new products

New earphones don't block earholes

7 Comments
By Mayuko Uno

Ambie (a Japan-based firm) has eleased earphones that do not block earholes.

They guide sound reproduced by driver units (to be positioned behind ears) to earholes by using curved sound-conducting tubes.

The price of the earphones, "ambie sound earcuffs," is ¥5,500 (excluding tax). The product comes in six colors. It is sold at online stores and select shops.

According to Ambie, the shape that does not block earholes solves some problems of conventional earphones. Specifically, the new product reduces load on eardrums, preventing the user from getting tired. It prevents sweat from being accumulated and earholes from being stuffy. It reduces "touch noise" produced by cords scratching each other as well as discomfort caused by "resonating breath."

For the earphones, Ambie employed a dynamic driver unit equipped with an external magnetic field-type magnetic circuit. Because of their structure, the earphones cannot completely eliminate sound leakage. But the company reduced sound leakage to a level that is equivalent to the sound leakage of commonly-used earphones and does not cause a major problem in daily use.

The Y-shaped cable of the earphones is about 1.2m long. The new product is equipped with a microphone and a remote control. The weight of the main unit (excluding the cable) is about 5.2g.

Ambie is a joint venture between WiL (the US-based venture capital) and Sony Video & Sound Products Inc (a Sony Corp's subsidiary that deals with acoustic technologies, etc). It was established Jan 11. It deals with audio products and digital contents by combining WiL's knowhow in open innovation and acoustic technologies. The earphones are the company's first product.

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7 Comments
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This should enable people riding on bicycles and bikes a chance to listen to music legally while riding on their bikes.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

No one should be listening to music, using their phone or doing anything else distracting while cycling.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I have really disgusting ear holes no matter how often I clean them, so these are perfect.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Does this new product reduce the gradual deafening effect of excessive earphone use? It is said to be caused by loud rock music, but may be slightly discerned even in those who do not listen to rock. Does this product avoid putting random germs in the ears possibly better than the old earphone type?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@notagain

No one should be listening to music, using their phone or doing anything else distracting while cycling.

In this case I do understand the rule is not that you should avoid music but avoid being distracted or being unable to hear your surroundings. So the same as when driving, hearing music is not bad by itself as long as you can prove you can still hear properly.

Nevertheless, is not clear this earphones count as not blocking your hearing so I don't think the police would be happy with cyclists wearing them.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

these are pretty cool, but i only use wireless ear phones.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I have really disgusting ear holes no matter how often I clean them, so these are perfect

most likely you have wet earwax, a genetic trait, uncommon among Asian but common among Europeans. Nothing wrong or disgusting about that, it is what it is...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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