Designers’ Night at The red dot Design Museum
On July 2nd, red dot invited all recipients of the red dot award: product design 2012 to a gala, followed by Designers’ Night at the red dot design museum. Since we didn’t have suits for the award ceremony (!), we attended Designers’ Night where all award-winning products are on display, including our Sonic headphones. Located in the former boiler house of the Zollverein mine in Germany, the museum was redesigned by British architect Norman Foster of Thames Bank in the Bauhaus style.
It was a great evening filled with DJs, good food and designers from all over the world in a magnificent setting. We are so proud to know that our Sonic headphones were chosen as a red dot award recipient from a field of entrants from 58 countries, 1800 companies and 4500 registrations. The evening’s celebration put an exclamation mark on our elation to have received this prestigious award. Thank you, red dot!
James Blake Rocking Our Headphones
Stoked to see musical genius James Blake utilize a pair of Sonic Headphones during his performance at the Meet In Town Festival in Rome.
A Synergy of Sound and Style: Incase Summer Audio Collection
Introducing the new Audio Collection available today in our webstore and starting tomorrow at Apple retail stores worldwide. Ready for summer, the four-model line gets an infusion of new colors and premium fabrics while maintaining the custom design, advanced audio engineering and biomechanics that are the hallmark of Incase Sound Design, the driving force behind our Audio Collection.
All Incase headphones, from the premium Sonic Over Ear to the natural fit Capsule In Ear showcase elegant minimalist design that results in headphones that look and feel as great as they sound. Custom-tuned audio drivers deliver natural sound that accurately reproduces the source audio and are engineered to deliver a smooth and even response across the audio spectrum. For maximum comfort, Incase headphones are designed to match the natural shape of your ears and head. They also provide a generous adjustment range for the perfect personal fit. Exceptional cushioning on every model allows for extended listening without discomfort. On the outside, hidden joints, graceful curves and an exclusive selection of soft-touch and matte finishes, premium fabrics and durable materials provide a subtle, understated appearance while new color options attract just the right amount of attention.
For summer, the premium Sonic over-ear model has been updated in a white, matte finish while maintaining all of its lauded features that earned it a 2012 reddot design award. Combining high-performance acoustics, sound isolation and enhanced comfort, Sonic features large sound chambers and 40mm titanium audio drivers that deliver clear, natural sound in a graceful design. Custom designed earcups match the natural ear shape for better fit and maximum isolation from external noise, while suede covered memory foam provides exceptional comfort that allows for extended wear.
Reflex’s ultra-clean minimalist design takes on complementary material finishes for the season: dark denim wraps the flexible steel headband for a unique tactile experience while our signature coated canvas goes bright in Hot Red. Crafted for individuals who appreciate refined aesthetics and great sound, Reflex features a discreet profile without awkward joints or unnecessary bulk, offers an easy fit and stands up to the demands of daily use.
Designed for active lifestyles, Pivot provides easy portability in an on-ear headphone design. Lightweight yet durable, Pivot delivers robust acoustics and earcups that rotate flat for easy packing. This season, Pivot takes on a paint-dipped look, with two-tone color options in green and pink.
Capsule in-ear headphones go bold for summer in new bright pop and tonal color combinations. Custom designed for those who enjoy the convenience of earbuds, but expect better fit, comfort and audio performance, the Capsule earbud’s profile matches the natural shape of the ear canal to create a better seal for improved sound isolation and acoustics. Each pair of Capsules comes with three different eartip sizes for optimal fit and comfort.
In addition to exceptional sound delivery, our headphones keep you connected and in control with ease. All models include a three-button remote for Apple devices and an integrated microphone for phone calls, voice commands and video chats.
To learn more about the new Incase Audio Collection, be sure to visit the collection page, which features a new comparison chart that highlights each of the four models.
Sonic Headphones Garner red dot award in Product Design
We are proud to announce that our Sonic Over Ear Headphones have received the prestigious 2012 red dot award in product design. Selected by an international 30-member jury during an evaluation process lasting several days, Sonic was chosen from more than 4500 entries in the product design category, which included submissions from more than 1800 companies and designers from all over the globe.
The red dot design award, whose origins reach back to the 1950s, is carried out in three disciplines: the “red dot award: product design,” the “red dot award: communication design” and the “red dot award: design concept.”
As a recipient of the red dot award, Sonic is being celebrated for its fine design language and was deemed an inspiration to the experts on the jury panel. Featuring graceful curves and hidden joints, the seamless design of Sonic maintains smooth contours and an exceptionally clean look while taking into account biomechanics. By matching the natural shape of the ear and the head, Sonic delivers improved fit, comfort and sound isolation, reducing unwanted external noise. Sonic maintains an understated elegance while delivering a smooth and even response across the entire audio spectrum for a clear, natural sound that accurately reproduces the source audio.
Professor Dr. Peter Zec, initiator and CEO of the red dot design award, recognized the high quality level of the competition. “The experts thoroughly examined, tested and evaluated each individual entry applying the highest standards. With their performances, the laureates did not only demonstrate an extraordinary design quality but they also showed that design is an integral part of innovative product solutions.”
