With the
success of high performance headphones like Beats by Dre, consumers are gravitating towards premium headsets for richer audio experiences. It follows, then, that several innovative companies are pushing the envelope by working to meet the needs of
various niche markets. These new products will satisfy the discerning demands of even the pickiest, or just style-minded, audiophiles.
Spin Doctor: The
Spin Doctor is an MP3 player/turntable hybrid headphone meant for music fans seeking to replicate the remixed tunes played at their favorite clubs. Creator Victor Declety fashioned the interactive headset to mimic the DJ experience, with a scratch-able, turntable-like dial on one side and a 4-axis directional button for controlling samples that have been stored on the device’s embedded SD card on the other. The prototype of this concept product curiously features Beats by Dre branding—an audio designer’s version of a
vision board, perhaps? Should this portable nightclub go into production, users will be able to hit the dance floor without ever leaving the couch.
Capital: Even with
this year’s mild winter, anyone living in a typically harsh clime understands how easily natural elements can destroy headsets. Adhering to the
IEC529 standard,
AIAIAI and
KiBiSi created the heavy-duty
Capital headphones to withstand intense conditions such as rain, snow and hail without compromising sound quality. Capital follows the
successful release of
AIAIAI’s TMA-I headphones, which were developed to enhance sonic performance within a DJ’s working environment. Combining high-minded design with high-tech functionality, the folding device is constructed from fiberglass-reinforced nylon and an integrated rubber bracer to ensure that its shelf-life is longer than whatever
micro genre tunes it may be pumping out to its listener.
Twine: As demonstrated by the
ubiquity of custom iPhone cases, many consumers view their technology products as fashion accessories. Now, stylish packaging extends to the headphone space, with Swedish tech-design company
Molami’s recently introduced
Twine “audio headpiece.” As opposed to the classic over-the-ear headphone shape, Twine resembles a sleek, modern headband made of silk chiffon and gold accents. Still maintaining sophisticated audio quality, its speakers are discreetly tucked beneath the fabric pleats and feature a silver clasp to clip everything in place at the nape of the wearer’s neck. Even the connecting cable cord is wrapped in braided fabric for a statement-making addition to any outfit.
