Today the headphone beast that is Monster Cable snacked on CES 2011 when it launched new in-ear headphones during its press conference at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.Monster's popularity lies largely in celebrity-branded headsets and today's product announcement fits that profile. The Miles
Davis Trumpet, a set of tributary earbuds that cost $349, are geared toward jazz and acoustic music listeners. The Trumpet in-ear buds pack the smallest audio driver of any in-ear headphone set; so small that they fit into the tips of the ear piece, not behind them like most buds.
That lends the in-ear portion of the Trumpet headphones an interesting trumpet silhouette. Monster repeats the jazz-look throughout the headset, starting at the buds and extending down to the inline controls for music playback and answering calls hands-free. Built with Monster's proprietary ControlTalk technology for the iPod, iPhone, and iPad as well as some other smart phones, that dongle features buttons that resemble the piston valves of a trumpet.
There are more design notes meant to accent the product's reverence for Miles Davis: gold highlights are meant to evoke brass metal and Miles Davis's signature is etched onto the headphone's flat cord.
The Trumpet headphones are a follow-up to the Miles Davis Tributes, a set of buds that were equally focused on the soft tones of jazz music and cost $499. Monster CEO Noel Lee admitted during the company's press event that customers were reluctant to adopt a set of earbuds for that price set, and presented the Trumpet as a product that is lower in price but of equal quality to the Tribute.
Interestingly, the presentation began with Lee expounding Monster's achievement in headphones during 2010 ("We exploded the category," he said) and ended in more announcements in other Monster product categories. Among that news were new car chargers, an interesting car accessory that allows drivers to use gesture controls to navigate their iOS devices while driving, lower prices for Monster's typically expensive HDMI cords (now as low as $29), and a ship date for the company's universal 3D glass solution for any and all 3D TVs (January 30).
The Trumpet headphones go on-sale in February 2011. Ears on maybe? We think so.
