Philips bests Beats at its own game, announces Lightning-connected headphones

By Caleb Denison Published September 12, 2014

philips beats game announces lightning connected headphones fidelio m2l — Image used with permission by copyright holder

While Apple’s iPhone 6/ Watch event did indirectly dispel the rumor that Apple might kill off the ubiquitous 3.5mm headphone jack on its devices entirely (the photos show it’s still there), it did nothing to address the idea that a Lightning-connected headphone might be in the works, Beats or otherwise. Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on Apple for that, because Philips has now confirmed it has produced the first Lightning-connected headphones, and that means we can expect to see many more of them surfacing in the near future.

Apple sneaked in a few Beats mentions at the end of its iPhone 6/ Apple Watch presentation yesterday, but only in passing, and that shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Apple wants to keep the focus on its newest iPhone and Watch products, and besides, the ink on its acquisition is barely dry, leaving little time to mess with its new hardware. But clearly the company isn’t holding its brand partners back, and it appears Philips was only too eager to pull back the curtain on what’s in store for the future.

Recommended Videos

Related: iPhone 6 may come with Lightning headphones

According to Philips (link uses Google’s translation tool), its new Lightning-connected headphones will be marketed as the Fidelio M2L, and will make their debut in Europe this December for €250 (roughly $320 US). No US release date or pricing has yet been announced. The announcement does clear up a few questions about how Lightning-connected headphones will work, however.

In a nutshell, connecting to the Lightning port on an iOS device means audio is delivered digitally, bypassing the device’s own internal DAC (digital to analog converter) and amplification. That means that a Lightning-connected headphone has to either include its own DAC and amplifier, or rely on some external device. In the case of the Fidelio M2L, all the necessary tech is baked right in, and it appears that it’s ready to take on high-resolution audio.

Related: Everything you need to know about high-res audio

According to Philips, the M2L will come packing a 24-bit DAC, so it should be able to convert any number of high-resolution audio files. And since the audio signal is delivered in the digital domain, it will be less susceptible to noise generated by the iOS device’s innards, and crosstalk between channels. Philips also touts the cans’ 40mm neodymium drivers, supple leather pads, and superior noise isolation thanks to a closed-back design.

What Philips doesn’t address is whether the M2L will get the power they need from the iOS device they are connected to, or will operate on their own rechargeable battery. We’ll have to wait and see, but if power is sourced from the Lightning port, it would mean diminished battery life for the iPad or iPhone to which it’s connected, though how diminished is tough to gauge. Since the M2L don’t appear to offer active noise cancelling, it’s likely the draw would be minimal.

Regardless, it’s clear Lightning-connected headphones are a real thing now, and though we don’t know much about whether Apple intends to support high-res audio with iTunes, it appears there’s a map to high-res support being charted outside of Apple anyway.

Topics

Editor at Large

Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…

Audio / Video

The best Beats headphones and earbuds for every activity

A girl wearing the white version of the Beats Studio 3 wireless headphones.

Apple's Beats brand of wireless headphones and earbuds remains a favorite among folks who are looking to combine style, function, and audio quality. But Beats makes a lot of different products, from professional over-the-ear studio headphones to true wireless earbuds meant for the most active of lifestyles.

So how do you choose which Beats headphones or earbuds are right for you? It all comes down to how you plan to use them, and of course, your budget.

Audio / Video

Up your video’s audio quality for $8 with this wireless mic kit deal

The Maxtop SoundGuard wireless lav mic against a whie background.

Content creators in search of an affordable audio solution should check out this deal on the Maxtop SoundGuard AP003 lavalier microphone kit. It’s a set of wireless mics that will pair well with other content creation tools, such as devices you’ll find among today’s best laptop deals, best Chromebook deals, best tablet deals, and best phone deals. This deal makes the kit just $8, which is down from its regular price of $12. It may only be $4 in savings, but it’s a 33% discount and it’s difficult to find a comparable audio solution at such a price.

Why you should get the Maxtop SoundGuard wireless lav mic
Almost everyone has need for video interfacing these days, and while most devices do a great job of ensuring we look good when we video chat, clean, quality audio can be harder to come by. Whether it’s for Zoom meetings, chatting with family, or even phone calls, the Maxtop SoundGuard wireless lav mic will make things sound much better than the microphones built into most devices. It has noise cancellation features that eliminate up to 90% of the noise in your environment, as well as a hassle-free plug-and-pay design that will have you up and running in under 10 seconds. The Maxtop SoundGuard wireless kit comes with two lavalier microphones and a wireless receiver that easily connects to your recording device by USB-C, lightning port, or old-fashioned 3.5mm audio jack.

Audio / Video

The ‘best OLED that LG has ever made’ is $500 off today

LG G4 OLED

If you're on the hunt for OLED TV deals, why not go for the best? The 65-inch LG OLED Evo G4, which is originally sold at $3,100, is available from Best Buy with a $500 discount that brings its price down to $2,600. It's still not what you'd call affordable, but if you're willing to spend on it, you definitely won't regret making this purchase. It would be a shame to miss out on the savings, so you need to complete your transaction for this amazing OLED TV as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the 65-inch LG OLED Evo G4 TV
We described the LG OLED Evo G4 as "a triumph of modern television engineering" in our review; it's our top choice in our roundup of the best OLED TVs; and it's featured in our list of the best TVs as "the best OLED that LG has ever made." This isn't just hype -- simply put, if you want an OLED TV for your home theater setup, this is the one that you save up for. We were amazed by its outstanding brightness and astounding accuracy, and were "blown away by its peak luminance, breathtaking colors, and next-level HDR performance."