Beyerdynamic has announced the release of its first-ever wireless earbuds. The Free Byrd True Wireless Stereo headphones are available now at a list price of $249.
The German audio company has waited a relatively long time to release its own wireless earbuds, and CEO Edgar van Velzen proclaims in a release, “We’re proud to have prioritized sound quality over market pressures, and with this time take, have successfully achieved a new level of development in sound performance, offering audio enthusiasts the perfect pair of in-ear TWS earbuds that look and feel as great as they sound.”
Each earbud has a 10mm driver with a frequency response of 10Hz – 22kHz. The headphones feature both active noise cancellation (ANC) and a transparency mode designed to make it easy to switch from immersive listening to having a conversation with someone in the same room.
The new Beyerdynamic Free Byrd noise-cancelling, true wireless earbuds are shaped like a guitar pick.
Beyerdynamic
Promised battery life is 11 hours for music and 8.5 hours for talk, with 70 minutes of listening time on a quick 10-minute charge when the Lithium-ion battery runs out. The battery case charges via USB-C or Qi wireless.
The earbuds are available in black or gray and the control surface on each earbud has a design reminiscent of a guitar pick, with touch controls that feature a prominent Beyerdynamic wing logo. They have an IPX4 rating, which should protect them from sweat and splashing water but not necessarily a dip in the pool.
The Free Byrd use Bluetooth 5.2 and support the aptX adaptive and AAC codecs. The headphones support iOS’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant voice assistants. There’s a total of four mics, two each on the left and right earpieces for high-quality phone calls.
Beyerdynamic’s Free Byrd true wireless earbuds feature active noise cancellation and ship with both silicone and foam ear tips.
Beyerdynamic
The headphones come with eight sets of earbud tips to help insure a perfect fit. There are five pairs of silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, L, XL) and three pairs of foam ear tips. (S, M, L). They headphones also ship with a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable.
The Free Byrd headphones are designed to work with Beyerdynamic’s MIY app for iOS and Android. The app allows Beyerdynamic to deliver firmware updates to the headphones and there’s a special low-latency mode to improve audio performance for gamers.
The app also features Beyerdynamic’s Mosayc (mow-zay-ick) function which allows “attention to detail with Mimi Sound Personalization.” Listeners can take a two-minute listening test and Beyerdynamic will create a personalized sound profile based on your likes and hearing abilities.
Beyerdynamic headphones have a devoted following among audio professionals, so expectations are high for the Free Byrd TWS headphones. We have the product in hand and will have a full review soon (we’re just waiting on the release of Mosayc).
Author: James Barber, Freelance Contributor
James has worked in music as a producer, A&R executive, music publisher, manager and record store clerk. He writes about music, technology and movies from his home in Georgia.