Sleek Audio LLC (“Sleek”) and G-Unit Brands, Inc. (“G-Unit”) have officially canceled their plans to develop products under the “Sleek by 50″ brand. In addition to the headphones, they’ve of course decided to cut ties between G-Unit and TV Goods, Inc, which would have been where video production took place for commercials and whatnot. Sleek is currently “re-evaluating” their over-the-ear headphones for a later date, while 50 and crew are more than likely thinking about how terrible it is not to have their own headphone line.

Meanwhile, the rumors continue to surround the rapper and his former good pal Dr Dre, the man credited on many fronts with bringing the currency-themed artist to the forefront some 10 years ago with his buddy Eminem. These rumors of hate between the tag team of Eminem and Dre vs 50 culminate at the music video “I Need a Doctor” which features a montage of Dre’s portages but fails to include 50, one of his biggest. What could it mean? Folks in the rap community are adamant that it means that Dre is kind of sort of peeved that his good buddy would attempt to take away any of his Beats by Dre market away with a 50 Cent headphones line.

The nerve!

Either way, no more 50 Cent headphones. Saddest day ever. Take a peek at the press release below and the “I Need a Doctor” video above for some bonus HP TouchPad and Pre3 action. You know you want it!

Sleek Audio and G-Unit Brands, Inc, 50 Cent’s Licensing Company, Cancel Plans to Develop Products Under the “Sleek by 50” Brand

Palmetto, Fl. XX, 2011 – Sleek Audio today announced the termination of the Brand License Agreement between Sleek Audio LLC (“Sleek”) and G-Unit Brands, Inc. (“G-Unit”), 50 Cent’s licensing company. In addition, the Brand License Agreement, including video production, between TV Goods, Inc, Sleek and G-Unit has also been terminated.

“We will be re-evaluating our Wireless Hybrid over-the-ear headphones at a later date. Currently we are working to bring our new, U.S.-made in-ear products to the market,” said Mark Krywko, CEO of Sleek Audio.

Sleek Audio is in production of the highly anticipated, U.S.-made SA6-R Wireless Hybrid earphone and award-winning SA7 earphone, which earned the Best of Innovations title in the headphone category at CES 2011. Sleek is also producing its acclaimed PRO Series comprised of hand-made, Wireless Hybrid custom earphones including the CT6 and all-new CT7.

The headphones will be both wireless and wired when you need them to be and will feature the company’s Kleer technology. Being a “Wireless Hybrid” the headphones will come with a wireless jack for cordless streaming, but will also feature a wired cable with microphone if you run out of power.

Music controls are done on the headpieces themselves with one controlling volume while the other controls play/pause features. No word was said on when we can expect these to be available but there was hints at the pair being priced around $350-$400.

As we’ve seen on previous Sleek Audio earphones, the company has been working with a military composite specialist (that’s also responsible for producing drones for the US government) to produce carbon fiber components, so we’re guessing this is the real-deal. Otherwise there’s not much to go on; we can’t see any physical controls, but that’s not to say they’re not lurking on the other ear-cup.

We’re catching up with Sleek later in the week and will hopefully find out all the details then, including pricing for the new Sleek by 50 Cent headphones.

The Sleek Audio 7 Hybrid headphones are constructed from military grade materials, including carbon fiber, aluminum, and titanium. And, if you’re someone who would prefer wireless over wired, or vice versa, these headphones will be able to do both, whenever you want.

According to BusinessInsider, if you detach the wires, the Hybrid headphones will be able to survive one cycle in the washing machine. That’s something that’s better left not tested, but we imagine that when the headphones finally find a release date, and make it into some consumer’s hands, it’ll be tested anyway. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing, but based on what we know the SA6 cost, which uses less prime materials, we can probably expect a price tag around $300.

Update: Sleek Audio has been in touch to clarify that the SA7 Hybrids aren’t, in fact, intended to survive a wash cycle, so don’t try that. Meanwhile pricing will be $399.99 without the wireless option.

[via BusinessInsider]

Unlike the plastic-bodied SA6 earphones, both the SA7 and SA6-R use the same solid aluminum core.  Around that core are bolted the shells: aluminum on the SA6-R’s (either brushed or a soft-touch blasted finish; what you can see in our photos are still non-final) while the SA7′s get custom carbon-fiber.  The latter is worth examining; it has the tightest weave of any carbon-fiber we’ve seen, and is in fact manufactured for Sleek by a military composite specialist responsible for producing drones for the US government.  Tricky to photograph, but it looks brilliant in real life.  The SA7′s get a dual armature driver to differentiate them from the single armature driver of the SA6-R’s.

As with the SA6′s, you can adjust the treble and bass response of the SA7′s and SA6-R’s using various tube and plug inserts as part of the company’s VQ System.  There are also various silicone tips (and you’ll still be able to get the CT6 Customs which are specifically molded to a cast of your ear canal) and you can detach the audio cables for easy replacement or to use the Kleer wireless system.

It’s too soon to say conclusively about audio quality, but our first impressions of the SA7′s are certainly positive.  We’re used to Sleek offering airy, twinkling high end frequencies paired with distinctive, clear bass (and you can tweak those, of course) but the new set seems even more precise.  We tried a broad range of musical styles – from classical through to pounding dance – and the real takeaway was the delineation of the different components of the audio.  Bass was powerful but wasn’t an overwhelming thump, coexisting well with other elements rather than drowning them out; mids and trebles, meanwhile, were piping clear and crisp.  The end result was more enjoyable music at quieter volumes (though that’s not to say the SA7′s can’t handle high power).

We’ll save anything more in-depth until review samples are available, which should be sooner rather than later: Sleek say the new sets are almost ready for release.  The SA6-R’s will be priced at roughly the same as the SA6′s they replace, around $200, while the SA7′s will be $350-400, still cheaper than rivals from Shure and others (and which are often made of plastic not metal).

As these new images show, the earphones use a similar ear-nozzle arrangement to the SA1‘s, though unlike Sleek’s entry-level set they also have the full VQ sound adjustment control.  This consists of various bass and treble ports and plugs, which can be used to emphasise different aspects of the audio depending on the type of music you prefer listening to.

We chatted to Sleek Audio yesterday, and they told us that in comparison to the SA6 earphones, the new SA7′s extend the treble range by a full octave, together with heaping on extra bass.  Prices are expected to come in at around $350 to $400.

Inside, meanwhile, there are dual balanced armature transducers wrapped in shock-absorbing silicone that can apparently resist up to 14,000Gs.  Whether you’ll experience that sort of shock in your general listening is a different argument, of course, but at least you won’t have to worry about dropping them in your bag and bumping them around a bit.

