Noble Audio’s new Falcon Max true wireless stereo earbuds are the company’s first to integrate advanced all-silicon solid-state MEMS-based drivers from xMEMS Labs, the company said Tuesday.
Release of the new earbuds with a hybrid-driver setup follows recent news that xMEMS plans to offer its first full-spectrum Cypress MEMS “ultrasonic” speaker in 2024. That should enable solid-state earbuds with remarkable full-spectrum audio quality.
Falcon Max TWS earbuds with xMEMS Labs’ solid-state, all-silicon MEMS-based drivers
Texas-based Noble struck a strategic partnership with xMEMS so it could bring out Noble Falcon Max, “the market’s first TWS earbuds to adopt xMEMS’ cutting-edge MEMS speaker technology.”
I wrote about xMEMS’ coming revolutionary Cypress ultrasonic speaker in November. Said to be the first solid-state microspeaker that can generate low-frequency pressure for a full bass response, it could mean earbuds won’t need hybrid drivers to cover the whole sound spectrum. In the meantime, however, xMEMS has partnered with companies like Noble on hybrid designs that take advantage of silicon for higher frequencies, not the full spectrum.
“With xMEMS’ driver delivering exceptional sound quality, phase coherence and treble extension, Falcon Max furthers Noble Audio’s status as a pioneer in portable audio experiences,” Noble said.
In addition to xMEMS drivers, Falcon Max incorporates Qualcomm’s latest SoC and is compatible with aptX adaptive audio codec as well as LDAC codec. Noble referred to its “Trinity design principle” that emphasizes selection of drivers, SoC and codecs for the highest-possible sound quality.
Here’s how the company described the components:
Drivers: Hybrid driver configuration consisting of xMEMS Cowell, for crystal clear high frequencies, and a 10mm high-performance dynamic driver for low frequencies. Together, this combination ensures precise, high fidelity, high-resolution audio across the entire frequency range.
SoC: The SoC [system on a chip] used is the newest generation Qualcomm QCC5171 (Qualcomm S5 Sound Platform). It doubles computing performance while reducing power consumption by 20% compared to previous products.
Codecs: Falcon Max is the first Noble Audio product to support Bluetooth 5.3 and LDAC high-resolution wireless audio codec. There’s also support for Qualcomm’s quality certification “Snapdragon Sound,” SBC, AAC, aptX adaptive (24bit/96kHz, Lossless) and LC3 (for LE-Audio). In another first for the company, Noble Audio will acquire high-resolution wireless certification for Falcon Max.
Other features:
Photo: Noble
- Compatible with 3rd generation Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which improves comfort and sound quality by dynamically adjusting the noise cancellation effect in real-time according to the user’s body movements and the surrounding environment.
- Supports multi-point (up to two devices) and multi-pairing.
- Supports aptX Voice for crystal clear speech quality.
- 4th generation “High Precision Connect Technology” and “True Wireless Mirroring Technology” for high connection stability.
- Customizable settings and EQ with a dedicated control app shared with Falcon ANC.
- Wireless charging case with multi-function buttons and USB Type-C port.
- Includes foam tips for high sound insulation and comfort.
Falcon Max will start shipping on December 18 at a cost of $270, the company said.
Where to buy: Noble Audio (sign up at the site to get updates via email)
