Sound Bombing: 3 Brands Break Down Their Headphone Design

This article appeared in Complex's 2011 August/September Style & Design issue.

We're not sure when it happened, but sometime between the introduction of the iPod and now, headphones have elevated from functional equipment to fashion accessory. There was a time when you could get a pair of headphones in any color you wanted as long as it was black or silver. Now, there are brands that offer a rainbow of colors to suit any outfit, mood, or taste. It's gotten to the point where some brands are known for their aesthetic, rather than the quality of sound. That's all to the good. Not everyone needs studio quality sound; some just want to look cool while they commute to work in the morning.

For our 2011 Style & Design issue, we decided to sit down with three of our favorite companies that make headphones and talk to them about what goes into designing a headphone, how is the look balanced with the function, and what they think makes their headphones stand out from all the others in Best Buy.

Related: The 10 Best Over-Ear Headphones Under $200

Sean Garret, Head of Noise Reduction Technology Group for Bose:

“We start with performance first. When it comes to acoustics we absolutely will not compromise on trying to deliver lifelike sound. If we can deliver lifelike acoustics, then, in theory, we’re delivering what the artists intended. After that, the process becomes identifying the optimum materials and designs. It’s one thing for the design to look good and to last a long time, but if it’s going to last a long time we want to make sure that the design is classic. We don’t want design to overshadow the experience the product delivers, but we also don’t want the experience to overshadow our design. We call it the ‘systems approach.’ When you look at any Bose product or any of our headphones, we’re striving for performance, simplicity, and elegance.”

Bose QuietComfort 15 $300, bose.com

Eric Crane, Director of Product Design for Nixon:

“Nixon design is all about blending style and function for a product that looks, sounds, and functions the best it can. The Trooper ended up with a retro-modern spin by way of combining soft, water-resistant silicone with a strong on-ear can shape and a high- performance driver. Our headphones are targeted at the same loyal group of people who appreciate the style and innovation we have been delivering in our watch line for over 13 years. Everything is custom tooled and developed by Nixon. If something ends up looking similar to something else, it’s probably capturing the zeitgeist of the time. We also practice the art of minimalism when possible, removing any unnecessary elements that may detract from the overall gesture, focusing primarily on the most elegant solution for the construction of the piece.”

Nixon The Trooper $70, nixonnow.com

Chris Robinette, Vice President of Product for Incase:

“A big part of the process for our new headphone line was getting to the simplicity of putting on a pair of headphones and listening to your music—that was what we thought was going to differentiate our headphones. One of the things about our brand, which may be different from those who have just entered the market, is we believe in design and aesthetics, and we also believe our customers don’t want to compromise. We made decisions that allowed us to buy the drivers we wanted and get the sound quality we wanted, as well. Our goal is to appeal to people with the Incase design sensitivity so they don’t have to settle for brands that are more in the audio space but don’t deliver the aesthetics Incase does.”

Incase Sonic $TBD, goincase.com