In this installment of “one less thing to own”, we want you to meet a new kind of headphones. It is called TDM. Neo Hybrid Headphone Speakers, and it comes with a twist—like literally. It is the world’s first headphones that turn into a portable speaker with one simple twist. This gadget matters because it actually lets you own one less gadget, which is perfect for folks who need both a pair of headphones and a portable speaker.
With the TDM. Neo Hybrid Headphone Speakers, you can enjoy music while heading out to meet your friends, and when you get there, a quick twist turns it into a portable speaker, so everyone gets to enjoy the music too.
Described as a “premium 2-in-1 audio device”, this pair of high-fidelity headphones transforms into a powerful portable speaker with a simple twist. Exact technical details are not shared, but we do know that under those earcups there are dual amplifiers and four independently tuned drivers that promise to deliver “immersive, studio-quality audio” tuned for both solo sessions, group moments, and anything in between. OK, perhaps there is nothing in between “solo” and “group”, but you get the idea. Expect to experience deep bass, crystal-clear mids, and rich detail.
The product claims to pack a user-replaceable battery that is good for, wait for it, a whopping 200+ hours of playback—which, if true, would make it the headphones with the longest battery life on the market. But that ridiculously long battery life is in headphone mode. In speaker mode, it gets 10+ hours. The device supports USB-C fast charging with overcharge and thermal protection. It takes 8 hours and 5 minutes to charge to full.
Other notables include Bluetooth 6 multipoint pairing, a built-in microphone, an adjustable headband, removable ear cushions, and a 3.5 mm auxiliary audio jack, in case you are down for the wired route. It is not clear if the device will function or function in the same way if the battery is out of juice, when connected to the source with a cable.
It is not available yet, but it will be crowdfunded on Kickstarter later this month, with a pre-order price starting at US$249. Meanwhile, you may reserve a launch invite to get an exclusive discount on the product’s website.
The technical challenges in transforming headphones into a speaker, and vice versa, would be more than just the twist. Generally, the same set of drivers cannot double as speakers, because the drivers on headphones are engineered for low-power, close-range sound projection, while speaker duties require high-power, wide-range sound dispersion.
My guess is that in headphone mode, the power output from the dual amplifiers may be restricted (or perhaps only one amp is working?), and only some of the quad drivers are being utilized, or perhaps they simply have the power output lowered. And when in speaker mode, everything works together to create loud audio. I could be wrong. But that feels like the only way to resolve the hardware differences between these two types of audio products.
Anyhoo, all will be known, hopefully, when the TDM. Neo Hybrid Headphone Speakers go live on Kickstarter.
Images: TDM.
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