OpenAI has launched three new audio models in its Realtime API, and they are a big deal for anyone building voice-powered apps. The three models are GPT-Realtime-2, GPT-Realtime-Translate, and GPT-Realtime-Whisper.
Together, they move voice AI beyond simple back-and-forth responses toward something that can understand you, take action, and keep up with a real conversation.
If their demo is anything to go by, we have just seen the next evolution in how voice AI models work.
GPT-Realtime-2 is the headline act. It brings GPT-5-class reasoning to live voice interactions, meaning it can handle harder requests without dropping the thread of the conversation.
It can call multiple tools simultaneously and even narrate what it’s doing with phrases like “checking your calendar” or “let me look into that.” It also has a larger context window of 128K tokens, which means longer, more coherent sessions. Developers can even adjust the reasoning effort based on the complexity of the request.
GPT-Realtime-Translate is probably my favorite. It’s the closest we have come to having Star Trek’s Universal Translator in real life. It supports live speech translation across 70+ input languages and 13 output languages.
The best part of the demo was that even when a new person joined and spoke a different language, GPT-Realtime-Translate had no issues in translating both speakers into English in real time.
Finally, there’s the GPT-Realtime-Whisper. Most speech-to-text models wait for the speaker to finish before providing the full translation. This one is a streaming transcription model that converts speech to text as the speaker talks. It is useful for live captions, meeting notes, and any voice-powered workflow where waiting for a transcription is not an option.
Currently, OpenAI has released these models for developers. But the apps they build will affect everyone. For example, a developer can build a real-time translator app, allowing users to converse with people in different languages.
Many companies are already testing these new models. Zillow is building a voice assistant that can search homes and schedule tours from a single spoken request. Priceline can check your flights and hotels, cancel them, and book new ones. Vimeo is using it for real-time transcription, and so on.
Pricing starts at $0.017 per minute for Whisper, $0.034 per minute for Translate, and $32 per 1M audio input tokens for GPT-Realtime-2.
Zelda fans have long hoped for a way to play Twilight Princess on computers without dealing with emulators. Yesterday that hope became reality when the team at TwilitRealm released Dusk, a native port built from the ground up for modern systems.
Access starts by visiting twilitrealm.dev or the project’s GitHub release page. You download the files and then obtain a copy of the game’s Gamecube version, which might be either North American or European. Once everything is set up on your desktop or laptop, or even your phone or tablet, the journey begins.
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Visually, the game appears much sharper right away, as the port removes all of the constraints of the original hardware. Resolutions far above what the GameCube could handle, and frame rates increase to match. But here’s the thing: the game environment continues to refresh at the same rate as before, so you won’t notice any strange behaviour with jumps or puzzles. The port, however, fills in extra frames by estimating where objects will travel next, which is similar to how many large modern games do. The end effect is motion that’s as fluid as silk, with no need to think about the underlying gameplay.
In terms of controls, they feel spot on whether you’re using a keyboard or a gamepad. We’ve also added complete support for gyro aiming if you’re using a suitable controller, and Steam Deck owners will be pleased to know that the game is easy to play straight out of the box. There are additional options for adjusting the gameplay to your preferences. Some people will wish to speed up the climbing, while others will prefer to skip extended conversations or compress the transitions between being human and wolf. You can even change the time of day on the fly with the Sun’s Song.
If you’ve had any experience with PC gaming, getting everything set up is a piece of cake, and the port can now run pretty much anywhere because it’s no longer limited by console power. Cross-platform design ensures that the same files work on whichever device you’re using, thanks to something called Aurora. Mobile play is now on the table, which is fantastic news for anyone who enjoys playing on the go. Speedrunners will be pleased to know that the core timing is exactly the same as the console version, down to the last tick.
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The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has given U.S. federal agencies four days to secure their networks against a high-severity vulnerability in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) that has been exploited in zero-day attacks.
Tracked as CVE-2026-6973, this security flaw allows attackers with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary code remotely on systems running EPMM 12.8.0.0 and earlier.
In a Thursday security advisory, Ivanti told customers they can secure their appliances by installing Ivanti EPMM 12.6.1.1, 12.7.0.1, and 12.8.0.1, and advised them to review accounts with Admin rights and rotate those credentials where necessary.
