Rather ambitiously, Shokz promises these sports headphones can deliver clear highs and natural mids and that the new dual air conduction unit design manages to produces pure vocal sound. The air conduction certainly delivers the bass, while the bone conduction handles the rest. In the battle to compete with traffic, wind and the gym stereo, there’s some winners and losers here. The bass is a big improvement, with a noticeable uptick in warmth and punch.
Annoyingly, however, while more power means bigger bass for your buck, the clarity isn’t on a par with the older OpenRun. Similarly, in a sound-off with the uniquely designed Bose Ultra Open, the lack of clarity is exposed too. When I eased off the high tempo drum-and bass-heavy playlists to listen to a podcast, the backward step in clarity remained noticeable. This doesn’t make the OpenRun Pro 2 a bad headphone, they simply offer a shift to a sound that many runners will greatly enjoy, and one that’s a little closer to typical bass-heavy workout headphones.
Winner by a Nose
Photograph: Michael Sawh
You always have to make compromises with open-ear headphones, but with the OpenRun Pro 2, the compromises are actually relatively insignificant. If you’re looking for running headphones with more bass and power, but you still want to be aware of your surroundings, these are the best available.
Other options worth considering include the Suunto Sonic ($149), which offer a very balanced sound profile from a nicely weighted and comfortable neckband design. The premium-priced Bose Ultra Open give better, more detailed sound, but a dubious fit if you’re running fast. The Sivga SO2 ($70) produce a really likable, open-ear sound and secure fit.
It’s not the huge leap in quality I’d hoped for, but Shokz has done just enough for me to recommend the OpenRun Pro 2. That being said, you shouldn’t rule out the OpenRun Pro, which gives you pretty much the same design with solid audio quality and battery performance. You just have to remember where you put that fiddly, archaic, proprietary charging cable.
Most people won’t be listening to the Everboom on their desktop, of course, so I did most of my testing outdoors, where the speaker really steps up. I particularly enjoyed its sound from around 10 feet or more, marked by full-bodied punch in the bass and midrange and refined clarity in the higher frequencies, with a touch of stereo separation. There’s a pulpy warmth that hits just right when rendering snappy percussion, jangly strings, or crisp vocals.
You can crank it pretty heartily to fill a large space, including engaging the Outdoor Mode for a bit more punch, though you’ll likely notice some digital compression at top volume that can tamp down the excitement. The Everboom easily serves up a fuller sound out in the open when compared to the smaller Boom 4 and my aging JBL Flip 5, as well as the brawnier Beats Pill, which tends to sharpen up in the higher registers outdoors.
It’s much harder to differentiate between the Everboom and Megaboom 4. Over several hours of critical listening, the Everboom revealed a smoother touch, with warmer and fuller midbass and slightly more power, while the Megaboom is more focused in the mids and less refined in the treble. It’s a difference that’s unlikely to make a big impression, especially when you’re kicking back a few drinks at a barbecue or outdoor gathering.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Neither speaker can dig into the sub-bass regions with much authority. If you want bigger bass, you’ll likely need to jump up to larger options like the Epicboom (which I have yet to test) or something even pricier like the physics-defying Brane X (9/10, WIRED Recommends), though the latter doesn’t offer the same kind of go-anywhere, do-anything security that Ultimate Ears provides.
What really makes UE’s “Boom” speakers so appealing is their balance of high performance and top-notch durability. Like its cheaper siblings, the Everboom serves up a great cocktail of sound, features, and battery life in a frame that feels like it could be tossed into a wood chipper and come out the other end (please do not do that). Then again so do a lot of options on our Best Bluetooth speaker list, many for less money.
I never found a strong enough argument for the Everboom’s heftier price, leaving me pointing to the tried-and-true Megaboom 4, or JBL’s Charge 5 if you want a speaker that charges your phone. Those on tighter budgets will find similar spoils in the Boom 4 or JBL Flip 6. Barring a good sale, that’s where I’d put my money.
