Philipshas announced two new pairs of Fidelio headphones - the over-ear Fidelio L4 and in-ear T2 - while also expanding its range of Go sports headphones.
Following on from last year’s five-starFidelio L3, the L4 over ears promise active noise cancellation, an improved 50 hours of playback - 40 hours with ANC switched on - and a premium finish.
They continue to use Philips’ own 40mm driver which now features a graphene coating to add additional stiffness and provide a lower distortion for a cleaner mid- and high-range sound.
The four-mic Hybrid Adaptive ANC system has also been improved, by moving the venting point for the mic measuring external noise to the rear, where it is less sensitive to wind noise.
There is also an extra voice pick-up mic dedicated to removing background sounds, to help improve call quality.
For connectivity, the Fidelio L4 promise Bluetooth 5.3, support for LDAC and LC3 codecs and hardwiring via a 3.5mm cable or USB-C connection.
The improved battery life is backed up by a quick charge functionality – with a boost of 15 minutes providing five hours of playback.
If you prefer in-ears, the Fidelio T2 have been reduced in size by 20 per cent compared with the T1, with the charging case also 40 per cent smaller.
A new 9.2mm graphene coated dynamic driver runs the audio, in partnership with a specially optimise armature driver.
Both high-res audio and an ultra-reliable connection are guaranteed by Bluetooth 5.3, and Google Fast Pair is on board for easy pairing with Android phones.
For its ANC performance, the Philips Fidelio T2 feature six mics, with three mics in each bud. Two mics per bud offer the maximum level of adaptive noise cancellation, while the remaining one is a dedicated voice pick up mic, which helps reduce the impact of wind noise.
Despite the reduction in earbud and case size, the T2 deliver the same nine hours of continuous playback of the T1s, with a further 27 hours of playback via the charging case. You can squeeze a little more out of them without ANC – 10 hours and 30 hours respectively – with a fast charge of an hour’s playback from five minutes plugged in, and a full charge taking two hours.
The buds are also splash proof with a rating of IPX4, so can be used in the gym or outside.
Finally, the Philips Go Sports headphones range will see two new mid-range models, which offer ruggedness and water resistance with an IPX5 rating, alongside great sound.
The A5508 are noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds and feature a low-distortion 8mm graphene-coated driver for great sound quality and seven hours of playback – with 21 hours in the charging case and a fast charge of 60 minutes playback from five minutes plugged in.
The A5608, on the other hand, are bone-conducting headphones, giving runners and cyclists the safety of listening to music without blocking out all-important ambient sounds. They feature an LED running light on the neckband for extra safety at night and offer six hours of playback, with an hour available after a 15-minute fast charge.
We’re awaiting details on pricing and availability, but are in Amsterdam to get hands on with the products and will bring you all the updates, along with our first impressions, as soon as we have them.
