CES 2017

Stages Audio has just released The Hero noise-canceling headphones with 25 patents that take noise-cancellation to a whole new, personalized, level.

The Hero has a companion, aptly named The Sidekick. Both of these products use a unique voice recognition criteria that lets the user determine what sounds are passed by the headphone. Instead of blocking all ambient sounds, users can specify a single voice, or certain keywords. Imagine blocking out a room full of voices, and only allowing your companion’s voice to come through. Or set it up so you can hear if someone says “hello” or “excuse me” or even when it detects someone calling your name. The pickup pattern of the microphone can be selected too—from omnidirectional to single focus. The rechargeable Sidekick lets you use this technology with any DAC, headphone amplifier, or headphone.

The Hero also makes it easy for audiophiles to choose between quality or convenience. The Hero can be used wired for best sound quality, or wirelessly for casual listening.

The Sidekick will be available as a limited early-bird special on Indiegogo on January 12th for $199, and The Hero will be available for $299. As voice recognition becomes more and more advanced, it only makes sense that our headphones follow that trend.