Both Marley and Audio Technica are set to launch new headphones shortly.
The House of Marley’s new wireless version of its Smile Jamaica headphones is built around sustainable materials and design aesthetic claims the US Company.
The lightweight Bluetooth in-ear buds incorporate “Regrind” recycled silicone, recycled aluminum alloy, and FSC-certified woods. The packaging is made from 100-percent recycled materials.
“Our goal was to build off the popularity of our existing Smile Jamaica headphones in order to create an in-ear Bluetooth headphone option without the need for a bulky housing,” said Josh Poulsen, product development director. “The Smile Jamaica Wireless’ slim, soft neckband is meant for all-day listening without sacrificing performance and sound.”
The headphones fold for storage, boast eight hours of battery life, and an in-line noise-isolating microphone.
Each headphone sold will count toward House of Marley’s partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit dedicated to reforestation efforts worldwide. Each Marley product sold will contribute to the brand’s goal of planting 75,000 trees within the next year.
“House of Marley is about bringing sustainability to the audio world. We take great pride in our efforts to work with materials that reduce our footprint on this planet,” commented brand ambassador Rohan Marley. “That is the heart of our #MaterialsMatter campaign; our story of using sustainable materials from organic cotton and bamboo to recycled plastic water bottles.
Smile Jamaica Wireless headphones will be available later this year, in four colour combinations.
Audio-Technica is also set to launch a pair of premium wireless headphones, the ATH-DSR9BT headphones will transmit a digital audio signal from source to driver.
The headphones are also able to play Hi-Res Audio content when used with the included USB cable.
With the company’s Pure Digital Drive system, the Bluetooth headphones employ a Trigence Semiconductor Dnote chipset rather than a traditional digital-to-analog converter and amplifier, said to keeps the audio signal entirely in the digital domain. It also reportedly removes any distortion occurring in the conversion stages.
Features for the ATH-DSR9BT include a four-wire voice coil, 45mm drivers, an acoustic damper inside the housing, built-in mic, NFC pairing and ear cup controls. They support AptX, AptX HD and AAC codecs at up to 24-bit/96kHz and up to 24-bit/48kHz signals in Bluetooth mode.
A rechargeable battery is said to provide 15 hours continuous use and 1,000 hours standby.
Suggested retail is set to be over $600.