They’re also paired with the Kleer wireless system, though looking at the single photo above it seems Sleek have a new controller which has track skip buttons and other playback keys; that presumably means you’ll be able to control your PMP without having to whip it out of your pocket.  Expected pricing is apparently in the $350 to $400 range, with the Kleer system another $100 on top; look for them to hit shelves within the next few months.

[via Head-Fi and via Sleek Audio Facebook page]

Entering is quick and easy, and you can find out all the details in the competition forum thread here.  We’ll be announcing the winners tomorrow, so if you want to stand a chance head over and enter now!

The SA1 earphones are all about making high-quality audio more personal, with their VQ tuning system that allows you to tweak the treble performance according to your individual tastes, so we’re keen to find out what helped your music get personal. To stand a chance of winning a set of SA1 earphones, or the SA6 W-1 bundle, head over to this forum thread and let us know about your first portable music system. Maybe you were an early iPod adopter, or perhaps you rocked an old Sony Walkman and still long wistfully for the old days of cassette tapes.

Entries will be accepted until midnight EST on December 3rd, and we’ll be picking three comments at random: one to win the SA6 W-1 bundle and two to take away a set of SA1 earphones each. Full competition rules are below; good luck!

Rules

Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. Family members of Sleek Audio and SlashGear are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear forum thread; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. Entries should be submitted before midnight eastern time on December 3rd 2009; one entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winners will be announced on SlashGear and contacted via email (make sure to use a real email address!); they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, SlashGear.

Prize consists of one SA6 W-1 Wireless Bundle and two sets of SA1 earphones to be shared between three winners. There is no cash alternative. Should this prize become unavailable, SlashGear and Sleek Audio reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

The SA-1′s have a custom tuned 6mm dynamic driver, enclosed in a gorgeous, tapered Siam rosewood body.  It also has Sleek’s VQ Audio system, which in this case means a choice of two treble ports that screw into the earbuds; that way you can choose more or less treble depending on your tastes.

They also use the same connector as the rest of Sleek’s range, which means you can switch headphone cables more easily (they’ll offer colored cables in 2010, too) as well as plug in the company’s lossless-quality wireless audio system.  The Sleek Audio SA-1 headphones are available to order now, priced at $79.99, and should start shipping in the second week of November.

According to Sleek, the idea came from a DJ who wanted his CT6′s to be more noticeable while he was in the booth.  The Aura headphones glow in any dark environment, but the effect is apparently even more impressive near a UV “blacklight”.

As for the how the CT6′s sound, check out our full review from earlier this year.  The Sleek Audio CT6 Aura headphones are available to order now, in green, blue, purple, orange, white or yellow, priced at $374.99.

Press Release:

Sleek Audio Announces Another Product First with the CT6 Aura Wireless Compatible Earphones

Custom earphones that emit light through phosphorescent particles imbedded in the shell and top plate

Palmetto, Fl. September 16, 2009 – Sleek Audio, developer of the SA6 acoustically customizable earphone and recipient of Popular Science’s “Best of What’s New” award in 2008 has announced the newest option for their acclaimed custom earphones with the CT6 Aura.

The CT6 Aura utilizes the same audio technology as the CT6, but adds a new design feature that makes the custom earphones that much more unique. Using phosphorescent technology, the CT6 Aura earphones emit a powerful glow in a range of colors for those who don’t mind onlookers starring curiously at their ears during overnight flights.

“The CT6 Aura came about when a DJ asked us if we could make him earphones that glowed while he was working, we told him we’d look into it, and after some time playing around with different options we’ve developed some really cool new designs,” said Mark Krywko, CEO of Sleek Audio. “We worked hard to perfect the audio performance of the CT6 earphones, and now we’re just having fun with the countless customization options we can offer our customers. The CT6 Aura will perform the same as the standard CT6, they’re just a little more fun for those who want something new,” added Krwyko.

The CT6 Aura, like its SA6 in-ear earphone counterpart, can go from wired to wireless and back again thanks to its removable, swivel cables. Using KLEER™ wireless technology, the CT6 Aura’s offer unprecedented sound quality from a wired and wireless platform. It also offers ESC (Environmental Sound Control) eliminating up to 32dB of external noise.

“So far DJ’s have been showing the most interest in the CT6 Auara’s as they look pretty cool glowing in their ears in dark clubs and shows,” added Krywko.

Currently the CT6 Aura is available in the following color options: green, blue, purple, orange, white and yellow.

More information on the Sleek Audio CT6 Aura custom earphones and the process for obtaining ear impressions can be found at www.sleek-audio.com/products/CT6.

About Sleek Audio

Sleek Audio is a personal audio company dedicated to creating “music in tune with you.” Developers of the first ever acoustically customizable earphones, Sleek Audio is driven from decades of experience in the custom hearing aid and audio industry. Sleek Audio products are designed for high-performance use with all MP3players including iPod® and Zune®. For more information, visit the company website at www.sleek-audio.com.

If Apple isn’t your choice of platform, then we also unboxed HTC’s new flagship Windows Mobile smartphone, the Touch Pro2.  A slide-out QWERTY keyboard, huge touchscreen and more connectivity than you could legitimately ask for, we’ll have the full review this coming week. 

Meanwhile, we also reviewed Amazon’s latest ebook reader, the 9.7-inch Kindle DX.  Aimed at students, newspaper & magazine addicts and businesses, the big question is whether it offers a realistic leap over the Kindle 2 that’s around $100 cheaper.  Finally, we featured our review of Sleek Audio’s CT6 Custom earphones, individually molded to the wearer’s ear-canal and promising tailored audio. 

Elsewhere, we saw the Palm Pre jailbroken and running Doom, heard a glowing review of the Viliv X70 UMPC, and saw leaked details of Intel’s upcoming Atom CPU range.  There were also hands-on videos of Pixel Qi’s incredible 3Qi low-power display, leaked photos of Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X2, and confirmation that the Nokia N97 and N86 8MP were both arriving in stores across America.  Archos also held their long-awaited press conference, sadly not delivering the Android MID we’d been promised but dropping the Windows 7 Archos 9 UMPC instead.

We’ve had more than a few people ask where our CT6 review is, and we admit its been some time since our video unboxing (which you can also see below). What we’ve been tracking is the Customs bedding in, the single-We’ve also been using the Customs in a variety of situations, from airplanes to listening to MP3s and CDs, both at home or the office, and when out in public.

Both of Sleek’s products are special because they’re customizable, though of course they go about this in different ways. For the SA6s, you have the choice of several interchangeable bass and treble tubes which allow you to tweak the standard balance depending on your musical and sound preferences. In the case of the CT6 Customs, their unique tailoring comes from the fact that they’re individually made for a single wearer’s ears. Sleek took molds of our outer and inner ears, and from that their audio specialist Bill crafts two unique acrylic shells, inside which their signature single balanced armature drivers.

