A-Audio’s Hand-Stitched Headphones
Because you’re wearing them.
There are scores of non-descript noise-canceling headphones out there. The only statement they make about you is that you like listening to music without any interference from the outside world. The A-Audio Icon Wireless are not those headphones. By no means garish, these over-ears do stand out. Their style is reminiscent of a classic car: soft leather and chrome plating define the ear cups and the headband is emphasized with diamond-quilted stitching. Wear them and you’ll look more like a producer than a fan. And the sound is just as impressive as the visual. Wearers can choose from three modes: Base Enhancer, Active Noise Cancelation, and Wired Audio, and use Bluetooth 4.0 technology to go cord free. No matter the designation, music is crisp and well rounded, (though acoustic tracks sound drippy when the volume knob is cranked.) A rechargeable lithium-ion battery yields 12 hours of silence, but you’ll still be interrupted by strangers curious about where you bought your headphones. [$379; a-audio.com]