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Sony
Sony’s H.ear range of audio gadgets, announced at the IFA tech show in Berlin in September, are set to hit Asia and Australia in mid-October.
The H.ear line, pronounced “hear,” includes three products; over-the-ear headphones called H.ear On, in-ear speakers titled H.ear In, and a new range of Walkmans, capable of Sony’s Hi-Res playback, designed to be used with the new high fidelity earphones.
If putting brightly coloured gadgets on your head is your thing — and it appears Sony is betting that’s the case — the H.ear products come in several different eyecatching tones. Here’s a quick run through of which products are available, what they can do, how much they’ll cost and where they’ll be available. Prices are in US dollars, converted to Australian dollars. Actual recommended retail pricing may differ.
Sony unveils h.ear headphones and noise-cancelling Walkman (pictures)
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MDR-100AAP
This pair of on-ear headphones comes in five different colours and packs 40mm HD drivers, capable of reproducing sounds up to 60 kHz, according to Sony. It will hit Australia and Asia for $199 (AU$270).
MDR-EX750NA
Like the above MDR-100AAP, this pair of active noise-cancelling headphones supports High-Res audio and features 9mm drivers. It will be sold in Australia and most of Asia — excluding Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines — for $199 (AU$270).
MDR-EX750AP
These cheaper in-ear speakers lack the noise-cancelling technology of their more expensive cousins, but still packs a respectable high-res punch for the $99 (AU$135) price. This model hasn’t been announced for sale in Australia or New Zealand, though it’ll be available throughout Asia.
NW-A25 and NW-A26HN Walkman
Both of these models should be exciting to audiophiles on a budget. They feature digital noise cancellation and a battery life of around 50 hours. The A26HN also comes with a pair of noise-cancelling in-ear headphones and has 32GB of onboard storage, compared to the 16GB on the A25.
The A25 will retail for $199 (AU$270) while the A26HN comes in at $319 (AU$435). Both Walkmans will be available in Australia and Asia.
NW-ZX100 Walkman
Sony’s top of the line NW-ZX100 won’t be cheap — it retails for a whopping $599 (AU$820) but you get a built-in digital amplifier and 128GB of onboard storage as well as a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. It’ll be available in Australia and throughout Asia.
XBA-300AP Balanced Armature
For those with discerning ears, the in-ear XBA-300AP looks and feels expensive, and comes with triple armatures: three tiny and separate components that deliver the bass (woofer), tweeter (higher frequencies) and a full-range speaker in the headset for the best sound possible. You can get one for $299 (AU$410) but it’s only available in South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
