New and improved LISTENERS 2023 * Choose what you need to avoid disappointment...

Whether you want to listen attentively, relax or energize, headphones need to be well suited to the purpose.

What's more, it's a good idea to know about the various new technologies for 2023 that are aimed at cinema or online gaming enthusiasts. As you'd expect, different types of music also imply different styles: the hip-hop enthusiast will require robust bass elements without overpowering the vocals, while the jazz lover will be looking for balance and fine detail.

 To help you make the most informed purchasing decision possible, here's a list of new and innovative features from specialist manufacturers.

• PERFORMANCE/POP MUSIC HEADPHONES.

JBL TOUR ONE M2

Speaking of sound, the JBL Tour One M2 is ready for slightly accentuated bass and treble, which I think is well suited to the function. What's more, with the JBL Headphones app, you can customize the overall sound to your liking. More bass or treble as well as a control over the mids lets you choose the exact frequency you want to equalize. As far as low frequencies are concerned, it's pretty impressive, coming down to around 40 Hz. There are a number of functions available via the app, including Spatial Sound, which amplifies certain higher mid-range frequencies and makes voices more audible. But the spatial aspect also works for a surround sound effect, to be used in a contemporary way. Noise suppression is highly effective in suppressing continuous noise. The AmbientAware function is also very useful when you're out and about, and can be set to different levels via the app, allowing you to hear a little of what's going on around you.

JBL TUNE 750BTNC

For pure JBL bass sound

For over 75 years, JBL has been creating accurate, impressive sound (see my previous article). These headphones reproduce the same JBL sound, producing deep, powerful bass. The JBL TUNE 750BTNC wireless headphones feature powerful "JBL Pure Bass" sound and active noise cancellation for punchy bass and an immersive audio experience. The lightweight on-ear design offers maximum comfort and sound quality, as it surrounds your ear and effectively blocks outgoing or incoming sound so you don't disturb anyone! Up to 15 hours of battery life, which recharges in just 2 hours, enables wireless playback. Keep on listening to your music indefinitely, thanks to the detachable audio cable included, so you can keep on listening in the absence of a charge...

SONY WH-XB910N

Sony offers incredibly rich, deep sound with EXTRA BASS(TM).

The WH-XB910N noise-isolating earphones enhance all low frequencies to deliver exceptional bass. The special bass duct in the earphone housing and the improved air-tightness between the transducers and the eardrums help to make rhythms precise and punchy - in other words, the bass is clean, dry and strong! These wireless headphones also preserve vocal clarity, for an extraordinary audio experience perfect for hip-hop.

NEW DSSE TECHNOLOGY for even more punch! Compressed tracks are restored to their full values, even if you're listening to poor MP-3, as Sony's algorithms restore all the original dynamism thanks to artificial intelligence!

• HEADPHONES FOR VIDEO GAMES

JBL QUANTUM ONE

There are no secrets here: JBL dominates this market with a choice of high-tech headphones at affordable prices. Sound is survival, hearing the opposition is critical.... Get the ultimate competitive edge with JBL Quantum gaming headphones that enhance your "Gamer" experience. No delays and a clear, non-intrusive chat with friends.

JBL QUANTUM 810

Two innovative technologies!

The JBL QuantumSPHERE 360 and the JBL QuantumSURROUND, which has taken a quantum leap forward by using a head-tracking sensor to fix sounds in 360 degrees of space, outperform conventional headphones: when you move your head, the soundscape follows your movement. But with JBL QuantumSPHERE 360, if you turn your head, the perceived location of the sound source remains in place, because the head-tracking sensor compensates for your head movement. For example, if a sound comes from in front of you and you turn your head to the left, the perceived location of the sound source moves towards your right ear. The sound remains blocked in space when you move your head. What's more, the human brain uses small head movements to distinguish whether sound sources are behind or in front of us. The brain processes the differences between when a sound reaches the left and right ear to determine where the sound is located. So, with JBL QuantumSPHERE 360, you can move your head naturally to identify the exact source of sounds around you. Simply unbeatable... just like you!

JBL QUANTUM 610

*JBL QuantumSPHERE 360 is only available with the JBL QuantumONE gaming headset. The first thing you'll notice is that the sound no longer feels like it's "in your head". Suddenly, it seems as if the game sound is coming from high-quality speakers or from the virtual game world all around you.

 JBL QuantumSURROUND, meanwhile, offers hyper-precise spatialization that can give you a competitive edge. For example, sounds from distant sources will seem further away, just as they would in real life.

 Choose the model that's right for you at your nearest SONXPLUS!

• LIGHTWEIGHT, SPORTY IN-EAR HEADPHONES

Technology has come a long way since the 2000s! In the past, we had to turn up the sound to hearing-damaging levels to hear everything properly. Nowadays, everything is crystal-clear, with good bass and no need to strain your eardrums! What's more, some are water- and sweat-resistant for an active lifestyle.