Other choices depend on whether you prefer the cable to hang down or flip back, over the top of your ear. Sleek will position the removable-cable port either high up on the CT6 or down closer to the bottom, depending on your preference. There’s also a broad array of colors and finishes, from clear through various transparent and translucent shades, to solid acrylics and even slightly glittering options. They’ll also print on a logo of your choice from an image file you send them; as you can see, we went with the SlashGear roundel.

Sleek will fettle the treble and bass of the CT6 Customs as you enjoy it – this is obviously easier if you’ve lived with the SA6s for some time, and can carry the “settings” over – but it’s a one-time decision. Still, given the relatively fiddly nature of the bass and treble tubes on the stock headphones, it’s unlikely you’d be wanting to change them all that often anyway.

Back in our Sleek Audio SA6 review, we praised the earphones’ sparkling treble, consistently warm and natural mid-range and thick, satisfying bass. Interestingly, the sound profile of the CT6 Customs is noticeably different, even though Sleek had made them to the same settings as we were used to with the SA6s.

Part of this is undoubtedly down to the longer sound tube, which extends further into your ear canal with the CT6 Customs. Sleek will make this either long, medium or short (ours fall in the middle), dependent both on your own preference and the results of your ear mold. Given the delicacy of the inner-ear, we’re pleased their team have a background in audiology to be able to advise on that.

That’s not to say the sound is disappointing; anything but. The mid-range manages to be clearer, smoother and more balanced than with the SA6s, stepping forward as a dominant frequency range rather than merely bridging the bass and treble as so often is the case. General vocals and instruments, whether the guitars of mainstream rock or the center section of an orchestra, are finely detailed. Meanwhile the treble – in our case with the “plus” tuning, so emphasized above the norm – sparkles as with the SA6s but with a new-found airiness that’s always on the right side of shrill.

The bass – which we also specified to Sleek’s “plus” setting – isn’t as grumbling as on some headphones we’ve tested, and if your preference is truly throbbing lower frequencies then the CT6s may not quite satisfy. That said, we can only comment on our own setup; talk to Sleek Audio and stress how much low-end you’d like, and they’ll probably be able to muster up some extra in-ear thumping. That’s the benefit of having not only custom earbuds but custom tuning, too. Nonetheless, the CT6s certainly aren’t a weak bass performer, and the overall impression is one of a very balanced mixture of mids, highs and lows that suit a broad range of musical styles.

Since we still had Sleek Audio’s wireless system in from our tests with the SA6s, we plugged it into the CT6s to see if we could notice any difference. Sleek’s wireless setup bypasses Bluetooth A2DP and instead uses technology by Kleer; that promises CD-quality lossless audio. The downside is that you’ll struggle to find a PMP or cellphone with a Kleer transmitter built-in, and instead have to use the supplied dongle.

For full details of the Sleek Audio Kleer wireless system, check out this review; in terms of the CT6 Customs, we could notice no difference between the cable supplied and when going wireless. Even better, the occasional habit of the Kleer receiver swinging at the back of your neck and tugging out an SA6 earbud was bypassed with the CT6 Customs, since they have such a good grip on your ears.

Durability is a tricky one to judge. The acrylic seems sturdy, though the curved inner-ear tubes make us a little more wary of dropping the CT6s into a pocket unprotected. While the hard case Sleek Audio provide is certainly impressive, it’s also not especially pocket-friendly, and we wish they’d thrown in at least a padded pouch that would cushion the earbuds during travel. Still, they’ve survived several plane journeys, knocked about while dangling from the top of a shirt, and there are no noticeable scratches or chips; even the logos are still clear and whole. We’re perhaps being over-cautious because we know that replacing the CT6s isn’t just a case of grabbing another off-the-shelf pair.

It’s their uniqueness that makes the Sleek Audio CT6 Customs less straightforward than the SA6s – or indeed any standard earphones – and which, along with the price, could put people off. Having to have impressions made requires a trip to an audiologist, and then there’s the delay in waiting for them to be crafted and delivered; none of this is easy-going in a world where we’re used to pretty much instant gratification.

Stick it out, though, and you’re rewarded with an excellent audio experience and superb fit. The SA6s did a good job of staying in our ears, but the CT6 Customs are another level of comfort and stability; these are earbuds you can jog, jump or somersault while wearing them, and you’d strangle yourself with the cable before they fell out of your ears. Invest in the Kleer wireless system and they’re even more wearable.

There’s no denying that they’re relatively expensive for earphones: $349.99 for the earphones, plus the cost – between $25 and $50, on average – of having impressions made. The Kleer wireless system is usually another $120, though buy it at the same time as the CT6 Customs and the lot comes to $449.99. For your money you’re getting not only custom molded earphones, as a fair few other companies offer, but custom tuning too. It’s the latter that would see us picking Sleek Audio over the other premium headphones offered; at $100 over the standard SA6s it’s a small price to pay for unique fit and sound.

Sleek Audio CT6 Customs unboxing:

Turning to PMA 2009, SlashGear’s resident photography genius Daniel Lim picked out the latest and most interesting from the US show. You can find all the announcements and content with the PMA tag, but highlights include our exclusive Lensbaby 0.42x Super-Wide Lens and Composer demos, sample shots and video demos of Panasonic’s Micro 4/3 DMC-GH1, hands-on time with the JVC “Everio X” GZ-X900 1080p camcorder, and sneak-peeks at Pentax’s X70 and the eminently-interesting Samsung NX hybrid DSLR.

It’s a hard week to grab headlines in, but Apple managed it with not one or two but five products in their range getting significant changes. The Mac Pro, Mac mini and iMac all came in for some upgrade attention, while the Time Machine backup system and AirPort Extreme Base Station both got a shot of simultaneous dual-band capabilities, among other things. That makes for a great week for Cupertino, only marred by the news that more than a few 17-inch MacBook Pro owners are experiencing ongoing visual problems with their new unibody notebooks, possibly due to overheating.

We’ve also had time for a couple of reviews and a video unboxing, with Clickfree’s HD325 and Transformer backup systems showing that safeguarding data needn’t be a headache, while the Pixelar E-Reader demonstrated that reading ebooks off a screen needn’t, well, be a headache either. Finally we unboxed the Sleek Audio Customs, a $300 set of custom-molded earphones that have a lot riding on them. Look out for our review this coming week.

Unboxing video after the cut

First-impressions of the Customs are good: they sound airier than the SA6 earphones, with seemingly increased clarity to the top end and fuller bass.  More immediately noticeable was the fit: as you’d expect, having been custom molded they slip into the ears and stay there, without feeling tight or restrictive; however neither do they ever feel like they’re going to fall out.  Considering I generally have problems getting earphones to stay in even when I’m sitting still (don’t get me started on Apple’s standard set), this is a huge improvement.

