Skip to main content

Normal 3D prints these headphones for the perfect fit

By Ryan Waniata Jul 20, 2014 5:00 AM

There are few things in life more pleasurable than a perfect fit. But when it comes to in-ear headphones, such a luxury can be extremely elusive. The twists and turns of each of our ears are as unique as a fingerprint, and no matter how many tip sizes or designs we try, it’s nearly impossible to get it just right. To tackle the problem, Normal harnesses the burgeoning new technology of 3D printing along with the smartphone in your pocket to create tailor-made headphones you can design from anywhere.

Until Normal came along, the path to custom headphones was both extremely expensive and time consuming. The process – usually costing over $1,000 – requires going to an auditory professional for custom molds, which then have to be sent away for manufacturing and construction, normally taking weeks. But, luckily for us, we live in the future. Normal CEO Nikki Kauffman knew there had to be a better way, and thanks to her background in 3D printing, she set out to create it.

Recommended Videos

Her solution involves a simplified process for mapping the human ear that combines a highly developed smartphone app, a state-of-the-art design facility in New York, and what the company calls “nerdalicious software and 3D printing to create each one-of-a-kind pair.” Using the app, users take ear selfies, which the company then uses to sculpt each unique sonic solution in as little as 48 hours. And the best part? The price is only $200 per pair.

Each pair of Normals employ a brilliant combination of standardized premium earpieces affixed with custom-printed upper fins, which are designed to slide into those extraordinary coils of cartilage on the sides of your head like a glove. To ensure great performance to go with their great fit, each custom shell packs premium components, including a 14mm dynamic driver, a CNC anodized aluminum housing and outer cabinet, and a “bass tube” for a rich lower register.

Normals haven’t made their way onto the market yet, so we can’t tell you just how good they sound. But if you’re looking for an earphone that fits better than your bespoke suit, Normals just might be the headphones you’ve been waiting for. Orders are slated to start shipping August 9th, and you can pre-order your Normals in a variety of colors at the company’s website today.

Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a… Read Full Bio

Elevate your elegance: Choosing your first cigar

Face, Head, Person

Earlier this year, I was strolling the streets of New York and ended up sitting in the Carnegie Club with an Old Fashioned in one hand and a cigar in the other while My Way by Frank Sinatra played from a speaker flanking leather-bound books behind the couch I had been using as my perch. It was my first cigar, but it led to a slight obsession that recently found me on the back deck of a lodge in Kenya, staring at Mount Kilimanjaro and smoking a stick while giraffes meandered by. Admittedly, there has been no intention in my budding hobby; I am aimlessly choosing the cigars that look good (the ones that look like those smoked by Arnold or Stallone in the movies, obviously). But I have decided to approach these in a new way, with a little help from my friends over at La Aurora, who graciously decided to navigate my ignorance with some info compiled by Brand Manager John Gaglio, with input from Master Blender Manuel Ynoa, CEO Ed McKenna, and Brand Manager Elvis Batista.

What to look for in your first cigar

FIFA’s Gianni Infantino Is Uglifying the Beautiful Game With $20 Billion Plot — But the Global Soccer Community’s Punching Back

People, Person, Crowd

For the better part of two decades, perhaps even more, corruption has allegedly run rampant within FIFA. Sepp Blatter, in particular, became the face of alleged extortion schemes, and he operated with impunity while at the helm of the organization for 17 years, from 1998 until his forced resignation in 2015 amid an FBI corruption probe. He’s banned for life from all football-related FIFA activities. If you’re new to the organization’s alleged deep connection to corruption, Netflix offers a brilliant 2022 documentary, FIFA Uncovered. In that documentary, Gianni Infantino appears in his previous capacity as Secretary General of UEFA (2009-2016) and later as the newly elected FIFA president, who vowed to root out corruption and hand the beautiful game back to the people where it belongs.

That, as it turns out, was all wishful thinking.

Escobar Cigars, Co-Owned by Nas, Drops Four-Profile Robusto House Blend Collection

Blade, Knife, Weapon

Imagine that, Nas is getting closer to ruling the cigar world. The legendary rapper’s Escobar Cigars, which he co-owns, is making waves with the launch of a new four-profile House Blend collection. The launch is in partnership with Cigar Chief, one of North America’s largest premium cigar retailers.

The Manual has not yet had the chance to do a taste review (a pack is on the way), but Escobar Cigars says the four-profile House Blend collection (Maduro, Premium Blend Connecticut, Habano, and Connecticut Robusto) “has its own distinct wrapper, filler, and strength profile,” and that “all four are rolled in 5 x 52 Robusto format using classic Cubano entubado construction.”