“At the time of disclosure, we are aware of very limited exploitation of CVE-2026-6973, which requires admin authentication for successful exploitation. We are not aware of any customers being exploited by the other vulnerabilities disclosed today,” it said.
“The issues only affect the on-prem EPMM product, and are not present in Ivanti Neurons for MDM, Ivanti’s cloud-based unified endpoint management solution, Ivanti EPM (a similarly named, but different product), Ivanti Sentry, or any other Ivanti products.”
Nonprofit security organization Shadowserver now tracks over 800 Ivanti EPMM appliances exposed online. However, there is no information on how many have already been patched against the CVE-2026-6973 vulnerability.
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On Thursday, CISA added the security flaw to its list of vulnerabilities exploited in attacks and mandated that federal agencies patch their EPMM systems by midnight Sunday, May 10.
“This type of vulnerability is a frequent attack vector for malicious cyber actors and poses significant risks to the federal enterprise,” CISA warned.
In late January, Ivanti patched two other critical EPMM security issues (CVE-2026-1281 and CVE-2026-1340) that were exploited in zero-day attacks affecting a “very limited number of customers.” On April 8, CISA also gave U.S. government agencies four days to secure their systems against attacks targeting the CVE-2026-1340 flaw.
“If customers followed Ivanti’s recommendation in January to rotate credentials if you were exploited with CVE-2026-1281 and CVE-2026-1340, then your risk of exploitation from CVE-2026-6973 is significantly reduced,” the company noted on Thursday.
Ivanti provides IT asset management solutions to over 40,000 clients worldwide, supported by an extensive network of over 7,000 partners.
AI chained four zero-days into one exploit that bypassed both renderer and OS sandboxes. A wave of new exploits is coming.
At the Autonomous Validation Summit (May 12 & 14), see how autonomous, context-rich validation finds what’s exploitable, proves controls hold, and closes the remediation loop.
Security researcher Andreas Makris recently outlined exploits that could allow hackers to hijack thousands of Yarbo lawnmowers sold across more than 30 countries. According to Makris, all units ship with a preinstalled backdoor capable of exposing owners’ private information, and the vulnerability cannot currently be disabled.
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Vinyl is not exactly crawling back from the grave anymore. It bought the building, raised the rent, and put a line around the block. In 2025, U.S. vinyl record revenue surpassed $1 billion, according to the RIAA, and Record Store Day 2026 just reminded the industry that people are still willing to get up early, stand in line, and fight politely over limited-edition pressings like civilization is hanging by a spindle.
That momentum also explains why turntable accessories matter more in 2026 than they did a decade ago. With more new turntables, cartridges, phono stages, cleaning tools, and vinyl playback systems hitting the market, Audio-Technica is aiming at the part of the hobby that too many new listeners still overlook: proper setup.
Founded in 1962, the Japanese brand has built its reputation across headphones, microphones, turntables, and cartridges, and its latest accessories are designed to help users dial in cartridge alignment, confirm turntable speed, and get better performance from the records they already own. Because buying records is only half the addiction. Getting them to play properly is where the real trouble begins.
“A properly calibrated cartridge and turntable are essential to getting the most out of any record-playing setup,” said Bob Peet, Audio-Technica Global Product Manager, Analog Products. “These accessories ensure listeners will enjoy the best sound possible from their analog playback.”
Here is a closer look at Audio-Technica’s latest accessories for turntable setup, cartridge alignment, and better record playback.
The AT-CAP4 Multi-Function Cartridge Alignment and Stroboscope Disc gives users a practical tool for setting correct cartridge geometry, helping ensure proper tracking, lower distortion, and reduced record wear.
Disc Side One: This side includes null points for Baerwald, Stevenson, Löfgren B, and UNI-DIN alignments, to accommodate the most-used calibration geometries, tonearm effective lengths from 200 to 250 mm, and user playback preferences.
Disc Side Two: This side features a stroboscope that lets users precisely calibrate 33⅓, 45, and 78 RPM turntable platter speeds at both 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
The AT-TC300/1.2 Phono Cable is designed as an upgrade over stock phono cables used to connect a turntable to an amplifier, receiver, or compatible audio system.
