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Sound Advice: Noise-canceling headphones and CES 2026 update

Don Lindich, Tribune News Service on

Published in Entertainment News

Q. I need wireless headphones for use on airplanes. I bought two brands so far and returned them both because they were unsatisfactory. I am looking for comfort and most importantly, excellent noise canceling. Sound quality is not that important and I am willing to spend up to $300.

—J.B., Beverly, Massachusetts

A. This is easy to answer, and my recommendation is well under $300. Despite the low $99.99 price, the Soundcore Space One has some of the most effective noise cancellation I have ever experienced. The noise-canceling technology and hardware is very advanced, and things become eerily quiet when you put them on. They are very comfortable and sound excellent with music, and reproduce very clear vocals and dialogue when watching in-flight entertainment. The optional app allows you to customize the sound and noise canceling to your taste.

I have recommended them for several years now and those taking me up on the recommendation have been universally happy. I'm sorry you've gone through two pairs of headphones already, but I think the third time will be the charm with the Space One. Until Feb. 13 you can save 20% with the code SpaceOne20 at soundcore.com, making them only $79.99. While supplies last a $36.99 case is also bundled for free, making it an even more exceptional bargain.

Q. Are there headphones that cancel noise without having to listen to music or anything else?

—P.M., Pittsburgh

 

A. Almost all noise-canceling headphones do this. Some past headphone models did require some kind of connection for the headphones to turn on and the noise canceling to work, but with those you can use a dummy headphone plug to activate the noise cancellation.

CES 2026 updates: I saw lots of great things at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, held from Jan. 4 to Jan. 9 in Las Vegas. Over the next few weeks I will report on notable products and news from the show, starting with exceptional televisions meant for the very well-heeled.

Loewe return to the United States: Back in the early 2000s when I first started writing this column, ultra-high-end German manufacturer Loewe sold some of the best and most expensive widescreen tube TVs on the market. One of my early mentors, Lafe D., raved about them and I always took his word as gospel. Besides his endorsement, the picture sure looked great, too! These Loewe CRT TVs are still sought out by gamers to use with vintage video game systems.

After a long hiatus, Loewe televisions will again be offered in the U.S. through luxury A/V retailers. I was able to see several Loewe Stellar series televisions at the show. If I was a multimillionaire who could easily spend $39,525 to buy a 97-inch OLED TV handmade in Germany out of beautiful, bespoke materials, I would definitely buy one. From the moment I saw it I dreamed of watching football in my living room on that huge, gorgeous TV. One of the demo televisions was mounted on a sharply styled metal pole stand. You can rotate the stand-mounted television with the remote control, for perfect viewing no matter where you sit. I tend to be skeptical of extremely high-end products with stratospherically high prices, but if you have the means and desire to own the best and want to stand out from the crowd, Loewe could be your television. Smaller, less expensive models are also available and the modular design is designed to be serviceable, not disposable, an environmentally and consumer-friendly philosophy that will hopefully keep your luxury TV in service as long as those vintage Loewe CRT sets. loewe.tv

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