Philips Release The First Pair Of Lightning Connected Headphones
iPhone holding, high-res audio lovers rejoice, as Philips are first on the scene with a pair of Fidelio ML2, that take advantage of iPhones lightning port to produce higher quality 24-bit Digital to Analogue Conversion.
How can these headphones provide a better listening experience, and have to the potential to give the best mobile listening experience? When listening to a song through any mobile device, the track is stored digitally, converted within the phone using a DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter), and passed through the 3.5mm jack as an analogue signal. DACs built-in to mobile devices and laptops are notoriously poor, compared to higher range alternatives, because to the physical size and cost.
These headphones allow the track to be sent through the lightning connector as a digital file, to the headphone where the DAC is stored. This produces a much higher quality end result, allowing you to take full advantage of those 24-bit files.
The headphones themselves are set to produce a great result, with 40mm nedymium drivers in a closed-back design. Leather memory phone ear pads should give you a comfortable listening experience.
The headphones will play nice with any lightning connected iDevice.
All of this is going off specs, as we are yet to see these on sale. You’ll be able to pick up a pair for Christmas with a December release date for €250.