It’s been a while since we’ve published from Pine64, a company mainly known for its ARM (and more recently RISC-V) mini-PC architecture and focusing on Linux and open source. Of course, this does not mean that Pine64 is dead, because on December 2nd, 2022, it will launch its own PineBuds Prowireless noise-canceling headphones that will last 69 dollars pair.

Pine64 has never focused on providing high-end products, but rather focuses on an audience that is passionate about open source, Linux, and software development. In addition to the aforementioned noise cancellation, the PineBuds Pro charge via USB Type-C and have an LED to indicate battery status along with touch controls. However, its main feature compared to competing products is the fact that its firmware can be modified by the user.

In order to offer performance out of the boxPineBuds Pro By default, they pre-install and use proprietary firmware. However, if the user wishes, he can replace the mentioned firmware with another open source one which, at least for now, still fails, but that doesn’t mean it can’t match or even surpass the proprietary one in the future. On the other hand, Pine64 has made available a “minimum open source SDK” for developers who want to create their own firmware, which is typical for this company.

The BES2300, the processor that forms the heart of the PineBuds Pro, was considered for use as a hearing aid, so Through eventual custom firmware, the door would be opened to the use of headphones for people with hearing problems. Another door that would open with custom firmware would change the behavior of the touch controls and change the sound settings.

The BES2300 processor consists of a dual-core ARM Cortex-M4F chip running at 300 MHz. Features include support for Bluetooth 5.2, active noise cancellation, echo cancellation, and a multi-band equalizer. Additionally, there are three microphones and a 6mm speaker in each earbud, so the PineBuds Pro should be able to be used in the context of video and voice calls without the need for an additional microphone.