Premium audio brand Klipsch is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and is marking the occasion with the launch of a pair of ANC true wireless earphones that tap into Bragi AI to control functionality using head gestures such as nodding.
Many true wireless earphones offer some form of touch control by swiping or tapping the outer housing, and the T5 II True Wireless ANC earphones offer that sort of thing too, but also feature an integrated Bragi operating system that allows for hands-free gesture control. So, if you want to totally rock out but a slow ballad comes up that you want to skip, you just need to shake your head three times. A triple head shake will also reject incoming calls, while a three nods will accept them. Neat.
Other Bragi-enabled features include a noise shield to protect a listener's ears from loud noises while in transparency mode, the ability to configure actions on the left earphone, and six EQ presets with custom modes available. More features will be added to the system via firmware updates.
The active noise cancellation setup works to block external noise by employing a microphone pointed outward on each earphone and one positioned in front of the speaker driver. And to ensure that users get the most out of the listening experience, Klipsch has included Dirac HD Sound technology to optimize the sound signature and "drastically improve music staging, clarity, vocal intelligibility, and bass fidelity."
With ANC active, each earphone should be good for up to five hours per charge, with another 15 hours available via the charging case. Switch off the ANC and the battery life increases to seven hours, with 21 extra hours from the case. The battery in the charging case can be topped up over USB-C, or wirelessly on any Qi-compatible charging mat.
Elsewhere, the earphones come with a signal-boost external antenna for improved Bluetooth connectivity, can be tweaked and updated via the Kilpsch Connect app, feature 5.8-mm dynamic speaker drivers for a frequency response of 10 Hz to 19 kHz, and beamforming microphones that focus on the user's voice during calls. They are IPX4 resistant to sweat and splashes, and come with six pairs of patented contour eartips for the promise of an improved fit.
The earphones will go on sale in September for US$299, but Klipsch has again partnered with McLaren Formula 1 for a special edition featuring NuCurrent wireless charging, with the company saying that the carbon-fiber case "will charge twice as fast as anything else on the market." The McLaren Edition earphones are priced at $349.
Product page: T5 II True Wireless ANC