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Phiaton adds two new headphones to their line-up
We recently reviewed the BT 330 NC headphones by Phiaton, and now the company is adding two more headphones to their selection. At CES in Las Vegas, Phiaton announced two new pairs of headphones: a Bluetooth pair of over-ears dubbed the BT 460 and a pair of in-ears named the MS 300 BA.
BT 460
Phiaton isn’t the first company to use a touch interface on their headphones, but it’s always a welcome feature when it works right. The BT 460s have a section of the outer ear cup that is touch sensitive and lets you control volume and calls by simply swiping your fingers across the surface. The headphones are also smart enough to know when they’re being worn, so if you’re listening to something and have to take them off they’ll automatically stop playing until you put them back on. Though it might seem like a gimmick (and it kind of is), it’s definitely a feature that will come in handy when you least expect it.
The 460s also have Bluetooth 4.0 and apt-X for high quality streaming which is good news for audiophiles. There are 40mm drivers packed into each ear cup and they’re also designed to fold easily for travel in much the same way that the BT 330 NCs did. The battery size isn’t specified, but Phiaton claims you’ll get around 20 hours of constant playback and can continue using them once they die thanks to the included audio cable with an in-line remote and playback controls. The BT 460s are set to release sometime in late January in both black and white color options for $179.99.
MS 300 BA
If over-ears aren’t your thing then you’re in luck, because Phiaton also announced a solid pair of in-ears in the MS 300 BA (no longer available). These have hybrid dual drivers in each earbud which are a cross between balanced armature drivers and dynamic drivers. That said, they also have a separate balanced armature driver for better clarity in the upper range. Phiaton also included a low frequency pass filter to help optimize the low end.
These also have a microphone and control module built-in to the cable, which has an oval shape and is tangle free. From the control module you’ll be able to answer calls as well as pause/play music regardless of the OS of your source device. Phiaton made a lot of solid choices in regards to these and they seem to be a really solid pair of in-ears. The MS 300 BA in-ears come in white/red and black/red color options for $99 and are set to release in late January as well.