The first Dyson headphones, the Zone (4/10, WIRED Review), with their attachable air filter for cynical techno-futurists, were so ridiculous and stupid it was hard for me to take the company seriously. Let’s face it: Dyson’s vacuums and hair care products are very nice, but many of its other products have been feeble, design-forward gimmicks that quickly fade behind the media hype. Sure, you’d see a few “fanless” Dyson air movers or purifiers in luxe locales after they first came out, but they never reached the broad-market ubiquity of its shiny plastic-sucking machines.
All this to say: I had low expectations for the new, $499 Dyson OnTrac headphones. With everyone from established brands like Apple, Sony, and Bose to newer brands like Sonos at the peak of their noise-canceling headphone game, it was just hard to imagine Dyson could create a product that competes in anything other than extruded plastic styling. But after a few weeks with my review unit, I think they’re some of the better headphones in the market.
These are visually customizable over-ear headphones with great sound, excellent noise reduction, and 55 hours of battery life. I am surprised to admit I like nearly everything about them.
Sucking Up
A large stately box accompanies the new OnTrac cans, but the hard case you use to protect the headphones between uses leaves a lot to be desired. Much like the case that comes with AirPods Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends), the one that comes with the Dyson cans is a slip-in situation with holes in the bottom and top of the case that allow dust and other dirt in when you throw them in your bag. It does little to protect the headphones from bumps and bruises, which is annoying when you’ve dropped this much on a pair of headphones.
Photograph: Parker Hall
The headphones themselves look a bit like Dyson vacuums: They’re maximalist, plastic, and full of color options. My review units came in a flashy metallic copper with navy blue accents, with the option to swap for different color earpads and earcup caps. Given the price, I actually like that you can swap things like this with such ease, because it means you can change them as they wear out.
Unlike recent competitors like the Sonos Ace (8/10, WIRED Recommends), they’re large and bulky, not sleek and light, with a weight of 451 grams compared to the Ace’s 311 grams and AirPods Max’s 385 grams. That said, a comfortable and well-padded headbands and thick cloth earpads give them a great seal around my ears for good passive noise isolation, and they don’t feel heavy on my head.
Bells and Whistles
When you want to turn the headphones on, press a small physical button on the bottom of the right earcup until you hear the noise and see a small light flashing to indicate they’re in pairing mode. From there you’ll control the headphones with either a joystick (another nod to Apple’s AirPods Max) on the right earcup or by touching the left earcup with your hand to toggle between transparency mode or noise canceling. This mix of touch controls and physical controls is perhaps the only annoying thing I found with the OnTrac; I kept accidentally brushing the earcup and turning off ANC when I was doing yard work. I wish that was just another button on one side or the other, rather than controlled by touch.
Cambridge Audio’s 2021Evo range of just-add-speaker streaming solutions—complete with color displays and sculptural detailing—was something of an aesthetic right turn for the London brand. After all, it’s spent years creating inoffensive hi-fi separates that sound bigger than the asking price would suggest. The original Evo systems were an attempt to lure in those customers who crave good sound, streaming convenience, and aesthetics, but who don’t want a vanilla-flavored Sonos or the bitter taste of seriously premium hi-fi.
Cambridge Audio is late to the one-box streaming party. Brands like Naim, Sonus Faber, Bang & Olufsen all offer stand-alone systems with plenty of pizzazz and a premium price tag. But after three weeks living with the Evo One, I think the new Evo One deserves a seat at the top table. The 14-speaker system consists of 4 x 1-inch silk dome tweeters, 4 x 2.25-inch aluminium cone midrange, and 6 x 2.75-inch long-throw woofers. The combined total of 700 watts of Class D amplification means there’s enough power for a moderately raucous house party, but the volume is controlled and the detail precise. As such, the playback never feels forced or distorted, even if you’re pumping out neighbor-bothering beats.
Great Setup
In my house, where it competes against a Sonos system, Marantz HD-AMP1 amp, and Audio Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB turntable, and a procession of review speakers, streaming gadgets, turntables, and DACS, I was surprised by two things. Firstly, once set up via the StreamMagic app (Beta version), it never failed to connect, regardless of the streaming platform I chose. This is the sort of basic skill I can only dream of with Sonos. It should be simple. It should be as reliable as the on/off switch, but so often with streaming kit, it’s just not.
