Nowadays, many people wear in-ear earbuds to listen to music and podcasts while they’re on the go. However, while in-ear earbuds are specifically designed to create a seal that isolates your internal ear canal from external noises to deliver a more immersive listening experience, that particular design does come with the drawback of potentially preventing you from being able to listen to your surroundings. Obviously, this sound isolation design can pose safety risks for you, especially for times when you’re commuting or exercising in busy urban environments. That same tight seal design for sound isolation can also lead to hearing damage over time if you listen to your audio content at a high volume. A better alternative for listening to music is to wear a pair of on-ear earbuds, as this type of earbud features an open-ear design that allows you to stay aware of your surroundings and prevents hearing damage. So, if you’re looking for a new kind of earbud for everyday use, then consider the revolutionary NTT Sonority nwm MBE001, which offers superior audio and call quality without sacrifice.
The NTT sonority nwm MBE001 are wireless on-ear earbuds that feature an ergonomic ear-hook design for a secure comfortable fit. They also sport an IPX2 Water-Resistance Rating, a high-quality sound powered by 12mm Dynamic Drivers that deliver a crisp and well-balanced sound, a proprietary Personalized Sound Zone (PSZ) technology that greatly minimizes sound leakage and an open-ear design that does not block out ambient sound, allowing you to listen to your music, and your surroundings. the MBE001s support voice calls with built-in button controls via a multi-function button. On-ear detection sensors control automatic On/Off, and Voice Assistant capabilities support Google Assistant and Siri. There’s also Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, and in-App controls via the nwm Connect App for controlling the earbuds’ functionalities and allowing you to configure a customizable equalizer. USB charging will give you up to 6 hours of battery life.
WHO IS NTT sonority?
NTT sonority, Inc. is a major Japanese audio brand that’s committed to leveraging the latest audio technology to manufacture open-ear wearable audio devices designed to be used in both everyday life and business situations. The brand delivers audio products that deliver high-quality, crystal-clear audio without sound leakage.
NTT has conducted audio and acoustic research for over half a century, and as a result of their efforts, they’ve developed their proprietary Personalized Sound Zone (PSZ) technology as their core offering for many of their products.
Let’s take a more detailed look at the NTT sonority nwm MBE001 and check out exactly how these wireless on-ear earbuds are designed to work.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the earbuds’ dimensions, the nwm MBE001 are really portable and compact, with each earbud measuring just 2.03 inches long by 2.06 inches wide by 0.51 inches tall (51.6 x 52.4 x 13.2 mm), and they’re also extremely lightweight, with each earbud only weighing a feathery 0.33 oz. (9.5 g).
In addition to their compact form factor, these wireless on-ear earbuds also feature an ergonomic ear-hook design, with polypropylene ear-hooks and an elastomer ear cushion that together ensure a snug and comfortable fit, making them perfect for both casual everyday scenarios, as well as for work and telework environments.
The NTT sonority nwm MBE001 also sport a modern and minimalist design, and come in a professional Black Matte color. With high-quality and durable construction, the MBE001 on-ear speakers are IPX2 rated, which makes them great for using them in inclament weather and for working out.
The speakers also come with a dedicated wireless charging case, which, similar to the earbuds, is also quite compact, measuring just 4.84 inches long by 2.08 inches wide by 1.02 inches tall (123 x 53 x 26 mm), and weighing in at just 2.46 oz. (70 g).
The speakers’ case also comes in the same Black Matte color, and with the same durable construction.
AUDIO SPECS & AUDIO QUALITY
For reproducing their high-quality sound, each of these wireless on-ear earbuds utilizes a 12mm Dynamic Sound Driver, making them capable of delivering a crisp, vibrant, and well-balanced sound.
Thanks to these robust drivers, you can expect these babies to deliver an astonishing high-fidelity sound quality, with crystal-clear treble, crisp mids, and a deep, punchy bass. These dynamic drivers are rated to have a Sound Frequency Response ranging between 100 Hz and 20000 Hz.
Lastly, each earbud also comes equipped with a high-quality Omnidirectional Electric Condenser Microphone (ECM) that integrates Active Noise Reduction technology, allowing users to use the nwm MBE001 for very clear voice calls in a hands-free fashion.
Notable Audio Features
Personalized Sound Zone (PSZ) Technology
The speakers also integrate NTT sonority’s proprietary Personalized Sound Zone (PSZ) technology, an innovative sound technology that works by generating natural sound waves from vibrating air (rather than using bone conduction technology, like many on-ear earbuds typically do) in the opposite phase, which greatly minimizes sound leakage.
