Psyko 5.1 headphones pipe rear channels around your noggin

This is a rare thing: a product that has won an "Innovations Award" from CES — the equivalent of showing up and getting a ribbon for not puking at your grade school musical — looks like it might actually be innovative. Don't let the horrible name fool you: the "Pysko 5.1 Surround Sound Headphones" might actually be pretty neat, with rear speakers that sit on top of your head, producing sound which is them piped down plastic waveguides in the chassis and timed to provide convincing positional audio.

Or they're junk. It's impossible to tell — and winning an award from CES rarely bodes well. (This is the same body that gave an award to the preposterous Atom chip in 2005.)

The Psyko 5.1 headphones will go on sale early this year for three hundred real dollars.

Pysko 5.1 product page [PsykoAudio.com]

[#1 posted by styrofoam , January 5, 2009 1:14 PM]

At first I thought you were making a snarky comment wrapped in sarcasm about a group that would somehow dub the "Atom Processor" as a useful product- but the Atom chip is definitely a different matter.

[#2 posted by rak0ribz , January 5, 2009 1:23 PM]

@1:

...if not a different state of matter, entirely.

[#3 posted by styrofoam , January 5, 2009 1:59 PM]

You did elicit the desired groan for that one.

Nicely done.

[#4 posted by mdh , January 5, 2009 2:45 PM]

Those unobtanium drivers sure sound good!

[#5 posted by haineux , January 5, 2009 5:23 PM]

So, their web site shows actually-credible technological marketing based on known science -- Your Pinnae are your external ears, and they allow you to differentiate front-back sound sources.

HOWEVER, spending $300 for headphones without serious pre-listening is foolish. You can get some great sounding headphones for $300, and I doubt these will be anywhere near as good sounding as existing products, which are much less complicated and much more established.

BUT if I see them demoing, I will definitely be giving them a listen.

[#6 posted by Drhaggis , January 5, 2009 10:17 PM]

The company name comes from "Psychoacoustics" which is the study of the human perception of sound. It really is a unique approach to 5.1 headphones. I hope you guys at BB gadgets get to try out their demo at CES and report back for us.

[#7 posted by AirPillo , January 7, 2009 2:14 PM]

Joel,

Would you happen to know of any surround sound headphones which you would personally recommend?

[#8 posted by Joel Johnson , January 7, 2009 3:34 PM]

@AirPillo: I'm sorry to say that I don't. I've thrown a few pairs on before, but never used any for more than a few moments.