Weekend Wrap: BBC Proms in 3D, 4K Chromecast, B&O Play autumnal colours and Teufel in-ear headphones

By Max Langridge
published

With all the news coming out from IFA, you'd be forgiven for forgetting there's plenty of activity going on away from the show. This week there's news that the BBC has recorded some of the Proms in binaural 3D sound, and Pioneer and Onkyo have become the latest hardware partners to use DTS's Play-Fi wireless streaming technology.

The BBC is experimenting with recording the Proms in binaural 3D sound. The BBC’s Research & Development arm has installed an additional microphone array at the Royal Albert Hall for this year’s 2016 BBC Proms, to record it in 3D. The BBC says binaural processing emulates the effect that the shape of the human head, shoulders and ears have over the way we hear sound.

The extra mic array will add an extra height dimension to the recordings and a number of sample clips are available to listen to online. You can use your regular headphones or in-ears, but the BBC says you’ll have to wear them “correctly” - left earphone in left ear, right earphone in right ear - to get the full effect.

MORE: BBC experimenting with 3D sound recording

Source: BBC

Teufel wireless in-ear headphones

Speaking of in-ear headphones, Teufel has announced a new splash-proof pair called the Move BT. As the name suggests they’re Bluetooth, so the only cable in sight is the one connecting the two ear pieces. Teufel says the built-in rechargeable battery can last up to 20 hours and they have a 30 metre Bluetooth range. They’re available now for £80.

MORE: Best in-ear headphones 2016

DTS Play-Fi partners with Pioneer and Onkyo

DTS Play-Fi technology has been finding its way into more and more products recently. Klipsch has announced it will be using the streaming technology in a new multi-room system and now Pioneer and Onkyo have announced they’re the latest hardware partners.

Both brands will incorporate Play-Fi into select soundbars, AV receivers, lifestyle products and home cinema one-box systems via a firmware update later in the year.

DTS Play-Fi has also said it will add support for wireless 5.1 surround systems, with a rollout starting during September. And finally, Qobuz is being added to the list of music streaming services support by DTS Play-Fi.

MORE: DTS Play-Fi brings AirPlay-style wireless streaming to Android

B&O Play's Autumn/Winter '16 collection

B&O Play has given a number of its products a new lick of paint for the autumn/winter season, with colours “inspired by the untamed landscape of Nordic nature”.

The collections includes: Beoplay A1 in deep red and black (£199); the Beoplay H8 noise-cancelling headphones in deep red (£399); the Beoplay H5 (£199) and a cover for the A6 (£99) in moss green; and the Beoplay H7 headphones in cocoa brown (£329). The new colours should be available during September either online or at selected Bang & Olufsen stores.

MORE: Best headphones 2016

4K Chromecast?

Google is set to hold an event focusing on hardware on 4th October, and a report by Android Police says there’s a good chance the company will unveil a 4K Chromecast dongle.

With 4K content becoming more widespread with the launch of Ultra HD Blu-ray, not to mention Amazon and Roku offering 4K-compatible streaming boxes, it would be a logical move from Google.

We’re fans of the current Chromecast dongle, praising it for its simplicity and generous app support, so if 4K can be added to it, it will be a mightily powerful device.

MORE: Google Chromecast (2015) review

Source: Android Police

Max Langridge

Max is a staff writer for What Hi-Fi?'s sister site, TechRadar, in Australia. But being the wonderful English guy he is, he helps out with content across a number of Future sites, including What Hi-Fi?. It wouldn't be his first exposure to the world of all things hi-fi and home cinema, as his first role in technology journalism was with What Hi-Fi? in the UK. Clearly he pined to return after making the move to Australia and the team have welcomed him back with arms wide open.