XtremeMac FS.1 High Definition Earphones

By Steve Johnson
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

XtremeMac debuted its FS.1 High Definition Earphones today at the Apple Expo in Paris, introducing a new generation of professional audio technology to the iPod consumer.

Unlike other earphones, which use armature-type drivers-the same kind found in hearing aids-the FS.1 earphones utilize proprietary drivers and technologies recently developed by Future Sonics. The company claims these drivers produce a natural tone and rich, deep bass-even at the lowest volume levels-that surpass the performance of any other earphones on the market, advancing the state of technology for music enjoyment and game playing.

The new FS.1 earphones also reduce outside noise and produce a wider spectrum of sound, which XtremeMac claims allows the user to hear music just the way the artist intended.

XtremeMac expects to begin shipping the earphones by November 1, however consumers will be able to place pre-orders through XtremeMac’s website for $149.95.

Steve’s take: While this is great news for audiophiles and gamers, I’m not sure if we’ll really enjoy the full potential of these new earphones. In order to hear the music, “just the way the artist intended”, the music has to be recorded at an exceptionally high quality. Acoustic instruments, including the human voice, produce faint overtones that both define the unique timbre of instruments while coloring the chords and melodies. Most of these overtones are not picked up during the recording process, hence limiting the finest of audio monitors to the quality of the recording equipment. It’ll be like buying an HDTV, and watching standard DVDs.

Source: XtremeMac