The cable uses low-capacitance HYPER OFC oxygen-free copper wiring to help preserve the delicate signal coming from the phono cartridge, maintaining frequency response and signal integrity. It also features a PVC jacket with mica filler to help dampen unwanted vibrations.
Audio-Technica also double-shields the AT-TC300/1.2 and includes a central ground wire, helping improve signal-to-noise performance and overall resolution.
In analog playback, every detail counts, including the quality of the headshell wires connecting the phono cartridge to the tonearm headshell.
The AT6112x and AT6104x headshell wires are designed to improve that connection, helping maintain signal integrity between the cartridge and tonearm.
Both models feature 29 strands of 0.12 mm wire, with the AT6112x using 7N-class D.U.C.C. copper and the AT6104x using Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability wire. Each also includes a PVC sheath with mica filler for vibration control, along with triangular gold-plated cartridge clips for secure contact, improved signal transmission, and long-term durability.
Audio-Technica’s latest vinyl accessories are not flashy, but that is exactly the point. The AT-CAP4 alignment and stroboscopic disc gives users a simple way to dial in cartridge geometry and platter speed, while the AT-TC300/1.2 phono cables and AT6112x/AT6104x headshell wires focus on the small signal path details that can quietly make or break analog playback.
What is missing? No digital speed app, no electronic stylus force gauge, no record cleaning accessory, and no full setup kit that bundles everything together. That would have made sense, especially in 2026, when a lot of new vinyl buyers are learning this stuff one minor panic attack at a time.
Still, the pricing is reasonable: $40 for the AT-CAP4, $99 for the AT-TC300/1.2 phono cables, $59.99 for the AT6112x headshell wires, and $29.99 for the AT6104x headshell wires. This is for turntable owners who already have the basics covered but want better performance without replacing the whole deck. Spend a little time getting the setup right, and your records will thank you.
The phono accessories discussed in this article are now available at the following prices through Audio-Technica.
Porsche is closing three of its subsidiaries as it copes with falling sales and declining profits, the German automaker announced Friday.
The automaker’s battery subsidiary, Cellforce Group, is perhaps the highest-profile casualty. The division had already been through a “realignment” in August after Porsche dropped plans to make its own batteries, turning Cellforce into a research and development arm. Now, Porsche says it’s pursuing a “technology-open powertrain strategy” — corporate-speak that indicates the automaker will rely more heavily on other companies for its batteries.
Porsche eBike Performance, which made e-bike drive systems, and Cetitec, a networking software subsidiary that served both Porsche and the wider Volkswagen Group, will also be shut down.
More than 500 people, who are employed at the three subsidiaries, will lose their jobs.
“We must refocus on our core business,” Porsche CEO and Executive Chair Michael Leiters said in a statement. “This is the indispensable foundation for a successful strategic realignment. This forces us to make painful cuts — including our subsidiaries.”
It’s a message that Leiters, who became CEO early this year, first delivered in March when the company announced plans to realign its business. “We will comprehensively reposition Porsche, make the company leaner, faster and the products even more desirable,” he said at the time.
Since then, Porsche has extracted itself from several endeavors, including an agreement reached in April to sell its equity stakes in Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Group to a consortium led by New York-based investment firm HOF Capital.
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Porsche’s electrification efforts got off to a strong start with the Taycan in 2019, but the company soon ran into trouble developing follow-on EVs. The Macan Electric was delayed by nearly two years as software development within Volkswagen’s Cariad division lagged behind expectations.
The entire company has suffered declining sales in key markets, including North America, where sales fell 11%, and China, where deliveries were off 21% in the first quarter of this year. European sales were also down 18%, though they rose slightly in Germany.
Porsche has blamed EV adoption for its woes, though the company’s continued poor performance in China, where electric vehicles have claimed more than half the market, suggests that consumer acceptance of EVs may not be the root cause.
The closure of Cellforce captures the change of fortunes for Porsche’s EV program. The German automaker had originally started the subsidiary to develop and manufacture batteries that would distinguish its EVs from other companies.
“The battery cell is the combustion chamber of the future,” Oliver Blume said in 2022 when he chaired Porsche’s executive board.
