Skip to main content

A pair of headphones has raised more than $720K in five days — because cat ears

Axent Wear cat ear headphones
Image used with permission by copyright holder
A pair of headphones has raised nearly three-quarters of a million dollars on Indiegogo in five days. The reason for this enthusiastic groundswell of support isn’t some sort of newfangled audiophile-pleasing technology. Far from it. The reason is – wait for it – cat ears.

We gave you a heads up about Axent Wear’s cat ear headphones back in June, but now this spectacle is alive and doing quite well thanks to its insanely successful crowdfunding campaign. The brainchild of two UC Berkeley alumni, who were awarded a fellowship for this endeavor, the headphones feature traditional over-the-ear cups, along with a detachable 3.5mm jack equipped with a mic. But the true stars of this pair of “glowing, badass headphones” (words taken directly from the Indiegogo page) are two cat ear-shaped external speakers, along with bright LED accent lights.

Recommended Videos

The external cat ear speakers (for when you want to share the music you’re listening to with your friends, who will obviously ignore the music) and LED lights can be turned off whenever the wearer wants to, you know, not stand out from the crowd so much.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

A pair of these headphones costs $150 — $115 for the actual headphones and an additional $35 for shipping and taxes. It currently comes in four versions, each with different colored LED lights: blue, red, green and purple. You can get all four versions of the cat ear headphones for $575, or spring for either of two $2,000 donation packs: one will get you a pair of Axent Wear’s headphones and a custom digital painting of you “or your character” wearing them, and the other will get you a pair of cat ear headphones with a custom paint job.

For the truly dedicated, a $10,000 pack will get you a personalized painting, a custom paint job and custom LED light colors (changing or a color of your choice).

Axent Wear expects to deliver these cat ear headphones to backers in April 2015. The Indiegogo campaign, which began on Oct. 8, will close on Nov. 7.

Those who can’t afford Axent Wear’s creation but still want cat ears on their headphones can always go for the DIY version.

Jason Hahn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…
The LG OLED T hits the U.S. and can be yours — for $60,000
The LG Signature OLED T, with its contrast screen not quite halfway unfurled.

It was a wow moment when we all saw the transparent LG Signature OLED T in a suite at CES 2024, and then the following day as it was rolled on to the stage during LG's press conference. Now you can wake up to that wonder every morning, as the OLED T is now available from select retailers including Best Buy, Video & Audio Center, and LG.com -- for a cool $60,000.

Sure, at that price it isn't something most of us will ever have in our home, but that doesn't take away from how stunning and technologically innovative the OLED T is. In transparent mode, the 77-inch TV can be an Always-On-Display -- a feature LG calls T-Objet -- and act as a transparent digital canvas to show artwork or photos. The effect makes it look as though what's on screen is floating in air.

Read more
This LG 4K OLED has a bendable screen — and a $1,300 discount
LG OLED Flex TV

We’re guessing you’re like the rest of us and own a plain ole’ 4K or HD flatscreen TV. Or maybe you’re one of a few TV lovers who own a curved Samsung. Either way, we’re also going to guess you don’t own a bendable 4K OLED TV, and if you do, we are truly envious. At one time, these unique TVs cost quite a chunk of change, but that was two years ago. And just in time for Christmas 2024, LG is offering an amazing markdown on one of its most unique OLED TV deals: 

For a limited time, when you order the LG 42-inch 4K OLED Flex Smart TV through the manufacturer, you’ll only pay $1,700. Mind you, this TV once cost $3,000. We had the opportunity to go over this puppy with a fine-toothed comb, and reviewer Caleb Denison said, “The LG OLED Flex blurs the line between high-end performance TVs and gaming monitors.” 

Read more
Powerbeats Pro earbuds have a $70 discount, but act fast!
apple airpods pro powerbeats true wireless earbuds deals amazon best buy memorial day sales 2020 feat 2 720x720

We’re getting closer to Christmas, which means we’re going to start seeing a lot more markdowns on popular tech items like wireless earbuds and headphones. As a matter of fact, we came across this fantastic offer on some Beats buds earlier today: Right now, when you purchase the Beats PowerBeats Pro TWS Earbuds through Best Buy, you’ll only pay $130. At full price, this model sells for $200.

We tested the Powerbeats Pro last fall, and reviewer Ryan Waniata praised the Pro for its top-shelf battery life, water resistance, and excellent sound quality.

Read more