Portable audio highlights at CES 2012

by Timothy Fernandez | 17 January 2012 4:44pm SGT

Yes, admittedly, when we talk about what's cool in the world of portable audio, we usually refer to the evolutionary, not the revolutionary. Since the Walkman, compact disc and iPod, there hasn't really been anything incredibly exciting in a while, aside from the fact that most of us have probably moved from standalone "MP3 players" to smartphones. However, CES 2012 did see its fair share of interesting announcement and product unveilings--ranging from new AirPlay products to a falling out between the companies behind some of the most popular headphones around.

Here are some highlights from the portable audio scene at the year's biggest tech tradeshow.

Beats and Monster go separate ways

(Screenshot by CNET Asia)

The news that broke during CES saw the two companies ending a five-year partnership, which, according to BusinessWeek, is due to the corporations disagreeing on who deserved credit for the companies' 53-percent headphone market share in the US. While the famous "b" symbol that's found on headphones will likely still be around, the companies are working on new partnerships.

Beats, already has tie-ups with HTC and HP, which means it's here to stay on smartphones and laptops for now, and Monster recently released an entire range of new headphones.

Headphones get techie--but mainly focused on style

The Zik Parrot headphones were designed by Philippe Starck. (Credit: Parrot)

One of the more interesting headphones we came across at CES 2012 has to be the Zik by Starck, which are a pair of active noise-cancelling headphones featuring touch-sensitive controls on the earpads. These stylish over-the-ear cans also come with a motion sensor that "knows" when the headphones are not in use--such as when they're on your shoulder--and switch themselves off to save power.

Other headphone manufacturers seemed to still be pitching more attractive designs to the masses. Monster's latest ranges of headphones are incredibly impressive on the style-front (our favorite was the Inspiration series), the Wolfson DS-421D active noise-cancelling headphones featured a design worthy of Ironman himself (yes, the same Wolfson that made audio chips for Apple's earlier iPods) and Fanny Wang announced new colors for its headphones.

AirPlay devices could remain niche

(Credit: B&O Play)

While there may not have been all that many AirPlay speakers announced at CES this year, a few notable ones include the B&O Play Beolit 12, Sony's SA-N310 and SA-NS410 speakers and Griffin's unique AirPlay amplifier.

The Beolit 12 is sleek and definitely looks the part for a Bang & Olufsen product, while the Griffin Twenty turns almost any passive loudspeaker into an AirPlay sound system. Sony, on the other hand, has decided to play it safe by making its latest SA-series speakers compatible with HomeShare (the Japanese company's own streaming standard) and AirPlay as well. This makes them work with Android devices, too.

What does this mean for AirPlay? Well, it's still hard to say, but it will definitely face some competition from HomeShare, which is said to work with any DLNA-ready device.

Innovative audio gear for the sporty

Bone-conduction technology isn't new but has yet to see widespread adoption. (Credit: Amanda Kooser/CNET)

Headphones for the active lifestyles always seem to make an appearance at CES and this year is no different. Most of these headphones showcased at CES aimed to do what regular headphones struggle to when the wearer's in constant motion: Stay in the ears.

Some of the more interesting sports headphones include the Ironman Yurbuds, which are sweat-proof in-ear headphones (similar to Apple's stock earbuds) that have a unique ear-hugging attachment which increases comfort for the wearer while staying put. A more technologically advanced pair of headphones we saw were the AfterShokz, a street-style headband which uses bone-conduction technology. What this means is that they don't obstruct the ear canal and allows runners, cyclists or other fitness enthusiasts to hear ambient noises such as car horns or barking hounds.

Music celebrities attracting a crowd

Kelly Clarkson, the winner of American Idol's first season, sings at a Sony press conference. (Credit: CBS Interactive)

A final highlight for this year's show was the large number of music stars present. Some notable appearances by Billboard-chart topping musicians at CES 2012 include Justin Bieber, LL Cool J and Justin Timberlake. The always erm, cool, LL Cool J was there to promote new music software while the Biebs created some buzz over a dancing robot. While there weren't any teenage girls allowed in the CES halls, these superstars definitely attracted quite the crowd at their respective product booths.

Other music celebrities lending their fame to the trade show include Kelly Clarkson and wil.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas.

About the author

Timothy Fernandez is the subeditor at CNET Asia, as well as resident movie and music buff. With a background in mass communication and photography, he decided on a career in tech writing. He's also--secretly--an aspiring pop vocalist.

Timothy Fernandez, Subeditor