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SALT LAKE CITY — With the first headphones originating in Millcreek, it's no surprise that Utah continues to be a hotspot for audio technology.
Nathaniel Baldwin, a graduate of the early Brigham Young Academy, invented his "earphone receivers" while working at a hydroelectric plant in Mill Creek Canyon. He registered the patent in May 1910 and the U.S. Navy became his first customer.
Since then, other Utah entrepreneurs are among those who picked up where Baldwin left off. Below are three Utah audio companies that recently showed off their headphones at the international Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
One of the newest headphones from Utah has yet to hit the market. Streamz, a wireless headphone that lets users stream music from services like Spotify and Pandora directly over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, made its debut at the CES.
The Millcreek-based company is marketing Streamz as the first smart streaming wireless headphones. The headphones offer internal storage and have a touch screen on the side for browsing music.
"This is like putting your phone in your headphones," said Streamz founder and CEO Douglas Kihm.
While the headphones don't need to be paired with a smartphone to play music, those who prefer to browse songs and stations on a tablet or smartphone can do so through a Streamz app. The headphones also automatically sync to music libraries on Android devices, downloading new songs to the device's internal storage.
The Streamz headphones are expected to ship in March at a retail price of about $399.
Park City's Skullcandy has taken the audio world by storm since its start in 2003. Its Ink'd Buds are currently the No. 1 best-selling earbuds in the United States, according to a company representative.
Skullcandy is quickly expanding its wireless collection as the wireless market for headphones explodes. The company offers both Bluetooth earbuds and headphones of a more traditional style. Its Hesh 2 Wireless, the Bluetooth version of its popular Hesh 2, offers convenient perks like a microphone, device control and a rechargeable battery for a $99.99 retail price.
At CES, Skullcandy also introduced what it is calling a virtual reality audio experience. The Crusher VRA, which aims to immerse music lovers in sound with Immerseion35 Tech, and Crusher Wireless will hit the market in 2016 for $299.99 and $149.99 respectively.
"We developed Crusher VRA to exceed expectations for what portable audio can feel like," Skullcandy Chief Commerical Officer Sam Paschel said in a statement. "The shift in the way we consume media to anytime-anywhere streaming has created a need for meaningful audio experiences that can enhance visual and audio elements of our media."
Heavy reading requires heavy sound. #STAYLOUD. #Repost from #JoeJoy2K14. pic.twitter.com/v8f2PaSj8A
— Skullcandy (@skullcandy) January 13, 2016This Utah company has been around since 1994, when it was born in a Provo basement. Wicked audio offers stylish headphones for those on a budget, with 72 percent of its earbuds available for $20 or less, according to the company's art director MarkieAnn Gardner.
Each product has a Wicked touch. Its Outcry Extreme, a Bluetooth speaker, growls when you turn it on. The company designed different headphone lines to cater to both general and specific needs, including the Rad Rascal for children.
