Audio Punch https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/ Headphones, Speakers, Soundbars - Reviews, Guides & Comparison Thu, 22 Apr 2021 11:47:17 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 Noise Cancellation – How it works https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/noise-cancellation-how-it-works.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/noise-cancellation-how-it-works.html#respond Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:08:53 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=899 As Ferris Bueller once said, ‘Life moves pretty fast’. It really does. And it’s noisy too. Any chance to get back a bit of an escape from it all is all good. Noise cancellation lets you slip into your own world wherever you are, free from intrusive ambient noise clashing with your favorite songs and podcasts. This guide covers all the cool things ANC does, and how it’s making life even better for headphone wearers everywhere. What is noise cancellation? Noise cancellation is a technology you’ll find in modern headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 35 ii that, as the name

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As Ferris Bueller once said, ‘Life moves pretty fast’.

It really does.

And it’s noisy too.

Any chance to get back a bit of an escape from it all is all good. Noise cancellation lets you slip into your own world wherever you are, free from intrusive ambient noise clashing with your favorite songs and podcasts.

This guide covers all the cool things ANC does, and how it’s making life even better for headphone wearers everywhere.

What is noise cancellation?

Noise cancellation is a technology you’ll find in modern headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 35 ii that, as the name implies, aims to cancel out ‘noise’ that gets in the way of enjoying your sweet tunes out there in the wide world.

via GIPHY

2 main kinds of noise cancellation

There’s two main technologies around at the moment to clean up your audio and get rid of external noise and sound clutter. Active and Passive noise cancellation.

This guide will mainly focus on the active side of things, as that’s what most people are interested in… not to mention it’s the more interesting and cooler of the two options.

Passive noise cancellation

via GIPHY

This is an old-school method that audio manufacturers have been using since the dawn of headphones. The idea is simple: build some padding into your headphones that prevents the sound waves from entering into the ear. This, however, is harder to do that it might appear.

Sound waves are notoriously persistent and the human ear can pick up sounds very easily (we’re clever like that).

Active noise cancellation

ANC for short, this is a headphone technology that’s so clever you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel.

Tiny microphones on the headphones listen to everything that is going on around you. Sounds travel in waves and the microphones detect the sound waves that are coming in to the headphones.

A digital processor then figures out the exact opposite sound wave to the invading one and overlays it over the interference. Doing this cancels out the sound wave resulting (in the best case) in silence.

It works eerily well, and in all kinds of noisy situations. It’s far more effective than the older ‘passive’ kind of noise reduction. There’s pros and cons to each with cost being a main drawback to the Active variety.

Top 5 times you’ll be thankful you’ve got ANC headphones

It’s a noisy world out there. Wouldn’t it be nice to get a few minutes peach with all that chaos going on around you? Here’s some places you can use ANC to get rid of all that noise.

  1. When all you want to do is enjoy your latte in peace – While most cafes can be an oasis of peace and calm, the truth is they can often be as loud as a bar. Or you get someone with one of those voices on the table next to you… you know the kind.
  2. On an aeroplane – You’ve downloaded the perfect movie(s) for your flight. On board, all set. Is something wrong? Did you turn it up? There’s no volume! If you’ve ever tried watching a movie on an aeroplane, you’ll know how loud that engine noise is in the cabin. ANC can actually seriously improve this, and can work up to a whopping 80db.
  3. Walking around on the street – Wind. Car noise. People shouting across the road. And the language (the kids of today!)  Tune it all out and provide your own soundtrack to the day. Just be careful when crossing roads!
  4. Crowded trains & metros – Who loves the morning rush? Getting crammed into a train full of people getting to work. While we can’t do anything about other people squashing up against you on the tube, you can reduce at least some of the stress with some lovely ANC headphones. Play something motivational to get you going for the day.
  5. At the gym – Everyone’s got headphones at the gym these days, but a lot of people are missing out on getting some serious ANC in their workouts! Most modern gyms will run classes with music blaring as the instructor yells out to the class. Ugh! Give me a break. Get your noise cancelling headphones on and all you’ll hear is that perfect track to give you an energy boost.

Quick video on how noise cancelling headphones work

Smart noise cancellation

If you’re heading out there with your headphones on, you might be wondering, “what happens if I need to actually hear what someone is saying?” Buying a ticket, getting on a bus, talking to an acquaintance, it’s surprising how many time you’ll need to actually use your ears for something other than listening to a new download.

Thankfully, noise cancelling headphones have thought about this. There’s a range or things they do, depending on which set you go for. The best ones can actually detect when someone is speaking to you and will pause playback until you’re done. Handy!

How effective is it?

Active noise cancellation is at it’s best on constant, repetitive noises like engine noises, or the hum you get on a train. It’s not 100% effective in cancelling all sound waves that are flooding into your ears, but it definitely makes a huge difference. If the military invested in it, there’s got to be something to it.

Why you’ll love active noise cancellation

While there’s always a huge list of clever-sounding specifications and features on any set of headphones you buy in 2025, ANC is one you want to take notice of. It’s actually not a gimmick and the tech works extremely well. Being able to cancel out the noise you hear inside of a jet airplane is no mean feat.

Active noise cancellation works very well at getting rid of loud noises, but it’s not 100% perfect. There will still be some sounds that make it to your ear. But it’s still way better than the alternatives out there.

Things you won’t love about active noise cancelling headphones

There’s a few negative things about headphones that use active cancellation:

  1. It’s not as cheap as passive methods of keeping noise out. If you’re not looking to invest hundreds of pounds into a good set of ANC headphones, you’re unlikely to find a product that does it justice.
  2. It does have a certain ‘feeling’ to it not everyone will love – Users describe a certain kind of cabin pressure feeling you get when wearing active noise cancelling headphones. Although people do find you get used to it and it goes away after a day. But the tech does have this and it’s something to be aware of.
  3. It doesn’t cancel out 100% of intrusive sounds – There’s always going to be some sound leakage with headphones and a completely silent experience is just not possible.

What’s the best noise cancelling headphones?

This is an easy one to answer. At the moment you’ve really got a choice of

If you’re in doubt, go for the Bose QuietComfort 35 ii headphones.

Aside from noise cancellation, this is a sterling set of headphones with just unbeatable sound quality and such a good design. They’re tough, they’re super-easy to wear. Find out more about them here.

Today’s best prices on the Bose QC 35 ii

There’s some pretty good deals out there today on Tuesday the 21st Jan 2025. Below you’ll find the best places to buy your new soundbar in the UK. These prices are updated regularly. If you find a cheaper price, please let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets added.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Some interesting things you might like to know about noise cancellation!

You can turn ANC off – If you don’t want to have any noise cancellation, or don’t like the sensation, there’s normally a button on the side of the headphones that let you turn it off.

Thanks for checking out this noise cancelling – how it works guide. Got questions? Got comments? Please let us know, down below.

The technology is not new – You’d be forgiven for thinking this is a product of the 2000’s at least, but active noise cancellation was technically invented in the late 1970’s. It’s creator, Amar Bose, founder of the legendary Bose company, was frustrated by how much sound was drowned out on an average air journey. It wasn’t until 1986 that he managed to create a working prototype, however.

ANC was not originally a consumer product – It was a long time before we could get our hands on a pair of headphones that used active noise cancellation. In the beginning it was actually used by airline and military pilots. That’s how good the technology was! Part of the reason for this was how expensive a consumer product would have been.

