Compatible with Apple Siri and Google Assistant voice control systems

ams announced that earbud manufacturer Nuheara has equipped its latest earbuds, the 'Live IQ,' with ams' miniature AS3412 Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) IC to provide best-in-class hybrid noise cancellation and audio amplification capabilities.

NewHear, a leader in the smart earbud market, unveiled its new Live IQ earbuds at CES. These innovative Live IQ "truly wireless" earbuds offer advanced ANC capabilities. Each earbud supports Bluetooth 5 wireless technology to connect wirelessly to smartphones or media players, and the connection between the two earbuds is also wireless.

The Live IQ earbuds feature touch-sensing controls. Noise cancellation can be turned on and off with a simple tap, allowing users to choose whether to hear audio output through the speaker along with ambient noise, or to listen quietly without noise. Additionally, these earbuds are compatible with Apple's Siri and Google Assistant voice control systems.

When designing the Live IQ product, NewHear's goal was to provide earbud users with noise-free hi-fi audio playback performance comparable to bulky on-ear wired headphones through a very small wireless in-ear product. NewHear wanted the new product to be not only small and lightweight but also to have a long battery life.

NewHear ultimately selected the ams AS3412, which combines excellent audio performance with a compact form factor and low power characteristics. The AS3412 is a highly integrated ANC chip measuring 2.2mm x 2.2mm x 0.4mm, requiring virtually no external components. It exhibits noise attenuation of up to 30dB across the audible frequency range of 20Hz to 3kHz. With a built-in amplifier, it provides 34mW of output and 32Ω of impedance to each earbud.

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 112.5 dB, and the total harmonic distortion and noise (THD+N) is less than 0.01% at an audio output of 30 mW. Because the ANC system based on the AS3412 has a very small board footprint, the design of the NewHear Live IQ earbuds could be implemented compactly, allowing users to enjoy clear sound quality without noise and a comfortable fit even when wearing the earbuds for extended periods.

The battery supports 4 hours of talk time and 12 hours of continuous audio listening on a single charge. The AS3412 has low power consumption, allowing New Heara to further extend battery life. This device operates on a supply voltage of 1.6V to 1.8V and typically consumes 8mW of power.

Christian Feierl, Marketing Manager for Audio Sensors at ams, stated, “As ams continues to push the boundaries of ANC technology, our products are increasingly being integrated into cutting-edge consumer audio devices.” “In particular, we are very proud to have helped NewHeara become the first smart earbud provider to offer industry-leading ANC performance with up to 30dB of noise attenuation,” he said. “Through this small, low-power ANC chip, NewHeara was able to implement hybrid ANC and achieve top performance in the smart earbud field.”