinning in place. The teaser, first reported by MacRumors, is believed to refer to Apple Music’s rumored lossless and hi-res music streaming features.
A launch of the new higher quality streaming is believed to be imminent after code referencing “Lossless” and “Hi Res Lossless” streaming tiers appeared in the service’s Android and web apps. According to code in the Android app, the lossless tier will support music streaming at 24-bit/48Hz (a small step up from regular CD-quality 16-bit/44.1kHz), while the hi-res lossless tier will stream at 24-bit/192 kHz.
Code in the Android app warns that these higher quality tiers will required more storage space and data to stream compared to existing quality. Apple Music’s current high quality tier consumes 6 MB of data for a 3-minute song, but this could rise to 36 MB with lossless, and 145 MB with hi-res lossless.
The benefit, of course, should be better sounding audio, similar to what’s already offered by the likes of Tidal, Amazon Music HD, and Deezer. Spotify has also announced its own lossless HiFi tier which is due to launch later this year.
As well as lossless and hi-res streaming, code snippets also include mentions of “Dolby Audio” and “Dolby Atmos,” 9to5Mac reports. The speculation is that the AirPods’ Spatial Audio features could be used in conjunction with Dolby’s surround sound technology.
Apple’s teaser doesn’t say when we should expect an official announcement, but some rumors suggest an announcement as early as Tuesday.
Rumours have been building over the past few weeks around the launch of a new Apple Music HiFi tier alongside the third generation of Apple AirPods, and we’ve now had a potential launch-date leak as well.
According to rumours site AppleTrack, we can expect the announcement to land on May 18 in the US (well ahead of the tech giant’s June 7 WWDC event) via a press release rather than the usual launch show event.
This date coincides with Google’s I/O event, at which it will likely announce the new Google Pixel 6, so it would make sense for Apple to try and steal some of its competitor’s thunder by revealing its own big products on that day.
No information is concrete at this stage, but from past leaks we’re expecting this CD-quality music tier to cost the same as the regular individual Apple Music subscription – $9.99 / £9.99 / AU$11.99.
AirPods 3: release date, price, design, leaks and news
Apple teaser
As MacRumors has discovered, Apple itself is pushing out some teaser material that lends extra weight to the imminent launch of its HiFi streaming tier.
In the company’s Music app, a teaser video has begun to appear in the app’s Browse tab, with a ‘coming soon’ message alongside the text, “Get ready—music is about to change forever”.
While this doesn’t necessarily support the specific May 18 date, or even explicitly refer to the HiFi tier, it does strongly indicate we’ll be seeing it arrive soon, and coupled with recent rumours we expect we might. Either way, we’ll find out on Tuesday.
(Pocket-lint) – The true wireless earphones market is getting pretty saturated these days. That means it’s becoming harder and harder for any audio company to stand out. So how does one make a pair that people will notice and care about?
Master & Dynamic’s approach for the past couple of years has been to build a pair of ‘buds that doesn’t look like the rest, while also delivering a very different, dynamic sound from the drivers. With the MW08 that continues, but the experience is a little more refined.
What came before?
Master & Dynamic launched into the true wireless market with the MW07, before following it up with the ANC-equipped MW07 Plus and sport-focused MW07 Go.
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: MW07 PlusMW07 Plus
The non-Go editions were recognisable by their use of marbled acrylic. They looked like they were designed to match tortoiseshell sunglasses, but with the latest MW08 that has changed for more premium materials.
Best true wireless earbuds for wire-free Bluetooth audio
Master & Dynamic has also enhanced the MW08’s active noise-cancelling (ANC), sound quality and battery life, promising to be far better than any of the previous models.
Design
Ceramic design
9g weight per bud
IPX5 water resistance
Colour options: Black, blue, white, brown
With the MW08 it’s clear there’s a focus on design. You can’t go wrong with ceramic. It’s lovely, shiny and extremely durable.
These ‘buds are among the nicest looking we’ve tested. They’re also a little smaller than the MW07 Plus, which makes them more compact and less of an attention seeker when placed in the ears. That’s not to say they don’t still retain that M&D flavour. The shape is still that unique half-circle-half-square design – it’s just more restrained this time around.
