Wireless Without Bluetooth? CYBERBLADE Delivers Amazing Sound with No Lag
Hi to everyone who says “Headphones flatten my hair, so I’ll keep using true wireless earbuds even if I lose one!” — I’m Hide, tech journalist and part-time house-husband.
I’d lost interest in true wireless earbuds, figuring AirPods had it settled. In fact, bone conduction has been so comfortable lately that I’d stopped using wireless earbuds altogether… Even so, this one got me interested: CYBERBLADE.
It sends nearly uncompressed audio with ultra-low latency, so you’ll want to use it beyond going out — with game consoles and more. The charging case even works as a volume knob on your desk — uses you’ve never seen before!
The case working as a volume knob is handier than I expected
I got to try it before release, so I’ll cover the good and the bad. I hope it helps if you’re thinking about buying one.
Bluetooth actually has poor sound quality
Wireless yet ultra-low latency, and it even works with devices that don’t support Bluetooth — hear that and you can’t help wondering how it works, right?
The design is apparently inspired by Horizon Zero Dawn, familiar from PlayStationIt comes in three colors: Shell Black, Ghost White, and Dark Side. Shell Black has a mirror finish with rainbow reflections, and Dark Side is matte black
Did you know Bluetooth doesn’t sound that good to begin with? As long as you’re connected over Bluetooth, there’s a ceiling on the audio you can send. That’s why true wireless earbuds are marketed with things like “amazing noise canceling” or “long battery life.”
Even the best quality is 48 kHz/24-bit, and at that level there’s quite a bit of lag — that’s Bluetooth’s limit
Technically aptX HD can do hi-res, but there’s a fair amount of lag... Fine for just listening to music, but it doesn’t work when you want high-quality sound for movies and such. On top of that, your devices need to support aptX HD, so the situations where you can use it are pretty limited right now.
Another catch is that both the sender and receiver need to support it. By the way, it doesn’t work on iPhone
So until now, if you wanted the best sound, it was wired, right? CYBERBLADE broke through that. The case has a chip inside that relays the transmission, so it can send nearly uncompressed audio with an ultra-low latency of 36 ms.
Putting a chip in the case and giving it a job beyond charging — brilliant idea...
Latency comparison: AirPods vs. CYBERBLADE
With this approach, it works whether or not your device supports aptX HD. It can even make a Nintendo Switch — which has no Bluetooth audio — wireless. Using the case as a relay greatly expands the devices you can listen to wirelessly and in high quality.
Just connect the case to a device with a USB-C cable and you can make almost anything wireless — amazing
It’s impressive that clever thinking got past a technical wall that Bluetooth earbuds couldn’t. It made me think, “I don’t need other wireless earbuds, but I do want CYBERBLADE.”
Lights, a volume knob — the case’s many tricks are a big draw
Practicality is well thought out too. The case can connect to game consoles and such on its own, but it also comes with a dock, so when you head out you can just toss it in your bag.
Great on the desk, great on the go — well thought out
When you get home, set it on the dock to charge and it connects to your computer or whatever, so you can use it as your desk headphones. And twist the case lid to adjust the volume! Adjusting volume on wireless earbuds is surprisingly annoying sometimes, so this feature is GOOD.
The knob and dock are well crafted down to the details and high quality — they make you want to use them!
If a call comes in while you’re connected to a computer or game console, double-tap the case lid and it switches to your phone so you can talk smoothly. I didn’t think I needed the lighting, but it’s pretty to look at, so I came to like it.
Some people hate glowing stuff like gaming PCs, but I don’t mind it... it adds some flair
Since the charging case has a real role, it doesn’t get lost somewhere around the house anymore either — it really felt carefully designed.
Noise canceling is a bit weak — but it’s nice that you can try it before buying!
What fell a little short was the noise canceling. Even with them in pretty snugly, it’s weaker than AirPods. It cancels ambient noise well, but voice frequencies don’t seem to disappear much. Then again, that means you can still respond when someone talks to you with noise canceling on, so this may come down to preference.
Everything in the box. It comes with both silicone and memory foam ear tips, so the better the fit, the better the noise canceling
The other concern is price. With all these features it’s natural, but at ¥52,000 (tax included) retail, it’s hard to justify. If it’s not a secondary pair like AirPods but replacing everything — desk, gaming, and going out — then I think it’s worth buying. AirPods Pro are ¥39,800 too, so I can’t help wishing the weak yen would end soon (wry smile).
Feature-wise it’s on par with wireless headphones for home use, so compared to those, the price may be reasonable
The price is a tough call, but the sound is clearly different — noticeably higher resolution, sharper. In Tokyo, it seems you can try it until the end of February, so I recommend trying before buying.
You can apparently try it at Futako-Tamagawa Tsutaya Electrics until 1/21 and at b8ta Tokyo – Shinjuku Marui until 2/28
The idea that you can use it not just with your phone but in all sorts of places at home is really fresh. Being able to hear game audio wirelessly with no lag might be pretty great — and it doesn’t get sweaty and it’s light. I’d especially recommend it for people who game a lot.
