Bang & Olufsen selects ams ANC for Top-of-range Over-ear Headphones marking 95th Anniversary

ams AS3460 Digital Augmented Hearing device delivers outstanding Active Noise Cancellation and Augmented Hearing to Bang & Olufsen’s new high-end H95 model, launched in August 2020

Premstaetten, Austria (September 9, 2020) -- ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor solutions, provides market-leading digital Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) performance to the latest state-of-the-art over-ear headphones from Bang & Olufsen. The global luxury audio brand known for exceptional audio technology offers consumers solutions suited to all occasions and needs such as commercial, domestic and automotive environments, computing, and other high-end consumer electronics. 

“We believe that headphone and earbud users should be able to ‘hear what they want to hear’,” said Wim Renirie, Vice President and General Manager for Accessory & Wearable Solutions Business Line at ams. “ams is a long-term technology partner of Bang & Olufsen, and this prestigious design win further demonstrates the superb performance of the AS3460 Digital Augmented Hearing device in managing both ANC and augmented hearing for sound transparency where it is needed.”

No compromise on performance

Over its 95-year history, Bang & Olufsen has developed distinctive design and innovative technology that can elevate any given experience. The rich heritage built around its relentless determination to create products that push the boundaries of audio technology continues to place the company at the forefront of audio innovation. The new state-of-the-art H95 over-ear headphones – marking the company’s 95th anniversary – deliver Bang & Olufsen signature sound with advanced ANC. Among other customer benefits, natural transparency mode lets users hear their surroundings, turning a wheel to adjust faders seamlessly and so simply tune amplification to the precise level required.

Bang & Olufsen strives to ensure each of its products is characterized by the unique combination of beautiful sound, timeless design, and unrivalled craftsmanship. Sold worldwide, the company’s innovative and progressive audio products are known to use only the best materials and components. ams is Bang & Olufsen’s preferred partner for digital ANC based on its market-leading innovation in audio sensing technologies such as its Augmented Hearing Engine.

ams Automatic Preset Selection technology to enhance end-user experience

The Augmented Hearing Engine provides the platform for the Automatic Preset Selection (APS) feature in ams’ AS3460 ANC product. APS audio technology lets manufacturers like Bang & Olufsen develop differentiating features by configuring desired noise cancellation settings opti-mized for different types of ambient noise. 

Manufacturers can develop headphones and earbuds that automatically switch from one mode to another depending on the type of noise detected. This delivers the best noise-cancellation performance in all environments, thanks to seamless crossfading functionality provided by the ams-developed dedicated digital signal processor within the Augmented Hearing Engine. At a switch-over between preset modes, the AS3460 automatically fades one mode out and the other mode in so that the difference is not noticeable to the user, and so that high noise cancellation performance is maintained continuously. 

By providing a superior audio experience, established ams technologies such as APS and Adaptive Leakage Compensation (ALC) help increase the value that consumers attach to their head-phones or earbuds.

Why ams?

The introduction of technologies that enable digital augmented hearing is consistent with ams’ history of making breakthroughs in audio product development. Manufacturers of noise-cancelling headphones have been using ams’ analog ANC speaker driver ICs for more than a decade, benefiting from their high, broadband noise attenuation and low power consumption. ams’ strong market position also owes much to the expertise that it provides to headphone manufacturers, helping them to optimize the acoustic, mechanical and electrical aspects of their product designs. 

With the acquisition of Incus Laboratories in 2016, ams gained new digital audio technology to supplement its analog know-how. This move is bearing fruit with the development of the Augmented Hearing Engine platform, which enables the introduction of features such as ALC and ‘hear what you want to hear’ capabilities. 

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