Beyerdynamic Headphones Bring Pro Sound to Consumer Devices

The new Custom One Pro from Beyerdynamic are the first headphones that enable you to acoustically control their bass response and noise-canceling ability with switches on the sides of the ear cups The switches open and close bass-reflex vents, which alter the sonic characteristics of the headphones to suit your listening preferences. When you need more bass, you can switch the vents into the closed position. This setting also attenuates sound leakage, so it’s ideal for situations where you don’t want to disturb others. Other kinds of headphones apply processing and EQ in order to enhance the bass response, but with the Custom One Pro, it happens acoustically. Beyerdynamic's literature describes the effect as dramatic—you can feel the transducers pushing the air around your ears.

There are listening occasions that call for a more even and natural response. When less is more, the vents on the Custom One Pros can be opened, reducing bass repsonse. This is useful for more critical listening applications, or for just enjoying classical music recordings in your living room. The switches have four positions in all, giving you options to match your wishes. Opening and closing the vents changes the amount of ambient noise that enters the headphones, so they perform as an adjustable noise-canceling feature.

Just as you can adapt the Custom One Pro headphones to your listening needs, their visual appearance can be altered as well. They come out of the box with a low profile, yet sophisticated looking matte black finish, but colorful components can be purchased separately to adorn them to your liking. Different-colored headbands and output cables will be available, as well as rings and plates for the sides of the ear cups that feature graphics with different themes. Beyerdynamic is even planning to implement a program in which you can send the company a JPEG, and ear-cup plates will be custom printed for you. Various detachable output cables will also be available that feature integrated remotes and mics for smartphones, headsets for gaming, etc.
Sound-quality wise, the Custom One Pro headphones deliver excellent performance with a 16-ohm impedance, which is ideal for consumer devices. They share many of the same specifications as the DT 770 PROs (one of the top-selling headphones among professional music producers and musicians). The Custom One Pro was designed to be an interactive headphone that adapts to your listening and visual needs and desires, while providing first-rate sonic performance.