STACK #249 July 2025

TECH FEATURE

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NEW AUDIO TECH CHECK

AI voice-filtering when you’re on a call, effectively giving you active noise cancelling while on the phone. It’ll filter out background noise and deliver your voice as clearly as possible – ideal for when an important call comes in on the train or in a crowded bar. Headphones that offer AI 3D audio can simulate the immersive feeling of sound coming from multiple directions, which is particularly good when you’re playing games and want to track where enemies are approaching from. An increasing number of headphones will also use AI to develop a ”sound profile” based on your listening habits and your ears’ responses to the sounds being piped in. AI is being used to make sure you get the best listening experience possible.

From AI-powered audio enhancements and improving the quality of music streaming, to getting better battery life from your ear gear and speakers, we take a look at what’s trending in new audio tech. Words James O’Connor

PUTTING AI INTO AUDIO

Sonos is using AI in a particularly interesting way in its Arc Ultra soundbar, having recently added a Speech Enhancement update, designed in collaboration with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. This feature can be used to make dialogue clearer for folks who have trouble hearing it, meaning fewer viewers will need to rewind or enable subtitles. Similarly, Bose’s Smart and Smart Ultra soundbars feature an AI Dialogue Mode. Using machine learning, these soundbars intuitively adjust tonal balance to enhance spoken dialogue without blunting sound effects or music. Moreover, when paired with compatible Bose headphones, they can create a highly immersive personal surround sound experience that puts you right in the centre of the on-screen action.

A s AI technology improves, makers of audio gear are finding new ways to use it to both improve sound quality and help listeners to determine their preferences. Noise cancelling headphones have been around for a long time, but increasingly these

analyse environmental sounds using built-in microphones and then block them out with opposite sound waves, effectively ”muting” the environment outside of your ears so that you can listen to your music or podcast in peace. AI tech is useful outside of streaming audio, too. Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones offer

devices are using AI to improve the experience for users. A noise cancelling device will typically

18 JULY 2025

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