5.1 Surround Sound from Headphones?

[Image courtesy Matsushita Electric industrial Co.and Ltd.]

Panasonic is a pioneer. (Is the word pioneer trademarked by the Pioneer Corporation?) In the pioneering spirit they’ve been busily perfecting that most elusive of beasts…getting five speakers and sub-woofer in a pair of headphones. Not just headphones, but wireless headphones to be exact. The Panasonic RP-WF5500 headphones really begin to impress once you discover their ability to work thorough walls and receive transmissions up to 30 meters from the base. The Panasonic RP-WF5500 phones are lightweights too, weighting in at measly 9oz with the battery attached. When you factor in their ability to reproduce a 5.1 channel system with a similar sense of directional sound, they really begin to out shine the competition. These marvels of modern technology are set to hit selves on November 20th. But don’t expect these to be listed on any holiday sale circulars stateside. They‘re only available in the consumer electronics ‘Mecca’ that only the U.S. could have spawned, Japan.