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Buy Bose QuietComfort QC 35 ii Cheaper With These Offers https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/buy-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/buy-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii.html#respond Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:07:06 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=879 Where can you get the QuietComfort QC 35 ii for less? Welcome to this guide, which covers everything you need to know about the incredible QuietComfort QC 25 ii headphones, along with the best place to buy them in Today’s best prices on the Bose QC 35 ii There’s some pretty good deals out there today on . Below you’ll find the best places to buy your new soundbar in the UK. These prices are updated regularly. If you find a cheaper price, please let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets added. Is it worth

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Where can you get the QuietComfort QC 35 ii for less?

Welcome to this guide, which covers everything you need to know about the incredible QuietComfort QC 25 ii headphones, along with the best place to buy them in Jan 2025

Today’s best prices on the Bose QC 35 ii

There’s some pretty good deals out there today on Tuesday the 21st Jan 2025. Below you’ll find the best places to buy your new soundbar in the UK. These prices are updated regularly. If you find a cheaper price, please let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets added.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Is it worth buying the QuietComfort QC 35 ii?

The QC 35 second version represents a decent sized investment in a pair of headphones. For that price, you want something special that’s going to last a long time, and provide something special for the money. Here’s some things we loved about these noise cancelling headphones:

  1. They’re incredibly tough! There’s some pretty terrifying videos around of people bending these headphones into all kinds of shapes. Suffice to say they’re very hard to break and while we’re not going to try it, they’re not going to break at the first bump, or if you accidentally put weight on them.
  2. They’re ultra-lightweight – sticking with offline use for a moment, the next thing you’ll notice when you grab a pair of these is just how lightweight they are. This is something you’ll appreciate if you plan to wear them for long journeys, or while you’re working on something for longer periods of time.
  3. Comfort is something the QC 35 IIs have in spades – From the weight to the clamping force, to the super-soft ear pads, it’s very hard to fault these headphones as far as how downright comfy they are. Whether you’re used to wearing over-ear headphones or not, we think everyone will enjoy wearing the Quiet Comforts.
  4. Active Noise Cancellation keeps unwanted noise out… mostly – ANC is the tech everyone wants in their headphones these days. And the QuietComforts active noise cancellation is about the best you can get right now. If you’ve not heard of this before, it’s a tech that cancels out incoming ambient and background sound. It does this by smart use of opposing sound waves to cancel this noise out. It keeps out as much background noise as possible. The QC 35 iis ANC is ideal for city use or for traveling.
  5. Bluetooth is blissfully painless – NFC means you literally tap your phone on the headphones and in a few seconds they’re paired up – you can skip the boring paring menus. Saving time is always a good thing, especially if you’re using them at the gym and just want to get started. The Bluetooth range here is also really good, offering around the 50 feet mark.
  6. Sound quality is as good as you can get – Everything from the bass up is very hard to fault with the Bose QuietComfort headphones (exactly as it was with the QC 1 version). The sound is detailed and very clear, no matter what kind of music you play, or voice for that matter. The sound space is exceptionally well done and there’s just nothing on the market at the moment that beats the QC in terms of pure sound quality.

Are they any better than the first version QC 35s?

The short answer is that there isn’t a great difference between the QC one and QC two headphones to make it worth upgrading, if you already own an early pair of them. Perhaps most importantly, the sound from these headphones is exactly the same as the earlier version and there aren’t enough other upgrades or changes to warrant an extra purchase. Unless you’re a super Bose fan and really want the latest version, then save some money and stick with your QC 1 headphones.

What don’t we like about the Quiet Comfort ii headphones?

  1. ANC can take some getting used to – All that clever noise cancellation can come at a price. And it sometimes takes a while to acclimatize to the ‘cabin pressure’ feeling you can sometimes get. This should get better after a day or so of using the QuietComfort headphones, and you might not notice it at all, but for some it will take some getting used to.

Un-boxing the QuietComfort 35 ii headphones

Here’s exactly what you’ll get in the box if you go for Bose’s noise cancelling headphones…

Bose QC 2 – some FAQs

Can you replace the ear-pads?

The cushioned ear-pads are easy to remove on the QuietComforts and you can buy replacements too. They’re available on Amazon for the reasonable price of around £10.

Do they come with a case?

You actually get a very nice hard case with these headphones (as shown below). The headphones themselves twist around to take up minimum space inside the case, so it’s easy to slip into a travel bag or backpack.

Will they work in wind?

The QuietComfort 35 headphones don’t have a problem with wind (as a lot of over-ear headphones do). They’re ideal for wearing outside and cancel out a lot of ambient noise from traffic and wind.

Find out more

Setting up and using the Bose QuietComfort 35 ii – There’s a really good help section on the Bose website, which acts as a manual for anyone looking for more in-depth info.

There’s a brilliant video from JimsReviewRoom that covers everything we’ve talked about here with the QC 2 headphones. Check it out for more info.

That’s all. Thanks for checking out this guide on the Best Prices for the QuietComfort 35 ii . Did you pick a pair of these headphones up? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

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What HiFi Award Winners – And Where To Buy Them Cheap! https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/what-hi-fi-2019-awards-winning-amps-and-audio-products.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/what-hi-fi-2019-awards-winning-amps-and-audio-products.html#respond Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:12:12 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=714 The prestigious awards for the best audio products of 2025 are out. Everyone loves the What H-Fi awards because you can relax, safe in the knowledge that if you buy a producte with 5 stars, you’re onto a winner. This guide will cover all the best award-winning ‘5 star’ audio products from 2025. We’ll also add in a price compare to show where the cheapest place to get each one is. Let’s dive in and check out the best of the best! Denon D-M41DAB Best Micro Hi-Fi System   What is is? It’s a high quality micro Hi-Fi from Denon

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The prestigious awards for the best audio products of 2025 are out. Everyone loves the What H-Fi awards because you can relax, safe in the knowledge that if you buy a producte with 5 stars, you’re onto a winner. This guide will cover all the best award-winning ‘5 star’ audio products from 2025. We’ll also add in a price compare to show where the cheapest place to get each one is.

Let’s dive in and check out the best of the best!

Denon D-M41DAB

Best Micro Hi-Fi System

 

What is is?

It’s a high quality micro Hi-Fi from Denon with top quality speakers with 30w output and triple noise reduction design. This newer version also comes with Bluetooth built in. It will play CDs, DAB / DAB+ and has a compact profile – ideal for anyone with limited space.

Why did it get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi magazine really like this audio system’s value for money (it’s not far off £200 mark at the time of writing this). Combined with a great sound quality and the added Bluetooth, it was an award winning system. They also pointed out it’s a step up from the original model, and not simply a different model number for the sake of it. Every part of the sound has been improved.

Where to buy the Denon D-M41DAB

Here’s where to grab the Denon 41DAB for the best price.

£279.00
Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Marantz CD6006

Best CD Player

 

What is is?

This is a UK CD player from audio giants Marantz. It supports a wide range of formats, including WAV, MP3, AAC, and of course CD. A USB port at the front that lets you either connect your phone, or stick in a USB stick. It’s also got a headphone amplifier so you can enjoy your tunes via WiFi.