After struggling to develop EVs in a timely manner, Porsche has shifted much of its new vehicle efforts to reviving some of its internal combustion platforms, which were originally intended to constitute a minority of sales by 2030. The company is still planning to roll out new EVs though, and will soon sunset the gas-powered version of the Porsche Macan. Porsche is expected to bring an all-electric version of the Cayenne, and several variants, to market this year.
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The way that the sense of smell works is that olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are wired up to olfactory receptors (ORs) in the nasal epithelium, from which they send signals to the brain. Once arrived there, a hierarchy of processing results in us experiencing the sensation of ‘smelling’. Exactly how the olfactory receptor-to-brain mapping works during development, and whether its physical pattern in the nasal epithelium is replicated in the brain, remained major questions until now. In a study published in Cell by [David H. Brann] and others, many of these questions have now been answered, at least for mice.
As it turns out, the mapping between OSNs and ORs isn’t performed by a random selection process, but instead creates a receptor map that’s closely matched between the nasal epithelium and the brain. What has complicated answering this question up till now is that the nasal epithelium isn’t a flat surface, but a convoluted labyrinth that maximizes surface area to smell better.
The second issue was linking the physical location of OSNs and gene expression in the nasal epithelium. Using a new approach, the researchers showed an intricate patterning in this epithelium, with the basal stem cells from which it regenerates maintaining this patterning. This makes for a system very similar to, for example, the auditory system, where the detection of frequencies in the inner ear, as a linear system, is found to be replicated in the brain.
Although it does not provide us with all the answers yet about how this genetic patterning works, it offers a glimpse at a fascinating system that would seem to be used repeatedly across sensory systems. It may also provide potential treatments for medical conditions affecting the olfactory system, whereby the sense of smell is missing, reduced, or oddly miswired, for example, after a SARS-CoV-2 infection of the olfactory nerve that leads to symptoms such as a constant sensation of a burning smell.
You have to wonder if a better understanding of the nose will revive interest in digitally creating and sending smells?
For a long time now, if you wanted a screenless fitness tracker that could properly dig into your health and recovery, there was really only one name worth talking about: Whoop.
The wearable brand has carved out a loyal following with pro athletes and data obsessives alike, offering the kind of in-depth insights that most mainstream wearables simply can’t match.
But that could finally be about to change.
With the Fitbit Air, Google looks to have taken the core appeal of Whoop – comfortable 24/7 tracking, sleep and recovery insights, and a distraction-free design – and wrapped it in something that feels much more accessible to everyday users. And, crucially, at a much lower price.
I’m a big fan of Whoop bands; I used the Whoop 4 for over a year before transitioning to the newer Whoop MG when it was released last May, and carried on using the screenless fitness tracker for months afterwards.
It is an impressive bit of kit despite looking rather underwhelming; hidden in the strap is an advanced heart rate sensor that can track metrics like your heart rate constantly, meaning even if you forget to track a workout in the moment, you can go back, tell the Whoop app what you did and when, and it’ll retroactively analyse your data.
Key to the Whoop experience is the strain score, a novel way to track the effort of your workouts rather than relying on metrics like heart rate or distance. It not only makes it easier to get an idea of how much effort you’ve put into a workout at a glance, but it also means that workouts of different kinds – say hiking and cycling – are broadly comparable despite different metrics being tracked.
It also lets you drill down into your data quite deeply, with a myriad of charts and graphs you can use to track your most important vitals over time, along with sleep suggestions that actually mirror my sleep patterns rather than generic guidance to try to get to sleep earlier.
You can go through all that data yourself, or you can use the ChatGPT-powered health assistant to make sense of your data, ask about trends and get advice on health and fitness, all personalised to your own results.
There are also features like Whoop Age that essentially combine all your data – from health metrics like HRV to your Sp02, movement levels, sleep performance and more – to give you what it calls an accurate representation of your body’s age. And if you plump for the MG model, you’ll also get ECG and blood pressure monitoring, though the latter is only an estimate rather than clinical-grade.
And, despite offering 24/7 monitoring, the wearable can last for up to two weeks on a single charge. It’s safe to say there are very few gaps in my data.
