Venerable Danish luxury audio maker Bang & Olufsen today launched its $399 Beoplay EQ, the first true wireless earphones with adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC). Adaptive ANC is a more sophisticated kind of ANC that uses microphones and speakers to adjust noise cancelling automatically to your surroundings. Bang & Olufsen claims that the Beoplay EQ’s Adaptive ANC effectively eliminates surrounding noise to allow total immersion in the company’s signature sound.
To achieve the maximum noise-cancelling effect, Bang & Olufsen says it developed an adaptive ANC that combines excellent passive sealing. That one-two combination effectively blocks outside noise.
The Beoplay EQ work their adaptive ANC magic via a dedicated ANC DSP chip and six microphones that allow for automatic adjustment of noise-cancellation levels to create what the company calls, “a seamless audio experience.” The microphones do double duty with directional beamforming technology in an effort to deliver crystal clear call and speech quality.
Bluetooth wireless features
The Beoplay EQ headphones sport all the latest wireless goodies. Bluetooth 5.2 is on board with wireless range of approximately 33 feet, and support for both Apple’s lossy AAC codec and Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec. Aptx Adaptive can deliver high-res audio wirelessly with up to 24-bit resolution and sampling rates as high as 48kHz, with a maximum bit rate of 420Kbps. For those who switch sources often, the Beoplay EQ will remember the last eight paired devices. The Beoplay EQ are rated IP54 for dust (they prevent enough dust ingress to protect the earphones) and water resistance (water sprayed from any direction) respectively. The Beoplay EQ’s companion mobile app will perform over-the-air software updates as needed.
Pairing the Beoplay EQ with Apple and Android smart devices promises to be simple and painless thanks to Microsoft Swift Pair and Made for iPhone licenses.
The Beoplay EQ weigh a mere 0.28-ounces. The earbuds have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a total capacity of 85mAh. Bang & Olufsen says that you’ll get about 7.5 hours without ANC active, 6.5 hours with ANC turned on, and up to 5.5 hours of talk time.
The Qi-certified, 340mAh wireless charging case is crafted from spacecraft-grade aluminium, complementing Bang and Olufsen’s luxury brand. The compact 1.03 x 3.03 x 1.58-inch case was designed to be as small as possible to fit easily into a pocket while on the go. The case will give two charges with up to 20 hours of play time. The earbuds will reach a full charge in about 1.5 hours while a 20-minute charge will give you up to 2 hours of playback.
“When creating Beoplay EQ, we made a commitment to deliver on the expectations of our customers whether they are using their earphones for travel, business or pleasure,” noted Bang & Olufsen SVP of Product Management Christoffer Poulsen. “The ergonomic earphones have been designed for comfort and provide powerful and authentic sound, making them a must have for design and music lovers. Thanks to the durable aluminium charging case as well as the adaptive active noise cancellation, Beoplay EQ provides a revolutionary listening experience wherever you go.”
Finishes and included accessories
The new Beoplay EQ are available in two finishes: Black Anthracite and Sand Gold Tone. Black Anthracite is available starting today; Sand Gold will be available online and in Bang & Olufsen stores starting August 19th.
One of the biggest problems with true wireless headphones is that they tend of fall out easily. Bang & Olufsen says that the Beoplay EQ are luxurious yet functional. Thanks to their small and ergonomic shape, Bang and Olufsen says that the Beoplay EQ have a comfortable and secure fit.
In the box, you’ll find a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, 0.5m Comply sport 200 tips, and silicone tips in four sizes.
We’ll be taking the Beoplay EQ for a hands-on review. Stay tuned for our full report in the coming weeks.