Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a camera system that can seemingly detect sound vibrations with a level of precision that makes it possible to recreate the audio without inference or a microphone. A team from CMU's School of Computer Science's Robotics Institute (RI) built the system, which has two cameras and a laser. It can detect "high-speed, low-amplitude surface vibrations" that the human eye can't see, the university said in a press release.

The system features regular cameras rather than high-speed ones used in previous research, which should lower the cost. "We've made the optical microphone much more practical and usable," Srinivasa Narasimhan, an RI professor and head of the Illumination and Imaging Laboratory, said. "We've made the quality better while bringing the cost down."

An algorithm compares speckle patterns captured by a rolling shutter and a global shutter. It uses the differences between the patterns to calculate the vibrations and recreate the audio. A speckle pattern (which is created by the laser in this case) refers to the behavior of coherent light in space after it's reflected off of a rough surface. That behavior changes as the surface vibrates. The rolling shutter rapidly scans an image from one end to the other, while a global shutter captures an entire image at the same time. 

"This system pushes the boundary of what can be done with computer vision," assistant professor Matthew O'Toole, a co-author of a paper on the system, said. "This is a new mechanism to capture high speed and tiny vibrations, and presents a new area of research."

The researchers say they were able to isolate the audio of guitars that were being played simultaneously. They claim that the system was able to observe a bag of chips, and use vibrations from that to reconstruct audio being emitted by a nearby speaker with higher fidelity than previous optical microphone approaches.

There are a lot of potential applications for this tech. The researchers suggest, for instance, that the system could monitor vibrations from machines in a factory to look for signs of problems. Sound engineers could also isolate the sound from an instrument to improve the mix. In essence, it could help eliminate ambient noise from audio recordings.

You might not have to buy a Lucid Air or Mercedes to listen to spatial audio in your car. Dolby and Swedish firm Dirac are collaborating to demo more immersive in-car audio technology. The partnership melds Dirac's optimization algorithms with Dolby Atmos support to deliver 3D sound as well as improve audio quality across the board. The combo can compensate for poor cabin acoustics (such as reflective surfaces and awkward speaker placement) while promising advanced sound staging normally reserved for home theaters.

The two companies are showcasing their teamwork in demo cars, but you may have to wait a while to hear it in a vehicle you can drive. The first car to take advantage of Dolby and Dirac tech is the Nio ET7. The electric sedan won't come to Europe until later this year, and the Chinese brand has yet to commit to a North American expansion.

Still, the efforts might go some way toward democratizing Atmos and quality car audio. You might not need to buy a luxury car (or a pricey option package) to listen to spatial sound or otherwise enjoy the quality you normally get at home. Audio performance could be a particularly strong selling point as self-driving cars rise to prominence. If your car is going to be a lounge on wheels, you'll probably want the speaker system to match.

Wireless headphones have gotten better at connecting to multiple devices in recent years. But pairing can still be kind of a hassle, especially if you’re gaming on a range of devices including consoles, phones and PCs. But after testing out its new Cloud Mix Buds, it feels like HyperX has come up with a simple and elegant way of supporting wireless audio on a bunch of different gadgets, regardless of if you’re gaming or just relaxing to music.

The main thing that separates the Cloud Mix Buds from similar headphones is that in addition to Bluetooth 5.2, the earbuds also come with their own dongle that sends audio over a dedicated 2.4Ghz channel. So not only do you get lower latency compared to Bluetooth – which is extremely useful when you’re playing fast-paced games – you also get a stronger signal that’s less likely to cut out.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The thing I like the most about the Cloud Mix Buds’ kit is that because the dongle has a USB-C connector, it worked seamlessly with every gaming system I tested including more oddball ones like the Steam Deck. And I didn’t even need to install HyperX’s free Ngenuity app either. The one exception is that, while the Cloud Mix Buds are compatible with both Android and iOS devices, PCs and consoles at large, because Microsoft uses a proprietary wireless audio protocol, the earbuds don’t work with Xboxes.

That makes switching wireless audio as easy as moving the dongle from one device to another. In my experience, the best way to take advantage of buds’ dual-mode wireless connectivity was by keeping them paired with my phone over Bluetooth (where latency isn’t as big a concern) and attaching the dongle to whatever I’m gaming on at the time. The USB-C adapter even has a handy button that you can press to mute its mics.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

As an added bonus, HyperX includes a small extension adapter and a USB-C to USB-A cable with the earbuds. This allows the buds to work with an even wider range of devices like the Nintendo Switch, whose lone USB-C port is occupied when docked. So instead of plugging the dongle into the console itself, you can connect the extension adapter to the USB-A port on the Switch’s dock, and then plug the dongle into that. This also worked really well for my desktop PC, which doesn’t support Bluetooth (it has an older mobo without built-in WiFi or BT) and lacks easily accessible front-side USB-C ports.

