Buoq Axis is a pair of headphones that can transform into a set of wearable speakers

At a glance, there’s nothing unusual about Buoq Axis (€79). The unit looks like a typical pair of cans; and when on your lugholes, the Axis ensures your ears are happy with its solid sound and comfy cups, and keeps you in control with a one-touch multi-function button for play/pause/skip. There’s Bluetooth support, passive noise cancelling, and a trio of equaliser presets, depending on whether you want to smash your brains to jelly by pumping up the bass. But spin the ear pads 180-degrees and you automatically activate speaker mode. This lets you inflict your musical taste on everyone nearby, having transformed Axis into an oddball wireless speaker, or a wearable unit that will make people double-take – and probably also question whether anyone ever told you about the proper way to wear headphones.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.