Bang & Olufsen HX headphones are new battery life champions, but for a price
Luxury Danish audio firm Bang & Olufsen has announced a new pair of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones with a huge 35 hours of battery life.
This is some 15 hours more than the Apple AirPods Max, and can even be extended up to 40 hours if the B&O's noise-cancelling is switched off. The headphones were announced today, March 25, are available in black at launch, and carry a price tag of $499.
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This puts them a little above rival headphones from the likes of Sony and Bose, but $50 below the AirPods Max. But don't forget, B&O is a company that also sells the ultra-high-end Beoplay H95 headphones, which are priced at $800.
The black model will be joined by an all-white option at the end of April, then a white and brown version in May.
As well as their stylish design, the B&O HX promises a "powerful and authentic sound experience" thanks to a pair of large 400mm drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports. The company says call quality is good too, thanks to there being four microphones and beam-forming technology to cut down on background noise and improve vocal clarity.
B&O's smartphone app can be used to change sound profiles and noise cancellation presets, and access other audio features and settings. Clearly aiming for the premium end of the market, the HX headphones have ear cushions made from soft lambskin, while the inner material includes memory foam to improve comfort. The top of the headband is made from smooth-grain cowhide, while the underside is a knitted fabric.
The arm sliders are made from anodized, pearl-blasted and recycled aluminum with brushed details, while the discs on the outer side of the ear cups are aluminum with a diamond-spin finish.
The headphones come with a form-fitting fabric case to protect them and their accessories while travelling – and likely offer more protection than the bizarre case of Apple's AirPods Max.
Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 5.1, and the headphones are compatible with Microsoft Swift Pair, Google Fast Pair and Apple's Made for iPhone (MFi) system for easy pairing with a wide range of devices.
That 35 hours of battery life is five more than the quoted estimate for the best-selling Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones which cost $350 but can often be had for less. Some similar headphones from the likes of Sennheiser have claimed battery lives closer to between 15 and 20 hours. As with many of today's devices, the B&O's are charged using a USB-C port, and there's a 3.5mm jack for wired audio connections.
Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility find engine to find other Bang & Olufsen headphones.
