Bang & Olufsen Unveils the $1,549 Beoplay H100 Headphones with Premium Upgrades

Renowned for its luxury audio offerings, Bang & Olufsen (B&O) has consistently delivered high-end designs paired with premium pricing. While the brand's earbuds and headphones often come with a hefty price tag, their latest release sets a new benchmark. Introducing the Beoplay H100, B&O's flagship noise-cancelling headphones, which come with a price tag of $1,549. Following the success of the $999 Beoplay H95, the company claims the H100 brings significant enhancements to their most successful headphone model to date.

The Beoplay H100, like many of B&O's products, is meticulously crafted using top-tier materials. From lambskin leather ear pads to aluminum accents and knitted cloth, the attention to detail is evident. A standout feature is the scratch-resistant glass touch interface on the ear cups, adding a touch of elegance. Drawing inspiration from fine jewelry, the headphones are available in black, sand, and apricot color options, each blending the sleekness of aluminum, the softness of leather, and the cool feel of glass to achieve what B&O calls "design excellence." Additionally, the inner headband and ear pads are detachable, allowing for easy replacement if they become worn over time.

The Beoplay H100 takes cues from the Beolab 90 speaker, featuring 40mm drivers that deliver sound clarity and dynamic performance typically found in high-end loudspeakers. The headphones support high-resolution audio, capable of playing 96 kHz/24-bit tracks, and include Dolby Atmos with head tracking for an immersive experience. B&O's adaptive audio technology, EarSense, adjusts the sound profile in real-time based on the fit of the headphones. Moreover, the H100 boasts twice the active noise cancellation (ANC) power of its predecessor, utilizing 10 microphones to enhance its best-in-class transparency mode. A unique dial on the ear cups allows users to fine-tune the level of TrueTransparency, while a Quick Listen mode enables instant awareness of surroundings without fully disabling transparency.

Bang & Olufsen has long emphasized longevity in its product designs, and the Beoplay H100 is no exception. The headphones are engineered for easy servicing and future-proofing, with quick access to critical components like batteries, glass surfaces, drivers, and circuit boards. B&O assures that the software will remain up-to-date with future innovations, including features like wireless high-resolution audio and three-device multipoint Bluetooth connectivity.

Like the AirPods Max, the Beoplay H100 enters a low-power mode when not worn but remains outside its case, ready for use for up to 90 days. When stored in the case, the headphones completely power off. Battery life is robust, offering up to 34 hours of playback with ANC enabled, though this is four hours less than the more affordable H95.