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The internal design has been tweaked too, allowing each ‘buds design to be more ergonomic than before – and so better fitting inside the ear canal. They feel secure and comfy, without the need for use any in-ear fins or grips to keep them from falling out. These ‘buds are precision designed to comfortably fit inside the ear and just stays there.
Granted, we didn’t feel the fit was so secure that we’d risk wearing these ‘buds during a run or workout, but for most instances we can’t imagine them falling out and getting lost. It’s a nice, neat, compact shape.
Open the case and show them to someone for the first time and they may just invoke comparisons to cufflinks. There’s a precision and polished look. It’s more restrained than previous models, but the quality is easy to see.
The ceramic plate is built on top of an aluminium frame – which also acts as the external antenna for strong wireless performance – and the buds sit neatly in their stainless steel case when stowed away.
This case is one of the only elements that’s changed drastically from the previous versions. There’s still a polished steel option, but you also get matte black and polished dark grey ‘graphite’ options. Which one you get depends on which colour ‘buds you want: black, blue, white, brown.
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More importantly, Master & Dynamic switched the lid to a new position, making it smaller, but more durable-feeling at the same time. By comparison, the large flip-open lid on the old cases feels quite flimsy now. The new case feels sturdier, while retaining its very portable size, and comes with a little carry pouch too – which you will probably need to use if you buy the polished steel version.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the tried-and-tested physical button layout. One earbud features the volume up/down buttons; the other features the multi-purpose key. That makes it simple to adjust the volume level and simple to play/pause. We prefer it to most touch-sensitive alternatives, which often trigger too easily when you want them to.
Battery life, noise cancelling, app controls
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and ambient modes
12 hours playtime outside case (42 hours total)
In-ear detection/auto pause
Free M&D app for control
Bluetooth 5.2 + aptX
So the design is sublime, so that usually means you compromise on performance somehow, right? Well, no, not this time.
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Master & Dynamic’s latest pair of tether-free ‘buds has market-leading battery life. The manufacturer claims up to 12 hours of music playback from a fully charged pair (or 10 hours with the ANC switched on). In real-world use, you’re unlikely to get exactly those figures – we’ve been getting close but a little under – but there’s no battery anxiety here.
You can listen to music for three hours straight and barely even touch the battery. During testing we did this on a few consecutive days and didn’t manage to run out of battery, or need to plug the case in to charge it.
If you commute to work – or will be in the near future – this will comfortably get you through a work week without much trouble. With the battery in the case and battery in the ‘buds you can get up to 42 hours total, which is quite frankly astonishing.
Combine that battery performance with strong wireless performance and good quality calls and you have a set of ‘buds that’s not just pretty and well-made, but will keep up with the challenges of daily life.
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In all of our testing there’s only one area that we think needs improving: the ANC. The manufacturer’s take on noise-cancelling doesn’t quite perform as well as, say, the Apple AirPods Pro or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. That said, M&D’s implementation does make a clear difference, handily cutting out most of the noise around you – it’s just less ‘strong’ than those rivals.
We found it worked well to cut out the noise of chatter around us while listening, but walking alongside busy roads, it still let in the sound of tyres rumbling over the asphalt, for example. Granted, it made such sounds quieter, but we could still hear them. And this was with the maximum level of ANC activated.
One feature that works well is the auto-pause – which activates when the ‘buds are removed from the ears. As soon as you take one earbud out, it automatically pauses whatever you’re listening to, thanks to an optical sensor on board. Sadly, it doesn’t then automatically resume when you reinsert the ‘bud, but pressing the play/pause button once resolves that.
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This is controlled in the all-new M&D Connect app, which lets you see battery level and adjust noise cancelling/ambient sound. This is also where you see if there are any firmware updates available. Sadly, there’s no equalisation (EQ) adjustment because – like any other company that has its own idea of what great sound is – it has already set that for you and doesn’t allow you to deviate from that.
Sound
11mm Beryllium drivers
There’s an unmistakeable quality about Master & Dynamic’s sound and – as the company name suggests – it’s dynamic. M&D doesn’t go for that studio clean and flat approach, or airy, breathy quality. Instead, you get lots of bass, lots of clarity and punch from the high-end, without losing the subtle details in a mix.
The end result is a sound that makes you want to get up and groove along to the bass and drums in any soundtrack. It’ll makes you want to go and listen to all your favourite songs again. It might even make you appreciate songs you didn’t think you liked before.
