Shure AONIC 50 Gen 2 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Review
The Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 features custom 50mm drivers and Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound supporting codecs from aptX Adaptive to LDAC. You can listen via Bluetooth, 2.5mm cable, or USB-C.
Wireless audio and gear, from headphones and earphones to charging and peripherals.
The Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 features custom 50mm drivers and Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound supporting codecs from aptX Adaptive to LDAC. You can listen via Bluetooth, 2.5mm cable, or USB-C.
The Shure Aonic 40 was my first Shure product, a mid-range wireless noise-cancelling headphone with a 40mm driver. At S$399 it undercuts rivals, S$100 cheaper than the Sony WH-1000XM4 and S$450 below the AirPods Max.
My birthday came early when my brother generously gifted me the Apple AirPods Max in the flagship Blue. Retailing for S$849, he ordered it expecting a 6-7 week wait, yet it arrived within one week.
I was holding out for Apple's rumoured headphones, but once the AirPods Max launched at a steep S$849, I bought the Sony WH-1000XM4 instead. iShopChangi had a promotion, and with a coupon I got it for S$439.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones retail for S$589, in Space Grey and Soft Gold. They offer active noise cancellation using six microphones, four for ANC and two for calls.
The Klipsch R5 is the brand's third wireless earphones, after the R6 and X12. Launched in Singapore on 10th October 2018, it retails for S$199 on the TC Acoustic Online Store, with a one-year warranty.
KEF is one of the UK's oldest Hi-Fi brands, founded by ex-BBC engineer Raymond Cooke, its name from Kent Engineering & Foundry. The Space One Wireless Headphones, a collaboration with Porsche Design, offers active noise cancellation, retailing for S$629.
With semitseasia now the official V-MODA distributor in Singapore, the first product I tried is the Forza Metallo Wireless Earphones, retailing for S$289. It's V-MODA's third earphone, following the wired Forza and the Forza Metallo.
The Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 and PRO 2 SE launched in Singapore in December 2016 at S$319 and S$379. The SE, or Special Edition, adds NFC pairing, a more premium finish, and a hard carrying case for extra S$60.
I currently use the Bose QC15, the best active noise cancelling headphones around, especially on flights. The Bose QC35 updates the QC25, which itself updated the QC15. What sets the QC35 apart is its wireless capability over its predecessors.
EOZ Audio is a young Barcelona-based audio startup. Its first product, the EOZ One, is a premium wireless Bluetooth earphone that began on Kickstarter, raising €53,062 from 554 backers and shipping in October 2016. It's now on sale directly.
The Sudio Regent is the brand's first wireless headphones and my second Sudio product, after the Vasa Bla earphones. It retails for S$229; the 20% tax rebate in Singapore brings it to S$183.20, with the code lesterchan for more.
The Sonos BOOST retails for S$199 in Singapore but US$99 on Amazon, which doesn't ship directly. With only about S$60 saved before freight forwarding, importing isn't worth it. BOOST creates a dedicated wireless network for Sonos, reducing interference.
V-MODA, founded in 2004, is a high-performance audio maker headquartered in California with a design studio in Milan. In Singapore, iFactory Asia is the sole authorised distributor. This review covers the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless headphones.
The Klipsch R6 In-Ear Bluetooth Earphones are Klipsch's first-ever Bluetooth earphones, launched in Singapore on 15th January 2016 at S$299. At launch only matte black was available, with a one-year warranty from official distributor Tat Chuan Acoustic.
The Jabra Sport Coach retails in Singapore for S$248 in Blue, Red, and Yellow. The younger sibling of the Jabra Sport Pulse I reviewed in May 2015, it's S$50 cheaper, omitting the in-ear heart rate monitor of the pricier Pulse.
GoGear is a brand few have heard of. A quick Google reveals it's Philips GoGear, a series of small flash and hard-drive personal electronic devices, including digital cameras, audio players, and audio recorders.
The Jabra Sport Pulse retails in Singapore for S$298. These Bluetooth 4.0 in-ear earphones include a built-in heart rate monitor that, per the specs, is 99.2% accurate against a medical ECG, though I can't verify that without another monitor.
The Creative Sound Blaster Jam headphones, announced on 22nd January 2015, are a Creative Online Store exclusive at S$69. This lightweight 83g Bluetooth 4.1 wireless headset streams music, movies, and games from your smartphone, and includes built-in NFC.
The Western Digital My Passport Wireless, WD's first wireless storage drive, launched in Singapore on 29th October 2014. It comes in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB, though only the 1TB and 2TB are sold here, at S$299 and S$399 respectively.
The SanDisk Connect Wireless Media Drive is a pocket-sized drive with either 32GB or 64GB of built-in flash plus an SD card slot. Measuring 65mm square and weighing 77g, it's encased in solid aluminium. The 32GB retails for S$139.
Philips hue lets you control your lights wirelessly through a smartphone or tablet app. It launched in Singapore on 13th November 2013 as an Apple Online Store exclusive, then reached Apple Premium Resellers and Philips outlets from 11th December.