And secondly, because it played what was requested without delay, it rapidly became the go-to choice for my family. Yes, some may have been guilty of streaming in less than perfect resolution, but even so, it gets two thumbs up for usability. The only issue I found while using it was with volume control in Spotify, where one press would increase/decrease by three or four big steps. It’s a niggle that can probably be easily sorted, but a niggle all the same.
The Evo One also fitted my house like a glove, slotting into the corner (yes, yes, sound quality compromises in real life) beautifully. At 26.6 x 5.1 x 11.4 inches (675 x 129 x 29 centimeters) it does require you to find a generous amount of sideboard. My advice here is simple, however: Sell the tropical fish tank/Lego Millennium Falcon/Sonos and make some room.
Back to the design for a moment. The Evo One is made, sorry, “crafted” from materials including aluminium, FSC-certified walnut, and 50 percent recycled plastic. The casing surrounding the speakers is certainly rigid—as is evident by the distortion-free performance—but special mention has to go to the flawless wood veneer. My sample was especially gorgeous, but being a real sliver of wood, each will be unique. It is a boxy unit though and lacks any curves or softness. Personally I like it, but I can appreciate why someone might find it a little clinical. The 6.8-inch display is also not a touchscreen, which might irk a few, but it’s bright, the buttons work just fine, and the option to enjoy photorealistic old-school VU meters is a treat. Watching them blip along to the music is a fun retro touch. You can also display the usual album artwork and track details, if your heart is cold.
Photograph: Chris Haslam
Fully Featured
Streaming chops and general connectivity are, as you would hope for $1,500, suitably comprehensive. There’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, internet radio, TV eARC, Roon and UPnP support, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Deezer, Qobuz, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast all built in (with support up to 32-bit/192-kHz hi-res audio) and controlled using Cambridge Audio’s StreamMagic app and module. Now on its fourth generation, it’s a solid platform with good pedigree, sitting at the heart of the MXN10 and CXN100 network players and both the Evo 75 and 150 systems.
There’s also external digital and analog inputs, including a solid built-in phono stage. This is a welcome extra, enabling you to easily plug-and-play your turntable without fuss. To finish, you also get a Stereo RCA, digital optical, USB-A, and Ethernet for bulletproof online connection.
What you don’t get, however, is any out-of-the-box voice control via Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. This feels like something of a misstep in 2024, but in reality, it can easily be added to the Apple Home or Google Home app and controlled with voice. Assuming you’ve got a Nest Mini or equivalent it’s possible to integrate it into a multiroom setup. And if you want Alexa control, an Echo Dot could be connected to either the BT or AUX input.
Superb Sound
This is the part of the hi-fi review where I would typically list all the peer-approved, chin-strokingly good music I listened to through using premium-tier high-resolution streaming platforms and the Evo One. Traditionally I’d mention some rock and acoustic stuff and key classical recordings, and something super basic to prove I’m not a total snob. Naturally I’ll then contradict myself by referencing the midrange subtleties of an obscure Will Oldham demo track.
Sports cars tend to be less common, and more aspirational, than SUVs or people-carriers. Headphones with planar magnetic drivers tend to be less common, and more aspirational, than headphones with dynamic drivers. In some ways, the reasons for this are very similar. Planar magnetic drivers, which use thin pieces of metal held between magnets—are a bit like sports cars: They’re designed for uncompromised performance. Like sports cars, they’re also trickier, more expensive, and more time-consuming to produce. They tend to make the headphones that feature them bigger and bulkier than the dynamic driver alternative, which is the only place where my clever sports car/SUV analogy rolls into a wall.
The broad point still stands. Planar magnetic drivers tend to be the preserve of specialist brands and tend to be fitted to headphones costing a great deal more than those alternative designs that feature dynamic drivers. But no one, it seems, has mentioned any of this to Edifier.
Edifier was established in Beijing in 1996 and hit the ground running where loudspeakers and headphones are concerned. By 2012 it had wholly acquired the venerated Japanese headphone brand Stax, which, in terms of prestige, is a bit like the time Fiat acquired Ferrari. (I promise, this will be the last of my auto industry comparisons.) Now Edifier has launched a new pair of wireless over-ear planar magnetic headphones called the Stax Spirit S5 that are no bigger or more expensive than some of the leading dynamic driver designs. They’re fantastic headphones that bring music and films to life better than dynamic drivers can, and they are well worth considering for audiophiles who may otherwise have purchased wired headphones.
