First look: Philips shows off Lightning-connected Fidelio M2L headphones
At its CES booth this year, Philips showed off its Fidelio M2L headphones, which hold the title as the world's first the world's first Lightning-connected headphones.
Earlier on Thursday, Philips made a splash when it announced the Fidelio NC1L, an over-the-ear headphone that accepts digital audio from Lightning-equipped Apple devices. But it was the Fidelio M2L, Philips' first Lightning-capable product, the company chose to demo on the showroom floor.
At first blush, the M2L looks like a regular pair of headphones, but closer inspection reveals a single cable terminating in a Lightning connector. Instead of the ubiquitous 3.5-millimeter jack standard, Philips takes advantage of Apple's newly ratified Lightning headphone standard, which provides a pure digital signal for off-device processing.
M2L comes stuffed with its own 24-bit DAC as well as an on-board amplifier, bypassing the same components employed by Apple in its iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. With a standalone product, Philips can incorporate higher quality parts, resulting in better sound compared to analog taken straight from an iPhone's headphone jack.
The M2L's user interface is minimalist, with a single rocker-style switch handling music playback and volume controls. Inside, 40mm drivers sit behind plush ear cups, delivering powerful, clean sound.
Pricing has been set at $320, though Philips has yet to offer an exact launch window after missing a promised December debut.
Earlier on Thursday, Philips made a splash when it announced the Fidelio NC1L, an over-the-ear headphone that accepts digital audio from Lightning-equipped Apple devices. But it was the Fidelio M2L, Philips' first Lightning-capable product, the company chose to demo on the showroom floor.
At first blush, the M2L looks like a regular pair of headphones, but closer inspection reveals a single cable terminating in a Lightning connector. Instead of the ubiquitous 3.5-millimeter jack standard, Philips takes advantage of Apple's newly ratified Lightning headphone standard, which provides a pure digital signal for off-device processing.
M2L comes stuffed with its own 24-bit DAC as well as an on-board amplifier, bypassing the same components employed by Apple in its iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. With a standalone product, Philips can incorporate higher quality parts, resulting in better sound compared to analog taken straight from an iPhone's headphone jack.
The M2L's user interface is minimalist, with a single rocker-style switch handling music playback and volume controls. Inside, 40mm drivers sit behind plush ear cups, delivering powerful, clean sound.
Pricing has been set at $320, though Philips has yet to offer an exact launch window after missing a promised December debut.
Comments
$320? Man, them Beats be looking cheap!
I'll stick with my headphones. Still popular after 30 years of production, must be doing something right.
If you had the coin, though, having an external DAC would be nice. Hopefully this spreads downward to cheaper sets, or better brands. Cause Phillips is not a brand I spend $300+ for.
If you're going to spend $300 on headphones, then go all the way and spend $500 and get the high fidelity bluetooth Bang & Olufsen - BeoPlay H8 - CES 2015 interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYbc-3FEryY
Specs here: http://www.beoplay.com/products/beoplayh8#techtalk
At least those work with any bluetooth enabled device AND have a high-end amp receiver / DAC for wired situations AND a replaceable battery and some AWESOME touch controls.. Quite possibly the only super expensive headset I'd even consider these days; if I were spending in market range of $300 - $500 for a headset.
A lighting based headset is far to limited to Apple only products.. and while I LOVE my Apple products (iPhone, Macbook, iPad).. I also use non-Apple audio systems.. I don't expect this to sell as well as they would hope.
This has been an amazing CES so far with these lightning headphones, Sony ultra 4K ultra thin Google play TVs, and Ultra HD Blu-ray players from Panasonic.
Can't wait to see when Apple comes out with a TV that surpasses all of them and iTunes streams 4K.
This has been an amazing CES so far with these lightning headphones and Sony ultra 4K ultra thin Google play TVs and Ultra HD Blu-rahy players from Panasonic.
Can't wait to see when Apple come out with a TV that surpasses all of them and iTunes streams 4K.
Clearly Apple doesn't need to come out with a 4K TV...they already have a 5K iMac!
Wait, you’re still serious about this nonsense?
Wait, you’re still serious about this nonsense?
If it is nonsense, he's definitely serious about it.
So, I can't listen to music and charge the phone at the same time?
$320? Man, them Beats be looking cheap!
"them Beats" are still crap though. No 24bit DAC, no built in amplifier.
Not one person in this thread understands what these headphones are for.
They have their own 24-bit signal processor built in, which is powered by the Lightning connection, enabling 24-bit audio to actually travel from the device to your ears without being down sampled to 16 bit, or worse.
Obviously they are for audiophiles, and people who even know what 24-bit audio is.
I use 24 bit FLAC on my iPhone today, but with only a handful of ways to get that audio out unscathed. These are the first headphones to market for that purpose.
So, have a clue what you're talking about before you say "I'll stick with my Beats, Lovine said they care about audio quality"
http://xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
Wait, you’re still serious about this nonsense?
If it is nonsense, he's definitely serious about it.
The only nonsense is the seriousness of both your posts.
The only nonsense is the seriousness of both your posts.
Yeah, forgive us for being serious about Apple not making a TELEVISION SET¡
Yeah, forgive us for being serious about Apple not making a TELEVISION SET¡
That Steve Jobs mentioned in his own authorized biography and quoted that he had cracked. DUH?
Wow. That proves that he was ever going to 1. make a TELEVISION SET 2. had cracked a TELEVISION SET 3. you’re just trolling at this point, really.
He wanted to make a car, too. Why aren’t you whining for that?
Jobs was talking about a TV interface, not a TV, per se.
Wow. That proves that he was ever going to 1. make a TELEVISION SET 2. had cracked a TELEVISION SET 3. you’re just trolling at this point, really.
He wanted to make a car, too. Why aren’t you whining for that?
Quote:
Jobs was talking about a TV interface, not a TV, per se.
Ok then where is it the magic interface? The Apple TV hasn't changed basically in 5 years. And that's not what he meant and you both know it.
“‘I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,’ he told me. ‘It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.’ No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. ‘It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.’” SJ
That quote still supports my theory that he was referring to the device and UI, not a TV.
The word "integrated" still means a combination of things, not necessarily a single thing.
At this point? AT THIS POINT?! When is he not trolling?