CES 2010 latest news

(Credit: Monster)

If you can't get on board with the extra-long earpieces of Monster's Beats by Dr. Dre Tour earphones, perhaps the new Turbine In-Ear Speakers are more your style. The earpieces on these aren't the tiniest I've come across, but they're compact enough to fit into my small ears comfortably. And in true Monster fashion, the Turbine earphones have a nice, sleek look going for them. Each earbud is encased in a "black chrome" all-metal housing, which gives the set a sturdy feel and fashionable look. I also dig on the thin, color-coded ring around each 'bud that indicates the left (blue) and right (red) channels. Surprisingly, and unlike with the Tours, the Turbine's cable is nothing special--it's the standard tangle-prone variety. Personally, I prefer the flat, ribbon-like variety of the Tour earphones, as it's less prone to snarls and seems much more durable.

OK, I have to say it: calling earphones "In-Ear Speakers" comes off as a tad pretentious. Frankly, any set of earbuds--even the ones that cost $500 or more--aren't going to compete with a good set of speakers. With in-ear 'phones, it's exceedingly difficult to pull the sound outside of your head, which is why some purists shun earbuds entirely (listener fatigue is a common complaint). That being said, I was impressed by the Turbine's sound quality in initial testing. Low-end response is great (plenty of bass here), and the mids are warm and buttery. Highs are fairly detailed, but might not be crisp enough for some listeners. Sound isolation is about average; several standard silicone tips are included, as well as a couple of sizes in the triple flange variety. I was able to achieve a pretty secure fit with the smallest sleeves. All-in-all, these 'phones stand to be a real competitor in the $150 price range. Check back for an in-depth review in the coming weeks.

Photos: Monster Turbine In-Ear Speakers

Audio-Technica's CES booth was littered with new headphone models for 2009. One reason for the glut is the addition of a whole new line of headphones made just for women, which, unlike the cheap, pink monstrosities we sometimes see from manufacturers, actually pull off some style--and without skimping on fidelity. There are also some gorgeous gender-neutral cans on offer. Hit the photo gallery for more details.

Photos: Audio-Technica 2009 headphones

If you're the type to go gaga over the cute and kitschy, TrueBlue Wireless has the headphones for you. Ironically, they aren't wireless and they don't contain anything approaching advanced technology. Rather, they are $4 earbuds suitable for replacing your stock pair with something a little more...interesting. I'm talking about the Candeez Earphones, and you can find them in a variety of campy flavors. See below.

(Credit: TrueBlue Wireless)

There's more than one way to do a wireless MP3 player, and building it directly into a set of headphones may seem like the easy way out, but it gets the job done. Plus, there are none of those audio-fidelity issues you might run into with technologies such as RF and Bluetooth, which is probably why Sony elected to take this route with it's new W-Series Walkman. This 2GB MP3 player is built into a set of impressively small earbud-style headphones and sports a palatable price tag of just $69.

(Credit: Sony)

As you might expect, the W-Series Walkman has no screen as is pretty light on extras. Music plays in shuffle mode by default, though Sony offers an innovative feature called Zappin that lets you browse through tracks by ear by playing a snippet of the chorus of each song. You can choose between long and short settings for this mode, and if you come across a song you want to hear, a press of the jog button will start it from the beginning.

The W-Series Walkman, more formally termed the NWZ-W202, has a rather paltry rated battery life by Sony's standards--a mere 12 hours--but given the ultracompact form factor, I can overlook this detail. Besides, 12 hours is more than enough for any workout I can think of. Plus, there's quick charge, which gives you 90 minutes of battery life from a 3 minute charge, and the entire 12 hours in just 30 minutes. The W-Series is expected to be available by the end of March.

Sony W-Series Walkman--photos

Shure's new SE115 headphones are as tough as they are pretty.

(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET Networks)

Shure unveiled its new SE115 line of in-ear headphones today at Macworld 2009. Aside from being colorful (offered in red, blue, or pink), the SE115 share the same design as the SE110 headphones we reviewed last year, with the exception of the audio-driver technology, which has changed from a balanced armature driver to a dynamic driver.

Shure was nice enough to let me try on a pair, and the sound was undeniably beefier than I recall hearing on the SE110 but a bit lacking in the crispness associated with the balanced armature driver found in its predecessor. I only listened to the Shure SE115 for a few songs from my Zune 80 (yes, I brought a Zune to Macworld), so I'll reserve judgment until I get to spend more time with them. My first impressions, however, weren't earth-shattering.

Sonically, I think Apple's $79 dual-driver in-ear headphones offer better detail and overall balance. However, nothing can beat Shure when it comes to construction quality.

Still, at $99, the Shure SE115 are great for bass-heads and offer the same awesome build quality and professional cabling you'd find on any of its higher-end models. You also get Shure's unique "black foam" ear-tip fit kit and a generous two-year warranty.

The BackBeat headphones come in two flavors: with a Bluetooth adapter or without one.

(Credit: Altec Lansing)

Altec Lansing has introduced "its first wearable stereo Bluetooth products," the BackBeat 906 and 903 Stereo Bluetooth headphones. The higher-end model, the 906 ($129.95), comes with a stereo Bluetooth 2.0 adapter for iPhones, iPods, and other MP3 devices, while the BackBeat 903 ($99.95) is just the headphones. Both offer wireless stereo-music listening and a built-in mic for making and receiving calls on your Bluetooth-equipped cell phone. They're due to hit the market in late February.

Altec, which is owned by Plantronics, is counting on the expertise of the two companies to bring together a package that combines both good audio for music and strong voice technologies for untethered phone conversations. So far, a lot of Bluetooth stereo headphones have fallen short on the stereo-audio end of things, as well as in the comfort/design department. These models look a little more promising, but we'll have to try a pair to let you know how secure they fit (they're a behind-the-neck design)--and how they sound.

Altec Lansing says the headphones are designed with a soft neckband to "fold easily for quick storage in pockets or bags." They also feature "pivoting, telescoping earpieces for a customized, secure fit," and their in-ear design includes contoured, soft silicone tips that "rest gently within the curve of the ear." The company says, "All materials are sweat-resistant and highly durable," which may mean they'll be suitable for wearing during a workout.

It's worth nothing that the headphones integrate Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR and support profiles including Hands-Free, Headset, A2DP, and AVRC for wireless-call and music-control capability. Altec rates the Talk/music playback time at up to 7 hours and standby time at up to 8 days.

For those of you who own the iPhone, you'll need the adapter that comes with the BackBeat 906 to listen to music, because the iPhone--even the newer 3G iPhone--doesn't currently offer stereo Bluetooth. However, owners of cell phones that support stereo Bluetooth can opt for the BackBeat 903.