Why did it get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

The audio magazine went as far as to call this CD player “the finest player anywhere near the £500 mark”. They praised the detail of the sound, the quality of the audio and the fine build and finish. Thankfully, you can now pick up this 5 star beauty for a lot less than £500. Closer to the £300 mark at the time of writing.

Where to buy the Marantz CD6006

Here’s where to grab the Marantz CD6006 for the best price.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Marantz PM6006

Best Amplifier

What is is?

No, you’re not seeing double. This is the similar sounding PM6006 to the CD player above. This is the new version of Marantz amp and features a lot of important improvements over the earlier edition. ELNA capacitors help bring in critical sound areas not previously available. Overall it improves the already impressive sound and the sound stage creates a much more immersive experience.

Why did it get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

They liked the ‘full bodied’ sound of the CD6006, and how focused and detailed the sound is. Being audiophiles, they also loved the amount of inputs this amp has – always handy! If you own the original, there’s perhaps not enough incentive to upgrade. Anyone looking for an amplifier in this price range though – you literally can’t beat it.

Where to buy the Marantz CD6006

If you like the sound of this amp, here’s some places you can get the Marantz PM6006 cheap!

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Roberts Stream 94i

Best DAB Radio

What is is?

The Stream 94i is not just an awesome DAB / DAB+ radio (OK, it’s that too) it also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker for streaming your favourite songs to. It also has the best of several words in the form of Internet radio, with 20,000+ stations to keep you entertained on those cold UK winter nights, or hot carefree Summer ones. It’s all controlled via the nifty free Undok app for your Android or iOS devices.

Why did it get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

It’s always nice when you’re buying a product and find it’s got 5 stars from What Hi-Fi. Even better than that, they couldn’t think of anything to put in the ‘cons’. They praised this newer version of the radio for it’s easy-to-use remote, modern design (it is lovely) and the way it integrate with services like Spotify Connect. Oh, they liked it’s sound quality too!

Where to buy the Roberts Stream 94i

If you like the sound of this amp, here’s some places you can get the Marantz PM6006 cheap!

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2

Best Desktop Speakers

What are they?

The Ruark MR1s are a pair of high end desktop speakers allow for wireless playback of music from pretty much any device you have. The real wood , hand-crafted cabinets make for high quality sound. This new version has many design and technical enhancements so they look and sound better than the earlier version of these speakers.

You’ll enjoy more detail from vocals and get a much higher quality bass than you thought possible for a small pair of speakers.

Why did they get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

Gorgeous looks, streamlined design and features, sound quality that’s been improved in every way

What Hi-Fi loved the premium walnut finish and the gorgeous overall design. They described the audio quality as nothing short of stunning. They liked the subtle, compact design and the streamlined features. The only thing they didn’t like was the lack of USB input. They found that the speakers were a vast improvement over the previous edition.

Where to buy the Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2

Fancy a pair of these fab speakers? Here’s the top places to pick them up and save a few pounds while you’re on.

£279.00
£349.00
Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Denon AVR-X3500H

Best Home Theatre Amplifier

What is it?

This is a 7.2 high quality home cinema amplifier. It has plenty of power, with 180w per channel and this version has been updated to include virtual assistants like Alexa, Google Home Assistant. It also supports Airplay 2 and the sexy new surround sound Dolby Atmos.

Why did they get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

The AVR-X3500H represents further gains for Denon in the home cinema market, with added features and even more powerful performance

The previous version of this home cinema amplifier was already popular with What Hi-fi and this newer version improved on it substantially. They liked the fact that this amp had more power than it’s predecessor and that the support for things like Alexa and Airplay 2 had been added. They had zero negative points to make, especially for an amp at this price point.

Where to buy the Denon AVR-X3500H

Here’s the price comparison details for Denon’s home cinema amp.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Sony WH-1000XM3

Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

What are they?

Sony’s wireless Bluetooth headset lets you enjoy your tunes on the go and have a pretty impressive 30 hours play time for each charge. They are over-hear headphones and feature some serious noise cancelling technology. They do a whole host of clever things including letting you give commands to Amazon Alexa, and use gesture control to change tracks and do everything you’d normally have to fumble about with buttons for.

Why did they get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

Jack of all trades and master of all; the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones are a superb all-round package

This bluetooth headset clinched the prestigious 5 star award from What Hi-fi for a lot of different benefits, including how supremely comfortable they are to wear. They also praised the noise-cancelling, saying it was the best out there. As for sound, the natural all-round sound quality helped seal the deal.

Where to buy the Sony WH-1000XM3

If you’re in the market for a pair of these headphones, here’s the best places to buy them in the UK.

£188.35
Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Sony HT-ST5000

Best Soundbar

What is this?

Soundbars are just the best invention. Imagine saying goodbye to those tinny little built in speakers every TV has and saying hello to big, bombastic cinema quality audio that fills your living room. Or, at the very least, you’ll be able to hear what the hell people are saying in quiet scenes on Netflix.

The Sony HTST5000 is an obscenely-good soundbar that’s crammed with the latest tech – everything from 3D surround Atmos to wireless music and built in Spotify. More importantly, the audio is extremely good, and the bass is really deep thanks to the included subwoofer. It’s not cheap but it’s definitely an impressive soundbar.

Why did they get 5 stars from What Hi-Fi?

This Sony delivers an accomplished Atmos sound that sends the competition hiding

The reviewers praised the weighty bass that bursts out from the HT-ST5000, complimented by the fine detail of the rest of the sound. They also liked the hassle-free integration of Dolby Atmos, which adds height to the sound without having to drill holes in your ceiling to add more speakers! Integration was also something they liked, along with the overall ease of use and just general high quality of this soundbar.

Where to buy the Sony HTST5000

Ready for some serious (and easy) home audio bliss? Here’s the cheapest places to buy the Sony Soundbar in 2025.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

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Denon Heos Soundbar Price Compare https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/heos-soundbar-price.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/heos-soundbar-price.html#respond Wed, 16 Oct 2019 18:51:26 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=711 Where can you get the best Denon Heos Home Cinema Soundbar Price? Welcome to this guide, which covers why everyone is buying the Denon Heos Soundbar (DHT-S716H) and where the best place to buy it is in ! Today’s best prices on the Denon Home Cinema Soundbar There’s some pretty good deals out there today on . Below you’ll find the best places to buy your new soundbar in the UK. These prices are updated regularly. If you find a cheaper price, please let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets added. Getting to know Denon’s

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Where can you get the best Denon Heos Home Cinema Soundbar Price?

Welcome to this guide, which covers why everyone is buying the Denon Heos Soundbar (DHT-S716H) and where the best place to buy it is in Jan 2025!

Today’s best prices on the Denon Home Cinema Soundbar

There’s some pretty good deals out there today on Tuesday the 21st Jan 2025. Below you’ll find the best places to buy your new soundbar in the UK. These prices are updated regularly. If you find a cheaper price, please let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets added.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Getting to know Denon’s Heos Home Cinema Soundbar

The Denon Home Cinema sound bar is a premium quality soundbar that either sits under your TV, or can be wall mounted. It replaces your TV’s built in audio with a more powerful amplified sound and offer a proper home cinema sound without all the surround sound speakers. The bar has 4 channel Class D sound and dual drivers, along with two tweeters. It comes with a wireless subwoofer, with it’s own amplifier, deliver the low end of the sound.

