The ov21 is thinksound's flagship, high-fidelity, monitoring headphones, also the company's first-ever circumaural design. Until now recognized by high-quality in-earphones, thinksound generated some anticipation when it unveiled the new over-ear design back in July 20211. "When we set out to build the ov21's, our goal was to not only meet, but exceed the demands of audio professionals, musicians and music enthusiasts," says Aaron Fournier, acclaimed audio engineer, and thinksound founder and president.
"We spent countless hours testing and improving the design; repeatedly measuring prototypes against headphones more than three times their price. Each time, the ov21's came out way ahead. We can confidently say these headphones are giant-killers," Fournier adds.
The design was carefully voiced by Aaron Fournier, exploring the full potential of the expertly crafted 45mm dynamic drivers, elected for its accurate sound reproduction and an impressively wide soundstage. The thinksound ov21 ships with two 4.5’ long detachable, nylon braided, Kevlar reinforced, tangle-resistant cables – one with inline mic and one without. The 3.5mm steel reinforced gold plated stereo plug allows increased sound clarity and reliability.
The single button inline microphone - compatible with iPhone and Android smartphones - supports clear voice communications and music control, making the headphones also a practical companion for any work and leisure situation.
Thinking about long listening sessions and many hours of work in the studio, the headphones' generous memory foam earcups and adjustable headband allow a very comfortable fit. The earcups also offer a good amount of passive noise isolation that minimizes ambient sounds, so the user can focus on the sound source with no distractions. Key to the ov21 design was the option to use Eastman Trēva engineering bioplastic as a key material option.
"We're a company that has always had sustainability as part of our mission," details Fournier. "Historically, we've achieved this by using wood and other natural or recyclable components. That created a challenge with new product development because we had to minimize the use of plastic. Trēva offered us an opportunity to develop headphones in an environmentally responsible way while meeting our rigorous standards for acoustic performance."
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. Trēva is a USDA Certified Biobased polymer that offers excellent acoustic properties in addition to the durability, chemical resistance and processability required for engineered applications in consumer electronic devices.
"We're proud to be working with a company like thinksound, with its deep commitment to environmentally sound products," says Courtland Jenkins, commercial director of specialty plastics for Eastman. "Eastman innovation is enabling a new level of sustainability with electronic components, which is part of our overall commitment to creating a more circular economy."
thinksound began in 2009 with a mission to creating audio products that truly respect the art and craft of music professionals. Products that sound amazing, look good, feel comfortable, are priced fairly and produced responsibly. The company is now also developing two wireless headphone products that will use sustainable materials as part of its commitment to environmentally responsible innovation.
"We now have the flexibility to create almost any audio product our customers desire, and we can do it in a way that we can feel good about," says Mark Forward, chief marketing officer of thinksound. "Eastman provides the kind of technology and innovation that matches our ambitions as a company. We're excited about the possibilities of what we can create together."
Given the current production and logistics constrains, thinksound will offer limited production quantities of the ov21 and is expecting the headphones to sell out the first units fast. Pre-orders are available now and delivery is expected in October, 2021.
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www.thinksound.com