That’s the Spirit
The Stax Spirit S5 are not, it’s worth noting, Edifier’s first affordable planar magnetic headphones to go wireless. Where pricing and specs are concerned, with one notable exception, it’s hard to dispute that they’re the company’s most ambitious.
So yes, planar magnetic drivers: Unlike the far more common dynamic driver alternative, which produce sound via a conical diaphragm driven by a voice coil within a magnetic field, planar magnetic drivers use a tremendously thin, flat diaphragm with implanted wires. It’s suspended in a gap between two magnets that vibrate the diaphragm to produce sound. The magnets need to be big enough to cover the entire surface area of the diaphragm, which is why this type of design tends to be bigger and heavier than the dynamic alternative. It’s a more power-hungry arrangement too.
Photograph: Simon Lucas
In the case of the Stax Spirit S5, the diaphragm is a mere 2 microns thick and is embedded with the second generation of Edifier’s “EqualMass” wiring. By connecting different numbers of wires of the same width in a symmetrical structure, uniform driving force can be achieved; the diaphragm will move back and forth with the same momentum across its entire surface, keeping distortion to a bare minimum.
The esoteric nature of their drivers aside, the Edifier Stax Spirit S5 feature most of what the market tends to demand at the price. They use Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity, and thanks to the Qualcomm QCC5181 SoC they have codec support up to and including LHDC, LDAC, and aptX Lossless. With an appropriate source of music, they can deliver a lossless 16-bit/44.1-kHz resolution, as well as “lossy” 24-bit/96-kHz. AptX Voice is onboard in an effort to deliver optimal call quality, and multipoint connectivity is available for the multitaskers among us.
Battery life is a very impressive 80 hours from a single charge, and if you’re negligent enough to run out of power, a 15-minute pit stop will hold you for another whopping 13 hours. If you’ve an Android device running Marshmallow or newer, Google Fast Pair is available.
The USB-C socket on the right ear cup can be used for data transfer as well as charging the battery, and there’s a 3.5-mm input on the left ear cup for the same hard-wired purpose. Edifier provides both cables in the S5 packaging.
Buy a pair of wired headphones, and you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re just plug and play. Stick them into your phone, and out goes the audio up copper cables into your earholes. Simple as that.
Trouble is, that straightforward mechanism has gotten more complicated, and in recent years there has been an influx of budget wired earbuds that, counterintuitively, depend on Bluetooth to function, despite having those copper cables.
The problem is largely present in earbuds designed for iPhones. In 2016, Apple removed universal 3.5-mm headphone jacks in its iPhones, which means there are nearly eight years worth of iPhones out in the world—from the iPhone 7 to the iPhone 14—that can connect to headphones only via Bluetooth or Apple’s proprietary Lightning ports. (Apple switched to USB-C ports in its iPhones last year after legislation from the European Union put pressure on device companies to standardize connection ports.)
Apple used this move to push its wireless AirPods, and it also sells its own wired headphones that connect to its Lightning ports for $19. You can also get an official $9 dongle that adapts the Lightning port to a 3.5-mm output. These work as intended, connecting with the Lightning port to playback audio.
But Apple also has strict certification processes called MFi that require any accessories for Apple products to meet certain requirements in order to work with the Lightning port as intended. That means companies have to pay for the privilege of being a genuine Apple accessory. (If you have an unlicensed accessory, you’ll probably see an alert pop up every time you plug it in saying, “Accessory may not be supported.”)
This has led to a steady trickle of knockoff earbuds that have chosen to use roundabout ways of connecting to Apple’s proprietary port. Namely, by requiring a Bluetooth connection—even for wired buds.
What’s going on is this: The plug on the buds using this workaround goes into the Lightning slot, which then doubles as a Bluetooth receiver that receives power from the port but routes its signal through the phone’s Bluetooth. That means your wired connection is actually wireless.