Saying ‘lots of bass’ often conjures up the picture of big, boomy sound that dominates the audio. In this instance, however, that’s not what it’s like at all. It’s well controlled and shaped bass that forms a big part of the sound profile, but without detracting from the impact of the vocals.
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Listening to the MW08 and we often felt like the higher-frequency percussive sounds – like shakers, tambourines and hi-hats – cut through the mix somehow and form a big part of the sound. This can sometimes lead to a little sibilance on high impact sounds like forcefully annunciated Ts, Ps, and Ses in vocals, but it’s not as bad as it was in previous MW-series ‘buds.
This sound seems a bit more balanced than the company’s older ‘buds – probably because of the new 11mm drivers. These new drivers also seem incredibly responsive. Short, staccato notes are punchy and tight, whether they be pizzicato strings in an orchestral piece or just finger clicking in the background.
The other great quality of the sound is that it has a sense of space. It feels almost like being surrounded by the sound, rather than having it pumped directly into your ears from a few millimetres away. The soundstage is impressively wide, and combined with the dynamic properties of M&D’s audio it makes for an unmissable experience.
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A really good example to hear all these elements is the orchestral version of Space by Biffy Clyro. There’s those clear lead vocals, and the prominent piano leading the instruments. But despite that piano, you still can clearly hear the plucked cello and bass strings in the background, while it all retains that real feel of being recorded in a big wide open space. Bowed strings then perfectly swell and drop in crescendos in the chorus, while the subtle percussion beats on somewhere in the distance. It’s sublime.
While call quality isn’t the foremost function of the MW08, they’re well-equipped with a six-mic array and offer clear calls even in slightly windy conditions. The external mics can filter out wind tearing noises, so there’s nothing to detract from any of that listening experience.
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By Dan Grabham
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Verdict
In a market full of plastic buds, the Master & Dynamic MW08 feel really special. The combination of ceramic, aluminium and a stainless steel case make them unlike anything else on the market.
We’ve long appreciated M&D’s unique take on sound too. It’s high-impact and exciting. It was never technically perfect, but it’s always a great fun listen. We’re glad that with the MW08 the company has retained what makes it M&D, but also focused on improving areas that make this a truly excellent product.
The 12 hour battery life is market-leading, while the ANC performance is decent enough – although not quite incredible. Plus, now the company has an app for controlling features.
The M&D MW08 is the MW series’ coming of age – and it makes pretty much every other pair of wireless earbuds seem boring by comparison.
Also consider
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Bose QC Earbuds
Bose’s flagship ‘buds are fantastic, although physically large. Sound has that typical spacious and breathy Bose quality with great detail and lift in the mids giving a full and balanced sound. The noise-cancelling is stronger than the M&D too.
Read our review
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Grado GT220
Grado’s approach to the true wireless in-ears market is very focused and measured. There’s no ANC here, but you do get truly stellar sound quality and the passive noise isolation is strong enough you might not even miss the ANC anyway.
(Pocket-lint) – The e-bike space is a fascinating one at the moment, with big brands hopping on board to release their own electrified bikes, but a very healthy independent scene also pumping out unique options too.
The best electric bikes: Get around fast on these top ebikes
One such bike is the Angell, a French bike that doesn’t look like anything else on the market (although that’s a statement increasingly true of a bunch of e-bikes), so we’ve put it through its paces to see how it fares compared to the increasingly spicy competition.
Design
Available in silver or black finishes
Integrated touch display and lights
15.9kg (including removable battery)
Every bike has to share a few commonalities with others, and a frame is one of them – but Angell manages to find some unique design tweaks to ensure that it’s got a look all of its own. Riding the black version of the e-bike, you get a super slimline frame that’s angular and eye-catching.
Its core boast is how lightweight it looks, though, and it’s not just an appearance. The Angell has been designed smartly to carry the bulk of its weight in the removable battery pack behind the saddle. It’s just 13.9kg without that battery, making it easy to pick up, and with it onboard you’re looking at 15.9kg, which is on the lighter side for an e-bike.