This soundbar can be used for TV or movies and aims to offer an easy way to get a good home cinema sound in your living room. As well as boosting your TV sound, you can also steam music wirelesssly from phones or tablets using the downloadable app for iOS, Android and Kindle.

Video of the HS2 Soundbar

As far as soundbars go, the HS2 is fairly easy on the eye. It has a fabric covering on the front, rather than an aluminium mesh. Sit back and take a chilled walk through what the bar looks like and what you can expect in this video:

What do we love about the Denon Heos Soundbar?

So what’s so good about this soundbar, eh? It’s certainly not the cheapest on the market so what makes this worth your hard-earned money?

  1. The sound quality is excellent – As you’d expect from a Denon product, they have nailed the audio. The Heos Soundbar has a clean, precise sound. And the bass definitely benefits from having a separate sub-woofer.
  2. Powerful enough for all sized rooms – With a lot of soundbars, we normally have to give a warning that it might not be suitable for medium or larger rooms but that’s not necessary with this Home Cinema bar. It’s got a commanding, rich sound and a very-well-done sound stage that will fill any sized room easily.
  3. No power brick – A lot of soundbars don’t tell you about this, but you open the box and there’s another ugly power brick to contend with. The HS2 soundbar is, thankfully, brick free – making it an easy choice if your planning on wall mounting it.
  4. HDMI ARC – A great invention that lets you have one single HDMI cable for in and out.
  5. The wireless subwoofer really helps the bass – There’s a lot of good soundbars in this price range (and higher) that do a good job without a subwoofer, but they’re the exception. It’s hard to get that earth moving bass that you want without having a subwoofer. The fact it’s included here, works wirelessly and sounds fantastic is something to celebrate.

Getting connected to the Heos Cinema Soundbar

There’s a a number of ways to send sound to the Heos bar. Here’s a list of physical connections on the rear:

  • HDMI ARC in
  • Optical In
  • Infra-red out
  • Network port
  • Coaxial
  • Aux in

This soundbar is also designed with Denon’s HEOS multiroom technology. If you’re planning to setup multiroom audio, this is a good soundbar to go for. Of course, that side of things is completely optional but the tech is there if you need it.

As well as this, the HomeCinema bar will connect to your WiFi network. From there, anyone in the house can use a whole range of streaming services (as well as their own media libraries).

What’s not so good about the Heos Bar?

So is this the perfect soundbar? Of course not! This is an outstanding soundbar but there are a few things to be aware of.

  1. There’s no remote – This is an interesting one! There’s no remote control available for this Soundbar – an intentional decision that requires users to connect their phone and use the free app instead. (Although there are ways to get your TV or Sky remote, for example, to control it). You’ll have to weigh up if this is a deal-breaker, or if you love the idea.

Un-boxing the Denon Heos HomeCinema Soundbar

Here’s exactly what you’ll get in the box if you go for the Heos Soundbar.

Hoes Soundbar – some FAQs

How do you mount it on the wall?

Like a lot of modern soundbars, the Heos one can be mounted on any wall and has mounting holes on the rear of the casing. Unlike a lot of soundbars, you don’t need an extra bracket in order to wall mount the HomeCinema bar. Instead, you would use the included template. Home Cinema bar includes a template that shows you exactly where to put holes and wall fixings so that you can use to mount the soundbar directly onto your wall.

Will it work with older TVs?

Check your TV has either optical or HDMI ARC connections. If it does, you’re good to go. If not, check to see if your TV box does. For example, most Sky boxes will have optical connection that can be used with this sound bar. But its worth checking to make sure you’ve got either of these connections before taking the plunge.

Find out more

Denon Website – Home Cinema Soundbars

That’s all. Thanks for checking out this guide on the Best Prices for the Denon Heos Home Cinema. Did you pick one up? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments!

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How to watch TV with Bluetooth Headphones https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/how-to-watch-tv-with-bluetooth-headphones.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/how-to-watch-tv-with-bluetooth-headphones.html#respond Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:50:53 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=705 Bluetooth headphones have to be one of the best inventions for audio lovers in a while. Sitting back and enjoying your favourite shows and movies without that damn wire flapping around and getting caught on everything – yep, we’re sold. This guide will cover all aspects of how to watch TV with Bluetooth headphones. We’ll try to keep it general and dip into brand specific details when needed. Sit back relax and get ready for wire-free TV audio. Is connecting your Bluetooth headphones to a TV difficult? Jumping into the world of wireless TV listening not only lets you enjoy

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Bluetooth headphones have to be one of the best inventions for audio lovers in a while. Sitting back and enjoying your favourite shows and movies without that damn wire flapping around and getting caught on everything – yep, we’re sold.

This guide will cover all aspects of how to watch TV with Bluetooth headphones. We’ll try to keep it general and dip into brand specific details when needed. Sit back relax and get ready for wire-free TV audio.

Headphones like the Avantree HT3189 (Amazon) come with a Bluetooth transmitter. Pic: Amazon

Is connecting your Bluetooth headphones to a TV difficult?

Jumping into the world of wireless TV listening not only lets you enjoy your TV and streaming stuff at a decent volume when everyone’s gone to bed, but the sound quality is also much better than what you’d hear through normal TV speakers.

Thankfully, getting it all set up and working is not difficult.

The hardest part is deciding HOW to do it.

There’s so many different options to pick from when you’re looking to get your TV audio via your headphones. Let’s look at each one in turn, along with the pros and cons of each.

Method 1 n(Best method): Pick up a Bluetooth transmitter

Diving in to what is probably the fastest and easiest way to get your TV and wireless headphones to talk to each other – grabbing a 3rd party bluetooth transmitter, like this one on Amazon, to do the job for you.

These come in a few different shapes and sizes, from dongles to external little boxes. The idea’s the same. The transmitter sits between your TV and your headphones and handles the sending of data from your TV to the headphones.

They’re super-easy to setup and are pretty cheap. One of the best things is you can connect more than one pair of headphones wireless to them. As for connecting to your TV, you’ll normally get a choice (unless it’s a dongle – in which case it’s USB only). They’ll normally have a choice of AUX, optical at least. There’s a good one of the job on Amazon we’ve found for the job.

Pros: Simple way to use wireless headphones with TV. Connect 2 pairs at once easily.

Cons: You’ll have to order a ‘bit’ of the Interwebs

You can also get combined headphones and transmitter bundles that come all-in-one. One of the best ones you can get is the Avantree HT3189 (Available on Amazon UK). This wireless headphone set comes with the transmitter and features completely accurate lip syning. something that’s not as easy or straight forward as it sounds. They’re a decent price too and have good reviews on Amazon.

Method 2: Using your TV’s built in Bluetooth

So the obvious thing to do to get your TV and headphones to talk to each other via Bluetooth is TO USE the TV’s Bluetooth, right? Well the problem is that not all TV’s have Bluetooth yet. Sounds crazy, but it’s true.

Check your TV has Bluetooth in the TV’s settings menu, or the manual, or the specs online. If your TV does have Bluetooth, it’s simple a case of pairing them together. Put the headphones into pairing mode and go to the Bluetooth settings on your TV. It’s that simple.

Pros: Quick and easy to do. Stable connection and minimal lag.

