As you might have noticed, Monster has been de-emphasizing their audio and video cables in recent years, and taking opportunities such as the Consumer Electronics Show to herald the arrival of their growing headphone line, one of the largest and most profitable in the entire industry. This year saw three major announcements with well-known partners.
In the first quarter of this year, be on the lookout for both on-ear and in-ear versions of VEKTR, created with the legendary fashion brand Diesel, specifically the newly established "Diesel Noise Division." VEKTR on-ears ($249.95) deliberately embrace hard angles as a stark contrast to typically round earcups, accented by the diamond-cut Diesel logo, a silkscreen Mohican head, and touches of black, grey and brushed aluminum. The cable has a specially engineered triangular section that prevents tangling. A black canvas touring bag is included.
For those craving a bit more stuff-'em-anywhere convenience, the VEKTR in-ear 'phones ($149.95) promise superior sound quality with concentrated style on the wee buds, in jet black with a bit of yellow and the all-important Diesel logo on each earpiece.
Nick Cannon, owner of NCredible Entertainment, has also brought the world his own line of affordable headphones and gear targeted at a younger, hipper crowd. Assuring comfort and performance, the lightweight on-ear NTune headphones ($129.95) are a completely new design boasting tangle-free cables with a low-profile right angle connector. Nergy in-ears ($69.95) are packing newly developed Monster drivers for sound much bigger than their compact size suggests.
Among the innovations of the in-ear headphones are the unique Nergy earbuds which snap together magnetically to form an instant necklace of sorts when they are not in use. Both Nergy and NTunes headphones prominently display the trademark NCredible medallion.
The NCredibles also support Monster's advanced ControlTalk Universal, for easy playback control on most Android and Blackberry devices, as well as hands-free calling on many popular smartphones. Both models are available now.
Monster is also teaming with RadioShack for the exclusive launch of iSport LIVESTRONG-branded in-ear headphones ($179.95). Riffing on the iSport Immersion 'phones introduced at last year's CEA Line Shows, the new headphones arrive in the now-iconic LIVESTRONG yellow. They will be available nationwide and online at RadioShack beginning net month, with additional retail and etail outlets to follow. A portion of iSport LIVESTRONG headphone sales will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, created in 1997 by the cancer survivor and champion cyclist to reach out to those affected by cancer and to empower them to take action.
The headphones are sweatproof and washable, and were refined to address the annoying tendency for in-ears to slip out during strenuous activity. A proprietary in-ear clip system fits the curve of the inner ear and securely, comfortably anchors them in place. They also offer a snug, custom-fit audio seal and a variety of eartips, combined with a rotating ear pipe. They also feature ControlTalk, Monster's in-line control system that gives users music and movie playback control of their smartphones, with an integrated high-grade microphone and answer button.
Where to Buy:
More News from CES:
