Colorado Springs, Colo. — Westone has begun shipping its first earphones with dynamic drivers, marking the company’s deepening expansion into the consumer headphone market.
John Lowrey, audio division VP at Westone, told TWICE that the company plans to use its more than 50 years of experience making the ear molds used in monitors for musicians and in hearing protection as its approach for perfect-fitting consumer headphones.
While all of its other consumer headphones used balanced armature headphones, the Adventure series use dynamic drivers and are also the company’s first to feature Made for iPod/iPad/iPhone certification for in-line mic and controls.
Lowrey called them “crossover headphones,” and said Westone designed them for consumers who had previously been buying one model to exercise with and a second for everyday use.
The first model in the line, the Adventure Alpha, features 6.5mm drivers, a magnesium unibody construction, IPX3 water resistance, a replaceable cloth-wrapped cable with reflective material, and silicone and foam tips. Suggested retail is $199.
Frequency response is listed at 20Hz to 18kHz, with impedance of 21 ohms.
A weather-resistant carry case is included.
Lowrey said the company plans to accompany the Adventure series with online and social-media promotion, including giveaways.