Cons: Your TV might not have Bluetooth (lots don’t)

Method 3: Use the 3.5mm jack on your streaming service remote

Love your streaming services? So do we. And who’d have thought they’d be able to solve the problem of how to use headphones with TV programs? Some streaming hardware, like Apple TV and Amazon Fire have a handy port on the side of the remote where you can plug in your headphones.

OK this is CHEATING! This involves wired headphones, or using a cable with your headphones. As such, it’s definitely not a recommended method, but we thought we’d post it anyway as it does work pretty well!

Pros: If you’ve got a cable, and the right streaming hardware, go for it.

Cons: You’ve still got a wire, damn it!

Method 4: Using the streaming feature of Amazon or Apple

If you’ve got something like Apple TV, or Amazon’s streaming service, chances are the box will allow you to watch TV with wireless headphones. Simply pair the box with your headphones and you’ll be able to enjoy your TV shows and movies through your Bluetooth headphones.

Pros: Quick and easy. No extra hardware.

Cons: It only covers your streaming service, not general audio from the TV and other things like your Sky box.

Method 5: Use the Bluetooth on your TV soundbar

Soundbars are wonderful things. We’ve written a fair bit about them here on Audio Punch. Not only are they a fantastic way to replace your TV’s flat, tinny sound with a rich cinema-esque sound, but they can also SEND Bluetooth audio to your headphones.

If you’ve got a soundbar sitting there, you’ve got a good chance this will be a good option for streaming to your headphones. Of course, you’ll either need to have a soundbar or splash out on one.

Pros: Easy way to watch TV with headphones.

Cons: You’ll need a soundbar and good ones don’t come cheap.

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Everything you need to know about soundbars https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/bose-soundbar-700-best-price.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/bose-soundbar-700-best-price.html#respond Wed, 16 Oct 2019 11:05:25 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=694 What’s a soundbar? A soundbar is a compact, all-in-one box that contains a set of speakers, amplifier and normally some form of mini subwoofer. You connect it into your home theatre, or just your TV. Once set up (which is quick and easy) it replaces your televisions default audio with brilliant, rich and detailed sound, that should fill your room with explosions, gunfire and aliens, and your heart with joy. Even if you’re happy with the way your TV sounds, you might be surprised at the difference a decent soundbar can make Top 6 reasons you’ll want a soundbar 1

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What’s a soundbar?

A soundbar is a compact, all-in-one box that contains a set of speakers, amplifier and normally some form of mini subwoofer. You connect it into your home theatre, or just your TV. Once set up (which is quick and easy) it replaces your televisions default audio with brilliant, rich and detailed sound, that should fill your room with explosions, gunfire and aliens, and your heart with joy.

Even if you’re happy with the way your TV sounds, you might be surprised at the difference a decent soundbar can make

Top 6 reasons you’ll want a soundbar

1 – Say goodbye to awful built in TV speakers

There’s some simply jaw-dropping flat screen TVs available in 2025. No doubt about it. It’s a shame that the sound quality is nowhere near the level of quality that the screens are currently.

Flat screen speakers just don’t have the physical room to do the job a speaker needs to do, resulting in mixed up, flat tinny sound that often leaves people wondering, “what did he just say?”. Even if you’re happy with the way your TV sounds, you might be surprised at the difference a decent soundbar can make.

2 – There’s zero setting up required

If you want to enjoy a proper cinema quality sound from your movies and TV shows, a good soundbar has you covered. And you won’t need to set up any surround speakers. They offer a quick and easy all-in-one solution to great sounding home theatre audio.

You can get a nice 3D sound stage, along with things like Dolby Atmos in soundbars today that do a great job of giving a full audio experience.

3 – Short on space? No problem

While some soundbars can run the length of an average TV, they’ll sit quite comfortable under the screen, without taking up much space. Wall-mounting brackets are also available cheaply if your TV is wall mounted. The subtle black box design is easy to forget about, although some soundbars look absolutely gorgeous and you’ll want to show them off.

You can also get smaller, more compact soundbars, like the Sonos Beam on Amazon which will sit happily on the smallest of shelves.

4 – Playing your music over Bluetooth

Imagine having a really good quality Bluetooth speaker that’s always in the living room or bedroom ready to go. Just about every soundbar these days has Bluetooth streaming so you can enjoy your tunes in glorious Hi def sound easily whenever you want.

5 – Alexa and other voice assistants

Another thing you’ll find on a lot of soundbars at the minute is the inclusion of voice assistants like Alexa or Google Home. You can do pretty much anything on your Soundbar that you can do with a smart speaker, with the benefit of all that improved audio. Shouting at some virtual person to turn the TV on never gets old.

6 – They’re awesome for gaming!

Love your games? Yeah, so do we. Games have some of the best sound design and musical scores going. So it makes sense to enjoy them in something other than those default TV speakers. You don’t need to have headphones on to get proper surround sound. A decent soundbar will immerse you in your game and let you hear everything like it should be.

Do you need a subwoofer?

A subwoofer is a separate box that sits unceremoniously out the way somewhere on the floor and produces the deep bass that sounds so awesome in both music and home theatre. Obviously soundbars aren’t that big so it would make sense they’d need a subwoofer to bring in the low end, right?

This really depends on the soundbar! While you can normally splash out on a subwoofer, if the sound isn’t deep enough, many soundbars actually do a good job at delivering a rich, deep low end with some serious punch. Sadly, it’s not normally the ones at the budget end of the spectrum. Think the Bose 700 if you’re serious about your bass.

What’s the difference between an expensive and a cheap sound bar?

There’s some clear margins between prices of some sound bars with prices ranging from about £30 up to £1000 and a lot more if you ad other gear into your bundle. So what’s the difference? Is there any?

Hey, we love a bargain here at Audio Punch, but there’s a definite difference between cheaper product sand the more expensive ones. You’re not just paying for some fancy brand.  The main things that are better in the higher priced sound bars are:

  1. Sound separation – While it’s not noticeable if you’ve never heard a proper sound system, it’s like night and day once you hear it. Cheaper speakers will mash the sound altogether and instruments and voices will all blur into one.
  2. Sound staging – Hearing where your instruments are is a huge part of your audio experience. Things like left and right separation and how far back different instruments sound is a huge difference between better quality bars and their cheaper copies.
  3. Distortion – Ever have a pair of speakers that made ‘that’ sound when you played something with a bit of serious bass in it? Yeah, that sound. Cheaper soundbars don’t handle
  4. Poor bass quality – the low end tends to suffer on soundbars on the cheaper
  5. Choice of materials –

Soundbar FAQs

Here’s some of the questions we see on soundbars the most. Got something that’s not covered here? Let us know in the comments!

Will it work with my TV?

One thing that people worry about is if they buy a Samsung Soundbar will it work with their Sony TV? The answer is yes – you don’t need to buy ‘matching’ brand devices. Any soundbar will work with any TV perfectly happily. The best way to connect is via the optical port, but all soundbars provide a number of methods to connect to your TV.

Find out more

Bose Website – Soundbars

That’s all. Thanks for checking out our little buyer’s guide for soundbars. Did you pick one up? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments!