Yes, the audio is moving from the headphone jack to the earbuds in a traditional wired manner, but the signal gets to the jack through no physical data transfer at all. So, bizarrely, even though the buds are plugged into your phone, all they’re doing with this physical connection is drawing power for their onboard Bluetooth chip. (And potentially eating up more of your battery life.)
OK, this all likely seems very complicated and roundabout, so you might well ask: “Why bother? Why not just make them Bluetooth earbuds to begin with?” Well, aside from keeping that annoying unsupported accessory message from popping up constantly, it’s cheaper to make wired earbuds than to fit a tiny battery into each wireless bud. Bluetooth is an open standard, meaning just about anybody can develop with it, while accessing Apple’s Lightning ports requires a presumably pricey certification process that would get passed down to the customer. And boy, people sure love cheap earbuds.
It’s a sign of just how feral the market for true wireless in-ear headphones has become that even a brand with nothing to prove has it all to do every time it launches a new product.
Sennheiser is just the latest manufacturer to realize there’s no laurel-resting available where true wireless in-ears are concerned. Its new Accentum True Wireless arrive in a sector of the market where “pretty good” is nothing like good enough. And it doesn’t matter who you are, what your reputation is like, or how long you’ve been a player. The question is always: “What have you done for me lately?”
And on first acquaintance, Sennheiser doesn’t seem to have done itself any favors with the Accentum True Wireless. They are certainly helpfully compact; the charging case in which the earbuds travel is just 1.1 x 1.9 x 2.0 inches and 40 grams, and each earbud weighs a mere 5.4 grams. But the plastic from which each component is made feels hard and slippery, and not in any way premium. The fact that the quality of build and finish is typically Sennheiser—which is another way of saying it’s beyond reproach—doesn’t help the Accentum True Wireless look or feel even remotely upmarket.
Surprisingly, considering the above, these have managed to win a Red Dot design award. Perhaps this is down to the shape of the earbuds being carefully ergonomic? While the “lozenge” section looks unpromisingly chunky, the security of the fit is reassuring, and long-term comfort is all but guaranteed. Four pairs of different-size silicone eartips in the packaging don’t do any harm in this respect, either.
Photograph: Amazon
Clear Control
The Sennheiser claw back a bit of that “premium” aura with a glance at the spec sheet, too. Battery life of up to 28 hours (eight from the earbuds) with active noise cancellation switched off isn’t too shabby, and compatibility with Qi-certified wireless charging pads isn’t to be sniffed at, either. A flat-to-full charge takes 90 minutes, while a 10-minute pit stop should be good for more than an hour of playback.
Wireless connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.3, and in addition to the usual SBC and AAC codecs, there’s LC3 and aptX compatibility too. It would have been nice to see compatibility with one of the even-more-accomplished Qualcomm codecs, but at least Bluetooth LE and Auracast are coming in an imminent(ish) firmware upgrade. Sound, once it’s on board, is served up by a couple of 7-mm versions of Sennheiser’s TrueResponse dynamic drivers; frequency response is claimed to be 5 Hz to 21 kHz.
One area where Sennheiser can always be confident of its leading-pack status is control—and the Accentum True Wireless are no exception. Admirably unflashy, the Smart Control app (free for iOS and Android) is a paradigm of stability, logic, and all-around good sense, which puts it a notch or two above any number of nominal competitors.
As soon as you want to hear the same music in multiple rooms, you understand why so many people love Sonos. When it comes to set-it and-forget-it multiroom audio, the company makes the hardware and software experience easier than anyone. From speakers to soundbars (and even turntables and networked amps), Sonos has taken over the homes of everyone who doesn’t want to drop oodles of cash on a “real” custom-installed system with wires running through walls. In a roundabout way, this makes a somewhat-costly Sonos system feel affordable.
The same can be said about its first pair of headphones, the $450 Sonos Ace. They might ride the high-water mark of the price set by Apple’s AirPods Max, but they also work seamlessly within Sonos’ ecosystem, albeit over Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi.
Sonos has dabbled in portable speakers like the Roam and Sonos Move 2 to extend its in-home sound to patios and beach blankets, but the Ace headphones mark a real mobile turning point for the company, and they’re largely great. They might not perfectly match the expectations of audio nerds who have been begging for Wi-Fi-based Sonos headphones for a decade, but the Ace are a fantastic pair of Bluetooth over-ears that go toe to toe with the best from Bose, Sony, and Apple. If you’re shopping for premium wireless headphones, these should be on your short list.
