Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Here Active Listening lets you control what you hear

Sometimes you want to block out the noise of the real world. And Here Active Listening lets you do just that.

It consists of two wireless ear buds and a smartphone app. Put the ear buds in, and the digital signal processor (DSP) inside lets you take control of real-world audio. Using the app, you can adjust the volume and twiddle an equaliser to transform what you hear. Turn it down if you like, or enhance certain elements for a whole new take on the world.

It will be particularly handy if you’re sat next to a crying child on a plane. Or if you want to boost the bass at a gig.

You can even add sound effects. Maybe you want to distort your friend’s voice (who doesn’t?) or add a creepy echo. It’s all in the app.

If you don’t have time to faff around with these effects, just pick one of the preset filters that the team at Doppler Labs has come up with. Hendrix will help you rock out, while Blue Note will give everything a jazzy flavour.

Read more: Sennheiser Momentum review

The ear buds pair with your phone over Bluetooth, and have a six-hour battery life. If you want them to last a long flight, you’ll have to whip out the case – it doubles as a portable charger, holding two full charges. Multiple silicone tip sizes will fit various ears.

It’s passed its funding goal and will ship in December.

Why trust our journalism?

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

author icon

Editorial independence

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

author icon

Professional conduct

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.

Trusted Reviews Logo

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the best of Trusted Reviews delivered right to your inbox.

This is a test error message with some extra words