Some say silence is golden, and those who’ve used noise-canceling headphones are bound to agree. Brands like Bose and Sony have been putting out products for years, but among the newest noise-canceling options are the wireless Microsoft Surface headphones. If you’re seeking silence, head over to Amazon to pick up a pair now at a deeply discounted price of $250 — down from $350.
The Microsoft Surface series is well-known for its smart, sleek tablets and 2-in-1s but the Surface headphones are the company’s first foray into the noise-canceling audio world. At first look, the headphones look the part, with an ergonomic ear cup design and muted grey finish. First listen, though, is what counts with headphones, and Microsoft doesn’t disappoint here. Adjustable active noise cancellation technology puts you in control of your sound, letting you hear only some noise (for walking busy city streets safely) or no noise at all (for drowning the whole world out). On-ear dials allow for easily adjustable music volume and noise cancellation with a simple spin of the finger. Omnisonic Audio provides a crystal-clear listening experience, and the Surface headphones’ lightweight, breathable design means you might not even remember they’re on your ears.
Intelligent audio assistants are everywhere these days, and the Surface headphones are no exception, with Microsoft Cortana built right in. Command Cortana to adjust volume, mute your microphone, skip songs, and more, with intuitive voice controls. Compatibility with Windows 10, iOs, Android, and MacOS makes pairing the Surface headphones with your phone or computer a breeze, with Cortana’s capabilities expanding to email checking, scheduling, and more. With a 15-hour battery life, you’ll likely want to power down long before your headphones do, but the fast charging feature has you covered anyway, enabling up to an hour of music after just five minutes of charge.
Microsoft’s late entry in the world of wireless noise-canceling wireless headphones may put it at a disadvantage (the Sony WH-1000XM3 still reigns supreme as far as we’re concerned), but it’s a strong first offering that has us excited for future models. Now at just $250, the Surface headphones are certainly worth a listen.
Want to hear more on headphones? Check out our best noise-canceling headphones and best wireless headphones, plus upcoming Memorial Day deals.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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