It's almost time for CES 2024, and that means flying surfboards (yes really, watch this space on that), cute little home robots, supremely screenified EVs, and some cracking new audio tech.
To that end, Netherlands outfit BREGGZ (hold your horses, well-known UK bakery chain lovers! No steak bakes or vegan sausage rolls here) has just the thing for audiophiles heading to Las Vegas this year, with the unveiling of its new 'hearable'.
So they're essentially custom-fit earbuds? Yes, but they're also being touted as "the world’s first truly wireless, custom-made in-ear computer".
The self-proclaimed "luxury technology company" will unveil what it calls "a made-to-measure luxury hearable with an A+ audio experience" at CES 2024. Each pair of BREGGZ is tailor-made to give customers unique sound for a truly wireless in-ear device experience, which the company promises will deliver a "dramatic change in sound and luxury".
According to a report from market research and consulting company, KVB Research, the global true wireless stereo earbuds market is expected to reach nearly $244 billion by 2028, but BREGGZ points out that this space is "saturated currently with devices that don’t fit users’ ears and sound terrible".
And thus, BREGGZ is offering a luxury alternative! BREGGZ, says the company, are not simply another hearable (if you've heard of those before – which I actually haven't), but state-of-the-art in-ear computers that are custom designed specifically to fit each individual user’s ears perfectly.
Analysis: BREGGZ are high-end, but they're built to last
Let's backtrack a hot minute. Individual ears are as unique as our fingerprint – I should know, having tested (and loved) my Sennheiser custom ear tips, following my 3D ear-mapping appointment at High End Munich 2023. I've also tried Ultimate Ears' novel heat-to-fit earbuds and I've looked into solutions from dedicated earpiece companies such as Avery, which require molds from audiologists.
BREGGZ's solution is different to more traditional molds taken by otologists (whereby material is syringed into your ear after something called a 'block' is inserted past the second bend in your ear canal, to prevent the material from going any further) in that it utilizes technology that allows customers to scan their individual ears – and apparently, the result fits better than even hand-made molds. These ear scans are modified into 3D print files so that exclusively selected BREGGZ partners can produce 3D-printed medical-grade ceramic or plastic shells and faceplates.
The BREGGZ hearable itself boasts four high-end balanced armature drivers per individual ear and pinna, produced by industry leader Knowles to promise a concert-like experience. In a nod to sustainability, BREGGZ utilizes a unique, patented ‘one-box’ technology in which all of the hardware and firmware is processed in a mini cartridge, which can be easily replaced if (or when) the user wants to upgrade to a newer version of BREGGZ, or following a battery charge decrease over time. BREGGZ can, says the manufacturer, also be customized like made-to-measure jewelry. Faceplate collections are planned, in collaboration with other luxury brands, artists and athletes.
The sustainability angle here is key, and one I very much approve of. Even the best noise-cancelling earbuds are often discarded after a few years of use (let's face it, when a newer iteration is launched) creating no small amount of waste – see the quoted market size, above. BREGGZ are made to last a lifetime. The company assures us that BREGGZ owners never need to replace their headphones; the patented cartridge that houses BREGGZ technology is smaller in diameter than the tip of an adult’s pinky finger, is universally assembly-line produced, and easily changed to access new and updated features – making BREGGZ an eco-friendly hearable.
“I wanted customers to hear what I hear as a professional artist,” said BREGGZ co-founder and CEO Xander de Buisonjé, a noted Dutch vocalist with several number-one hits in the Benelux region, who wanted to replicate the same wired in-ear monitors (IEMs) he’s used for years while singing.
BREGGZ will be available worldwide, starting initially in Europe, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, at a special CES introductory price of $1,750 or €1,600 (so around £1,370 or AU$2,595), with an expected ship date of Q3 2024.
The special CES 2024 introductory pricing is limited to the first 100 pairs of BREGGZ pre-ordered during CES 2024, and also includes free shipping. Might they be the best wireless earbuds ever? Possibly…
Check out our CES 2024 hub for all the latest news from the show as it happens. We'll be covering everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI, so stick with us for the big stories.
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