Luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen is known for its features high-end design and equally exorbitant prices. Typically the company’s headphones and earphones are more expensive than most competitors, however not astronomically so. That changed with the company’s noise-canceling headphones. Follows The $999 Beoplay H95B&O has announced the Beoplay H100, which will cost you a fortune 1549 dollars. The company says the H95 was its “most successful headset to date” and the H100 has a number of improvements over that model.
Like most B&O headphones, the Beoplay H100 is made with high-quality materials, from the lambskin ear pads to the use of aluminum and knitted fabric. There’s even a scratch-resistant glass touch interface on the outside of the headphones. The company says it was inspired by fine jewelry for the black, sand, and apricot color options, all of which combine “the solid shine of aluminum, the softness of leather, and cool-to-the-touch glass,” and B&O’s “design excellence.” The inner headband and ear cushions are both removable, so you can replace them when they become excessively worn or dirty.
Inspired by the company’s Beolab 90 speaker, the Beoplay H100 packs in 40mm drivers with “sound clarity and dynamic performance you normally only hear in high-end speakers.” High-resolution audio is mixed, supporting 96 kHz/24-bit melodies. Dolby Atmos is also in the game, with head tracking available if you’re interested in that. B&O says its adaptive audio technology, which it calls EarSense, monitors the fit of the headphones and adjusts the sound profile in real time.
B&O says it uses 10 microphones for this set, doubling the H95’s active noise cancellation (ANC) performance in what the company describes as its best transparency mode yet. Plus, the dial on the outside of the ear cups rotates to find the level of TrueTransparency you want. There’s also a Quick Listen mode for when you need to pay attention to your surroundings but don’t want to leave transparency on. Of course, there are lofty claims of crystal-clear calls “even in the most demanding situations,” but that’s an expected disclaimer from any headphone company.
The company has been designing its speakers and other audio equipment for longevity for some time. B&O says its building products can be renewed for years before they become obsolete. It also makes servicing easier for technicians, and all of this applies to the H100. This is something you should definitely consider when you’re asking over $1,000 for a box set. Aside from aesthetic improvements that users can complete themselves, the company says the headset’s design allows for quick service access to batteries, glass surfaces, drivers and circuit boards. The software “will not be overtaken by new technology”, the company explains, with key features such as wireless high-quality audio and three-device multi-point Bluetooth among future updates.
Like the AirPods Max, the Beoplay H100 goes into low-power mode when it’s out of the carrying case, but not worn out. The company says the headphones can stay in this state for up to 90 days and are ready to use as soon as you put them on. If you store them in the case, the headphones will completely turn off. The H100 will last up to 34 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled, which is four hours less than before. more profitable H95.
The Beoplay H100 is available today from B&O stores and company website.