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The two standout parts of the bike’s design are at the front and back of it. Staying with the battery pack, its u-shaped bulk can slide off the back of the Angell after being unlocked with a small key. It has a charging port to let you charge up without needing to lug the bike indoors (a key point of convenience in our experience with ebikes of all stripes), and two integrated rear lights. These lights can be turned on and off using a button on the handlebars, and also have indicator functions to flash amber if you want to feel even more futuristic.
That brings us to the front of the bike, which is rounded and snazzy, with a small integrated display between the handlebars and another integrated light to illuminate forwards. That display area makes for a chunky look between your arms, but is a useful way to both check what assist mode you’re using, or a variety of metrics including your current speed and how long you’ve been cycling, as well as the all-important battery meter.
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We’re slightly torn on the design. Some people we checked with found it unobtrusive and elegant, while others rightly pointed out that it’s a bit of a eye-catching way to advertise the smartness (and value) of your bike. In that way, it’s very much a matter of taste.
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There are four buttons on the handlebars in total – two for indicating left and right, one for swapping assist modes, and another to turn your lights on and off – which all work well and are simple and intuitive. There are more involved touch controls on the display if you want to check out further settings and options.
Whether you actually want to use the indicators is another personal point. Although they feel like a futuristic approach to a bike’s place on the roads of our cities, we also found ourself entirely doubting whether drivers were fully aware of how we were using them, despite the brightness of the tail-lights and indicator lights on the end of each handle. Maybe in time smart bikes with indicators will become more commonplace, but for now we still fell back on good old fashioned arm-waving to make sure busses knew where we were headed.
All in all, between the sleek front-end and a battery pack that looks for all the world like the engines of a spaceship, Angell is among the most progressive and interesting-looking e-bikes we’ve tested.
Pedal assistance
Up to 90km / 56mi range
Three pedal assist modes
25kmph/15.5mph maximum speed (regional limits may apply)
Angell thankfully manages to match its new-fangled looks with a smooth and responsive ride. There are no gears for you to worry about here, just an automatic shifter and a few assist modes to choose from.
You can ride it without any help if you like and its lightness makes this bearable if the battery runs out. But the main options are FlyEco, FlyDry and FlyFast – each one ramping up the amount of boost you get, and consuming more battery as a result.
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In Eco the boost means a gentle bit of help from a standing start, while Fast gives you a palpable whoomph as you start to pedal. It’s the Dry middle option that most people will default to, we feel, as it gives a great balance of comfortable acceleration with ease and safety.
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The overall ride is up there with Cowboy and VanMoof in terms of its smoothness, with only occasional hitches as the assist kicks in a second late. It’s perfect for urban riding, with disc brakes making for great stopping distances as well. You’ll find Angell gives you a welcome boost when you start pedalling, and it’s easy to manoeuvre and navigate around obstacles.
The integrated lights are a bit divisive in terms of design, but they’re super functional in use, lighting up nice and brightly so that you can forget about taking external lights with you everywhere you go.
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A maximum range of 90km on the lightest assistance setting is entirely respectable and pretty much par for the course. That said, having a percentage counter for the battery on the display did give us a surprising bit of range anxiety as it ticked down, for all that the information was welcome.
The display, meanwhile, is relatively easy to use – but at times seems a bit extraneous. Being able to see your speed or route on it is helpful, but we did sometimes think we’d prefer a cleaner frame that we could mount our phone to if we really wanted all this data.
Software and smart
Companion app
Automatic locking and alarm
The software experience using Angell is a slightly complicated one because of that display. It lets you control a bunch of functions on the bike without needing to resort to the capable companion app.
One key function is unlocking the bike with a pin-code, which is part of a security system that’ll sound a loud alarm if the bike detects it’s being moved jarringly. We found this theft alert a little too hair-trigger, and it wasn’t always the easiest thing to tell if it was activated.
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However, the display and app combine to make it fairly easy to set up navigation, or music controls on your bike, letting you keep your phone pocketed for safer riding. Whether it’s truly much safer than a mounted phone isn’t clear, but it’s certainly more sleek.
As a French bike, the app still has some slight translation issues to be worked out, but it’s nothing that’ll actually impede you as you use it. For the most part, it’s a solid software experience, but it can’t match up to the best we’ve tried from the likes of Cowboy.
