50 Cent’s headphone imprint, SMS Audio, has dropped its new Sport Collection headphone line, complete with four sets of offerings all designed to “blend high-quality audio with the best in active-performance features.” The line is the first to be officially endorsed by New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who last December stepped into an investing and advising role at SMS Audio as 50 Cent’s new partner.
The collection is divided into two subsets, “STREET by 50 Wired” and “SYNC by 50 Wireless,” and in turn each subset carries both an on-ear and in-ear offering. The only pair not immediately available upon the line’s release today is the SYNC by 50 Wireless In-Ear, which will begin shipping in August for $150. According to SMS’ press release concerning the line, all four pairs are designed to stay put during physical activity, and feature professionally tuned drivers and sweat-repelling nanotechnology to safeguard against moisture and withstand against extreme weather.
The $180 STREET by 50 On-Ear Wired set ships with SMS’ proprietary OVALFIT perforated leather memory foam, rubberized/scratch-resistant coating, sweat-proof chambers within the ear cups, easy-fold hinges, a zippered carrying case, and extra ear covers. The cord is tangle-free and a one-click microphone (with detachable cord) provides answer/call functionality. The pair’s $80 wired in-ear counterpart features a “stay-put, ear-hook” design (the pair comes with three different sizes of ear hooks), the same tangle-free cord, and a fully functional, made-for-iPhone (MFI), three-click microphone. Also included is a neoprene carrying case and a few sound-isolation ear tips.
For now, SMS has just one pair available on the SYNC side of the fence. The $230 SYNC by 50 On-Ear Wireless ‘phones take advantage of Bluetooth connectivity to achieve their wire-free status, and ship with on-ear track control and volume adjustment. The ear cups come with the aforementioned sweat-proof chambers, leather OVALFIT memory foam earpads for comfort and breathability, and chip-resistant rubberized coating. Both this and the STREET on-ear pair come with SMS-emblazoned sports towels.
All pairs are available in “Sport Pink,” “Sport Blue” or “Sport Yellow.” To compare which specific traits and capabilities are available with each pair (and all other SMS cans), you can check out SMS’ list of various features –patented and otherwise — that the company has come up with since its foundation in 2011.