SOL Republic’s New Shadow Wireless Earphones
Biomorphic design coupled with crisp, clear sound for every day music listeners
The fact of the matter is, in-ear wireless headphones aren’t the most aesthetically inclined electronics. Looking to bring a much needed design boost to the space, SOL Republic presents their latest in-ear line, the Shadow wireless earphones, announced today. While we have to admit that these earphones look pretty stellar, the brand managed to do more than just raise the bar for in-ear aesthetics. First, in drawing inspiration from NASA research regarding the human body, they’ve created a biomorphic design that feels nearly weightless when the buds are in your ear and the strap is resting on the back of your neck. This “natural-fit” collar distributes weight evenly, and the flexible material composing it allows for seamless and intuitive adjustment. It’s also quick to stow without worry of a tangle.
Second, despite being wireless, no sound quality is lost. Shadow wireless delivers CD-quality audio by way of an aptX codec. The headphones offer a full eight hours of battery life and can be separated up to 30 feet from the device they’re paired with (and can pair with two devices total). Still, these are headphones for built for audio nerds and the sound quality and experience is immersive. Individual components of the fuller orchestration within tracks can be isolated and honed in on audibly, thanks to the clarity of sound—but when stepping back to take in the bigger picture of a song, the delivery is powerful and uniform.
SOL Republic cofounder Seth Combs explains to CH that aside from noise cancellation technology, there hasn’t been much innovation in the headphone market. He believes wireless is the next big transition, and he’s already witnessed progress twofold in the in-ear market. “The most immediate route has been sport headphones,” he begins. “It makes the most sense as there are the most issues with cords. The problem with a lot of those footprints and designs, is that it is one cable and all the technology is in the ears: the Bluetooth and battery. You get ear fatigue. Then, there’s the route for the everyday music fan and when looking at the options out there, we knew we needed to build in-ear headphones from the bottom up that offered sound quality people require.” And that’s what they did: deliver their optimized sound in a device designed to fit comfortably.
The Sol Republic Shadow Wireless Earphones are available online in Steel Black or Rich Grey for $100.
Images courtesy of SOL Republic