As far as audio quality goes, the Cloud Mix Buds 12mm drivers deliver crisp sound including a bit deeper bass than what I get from Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro. And while it’s subtle, the reduced latency you get with the 2.4GHz connectivity is noticeable in shooters where reaction times really matter. Unfortunately, because I’ve been using the buds prior to their official release, I didn’t have the chance to dive deeper into the Ngenuity app’s more advanced features, which include support for virtual 7.1 surround sound, customizable EQs and adjustable touch controls.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Cloud Mix Buds feature above-average battery life with around 10 hours of runtime using Bluetooth (or closer to 8 hours when using the 2.4GHz dongle), with another 20 to 22 hours in the case. HyperX also includes a protective silicone sleeve for the charging case and a choice of three different ear tips (small, medium and large). For me, the default medium tips offered a snug fit that blocked a lot of ambient noise without being too tight.

Finally, while you don’t get support for wireless charging, my favorite little design element is being able to plug the 2.4GHz dongle into the bottom of the case when traveling so you don’t lose it. For a device that’s meant to be used both at home and on-the-go, that’s a really thoughtful touch. The downside is that the dongle is so wide, it can block nearby ports like the front USB-A jack on a PS5.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now I admit getting earbuds to play nice with a lot of different gaming devices is sort of a first-world problem. But for those who have the luxury of jumping between multiple consoles or systems (sorry Xbox), HyperX’s Cloud Mix Buds makes all that a breeze, while still offering good battery life, a simple design, and solid audio quality. And with a price of $150, that’s an appealing combo for big-time gamers that appreciate the freedom of wireless sound.

Are you the sort of music listener who'll happily pay more for a set of earphones than you would on a nice computer? If so, Sony has the MP3 players for you. The company has released two ultra-high-end Walkman MP3 players aimed squarely at audiophiles. The headliner, the $3,700 NW-WM1ZM2 (pictured at left), mates an S-Master HX digital amp with "fine-tuned" capacitors, thick Kimber Kable (to link the amp to the headphone jack) and a 99.99 percent pure gold-plated, oxygen-free copper chassis — all of which supposedly contribute to "clear, expansive" output. Even the reflow soldering includes gold that purportedly boosts sound localization and widens the sound stage.

You can also expect more practical improvements from the Android-based player, including a larger five-inch (and finally 720p) display, a larger power supply and an improved upscaling algorithm for CD-quality (16-bit, 44/48kHz) audio. You'll get 256GB of expandable storage for your tunes, WiFi streaming, a USB-C port and 40 hours of battery life when playing 96kHz FLAC audio. The ZM2 supports up to 32-bit, 384kHz audio in formats like MQA and WAV, so you're more likely to be limited by your source material than your hardware.

Don't worry if that feels excessive, as there's also a lower-cost model... relatively speaking. The $1,400 NW-WM1AM2 (shown at right) offers much of the core functionality of the ZM2, but in an aluminum alloy body with 'just' a low-resistance oxygen-free copper cable. You'll also have to make do with 128GB of expandable space.

Both Walkman models are available now. As with many devices aimed at audiophiles, there's a question of whether or not the exotic components and materials will be noticeable in your listening experience. Moreover, you're limited by the lowest common denominator in your setup. Even if you listen to songs that can take advantage of the design (Apple Music's 24-bit, 192kHz hi-res lossless suddenly seems modest), you'll have to find headphones or speakers that are up to the job. Both players are mainly aimed at wealthy music fans determined to maximize audio fidelity, even if they might not hear the difference.

While the AirPods Max are Apple's most advanced headphones to date, they're also the company's most expensive. Normally priced at $549, all of the colors of the AirPods Max are on sale right now. Most of them are $100 off and down to $449, while currently the pink and the space gray models are $120 off and down to $429.

These headphones will be most useful to Apple diehards as the combine the conveniences of the H1 chipset with remarkable audio quality and ANC. We gave them a score of 84 and found them to have excellent, balanced sound with Adaptive EQ and spatial audio support, plus ANC that's strong enough to block out most surrounding noises. They have a uniquely "Apple" design, complete with aluminum earcups and a mesh headband, and it's actually quite comfortable despite being on the heavier side. We also appreciate their reliable onboard controls: you can use the rotating crown to adjust the volume, and there's a dedicated button that switches between ANC and Transparency mode.

