IFA 2018: Sony show off new speakers, earbuds and headphones

Fergus Halliday (PC World) on 30 August, 2018 21:23

Sony have shown off a suite of new speakers, earbuds, headphones and in-car audio systems at this year's IFA Conference in Berlin.

There aren't many hot new innovations here - just freshly-improved versions of previously-popular gadgets like the WF-SP800 true wireless earbuds and the WH-1000X noise cancelling headphones.

According to Sony, the new WH-1000X M3s feature a newly developed HD Noise Cancelling QN1 Processor that offers approximately four times greater performance than that in the previous M2s.

The Sony 1000XM3’s also have a slimmer form-factor and are lighter in weight than their predecessors. They offer 30 hours of playback per charge and come capable of fast-charging via USB Type-C.

The WH-1000XM3 will be available in Australia in September for $499.95.

Then, the new WF-SP900 true wireless earbuds offer significant improvements over their predecessors when it comes to form factor and battery life. They feature a redesigned case and 4GB of on-board storage.

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When used to listen to music over Bluetooth, offer three hours of playback per charge with an additional nine hours of usage stored by the case. When relying on on-board storage, the new SP900s offer six hours of usage per charge with another fifteen via the charger case. They're also IPX5/8 rated against water and dust damage.

The WF-SP900 will be available in Australia from November for $499.95.

Sony also announced two new party speakers: the SRS-XB501G and the SRS-XB01.

The SRS-XB501G features on-board Google Assistant and pairs up two satellite speakers with an integrated sub-woofer. It boasts an IPX5 water-resistance rating and 16 hours of battery life.

Meanwhile, the SRS-XB01 features a more compact design and a set of unique strobe, speaker and line lighting effects. It's pitched as a more wallet and pocket-friendly alternative.