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Bose Soundbar 700 Best Price – 2025 Cheapest UK Deal https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/bose-soundbar-700-best-price.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/bose-soundbar-700-best-price.html#respond Tue, 15 Oct 2019 13:03:49 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=677 Where can you get the best price for the Bose Soundbar 700? Welcome to this guide, which covers why everyone is buying the Bose 700 soundbar and where the best place to buy it is in ! Today’s best prices on the Bose Soundbar 700 There’s some pretty good deals out there today on . If you just want the Bose Soundbar 700 on it’s own, you’ll find that here. But there’s also some good bundles available that can save you money if you’re buying a bracket or a subwoofer to go with your new sound bar. Why does everyone

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Where can you get the best price for the Bose Soundbar 700?

Welcome to this guide, which covers why everyone is buying the Bose 700 soundbar and where the best place to buy it is in Jan 2025!

Today’s best prices on the Bose Soundbar 700

There’s some pretty good deals out there today on Tuesday the 21st Jan 2025. If you just want the Bose Soundbar 700 on it’s own, you’ll find that here. But there’s also some good bundles available that can save you money if you’re buying a bracket or a subwoofer to go with your new sound bar.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Why does everyone love the Bose 700 so much?

Trying to find a bad review for the Bose 700 soundbar is not an easy task in 2025! Both users and critics seem to love this sound bar. So what makes this £700 soundbar get reviewers so excited? Let’s find out…

  1. The sounds quality beats the competition senseless – The Bose 700 has a beautiful, crisp level of detail that you have to hear for yourself, and that sets it aside from cheaper soundbars (yes, it’s not cheap!) The level of detail in the sound put out by the 700 is unreal.
  2. It doesn’t need a subwoofer– While you can buy an accompanying subwoofer for this sound bar, the good news is you probably won’t need one. The Bose 700 has a genuinely good bass, something which most soundbars claim to have but fail miserably on. The bass here is punch and you can really feel it.
  3. It has Alexa built in – With pretty much every sound bar releasing with voice assistants already built in, or being patched in soon, the Bose soundbar 700 is keeping up and is a great implementation of Alexa here. You can use Alexa to control your TV, volume and a lot more. Handy!
  4. Audio separation and 3D sound is seriously good – Again, something that soundbars can often fall flat on is the sound stage and positioning of various sounds. Bose’s premium soundbar handles sound depth superbly and the result is a rich audio experience that’s going to change your TV viewing for good!
  5. It looks amazing – Everything from the black metal grille to the tempered glass top of the 700 looks like a premium product. The lovely gloss finish on the top is where you’ll also find the touch sensitive buttons. Whether you wall mount the 700, or leave it sitting under the TV, it looks absolutely stunning.

Some things that could be better with the Soundbar 700

While there’s zero glaring problems or omissions with this soundbar, and absolutely nothing negative to say about the sound quality, we like to nit pick and dig down to the nitty gritty here on AudioPunch! Here’s some minor downsides to balance out the things we love about this soundbar.

  1. If you get a subwooofer, it’s expensive – Check out out deals in the price compare above if you’re interested in a subwoofer. But they’re certainly not cheap. As mentioned above however, the bass is perfectly good without one.
  2. No multi-room audio capabilities – If you’re set on working your soundbar into your home’s multi-room audio system, this might not be the soundbar for you. sadly, the Bose Soundbar 700 is a bit lacking when it comes to multi-room.
  3. No Dolby Atmos – While the sound is incredible with the soundbar, the fact is that it doesn’t have Dolby Atmos speakers on the top, as some soundbars have.
  4. The remote is HUGE – You get a whopping remote with the Bose Soundbar 700. It’s not as bad as it sounds though – this bad boy will replace your existing TV and Blu-ray remote. And you’ll want to use it. It’s Bluetooth and doesn’t require a line of sight to the soundbar.
  5. The glossy glass top is prone to fingerprints – OK, we’re nit-picking now but you know… got to mention these things. As gorgeous as the glass top of the Bose 700 Soundbar is, you’ll be forever wiping it clean.

And it looks sexy as hell.

Find out more

Bose Website – Soundbars

That’s all. Thanks for checking out this guide on the Best Prices for the Bose 700 Soundbar. Did you pick one up? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments!

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How To Use Bose Headphones on PS4 / PS4 Pro (Easy 2025 Guide) https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/how-to-use-bose-headphones-on-ps4.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/how-to-use-bose-headphones-on-ps4.html#respond Tue, 15 Oct 2019 12:37:04 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=672 Bose is one of our favourite audio companies on Audio Punch. Their love of high quality sound sets them way above the competition. If you’re luck enough to own one of their headsets, and you love gaming, then you’ve probably wondered how to use Bose headphones on PS4 systems. Thankfully, it’s not as hard as you think to get things up and running and you’ll be able to enjoy a whole new world of sound though a proper set of headphones. Let’s dive in! Easy 5 step guide to connecting Bluetooth headphones to your PS4 / PS4 Pro Just about

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Bose is one of our favourite audio companies on Audio Punch. Their love of high quality sound sets them way above the competition. If you’re luck enough to own one of their headsets, and you love gaming, then you’ve probably wondered how to use Bose headphones on PS4 systems.

Thankfully, it’s not as hard as you think to get things up and running and you’ll be able to enjoy a whole new world of sound though a proper set of headphones. Let’s dive in!

Easy 5 step guide to connecting Bluetooth headphones to your PS4 / PS4 Pro

Just about every pair of Bluetooth headphones, or earbuds, can be connected to your PS4 console with very little effort. The PS4 has Bluetooth built in (it’s what lets those lovely DS4 controllers work without the wires). So as long as your Bose headphones are Bluetooth ones, you won’t have a problem.

  1. Power on your PS4 and headphones
  2. Put your Bose headphones into pairing mode – Depending on the model of Bose headphones you have, the process might be slightly different. If you’re not sure how to do this, Bose have a handy guide on it here. It’s normally hold down the power button for a few seconds, until you get an audio prompt. Or slide the power button up to the Bluetooth symbol and hold it there for a few seconds.
  3. Tell the PS4 to look for your headphones – fire up your PS4 and press up on the DS4 and locate the settings icon. Go to settings and then Devices -> Bluetooth Devices. It might take a few seconds but keep waiting until your headphones name pops up on that screen.
  4. Select your headphones – Press X on your DS4 on the headphones you’re pairing up. On the popup box confirm with a yes.

That’s it! Your Bose headphones should be paired up with your PS4 console. Enjoy high quality sound on your games.

Hey, what about my mic?

If you’re wanting to pair your headphones up to your console and also be able to use team chat and talk to people out there in gaming land, then you’ll obviously need a mic. The good news is that many Bose headphones have a mic built in, for answering calls and giving voice commands. This is true with a lot of earbuds too.

But what if you don’t have a mic?

Don’t panic. If your headphones don’t have a mic and you normally use them to listen, rather than broadcast, you can buy a detachable gaming mic that you can add tin to be able to talk to people online. There’s a good selection of them on Amazon.

The best one we’ve found is the Audio-Technica ATGM2 Detachable Gaming Boom Microphone (Amazon) – which you can pick up on Amazon UK at a decent price. It’s got super-clear voice quality – something that a lot of the cheaper ones really don’t have.

Thanks for reading out little guide on AudioPunch on how to use Bose headphones for PS4. If there’s anything we’ve missed, please let us know in the comments. Are you using your Bose headphones for gaming? How are they compared to other headsets?