Sony WF-L900

With its futuristic approach, the WF-L900 features a circular transducer (doughnut-shaped driver) that allows outside sounds to reach your ear without preventing you from hearing everything in your music.

Weighing just four grams and extremely small, the WF-L900 is a marvel of miniaturization. Unlike conventional earpieces, the speaker diaphragm protection is integrated into the housing to save space.

An impressive list of features such as touch control, Alexa and Googles voice commands, increased clarity of phone conversations in hands-free mode on headset and much more.

NEW JBL TOUR PRO 2

It will be introduced at the end of August 2023, and is truly innovative, with a portable recharging unit that includes a display screen for adjusting sound characteristics, as well as determining at a glance the remaining autonomy of the battery pack and the earphone, both separately!

If you're on the move, it incorporates 6 microphones to cancel out the noise around you and ensure your caller understands exactly what you're saying.

Something to watch out for!

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM True Wireless 3

Third-generation true wireless devices now offer touch-free wireless charging. Simply place the box on your car's charger or on a wireless charging mat sold everywhere, and off you go!

These moisture-resistant headphones feature ambient noise cancellation and a transparency mode that activates when you speak, so you can better understand the people answering you...

• CINEMA-STYLE HEADPHONES

A cinema earphone needs to have a good dynamic range, and mid-range models generally meet this requirement.

JBL Live 660NC

Honest sound at a reasonable price would be the best description for this product. It offers a very realistic dynamic range and even features ambient noise cancellation circuitry. 

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 4 WIRELESS

One aspect not to be overlooked in cinema-style listening is comfort. The^4th generation Momentum features a lightweight design that includes a padded headband and deep, yet soft, padded cushions to ensure exceptional, long-lasting wearing comfort. Battery life is optimized for up to 60 hours without recharging. If you need to interrupt listening, the earphones switch off automatically when you remove them, and resume service when you put them back in! Meanwhile, the low-friction hinge mechanism adjusts easily to give you a perfect fit without exerting excessive pressure on your head.

SONY MDR-1AM2

Ideal for action films, it offers an increased dynamic range...

***However, this model is wired

The sound is of very good quality and fairly neutral, apart from the bass region which has a big boost (+6dB reference). Sparkling detail abounds in the midrange, with clear, contrasting notes defining the MDR-1AM2. Fidelity appears almost impeccable here, giving the impression of truly fleshy mids. It's worth noting that the midrange and treble provide the spatial definition so important in cinema.

Comfort is typically Sony - excellent.

•  AUDIOPHILE HEADPHONES

SONY MDR-Z1R

High-quality Z1R flagship headphones.

For pure sound, this headphone features a HUGE 70 mm HD diaphragm.

The newly designed magnesium dome diaphragm with liquid crystal polymer enables high-resolution audio playback of up to 120 kHz. The result is unparalleled sonic purity and precision.

This approach dates back to the turn of the millennium, when manufacturers of quality loudspeakers and headphones created items that greatly exceeded human acuity, which is limited to a bandwidth of 20 to 20,000 hertz. The rationale behind this is to grant overcapacity, which guarantees perfection right in the middle of the range allowed by the product. In other words, if you reproduce high frequencies at 16,000 Hz cycles, and your headphones, as shown here, allow up to 120,000 cycles, there will be no difficulty in execution.

This deluxe product incorporates a quality hard carrying case and silver-plated oxygen-free copper wires for long-term stability.

The 70 mm magnesium dome diaphragm with aluminum-coated liquid crystal polymer offers enhanced precision, propagating vibrations generated from the voice coil to the dome section, and enabling sound reproduction in the supra-high frequency range. The combination of various high-loss materials ensures reduced coloration and clear sound. In short, it's pure with no tunneling or entanglement. We call it very "clean".

YAMAHA NEW YH5000SE BLACK

There's nothing newer on the market than these headphones, produced in the Yamaha Kakegawa factory in Japan, which manufactures flagship grand pianos and exceptional audio components. Everything is handcrafted.

What's more, this exceptional, ultra-high-performance product is the only one, along with the HP-1 from the mid-1970s, to have been marketed by the brand ever since! Research and development originated in 2016, so 7 years ago, which is why it's so good!

The YH-5000SE is an open-back design. It carefully manages pressure around the drive unit through the use of Dutch-weave stainless steel filters, and controls directivity with a special shape inside the earcup. The earpiece housing is made of lightweight magnesium, while the rest of the headphone structure uses a mix of steel, ABS, leather and aluminum. The result is a surprisingly light pair of headphones weighing just 320 g. Add this low weight to the combination of a wide leather headband, large, lightly padded ear cushions and carefully judged clamping pressure, and you have one of the most comfortable pair of headphones available.

Includes a choice of sheepskin or synthetic suede-style Ultrasuede Mc earpieces for better heat and moisture rejection.

