It would be nice to be able to change the look of one’s headphones or upgrade the speakers on them every once in a while so that another headphone purchase isn’t necessary if the owner gets bored with their design or wants to improve their sound performance or other features.
Oddio is a set of modular headphones with swappable components. Users can change its colors or the speakers, and also swap out the ear cups for a different sound profile. Skins, modules and batteries all are attached magnetically. Users can also attach Bluetooth or Active Noise Cancellation modules based on their needs.
A set of basic Oddio headphones starts shipping in December. It has a future price of $220. But early bird Indiegogo backers can order a set starting at $129 for super early birds. A “Pokemon Go” set comes in a choice of blue, red or yellow and with up to 12 characters per ear cap.
It ships in March and has future pricing of $260. But early bird Indiegogo backers can order a set starting at $149. Separate Bluetooth and noise-canceling versions start shipping in December with future pricing of $265 each. But Indiegogo backers can order a set of either one at $189. Oddio’s makers hope to raise $50,000 by Sept. 22.
Other manufacturers, including Philips, have fielded headphones with interchangeable color caps. But Oddio’s entirely modular approach is less common and potentially appealing to at least some consumers. However, whether Oddio succeeds or not still likely comes down to how good it sounds, and that remains to be seen.