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How to use Apple Bluetooth Headphones https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/how-to-use-apple-bluetooth-headphones.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/guides/how-to-use-apple-bluetooth-headphones.html#respond Mon, 14 Oct 2019 13:00:11 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=659 In this guide we’re looking at How to use Apple Bluetooth Headphones and how to get the absolute best our of your gorgeous new apple AirPod headphones. Getting to know Apple’s AirPods   Welcome to the wonderful world of tangle-free music bliss. Apple’s AirPods are proving a big hit with Apple iPhone users (and non-iPhone users too!) It’s easy to see why. They’re packed with a space-age amount of technology and are super-simple to use. Let’s take a quick look at some of their ‘best bits’ Ear sensors – Apple AirPods know. They know when you’re taking them out. It’s

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In this guide we’re looking at How to use Apple Bluetooth Headphones and how to get the absolute best our of your gorgeous new apple AirPod headphones.

Getting to know Apple’s AirPods

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of tangle-free music bliss.

Apple’s AirPods are proving a big hit with Apple iPhone users (and non-iPhone users too!) It’s easy to see why. They’re packed with a space-age amount of technology and are super-simple to use. Let’s take a quick look at some of their ‘best bits’

  1. Ear sensors – Apple AirPods know. They know when you’re taking them out. It’s a clever trick. But it’s just that. No magic I’m afraid. They come with a clever little ear sensor that detects when you take one, or both of them out of your ear. One of the best things about this is it will auto-pause playback. Great if you’re in a hurry.
  2. You can interact with them – AirPods have lots of interesting bits of Apple tech inside of them that go to making them a cool product. One of them is the accelerometer. A gadget that will detect any touches like a tap. Double tapping them gently will start Siri, for example.
  3. Bluetooth range is really impressive – Remember when you had to carry your phone around the house with you while listening to music? The AirPods have an impressive 45 – 50 feet range. (More in open spaces). That gives you a lot of freedom from not only the old cable, but also lets you wander away from your phone, or just keep it safely tucked away in your bag.

The quick way to pair AirPod headphones and iPhone

Pairing your Apple AirPods with your iPhone is actually one of the easiest bits of How to use Apple Bluetooth Headphones guide. It takes a shorter time to do than it will take to read this next section. Once completed, you shouldn’t need to do it again. In fact, pairing just one of your apple devices will pair every one of them that use the same Apple account.

Step 1 – Turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone

The AirPods use bluetooth to connect wirelessly to your phone. So we better get that turned on first. To do this, swipe up on your home screen and click on the bluetooth icon. It’s the spikey B icon. Once you’ve done this, the Bluetooth icon should now show next to the battery icon on your screen.

 

Step 2 – Hold the AirPods next to your phone

Once Bluetooth is on, the next part is easy. Move the AirPods next to your phone and the pairing screen should automatically pop up after a second or two. When this panel pops up, press the connect button on the screen.

Step 3 – Press and hold the little round button on the read of the case

On the back of the AirPod case is a little round button that’s easy to miss. Press and hold this down for a couple of seconds until you get the notification on your iPhone screen that the devices are paired.

Congratulations – your AirPods and your iPhone are now happily married.

Compare AirPod Prices

If you’re looking to dive in and buy a pair if sexy new AirPods, but are wondering who has the best deal on them at the moment, fear not. Here’s a quick run down of the cheapest prices on Apple Bluetooth’s today.

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

How to pair AirPod headphones with Android phones

Don’t worry if you haven’t got an iPhone but really like the look of Apple’s awesome headphones. AirPods work exactly the same as they do with iPhones. Pairing them takes a few seconds more but it’s still very straight froward to set them up.

Step 1 – Turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone

Depending on your Android phone, you’ll need to go into settings and click on the Bluetooth icon to enable Bluetooth.

Step 2 – Open up your Bluetooth devices on your Android phone

Next click into your Bluetooth devices on Android and you should see the the names of several devices that are near your phone. Don’t worry, the AirPods shouldn’t be showing there just yet.

Step 3 – Open your AirPod case

Flip the lid open on your headphones case (they should be in their respective compartments). Check that the little LED light is lit up.

Step 4 – Press the ‘hidden round button’ on the back of the case

Look for the round button and press and hold that few a couple of seconds. Watch the LED light and make sure it starts flashing. Now release the button.

Step 5 – Press scan on your Android

The AirPods name might have popped up in the list of Bluetooth devices on your p[hone’s screen. If not, press the scan button on your phone. You should now see a name pop up with AirPods in it somewhere.

Step 7 – Tap on the AirPod name on your Android screen

Last step! Click on the Android phone, on the line with AirPods in them. Your wireless Apple headphones should now be paired with your Android phone.

Here’s a great video explaining how to do this

Warning! Protect your AirPod from this…

They can get scratched SUPER easily

If we had to sum up all this lovely new modern technology in one word, it would be simply: shiny. And Apple’s gadgets are the shiniest of them all. No doubt. The problem with this is that they’re all to easy to scratch. And the AirPods are notoriously easy to scratch up and ruin that polished futuristic glaze.

If you’re serious about your iPod think about investing in a case like one of the ones below. Yeah, there’s an argument that you’re missing out on seeing the cool shiny casing, but who cares. These cases keep your new AirPods all safely tucked away from keys, coins and other things just waiting to mark that pristine new case.

Careful you don’t drop them

While Apple stuff can generally take a bit of a beating (my dog literally chewed my iPad for around an hour and it still worked, ewww), you don’t want to go chucking something around too often that costs as much as the AirPods do.

The cable’s gone but so has the safety rope. There’s nothing to catch the buds now so a careless move will see them spinning down in slow motion to the pavement or, worse still, to a sods-law drain that just happened to be in the wrong place.

The main time to be wary of is putting them back into the case, not so much getting them out. And there’s nothing much you can do other than be extra careful with them. They’re small. They’re smooth and they’re way too easy to drop.

The proper way to clean your AirPod headphones

Apple AirPod FAQs

We’ve compiled a quick list of the most commonly asked questions we see for Apple’s Bluetooth headsets. If there’s anything else you’re stuck on, please let us know in the comments below!

Will they work with any other phones and tablets?

Although they’re made by Apple, these are, technically, just Bluetooth headphones. They can be paired with… pretty much any device that has Bluetooth and can play some kind of music.

Do you need to have your phone on you?

Nope, one of the best things about Bluetooth headphones is you’re completely free to get on with your work, anywhere so long as there’s around 40 feet between you and the device, you’ll be fine. Ideal for cooking, working and anything else you need your ‘hands-free’.

What do you charge them with?

AirPods charge using Apples custom lightening port. You put the headphones into the case and then connect the cable to the case.  This is the same cable that you charge your iPhone or iPad with. The headphones have small metal connectors on the bottom of them which connect inside of the case. Clever stuff!

Which iPhones do Apple Bluetooth headphones work with?

There are a LOT of different iPhones out there at the minutes. The good news is that AirPods will work with any iPhone, even the early ones.

Do you get a charging cable?

You’d think this would be a no-brainer, right? Well don’t expect to be getting a spare charging cable in with your AirPads. You’ll need to use your existing lightning cable to charge these headphones.

Can you use these Apple Headphones with iPads?

