The humble audio jack has served music lovers well over the years, but listening to tunes on mobile devices can be something of a disappointment for budding audiophiles. Manufacturers naturally concentrate on upping processor performance, squeezing more pixels per inch into the display and extending battery life, while audio components often appear something of an afterthought. Folks who like to groove on the move to high quality playback can opt for a portable DAC like the DacMagic XS, but the P5 Digital Headphones and Z1 Digital Earphones have their own hi-res DACs and are compatible with both USB and Lightning connections.
News of the new Phāz headphones/earphones is timely, as speculations on the lack of a future for the headphone jack in the mobile space have been steadily bubbling for some time, most recently in relation to the upcoming iPhone 7.
"Consumers shouldn't have to wait for the mobile device industry to catch up when it comes to audio quality," said Phāz Music's David Munzlinger. "Our mission is to give consumers what mobile device manufactures aren't – great audio. By providing consumers with solutions that address the audio shortcomings of their exiting mobile devices, Phāz is also focused on developing innovations that anticipate where the mobile device industry is headed."
The Model P5 Digital Headphones have a built-in 24-bit/192 kHz digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and audiophile-grade high-def amplifier driving 40 mm neodymium drivers, and feature Active Bass Boost for those who like to bring on the thunder. Phāz says that the headphones have been specially tuned by sound pros from JJR Acoustics to ensure top notch listening quality.
The P5's are described as universal digital headphones, which means that they can connect with either a USB or Lightning port on a mobile device. There's a USB port on the earcup where users can plug in the USB to micro-USB cable of their Android music source or hook up their USB to Lightning cable to an iOS smart portable.
The integrated Li-Pol battery should be good for up to 10 hours of active listening between charges, and the headphones can also be used to top up a connected mobile device. Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX support offers users the choice of wired or wireless listening, too.
Elsewhere, there's carbon fiber housing, memory foam earpads, which can be swapped out for different colored pads (sold separately) to suit personal style or mood and, if you want to share the enhanced listening experience with a friend, the P5s also boast a 3.5 mm output port.
The Model Z1 Digital Earphones feature an integrated 24-bit/96 kHz DAC and chip amp driving 9 mm neodymium drivers, with a cable that's home to a three-button inline controller and ends in a micro-USB connector. The earphones come with an adapter to allow for Lightning compatibility.
The Model P5 headphones will be available in August for a suggested retail price of US$449.99, while the Z1 earphones are set for release in March for $129.99.
Source: Phāz Music
