🗽 On Monday, we debuted the newest addition to the Nothing Headphone lineup. Introducing Headphone (1) Pro, alongside our newest global ambassador, V, at a launch event held at HERO, Rockefeller Center in New York.
🗣️ The evening opened with remarks from Chief Brand Officer Charlie Smith and Associate Principal Industrial Designer Philipp Von Lintel, who walked guests through the thinking and technical craft behind Headphone (1) Pro. From the decisions that shaped its sound to the details that define how it sits in the world of Nothing.
Charlie kicked things off by setting the bar high:
“I like to describe them as ludicrously over-engineered, They give you studio-level sound at incredible value, in a design that feels as much like a fashion statement as a piece of tech. Whether you’re commuting to work or making music in the studio, you’re going to turn heads.”
“A product like this deserved someone equally singular to represent it, A member of the most streamed band ever, a platinum-selling artist in his own right, a lover of retro tech – and, apparently, a Capricorn. He’s somebody who really embodies the experimentation, curiosity and restlessness at the heart of Nothing. So tonight, we’re incredibly excited to announce V from BTS as Nothing’s new global brand ambassador.”
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🎧 With the big reveal out of the way, Charlie and Philipp spoke about how Headphone (1) Pro came to life. “It’s definitely the most premium device we’ve developed yet,” Charlie said. “We talk about rebellious creatives a lot – artists like V, Charli xcx and the creative community driving everything we do. Headphone (1) Pro has been made especially for them. How did the design process start?”
Phillip spoke on how the design for Headphone (1) Pro began:
“In the studio, we usually begin with a question. This time, we asked ourselves: if we removed all constraints, what do creatives need from their headphones? We talked about things like extremely detailed sound, studio tools for mixing, and the ability to do these things anywhere.” When the team took that idea to the sound engineers, they came back with something special: “A triple driver architecture.”
Phillip then went on to break down the inspiration behind Headphone (1) Pro:
“First, we wanted to surprise people again,” Philipp explained. "We are inspired by 80s electronics like the Walkman, calculators from Olivetti in Italy and designs by Braun in Germany. With Headphone (1) Pro, the idea was to reveal the acoustic chamber, which is important for bass extension.
So, we shaped the ear cup out of aluminium and created a window from scratch-resistant Panda glass.
This way, we increased the sense of depth and created layers that let you “look into’ the engineering from the outside and reveal elements of the architecture.
Well, that is everything that has gone into making Headphone (1) Pro. We are really excited to see what our creative communities will do with it.”
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After the design intro, our Global Head of Comms Shavone Charles hosted a round table that brought together some of the most compelling voices at the intersection of tech, music, and culture. Joining her were musical artist Kelela and producer Navy Blue, two people who think seriously about sound and what it means.
🪩 The night closed with a live performance by Navy Blue and a cultural library of our team’s design references for guests to explore.