Verdict
Riding the Angell was a great time in central London, and reiterated that it, and other e-bikes like it, are absolutely perfect for mid-length commutes and recreational rides. If your concern is getting from A to B without getting tired, this will do the job brilliantly.
It’s got a hefty serving of smart features, some of them unique, and an app that makes it pretty easy to explore them, plus a design that looks like nothing else we’ve tried. Being able to remove the battery to charge, meanwhile, is one of our top criteria in a modern e-bike, and it’s present and correct here.
That makes for an impressive package, and while it’s got a premium price tag to go with its charms, if you’re happy to spend some cash then the Angell will give you an all-new way to enjoy your travel.
Also consider
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Cowboy
With a removable battery and the best app we’ve yet used, Cowboy’s third-generation bike remains the most persuasive one we’ve tried, and it comes in cheaper than the Angell. It doesn’t have the same design chops, but it’s brilliant fun to ride and its pedal assist is just as impressive.
Read our full review
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VanMoof S3
While VanMoof’s bikes lack the removable battery as standard, in every other regard they’re the smoothest ride we’ve experienced from an e-bike, making for gorgeous cycling trips and ease of living. While still premium priced, they’re even more affordable than the Angell.
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Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Mike Lowe.
The Sony Xperia 10 III (£399) is now available to pre-order in the UK, and it comes with a tempting freebie: a pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones from Sony’s excellent stable.
The Sony WH-CH710N (£100) are the follow-ups to the four-star WH-CH700N. They boast advanced noise-cancelling tech that automatically adjusts based on how noisy your surroundings are. And when you do want to hear what the outside world has to offer, just use the Ambient Sound pass-through mode to let in external noise.
That aside, they’re very similar to their predecessors and serve as a more wallet-friendly alternative to the premium Sony WH-1000XM4. They have the same 35-hour battery life as the 700N, Bluetooth with NFC pairing, and mirror their predecessor’s design, voice assistant button and even same colour options. But considering how good the 700N are, that’s no bad thing.
So what of the Xperia 10 III? It’s a mid-range smartphone with a 6in 1080 x 2520 OLED screen. Inside, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 5G chip takes care of business alongside 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. There’s also a triple rear camera system (comprising a 12MP main snapper, 8MP ultrawide and 8MP 2x telephoto), an 8MP front-facer, and a 4500mAh battery with 30W fast charging. Android 11 comes as standard.
It won’t be quite as impressive as the company’s flagship (and much more costly) Xperia 1 II, which currently tops our list of best smartphones. But the also excellent Xperia 5 II shows that Sony can do excellent phones at (slightly) cheaper levels, so we wouldn’t bet against it offering value for money at the budget end either.
The Sony Xperia 10 III will ship on 11th June, priced £399.
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Apple might have bigger plans for next week than initially thought. The new iMac, iPad Pro, and Apple TV 4K are all set to start shipping to early preorder customers on or around May 21st, but now it seems there could be two surprise announcements: a hi-fi streaming tier of Apple Music, and maybe even AirPods 3.
The Apple Music part seems extremely likely when you factor in a report from 9to5Google. Digging into the latest Apple Music for Android beta app, they discovered direct references to high-resolution audio that didn’t exist previously
These are the prompts found in the app’s code, though they’re not user-facing quite yet:
Lossless audio files preserve every detail of the original file. Turning this on will consume significantly more data.
Lossless audio files will use significantly more space on your device. 10 GB of space could store approximately: – 3000 songs at high quality – 1000 songs with lossless – 200 songs with hi-res lossless
Lossless streaming will consume significantly more data. A 3-minute song will be approximately: – 1.5 MB with high efficiency- 6 MB with high quality at 256 kbps- 36 MB with lossless at 24-bit/48 kHz- 145 MB with hi-res lossless at 24-bit/192 kHzSupport varies and depends on song availability, network conditions, and connected speaker or headphone capability.
It doesn’t get much more direct and clear than that, with Apple warning about both the higher data consumption of streaming lossless music and the added storage space that will be necessary to download it for offline listening. The fact that Apple has now added this data to its Android app suggests that this could all be happening sooner than later. I say that because Apple’s Apple One bundle showed up in Apple Music for Android just days before its public announcement.