Obviously if the sound is lacking then you don’t want to keep wearing the earphones, no matter how good the fit, so Vincent and I will be testing out the Sleek Audio Customs over the next week or so to see just how much of a difference they make.  They’re certainly not a cheap impulse purchase, so they’ve a lot to live up to.

In cellphones, it looks like the Helio Ocean 2 is almost ready to ship, but it could be too little, too late now that the Palm Pre is catching all the headlines.  Latest Pre rumor is that Vodafone UK will be picking it up as an exclusive; for all the details on Palm’s new smartphone, check out this round-up post and then head over to Pre Community.

Meanwhile HTC aren’t going to go down without a fight, no matter what Palm bring to the table, and their leaked 2008 line-up looks pretty impressive.  There are also rumors that they’ve turned to NVIDIA’s 1080p-capable Tegra mobile chipset, which could help create some real powerhouse handsets.

In netbooks, we saw Sony’s VAIO P (and yes, okay, they’re not calling it a netbook, but it’s not getting its own entire paragraph for “Digital Lifestyle PCs”) unboxed, as well as heard rumors that HP are planning at least three new Mini models, one of which will have integrated 3G.  What might be even more exciting is if they used Intel’s upcoming Atom N280, the minor clock-speed bump of which comes second to its new, HD-capable GN40 chipset.

The “bad news of the week” award goes to Circuit City, though they’ll likely have to sell their mantelpiece in a liquidation sale.  Not far behind, however, go Google, Motorola, Seagate, Sanyo, NEC and Microsoft, all of whom have been hit by the economic crisis. 

Finally, we wrapped up our CES 2009 coverage, including a look at Wilson’s MobilePro Cellphone Amplifier (expect a full review very soon) and the sight of my ears being filled with pink gunk.  It’s all in the name of pro-audio, however.  Remember, you can check out our full show coverage by clicking on the CES 2009 tag; next month is Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Creating the moulds requires a little work, which needs to be carried out by an audiologist used to taking impressions.  Budget around $50 for that to take place.  As you can see in the gallery below, the ear is first checked for any health issues or blockages, then a small sponge on a cord is threaded into the canal; this can cause a little discomfort, as it passes the nerve which usually stops you from poking a Q-tip too far down.  Once in place, pink silicon gunk is squirted in to fill the canal, and then you just have to wait for five to ten minutes for it to set.

The Customs use the same mini-plug adapter as the SA6 earbuds, meaning they’re compatible with the same headphone cable, W-1 wireless adapter and any other future peripheral Sleek come out with.  They company has committed to using that same connector in all future products, meaning the planned high-end and entry-level earbuds will also be compatible.  You’re also able to choose from a range of colors and even custom logos, laser-etched.

Unfortunately delivery takes around two weeks from ordering, mainly because each set of Customs are made by hand.  Just as with the SA6′s they can tune the treble and bass to your preferences; however once tuned there’s no way to change it.  We’ll have a full review when they arrive – the sound quality is promised to be even more impressive, with better isolation to boot – so until then, enjoy seeing my ears covered with what looks like frosting.

Available in white or black, the DigiFi system comprises a transmitter – with a 3.5mm plug – that hooks up to your iPod, PMP or laptop, and a headset.  The industrial design is almost identical to Sleek Audio’s W-1 system, only the DigiFi earbuds are fixed rather than removable like the SA6′s.  Still, that means using the Digital Opera headset is likely to be very simple, just a case of hitting both buttons on the transmitter and receiver and waiting a second or two for them to synchronize.

DigiFi are suggesting you can see in excess of 10hrs of playback through the headset, with a 20HZ to 20KHz frequency range, 86dB signal to noise ratio and less than 0.1-percent distortion.  The short-range Kleer wireless has 2.37Mbps bandwidth and a range of up to ten meters

The DigiFi Digital Opera wireless headphones are priced at $98 each, and available now.  One transmitter can be used with up to four headsets, and anything based on Kleer technology – meaning the DigiFi, Sleek Audio and Sennheiser headsets – can be used interchangeably.

Remember, you can still win a Tokyoflash Radio Active Active Reactor watch – no longer available to buy – in our current giveaway, together with two runner-up prizes of any watch from the company’s current catalog.  Head over to the competition to find out how to enter, but do it fast – the closing date is Monday 29th December!

Apple carved out its usual little niche of news and rumor this week, starting with a system update (1056) then surprising everyone with confirmation that Steve Jobs wouldn’t be presenting at the next MacWorld and, from the year after that, neither would Apple at all.  Still, that hasn’t stopped the rumors as to what they might be announcing: a $499 budget Mac mini is one suggestion, together with the perpetual talk of a netbook.  SlashGear will be at MacWorld, live-blogging the keynote announcement, to bring you all the details as they happen. 

Less impressive was the MacBook trackpad driver update, intended to fix stability issues on Windows but falling pretty flat.  As for the iPhone 3G, it and its iPod touch PMP cousin are getting a new Metal Gear Solid game (but don’t get too excited, it’s really just a simple point-&-shoot) and the Dev Team are promising a 3G unlock by the end of the year.  Future graphics capabilities for the devices were also questioned this week, as Apple bought up 3.6-percent of mobile graphics experts Imagination.  Still, if it’s the current iPhone you’re after, it looks like you’ll be able to pick it up from Walmart come December 28th.

Elsewhere in mobile devices, Samsung confirmed it would be launching an Android-based smartphone in Q2 2009 for Sprint and T-Mobile USA, while Sprint themselves debuted the U300 dual WiMAX and EVDO modem.  Motorola’s 2009 line-up for Verizon leaked, suggesting the manufacturer may not have lost its design mojo after all, while Sling finally announced a release date – December 30th – for their BlackBerry SlingPlayer app.

In notebooks and netbooks, there was news at both ends of the scale.  NVIDIA and Qualcomm both demonstrated their ultraportable platforms, with the latter’s perhaps somewhat more ambitious, while Lenovo’s massive dual-display ThinkPad W700ds graphics workstation sucked the air from the lungs of designers all over.  Meanwhile Dell’s Studio XPS 13 teased with its part-leather casing (and gave hints to the MacBook Air-challenging upcoming Dell Adamo). 

Here at SlashGear, our HP Magic Giveaway found its winner, but don’t despair if you weren’t lucky: there’s still time to enter our two new giveaways.  If you’re in the market for a set of high-quality headphones, we’ve two of Sleek Audio’s customizable SA6 in-ear earphones – one with the company’s lossless wireless adapter – up for grabs.  Meanwhile, if it’s hands-free Bluetooth you’re looking for, how about six – that’s almost $900-worth! – of Plantronics’ Discovery 925 headsets?  We’re accepting entries up until midnight central time on December 23rd, so act fast!

