It appears that my favorite wireless earbuds of 2022 have been transformed into two new models from a different manufacturer in 2023: Denon

The new Denon PerL and Denon PerL Pro noise-canceling wireless earbuds, currently available in limited numbers directly from Denon's website but expected to be rolled out globally later this year, are priced at $199/189 pounds (about AU$355) and $349/249 pounds (about AU$469)

When news of these new earbuds hit my inbox, I had a sense of deja vu They bear a striking resemblance to the NuraTrue Pro, one of the best wireless earbuds I tested last year And thanks to a proprietary technology from Masimo (a developer of medical technology solutions and consumer health and acoustic devices) called Adaptive Acoustic Technology, they offer a very similar sound personalization experience In short, Nura and Denon have joined forces

The NuraTrue Pro earphones are also among the first wireless earphones to support Qualcomm's aptX Lossless Audio codec, promising CD-quality sound over a Bluetooth wireless connection And the new Denon PerL Pro flagship wireless earphones have similar specifications

Both of Denon's new models bring Masimo's proprietary Adaptive Acoustic Technology sound profiling talent to Denon's new earphones, allowing listeners to create personal audio profiles that optimize the sound to the individual's hearing and preferences However, only the $349 Denon PerL Pro supports the aptX Lossless Audio codec This codec promises to stream 16-bit/441 kHz CD-quality audio "bit-for-bit" at data rates of up to 1,200 kbps via Bluetooth ("over 1 Mbps" in Qualcomm's marketing blurb)

According to a Denon press release, "The name of the earphones was chosen to represent Masimo's goal of transcending the way people enjoy music

Masimo founder and CEO Joe Kiani stated: "Gone are the days when one sound fits all; PerL automatically finds the best sound for each individual and caters to your unique ears"

The new Denon earbuds are "a new way of listening to music

Both the new Denon PerL and PerL Pro are active noise-canceling models and feature a transparency mode, allowing listeners to block out or take in the world around them, depending on their surroundings and preferences The Denon PerL has four microphones, while the PerL Pro has eight In both models, the level of noise cancellation is automatically adjusted according to the amount of leakage, background noise, and the effectiveness of the ear canal seal

After the PerL hearing test, users can view their own personalized profile through the Denon Headphones app for iOS and Android As with the Nura app, users can also access features such as noise cancellation and transparency, and customize the earphones' touch controls

Hearing ability varies from person to person and can affect the listening experience Denon's new PerL and PerL Pro models use proprietary Masimo technology to measure the weak acoustic emissions (OAE) produced by the inner ear when playing a variety of sounds in order to assess each person's individual response to sound Once the person's ear sensitivity to each frequency is analyzed, a personal hearing profile is created by Denon's PerL Headphone app using artificial intelligence

The company states, "This personalized profile is perfectly tuned to your own hearing and sublimated by Denon's vibrant, spacious and distinctive sound"

I found the personalized sound on the NuraTrue Pro wireless earbuds to be a big hit, but recently I've also experienced more affordable, personalized features like the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 and Nothing's Ear (2) wireless earbuds that make a big impression with their personalization features We've also experienced some pricey designs

With Apple's Adaptive Audio coming to the AirPods Pro 2 with the iOS 17 update later this year to provide even more powerful audio, Denon's pricing seems a bit off compared to many less expensive, similarly specced, while using similar audio technology flagship wireless earbuds appear to be a bit off when compared to their rivals

Again, Denon's PerL and PerL Pro noise-canceling wireless earphones are priced at $199/£189 (about A$355) and $349/£249 (about A$469), respectively

A review of the Denon PerL Pro will be forthcoming