The Vizio wireless headphones are finally trickling out to the various gadget blogs. Look for some updated product pages I would presume on vizio.com sooner or later. Nice to see these Avnera-based beauties make their way to retail. They sure look good don’t they?

Vizio VHP100 Wireless Home Theater Headphones | iTech News Net – Gadget News and Reviews.

As I’ve covered before here, the internet has caught wind from a recent press event by Vizio… so more details are now coming out. Specific coverage here of a particularly nice piece: VIZIO Unveils VHT510 5.1 Channel Wireless Sound Bar: BigPictureBigSound.

Full Vizio Press Release here.

SMSC builds upon their wireless audio team by acquiring STS. SMSC paid upwards of $25 million for $15 million in 2011 revenues.  Add to that what they paid for Kleer earlier this year, about $7.5 million, and you have about a $30 million dollar investment in a wireless audio baseband team, and an impressive client list… Creative, Sony, Samsung, etc… if only a modest revenue pipeline.

I of course can’t argue with SMSC’s interest in the wireless audio category. Just some wild ass guessing on my part, but their DTV/Blu-ray/STB line no doubt has led them in accounts to bump into STS architecturally over the past few years. Kleer’s technology can also yield some nice applications sitting alongside SMSC’s USB offerings that find their way into many a notebook/netbook, I suppose.

An innovative portfolio offering for advanced features will perhaps create a halo effect in the form of design win opportunities for the rest of SMSC’s line throughout the audio category helping them realize the “synergies” of these deals.

SMSC Announces Acquisition of STS – MarketWatch.

The linked press release (from CES) outlines the new line, which consists of three new soundbar systems:

• The entry level 2.0 (model: VHT200)
• The step-up 2.1 (model: VHT212) system with wireless subwoofer
• The premium, 5.1 (model: VHT512) with wireless subwoofer and wireless satellites

From the press release:

All of the 2.1 and 5.1 home theater sound bars and wireless headphones include support for High Definition Wireless Audio (HDWA) which lets users enjoy their home theater audio from anywhere in the home.

These wireless soundbar systems are compatible with a HDWA-compatible iPod dock that can be placed anywhere around the house, and a set of HDWA-enabled headphones (VHP100) with active noise cancellation.

It all might line sounds a little overwhelming, but once the info goes live on the website I am sure things will make more sense. I got a chance to play with the products last week, and their freaking cool.

Personally, I’m stoked about these because Avnera’s amps and wireless chips are riddled throughout, and good folks have been busting their behinds making them happen.

News and Press – VIZIO Launches New Lineup of High Definition Audio Products | VIZIO.

However, it seems that dark little example of an Apple-crafted failing user experience may well be fading into the past.

Because fast forward a product cycle and it’s apparent that the users of the iPhone 3GS (now arguably the most prevalent model) have never had to suffer like the 3G users.  I played around with the 3GS last week and the Bluetooth stereo audio protocol is significantly better than the 3G.  I mean, clearly, no argument.  Perhaps also equally noteworthy is that the iPad’s Bluetooth stereo audio seems to be the same quality as the 3GS.  So that’s something.

Now granted, if you consider an imaginary bar, let’s call it the “sounds-like-shit bar”, the 3G would reside below that bar, and the 3GS and iPad would reside above it.  Whether that bar is high enough for users to actually listen to the audio that resides above it and enjoy it at length, I’ll withhold my opinion, for it lies in the realm of the subjective.  Living below the sounds-like-shit bar however, I am telling you, leaves very little room for subjectivity.

Anyone who’s used a Polycom conference phone knows that sometimes big conference rooms need a little mic expansion, and sometimes it would be very nice if their expansion mics were wireless.  So very early on the Avnera and Polycom brain-trusts put two and two together.  As has been noted here many times, Polycom is one of Avnera’s earliest investors and they know their audio technology when they hear it. This accessory product, which works with select models that constitute a very large installed base, make sense where they make sense.  Of course, we used them daily at Avnera and they are the bomb.

Following in the footsteps of the Avnera AudioMagic-based products that’s have come before from FREETALK, Creative, Logitech, ASUS, and Plantronics – the Sound Blaster World of Warcraft Wireless Headset sports some seriously tweaked features as highlighted on Apple.com‘s product page:

• Uncompressed 2.4GHz wireless technology (ahem, the one we know and love)
• THX TruStudio PC sound technologies create unprecedented levels of audio realism with stunning surround effects, producing virtual speakers around, above, and below you (THX!)
• Customize your headset with the interchangeable headset lenses (WoW!)
• Oversized ear cups and padding for comfortable gaming even during extended sessions (hardcore gamer requirement)
• Morph your voice into different World of Warcraft characters and creatures with VoiceFX technology (huh? ok)
• Detachable noise-canceling microphone for clear, precise speech deliver
• World of Warcraft Audio Control Panel lets you personalize your headset and enhance your audio experience (tweak!)

The Sound Blaster offering is without a doubt the most differentiated and targeted product to be based on Avnera’s single chip solutions: one for the plug-and-play wireless USB-Audio adaptor and the other for the wireless stereo headset.  Each IC integrates all the core wireless, audio, and power management circuitry needed to make these products, but they also provided just enough interfaces, including a general purpose data sideband for wireless control and meta data, to allow vendors to build application enhancements like the backlit ear cups, and game controls of the WoW piece.

As the headline implies, it’s somewhat notable for followers of proprietary wireless audio technologies that this product made it’s way onto Apple.com, featured on Mac accessory pages of the Apple Online Store.  It’s gratifying to see a wireless headphone/headset product that isn’t Bluetooth penetrate the traditionally Bluetooth friendly Apple channel (and please correct me if there has been a counterexample I missed along the way).  Just goes to show you can’t keep a great technology and a killer user experience off the heads of consumers.  It just took a little feature innovation from the folks at Sound Blaster to get it over the hump.  Very nice!  Let’s hope it sells through at $159.99.

One of the best THX certified 2.1 speaker systems adds wireless convenience.  The original version of these ProMedias is one of my all time favorite 2.1 speaker systems.  The punch these babies offer is pure Klipsch goodness and now they get even better with the recognition that so many people want the flexibility to sit where they want with their laptops, not always within cord’s length of their speakers.

At $199, this is some pretty great value from a proven acoustic design.

and yes… Avnera is inside!