Elsewhere, rumors have been ramping up about Microsoft’s possible entrance to the consumer cellphone market. According to the latest sources, an NVIDIA Tegra-based device blending Zune media capabilities and Sidekick messaging expertize is already in the offing. Codenamed ‘Pink’, there’s even talk of it making an appearance at CES 2009.

Something else finally hitting the stands at the start of next year is the Garmin nuvifone, the sat-nav company’s GPS-heavy touchscreen cellphone. Captivating when we first saw it, many months ago, has delay after delay robbed the nuvifone of its charm? Until then, we’ll sate ourselves with the Samsung Omnia SCH-i910, fresh to Verizon and reviewed by our good selves here.

Dell has done its bit to push higher-capacity solid-state storage into buyers’ reach, with the arrival of a $100 32GB SSD option on the Inspiron Mini 9 netbook. Meanwhile, Verizon pushed out a BlackBerry Storm OS update that, it’s hoped, will begin to change the tide of opinion claiming the touchscreen handset needed a few more trips through quality control before it was fit for public consumption. If you’ve got a Storm yourself, let us know how you get on with the new firmware.

In other reviews, Sleek Audio’s SA6 in-ear headphones only got better with the cord-snipping W-1 Kleer wireless system, while we found that Apple has tweaked the MacBook Air into what could be the finest ultraportable notebook on the market. We also revealed that SlashGear will be one of your fifty chances to win in the HP Magic giveaway: over $6,000 of top tech toys that would put an end to your desperate Christmas shopping.

You can see our video unboxing and initial gallery here.  Inside the box there’s the wireless transmitter, a 4 x 2.5 x 1.1cm box with a single button, LED and protruding 3.5mm stereo plug, together with the receiver unit.  That measures 6 x 2 x 0.8cm; roughly the same as three or four sticks of gum stacked.  It’s light, too, which is good as it sits at the back of your neck.  A single button and LED, just like the transmitter, are the main controls.  Under a narrow hatch on both there’s a narrow port to plug in the double-headed USB recharging cable, plus a very fiddly main power switch.

Setup is straightforward, as the two parts come ready paired.  Unplug the SA6 earbuds from the normal cable, then plug in to the 15cm wires on the receiver.  The transmitter goes into the headphone port of your PMP or cellphone (either directly or via the short extension cable if the port is recessed); hold down the power button on both parts and after around four seconds of blinking music starts streaming.

There’s little adjustment possible, none in terms of the sound – though you can obviously tweak the bass and treble in the SA6 earbuds themselves – and the only changes to be made on the wireless receiver is shortening the cables by pulling them back through the rubber flex guards.  The LEDs blink periodically to show the system is powered on, but it’s not bright enough to be a distraction.  After a short period of no sound both go to sleep to conserve power, and can be woken with a quick press of the main buttons.

Sound quality is pretty much indistinguishable from a wired connection in most scenarios.  Kleer supports wireless frequencies between 20Hz and 20KHz with less than 0.1-percent distortion; in practical terms, all the uncompressed and 320kbps tracks that sounded so fantastic with the wired SA6′s sounded just as full bodied and clear with the wireless.  Tested side-by-side with a number of different A2DP stereo Bluetooth headphones the SA6 wireless setup consistently outperformed the competition, with more detail and less distortion.

Battery life is rated between 8 and 15hrs continuous use, which seems a realistic prediction.  We’ve been using the wireless system frequently since it arrived, with the initial two-hour charge giving us roughly ten hours of listening.  Sleek Audio offer an AC adapter, but it’s not included as standard; however the USB cable will work with most USB adapters (5.7v, 750mA) that come with cellphones and other mobile devices, if your laptop or PC is not to hand.  Should the batteries expire, you can plug back in the standard cable and keep on listening, which is something not generally possible with Bluetooth headsets.

One of Kleer’s benefits is the ability to simultaneously pair up to four receivers to a single transmitter, meaning four people could listen in at once.  While we only had a single W-1 set to review, additional pairing looks to be an easy process.  Furthermore, it will work with any Kleer system, so if you buy products using the technology from another manufacturer they’ll be compatible.

Our main criticism would be the main power switches, which really demand the tip of a pen to flick.  In general use, though, you won’t need them; holding down the button on transmitter and receiver puts each into standby, with battery lasting around seven days.  Using the main switches extends that to up to three months.  Unlike Bluetooth there’s no remote profile for skipping/pausing/controlling volume from the headphones, either.

If you can’t tell by now, we’re huge fans of the SA6 Wireless W-1 system.  There’s no compromise demanded in cutting the cord: the lossless or high-bitrate tracks that were so time-consuming to encode aren’t mangled in the journey from PMP to ear.  Sleek Audio have promised that future earphones will be compatible with the current wireless system, meaning that if you upgrade to a set of custom molded earphones or one of the company’s planned ranges you’ll still be able to listen wirelessly. 

That’s a good thing, as Sleek Audio aren’t exactly catering to the budget end of the market.  The SA6 earphones in their wired state cost $249.99; the W-1 system is priced at $120.  Alternatively there’s a bundle including SA6 and W-1 for $320 (saving almost $50) or the W-1 and a set of custom earphones for $399.99.  That’s not cheap, no, but nor is it out of line for the sound quality, convenience and flexibility on offer.  Frankly, anyone who already has SA6 earphones would be a fool not to pick up the W-1 wireless adapter, and anyone in the market for a set of high-end wireless headphones should certainly have the Sleek Audio system on their shortlist.

Like the sound of the Sleek Audio SA6 earphones?  Interested in your own W-1 Wireless Adapter?  Stay tuned to SlashGear for the chance to win your own!

Meanwhile, Apple released firmware 2.2 for the iPhone, bringing with it Street View and over-the-air podcast downloads among other things.  Check out the full details of the upgrade here.  That release was followed in short order by QuickPwn for v2.2.  What the new firmware didn’t include was MMS messaging, but that might be arriving sooner rather than later if Mobispine have their way.

Microsoft launched the New Xbox Experience this week, but the update was mildly soured by the sudden disappearance of hundreds of Sony Pictures movies from Netflix.  Sony Pictures maintain it’s not an Xbox 360-specific problem, merely one of licencing, but if our commentors are anything to go by their protests are falling on deaf – or doubtful – ears.

ASUS’ Eee Top ET1602 had its official launch in Taiwan on Thursday, a 15.6-inch touchscreen desktop.  It’s the first of a range of similar all-in-one nettops, according to company CEO Jerry Shen, which they’ll need if they’re to compete with MSI’s just-revealed Wind Neton machines.

