Klipsch Introduces $100 In-Ear Apple-Friendly Headphones

Klipsch's $100 in-ear headphones with Apple=friendly microphone and remote.

Klipsch's $100 in-ear headphones with Apple=friendly microphone and remote.

Are you looking for an alternative to Apple’s in-ear headphones? High-end audio gear maker Klipsch next month will begin selling a $100 headset, the Image S4i, complete with the same three-button microphone and remote as Cupertino’s $88 version.

Klipsch marketing head Don Inmon calls the headset a “breakthrough product that simplifies on-the-go lifestyles-you can take calls while commuting or exercising, as well as control your music library.” Along with the compatible three-button mic and remote, the new headset will support Apple’s VoiceOver feature, allowing you to hear the name of a playlist, artist or song with third-generation iPod shuffles.

But is the headset worth the premium price? This is where the legendary Klipsch fit-and-finish may come into play. The Indianapolis, IN company inspected headphone users’ ears – literally. Their research found most ear canals are oval shaped. The company repositioned the microphone to chest-level, producing “a more natural feel when answering calls and controlling music,” according to the company.

The Klipsch headphones include a two-year warranty.

[Via Klipsch]

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Ed Sutherland

Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.

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  • Herman van Boeijen

    How can a headphone “support” a voiceover feature?! :)
    Marketing blah!
    (My guess is the voiceovers are generated in ipod / iphone itself :)

  • Joe

    If it doesn’t have an angled plug I won’t be buying it. The best I can get out of Apple’s premium earbuds is about 2 months before the connection at the plug comes loose. I wish manufacturers would realize that a lot of us carry our iPhones in our jeans pocket and need something with a robust connection. I now buy cheap Sony’s with an angled plug. They don’t sound great but at least last more than a month or two before wearing out.

  • http://www.klipsch.com KlipschAudio

    Thanks for the article! These are actually available now at klipsch.com…

  • http://www.Klipsch.com Professor Thump

    http://community.klipsch.com/blogs/markb/archive/2009/08/03/controlling-apple.aspx
    This may help everyone understand the functions with iphone and ipod.