September 2023 ertonline.co.uk


Pictured far left & below right: JBL Tour 1. Below: Tour Pro 2


“The current state of the headphone and personal audio market is quite dynamic and evolving,” says Mr Linde. “JBL is leading in the sound category, with diverse offerings to cater different consumer needs and preferences.” The brand has several noteworthy product categories that retailers can focus on. In the True Wireless segment, it offers Wave, Tune, and Live, all with different fits, specification points and colourways. Most recently the brand has added the JBL


Tour Pro 2 TWS earbuds, with an LED smart screen on the charging case. Adds Mr Linde: “Our portfolio


is more


innovative than ever. All this in combination with industry-leading noise cancelling, sound and battery life! Within the headband segment we offer a good, better and best offering with the Tune, Live and Tour series.” JBL supports the Futuresource analysis.


“It’s difficult to predict with certainty, but based on current consumer preferences and market demand, the True Wireless sector is expected to be the biggest segment within the headphones space, with Noise Cancellation as the clear driving force. We also see an increasing demand for headband models with noise cancellation.” JBL agrees that


spatial audio has the


potential to significantly enhance the listening experience: “These technologies create a more immersive and realistic audio experience by simulating three-dimensional sound. As the technology continues to develop, we expect


it to have a growing influence and adoption in the headphone industry.” With an ear to the future, what headphone technologies should dealers be aware of? “Advancements in noise cancellation, BT connectivity, battery life improvements, customisable sound profiles, and wireless charging capabilities for TWS – these can really drive purchasing decisions.” Futuresource’s Mr Bhide points to Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and MEMS (Micro- Electro-Mechanical Systems) speakers. “The latter offers advantages over balanced armature, since it produces the sound quality on par with balanced armature with much smaller footprint and power consumption,” he says. Retailers should also expect biometric sensors to be integrated into TWS. “This will bring new functionality, such as heart-rate monitoring, temperature and blood pressure tracking, sleep monitoring. As the TWS category saturates, brands will use such features to differentiate themselves in the market.”


Customisable sound As for the future, Sennheiser suggests a growing awareness of sound personalisation. “Since each ear


is different, the ability to


customise the sound is crucial. Offering this in our Sennheiser Smart Control app allows users to match their unique hearing profile with our unique Sound Personalisation technology which uses research-based in-ear calibration.” Denon is another brand jumping on the personalised sound bandwagon. Coming this Autumn are its PerL Series of True Wireless earbuds (pictured top right). Until recently, the Denon PerL and PerL Pro have only been available in limited quantities stateside.


These new dot-style ‘buds combine a spacious sound style with a personalised sound profile powered by Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology (AAT), which is designed to optimise audio quality for individual users. This proprietary Masimo technology measures unique hearing characteristics, enhancing depth, detail and clarity.


For those seeking the ultimate Hi-Fi performance from their headphones, the PerL Pro is said to provide wireless sound comparable to a CD. The buds receive uncompressed audio over Bluetooth with Qualcomm AptX Lossless. They also have spatial audio support using technology from Dirac Virtuo. Both the new Denon models offer active noise cancellation, plus a transparent social mode for customisable auditory experiences, and are IPX4 rated for weather and sweat resistance. Also at the higher end of the True Wireless market, Sony and Bowers & Wilkins are pushing the technology envelope. The second generation B&W Pi7 S2 (picutred below) differentiates itself from the competition with Wireless Audio Retransmission. Ideal for travellers, this feature allows users to connect to an external audio source and then wirelessly retransmit audio from that source to the earbuds, via the Smart charging case. The Pi7 S2 also supports Qualcomm aptXTM Adaptive transmission from compatible streaming services and devices, opening the door to high-resolution audio all the way from source to ears. >>


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