We’ve had a few exclusive unboxings this week, with Sleek Audio’s W-1 Wireless headphones adapter, the Nanovision MIMO UM-710 and UM-730 USB displays and Apple’s new late-2008 model MacBook Air all dropping into the SlashGear postbox.  We also took a hands-on look at HP’s Touchsmart tx2 multitouch Tablet PC.

Meanwhile in reviews the HP Mini 1000 netbook, those cute Nanovision displays and Samsung’s Behold all got put through their paces.  Finally we looked at HP’s xw6600 and xw4600 workstations and came away impressed: if you’d like to win the latter machine, make sure you check out our SlashGear HP workstation giveaway!  Good luck!

Unboxing video and gallery of the Sleek Audio Wireless adapter after the cut

The adapter comes in two parts, the transmitter which plugs into a standard 3.5mm headphone socket, and the receiver, which plugs into the SA6 earbuds instead of the standard cable. Also in the box there’s a USB charging cable (with two plugs, to simultaneously recharge both the transmitter and receiver), a short headphone extension cable and a suede-effect carrying pouch.

Battery life is an estimated ten hours from a full two hour charge, and the range is up to 60 feet. Four independent receiver units can be paired with the transmitter simultaneously, and Sleek are promising that the system will be compatible with any future products they release. As we said, it’s too soon to make any definitive statements about the Sleek Audio Wireless system, so check back soon for the full SlashGear review.

Unboxing Video:

Netbooks, meanwhile, had their share of attention, with Dell’s E Slim 12.1-incher breaking cover, Raon Digital adding SSDs to its Everun Note, Acer promising integrated WiMAX in the Aspire One sometime next year and ASUS suggesting a touchscreen Eee PC will rock their stand at CES 2009.  Right now, it’s the ASUS S101 that’s getting all the attention, but that could change once MSI’s business-focused U120 with 3.5G and sober styling hits the shelves.

In mobile devices, the BlackBerry Storm was finally announced for Verizon Wireless and Vodafone; check out our review roundup for all the details, then drool over the idea of the “Super BlackBerry” RIM are already working on.  We also had the first user-review of the T-Mobile G1, the debut of Google’s Android platform, at our sibling blog AndroidCommunity.  It was almost enough to cheer us up from the news that HTC won’t be bringing the stunning Touch HD to the US, citing engineering delays with the relevant 3G bands.

3G isn’t an issue for Sprint, though, as the carrier officially launched its 4G XOHM WiMAX network in Baltimore this week.  As well as all the details on pricing and network cards, SlashGear also brought you the latest WiMAX-integrated laptops from Lenovo, Acer, ASUS and Toshiba.

Finally, in reviews this week, SlashGear looked at PhoneTag’s voice recognition voicemail service, Ergotron’s Neo-Flex dual-lift LCD stand, and Sleek Audio’s SA6 in-ear monitor earphones.

Make sure to join us on Tuesday morning for the Apple MacBook event Live Blog: remember, that address is http://Live.SlashGear.com/

The wireless adapter plugs into the SA6 earphones instead of the standard cable; that means, if the battery runs down, you can switch back to wired and keep listening.  It also ensures that people who have already bought the SA6 earphones will be able to update to wireless without having to buy a whole new set.

Battery life is rated at up to ten hours, and since the transmitter plugs into a standard 3.5mm headphone socket it can be used with just about any PMP or source, with no impact on that device’s own battery life.  Range is up to 60 feet, and up to four wireless receivers can connect to one transmitter at any one time.

Mark Krywko, one of the Sleek Audio founders, also confirmed to SlashGear that the company is in talks with other high-end earphone manufacturers about using the wireless adapters.  The Sleek Audio Kleer wireless adapter is priced at $120, while a bundle with it and the SA6 earphones is priced at $299.99; we’ll be reviewing the system as soon as the first samples start shipping.

Press Release:

A New Standard is Set for Wireless Earphones; Sleek Audio Launches their KLEER Wireless Application for the SA6 and Sleek Customs

Music lovers are freed from the limitations of cords with Sleek Audio’s award winning earphones that offer CD quality digital audio for the ultimate wireless listening experience

Bradenton, Fl. October 08 – Sleek Audio, developer of the award winning SA6 earphones, has teamed with KLEER™, the leading wireless audio application developer, to create a wireless audio experience that sets a new standard for audio quality, comfort and flexibility.

Sleek Audio wireless earphones using KLEER technology are a breakthrough in sound quality from a wireless platform. They are the first to offer true, CD quality sound wirelessly through a customizable, ultra-wide balanced armature driver. No detail, range or power is lost as the audio signal travels from the music player to the earphones, allowing listeners to “escape” into their music like never before. They are also the first wireless earphones to resolve battery issues that other wireless systems struggle with. Previous wireless earbuds were rendered useless if the wireless application ran out of power and the listener was out of luck until they could recharge the battery. Thanks to the SA6’s detachable wire, if the wireless application runs out of battery, the original cable can simply be plugged in, and the listener is back in business.

“It’s amazing how far wireless technology has come along over the years. Until KLEER, wireless technology really did not do justice to our SA6’s, but now wireless technology has caught up with the audio side and we can offer wireless earphones that don’t sacrifice sound quality,” said Mark Krywko, CEO of Sleek Audio. “Our earphones are designed to evolve, and allow music lovers to escape into their music by offering unparalleled sound quality, comfort and ESC (Environmental Sound Control). Wireless is the next step in that evolution allowing for more freedom than ever. We’ve tested our wireless SA6’s with the most particular audiophiles we could find, and they couldn’t believe the quality of sound coming from our earphones using a wireless platform, we’ve really set the bar high and are excited to bring this application to music lovers around the world,” added Krywko.

The KLEER wireless system attaches seamlessly to all current and future Sleek Audio products thanks to the proprietary detachable cable that comes standard. It provides up to ten hours of battery life independent of the media player and allows up to four people to listen from a single audio stream with 60 feet of freedom thanks to KLEER’s multi-point Listen in™ technology.

“Sleek Audio really is a leading innovator in personal audio and after seeing (and listening to) what they had developed with their SA6 earphones we knew we were going to do some incredible work together as two leaders in our respective fields,” said Levent Gun, President & CEO for Kleer . “Sleek Audio really thought of everything when they created their SA6 earphones, and it made it relatively easy for a wireless application to be developed,” added Gun.

The wireless application is available for pre-purchase at www.sleek-audio.com and is currently adaptable to both the SA6 and Sleek Customs.