Sonic will be among the award-winning products featured at Germany’s red dot design museum. With more than 1500 products on display, the red dot design museum in Germany maintains the world’s largest permanent exhibition of contemporary design. From July 3 to 29, it will hold its annual exhibition of award-winning products for 2012. At “Design on stage – winners red dot award: product design 2012,” design enthusiasts can admire the latest trends through hands-on experiences.
Kudos to our excellent team on this exciting and well-deserved recognition!
Now Available: Premiere Audio Collection
We are excited to announce that our highly anticipated Audio Collection is now available. Comprised of four headphone models ranging in price from $49.95 to $199.95, the Audio Collection makes its retail debut today in our webstore and soon at Apple Store locations worldwide.
The Audio Collection represents a synthesis of precision sound engineering and minimal design achieved through an approach we call Incase Sound Design. With this as our guiding ethos, we have utilized our expertise in designing and developing products that provide enhanced mobility and user experiences to create headphones that deliver a clean, natural sound that accurately reproduces the source audio.
Natural Sound
Our headphones feature custom-tuned audio drivers engineered to provide a smooth and even response across the entire audio spectrum. The Capsule In Ear model uses custom 8.5mm drivers while the Sonic Over Ear features high-performance 40mm titanium drivers designed to deliver the cleanest, clearest reproduction of your music. Reflex and Pivot On Ear models use large 40mm custom drivers to deliver a consistent and expansive sound spectrum.
Minimal Design
The natural acoustics of Incase headphones are complemented by their physical design, featuring graceful curves and hidden joints for an exceptionally clean look. The seamless designs maintain smooth contours and take into account biomechanics by matching the natural shape of the ear and the head for improved fit and sound isolation to reduce unwanted external noise. The full range of headphones maintains an understated elegance reinforced by the use of a tactile soft-touch matte finish for a subtle, refined appearance.
Custom Fit
Comfort and fit are also top considerations in the design and material selection. In addition to enhancing the physical design, the hidden joints employed in the Sonic, Reflex and Pivot models provide a wide range of adjustment to allow for the perfect personal fit. The Sonic model utilizes suede covered memory foam earcups, which reduce pressure points and provide superior comfort. The Capsule headphones match the shape of the human ear canal for improved fit, comfort and sound isolation and come packaged with three pairs of silicone eartips in different sizes.
Connected Control
Every pair of Incase headphones features a built in microphone and remote that works with iPhone, iPad and iPod. With both listening and communications capabilities, Incase headphones simplify travel needs and further our goal of delivering a fully integrated mobile experience.
More details about Incase Audio can be found on the Audio Collection page.
Be sure to check out our video interview with Markus Diebel, VP of Design and Chris Robinette, VP of Product discussing Incase Sound Design, our headphone approach and development process.
We also invite you to visit Room 205, a music program within our Sound & Vision initiative. Working in collaboration with visiting musicians and a revolving cast of filmmakers, set designers, audio engineers and friends, Room 205 exists to share our collective passion for music and art and showcase the people that inspire us through intimate musical performances filmed at a rehearsal and live recording space in Downtown Los Angeles. Visit Room 205’s virtual home for videos, streaming audio tracks and session photos.
Coming Fall 2011: Incase Audio
We are excited to announce that Incase Audio will launch in Fall 2011 starting with a new line of headphones. A complementary extension of our product offering, the new headphones will reflect our expertise in designing and developing products that provide enhanced mobility and user experience. Employing an integrated development approach we call Incase Sound Design, the audio collection reflects a synthesis of precision sound engineering and minimal design.
“With Sound Design as our guiding ethos, we are focused on delivering headphones that bring together design simplicity and intuitive functionality with precision sound and maximum performance,” stated Markus Diebel, Incase VP of Design. “We are working to carefully balance form and function in the new audio collection because in the end, we want users to enjoy an audio experience with headphones that sound and feel as great as they look.”
The audio collection for Fall 2011 will comprise of four headphone models: Sonic Over Ear, Reflex On Ear, Pivot On Ear and Capsule In Ear. Each model features custom-tuned audio drivers that have been engineered to accurately reproduce the source audio for a natural, balanced response across the entire audio spectrum.
The natural acoustics of Incase headphones are mirrored by their physical design. Specifically designed to match the natural shape of the ear and head, Incase headphones deliver better sound isolation to reduce unwanted external noise. A wide range of adjustment and fully articulating earcups allow virtually anyone to obtain a custom fit. The seamless design uses hidden joints to maintain smooth contours for a low-profile understated appearance while the unique combination of matte soft-touch and gloss finishes offers a subtle visual appeal. In addition, each model features an integrated microphone and remote control for use with Apple devices.
“People are increasingly finding themselves tethered to their devices—at work, at home and at points in between,” said Chris Robinette, Incase VP of Product. “Audio listening and communications coupled with the device protection of our cases and bags delivers a fully integrated mobile experience, making Incase the brand of choice for modern day travelers.”
Incase Audio will release in Fall 2011. Visit the Audio collection page to learn more, follow us on Twitter and become our fan on Facebook to stay informed about Incase Audio.