Going Mobile
The Ace feel incredibly well-made. Pop open the included hard case—something the Airpods Max notably, and very oddly, lack—and you’ll see a sleek pair of over-ears with shiny metal bands and supple leather around the headband. They’re round, traditionally shaped headphones that do nothing to grab anyone’s attention—they look a lot like Sony’s WH-1000XM5.
The simple design is timeless, sleek, and professional, so as never to seem out of place. It’s a design language borrowed from the “I didn’t see you there” styling of its speakers, and a welcome one in the world of flashy modern cans. Like the speakers, they come in matte white or black.
Photograph: Parker Hall
You have two tones of gray inside the ear cups to tell you which is right and left (darker is left, lighter is right, which makes these great for people who are colorblind or have low vision), and they have three basic buttons on the outside, set between a large assortment of mesh-covered microphones. The replaceable ear cups use magnets to attach and come with a built-in mesh cover that helps keep gunk out of the headphones’ drivers, and there is also a slot for a USB-C cable on the bottom left.
The main thing you’ll use to control the headphones, apart from the app and your smartphone, is the volume slider on the right ear cup, which allows you to play and pause music with a press; you can slide it up or down for volume control. On the bottom of the left cup is the power button, and there is a similarly sized button on the bottom of the right that adjusts active noise canceling between on and transparency mode (which pipes in sound from the outside world). Inside the Sonos app, you can also set this button to turn off ANC and transparency entirely, but that isn’t the default option.
Other settings you can change in the app include basic bass and treble EQ, and whether you want the headphones to pause when you remove them, or to answer calls when you put them on.
All-Day Listening
The fit is astonishingly comfortable, thanks to the Ace’s 11-ounce weight. and there’s an excellent design choice where the headband attaches to the ear cups. It links up at the center of the cup, which gives the headphones a nice, center-directed clamping force. This means less headband fatigue and better comfort when wearing glasses, something I experience with the AirPods Max, which are heavier and have a higher clamping force on my head.
It’s headphone-reviewer hyperbole, but I genuinely did forget I was wearing the Ace on a few occasions. They’re that comfortable, and the included transparency and associated mics are so good that they have a weird ability to trick your brain into feeling like you have nothing on your head at all. I found none of the weird boxy sensations I get from other headphones with transparency turned on. I had full conversations with the headphones on, which I’ve usually felt too awkward to do with other over-ears. (I still think it’s rude to not remove your headphones when chatting.)
As far as noise reduction, I was genuinely astounded how the Ace immediately offers some of the best noise canceling on the market with a press of a button. Turning on ANC mode feels like turning the volume of the world from a 9 to a 1 on some global volume dial. HVAC noises all but disappear, cars on roads are reduced to nothing, and even my clacky mechanical keyboard sounds like a light tap of a pen on a pad. The noise reduction is easily on par with the top brass, with Bose still narrowly edging out the competition on high frequencies.
It’s true that “before the pandemic” is a hazy time, an era in which it’s difficult to pin down chronology with any certainty. So while the rumors of Sonos headphones definitely began before the pandemic, who knows exactly how long we’ve been waiting for them? Four years? Ten?
That’s all academic now: They’re here. Sonos isn’t the first company to promise to disrupt a particular sector of the consumer electronics market, and it won’t be the last, yet for once this much-devalued word might be appropriate. The Sonos Ace wireless over-ear active noise-canceling headphones are specified to go toe-to-toe with the established market leaders from the likes of Apple and Bose, and they’re priced to match at $449 (£449/€499/AU$699).
So what does that price actually get you?
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Quiet Luxury
Visually, you get an elegant and notably slim pair of over-ear headphones in either a black or “soft” white matte finish. Thanks to a light 312-gram weight, and with some very well-judged clamping force and a clever hanger arrangement that conceals the hinged yoke inside the body of the ear cups, it means all-day comfort.