More specifically, the speakers’ PSZ technology confines sound within a user’s ears without blocking them and work based on the principle of noise cancellation, (where sound is canceled out by producing an inverted soundwave that neutralizes the sound), but with the main difference of confining the sound within 360-degrees around the ear to minimize sound leakage, unlike most conventional on-ear earbuds, which typically house their speaker units in a box to prevent interference from the opposing sound wave emitted from the back of the speaker to deliver sound further. As such, this is not a directional speaker, as it doesn’t vibrate or exert pressure as with bone conduction earphones. This type of speaker is much more conducive to stress-free listening.
It’s also worth mentioning that NTT sonority’s proprietary PSZ technology is the world’s first technology to take advantage of this process, overturning the convention.
Open-Ear Design
The NTT sonority nwm MBE001 also provides an open-ear design that does not block out ambient sound, allowing you to listen to your music while still able to listen to conversations and your surroundings. This not only makes these wireless on-ear speakers great for everyday use, but also ideal for listening to music and podcasts at work and telework environments.
INTERFACE & BUILT-IN CONTROLS
Controlling the speakers’ various functions, the NTT sonority nwm MBE001 has built-in button controls, all of which can be performed via a multi-function button that’s integrated at the bottom-side of each earbud.
Performing a single click on either earbud allows users to Play/Pause their music, and the same function can also be used to answer incoming calls, even while listening to music. Clicking the button once during a call also allows users to Mute/Unmute the microphone.
Performing a double click on either earbud lets users skip to the next track, while performing a double click on either earbud lets users skip to the previous track. Double clicking the button also allows users to decline an incoming call or end a voice call.
Triple clicking either earbud allows users to return to the start of a track.
Finally, double clicking and holding the left earbud’s multi-function button enables users to turn the volume down, while double clicking and holding the right earbud’s multi-function button enables users to turn the Volume Up. This is done by clicking either earbud’s multi-function button once, and then clicking it again and holding it for 3 seconds.
Note that when the maximum or minimum volume is reached, a sound notification tone is played to inform the user.
Nwm MBE001 also integrate on-ear detection sensors, which enables the earbuds to automatically turn on and off, meaning that if you put the earbuds on, your music will start/resume. If you take them off when listening to audio, your media will be paused automatically.
Last but not least, the nwm MBE001 also features Voice Assistant support for Google Assistant and Siri, which can be enabled via their respective App.
CONNECTIVITY
For wireless connectivity, these on-ear earbuds utilize Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, support for A2DP, HFP, and AVRCP Bluetooth profiles, and support for SBC, AAC, and aptX audio codecs.
The earbuds operate in a 2.4 GHz band and support a maximum wireless range of up to 32.80 ft. (10 meters).
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
Last of all, when it comes to the nwm’s battery life, each earbud is equipped with a 3.7 VDC Lithium-Ion battery, providing up to 6 hours of battery on a single charge, which includes using them for continuous music playback.
Note that the earbuds’ dedicated wireless charging case does not come equipped with a built-in battery, meaning that their charging case doesn’t provide additional charges, and so it is only used to recharge both speakers’ battery power.
To recharge the MBE001, simply place the earbuds in the magnetic charging slots, and connect a USB-C cable from the case to a power source. The speakers take approximately 2.5 hours to fully recharge.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The nwm Connect App
The nwm Connect App (available for iOS and Android) controls the speakers’ functionalities and sound settings.
Via the nwm Connect App, users can customize the speakers’ multi-function buttons, the on-ear detection sensors, the maximum volume limits, adjust the amount of noise reduction, monitor the remaining battery power, choose charging status indicator colors, and also perform firmware updates.
The nwm Connect App also provides users with a customizable equalizer for configuring the speakers’ sound settings.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside the box includes the nwm MBE001, the wireless charging case, USB-C charging cable, and a User Manual (plus access to the Online User Manual).
BOTTOM LINE
The NTT sonority nwm MBE001 offers the portable audio category a new and innovative option. With style, superb sound, an innovative design, and the company’s proprietary Personalized Sound Zone (PSZ) technology that greatly minimizes sound leakage, NTT sonority has hit a home run. The open-ear design allows ambient sound in the background, which creates so many new uses and applications. Simply put, the MBE001 is a marvel of physics.
Additionally, they’re comfortable to wear, easy to configure and operate, and most importantly, they allow you to enjoy your favorite audio content without completely isolating yourself. You can order yours online for $178, here.
