[Cheesedoodle]

  No, Apple has no plans to license the chip to anyone else. 

Yes, I read this as well. Really a shame.

 

[SparkOnShore]

Yes, I read this as well. Really a shame.

Why shame?? Apple believe that their headphones with W1 chip, together with Beats, are good enough for most uses. What exactly Shure and Sennheiser can offer to the audio experience of the ordinary consumer that the biggest tech company in the world cannot?? Of course you may debate about some sound details which though are not important to the 99% of people who listen to music in the streets, on a bus or while running...

 

[RAQemUP]

He means it's a shame that Apple isn't licensing the W1 chip to 3rd parties. Meaning you won't see it outside of an Apple or Beats product.

 

[RickB]

Someone finally came out with "inexpensive" lightning earphones ($100-150).
 
https://pioneerrayz.com/
 
Who knows whether the sound quality is decent, though.
 
This and the $100 cable that Shure is releasing this spring for their IEMs are the only wired solutions I've seen so far. 

 

[SparkOnShore]

He means it's a shame that Apple isn't licensing the W1 chip to 3rd parties. Meaning you won't see it outside of an Apple or Beats product.

I got what he meant. That's why I replied that according to Apple there is no need to see their chip on other headphones than Apple or Beats. Their lines can cover fully the audio demands of most people with the famous Apple philosophy of "Good Enough". If he tries a pair of Airpods in everyday usage he will get exactly the whole concept...

 

[SparkOnShore]

Someone finally came out with "inexpensive" lightning earphones ($100-150).

https://pioneerrayz.com/

Who knows whether the sound quality is decent, though.

This and the $100 cable that Shure is releasing this spring for their IEMs are the only wired solutions I've seen so far. 

If someone goes wireless with the W1, cannot go back to wires just because of the unbelievable ease of use and the unique sense of freedom...

 

[elfary]

Still my biggest gripe with wireless earphones is the need to take care of one more battery.
 
First it was smartphone battery, then it was the tablet battery, later on came the smartwatch battery and now it's the earphones battery.

One might end up hiring a battery manager.
 
I'll remain wired till wireless last 1 month on a single charge.

 

[SparkOnShore]

Still my biggest gripe with wireless earphones is the need to take care of one more battery.

First it was smartphone battery, then it was the tablet battery, later on came the smartwatch battery and now it's the earphones battery.


One might end up hiring a battery manager.

I'll remain wired till wireless last 1 month on a single charge.

Hi Elfary, hope everything's fine with you! From my experience using the last W1 earphones of Apple and Beats I can inform that there is no battery problem, for me at least. Airpods with charging case seem to last for ever and you need to just plug them in for 1 or 2 hours to get a full case again, which you can do at night also, once or twice a week. Solo 3 practically last for ever with 40 hours battery!! And Powerbeats 3 last for 12 hours which means that you can listen for 2-3 hours per day (I don't have time to listen for so long in a day but mileage may vary), and charge once a week at night again. It's no big deal, since I have neither watch to charge nor tablet that you mention, just iPhones and laptops (which are different case).

By the way, since we both agree in liking the SE215, I need to admit that I liked the Powerbeats 3 much more. At least they have a much airier approach with a much clearer treble. Bass is there of course but in a balanced way with mids and highs, so that it doesn't overtake the spectrum as it somehow happens with the SE215. PB3 succeed to give a clear and open sound, which I cannot say for the muddier outcome of SE215...And if you think that PB3 are wireless, having just a rather short untangling cable to connect the 2 buds, instead of an 1,50 met heavy, hard and looping cable going all the way to your pockets, the sound result is even more impressive!...

 

[elfary]

Hi Elfary, hope everything's fine with you! From my experience using the last W1 earphones of Apple and Beats I can inform that there is no battery problem, for me at least. Airpods with charging case seem to last for ever and you need to just plug them in for 1 or 2 hours to get a full case again, which you can do at night also, once or twice a week. Solo 3 practically last for ever with 40 hours battery!! And Powerbeats 3 last for 12 hours which means that you can listen for 2-3 hours per day (I don't have time to listen for so long in a day but mileage may vary), and charge once a week at night again. It's no big deal, since I have neither watch to charge nor tablet that you mention, just iPhones and laptops (which are different case).

By the way, since we both agree in liking the SE215, I need to admit that I liked the Powerbeats 3 much more. At least they have a much airier approach with a much clearer treble. Bass is there of course but in a balanced way with mids and highs, so that it doesn't overtake the spectrum as it somehow happens with the SE215. PB3 succeed to give a clear and open sound, which I cannot say for the muddier outcome of SE215...And if you think that PB3 are wireless, having just a rather short untangling cable to connect the 2 buds, instead of an 1,50 met heavy, hard and looping cable going all the way to your pockets, the sound result is even more impressive!...