Yes you can. Even the older iPads will be able to connect to any of the AirPods in exactly the same way as mentioned above.

How does answering a call work?

So you’re minding your own business, listening to your tunes and you get a call. What happens? The AirPods will let you know there’s a call (thanks Siri!) And you can double-tap the headphones if you want to take the call. If not, let them talk to the machine and you enjoy those sweet tunes. *

* Unless it’s your boss.

Thanks for reading out little guide on AudioPunch on how to use apple Bluetooth headphones. If there’s anything we’ve missed, please let us know in the comments. Have you got a paid of AirPods? How are you finding them?

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Bose 5 Soundbar Guide & Price Comparison https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/bose-5-soundbar.html https://www.audiopunch.co.uk/products/bose-5-soundbar.html#respond Thu, 10 Oct 2019 12:18:15 +0000 http://www.audiopunch.co.uk/?p=578 Sick of poor audio from your TV? If you’re thinking of getting a soundbar, then we probably don’t need to tell you how disappointing the sound can be from even ‘good brand’ of flatscreen TV. While screen quality and size has increased and improved in recent years, the same can’t be said about those tinny little things that pass for TV speakers. In this guide we’re looking at the budget(ish) priced Bose Solo 5 soundbar and how it can help bring some quality back to your TV’s audio. The Bose Solo 5 is a wallet-friendly soundbar, by audio experts Bose.

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Sick of poor audio from your TV?

If you’re thinking of getting a soundbar, then we probably don’t need to tell you how disappointing the sound can be from even ‘good brand’ of flatscreen TV.

While screen quality and size has increased and improved in recent years, the same can’t be said about those tinny little things that pass for TV speakers. In this guide we’re looking at the budget(ish) priced Bose Solo 5 soundbar and how it can help bring some quality back to your TV’s audio.

The Bose Solo 5 is a wallet-friendly soundbar, by audio experts Bose. It’s got a compact size and offers a worthwhile upgrade to your current telly box’s underwhelming audio. It’s ideal for small to medium rooms and can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker.

Today’s best prices on the Bose 5 Soundbar

£164.99
Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

What problems will this soundbar solve?

  1. Quiet, annoying dialogue – Arg! There’s nothing worse than not being able to hear what people on screen are saying, especially in quiet scenes. Ever reached for the remote and constantly had to adjust it to hear the dialogue? Yup, pretty frustrating! A good soundbar will solve this for you once and for all.
  2. Tinny sound with no BOOM in explosions – We make a lot out of image quality, pixel count and contrast with our TVs (rightly so!) But what about good old fashioned quality audio, eh? After all, your ears deserve some love too. A proper soundbar, like the Bose 5 one, will bring back some more of the audio magic you get at the cinema, and less pew pew from those tiny built in speakers.
  3. More volume, without distortion – Don’t be scared to turn your TV up a bit more now. It won’t buzz, distort, or sound like something’s going to POP.

Using your soundbar as a bluetooth speaker

If you haven’t already got a Bluetooth speaker in your living room, you’re going to be really pleased when your Bose 5 solo soundbar arrives. As well as boosting your TV’s audio, this soundbar can be used as a standalone speaker that can play tunes from your phone, thanks to Bluetooth. (The TV doesn’t need to be turned on to do this).

What inputs does the Solo 5 Soundbar have?

As well as being able to blast your favourite tunes from your phone using the Bluetooth connection, the Bose soundbar comes with the usual array of handy inputs on the rear.

  • Optical in
  • AUX in (for connecting pretty much anything)
  • RCA
  • Coaxial

 

What does this soundbar sound like, really?

This isn’t the most expensive soundbar on the market but, having said that, it is a Bose. And they don’t make poor quality audio as a device. The audio quality is detailed and loud!

No tweaking necessary

This is a good soundbar if you don’t want to mess around for hours getting the perfect sound. (You can do that, if that’s your thing!) But the sound settings ‘out of the box’ sound pretty good and most people will find it a huge improvement over their existing TV setup.

5 things you’ll love about the Bose Solo 5 Bar

  1. It’s got a compact size –  Not everyone wants to wall-mount their Solo 5 soundbar (although it does look kinda cool!) If you’re looking for a sound bar that isn’t a space-hogging beast then you’ll probably like how compact the Bose one is. It can be slipped onto a shelf, or under the TV without being distracting. It’s also quite light (not that you’ll be waving it around!)
  2. It’s well designed – Lets be honest, it would be better if we didn’t have to have an extra black box sitting under the TV, and there’s not that much you can do with them. But, as far as black boxes go, it looks pretty good. The mat black looks decent enough and it’s not something you’ll want to hide out of the way. The typical amount of thought has gone into the design that we’d expect from ‘a Bose’.
  3. It’s easy to wall mount – The Bose 5 soundbar is a lot lighter than it looks. There”s also two standard connections around the back to make it easy to wall mount (you’ll need the ‘proper’ bracket). If you’re planning to go for this option, there’s usually some savings to be had in the form of a bracket and soundbar bundle.
  4. Good bass and volume for the size – The built in sub woofers do a good job of producing some decent low end sounds. You’re not going to be able to compete with soundbars costing 4x as much, or with having a separate woofer, but the bass here is good and blissfully distortion-free.
  5. The rest of the sound is clear and detailed – Coming from a regular TV speakers you’ll find the Bose 5 Soundbar is a pretty sharp step up. You’ll appreciate a level of detail in the sound, be it action scenes, or more sedate dramas, to be much more clear and easy to make out. You know – like they’re meant to be.

Impressive reviews on Amazon

The Bose 5 Soundbar has one of the highest number of positive reviews you’ll find. At the time of writing, there’s over 1000 reviews, and the average is around the 4.5 star mark. Not too shabby. One thing that you’ll notice is that Bose are massive on customer service, answering a bewildering number of questions. It’s nice to see manufacturers supporting their devices like this!

What you might not like about the Bose 5 Soundbar

Hey we like to keep it real at AudioPunch. It’s not all magical audio bliss with the Bose Soundbar. Here’s some stuff you might not like!

It comes with a power brick!

Yeah, you can stuff it down the back of the TV, and it’s probably not a deal-break for most people but you’d think there’d be some way to build this thing into the black box that is the actual soundbar. to that end you’ll also need another socket (we know, they’re in short supply!) But that’s something you’ll find with jut about all sound bars.

The remote control is BIG

You’re meant to use this remote to take over the job of your TV. After some re-programming you’ll only need one remote. But, if you’re like me, you might end up with another addition to the remote pile from hell in your living room.

It’s not an ideal choice for really large rooms

This is a compact sound bar and it’s also a lower-priced soundbar. If you’re looking for a massive, loud soundbar to fill a larger room, this might not be the one for you. While the audio will be a lot louder than what’s coming out of your TV now, you might want to stump up some more cash for a more suitably equipped soundbar.

Where’s the best place to buy the Bose Solo 5 Soundbar?

If you’re a fan of Amazon, you can pick your soundbar up there. Or have a look at our handy price compare below and see if you can pick out a bargain!

Compare Bose Solo 5 Soundbar Prices

Prices Last Updated Monday 20th January 2025 - 20:12:58 pm

Find out more

Bose Website – Soundbars

That’s all. Thanks for checking out this guide on the Bose 5 Soundbar. Did you pick one up? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments!

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