BUYERS' GUIDE NOMADIC
BUYERS' GUIDE NOMADIC LIFESTYLE OVER-EAR HEADPHONES MARKET HEADPHONE SALES ON THE RISE Total combined revenues of headphones and mobile stereo headsets grew from January to June 2018 by 26% to almost €2 Billion. In total, 59 million units were sold. Europe (without CIS) and APAC accounted for more than 85% of global turnover. Devices with Bluetooth technology grew their sales value by 80% and accounted for 60% of global turnover from headphones and headsets - up from 42% the year before. This development paves the way for devices compatible with smartphone voice assistants that can be integrated into smart ecosystems. Considering that more and more smartphone producers are removing the headphone jacks from their devices, Bluetooth enabled headphones and headsets are expected to continue their growth path. STATE OF PLAY Headphones remain a very important part of the consumer market, and this is not expected to change any time soon. In fact, industry sources suggest healthy growth continuing well into the 2020s. Why the popularity? Primarily the broad adoption of smartphones by just about every consumer. Basic headphones are often bundled with new phones but rarely offer good sound, build quality or fit. Add in as much-as-you-can-eat music streaming services, headphones as a fashion statement and a fitness craze, and suddenly everyone expects to be able to enjoy their personal soundtrack wherever they are. Upgrading to better headphones has become a nobrainer for most. INNOVATIONS TO LOOK FOR AT IFA WIRELESS More traditional music lovers will always opt for a headphone with cable, but the rest of us are increasingly choosing wireless headsets. Sales of Bluetooth headphones, usually with noise-cancelling built-in, are booming. Convenience is the main driver, but sound quality is also improving with the support for Bluetooth codecs such as LDAC and aptX HD. Expect more of these premium wireless headphones to surface here in Berlin, but also reasonably priced ones. ACCESSORIES Midrange and high-end headphones sound even better when coupled with a decent source and amplification. As a lot of headphones are used on public transport or whilst flying, these accessories need to be compact and battery driven. Granted, only a minority of mobile listening will happen through digital music players or mobile DACs, but the interest in these devices is strong enough to entice manufacturers to launch more products of this type. VIRTUAL REALITY Headphones are primarily used for music listening and enjoying other media on the go. But that is certainly not the only time they are useful. Gamers, for example, use dedicated headphones to experience games like Fortnite intensely (and without annoying the neighbours). In the case of virtual and augmented reality, sound is even more important. This is why more brands are offering dedicated equipment to record 3D sound in addition to headphones adapted for virtual reality use. CONTACT Martina Hürbinger Marketing Manager Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology martina.huerbinger@gfk.com THE FUTURE Headphones are here to stay, but expect them to increasingly lose their cables. The basic shape and function of headphones won’t change, but new materials and new uses such as VR will inspire models that are lighter and better sounding. As headphones become more and more popular across broader demographics, expect consumers to increase their expenditure on cans. While lowprice headphones will always sell in high volumes, some consumers will want to invest in a premium device. INNOVATING @ IFA BEYERDYNAMIC LAGOON ANC Beyerdynamic is launching a pair of over-ear Bluetooth headphones, the Lagoon ANC, which is the company’s first headphones to feature Active Noise Cancelling as well as sound personalisation. Users can utilise the MIY app, which includes a hearing test that allows you to analyse your own hearing. The Lagoon ANC then adapts the sound precisely to your personal hearing profile. » HALL 1.2 / STAND 213 SENNHEISER HD 820 Sennheiser is launching its new HD 820 closedback dynamic stereo headphones. The new model features a glass transducer cover to minimise resonances and ensure a realistic and natural sound field. The glass covers are made from patentpending curved Gorilla glass. They reflect the sound waves from the rear of the transducer to two absorber chambers. The HD 820 boasts Pentaconn connectors, which offer a lower contact resistance than other connections for headphones to produce minimal distortion and a more transparent sound reproduction. » HALL 1.2 / STAND 216 18
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE OVER-EAR HEADPHONES PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT IFA Home & Entertainment Electronics IFA Audio Entertainment AUDIO-TECHNICA REVEALS NEXT-GEN HEADPHONES Audio-Technica is at IFA with the ATH-MSR7b, the next generation model of its premium landmark headphone which evolved from the milion-selling ATH-M50x. Lighter than the originals by 53 grams, but with no compromise in quality, the ATH-MSR7b is geared for listening on the go. The soft memory-foam headband and ear-pads provide a relaxed, secure but comfortable fit for long listening sessions when travelling. The exclusively tuned 45mm “True Motion Driver” features a diamond-like carbon-coated diaphragm that delivers increased rigidity for faster response times and reduced distortion, resulting in more accurate audio reproduction. The headphone’s performance is further enhanced through proprietary “Dual-layer Air-Control” technology, that is inherited design from the ATH-MSR7. » Hall 1.2 / Stand 215 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Reduced weight 2 Studio-quality sound 3 New detachable cables SUDIO HITS THE RIGHT NOTE WITH REGENT The Regent promises “world class sound quality and definition,” according to Sudio. Balancing instrumental tones and noise clarity, the musical elements seamlessly combine to create a high-end listening experience. A pioneer in design, Sudio has imbued the Regent with a sleek minimalist appearance which also allows personalisation with colourful, interchangeable caps. Moreover, operating on cutting-edge Bluetooth 4.1 technology and 24+ hours of battery life, the Regent transcends the traditional headphone market, becoming what the brand calls “the ultimate contemporary accessory”. » Hall 1.2 / Stand 217 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Interchangeable caps and foldable design 2 Long battery time: 24+ hours (active), 20 days (standby) 3 Bluetooth 4.1 wireless technology BLOCK OUT THE WORLD WITH KYGO The KYGO A11/800 are high quality over-ear headphones, designed in conjunction with internationally renowned DJ Kygo, who is very proud of the new range. “They’re brilliant for blocking out any unwanted distractions while I’m travelling on tour. Especially when I’m working on music and need to focus, or when I just feel like switching off.” KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Active Noise Cancelling 2 Compatible with Kygo Sound App 3 Voice Command for Google Assistant and Siri They feature active noise cancelling with voice command, via the built-in microphone, for Google assistant and Siri. The headphones are compatible with the Kygo Sound App, which allows users to customise their listening preferences. The headphones have a 40-hour battery life when using Bluetooth, and 20 hours when using Bluetooth and ANC. The soft memory-form pads mould around the ears, and they fold away for storage. » Hall 7.2b / Stand 106 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Better noise cancelling 2 Superior sound and smart Listening 3 Comfortable to wear SONY RELEASES NEW, IMPROVED NOISE-CANCELLING MODEL AT IFA The WH-1000XM3 headphones are the newest addition to the highly-accredited Sony 1000X family. This headband-style around ear model offers all the much-appreciated features from the previous WH-1000XM2 model, while adding multiple key improvements including upgraded Noise Cancelling performance to enhance your listening and user experience. The 1000XM3’s benefit from a newly developed HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 which has approximately four times greater performance than the previous processor. This newlydeveloped component can not only negate transport noise like its predecessor, but also further cancels out daily background sounds such as street noise and human voices. It also features Dual Noise Sensor technology that captures ambient noise with dual microphones and then passes the sound data to the processor to cancel the noise. » Hall 20 / Stand 101 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Wednesday 5 th September 2018 19
