Japan Airlines’ Euphony headphone-free audio: Magic or madness?

When Japan Airlines unveiled its next-generation cabin products on the Airbus A350-1000, one feature that raised a lot of eyebrows was the introduction of the world’s first headphone-free stereo system.

Given how mindful the Japanese are about one’s conduct in public, this came straight out of left field. Headphone-free audio? On a plane? People have been executed for much less!

Like many, I was deeply skeptical when I first heard about this. But I recently had the opportunity to try it out myself, and you know what? I actually like the idea— even if the execution could use some refinement.

How does Euphony work?

Euphony was first revealed at the 2022 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, and is the result of a partnership between seat manufacturers Safran and acoustic engineering company Devialet.

With Euphony, each individual passenger can enjoy high quality sound in every position of the seat, enabling them to make the most of the entertainment content provided by the airline free from headsets and cables. With no more communication barriers with fellow travelers nor the cabin crew, Euphony enables a seamless on-board experience. 

-Safran

Euphony was created to allow premium cabin travellers to enjoy inflight movies in their suites the way they would at home. The idea was to address some of the limitations of traditional headphones—such as discomfort during long wear (especially when paired with a mask, as was common during COVID), tangled cables that could knock over drinks, or the limited battery life of wireless models. 

When I first heard about Euphony, I assumed it used bone conduction technology, the kind found in the headphones favoured by runners. This transmits sound cheekbone vibrations instead of earbuds, allowing the user to maintain situational awareness.

Not quite. Euphony is, in so many words, a pair of speakers really close to your ears. These are embedded in a headrest with adjustable wings, and special software dynamically tunes the audio to mask ambient noise (though it’s not technically noise-cancelling).

Euphony is made possible thanks to Devialet’s unique patented acoustic technologies and acoustic tuning expertise, coupled with Safran Seats invention which consists of two Devialet bespoke loudspeakers on each side of a standard sized headrest

-Safran

Japan Airlines is the launch customer for Euphony, and with rival seat-makers Jamco and NTT reportedly mulling their own versions, this is unlikely to be just a flash in the pan.

How does Euphony perform in the real world?

I recently had the opportunity to experience Euphony firsthand on a Japan Airlines Business Class flight operated by the Airbus A350-1000.

Considering how unique this feature is, I was a little surprised that Japan Airlines didn’t promote it more during the flight (like a pamphlet at the seat, or a word from the crew). In fact, I suspect some passengers may have gone through the entire journey not knowing the option existed! 

What’s more, the implementation is so subtle, you probably wouldn’t notice it if you weren’t looking out for it. The seat looks like any other seat; the only telltale sign are some tiny holes cut into the fabric of the headrest to allow the sound to pass through. 

Euphony works from the moment you board the plane. Every time you select something from the inflight entertainment system, you’ll be asked to select an output source as well. You can choose the traditional headphone jack, Bluetooth audio connectivity, or the in-seat speakers. 

I won’t lie. The first time I heard audio coming out of the headrest, I broke into a grin. I mean, how can you not, when the novelty value is off the charts? Here I am, on an airplane, watching a movie without headphones while simultaneously not being the worst person in the world.

I quickly came to appreciate the perks of headphone-free watching, such as no compression on the ears, and no wires to snag. It was easy to chat with the crew when they came around with drinks, and during meals, I avoided that odd pressure sensation you sometimes get when chewing with noise-cancelling headphones on.

What’s more, my fears of a cabin cacophony never came to pass. I don’t know how many passengers were using this feature, but when I cranked up the volume to max on Gladiator 2 and stood outside my suite with the door closed, I couldn’t hear a thing.

In fact, my main criticism of Euphony was that it was too quiet. I understand that with a potentially controversial innovation like this, you’d want to err on the side of caution. But I think that concerns about noise leakage may have caused Japan Airlines to overcompensate. Even with the volume at max and the headrest wings folded in, there were moments when I struggled to hear the dialogue (and before you say I’m just hard of hearing, I’m the kind who can’t go to sleep if there’s a dripping tap in the bathroom).

Interestingly, a review of the First Class experience mentioned that the Euphony system was too loud, which suggests that proximity to the engines is everything. The A350 already has a relatively quiet cabin, so if you’re seated in First Class and farther away from the engines,  you’ll be able to hear things more clearly than in Business Class.

Other drawbacks include the audio quality— this is clearly not a solution for audiophiles. Leaving aside the absence of noise-cancelling performance, the sound sometimes came off as tinny. I suspect you’d notice this more with music videos or movies with grandiose soundtracks, and if you want high quality fidelity, stick to headphones.

There were also some annoying software issues. I encountered situations where the audio lagged the video ever so slightly (but enough to cause disorientation), and on several occasions, I just couldn’t get the headrest speakers to play, even after restarting the programme several times. I also noticed that every time a cabin announcement finished, the video would resume playing immediately, but the audio would take about five seconds to resume, causing me to miss some details. 

My verdict on Euphony is that it’s perfect for “second screening”— watching TV, but also using your phone or doing something else at the same time. I’m thinking of low-engagement shows where it’s not really important to pick up on every last word (With Love, Meghan?). In these cases, a headphone-free setup lets you better focus on the second activity, while still keeping up with the show in the background. 

Despite its kinks, I came away thoroughly convinced that Euphony wasn’t just a gimmick. I could easily see more applications for this technology, like playing white noise while in bed mode to mask snoring (the drone of the engines helps, but believe me, some people can snore).

And in First Class, the wider seat and bigger suite would be conducive for a movie night where you can watch a film together with a companion , instead of just side-by-side. Imagine being able to discuss things without having to tap your partner to remove their headphones— it’s a much-improved social experience. In fact, this could already have been reality on Japan Airlines’ A350-1000, but for the fact they opted to install just one set of Euphony speakers.

Come to think of it, Japan Airlines might not have been the best launch customer, because its content library is relatively weak. It has a decent selection of movies, but a much weaker selection of shows. Imagine pairing this with a system like Emirates ICE or KrisWorld, with audiobooks, concerts, documentaries, sleep stories and meditation soundtracks. That would really showcase the full range that Euphony can deliver. 

Conclusion

Euphony is very much a beta product for now, but while some may dismiss it as a gimmick, I thought it added genuine value.

If you’re not sold on the idea, never fear— I’m sure airlines will continue to provide traditional noise-cancelling headphones for many years to come. After all, Euphony is not meant to replace headphones outright, but rather offer an alternative way to enjoy movies and shows without completely shutting yourself off from the world. 

I personally would still default to headphones most of the time (especially if I were in JAL First Class, where B&O headphones are offered), but I’m excited to see where this technology goes. 

Have you tried Euphony yet? What’s your verdict?