CES 2022: Shure’s new AONIC 40 ANC headphones could be a budget rival to Sony’s WH-1000XM4
At £134 less than Sony’s offering, anyone looking for good sound on the cheap would consider these.
Image: Shure
CES 2022: American audio products company Shure has unveiled its latest entrant in the lucrative budget headphones market, the Shure AONIC 40.
With an expected retail price of $249 / £215, the AONIC 40 costs $100 / £134 less than Sony’s highly lauded WH-1000XM4, and packs active noise cancellation to boot. The AONIC 40 boasts 25 hours of battery life, which is 5 hours less than the WH-1000XM4, while sporting 40mm dynamic neodymium drivers for improved bass.
Three different modes of ANC are available for users, including an environment mode that will allow sounds from the outside world in. The AONIC 40 also supports customisable EQ through the ShurePlus PLAY app and supports multiple codecs including Qualcomm aptX, aptX HD, AAC, and SBC.
The AONIC 40 has its work cut out for it in challenging the WH-1000XM4, however. The WH-1000XM4 has received plaudits from nearly all major tech outlets, and features Sony’s HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, which applies noise cancelling processing in real time. The WH-1000XM4 also features support for the LDAC codec, allowing users to stream high-resolution audio at up to 32-bit/96kHz over a Bluetooth connection at up to 990kbps.
The Shure AONIC 40 can be purchased now on Shure’s website.