Inside the AirPods Max is Apple's H1 chipset, which means these headphones have all of the conveniences that the company's wireless earbuds do. They'll pair quickly with iPhones and other Apple devices, and you can switch seamlessly from taking a call on your iPhone to listening to music on your MacBook. The chip also powers hands-free Siri access, so you can ask the virtual assistant to do things for you without lifting a finger. Admittedly, they're still high-priced headphones even when on sale — you could pick up the new Sony WH-1000XM5 for less — but the AirPods Max are a good choice for those that live within the Apple ecosystem.

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If you'd like to upgrade your dad's TV setup for Father's Day, you can snag Roku's latest set-top box at its best price yet. The 2022 Roku Ultra is 20 percent off ahead of Father's Day, dropping it down to $80. That's a solid deal for the streamer that just came out just last month and includes a new voice remote, among other improvements. It's also worth noting that the Roku Streambar remains on sale for $99, which is one of the best prices we've seen.

Roku didn't mess with the Ultra's box this time around, but rather it focused on adding features to the new Voice Remote Pro. The accessory comes bundled with the Ultra and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack for private listening, two programmable shortcut buttons and a mic-disable button. The latter refers to the remote's hands-free voice control feature, which allows you to say "Hey Roku" to initiate a command. You can then ask the device to show you horror movies, sitcoms or pull up the latest episode of Stranger Things. You can even say "Hey Roku, find my remote," and it'll force the remote to play a sound so you can locate it more easily. We also appreciate that the Voice Remote Pro is rechargeable via microUSB, which means you won't have to scramble to get new disposable batteries when it starts running low.

As for the set-top box itself, it's remains largely unchanged from the 2020 Ultra. It still has 4K HDR10+ streaming capabilities and supports both Dolby Vision and Atmos. It also has AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth support, plus a handy selection of ports: a power jack, an HDMI out port, an Ethernet jack and one USB port. While the 2022 Ultra has up to 50 percent better WiFi range, some will appreciate the Ethernet jack since it will allow you to hardware the device and get the best signal possible.

While the Roku Ultra is the company's most powerful streaming device, the Roku Streambar is a good option if you want 4K streaming abilities along with a sound upgrade. We gave it a score of 86 for its compact size, solid audio quality and Dolby Audio support. It sounds leaps and bounds better than most built-in TV speakers, making it a good option for those that want a a streaming device that does a bit more than just play Netflix and Disney+.

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Razer's Barracuda X headset from last year was fine if you wanted low-latency wireless audio for your console or Android phone, but it wasn't very practical for much else. That won't be a problem this time around, though. The company has introduced new Barracuda, Barracuda X and Barracuda Pro headsets that (among other upgrades) add Bluetooth with smart device switching. You can use them with iPhones and virtually any other device, and you won't have to manually switch connections when a phone call interrupts your gaming session.

You can also expect nearly twice the battery life, at up to 50 hours for the Barracuda X and 40 hours for the other two models. You'll still have Razer's proprietary 2.4GHz wireless connection if lag is a concern.

The differences largely come down to audio quality. The Barracuda Pro (pictured above) tops the line with 50mm "TriForce Bio-Cellulose" drivers, a THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier, THX Spatial Audio and hybrid active noise cancellation. The regular Barracuda opts for 'plain' titanium 50mm drivers while shedding the amplifier and ANC. The revised Barracuda X (below), meanwhile, is now more of a conventional gaming headset. While it sticks to more modest 40mm drivers and doesn't include any THX features, you'll get a detachable cardioid microphone, a 3.5mm wired option and 7.1-channel surround audio.

Razer

All three headsets are available today. The Barracuda X starts the range at $100, while the standard Barracuda and the Pro will respectively cost you $160 and $250. Razer is clearly pivoting the line, then — these are less gaming accessories and more competition for conventional mid-range and budget headphones.

With the $279 Ray soundbar, Sonos is going after a new market. The company’s previous home theater products have all been $400 or more and have primarily been geared toward people intent on getting the best sound possible. The Ray, meanwhile, is more accessible for people who want better sound than their TV speakers can provide, but don’t necessarily care about things like Dolby Atmos support or room-shaking bass. The Ray isn’t exactly a budget speaker, though, so I set out to discover if Sonos made the right compromises here in its effort to make a more mainstream soundbar.

Hardware and setup

Physically, the Ray is smaller than the already-compact Beam, with a tapered design that’s wider in the front than it is in the back. Unlike other Sonos soundbars, though, the Ray’s speakers are all forward-facing; in this way, it reminds me a bit of a wider and flatter version of the Sonos Five speaker. This design means you can tuck the Ray into a media stand and not have to worry about the sound bouncing off of nearby surfaces. Since the Ray doesn’t have a mic for voice assistants, you don’t need to worry about whether it can hear you if you place it in a media stand, either.

