3D Sound Labs launches Neoh "3D audio" headphones

The Neoh headphones integrate "spatial sound rendering" to replicate the surround sound cinema experience from your phone or tablet when using alongside the Neoh mobile app.

3D Sound Labs, the company responsible for the Neoh headphones, claims they will replicate the latest audio technology, such as Dolby Atmos, in a pair of earphones, for "a true wearable home cinema".

The headphones create "3D sound", placing objects in your room in a similar way to a speaker-packed cinema, using motion sensors and head-tracking technology to "reconstitute sound sources in space and in real time".

So, if you're listening to a film with a 5.1-channel soundtrack, a sound that's coming from the back right-channel should sound as if it's coming from that point behind you.

The company says "any movie and any music" should be compatible with the app, so any content can go through the app and receive the 3D sound treatment.

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The Neoh headphones use Bluetooth to send data from the sensors in the headphones to the app, which takes care of the 3D sound processing in line with your head movements.

The Neoh app will be iOS-only at launch, with the Kickstarter page focusing on the 3D movie experience to be gained from watching on an iPad or iPhone. An Android app and computer software are said to be in the pipeline.

The headphones can work as normal headphones, too, just connect via a standard audio cable and bypass the app - you just won't get that "immersive experience of 3D sound".

The audio/video player app promises minimal CPU demand on your music source, while the Bluetooth element of the headphones claims an 18-hour battery life, rechargeable via USB.

The headphones are foldable and sport closed-back earpieces, with the gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers housed in one of the ears.

We first saw the Neoh headphones at CES 2015 and you can see them briefly in our CES Unveiled video.

Head over to the Neoh Kickstarter page for more information.

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Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).