2011 CES: Beyerdynamic Booth

Beyerdynamic's booth was in a secluded alcove away from all the hustle and bustle of many other parts of the show floor. In front of a number of stately looking men was a simple array of headsets that had the type of clean design that doesn’t command attention but embraces simplicity instead.  However, don’t be fooled by their simple appearance, Beyerdynamic’s latest line of headphones can compete with anything the competition puts out in both form and function.

The aforementioned display had headphones both old and new on display.  The first few were the older German-made premium line; these included the 770, 880, and 990 headphones.  Those models weren’t the stars of the show though, instead that honor belonged to the new Tesla Technology.  This efficiency increasing innovation has powered two models: the T1 and T50p to separate awards.  I got a chance to try out a couple of Tesla powered headphones and walked away quite impressed with the sound quality it produces.

The first pair of headphones that I tried were the T5P, a portable version of the award winning T1.  The leather ear cups were soft and spacious, making the headset feel as if it could stand up to a long term wearing without becoming uncomfortable.  The sound was equally impressive, as it delivered crisp, clean sound across the entire range with no distortion whatsoever.  The noise cancellation qualities followed suit, blocking out most all other ambient noise from around the hall even when the music was at low volume.  Overall, the T5Ps are pricey headphones, but they deliver absolutely top notch sound if you can afford them.

However, all of those features are to be expected out of a high quality around the ear headset, but what really blew me away was the T50p.  An unassuming pair of earphones, they even feel a bit flimsy thanks to their ability to swivel 90 degrees in either direction.  However, after putting them on you literally slide into another world thanks to noise cancelling qualities which rival anything larger headsets can offer.  For perspective, there was an interview being conducted not three feet away from me and the two men may as well not have existed, all out of tiny pair of on-ear headphones.  Best of all, there’s no loss in sound quality, as they deliver the same type of crisp sound as the T5Ps but at only a fraction of the price.