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Simon Cohen

Simon Cohen

Contributing Editor, A/V

Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless headphones, earbuds, soundbars, and all manner of related devices and technologies. Whether it's a review of a new Bluetooth speaker or a deep dive into the benefits of hi-res audio, his approach remains the same: speak as plainly as possible so that readers can learn and discover which products are worth buying.

Simon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film & English from Western University, which meant he was ill-prepared for a career in either field. Instead, he became a freelance teleprompter operator, with gigs working on commercials, industrial videos, corporate meetings, political speeches, and one very weird TV special with Buffy Sainte-Marie. However, when he discovered the web in 1993, he knew he had found his calling and began a journey that continues to this day.

Along the way, he became the ninth employee at AOL Canada, wrote about technology for Ozy.com, Mobilesyrup, Driving.ca, and VentureBeat, put in 15 years at what was once Canada's biggest website, Sympatico.ca, and appeared as a guest tech expert on international TV and radio programs, including BBC Radio, CTV News Channel, and CBC Radio.

The most common question Simon gets is, "are you related to Leonard Cohen?" The second most common question is "which wireless earbuds are the best?" (Answers: no and, it depends).

Simon in based in Toronto, where he works from a home office with no door, at the top of a set of stairs. It's as bad as you're probably imagining. He lives with three cats, one goldfish, a few dozen snails, and his wife, who wishes his job involved fewer large boxes. Sometimes his two adult children live there as well, but the less said about that, the better.

When he's not writing, he enjoys motorcycles, scuba diving, skiing, and reading sci-fi. He once met Douglas Adams.

Rotel DX-3.

Rotel’s new headphone DAC/amp is a sleek desktop companion

The company's first headphone amp looks great and has impressive specifications.
Shokz OpenFit 2 and Soundcore AeroFit 2.

Shokz OpenFit 2 vs. Soundcore AeroFit 2: which open-ear earbuds should you buy?

The OpenFit 2 and AeroFit are both great open-ear earbuds. But given an $80 price difference, is the extra money worth it?
McIntosh RS250 Wireless Loudspeaker: Grateful Dead 60th Anniversary Edition close-up.

McIntosh honors the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary with Stealie speakers

McIntosh once again tempts Deadheads with speakers that feature graphics from their favorite band.
The Amazon Prime Video app icon on Roku.

Amazon Prime Video’s AI dubbing could placate cinephiles while angering voice actors

New technology could reimagine the experience of foreign language films as it displaces voice acting professionals.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 inside their charging case.

In a bizarre twist, AirPods Pro are cheaper in Canada … for now

Fluctuating currencies and a tariff-based trade war has had unexpected consequences for one of Apple's most popular products.
The illuminated volume dial of the Victrola Stream Carbon Sonos turntable.

Victrola Stream Sonos turntables get a surprise Bluetooth upgrade

Victrola's Stream turntables launched as Sonos-ready devices, but now they can do a lot more.
Philips OLED Roku TV.

New Philips OLED Roku TV challenges LG’s OLED dominance

Fans of and have a new option. Roku has partnered with Philips to bring the first Philips 4K OLED TV to the U.S. The 65-inch Philips OLED Roku TV (formally known as the 65OLED974/F7)  is currently a Sam’s Club exclusive, — roughly the same price as the 65-inch LG B4 OLED TV. Part of the […]
Soundcore AeroFit 2 in charging case.

Soundcore AeroFit 2 review: the best open-ear earbuds for most people

The Soundcore AeroFit 2 have a new design compared to the original AeroFit open earbuds, and deliver great performance and features for the price.
Final Audio ZE3000 SV.

Final Audio’s latest wireless earbuds are shockingly affordable

At $100, if these earbuds sound as good as their predecessors, they'll be an audio bargain.
Shokz OpenFit 2.

Shokz OpenFit 2 review: The most comfortable earbuds you can buy are now even better

Shokz's OpenFit 2 deliver almost everything we could want from open-ear earbuds.
Amazon Echo Show 8 on tabletop from Best Buy for Prime Big Deal Days

A smarter Alexa? Sign me up

Amazon says its Alexa voice assistant is about to get a lot smarter. It's about time.
Wiim Amp Pro.

