Danish industrial design firm Kibisi launch these minimal headphones today.

The headphones are a collaboration with Danish electronics company AIAIAI who wanted a durable design.
The headphones are a collaboration with Danish electronics company AIAIAI who wanted a durable design.

TMA-1 is a name taken from an Stanley Kubrick’s science fiction movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, where it describes a machine that was long lasting and reliable.

The headphones are finished in matte black rubber, nylon and plastic.

Here's some more from the designers:

The TMA-1 by AIAIAI - The idea of a headphone

Danish headphone company AIAIAI, are just about to launch their unique new DJ headphone, the TMA-1, a lead-user-developed piece of audio equipment that looks set to renew the way that lifestyle technology is marketed. The design of TMA-1 is simple, and then some. It is stripped down to nothing more than the essentials. No ornaments, colors or other distractions. Only a very discrete and hidden logo indicates that these headphones come from an established brand.

This marks a new route in a terrain, that for the last couple of years have seen an endless array of products branded with extensive logos, and marketed by celebrities. The TMA-1 travels on a different road, and with it's simple and iconic look, it is essentially nothing more, than the idea of the headphone.

The TMA-1 headphone has been tested and tweaked by the world’s most skilled and interesting DJ's. In total 28 of the world's most progressive DJ's have been consulted through both the developmental and testing stages, in questions related to sound, form and durability. This process has given a valuable insight into the needs among touring musicians whose headphones are to endure 4-5 gigs a week, and a load of travelling on top of that.

This insight has brought into the design and choice of materials by the inimitable Danish design-firm KiBiSi. Others involved in the process have been the label Tartelet records, the producers, Mannhandle and the communication-agency, Thank You For Clapping. The entire process has given a valuable insight into the needs among touring musicians, whose headphones are to endure 4-5 gigs a week, and a load of travelling on top of that. The TMA-1 built for musicians, by musicians.

Launch and dates

TMA-1 is set to launch in early August and this new piece of irresistible gear that has been fittingly (it resembles the foreboding, black monolith) named the ‘Tycho Magnetic Anomaly’ after the mysterious phenomenon from Arthur C. Clarke’s groundbreaking novel ‘2001:A Space Odyssey’. Needless to say, this wink to originality has a lot to do with the impressive list of lead-user-testers of the TMA-1, such as Erol Alkan, Flying Lotus, Matthew Dear and Seth Troxler.

AIAIAI are sticking to outlets and boutiques that fully understand the aesthetics, concept and potential of the TMA-1: The product will therefore be available only at Apple Outlets and boutiques such Firmament, Colette, Bodega, Corso Como, Dijital Fix and insider record stores such as Phonica in London and Turn Table Lab in New York. The latest addition to this list of outlets, are the testers’ venerated record labels such as Ghostly International and this partnership looks promising to say the least. Get your TMA-1 at your nearest impeccable boutique, record store or label online shop.

The global launch dates are:

Berlin on the 11th of august
Tokyo on the 14th of august
New York on the 18th of august

See also:

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