These all add up to an impressively holistic overview of your health and fitness, with levels of data depth that are very rarely offered by the mainstream competition. It explains why you’ll often see Whoop bands on the wrists of pro-level athletes.
Whoop has had a monopoly on the screenless tracker market for years now, with competing options like the Polar Loop and Amazfit Helio Strap not quite offering the same level of depth or performance as Whoop’s wearable – but the Fitbit Air could change that.
In a nutshell, the Air offers broadly the same experience as the Whoop 5; it’s a smart little ‘pod’ that sits in a wristband, holding all the smarts like the battery and heart rate monitor.
However, while I sometimes struggled to sleep with the Whoop MG – its thickness meant it would snag on pillows and the like – Google has designed the Fitbit Air specifically for sleep, claiming that users rated it more comfortable than “leading competitors”. I think we know exactly what Google is referring to there.
And, like the Whoop alternative, the Fitbit Air also offers 24/7 heart rate tracking along with all the key metrics – irregular notifications for signs of AFib, SpO2 monitoring, sleep tracking and smart wake alarms – you’ll also find in the Pixel Watch 4, a wearable that costs a whole lot more.
This all ties directly into the Fitbit app, which is soon to become the Google Health app, and it’s a bigger deal than it sounds. The redesigned interface is not only much easier to use, but with the Fitbit Premium subscription, you’ll also get Gemini-powered coaching insights throughout the day, along with the ability to customise your workout plans in natural language.
While I’ve not yet used the Fitbit Air, I have tried the Public Preview of the Fitbit app redesign, and I must admit, it’s the slickest, most genuinely easy-to-use interface of any fitness app I’ve used to date – Whoop included.
It just makes sense; everything is split into helpful tabs, and you can talk to the AI-powered coach at any point to not only log things like food not measured by the Air, but to ask about your data or even change your workout plans on the fly. Those workout plans, by the way, come with fully structured exercises with videos to show you how to perform the moves if you’re unsure.
It’ll also work with more platforms than the existing Fitbit app once the rebrand rolls out in a few weeks, complete with Apple Health support for iOS users.
Google has even thought of the little things with the Air, like the ability to use it in tandem with the Pixel Watch 4.
They both have different focuses – the Watch 4 is ideal for checking notifications, tracking workouts and getting map directions, while the Air is better for tracking sleep and recovery – so being able to swap and choose depending on what you’re up to without the risk of duplicate or missing data is wholly welcomed by me.
Sure, it misses out on some of the more advanced features of the Whoop MG – like ECG and blood pressure monitoring – and battery life is ‘only’ seven days compared to Whoop’s 14, but that likely won’t matter to a lot of people.
I think the real kicker here is the pricing model for the Whoop 5 and Whoop MG; rather than buying the product outright and paying a cheap monthly subscription for more advanced features like a growing number of wearables – Oura and Fitbit included – Whoop relies on a subscription-only plan. And let’s just say, it’s definitely not cheap.
The Whoop 5 will set you back either £169/$199 or £229/$239 depending on the subscription you opt for – but not outright, per year, with prices rising to as much as £349/$359 per year for the top-end Whoop MG with its blood pressure and ECG capabilities. That’s more than most other wearables outright, on a yearly basis. Safe to say that it’s a lot of money for the vast majority of us that just want reliable 24/7 health tracking.
That’s where the Fitbit Air really comes into its own; the hardware costs just £84.99/$99, with an optional £7.99/$9.99 per month Fitbit Premium subscription if you want to access advanced features like the Gemini-powered Fitness Coach tech. At that price, you’d have to buy the Air and use the Premium subscription for a few years before you’d hit the cost of just one year of Whoop.
And, with the Whoop 5 and Whoop MG celebrating their first birthday right now, there are going to be a lot of users hitting the end of their first-year subscription, considering whether they really want to pay all that money for another year – especially when the Fitbit Air offers most of the same tech in a really consumer-friendly package.
Sure, there are areas where the Whoop will still excel, especially with its advanced metrics tailored to pro-level athletes, but for the vast majority of us who simply want a convenient, comfortable, and non-distracting way to track our health and fitness, it looks like the Fitbit Air is the one to go for. I certainly can’t wait to get it on my wrist in the coming weeks to see how it performs.
