Yamaha Announces YH-L700A Advanced ANC Headphones

The announcement comes directly from Japan and the brand's Asian and Pacific websites, following the Yamaha Design Laboratory preview unveiled in 2020 to promote the new headphones created by lead designers Masafumi Futo and Yoshinobu Terazaki. Now, Yamaha confirmed the flagship and truly unique YH-L700A headphones will be available August 2021, introducing an advanced ANC implementation with a series of smart optimizations.

If the market research is accurate and consumers' main priority is audio quality, then it makes sense to offer the best possible options as a way to differentiate new true wireless earbud designs. That was now attempted by Edifier, a company with access to the best available technologies and manufacturing resources. The NeoBuds Pro ANC earbuds are a new Hi-Res Audio certified TWS design, now available to pre-order on IndieGoGo.

In early March 2021, following a series of announcements in development platforms and solutions for wireless audio, Qualcomm announced Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound, a new end-to-end approach to promote high-resolution digital audio and enhanced voice communications across devices. The systems' approach combines and optimizes multiple Qualcomm technologies for mobile platforms, processing, connectivity, plus the latest aptX Adaptive audio technologies needed to improve the sound experience for consumers. But how can manufacturers and new brands benefit? Will there be a lossless extension for aptX Adaptive? We asked the questions to Jonny McClintock, Director of aptX Sales & Marketing at Qualcomm.

Sony unveiled the new WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds. Having lead the active noise cancelling category on headphones since the original WH-1000X headphones and until recently with the WH-1000XM4, Sony is now focused on leading in noise canceling and audio quality in TWS earbuds, starting with a newly designed V1 Integrated Processor, support for high-resolution audio and 360 Reality Audio, better call quality, and smart listening features, matched with an impressive 8 hour battery life with ANC.

Goertek has unveiled a new earbud reference design to help manufacturers looking to implement Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound technology speed their time to market. Powered by the Qualcomm QCC5141 Bluetooth Audio SoC, the Rox reference design is optimized for use in TWS earbuds and hearables and is designed to deliver high-resolution music, crystal-clear voice calls, and lag-free gaming — with superior connectivity and extended battery life.

During a special event promoted to announce a new generation of Amazon Alexa products, technologies and solutions, Amazon introduced an all-new line-up of Echo devices to expand its Alexa voice assistant ecosystem in the home and now also on-the-go. The all-new Echo Buds, using ANC technology licensed from Bose, join the Echo Auto as another option to take Alexa outside the home. The new Echo speakers also include the Echo Studio, engineered in collaboration with Dolby and supporting HRA and immersive audio reproduction.

Sony continued the High-Res Audio focus at IFA 2016, as shown at CES 2016 earlier this year. At the Berlin show, Sony introduced the new MDR-1000X Wireless Headphones with improved noise cancellation performance, while at the same time releasing its Ultimate 'Signature Series' Audio Range, combining reference MDR-Z1R headphones, NW-WM1Z and NW-WM1A Walkman players, and the TA-ZH1ES headphone amplifier. Unveiled for later release was Sony’s first hearable, the Xperia Ear.

Targeting portable audio applications (smartphones, tablets, portable music players, headphones, etc.) Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has developed the AK4962, a new advanced 2-channel 32-bit Advanced Audio DAC with DSP, featuring 32-bit 4ch ADC with microphone/headphone receivers, line-amplifier, audio/voice DSP, asynchronous SRC and microcontroller interface. AKM also announced its AK4490EN 32-bit stereo premium D/A converter and dedicated clock generator, AK8157A, are now available.