As with just about every other Sonos product, the Ray has touch-sensitive buttons on top to start and pause music and adjust the volume. There’s also an LED status light on the front, rather than on the top as it is on most Sonos speakers. Again, this is in case you put it on a shelf that would otherwise hide the light if it was on the top. On the back, there’s a power jack, setup button, ethernet port and optical audio jack; Sonos left out HDMI support to cut costs, and since the Ray doesn’t support more advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos, the additional bandwidth HDMI allows wasn’t needed here.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The setup process was simple: I just plugged the Ray into the wall and connected it to my TV with the included optical audio cable. From there, I finished setting it up in the Sonos app on my phone. The process will take a bit longer if you’ve never set up a Sonos speaker in your home before, because you’ll need to do things like authorize the various streaming music services you want to use. But I simply needed to wait for the app to recognize there was a new speaker to set up, tell it which room the Ray was in and then wait for it to get connected to my wireless network.

Once that’s done, you have the option of tuning the Ray using what Sonos calls Trueplay. This uses the microphone on an iPhone or iPad to balance the speaker’s audio based on how your room sounds. It’s a bit of a weird process, walking around your space slowly raising and lowering your phone, but I’ve found it always makes my Sonos speakers sound better, so it's worth the five minutes it takes to set it up if you have a compatible device on hand.

How do movies sound?

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

I’ve spent the last week or so watching movies and shows with the Ray and it’s an obvious improvement over my TV’s built-in speakers. Sonos said it focused on dialogue quality, bass response and a wide soundstage, and it definitely succeeded on two of those fronts. Dialogue sounds extremely clear, whether I was watching a drama like HBO’s The Staircase or enjoying Galadriel’s narration at the beginning of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The latter also provided a great chance to hear how the Ray performed in more intense, action-filled sequences. As the prologue of Fellowship continued to its massive battle against the forces of Sauron, swordplay and arrows flying filled the space around the narration in a well-balanced mix. And the rumbling explosion and massive thud of Sauron’s helmet hitting the ground after his defeat were a good opportunity to hear the Ray flex its bass muscles.

Another favorite of mine for testing soundbars is the 15-minute intro of Pacific Rim. The beginning of this over-the-top movie has it all – huge battles between giant robots and monsters, cities being destroyed as panicked citizens flee and a solid heroic narration, all of which the Ray faithfully reproduced in a well-balanced mix.

The Ray pulls this off despite having much simpler acoustics than the Beam: it includes two center midwoofers, two tweeters with split waveguides to broaden the speaker’s soundstage, a bass reflex system that provides a surprising amount of low-end performance, and four Class-D amplifiers. It’s an effective system, but my main complaint is that the waveguides and computational audio can only do so much to widen the soundstage. While the Ray clearly has a solid stereo presence, it’s not nearly as immersive as the first-generation Sonos Beam that I usually use. Even though my older Beam doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, its larger size and more complex speaker array give it a big advantage over the Ray.

The Ray is also not the loudest speaker out there. Again, this isn’t a huge surprise, as Sonos is marketing this device for use in relatively smaller space. That doesn’t mean it was too quiet for me, but I did usually have its volume up over 50 percent for it to be loud enough. If I really wanted to kick things up while watching a big movie, I might get closer to 70 percent. If you’re the kind of person who really wants theater-style audio, you’ll be better off with a more powerful device.

The good news is that, as with all other Sonos home theater devices, you can pair the Ray with the Sonos Sub to improve bass performance. You can also use two Sonos One speakers as rear surrounds to make for a much more immersive experience. The Ray might be an ideal choice for a first soundbar to upgrade your TV’s audio and then use it to build out a more complex setup down the line. That said, the Sonos Sub costs a whopping $749; it’s hard to imagine someone buying a Ray and then spending three times as much on a subwoofer.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

What about music?

While the Ray is meant to be hooked up to your TV, it’s also a capable music speaker. Sonos says that when it builds its home theater products, music quality is just as important as how it works with movies and shows. In my testing, the Ray sounds great – songs like Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Cut to the Feeling” have plenty of low end and super-clear vocals. Meanwhile, the hard left- and right-panned guitars in Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam” were quite distinct. While it’s still not the loudest speaker, the Ray is more than capable of filling a medium-sized room with clear and lively music.

