"Why aren't headphones, or personal audio for that matter, actually personal? Why aren't they more like prescription glasses, where each and every person gets her or his own custom sound-fit based on a hearing profile?" This is what Danny Aronson asked himself when his good friend Ofer Raz asked him to recommend a good pair of headphones three years ago. Realizing he could not name a pair of headphones that he felt were worthy of his close friend's ears, he decided to create his own.
As a classically trained composer and sound designer, Aronson has dedicated 20 years of his life to the art of sound. He plays the flute, piano and guitar and has a degree in music composition from the University of Tel Aviv. Aronson studied score-writing as well as avant-garde and modern music which guided him towards his career in sound design where he led Israel's largest audio post-production facility. As is the natural progression of human anatomy, our senses tend to weaken with age. With a profession in music, Aronson refused to let his hearing become an impairment.
Even headphones are a one-of-a-kind, personal sonic experience. Their slick design, ergonomic fit, and walnut wood ear pieces make each pair unique, just as each person's hearing is unique. The entire audio industry has been based upon the assumption that "one sound fits all," as stated by Aronson. "We know that this assumption is simply untrue," he explains in an interview. "Just like eyesight or any other physical attribute, people each hear differently and our left ear hears differently from the right."
Even's core crew consists of Danny Aronson (CEO), Ofer Raz (CTO), Mosi Shuchman (VP of Operations), Ronen Hillel (head of sound design), Pam Kramer (consumer marketing), Christian Riley (CMO), Kevin Leong (chief manufacturer) as well as a team of software, firmware, sound and acoustic engineers. They have been working on these headphones for two and a half years and launched their first batch of earbuds in June of 2016 which sold out within 48 hours. Their newest creation, the H1 over-ear pair, launched October 19th.
Before you use these headphones, you must first tailor them to your ears through a 90 second test administered by a mysterious woman named "Sarah." After plugging in your headphones, you press the Even button and Sarah tests your reactions to a series of frequencies ranging from 125hz (very low bass) to 14KHZ (very high) and several pitches in between. The result is a perfectly balanced and customized listening experience where the headphones are actually tuned into the exact frequencies that your ears hear. "The first time I heard music with my own EarPrint, the experience took me back 30 years," reflects Aronson. "It was an emotional, moving moment for me. I was blown away."
The benefits of Even EarPrint technology include a uniquely rich and detailed sound that compensates for frequencies you may have lost over time or have always had issues with, creating a feeling of surround-sound - the sense of being engulfed by the music.
The technology behind the unique EarPrint sound is based on a complex algorithm that was perfected over the span of two years and developed by professional music mastering engineers, sound designers and software engineers. The sensation these headphones produce is clean lows, thick mids and crisp highs. "Imagine, for example, that you don't hear 8KHZ frequencies in your right ear as well as you do in your left. What do you do?" Aronson asks. "You crank up the volume, affecting all frequencies, in both ears. This can really muddy the sound. Once you hear music set to your unique EarPrint, you simply hear what you've been missing. People often turn down the volume!"
The concept of EarPrint technology is also ideal for musicians, producers and DJs who are frequently exposed to loud music. It provides a safe haven for their ears as well as a clear differentiation between frequencies for a better understanding of sound. The better one hears, the better music one can create. Those who rely on their ears for their careers will especially appreciate these headphones.
Living in a busy city where noise never sleeps, my headphones are a sonic oasis. At any time, when my mind becomes overwhelmed with sirens, screams and helicopters, I can plug in my headphones and hang out with The Beatles, David Bowie and David Tipper, letting all the noise around me just melt away like candle-wax. Those personal moments of truly listening to music instead of just hearing it are like falling in love, and with the right headphones, those moments can be relived forever.