Throughout ULTRASONE’s history, we have done a number of things that people initially called crazy—things that later became completely normal. This has been particularly true in the luxury segment, and it is something we still hear from time to time.
Our first edition 7 limited in 2003 was considered completely insane because of its price—at least according to the community. Yet people bought it anyway and were thrilled with it. Its successor, the edition 9, was essentially an updated version without the very elaborate accessories and became a major success in the market.
Then came the edition 8—the first luxury headphone with extreme passive isolation, a short cable, and a 3.5 mm plug. In the market, this caused a scandal. Why did we do it? Because in Japan we had seen people on the subway cutting the cable of their edition 9 headphones so they could use them on the go.
The market’s reaction? Overwhelming.
Later came the edition 5, made with fossilized bog oak wood. Due to the extremely demanding manufacturing process, it was limited—and sold out within two days, even though many again said we must be crazy. But it was also the first headphone to feature the remarkable S-Logic EX, which elevated spatial sound reproduction to an entirely new level.
We are still crazy—and we have several plans for revolutionary new products. And yes, by now I see it as a compliment when people describe us that way. Because only those who are a little crazy create something truly unique.
Focal, on the other hand, only introduced its first mobile luxury headphone, the Focal Bathys, in October 2022. This over-ear headphone combines wireless Bluetooth connectivity, active noise cancelling (ANC), and solid sound quality optimized for mobile use. Focal integrated its high-end driver technology with a DAC mode, allowing a direct USB-C connection to further enhance sound quality when the headphones are used in wired mode.
My opinion on this:
How far ahead of certain developments we sometimes were only becomes clear in direct comparison. In this case, it’s about 14 years. Perhaps we were even too early, setting signals rather than actual trends—similar to what happened with some early in-ear models.
But we will not stop bringing innovation into our products and creating something unique.
Stay tuned—the surprise box is well filled! 🎧
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