Product likely to become a collector's item: Price $6899 Available

DENON AH-D5200

Affordable for $899

The AH-D5200 headphones feature FreeEdge 50 mm drivers made in Japan. Constructed from materials chosen for their rigidity and low mass, FreeEdge drivers minimize unwanted resonances in the diaphragm to deliver detailed, accurate sound. The drivers are mounted on vibration-reducing resin baffles. These flexible, compliant materials allow the diaphragms to move more easily in response to the musical signal, without flexing or distortion, for the purest possible sound.

They're very comfortable with minimal side pressure, a soft leather ear cushion and 3D memory foam, the 5200 offers a universal fit to wear comfortably for extended periods. The look is superb with natural wood shells, no plastic for natural resonance!

Two-wire connectivity is included, as well as a 3.5 mm and 6.3 mm plug for all types of equipment.

JBL CLUB ONE

Our most affordable in the category at under $500

You've never heard your favorite songs like this before. With high-resolution audio, legendary JBL Pro sound and a custom 40 mm orange graphene transducer, you'll get a wide range of detail and clarity that makes every note sing.

This headset is robustly built for long life. The sound is clear, powerful and well-defined. In fact, the sound rivals the Focal Listen series in excess of several hundred dollars.

In short, excellent value.

• HEADPHONES FOR OLD TV SETS.

Today's televisions use only digital transport to transmit sound out of the device. In the past, this was done analogically, so the majority of today's headphones connect digitally either via a dedicated 2.4 megahertz frequency band or via Bluetooth. If you don't have the latest TVs, you'll need a suitable model. (they are rarer)

Sony WH-RF400

Connected analogically to the TV or cable decoder, it offers 20 hours of autonomy and an operating distance of 150 feet.

PRICE:$179

SENNHEISER RS 175

This model is an improvement on the Sony.

You get :

• Operating distance 300 feet
• Bass enhancement on request.
• Surround sound on request.
• Fiber-optic digital input in addition to analog.

• HEADPHONES FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED

If you have trouble hearing the dialogue in a movie, or if you tend to turn up your home audio system until those around you shout "turn that down uncle!", the Sennheiser RS 195 wireless headphone system can help. It includes several listening modes to suit specific hearing needs. Select dedicated presets to stimulate speech, suppress annoying loud noises and compensate for quieter TV scenes. A dedicated music mode lets you use your personalized listening profile to make the most of your tunes.

SENNHEISER RS195

Our hearing naturally evolves over time. The new RS 195 wireless headphones take these changes into account to deliver exceptional sound that can be fully customized to your hearing.

Sennheiser has refined its technology to offer simple, intuitive settings that improve speech intelligibility and reproduce the finest details of your favorite music. The exceptional sound can be fully customized to your hearing: simply choose the most suitable setting from the 7 available profiles to optimize your sound experience. The left/right balance control lets you adjust the volume in each ear. The RS 195 also offers a choice of listening modes. Speech Mode" reduces background noise and improves speech intelligibility, while "Music Mode" reproduces music with increased dynamic range to preserve the sound image perfectly.

SENNHEISER CONVERSATION CLEAR PLUS

This product is for listening to music, but is also a hearing aid in very noisy environments. If you don't need hearing aids, but sometimes have trouble hearing conversations, this product is for you! Our environments are getting noisier all the time, but that's no reason to need a hearing aid when you can get one for occasions in restaurants or crowds. People will think you're wearing headphones!

Conversation Clear Plus supports three different modes: Relax, Communication and Stream. The first is where noise suppression comes into play, the second allows surrounding sounds to pass through, and the third is for audio music playback. Between all these modes, you can modify the strength of noise cancellation, the volume level of speech or the balance between ambience and noise cancellation, respectively.

In audio mode, you can use noise cancellation and take advantage of the many functions of the Bluetooth application. Adjustments are numerous and allow you to adjust instantly!

High-tech, top-of-the-range product.

• 1099 $

Sony WH-1000XM5

The Sony WH-1000XM5 offers a combination of spacious leatherette earcups with soft padding to minimize pressure on your ears, even with hearing aids.

The ANC reducer on the WH-1000XM5 can help reduce ambient noise that can interfere with your audio. You won't have to turn up the volume so much to hear your music clearly.

But if you want to hear the world around you, the WH-1000XM5 has a superb transparency mode for that. There's also a handy feature that temporarily activates the transparency mode by placing your hand on the right earpiece.

Another feature that sets the WH-1000XM5 apart is its conversation mode. In this mode, the headphones will seamlessly switch from ANC mode to transparent mode when they detect your voice to aid conversations.

The Sony Headphones Connect application also lets you fine-tune ANC, transparency and conversation modes. The application also lets you customize hearing modes, change the guidance language and access a host of other customizations.

If you're concerned about sound quality, the WH-1000XM5 plays back audio via Bluetooth with the LDAC codec. So it's perfect for audiophile listening, as it's rated for Hires just as it is for TV listening!

The final word:

Headphones are a type of product that few people give much thought to, but as you've just discovered, the choice of features abounds!

After a 6-7 month break, I'm writing again and thank you for your attention. 😊

Stay tuned!