Audeze, the maker of very fine headphones, now has the Audeze Filter. Filter is an unusual name for a very unusual new and modern device; it is the company's first non-headphone product. Filter combines many new technologies into a lightweight portable, battery-powered, Bluetooth-enabled speakerphone.
When folded flat the Audeze Filter measures 76mm W X 152mm tall and only 11mm thick—about the size, dimensions, weight, and "feel" of a regular smartphone. Filter's bifurcated design allows its touchscreen controller to lay flat on your desktop or table while Audeze's flat 70mm by 105mm planar magnetic speaker is aimed at the person(s) using it.
Also aimed with the speaker are the two microphones used for "beam forming" their pickup pattern; it's adjustable from Off (or omnidirectional) to 30, 90, or 180-degrees of pickup. This is adjustable via the touchscreen panel or the free app. I especially liked the way I could "audition" the pickup by recording and playing back a short (10 seconds) audio clip to try different patterns. Since Filter is a speakerphone, setting the width of pickup as narrow as required increases intelligibility for the person(s) on the line you're talking with. This becomes especially important in overly live-sounding offices spaces.
The beam forming technology combines with a Deep Neutral Network-based noise cancellation system "trained" with over 500,000 noise samples to reduce annoying background sounds effectively. I have been trying all three levels of noise cancellation—again using the record/audition/playback function for weeks now and it works!
Audeze's new Filter lightweight portable, battery-powered, Bluetooth-enabled speakerphone is a modern way to use a speakerphone. I don't use my iPhone without it. The Audeze Filter sells for $250 MSRP and comes with a deluxe carrying pouch and complete instructions and free app.
