Skip to main content

These loaded cans bundle a wireless stand that even charges your phone

We’ve seen (and heard) so many headphones at CES over the years that we thought we’d seen it all. But of course, at CES, you can never see it all, and we’ll be darned if Chinese audio brand HiVi didn’t come out with a whole new twist on the headphone/stand relationship that’s so cool, we couldn’t help but get sucked into its orbit.

The company’s new AW-85 headphones look basic enough on their own, boasting a smooth plastic shell, large circumaural earpieces, and a bundle of features like active noise canceling and touch controls. As you can see in the video above, the trick here is in the way these headphones charge, accomplished by dangling them from the included magnetic stand, which then charges the headphones directly through the headband.

As if that weren’t enough, the stand also incorporates a wireless charging pad for your phone at its base, allowing you to charge you’re two favorite devices at once. The whole design is just so convenient, so nifty, and — well, so brilliantly simple — we can’t believe we haven’t seen it before. Then again, that’s usually the case with the best innovations.

More CES 2019 coverage

Apart from their novel charging stand, the AW-85 have pretty decent noise-cancellation and, as far as we could tell from the noisy show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center, pretty impressive sound, too. We heard a piano-jazz tune that sounded smooth and creamy where it should, with plenty of detail and clarity to spare. We only had a few moments with the cans but so far, color us impressed.

Other features include a stout 30-hour battery, Bluetooth codecs like AAC and aptX, adjustable EQ and audio presets, and automatic play/pause when you take the cans on and off. It’s a pretty impressive package, though the headphones also come with an impressive price point to match, coming in at a pricey $360 in the U.S. Still, these slick cans can do some things even some of our favorite pairs of loaded wireless headphones from major brands can’t. Frankly, the wireless charging stand is just fun to use, and pretty convenient to boot.

HiVi says the AW-85 will be offered in the U.S. by the end of the month, so we’ll keep our eye out for them and hopefully get some more hands-on time with them when they land stateside.

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
StoryPhones let kids pick their own Disney bedtime stories
StoryPhones with Disney StoryShields.

Most companies that make kids' headphones have focused on making these devices durable, affordable, and safe for exposure to volume levels. But Onanoff is taking a new approach with its $100 StoryPhones, by letting kids listen to their favorite audiobooks simply by swapping out a magnetic disc on the outside of the earcup. The StoryPhones will debut at CES 2022 and you'll be able to buy them from onanoff.com and several retailers in January.

The StoryPhones are just like other wireless headphones for kids -- they support both Bluetooth and wired connections -- and when in wireless mode, they get a claimed 20 hours of battery life. But the disc-based story system is a clever and unique twist. To access the stories, the headphones must be initially set up via an adult's phone using Bluetooth. After that, the StoryPhones can access your home Wi-Fi network on their own.

Read more
Lovesac integrates Harman Kardon speakers and wireless charging into its couches
Lovesac StealthTech

Do you remember the craze of built-in speakers in everything from couches to recliners? Something about having a speaker close enough to your head that you could feel the bass in your ears excited people, and now that same technology is coming back into play through Lovesac in collaboration with Harman Kardon.

Lovesac is best known for its modular couches. You take the individual sections and arrange them in any shape you like, allowing them to fit a variety of orientations and spaces. They're also well-known for being easy to remove the couch covers and clean. Now, the company is including sectional sections (called sactions) that have speakers built into them.

Read more
The Pixel 6’s wireless charging speeds reportedly go up to 23 watts
Google Pixel 6 colors.

Google's next generation of Pixels is coming with even faster wireless charging speeds than what current models offer. As proof, a new report from Android Police claims that Google is planning a Google Pixel 23-watt WL Stand for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Alongside the Pixel phones, Google regularly debuts accessories such as cases and wireless charging stands. The Pixel 6 is likely not bucking that trend, as the report, which cites a retail source, notes. The retail source works for a carrier that has already begun to input support for the new accessories as the launch date approaches. The accessories include the Google Pixel 23W WL Stand and a Demo Google Pixel 23W WL Stand, the latter of which is likely for showcasing the phones in stores.

Read more