Photograph: Sonos
The combination of memory foam, vegan leather, and stainless steel is equally beneficial where comfort and aesthetics are concerned. Branding is restricted to one ear cup, and it’s laser-etched, so it manages to be understated while still catching the eye. Where the Apple AirPods Max shout “look at ME!,” the Sonos Ace enunciate it quietly and precisely.
The Ace are supplied in a slender, nicely tactile travel case that features a magnetically attached pouch for a USB-C and 3.5-mm cable. The case is made from 75 percent recycled plastic bottles.
As far as performance is concerned, you get all the bells and whistles you’d expect. Wireless connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.4, and they have SBC and AAC codecs, allowing the Ace to be compatible with ALAC and Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound aptX Lossless. Sound is delivered by a pair of custom-designed 40-mm dynamic drivers. Sonos is characteristically coy about frequency response, but from my brief listen at a recent press event in London, they were full-range enough for real bass. Ported acoustic architecture allows for optimum low-frequency extension.
Spatial audio is available via those streaming services that support Dolby Atmos and/or Sony 360 Reality Audio, and Sonos’ Intelligent Motion Processing with Dolby Head Tracking dynamically follows your head movement to provide an even greater sensation of immersion and envelopment.
Artiphon’s whole thing is making simple musical instruments that focus on delivering instant gratification. They’re sneaky gateways to the nerdy world of MIDI polyphonic expression, or MPE, which allows a player to give each note its own unique timbre like you might on something like a guitar. It’s a technology that’s gaining popularity and has been embraced by some pretty big players in the music world, but it’s still kind of niche—and the price of entry can often be high.
Artiphon’s Chorda is just $250, and requires minimal skill to pick up and start making music with. It’s an instrument that vaguely resembles the neck of a guitar, with 12 capacitive touchpads and a strummable “bridge” across its surface. Inside is a relatively simple synth engine that covers everything from chiptune leads, to smooth bass and synth pop drums. There’s even a sampler function for adding your own sounds. Plus there’s a pretty decent built-in speaker, so you don’t need anything other than a cheap phone to get started.
The pads across the top of the Chorda are quantized to a particular musical scale, which greatly simplifies things for nonmusicians. Even with absolutely zero knowledge of music theory or scales, it’s pretty easy to just pick up Chorda and make something halfway decent.
There are four modes: Drum, Bass, Chord, and Lead. Drum, obviously, plays drums. Bass gives you monophonic low end. Chord puts a full chord on each pad, and Lead gives you a polyphonic palette from which to solo.
Photograph: Terrence O’Brien
In Use
Navigating Chorda can take a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, things mostly make sense. Nearly every pad has a secondary function for selecting sounds, triggering the loop recorder, changing the tempo, and so on. To access those functions you just hold down the A button at the end of the device. Some also require you to tap the bridge to cycle through options, like when you want to move up or down octaves or change presets. Without a screen to provide you with visual feedback, this can get a little frustrating, but it was never enough to make me hurl the Chorda across the room.
One thing that is routinely quite frustrating is the looper. I’m not going to pretend to have perfect timing (there’s a reason I’m a guitarist and not a drummer), but I have been using various guitar pedals and Ableton’s Push controller to do live looping for around 20 years. I have never struggled quite as much as I do with the Chorda (or Artiphon’s Orba, for that matter). I don’t know if it’s the result of over-aggressive quantization or just very unforgiving controls, but I’d say I fail to get a perfect loop about 25 percent of the time.
Photograph: Terrence O’Brien
Sounds
The sounds themselves vary greatly in style and quality. Between the four different categories, there are well over 200 presets, ranging from gentle Fender Rhodes piano sounds to industrial drums and ambient synth leads. The synth engine inside Chorda, like the Orba before it, is designed specifically to be extremely low power. This ensures that it runs smoothly on the hardware and maximizes battery life, but it also means there are some limitations.
Chorda is at its best when it leans into its stripped-down nature and delivers plucky FM leads and clean pads. It’s also pretty adept at the lo-fi edges of chiptune, where even the meager processor is far more powerful than anything found inside vintage game consoles.
More complex sounds, especially ones that attempt to mimic acoustic instruments, can be a little spotty. Bright Violin and Clean Guitar aren’t much better than what you’d find on a ’90s ROMpler (a sample-based synth).