Naturally, the Ray has all the same multi-room audio features as other Sonos speakers. This means you can simultaneously stream the same music to multiple speakers on your WiFi network, or play something different on each one. You can set up custom speaker groups (just the speakers on your first floor, for example) and stream audio directly to the Ray using AirPlay 2. The only real feature it’s missing compared to most other Sonos speakers is voice control. There’s no mic, which means you can’t control the speaker directly with Alexa, Google Assistant or the upcoming Sonos Voice Control feature. That said, if you have other smart speakers, including any other Sonos speaker with a mic, you can use them to control the Ray.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Wrap up

There’s no question in my mind that the Ray is a serious upgrade over a TV’s built-in speakers. What’s less clear is how much better it is compared to other small soundbars, like Roku’s $180 Streambar Pro. Sonos has a long history of delivering excellent sound, and the Ray continues that tradition. And just as the portable $179 Sonos Roam is a good gateway drug into the Sonos ecosystem, the Ray is a good first Sonos for someone who wants to improve their TV audio. Yes, you can find cheaper soundbars, but Sonos is betting its reputation for excellent sound quality will make the Ray a success. After spending some time with it, I’d have no problem recommending the Ray to anyone who wants an easy way to upgrade their TV’s audio but doesn't care about having the best speaker that supports the most formats. For a lot of people, particularly those with smaller living rooms, the Ray will be just the right soundbar for their space.

If you're looking to get a few smart speakers for your connected home, this may be your chance to grab a handful at a discount. You can get a pair of Google Nest Audio smart speakers right now from Adorama for $120. The Google Nest Audio has always offered a robust music experience without a hefty price tag to go with it, but now it's even more affordable at $80 or 40 percent off the bundle's regular price. While we didn't find the Nest Audio to be quite on par with bigger music-focused speakers when it comes to audio quality when we tested it out, it still sounds a lot better than the Nest Mini.

It's loud enough for small- and medium-sized rooms, and pairing two of them can deliver stereo sound. Since it's a Google smart speaker, it supports Assistant voice commands, and you can tell it to play what you want after linking it to your account and your music streaming services. Like other Nest speakers, it's covered in cloth for a clean, minimalist aesthetic that will complement most home decor. And at 7 inches tall and only 3 inches thick, it will fit in most places you decide to put it. 

If you'd rather get a smart display, the Google Nest Hub Max is also on sale at Adorama for $179, or $50 off its retail price. With its 10-inch touchscreen, the Nest Hub Max is the biggest Google smart display available and also has the best sound quality. We gave it a score of 86 in our review, praising it not just for having a great display and sound quality, but also for its ability to double as a Nest Cam and to play and pause media with gestures.

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SteelSeries makes some of the best gaming headsets on the market, but with its new flagship Arctis Nova Pro, the company is doing a top to bottom overhaul featuring with a brand new design, a second-gen GameDAC and an innovative audio suite with support for 360-degree spatial audio and more. 

Available in both wired and wireless versions for PC, Xbox and PlayStation, the Arctis Nova Pro's revamped design was created to be super comfortable even during marathon gaming sessions. SteelSeries added four different points of adjustment including rotating and height-adjustable earcups, pivoting hangers, and a flexible tension band. Meanwhile, for people who want to customize the look of the headset, the company is offering $35 Booster Packs consisting of interchangeable headbands and exterior plates in red, lilac, mint and rose.

When it comes to audio, the Nova Pro uses custom speaker drivers with a dual-diaphragm design, while the new Sonar Audio Suite adds support for what the company claims is the world's first pro-grade parametric EQ for gamers. The idea is that by allowing people to highlight specific frequencies like the sound of footsteps or breaking glass, gamers can get a jump on anyone sneaking up behind them. On top of that, SteelSeries developed a new 360-degree spatial audio feature generated from your content's 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound track, which should make noises and effects sound more realistic when compared to traditional virtual surround sound techniques. 

The headset also features built-in ANC to drown out any potentially distracting noises. And to make sure your friends and teammates can hear you loud and clear, SteelSeries includes a fully retractable mic with AI-powered noise cancellation. For the wireless model, the Nova Pro also features a dual battery system so you'll also have a fresh power pack you can swap in when the headset runs low on juice. And thanks to the company's Quantum 2.0 Wireless system, users can connect to two different devices at the same time using Bluetooth and the Nova Pro's dedicated 2.4GHz connection. 

Finally, the new GameDAC Gen 2 features Hi-Res Audio Certification and a new Quad DAC that SteelSeries says delivers a 78 percent purer signal. And by using the DAC's OLED display, you can easily adjust your EQ, audio inputs, volume and more all without ever needing to close or pause your game. 

The Arctis Nova Pro is available today, with the wireless models going for $350, while the wired models being a bit more affordable at $250.