Bloomberg has a deep dive this week into how Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan is trying to rescue one of Silicon Valley’s most storied, and stumbling, chipmakers. It’s worth a read, but it actually undersells the most jaw-dropping part of the story: Intel’s stock has risen a stunning 490% over the past year, a bet by Wall Street that may be running well ahead of the company’s actual turnaround.
Tan, who took over in March of last year, has spent much of his first year schmoozing rather than restructuring — locking in a sweetheart deal with the U.S. government (now Intel’s third-largest shareholder), cozying up to Elon Musk on a factory partnership, and reportedly landing preliminary manufacturing agreements with both Apple and Tesla.
The fundamentals are still messy. Intel’s chip yields lag well behind industry leader TSMC, and employees tell Bloomberg that Tan has been light on specifics internally, with some teams adjusting missed deadlines rather than recovering from them.
But investors are betting big on the bigger picture. Whether the execution follows is the multibillion-dollar question.
Noble Audio has never been a brand that avoids taking risks, and that willingness to try something different has often worked in its favor. The new Lu Ban, unveiled at CanJam Singapore 2026, follows that same path with a design that appears to be more than just another IEM release with a familiar shape and a new name.
Noble brought something distinctive to Singapore, and the real test will be whether the Lu Ban can turn that design ambition into the kind of performance that keeps the brand near the front of the personal audio conversation.
The Lu Ban takes its name from the legendary Chinese craftsman and inventor associated with precision, problem-solving, and practical ingenuity. Noble Audio is using that reference to frame a universal IEM that combines natural materials with a more advanced hybrid driver platform.
It is a fitting name for a product that appears focused on craftsmanship as much as performance. The Lu Ban sits as a new statement within Noble’s universal IEM lineup, and the key question is whether its design and engineering choices translate into a more distinctive listening experience.
The Lu Ban uses a three-driver configuration built around a 10mm wooden composite diaphragm dynamic driver and two newly developed Super-Magnetic planar drivers. The dynamic driver is intended to handle weight and texture, while the planar drivers are there to support speed, detail, and control.
With a rated 108dB SPL/mW sensitivity and 27-ohm impedance, the Lu Ban should not require a difficult source to drive properly. That matters, because Noble is clearly positioning this as a serious universal IEM that can work across portable players, dongle DACs, and higher-end desktop setups without needing a small power plant attached to your desk.
The sonic foundation of the Lu Ban is its 10mm wooden composite diaphragm dynamic driver. The use of wood is not just a visual or branding choice. Noble is pointing to its long use in musical instruments, where resonance, density, and tonal behavior all matter.
In the Lu Ban, the wooden composite material is used within the diaphragm structure to support bass depth, control, and texture. Noble says the driver is intended to deliver extended sub bass without excess overhang, while keeping the mid bass articulate and balanced. The same material approach is also designed to give the midrange more body, harmonic weight, and a more natural sense of decay with vocals and acoustic instruments.
The goal is not to add artificial warmth or make the Lu Ban sound deliberately thick. Noble is using the wooden composite driver as the tonal anchor of the IEM, with the aim of giving the Lu Ban a more physical, natural, and musically grounded presentation.
To support the 10mm wooden composite dynamic driver, the Lu Ban also uses two Super Magnetic planar drivers. Noble says these drivers are derived from planar driver technology used in select loudspeakers, with the goal of improving speed, clarity, and upper frequency precision inside a compact IEM design.
The Super Magnetic planar drivers use a new generation neodymium iron boron magnetic material, refined with a controlled copper element to help stabilize magnetic flux and improve efficiency. In practical terms, Noble is using this driver system to improve transient response, micro detail retrieval, separation, and treble extension.
The planar drivers are intended to add clarity, air, and better layering without pushing the Lu Ban into an overly bright presentation. Noble says high frequencies extend cleanly, while more complex recordings remain organized and intelligible.
Noble also uses a Mortise and Tenon Acoustic Chamber inside the Lu Ban to help manage internal driver resonance. The chamber includes an irregular diffusion structure that is intended to reduce standing waves created by internal sound reflections. At the front, a spiral airflow guide is used to limit unwanted noise while helping preserve phase coherence.