Thanks for the heads up about the PB3. I'll try to test them but for the gym i can not see myself giving up on the amazing isolation of the SE215.
 
Since it's unlikely that Apple might license the W1 protocol to Westone/Shure i won't see what i'd like to see: wireless SE846s W1 paired or W30s.
 
I am curious about the Shure Lightning cable specs (Output impedance, output power, noise floor).
 
The slain of the hp makes up for interesting times.

 

[SparkOnShore]

Thanks for the heads up about the PB3. I'll try to test them but for the gym i can not see myself giving up on the amazing isolation of the SE215.

Since it's unlikely that Apple might license the W1 protocol to Westone/Shure i won't see what i'd like to see: wireless SE846s W1 paired or W30s.

I am curious about the Shure Lightning cable specs (Output impedance, output power, noise floor).

The slain of the hp makes up for interesting times.

I run my 10k with PB3 and they are really good. I don't know about gym though since I don't pump iron...I use them with Comply foam tips which are much softer than Shure's olives but at the same time offering great isolation.

Yes you are right, it's impossible for Apple to license the W1 since they produce headphones themselves and by licensing the chip they would diminish Beats which in turn will cause a serious sales loss for Apple. And as you know Apple are not fool to lose sales this way...

Finally I am sure that Shure's lightning cable will offer a high quality audio, otherwise it wouldn't be Shure for that matter...I am also certain that it will be much more convenient than using the funny looking dongle. I will definitely buy it for my SE215 when out...

 

[elfary]

I will try to go to an Apple store to listen to the PB3s as it seems a nicer option to assess the W1 chip  than the Airpods.
 
OT: Looking back at my 4 year stint going to the gym on a daily basis i have worn: Shure SE215, TDK BA200, Shure SE535, Westone 3 and Westone W30 sets.
 
Oddly enough, the SE215s have been the ones that did fit the bill better.
 
In the gym (at 7 am) i find little use to the added clarity of balanced armature setups and the extra thickness of the SE215 keeps me going better than ba's. My ears are still asleep but i can feel the SE215s groove i guess.

 

[SparkOnShore]

I will try to go to an Apple store to listen to the PB3s as it seems a nicer option to assess the W1 chip  than the Airpods.

OT: Looking back at my 4 year stint going to the gym on a daily basis i have worn: Shure SE215, TDK BA200, Shure SE535, Westone 3 and Westone W30 sets.

Oddly enough, the SE215s have been the ones that did fit the bill better.

In the gym (at 7 am) i find little use to the added clarity of balanced armature setups and the extra thickness of the SE215 keeps me going better than ba's. My ears are still asleep but i can feel the SE215s groove i guess.

I have never run with the SE215, since I could never run with cables. They seem to disturb me while running! On the opposite of you I am using SE215 to really focus on music and I have always found it a really solid headphone. Treble is for sure heavily rolled off but at the same time it is sweet and not fatiguing! They say that SE846 has also got a rolled off treble, so I was always guessing it is Shure's approach to sound, one way or another, to offer a deep sound without harsh treble. But I need to admit that the heavy and deep bass with the combination of extra treble's clarity on the PB3 was really welcomed by my ears...Also I need to point out that PB3 present no distortion at any volume, which is quite an accomplishment for a Bluetooth phone...

 

[gward4]

Rumor circulating today, based on a WSJ article, that the iPhone 8 will ditch the lightning port in favor of the industry standard USB-C. I normally ignore all the mac rumor noise, but I took note when it came from the WSJ.

 

[west0ne]

Rumor circulating today, based on a WSJ article, that the iPhone 8 will ditch the lightning port in favor of the industry standard USB-C. I normally ignore all the mac rumor noise, but I took note when it came from the WSJ.

That would probably be more 'courageous' than the removal of the headphone jack, this time it's not only the consumers who have invested in lightning port products that will be unhappy but the whole industry of third party manufacturers who have made significant investment in producing lightning port accessories, lining the pockets of Apple in the process in order to obtain certification.
 
It does sort of make sense though given that Apple have gone this way with their laptops and have been criticised for their inconsistent approach to interfaces and the need for an array of adapters to make their devices work together.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Rumor circulating today, based on a WSJ article, that the iPhone 8 will ditch the lightning port in favor of the industry standard USB-C. I normally ignore all the mac rumor noise, but I took note when it came from the WSJ.

I think it's more likely they'll just start including Lightning to USB-C cables.