The Android app code also reveals that Apple Music will offer two choices for lossless playback:
Lossless ALAC up to 24-bit/48 kHz
High-Res Lossless ALAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz
So it sounds like Apple has every intention of matching what Tidal, Amazon Music HD, and services like Qobuz currently deliver. It’s also worth noting that there’ve been recent references to Dolby Atmos spatial audio in Apple Music on iOS, according to 9to5Mac.
Apple has for years stuck to its customary 256kbps AAC files for both iTunes and Apple Music. When iTunes Plus debuted all the way back in 2007, that was a substantial upgrade over heavily compressed MP3s that people were downloading from peer-to-peer apps like Napster and Limewire during the height of music piracy. And it’s still perfectly adequate. Mastering of tracks has just as much influence on the listening experience as encoding details do, and Apple has tried to play to this aspect with its “Apple Digital Masters,” which aim to get the most dynamic range and detail from songs on its platform.
But in terms of pure music fidelity, Apple has objectively been surpassed by companies like Tidal and Amazon over the last several years. My friend Micah Singleton has a great piece over at Billboard about how we’re entering the hi-fi era of the streaming music wars. Amazon Music HD is performing strongly, with subscriptions up 100 percent year over year. Spotify has also promised the launch of “Spotify HiFi” for later this year.
There’s money to be made, and the ingredients are all there: Apple now sells premium headphones in the AirPods Max, and wireless carriers continue to talk up the promise and speeds of their growing 5G networks. I can’t imagine 5G will be required for lossless Apple Music streaming, but it’s a nice flex of the technology right in the middle of the iPhone 12 cycle.
What about those AirPods 3, though?
There have already been quite a few leaks that revealed details about Apple’s next iteration of AirPods, but the real question has been around release timing. Yesterday, a report from a site called AppleTrack suggested that the new AirPods could be announced alongside this new lossless tier of Apple Music. I don’t quite follow the logic, myself; no one really thinks of regular AirPods as the right choice for audiophile listening, but maybe Apple just wants new hardware of some sort to launch in tandem with the new service.
Taken on its own, the AirPods rumor seems “sketchy” as 9to5Mac said. But the sudden discoveries about lossless audio in Apple Music for Android seem to add some fuel to the fire.
Google’s upcoming flagship phones – the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro – could be set for a striking revamp.
Leaked renders – revealed by tech tipster Jon Prosser via his YouTube channel – show the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro with impressively thin bezels and a new ‘horizontal bar’ to the rear that appears to contain camera sensors.
Google doesn’t normally launch two flagship Pixel phones, either, so the emergence of a possible ‘Pro’ version would be new territory for the tech giant. The standard Pixel looks to have two cameras while the ‘Pro’ model appears to boast a third lens, thought to be a telephoto.
Prosser claims to have sent real-life images of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro to concept artist Ian Zelbo (@RendersbyIan), who created these sleek 3D renders. The renders seem to show both models with an in-display fingerprint sensor, which means Google could be finally kissing goodbye to the rear-mounted sensor.
Google has yet to officially share any info about its next-generation Pixel 6 range, but reports suggest they will get a new System-on-Chip processor that will deliver a serious bump in power over the current Pixel 5.
As for new colours, Prosser’s renders suggest the new Pixel devices will be available in at least two finishes – pastel pink and champagne gold. Rival Android leakers have claimed that the tones depicted in the renders aren’t accurate.
So, when will the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro launch? Google tends to announce its flagship handsets in September or October, but there’s talk of the company revealing the new Pixel at its I/O tech conference this year (18-20th May).
Google is also rumoured to be working on a foldable phone codenamed Passport, which it could choose to preview at the event. We’ll bring you all the key announcements from the conference as Google makes them.
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(Pocket-lint) – We couldn’t have been more excited when we heard that the original Mass Effect trilogy was to be remastered for a new collection. But must admit to feeling slightly deflated when we realised the games weren’t to be remade completely.
That means, while the graphics and gameplay have undergone extensive tweaking, they haven’t been completely reimagined for modern consoles. After experiencing what’s possible with the superb Final Fantasy VII Remake, that seemed to be a backwards step to us. Initially, at least.
However, just a couple of hours into ME1, we soon realised why the development team decided on a fresh coat of paint and refinements rather than renewal. The trio just wouldn’t be the same games otherwise – unlikely to have retained the character of the originals. Warts and all.
