New York - Monster
on Tuesday filled in the details on its
previously
announced new Clarity HD sub-brand and stuck its foot firmly in the 3D
market with a pair of universal active-shutter glasses.
Head monster Noel
Lee appeared at the Consumer Electronics Association Line Shows event and
debuted new headphones, home entertainment loudspeaker solutions, docking speakers,
cables and cleaning products, among others.
Monster's first 3D
glasses, Monstervision Max 3D, are compatible with any brand 3D TV and boast
built-in RF technology to avoid the common problem of IR interference that can
plague existing active-shutter glasses. The RF transmitter allows for the
system to expand to be paired with thousands of Monstervision brand glasses,
Lee said.
Proprietary
active-sync software is embedded in the transmitter and receiver to prevent
sync loss and pairing drops. The glasses are rechargeable and offer more than
800 hours of use in a single charge, Lee said.
The glasses were
designed to fit over a user's existing prescription eyeglasses.
The glasses are
expected to ship in August. A bundle of one pair with RF transmitter will have
a suggested retail price of $249, with extra glasses available for $169 each
and an extra transmitter for $59.95.
Lee said an
expanded line of Monstervision glasses, in various colors and styles "designed
by some of the most famous designers in the eyewear industry," will become
available later this year.
Monster's Clarity
HD line debuted with a new set of ear buds, which Lee said "resolves incredibly
low-level detail. They are great for classical music," Lee told TWICE. "If you
like hearing the sound of the bow drawing across the neck or fingers sliding
down strings, these are ideal." He likened them to "a magnifying glass for your
music."
The ear buds
include Control Talk technology for iPhones and will have a suggested retail of
$229.
Also in the
Clarity HD line are two Bluetooth portable speakers for handheld devices, the
black Clarity HD Precision Micro Bluetooth speaker ($119), for use with
Blackberry devices, smartphones and notebook PCs, and the silver iClarity HD
Precision Micro Bluetooth speaker (also $119), for use with iPod, iPhone and
iPad.
The ultra-compact form
factor devices deliver Bluetooth 2.0 HD audio, which Monster combines with
audio and digital signal processing for clarity. Built-in microphones allow for
hands-free dialing, and lithium-ion batteries provide up to five hours of
listening on a single charge.
The two systems
boast dual 35mm full-range drivers and a passive radiator subwoofer design for
clarity and powerful low frequency bass response, the company said.
Wireless music
streaming is made possible by coupling advanced audio distribution profile
(A2DP) with audio video remote control profile (AVRCP) for wireless audio and
video playback control. The speakers may also be used with a wired connection
using a standard 3.5mm headphone port.
At the top of the
Clarity HD line is the Executive speaker series with accompanying iPod dock, a complete
desktop audio system powered by a built-in 75 watt-per-channel amplifier. Each
12-inch by 6-inch by 6-inch speaker features a 5.25-inch polypropylene woofer,
a 1-inch silk dome tweeter and low-resonance cabinets with bi-amp design.
The system is
voiced for high-resolution digital media playback and time-aligned for linear
response. Precision crossovers provide detailed sound staging, Lee said, adding
that the system's master/slave configuration allows for simple installation and
setup.
The included
Executive-series iPod dock has a built-in master volume control and a
full-function IR remote control. The dock includes an auxiliary audio input
that allows playback from other digital audio devices.
The system will
retail for $449.95.
The company also
showed a new iPad Cleaning kit, an addition to its line of Outlets To Go laptop
power adapters, and announced that its SuperTip ear bud tips, originally
included with Monster's Turbine Pro earphones, will be available as a
stand-alone product for use with any brand ear bud.
Also on display
was a pair of the recently announced TRON headphones, co-developed with Walt
Disney Pictures. Details are available
here.
Abstract Web:
New York - Monster on Tuesday filled in the details on its previously announced new Clarity HD sub-brand and stuck its foot firmly in the 3D market with a pair of universal active-shutter glasses.