WireFreeHi-Fi claims that its new Opera S5+ wireless earphones are ‘better than Bluetooth’.
The Kleer wireless system delivers ‘CD-quality’ audio at 16-bit, 44.1kHz and as well as the usual MP3, AAC and WMA formats can also stream lossless formats like Apple Lossless. It operates in the 2.4GHz band so shouldn’t be prone to dropout due to interference from other sources using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It switches between 16 channels in the spectrum to ensure an interference-free connection at all times.
The lightweight earphones weigh just 22g and come with a dongle that plugs into the headphone jack of iPod/iPhone or other MP3 player. The behind-the-head control panel also offers control of iPhone, iPod and even iPad, which Opera says current iPod-compatible Bluetooth products can’t yet do.
They can also be used with up to four other headphones which use the Kleer system, including models from Opera, Sennheiser and TDK. They’re effective up to a distance of around ten feet and the battery promises up to ten hours of continuous playback.
The Opera S5+ earphones are available now for £85.