So, in remastering the original Mass Effect games to 4K HDR, adding all downloadable content (DLC) released over the original games’ lifespans, and slathering on some clever technical glue to match it all together, we get the original trilogy at its best. All the while retaining exactly what made them special in the first place.
Plot points
Something that didn’t need refinement is the story. BioWare has always been a master at storytelling and characterisation. Go further into its past and you can see just how well Baldur’s Gate and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic hold up today – purely thanks to their narratives and clever, interwoven scripting.
The latter game was clearly a huge influence on Mass Effect (and itself heavily rumoured for a remaster). However, free from the restraints of the Star Wars lore book, the studio managed to rebottle lightning – several times.
There are many characters you encounter in the Mass Effect games, not least Shepard him or herself – who you play as throughout – but perhaps the most impressive of all is the universe that BioWare created.
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It took a blank canvas and built its own sci-fi saga, complete with new alien species, political factions, historical mythos and much more. And there’s nary a trade dispute in sight – well, not one that any of the trilogy is hinged on. It’s so complex and involving, it has inspired comic books, fan fiction, even a whole range of cosplay enthusiasts. It will also grip you from the very start.
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That’s partly thanks to the speed at which the main story thread reveals itself – which we’ll spare you because you’ve either already played the games first time around and know it already, or want to discover for yourself and therefore avoid spoilers. But it’s mainly thanks to the superb dialogue and neatly woven nature of the games across the entire run.
Many games have adopted inter-threading plots and character development over the years, but few do it quite as well as the Mass Effect series. It enables you to take your lead character – whether created from scratch or using presets – from one game to the next after each completion, literally picking up from where you left off. In addition, actions you make in each chapter have ramifications on the next.
EA / BioWare
By the time you get to Mass Effect 3 and, specifically, the ending, you could experience several key differences to someone else’s journey. It feels organic and, for us, still represents many of the studio’s finest moments.
The same is true with character development and relationships in the game. Each main non-playable character (NPC) in the game forms bonds and relationships with your lead character, depending on your conversational and practical choices. That could end in a friendly or romantic bond, or with them keeping you at arms-length. It results in you empathising with each of your in-game team members more so than in most games – role-playing games (RPGs) or otherwise.
When those NPCs are in peril or decisions on their fate are presented you are genuinely moved or troubled. It’s what made Mass Effect so superb in the first place, and continues to resonate now.
Ch-ch-changes
Of course, that can also be said of the original trilogy releases, each of which being still available through backward compatibility (on Xbox and PC, anyway). Of perhaps more interest are the numerous changes and improvements to this collection.
EA / BioWare
As with many repackaged collections of older games, all of the original DLC from Mass Effect 1, 2 and 3 are present – bar one. Pinnacle Station from ME1 is not present, as the version available to BioWare while putting together the Legendary Edition turned out to be corrupt and it couldn’t find the original files.
Still, you get over 40 DLC packs integrated into the games (where possible). That includes promo weapons and armour.
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The games are also presented with a new launcher, with all three accessible from the same screen. On PlayStation all games are installed to be played from the off, on Xbox (the version tested here), you need to download ME2 and ME3 from the launcher itself. This allows you to save disk space when you are only playing ME1.
Once you start the games, you notice a couple of changes to the options. The first Mass Effect has perhaps the biggest alterations, in that it has the options, plus character creation and models of the subsequent titles. BioWare changed a fair bit in the three years between ME1 and ME2, so the later benefits have now been adopted.
EA / BioWare
That also includes combat. The Mass Effect series combines deep, involving dialogue-based storytelling with action combat sequences. These are third-person and generally use a duck-and-cover mechanic. The first game, however, had clunky, under-realised combat that was tricky to use. We went back to the Xbox 360 original to check for ourselves and found that aiming – especially through the sniper rifle – was a twitchy affair. It has been greatly improved now, with the lessons learned for the sequels being implemented.
The look during combat – the user interface (UI)– has also been unified across the series now. However, ME1 still has some unique foibles. There’s unlimited ammo, for starters, with cooldown times for weapons instead. That was ditched later in the series. On the whole though, it has been polished into a more playable form for sure, which is great to revisit.
