I was recently reading a magazine article about the world’s most sought-after headphones, and it included Noble Audio at the top of the list. The company specializes in bespoke in-ear headphones, which are precious little pieces of handcrafted engineering completely customized to fit your own ear canals. To my surprise, the article mentioned that this headphone headliner was based in Santa Barbara.
Though only started three years ago in April 2013, Noble Audio already enjoys an incredible reputation and a strong following. The price tag isn’t cheap — they quickly sail past the $1,000 mark — but critics, experts, and well known musicians have declared that these headphones provide enough value to justify the expense. They look , feel, and sound deliciously.
So I decided to reach out to Brannan Mason, who co-owns the company with Dr. John Moulton. The latter is an audiologist who knows a thing or two about sound, ears, and how humans hear. Brannan, meanwhile, runs the business, and he’s also the one who will take a silicone impression of your ears.