In practical terms, the chamber is there to improve control inside the shell so the drivers can operate with less interference from reflections, resonance, and airflow issues.
As noted earlier, the Noble Lu Ban takes its name from the legendary Chinese craftsman Lu Ban, and that influence carries into the physical construction of the IEMs.
Each shell combines Cocobolo wood with a 3D printed resin internal framework. The wood gives each pair a distinct grain pattern, while the resin structure allows Noble to maintain more consistent internal geometry, driver placement, and acoustic alignment from unit to unit.
The result is a design that uses natural material for the exterior character, but relies on controlled internal construction for acoustic consistency. Each pair should look slightly different, but the engineering target remains the same.
The Lu Ban ships with a 4 strand woven high purity OCC silver plated cable. Noble specifies the cable as part of the package rather than an afterthought, with the goal of maintaining signal integrity and tonal consistency from source to IEM.
The cable uses a fiber woven surface coating, standard 0.78mm 2 pin connectors with left and right markings, and a 4.4mm copper gold plated balanced termination. That makes it ready for many modern DAPs, portable DAC amps, and balanced desktop headphone outputs without requiring an immediate cable swap.
A 3.5mm option would have been useful for wider compatibility, but Noble is clearly aiming this package at listeners already using balanced portable sources.
| Noble Audio Model | Lu Ban |
| Product Type | IEMs |
| Price | $1399 / £1299 / €1499 |
| Driver Configuration | 10mm Wooden Composite Diaphragm Dynamic Driver + Dual Super-Magnetic Planar Drivers |
| Sensitivity | 108dB SPL/mW |
| Impedance | 27Ω |
| Cable | 4-strand woven high-purity OCC silver-plated cable |
| Connector Type | 0.78mm 2-pin |
| Termination | 4.4mm copper gold-plated balanced plug |
| Included Accessories | IEM storage box Ear tip storage box 9 pairs of ear tips Warranty service card |
Hybrid Driver Configuration: The Lu Ban uses a 10mm wooden composite diaphragm dynamic driver paired with dual Super Magnetic planar drivers, giving Noble a platform designed to balance body, speed, and precision.
Natural, Controlled Low End: The wooden composite dynamic driver is intended to deliver deeper bass response with texture and control, while keeping the mid bass articulate rather than bloated.
Detailed and Refined Highs: The Super Magnetic planar drivers support the dynamic driver by adding faster transient response, cleaner detail retrieval, and more extended high frequency performance.
Balanced Hybrid Tuning: Noble’s goal is to combine the weight and tonal character of the dynamic driver with the clarity, air, and separation provided by the planar drivers.
Precision Crafted Shell Design: The Lu Ban uses a Cocobolo wood shell with a 3D printed resin internal structure, allowing for natural visual variation while supporting consistent driver placement and acoustic geometry.
Premium Cable Package: The Lu Ban includes a 4 strand OCC silver plated cable with 0.78mm 2 pin connectorsand a 4.4mm balanced termination, along with additional accessories.
The Noble Audio Lu Ban stands out because it does not follow the usual hybrid IEM formula. The combination of a 10mm wooden composite dynamic driver, dual Super Magnetic planar drivers, Cocobolo wood shells, and a Mortise and Tenon Acoustic Chamber gives it a more distinctive design story than most wired IEMs in this price range.
At around $1,400, the Lu Ban is not entry level, especially compared to Noble’s $700 Van Gogh, but it also sits well below the company’s $4,500 Kronos. What is missing? Wireless capability, for one. Like most serious IEMs, the Lu Ban is wired only, so there is no Bluetooth unless you add a wireless adapter from brands like iFi. A 3.5mm cable option also would have made the package more flexible for casual users.
The Lu Ban is really for listeners who already understand the appeal of wired IEMs: dedicated audiophiles, serious portable audio users, and studio listeners who want detail, control, and a more distinctive material design. Its 108dB sensitivity and 27 ohm impedance suggest it should work well with a quality dongle DAC, but a good DAP with a balanced 4.4mm output is the more natural match. Think less phone accessory, more serious portable rig without needing a brick in your pocket.
