Sonobo is promoting what its calls "the most advanced True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earphones available," and promises to deliver "best-in-class sound quality combined with the safest listening experience," which will set the bar for the entire "wireless earphone industry," because obviously, no one in that industry knows anything about true wireless or high-quality sound.
The secret? Sonobo says its "breathtaking audiophile sound" is the result of using next generation full-range precision drivers, "carefully tuned by recording engineers." Why didn't anyone think of that?
And this marvel will be available in three different products to fit different needs: the Sonobo One, Pro and Elite models. The Pro model has six (6) balanced armature drivers, and the Elite has 18 (not certain, but probably a world record), making these among the most advanced true wireless in-ears available on the market (Knowles will be happy!).
And because Sonobo believes the market will be marveled at the perspective of finally having true wireless earbuds that sound better than all the others, they launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, with early-bird special prices starting at $99. Of course that is for the Sonobo One, which is entry level. Everyone else wanting to enjoy "mind blowing audio" in the most advanced TWS earbuds ever, will need to spend US $384 for the Sonobo Pro, or US $695 for the Elite 18-BA model - probably manufactured and hand-assembled in London with a famous recording engineer listening and tuning each unit from the production line.
Anyway, jokes and hyperboles apart - it's a crowdfunding campaign after all - Sonobo actually shows some nice design concepts in terms of earbud ergonomics and cases, using what is most likely a Qualcomm solution. All three models are said to feature Active Noise Cancellation with an exclusive Selective Noise Cancelling mode, to allow listeners to eliminate, reduce or boost any sound in their environment, and an innovative "Remote Noise Cancelling" concept. This concept consists of allowing users to place the SmartCase close to any unwanted noise source (e.g. fan or engine noise), and all sounds picked up by its four built-in microphones are cancelled, while sounds picked up by the earbuds are enhanced. Intriguing, but will require experimentation.
Another feature is VoiceBoost "to make the sounds around you crystal clear, no matter what the setting." Effectively, solving the restaurant noise or cocktail-party effect. Again, the user places the SmartCase on the table, and any sounds picked up by SmartCase are enhanced while any sounds picked up by Sonobo earphones are noise cancelled, allowing users to hear and participate in conversations even in noisy environments.
Another important differentiating idea is SafeSonics. This feature delivers a “world’s first,” with a technology that calibrates to each users’ ears with a simple 60 second test and determines which frequencies their ears are sensitive to and calculates a running total of Safe Listening Time. The time is based upon the frequency content, levels and duration of the music being listened to, which is then sent as a push notification, providing users with a visual indication to help develop healthier, non-destructive listening habits. Complicated, but nice-to-have as a selling argument.
All models will also offer what Sonobo calls GunSonics mode, which consists in very loud sound detection to help protect our hearing in specific scenarios - like a firing range. "Until Sonobo, the fastest electronic hearing protection systems cost hundreds of dollars and had an average reaction time of 5ms. The most dangerous part of gunshot is over after 2ms, and GunSonics is the only electronic hearing protection to catch 100% of gunshots. Users can wear their passive over-ear protectors over Sonobo to enjoy the highest level of double hearing protection and, unlike previous double protection methods, the wearer can hear everything around them enhanced, from the release of a clay pigeon to the breaking of a twig, while loud gunshots are heard at below talking level," the company states confidently.
Finally, the Pro and Elite models will also feature Voice UI control, with an always-on “Wake word” on the device, allowing users to active any digital assistant. Effectively, all models offer state-of-the-art specifications for the current TWS standards, including Bluetooth LE 5.2, 24-bit/192 kHz sound quality (don't know how, but support for aptX HD is mentioned), HD Voice, and IPX7 waterproof rating. The battery life is detailed as offering 8 hours playback with 500 hours (!) of charge in the case.
“Consumers are often confused about what they actually need or want in their wireless earphones and the new Sonobo One takes out all the guesswork by delivering the best listening experience available while remaining as true to the original sound as possible,” explains Alex Georgiou, Co-Founder of Sonobo about the entry level model (pictured below).
Sonobo says that its innovative SmartCase (optional purchase with Sonobo One and standard with Pro and Elite models) is loaded with innovative audio features, such as the already mentioned four built-in HD microphones that allow targeted sound enhancement and noise cancellation. "The SmartCase battery has a capacity of 3650mAh with over 500 hours of on the go charge. Users can charge the Sonobo One earphones over 90 times from one fully charged case and each charge lasts between 6-9 hours depending on use. The Smartcase lid is a wireless charging mat for Qi compatible devices including watches and mobile devices," Sonobo details.
About the team that imagined these marvels of technology and opted to go for crowdfunding instead of angel investors, Sonobo is said to be "a dedicated international team of recording engineers, designers, musicians and music professionals based in the US, UK, and Italy. We hear the world differently."
Their Kickstarter campaign is available here.
www.sonobo.net
