New York — B&O Play, a sister brand of Bang & Olufsen, held a press event on Wednesday to formally announce the U.S. debut of its two newest headphones.
The latest additions are geared toward “the urban creative professional,” said Nicolaj Rasmussen Shabtai, B&O Play category manager, and are meant for consumers “who are stylish but would still like to blend in.” To be sure, the company heavily emphasized the design of the over-ear H6 headphones, which boast cow leather headbands made from New Zealand-native cows. These cows do not live among a great deal of barbed wire, Shabtia said, making the leather nearly free from scratches.
The memory-foam ear pads feature sheep leather coverings, and the H6 frame is constructed of anodized aluminum for a light weight.
The headphones, which carry a $399 suggested retail, have 40mm drivers and come in tan and black. Frequency response is listed at 20Hz to 22kHz with an impedance of 30 ohms. A carry bag and flight adapter plug are included.
The H3 in-ear headphones have 10.8mm drivers and are also constructed of aluminum, although its milled from a single block, according to the company. The H3 also have 26 holes drilled into the back of the driver that are meant to reduce sound pressure, Shabtia said.
Other features include a buddy jack for daisy-chaining, in-line Apple-compatible mic and controls, and angled ear tips that come with four sets of silicone tips. The H3 will come in three colors — red, black and silver — for a $249 suggested retail. A travel case with cord wrap is included.
Frequency response is listed at 20Hz to 16kHz with impedance of 18 ohms.
Availability for both headphones is scheduled for July.
