If you’ve got high-end wired headphones and want to make them wireless, AirMode might do the trick. The short cable comes with standard audio connectors on either end that replace the detachable cords found on many headphones.
Packed with features and reasonably priced, AirMode could be the perfect Bluetooth dongle for retrofitting your gear for Apple’s wireless future.
Cupertino’s “courageous” move to kill the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 irritated some people but undoubtedly gave Bluetooth headphones a boost. When Apple’s AirPods finally land (possibly as soon as next week), we will see exactly how popular truly wireless headphones — without even a connector between earpieces — can be.
Bluetooth headphone adapter for ‘wireless future’
Not everybody wants to ditch all their old headphones, though. Say you’ve got a great pair of Bowers & Wilkins P7 headphones that you want to use with your iPhone 7.
That’s where AirMode, a clever product with a current Kickstarter campaign, comes in.
Just unplug your wired headphones’ detachable cables and plug in the AirMode (if your headphones’ cables are hard-wired, you’re out of luck and will be stuck in ugly Bluetooth dongleville). AirMode comes in three sizes to accommodate standard 3.5mm, 2.5mm and MMCX audio jacks.
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A controller in the center of the AirMode cable mimics the ones found on wireless headphones like the Jaybird X3, letting you adjust volume, skip through audio tracks, make and receive phone calls, and use Siri or Google Now.
A pair of high-def microphones work to block out wind and other noise to increase call quality and boost voice recognition capabilities.
AirMode is water- and sweat-resistant, and utilizes aptX and AAC stereo codecs to deliver CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) over the Bluetooth 4.1 connection.
Audio Nation, AirMode’s maker, says the battery packed into the Bluetooth adapter’s controller will deliver six hours of listening time on a two-hour charge. Frequency response is claimed to be 20Hz to 20kHz.
AirMode on Kickstarter
If you get in on Audio Nation’s AirMode Kickstarter campaign early, you can snag one of these Bluetooth headphone adapters for about $37 (half off the suggested retail price).
