

JVCĪt the bottom of the left earpiece, you can see the Setup jack and Input button. Audio encoded in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X is reproduced in the headphones as 7.1.4, and the processor also upmixes 2-channel and 5.1 audio to 7.1.4. Speaking of inputs, the processor provides three HDMI inputs as well as an optical digital-audio input and stereo analog-audio input with left and right RCA jacks along with one HDMI output. This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best headphones, where you'll find reviews of the competition's offerings, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product. According to JVC, it is capable of transmitting audio frequencies from 12Hz to 24kHz from any of the digital inputs (assuming a sampling frequency of 48kHz). Communication between the processor and headphone uses a proprietary, dual-band 2.4/5.0GHz wireless protocol. The headphone is circumaural (around the ear) with soft, thick earpads and a padded steel headband.

The XP-EXT1 includes a wireless headphone and separate processor that’s fairly small and lightweight, measuring 10.5 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches (WxLxH) and weighting only 18.7 ounces. This graphic from the Exofield webpage indicates that listening on the Exofield headphones is just like listening to a 7.1.4 speaker system.

More recently, I reviewed the new Sony 360 Reality Audio technology. The effect was so good, I took the headphones off to be sure I wasn’t hearing the speakers, which were completely silent. I clearly remember sitting in the middle of a surround-sound speaker array and wearing headphones while listening to a soundtrack.
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My first experience with it was a demo of what would become Dolby Headphone more than 20 years ago. Headphone virtualization-processing audio for playback on headphones so it sounds like it’s coming from different directions outside your head-is nothing new. Unfortunately, I found that it doesn’t fully live up to that claim. The first Exofield product, the XP-EXT1, is said to create an immersive soundfield in its proprietary headphone that’s equivalent to a 7.1.4 speaker system. JVC has entered the headphone-virtualization space with its Exofield Theater technology.
