Sound is everything for classically trained composer Danny Aronson. For decades, he’s been the talent behind music featured in commercials, documentaries and films — and now he’s shifting his focus to tech. Inspired by his love of music, Aronson worked with a friend to launch Even, a company producing headphones that use technology to understand and tune personalized sound to each ear.
Moving from music to tech isn’t as big of a leap as it may seem, as the audio tech industry has recently picked up speed with advancements like smart speakers and wireless earbuds. With Even, Aronson and his co-founder Ofer Raz are taking these advancements to the next level and transforming the analog, “one sound fits all” model of headphone technology.
“While our phones and many other devices have become quite ‘smart,’ our headphones are still pretty dumb,” said Aronson. “Ofer and I realized that if we followed some of the same principles used in other aspects of the latest technology — if we applied software to the hardware — we could create something truly groundbreaking.”
[We] realized that if we followed some of the same principles used in other aspects of the latest technology [...] we could create something truly groundbreaking."
Users set up their headphones the same way they set up their smartphones upon purchasing. Virtual guide Sarah walks listeners through a hearing test, during which different sound frequencies are deployed. Once the “EarPrint” is identified, the technology only delivers the frequencies listeners need in each ear, resulting in a clear, immersive listening experience.
“Everyone’s comfortable with the idea of getting glasses when they start to have weakened vision,” said Aronson. “However, when it comes to our hearing, we’re less likely to take action to correct for these mild deficiencies until it becomes a more severe problem.”
Everyone's comfortable with the idea of getting glasses when they start to have weakened vision [...] when it comes to our hearing, we're less likely to take action."
Even was founded in 2014 in San Francisco and has since relocated its headquarters to Brooklyn to be in what Aronson considers “the center of culture, music and technology innovation.” It still has offices in San Francisco, as well as Tel Aviv, where Aronson is from.
The company has raised $4.7 million to-date and plans to expand to audio verticals outside of headphones. In the next few years, listeners may be able to listen to Even’s disruptive audio tech around the home, in the car and at the movie theater.