Wiim Amp Pro review: only for audiophiles

The Wiim Amp impressed the AV world when it came out, so is the Wiim Amp Pro worth the extra $70?
Wiim VibeLink Amp.

Wiim teases a 100-watt amp for those who already own a streamer

The new amp has the same footprint dimensions as the Wiim Ultra.
Meze Audio Poet headphones.

Meze debuts gorgeous new open-back planar headphones

Known for their unsurpassed audio quality, planar drivers now have an equally good-looking home.
Livv Pro.

Hands-on review with the Livv Pro: sports headphones guaranteed to turn heads

The unique shape is said to improve grip and stability, but can they compete with biggest brands?
1More SonoFlow SE HQ31.

1More’s budget-friendly ANC headphones get hi-res audio and more battery life

1More pushes the boundaries on affordable wireless headphones even further.
Man wearing Grado Signature S950.

Grado’s latest audiophile headphones are crafted from Brazilian walnut

The Signature S950 join the HP100 SE as the second model in Grado's Signature series.
Kid lying on a bed wearing headphones while using a tablet.

Are noise-canceling headphones really hurting kids’ hearing?

An alarming report from BBC News suggests ANC headphones could be a factor in a specific type of hearing loss among kids.
Mockup of the Sonos web app with a grid of generic album icons.

Sonos album art missing? Try these fixes

There's nothing worse than looking at a bunch of identical icons. Here are a few ways to bring the artwork back.
McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC.

McIntosh’s new streaming DAC is a digital music beast

The robust streamer can handle a huge array of digital sources via wired and wireless connections.
BlueAnt Pump X.

BlueAnt’s new headphones pump your workouts with extra bass

The workout cans have an EQ mode that boosts bass when you need it.
Panasonic Z95A

Panasonic could abandon the U.S. TV market once again

A potential sale of the company's TV unit could end availability of Panasonic TVs in the U.S.
Mixx Analog System 5 turntable and Bluetooth speaker combo.

Mixx packages a Bluetooth turntable with wireless speakers for $300

The all-in-one package combines analog vinyl with wireless digital audio.
Sennheiser HD 505.

Sennheiser HD 505 add a touch of copper and greater comfort to open-back listening

The new cans are lighter and may offer more long-term comfort than other HD 500-series models.
A remote contol pointed at a TV displaying the Sonos logo.

Sonos’ streaming box could be great … if it doesn’t suck

Let's hope Sonos can fix its software problems before this new device debuts.
A hi-res audio logo adjacent to a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar.

How to pick a hi-res streaming service for Sonos

Not all hi-res streaming services are the same, especially on a Sonos speaker.
Cleer Arc II Gaming open-ear earbuds.

Cleer’s open-ear earbuds get new features for gamers

The Arc II and Arc 3 Gaming editions feature ultra low-latency connections.
A screen of available channels in Prime Video.

New Prime Video/Starz/BET+ bundle could save you money

Amazon’s service has a new way for you to save money if you want access to content from Starz and BET+. The two are now available as , which Amazon says is about a 30% savings over subscribing to each one individually. Starz includes access to the March 7 premiere of Power Book III: Raising […]
Meze Audio 105 AER: side close-up.

Meze 105 AER review: Glorious levels of detail

The Meze 105 AER are an awesome entry point into the world of open-back audiophile-grade headphones.
An iPhone 14 displaying the Amazon Music app with a Dolby Atmos Music playlist, next to a set of Apple AirPods Max headphones.

Amazon Music Unlimited raises prices on individual and family plans

Non-Prime member prices are now the same as Spotify and Apple Music.
Leaked pics of the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.

Leaked Powerbeats Pro 2 pics give us our first real look at Beats’ next earbuds

Looks like the new sports-oriented earbuds will have fitness tracking features.
A Sonos Five speaker.

Sonos updates its app with Zones as it rolls out the Era 100 Pro

The new feature coincides with the availability of the Era 100 Pro speaker for commercial installations.
Sony WH-1000XM5.

Sony’s WH-1000XM6 might be announced before the end of summer

The wait for Sony's next flagship noise-canceling headphones may soon be over.
Panasonic DMP-BD91 BD blu-ray player tray

Sony quits Blu-ray, MiniDV, and MiniDisc recordable media but don’t freak out

Sony's exit is a sign of the times for physical media, but not necessarily the end of the road.