Another thing that helps is higher frame rate. While the graphics have been made higher-res and new lighting effects added, to suit the 4K consoles especially, enhanced frame rates make the most difference to gameplay. It differs depending on the format, but the games are now playable in up to 60 frames-per-second on consoles thanks to a ‘favour frame-rate’ option. The Xbox Series X even gets up to 120fps.
EA / BioWare
You do have a resolution drop to get the best frame rates, but it’s very much worth it. We’ve been playing the game largely across Xbox Series S and X, which run the game in backward compatibility but somewhat optimised. We favour frame-rate on the S, which gives up to 1440p and 60fps, while we switch to ‘favour quality’ mode on the X for 4K 60fps. Both run beautifully.
If you’re a PC owner with the right spec, you can even get up to 240fps and run the game in an 21:9 aspect ratio, but we haven’t been able to test that ourselves.
Graphically speaking
In terms of the new graphics themselves, there is a marked improvement, naturally, but you will still have to put up with a lot of the shonkiness of the originals.
EA / BioWare
The artificial intelligence (AI) upscaling process used for many of the texture upgrades did a fine job of creating details that were just fuzzy before, while the manual touching-up work produces excellent character models especially.
However, don’t expect a game that looks like Returnal or Miles Morales. It must be remembered that the original games were released between 2007 and 2012 and, while highly polished, they still look dated. Animations especially are janky. But they are liveable too.
Lighting has been greatly improved through, with the first Mass Effect showing the most change. Outdoor scenes are particularly impressive, with great use of lens flare and recoloured vistas that look significantly better than before. Plus, high dynamic range (HDR) has been added for further saturation and contrast boosts.
That’s not to say it’s all good. Sometimes the picture sharpening does the game a disservice. The Normandy (your space craft) can look overlaid onto a background now, whereas its blurriness helped it blend in before.
EA / BioWare
There are also the occasional annoying bugs or glitches – some old, some new. We’ve experienced some texture pop-in when a level loads, scenery clipping, or the odd character jerking about when faced with unsteady terrain. Sometimes team members just steadfastly refuse to follow you until you save and reload. But, there’s nothing that can’t be worked around or overlooked.
In all honesty, the original games had their fair share of caveats too, but we never minded at the time.
Hit the motherload
Another of the more significant improvements that you get with the Legendary Edition is loading times. Anyone who’s had to sit through the Citadel elevator loading issues of the original Mass Effect will understand just how thrilling it is to finally run the game from an SSD (on console).
We can’t comment on loading times for Xbox One or PS4 (or even PS5, as we’ve not played that copy) – although each are meant to be greatly enhanced too – but our experience of loading on both Xbox Series consoles couldn’t have been any better.
EA / BioWare
When stepping into any of the elevators on the Citadel, it is mere seconds before you reach the next area. This used to take a minute or more. In fact, all the clever tricks BioWare added to help alleviate the loading pain – such as in-elevator conversations or tannoy announcements – are now superfluous. You can still listen to them, but a skip option is also available as they are no longer needed to paper the cracks.
The same is true with loading in other areas of each of the games. Space travel, for example, is almost instant. Even the games load superfast at the beginning, once chosen on the launcher.
There are also many other smaller, often imperceptible tweaks (like an increased number of autosave points), so we could go on and on. It’s worth stressing though, that all of these have been made to improve and existing experience, not replace it. And, as life-long game fans ourselves, there is something altogether noble in that.
Verdict
We’ve played several hours of each of the three Mass Effect games in the Legendary Edition, but haven’t yet completed them this time around (we have in the past, a couple of times). However, we think we’ve seen enough to be able to give an honest opinion.
This collection is like a masterwork or remastering of one of the great music albums. It doesn’t go completely to town, or likely far enough for some, but the subject matter has been treated with the reverence it deserves. Let’s face it, you’d be hard pushed to find better scripting or storytelling out there, even in the biggest budget, most modern games. That’s where the Mass Effect trilogy’s real heart lies – and you can slather on as much polish as you like, but that’s what will draw you back.
Newcomers might initially baulk at the in-game visuals and their many caveats, but once the story grips they’ll find themselves as enamoured as we all were first time around. As for the rest of us, this is like revisiting an old friend and regaling memorable tales – all 100 plus hours of them. Wonderful.
Writing by Rik Henderson. Editing by Mike Lowe.
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