Acoustic Research Wireless Surround Sound Headphones

July 2002

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One thing the headphones could not reproduce, however, was a convincing virtual front center channel. Dialogue was clear, but not centered up front like you'd want from a conventional 5.1 system.

The headphones can also make a virtual surround sound effect from a stereo source, though it does a much better job of it when it starts with a Dolby Digital source.

As a wireless product, the headphones were superior performers, though susceptible to the same problems of other 900 MHz products. In my basement—a trap for RF noise and other interference—there was a little hissing or white noise until I moved the base station above the level of the headphones when I sat on the couch.

When I took the product to my less-noisy living room, I got a clean connection anywhere I went, even outside and across my backyard. I could cut my grass while using the headphones to listen to music on my CD player in the house. The manual states that the transmitter can reach up to 300 feet, though to do that I had to go outside and down the street. I lost the signal completely when standing in my neighbor's yard.

With the AW791 you get the benefits of making your audio listening wireless without annoying your family or neighbors and without sacrificing surround sound.