The Noble Lu Ban IEM is available for $1,399 / £1,299 / €1,499 at Noble and selected retailers worldwide.
CANJAM Singapore 2026 attendees will be among the first globally to experience Lu Ban in person on May 16th and 17th, 2026.
New Year’s Day doesn’t always call for a big plan. For a lot of people, it’s about staying in, slowing down, and putting something on without overthinking it. That’s also where free movies start to make more sense, especially when you can press play without worrying about subscriptions or rentals.
The shift toward free, ad-supported streaming has made it easier to find something that fits how you actually want to watch. Sometimes that means an easy film you can let play in the background, while at other times it’s something you settle into properly. The difference isn’t about what’s “best,” but what works for the kind of day you’re having.
Some picks here are familiar rewatch options, others are more recent films that are currently available to stream for free. Each one is chosen to match a different viewing mood, so you can find something that fits without spending time scrolling through platforms trying to figure out what’s available.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Few films carry over from New Year’s Eve into the next day as naturally as When Harry Met Sally, largely because of how its story resolves. That final sequence gives it a built-in sense of closure, which makes it just as fitting for a quieter New Year’s Day watch as it is for the night before. We first curated this list in 2024, and since then, When Harry Met Sally has remained one of the easiest recommendations to return to.
What keeps When Harry Met Sally in rotation is how well it holds up beyond the occasion. The writing and performances still feel precise, and the film doesn’t depend on surprise. The progression of the relationship, the rhythm of the scenes, and the dialogue carry it, which is also why it works just as well whether you’re watching it closely or letting it play in the background.
Stream When Harry Met Sally… for free on Pluto TV.
Best for: A fast, no-friction action watch that keeps the energy up
John Wick makes the list because it delivers action in a way that’s easy to follow without losing impact. I did want to include Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol — the series itself is a personal favourite, and when reviewing TVs, I often go back to some of its sequences for testing refresh rates, while John Wick is something I return to for darker scenes. But Mission: Impossible films aren’t always available to stream for free, which is what brings John Wick in here.
The film keeps things direct. The setup is simple, the pacing stays consistent, and you’re never trying to keep up with too much at once. It’s easy to sit through or just let play, and it still holds attention because of how cleanly everything is put together. That makes it a natural pick for a day when you want something that moves without asking too much from you.
Stream John Wick for free on The Roku Channel
Best for: A relaxed, feel-good watch that fits a slower New Year’s Day
Chef fits naturally into a slower New Year’s Day when you’re not looking for anything intense. The story is straightforward, but it’s carried by its tone, which stays warm and easy without feeling flat.
It’s also the kind of film you can return to without thinking twice. The pacing is steady, the moments are given space, and it doesn’t demand constant attention to stay engaging. That balance is what makes it a good pick for a day when you want something that feels comfortable without being repetitive.
Stream Chef on Tubi
Best for: A group-friendly watch that stays easy and entertaining throughout
Now You See Me keeps things simple without feeling flat. Built around a strong ensemble including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco, the film follows a group of illusionists pulling off increasingly elaborate heists in plain sight, which gives it a clear, easy-to-follow hook from the start.
The constant shifts between characters and reveals keep it engaging even if you’re not tracking every detail. It’s also one of those films that holds up as a repeat watch. This is something I keep going back to, and no matter how many times I’ve seen it, it still lands because of how it’s paced and structured. If you want to continue, Now You See Me 2 is an easy follow-up that stays in the same lane without changing the experience too much.
Stream Now You See Me for free on Tubi
Best for: A fast, easy comedy that keeps things light without feeling repetitive
Game Night makes the list because it balances straightforward humor with a structure that keeps it moving. Horrible Bosses was a close call and is still a personal comfort watch I return to often, but Game Night fits better here because it holds its pace more consistently and works across more viewing situations.
It fits particularly well on New Year’s Day when you want something light that doesn’t need much effort to stay with. The film moves quickly, the humor lands without much setup, and it doesn’t lose momentum as it goes. You can watch it properly or just let it play, and it still keeps things engaging, which is exactly what you want when you don’t feel like committing to something too involved. If you want to stick to comedy as genre, we also have a list of 5 greatest comedy movies that you should watch.
Watch Game Night on The Roku Channel.
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