About Sleek Audio

Sleek Audio is a personal audio company dedicated to creating “Music in Tune with You.” Creators of the first ever acoustically customizable earphones, Sleek Audio are driven from decades of experience in the custom hearing aid and audio industry. Sleek Audio products are designed for high-performance use with all MP3players including iPod® and Zune®. For more information, visit the company website at www.sleek-audio.com.

About Kleer

Kleer is a fabless semiconductor company that has developed the first wireless audio technology to combine high quality audio and robust ISM band coexistence with low power consumption to address portable, home and automotive audio markets. Unlike Bluetooth, Kleer’s patented subsampling radio architecture was designed from the ground up to communicate lossless CD-quality digital stereo audio over a robust 2.4GHz radio link, while achieving 10 times the battery life of a comparable Bluetooth solution. Kleer’s Audio LP technology is ideally suited for OEMs of portable audio players, iPod® and other player accessories, home audio/theater systems, earphones, headphones, and speakers. Kleer distributes its products via direct sales in North America, and a distribution channel in Korea and Japan. The Company is headquartered in Cupertino, California with product development facilities in Ottawa, Ontario. For more information, contact the company at 19925 Stevens Creek Blvd. Suite 111, Cupertino, CA, 95014, Tel: 408-973-7255, Fax: 408-973-7256, Email: info@kleer.com, or visit the company web site at www.kleer.com

First impressions are good, with the SA6′s being smaller but no less sturdy than rivals from Ultimate Ears and other high-end earphone manufacturers.  There’s a fair amount to be explored in the foam-cushioned box: the earbuds themselves, pre-fitted with the medium silicone tips, neutral treble tubes and bass tubes, positive and negative versions of the treble and bass tubes, small and large tips and a removable 60-inch cable.  There’s also a hard-plastic carry-case, with a pull-out tray for the earbuds around which the cable can be wound, and two small tools for swapping out the different frequency tubes and cleaning inside the silicone tips.  A seemingly late addition to the package is a pair of “extended high frequency” treble tubes.

Build-quality of the earbuds themselves is high, with the silicone tips fitting snuggly and the treble tubes almost too tight until you reach for the specially-designed tool.  My only point of concern is the bass plug design, which I feel slips out a little too easily.  Sleek do sell the bass ports and treble tubes separately – at $12.50 for each set of three – together with the ear tips at $9.99, but I’d rather not have to buy a full array just to replace a single dropped piece.

The detachable cable is a neat touch, though, paving the way for the wireless system (which will sit around the back of the neck) and offering a relatively inexpensive ($24.99) replacement should you accidentally sever the wire.  Currently only a black, 48-inch long cable is available (with gold-plated plugs at either end) but Sleek apparently plan on offering different colors and sizes, and even custom-lengths.

In the ear, the range of tip sizes means you’re far more likely to find a fit that’s both comfortable and secure.  While the images may make the SA6′s look large, there’s actually little to be seen once they’re in-place; the plug-in design of the cable also means you can choose whether to let it hang down or swivel up and back over your ears.

Sleek Audio recommend that you avoid immediately swapping out the frequency-neutral tubes and instead re-listen to old favorite tracks to get a better idea of what you want from your music.  On first play, with tracks from Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black encoded at 192kbps, I was a little disappointed.  Yes, the sound was clear and certainly loud enough, but there was none of the sparkle company co-founder Mark Krywko had promised.

Instead, I had to do a little footwork first: re-ripping the album at 320kbps.  The change, even with the standard tubes, was obvious.  Balanced across the board from bass through to treble, to my tastes it lacked a little momentum in both the low and top ends, but details were still clear and defined.

Shifting up a gear to tracks encoded in lossless formats brought another tidal-wave of quality.  Now the definition observed in the 320kbps tracks was even cleaner, still without particular highlighting to the treble or bass but each tiny detail was noticeable and each instrument – played or vocal – felt like it had its own audio space.

It’s difficult to qualitatively test and explain audio performance, not least because everybody’s interpretation varies of what a track should sound like.  Of course that’s where the SA6′s come into their own: the ability to flip out the treble and/or bass tubes and tune the earphones to your personal tastes.  With the supplied three bass plugs and three treble tubes – each marked plus, neutral or minus – there’s plenty of scope for emphasizing whichever aspect of the audio you prefer.

Swapping out the bass plugs to the minus option left me a little cold, with audio sounding top-heavy and over-vocalized.  The crunchy basslines and much of the rhythm was lost, in a setup unsuited to the sort of music I was testing with.  Slot in the plus tubes, however, and it was a revelation; thick, satisfying bass which manages both clarity – in reproducing the individual beats and doing so quickly – and texture.

The alternate treble tubes are similarly effective in changing the audio, although in perhaps a different way.  With the minus set the clarity and note differentiation weren’t lost, merely the frequencies more subdued leaving the mid-range and bass to occupy the space.  The plus set, meanwhile, really brought out that sparkle I’d been promised, and even more so with the new extended frequency tubes; in fact, when I switched briefly to some instrumental classical music, the higher strings and woodwind was almost too defined with the new tubes, and worked far better with the equal or basic plus tubes.

Consistent throughout is the mid-range, pretty much unaffected by whichever bass or treble tubes you select.  Vocals sound natural and just tipped over to the warm sound, adding up to something particularly listenable.

With my tastes obviously leaning toward the plus-marked tubes, I did wonder in passing what the purpose of all this flexibility was – why not just fit those options as standard?  Of course, your ears will be different to mine, your tastes different and your musical choices different too.  If I spent my days listening to string quartets I’d probably have come to a different decision. 

There’s also a lot to be said for the journey of finding which setup is your favorite; while I may not have settled upon the other bass and treble options, they did highlight different aspects of the music that previously I hadn’t noticed.  That increased familiarity has left me a more contented, interested listener.  It can be a safer experience, too; the balance of frequencies mean subtle aspects of the track don’t get lost among the power, so the overall volume can be lower and less risk of damaging your ears.

Ironically, Sleek Audio have now given me a lot of homework to do: re-ripping all of my CDs as lossless tracks.  Previously, with the aftermarket Sony earphones that were my daily drivers, I couldn’t notice any significant difference between middling bitrates and higher; the SA6′s have motivated me to go back, re-rip and see what other musical details I previously overlooked.

Best of all, with the start of Kleer wireless pre-orders, Sleek Audio have dropped the price of the wired SA6 earphones.  What once would cost you $249.99 can now be had for $209.99; perhaps not “cheap”, but for what you get – in terms of build quality, customization flexibility and, most of all, sound quality – it’s a bargain.

We’re waiting for the first wireless adapters to ship so that we can try them out with the SA6′s; given the quality of sound reproduction I’m now used to, they’ll have a lot to live up to.

