Nothing Ear (2) to get LHDC Audio 5.0, IP54 rating

Photo: Nothing

Ahead of the March 22 launch, Nothing CEO Carl Pei revealed some new details about Nothing Ear (2). The new earbuds will support LHDC 5.0 (Low Latency HD Audio Codec), which means certified hi-res audio will play in its full glory. This codec streams higher-quality audio over Bluetooth. According to Pei, he contacted Spotify to update their library to LHDC. These buds will also have an IP54 rating, which is limited ingress protection against dust particles and water splashes.

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OnePlus Buds Pro 2 debuts with Android 13's official spatial audio

Photo: OnePlus

Aside from launching its new phone, OnePlus also showed off its new OnePlus Buds Pro 2. Off the bat, its unique feature is it's the first pair of earbuds to support Android 13's official spatial audio feature. This implementation is compatible with content from services like Disney+ and YouTube videos. If you have the OnePlus 11, you can expect Dolby Atmos support with head tracking.

OnePlus promises studio-like sound with dual drivers that include an 11mm woofer and 6mm tweeter and are co-developed with Dynaudio. It also supports LHDC 4.0 Bluetooth, which it promises is close to wired fidelity. If the typical equalizers aren't to your liking, composer Hans Zimmer created his EQ for these buds. Soundscape emphasizes brighter tones and wider soundstages of movie soundtracks, so if you're a big fan of that, you may like this.

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Report: Next Sonos smart speakers will be called Era 300 and Era 100

Photo: Tim Foster/Unsplash

Sonos is gearing up to launch its next-generation smart speakers. The Verge reports that it'll be called Era 300 and Era 100. The flagship Era 300 is reportedly built to showcase spatial audio music tracks and Dolby Atmos content. But both will feature a completely new look compared to existing Sonos products.

You can reportedly expect the "richest fidelity" on a single speaker from Sonos with the Era 300. It's likely to offer USB-C line-in, Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and possibly Bluetooth playback. Less is known about the Era 100, but it's expected to have an Era 100 SL model without built-in voice mics. It could end up being a Sonos One successor with up-firing Dolby Atmos support. 

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