The Coolest Pieces of Gear We Tested This Week

The Ambeo is a comfy, wraparound-style noise-canceling set that also has superpowers. In each earbud is a microphone that, along with a control switch on the cord, allows you to customize the amount of ambient sound you let in—toggling between total noise-cancellation or boosting voices if you’re in a crowded room. But the real trick is what they add to your videos. Use the mics to record highly detailed surround-sound-style 3D audio through your smartphone’s camera app. The effect is astonishing: cars zooming by disappear in the distance, voices from behind make you want to turn around. Like 3D video it takes a little practice to make the effect really kick, but it takes your content to the next level. — Jonathan Chase, Contributor

[$300; en-us.sennheiser.com]

Back to top