In netbooks, ASUS slipped in a few new models at both the low and high-end of the market, with the Eee PC 900HA and 904HA offering bargain 160GB storage while the S101 corners the more-fashionable (and expensive) end.  That’s a niche the ASUS N10 already occupies; that netbook ran the review gauntlet this week, proving “technologically clever” but simply too expensive.  ASUS – and MSI, whose Wind U90 was panned too – must be looking enviably at Gigabyte’s M912M convertible touchscreen netbook, which was good enough to pull a credit card from the wallet of one reviewer.

Moving from small screens to large, Panasonic wheeled out their 150-inch plasma prototype and promptly gave every child within a forty mile radius square eyes.  At $140,000 it’s even more expensive than the new Lamborghini Estoque concept – the company’s first four-door saloon, and a 170mph one at that – I know which I’d prefer.

On smaller wheels, but then with a smaller price-tag, WowWee’s Rovio WiFi robot came out shining in reviews this week, and could just be the toy to beat come the holidays. 

In cellphones, Nokia finally debuted their S60 Touch OS in the shape of the 5800 XpressMusic.  A touchscreen multimedia device with HSDPA and, from next year, Comes With Music – offering unlimited audio downloads for 12 months – it’s not going to challenge the iPhone but the consensus is that it’s a sign of good things to come from the Finns.

Speaking of good things to come, how about Denon’s flagship SACD player?  It looks to be hewn almost from solid aluminum and should have equally reliable audio performance.  Less convincing is the recently-leaked Amazon Kindle 2 ebook; has the retail giant taken a step backward with ergonomics, in mistakenly chasing aesthetics?

SlashGear also brought you an interview with the Sleek Audio guys, on the eve of their lossless wireless system; we’ll have the full review of their SA6 earphones this coming week.  We also featured a hands-on report of ShopSavvy, the award winning Android app running live on the T-Mobile G1.  Finally, because it’s always fun to see expensive things falling great heights, check out this Samsung SSD drop-test demo.  A three-story fall and yet it still works?  I’m not sure we could say the same about anything else from this week.

Sleek are the new kids on the in-ear block; both Mark and Jason come from a background in the hearing-aid industry, with over 35 years experience between them.  The company currently has just one product, the $209.99 SA6 in-ear earphones, the acoustic chambers of which took a full year of development.  Sleek worked with a high-end speaker manufacturer to develop a custom designed single driver, in fact the most expensive driver currently made.  That, together with their expertise in earpieces, adds up to between 27 and 40dB noise isolation (compared to 15-20dB from active noise cancelling over-the-ear headphones); since every ear is unique, the Krywkos added ‘VQ’, Variable Equalization, letting users finely tailor bass and treble responses in the earphones themselves.

The SA6′s were met with incredibly positive response, and spurred Sleek on to offer custom earbuds using the same moulding techniques that are used in hearing aids.  With these, users can expect 40-42dB noise reduction which, as Jason explained, means they can turn down the volume and be less at risk of ear damage.  They also offer a broader frequency range; “extra shimmer” at the extremes, as Jason put it.

Of course, the trend recently has been to go cable-free, and Sleek have been investigating possible wireless options for more than twelve months.  Bluetooth and the stereo A2DP profile were an obvious option, but the distinct loss of audio quality – Bluetooth has the same dynamic frequency range as FM radio – and poor battery life were unacceptable compromises.

In contrast, Kleer were offering CD-quality audio, much better battery performance, and ranges several times that of Bluetooth.  The Sleek Audio wireless adapter has a battery life of around 10hrs, plugging into whichever iPod, PMP or other device you choose and making no power demands on it.  In recent tests, indoor range – with multiple walls in-between – reached 45 to 50 feet with no loss of sound quality.  Total unimpeded range is listed as 60 feet, and up to four wireless adapters can pair with one transmitter.  Jason described a recent high-end audio show in Miami in which the wireless SA6 setup coped admirably despite a show-hall full of EMI.

The Sleek wireless system, then, plugs into the SA6 earphones to replace the usual cable.  Although that may not be as minimalist as, say, Sennheiser’s MX W1 earphones, each earbud of which is entirely wireless, it does keep prices down and make the system backward compatible to existing SA6 owners.  Jason suggested a fully wire-free setup would have cost buyers anything from $500; the upcoming bundle, including wireless and a pair of SA6 ‘phones, will set you back between $275 and $299 (pricing is not finalized).  The wireless system on its own will be priced at $120, and is available to preorder now.  Keeping it modular also means Sleek can offer a Bluetooth option in the future if, that is, customers want it.

Exclusively, Mark and Jason confirmed with SlashGear that they are working on a new, less expensive version of the SA6 that Sleek will release before the end of the year.  That will be followed in 6-8 months by new set of higher-end earphones, slotting in above the SA6.  Each of the earphones will use the same connectors as each other, meaning that no matter which version buyers choose, they’ll be able to take advantage of Sleek’s Kleer wireless system.  Mark also confirmed that the company is also in talks with other high-end earphone manufacturers about using the Sleek Audio wireless adapters.

Given the acquisition of Ultimate Ears by Logitech back in August, I asked Mark and Jason what they thought about the state of the independent earphone market.  They described the buy-out as an example of strength of the in-ear headphones market, but also a sign that people are beginning to recognise the quality of sound possible from PMPs.  Sleek admit that, if all you listen to are 128kbps MP3s, you’ll probably not see the point of the SA6′s – wireless or not – however encode at a higher bitrate and with good-quality in-ear earphones you can be hearing detail that previously would have demanded speakers costing many thousands of dollars.

Of course, many would say that $200+ is still plenty to pay for a set of earphones, so we’ve been testing the SA6′s and should have the full review later on this week.  We’ll also be testing out the Sleek’s wireless system once the first units make it out to reviewers, so stay tuned!

Kleer technology was first made available in Sennheiser’s MX W1 earphones, which closely resemble the initial reference design Kleer developed.  They carry a $600 price tag, however, which is why audiophiles were interested to see DigiFi’s Digital Opera system, while launched at the beginning of last month, that introduces Kleer at a much lower, $98 price-point.

It’s uncertain how the Sleek Audio implementation will work, whether a small wireless adaptor for existing SA6 earphones (the cable section unplugs from each) or a brand new set.  According to Sleek, the product will be available sometime in Q4 2008, with pricing details disclosed then.

“With Kleer, wireless technology has finally caught up with the level of quality our earphones provide, and our first demo of our wireless SA6’s at CanJam2008 received incredible reviews. It’s great when audiophiles are blown away, that’s when you know you’ve really done something special” Jason Krywko, VP, Sleek Audio

Edit: Sleek Audio have been in touch, to confirm that the Kleer wireless adaptor will plug into the existing SA6 earphones.  That means current and new owners will be able to use the system, and if the batteries run out then you can revert to using the cabled connection.