Gold Audio and Sound Equipment Design · 2023
Unity Wireless Lossless Headphones
by Tim Degraye and Liliane Huguet
- A' Design Award 2023 Gold Winner in Audio and Sound Equipment Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: Hed Unity
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 925,774
- Verification code D887C64E87 · Verify this award
About Unity Wireless Lossless Headphones
The revolutionary wireless headphones from Unity go beyond the limits of other conventional headphones to stream true lossless audio, meaning listeners can hear the music they love in stunning clarity and rich detail, by using onboard WiFi functionality to support high-resolution streaming up to 24bit/192kHz. Unity headphones have an integrated dual-core processor, memory, storage, and a 9-axis IMU for accurate head-tracking motion detection for codec agnostic decoding of spatial and immersive audio in real-time. Unity has its own audio software platform with regular over-the-air updates.
Within the distinguished tradition of audio equipment design that bridges functional engineering with aesthetic refinement, HED Unity's Unity Wireless Lossless Headphones emerge as a compelling exemplar of contemporary industrial design philosophy. The work demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of form language that draws upon modernist principles while embracing the organic sensibilities characteristic of twenty-first century product design. The designer appears to have engaged thoughtfully with the challenge of enclosing complex acoustic and electronic technology within housings that communicate both technical competence and human-centered comfort. The sweeping arc of the headband, resolved through continuous curves that avoid abrupt transitions, suggests an appreciation for the sculptural potential inherent in functional objects. Particularly noteworthy is the chromatic restraint employed throughout—the achromatic palette of gunmetal grays and deep blacks allows material qualities and formal relationships to speak without the distraction of applied color, a strategy that evokes the considered minimalism associated with distinguished design houses. The textural dialogue between the plush velour ear cushions and the precision-finished metallic surfaces creates a visual narrative of anticipated tactile experience, inviting the viewer to imagine the sensation of wearing these instruments. The typographic treatment visible on the left ear cup demonstrates attention to detail at every scale, with the letterform serving both functional wayfinding and aesthetic refinement. This work sits comfortably within lineages that value the synthesis of engineering excellence and visual sophistication, suggesting that premium audio experiences deserve equally premium material expressions. One might contemplate how objects of daily use, when crafted with such evident care, elevate routine activities into moments of aesthetic appreciation.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Unity is the first wireless headphone that can stream lossless, high-resolution audio up to 192kHz/24-bit over Wifi, and has a dual-core processor, memory, storage, and a 9-axis IMU for accurate head-tracking motion detection for codec agnostic decoding of spatial and immersive audio. Unity has its own audio software platform called earOS with regular over-the-air updates that bring exciting new features.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 224mm x 188mm x 93mm
420g headphone + 340g protective case - Tags
- headphone, wireless, device, spatial audio, lossless, wifi, software, platform
- Production Technology
- The ear cup assembly is comprised of a CNC machined single block of architectural grade 6063 aluminum and a carbon fiber-infused nylon chassis to reduce vibration and reduce outside noise by -13dB. The headband is made of durable and flexible Grilamid. Memory foam ear pads mold seamlessly to the shape of your head and feature cooling gel and velvety-soft microfiber to cocoon your ears.
- Inspiration
- People enjoy music in wireless headphones around the world daily, but the sound quality has been secretly compromised by compression algorithms. We believe that people need to know this and have a choice.