NEW YORK —
The headphones category
showed no signs of slowing in
the fourth quarter, with new models
and upgrades being announced in the
final weeks of 2011 as manufacturers
hoped to get a piece of the holiday
selling season pie. What follows is a
roundup of products announced in just
the last few weeks, and see the Nov. 21
issue of TWICE for even more fourthquarter
introductions.
V-Moda
updated its Crossfade headphones
line with the LP2 headphones.
They feature 50mm dual-diaphragm
drivers and V-Port 3D staging, which
the company said can recreate the
sound of multiple drivers with the quality
and consistency of a single driver.
“The driver’s diaphragm is constructed
of a harder inner ring for mids and
highs and a soft outer ring dedicated to
deep bass extension so you can actually
feel the music, even with low powered
sources,” it noted.
They also have a 31-band EQ and are
tested under MIL-STD-810G military
testing, as well as the company’s own
guidelines. As a result, the LP2 can
reportedly survive more than 70 drops
on concrete from six feet, and its Kevlar-
reinforced detachable cables and
45-degree plug strain relief are said to
be able to each bend more than 1 million
times.
The headband can bend flat more
than 10 times without breaking, VModa
said.
Other features of the LP2 include replaceable
memory foam ear cushions;
two fabric cables, one with a threebutton
remote; a two-year warranty; and
inclusion in the company’s Immortal Life
Program, which provides a 50 percent
lifetime discount to replace consumerdamaged
headphones.
They’re currently available
for $199. Customizable
color shields are
available for an additional
$45.
They’re currently
available for $80.
Sennheiser
introduced
its first
Xbox gaming headsets
with the X 320
and X 2.
The X 320 ($149)
has a noise-canceling
microphone, dual
volume control and
automatic mic mute by
raising the boom.
At $29.95, the
single-sided X 2 headset is billed as
the more budget-friendly headset. It
also features a noise-canceling microphone.
Both are currently available and
come with a two-year warranty.
Urbanears
launched its first model
into its new Editions line of headphones.
The Quilted Plattan features
a padded headband and ear cushions
wrapped in an all-over quilted stitching.
They have 40mm drivers, a frequency
Response of 20Hz to 20kHz, impedance
60 ohms, sensitivity of 115dB and
a max input power of 40mW.
Velodyne
, a manufacturer of high-end
subwoofers based in Morgan Hill, Calif.,
has entered the headphones market.
The vPulse in-ear headphones feature aluminum driver housings,
10mm drivers,
a tangle-resistant
cable and built-in
controls. According
to the company,
the vPulse
have a pressurerelief
system that
reduces air pressure
within the ear
canal for safer
and more comfortable
listening.
Frequency range is listed at 20Hz to
20kHz, with a sensitivity of 98.8dB/1
mW, and an impedance of 16 ohms.
They’re currently available for $89.
SOL Republic
said its Tracks and
Trcks HD headphones can now be
customized with Coloware, allowing
consumers to personalize the devices
with various color schemes, designs,
artwork or messages.
Finally, the
House of Marley
announced
it was embarking on a Satisfy
Your Soul tour throughout Southern California,
including a stop at the Los Angeles
Ski Show and Snowboard Expo.
The tour will allow consumers to
look at the Marley products, engage in
music mash-ups, and record a video
singing their own version of a classic
Marley song, all from a fully restored
Marley-inspired 1958 VW van, the
company said.
The tour will run through December
and will reportedly help provide funding
for Little Kids Rock through
, the non-profit started by the Marley
family. Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit
that provides children with free
instruments and music lessons.
