Neuheara IQbuds Review
In a diverse world of wireless, noise cancelling, bluetooth headphones with endless features, bells and whistles, a Perth-based startup has emerged as market standout through a whirlwind crowdfunding campaign, offering audiophiles never-before-seen (or heard) control over their personal soundscapes.
In this article we’ll take a closer look at the new Neuheara IQbuds, and dissect the hype over the “World's First All-In-One Intelligent Wireless Earbuds”
What Are The Neuheara IQbuds?
The Neuheara IQbuds are presented as a game changer- described as an intelligent blend of hearing device, bluetooth earpiece, and noise cancelling earpiece without cables or wires, Neuheara promises that their IQbuds will allow consumers to control how they hear the world around them and how they connect to their digital devices.
Developed by a team of scientists, professors and entrepreneurs, Neuheara define their IQbuds as the ultimate audio accessory for filtering or augmenting speech and noise in social environments, listening to music in crystal-clear stereo clarity, connecting with voice-enabled personal assistants like OK google, Microsoft Cortana or Apple’s Siri, or simply turning down the volume on life. Neuheara was formed with the goal of delivering to consumers one touch control over their personal auditory environment, no strings attached.
Who Is Neuheara?
Neuheara are a Perth-based startup with over 75 cumulative years of experience in inventing, designing, building and commercializing sophisticated audio devices from hearing aids to industrial communication devices. Neuheara was cofounded by Dave Cannington and Justin Miller, who both find their roots in the industrial communication technology company Sensear.
Cannington and Miller developed their proprietary solution whilst working on Sensear, searching for a solution that would allow factory workers to lower the volume of industrial noise while retaining the volume of their coworkers voices.
Realizing the obviously massive consumer applications for such technology, Cannington and Miller launched a crowdfunding campaign via Indiegogo that exploded into the online world, picked up by tech giants such as Engaget, Readwrite, and the MIT Tech Review. As of June 4th, 2016, Neurheara reached over 1460% of their original crowdfunding goal, a massive $773,318 USD.
The Neuheara cofounders are backed up by a university research team via their partnership with the Curtin Universtiy of Technology in Western Australia, bringing Professor Sven Nordholm and Kevin Flyn on board as additional cofounders.
The Curtin University of Technology has a long track record of engaging in cutting edge tech projects and will join the company as an integral part of their research and development team.
How Do Neuheara IQbuds Work?
The Neuheara IQbuds have been assembled from top to bottom by an internationally renowned team of brilliant audio researchers and audio technologists with the aim of delivering an end product that allows you to control what you hear in the world around you, and exactly how you hear it.
The Neuheara IQbuds are quite small- small enough to keep a low profile and sit snugly within your ears without creating a large unnatural print. The IQbuds work primarily by listening to the world around you via a pair of high-fidelity MEMS microphones in each IQbud that pick up the ambient noise around you.
These high quality microphones feed into an onboard microprocessor with an intelligent hearing processing engine which in then transmits the audio data to your smartphone or tablet via the onboard wireless communications chip.
With your smartphone connected to the IQbuds, you are able to manage what Neuheara call their “Super Intelligent Noise Cancellation (SINC™) technology”, and change the focus and characteristics of the sounds around you to best suit your personal preference.
The IQbuds themselves are just 26mm x 20mm x 15mm, but contain everything necessary, including the mic, speakers, wireless controller, and a 100mAh lithium ion rechargeable battery with a 4 hour battery life, which is extended by the charging case.
The charging case also houses a battery to charge the IQbuds while you’re out and about but not using them- up to three recharges totalling a huge 12 hours battery life extra.
The IQbuds are compatible with most Android and iOS devices that support Bluetooth A2DP, HSP and HFP profiles and Bluetooth BLE. Still no word from Neuheara on Windows 10 compatibility, however.
Functions Of Neuheara IQbuds
The dynamic profile nature of Neuheara’s Super Intelligent Noise Cancellation Technology will allow end users to create multiple profiles on their smartphones via the IQbuds app, fine-tuning the balance between background noise and voice, for applications such as work, bus, plane, restaurant etc.
In addition to being able to remix local soundscapes on the fly; the IQbuds also offer complete noise cancellation- perfect for catching some sleep on long-haul flights, trains, or simply getting a few precious quiet moments in on your morning commute.
Neuheara IQbuds also offer a hearing boost for low audio fidelity environments, which is as close to a batman gadget as we’ve seen in real life. The IQbuds offer crystal-clear stereo sound a cut above your average iPhone headphones, bringing your audio quality more in line with Bose-level fidelity. One touch control on the external side of each IQbud allows users to answer phone calls, start/stop music and take absolute control of what they want to hear in both their physical and digital worlds.
How Much Are The Neuheara IQbuds?
The Neuheara IQbuds are set to launch in Q4 2016, and various sources online list their projected launch price to be set near $299, or about as much as a quality pair of Beats Bluetooth buds, while offering much more in terms of functionality.
The Indiegogo campaign page offers preorders of IQbuds for $229USD + Shipping, $70 of the projected retail price. This package includes both the IQbuds themselves, the charging carry case, and three sets of spare tips.
Neuheara are also offering an additional level of preorder for $239USD + Shipping which includes a donation in the form of a free pair of Neuheara IQbuds for a Veteran- part of their “Giving Back to Vets” initiative, which has the aim of assisting veterans in many different ways to help make their return home less turbulent and more enjoyable. The preorders are anticipated to ship in December 2016
