The market for premium wireless headphones is quite roomy. Still, it is largely occupied by big names in the industry. And any new brand wishing to find its spot in that segment will find the road to the top difficult and arduous. That is the route an Indian startup has taken to make a name for itself with its maiden headphones that punches above its weight.
How an Indian startup built a pair of headphones comparable to well-established brands in audio tech is a full-length story in itself, and I will keep it for another time. But here’s the gist: Navajith and Jagath, co-founders of Rapture Innovation Labs, came up with an idea to reinvent how sound is produced in headphones when they were experimenting with hearing implants and audio interfaces for safety helmets. The duo tinkered with audio drivers and then patented their own technology that combines air and body conduction to render an immersive audio experience.
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Design
The Mangalore-based startup’s maiden headphones, Sonic Lamb, is an impressive device. The review pair I received had a matte-black finish with accents on the ear cups. My first impression when I unboxed the device: simple, minimalistic, and elegant. The ear cups were made of good quality plastic, and the head band piece was made of metal, covered with a silicon liner.
The minimalistic design keeps the headphones clutter free with just three buttons – all of them placed at the top of the right ear cup. The buttons are well designed and have a quick response.
A view of the Sonic Lamb headphones and accessories in their case
| Photo Credit:
John Xavier
Of the three buttons, one acts as a multi-functional touch point, allowing users to turn on and off the device, play or pause a track, and of course, connect it to any compatible device wirelessly. Next to the multi-function button are the volume buttons – up and down.
At the bottom of the right ear cup is the charging point and a port to connect a mic that is included in the headphones package. The left ear cups are button-free. An LED light streak on the right ear cup blinks when the headphones is in use.
For a startup that not just seeks to improve the user experience but to enhance the overall audio quality in headphones, the bar is high. And this product shows its makers were serious about what they set out to do.
Powered by the Qualcomm QCC 3034 chip, the Sonic Lamb delivers high-fidelity audio through four distinct modes – hear, feel, immerse, and beast modes. Hear is a full-range dynamic driver mode where bass is at its lowest. I found this setting extremely useful when listening to podcasts, talking on the phone, and hearing Hindustani classical music. The audio was clear and sharp.
Feel mode adds a bit of bass punch, and this is where the subwoofer really kicks in. This mode worked well when listening to Rock and Jazz. Then, with a little more bass punch, the immersive mode offered a superior output when watching movies. Lastly, the beast mode is for bassheads and gamers. And through all the four audio modes, the sound fidelity was fantastic; in fact, it was outstanding.
The high-fidelity output is a result of the company’s patented hybrid driver technology. This piece of innovation lets the listener hear through air and bone conduction routes. And the ear pads, which the Sonic Lamb makers call Woofer pads, help convert audio signals into mechanical impulses.
