In a move that may be considered a bit unorthodox, JVC on Wednesday surprised everyone with its announcement of birch wood, in-canal earbuds that lose the common metal and plastic found in today's most prominent designs.
Dubbed the HP-FX500, JVC claims the earbuds' birch wood design goes far beyond looks and actually improves overall sound quality. According to the company, the wood enhances the effects of the technology added to the product and should create a unique listening experience.
The earbuds offer hybrid drivers to ensure that the device pumps out clear and stable sound, while damping gel inside both reduces jittering and improves the passive noise-cancelling effect. JVC claims the earbuds can reproduce sounds as low as 8Hz and as high as 25kHz.
The earbuds will come with multiple sizes of rubber tips to match the size of your ear canal, as well as a carrying case. JVC will start shipping the earbuds in early February in Japan for ¥15,000 (£65), with a US and European launch due soon thereafter.