InCase Debuts their Audio Collection Headphone Line

It's curious enough to find venerable speaker companies getting into the headphone business, but the announcement today by Apple accessories specialists InCase of an all-new — and very complete — line of headphones is even more of a surprise. Four new 'phones — a full-size model, two on-ears, and a set of in-ears — from the folks who make all of those iPhone cases.

But for those who've been keeping up with the Audio Collection shoudn't come as that much of a shock — the company has long had an interest in music and even marketed an innovative line of guitar and bass cases once upon a time. And like some other fashion brands of late, they've also been collaborating with record labels and running a rehearsal/recording space, Room 205, as part of their (very nicely named) "Sound & Vision" program of sponsorships for emerging artists. So why not help fans enjoy the music on a practical level.

As for the cans, the three traditional headphone designs are based on a 40mm driver (titanium for the full-size Sonic); the in-ears use an 8.5 mm unit. Finishes should be familiar from the company's cases; a soft-touch rubberized and coated canvas finishes are employed throughout the minimalist range. All models are available in a range of understated color combos — if you're looking to headphones as a fashion accessory, you'll likely be happy with these regardless of sound.

All models include a mic and iOS controllers for on-the-go convenience, though the Pivot (the smaller and lighter of the two on-ear models) also folds flat for increased portability.

While we'll reserve judgement 'til we get some serious ears-on time, it seems that ergonomics were key in the design phase here. The Sonic, which looks set to compete with fashionable full-size offerings from V-Moda and AIAIAI, has earcups shaped to accomodate ear contours (well, at least for most), while the on-ear models use a round earpad. The Capsule in-ears use an oval eartip (superficially reminiscent of Klipsch's S-series designs).

There's no stated stylistic or generic signature, just a note that the drivers are "custom tuned to deliver clear, natural sound across the entire audio spectrum." We're hoping to get a full listen in soon, so check back with us.