Verum Audio - Exciting high performance DIY planar

I would stick with just the headphones, 4pin XLR cable with 6.3mm adapter and a basic well made case.
Have your perks for the second round once you proved to the world you can deliver. Too many kickstarters have gone to shit because of over promise and complexity. You're already competing with massdrop stuff but you have the price/performance advantage. Should sell itself without rainbow colored grills.
What's you main target audience here? That question should help you for the perks option.

 

Why would a 299$ planar that supposedly runs fine from anything need a 4-pin XLR or a case by default?

I see this thing is going to sell like hotcakes even without extra cables and stuff that could be bought from anywhere. Even I'm going to get ones and I don't care about headphones anymore. First run needs to sell only like what, 100 pieces for the goal? That's probably this forum alone..

Phones now, extras ecosystem later when they are out there. But yeah I'm no marketing guru, apparently perks increase revenue by 628% or something. If it helps and doesn't hinder, do it.

 

I don't want additional perks to increase profit. It will be something like "thank you, I've got great economy on scales and want to add something extra in the box".

Thanks for all your propositions. Let's summarize:

1) Different colors? Why not. That's not a problem. As an extended goals i'll give that opportunity.
2) Extra cable terminated with XLR? Good cable is expensive and I'm not a guru in cables Still thinking about it.
3) Hard case? I can buy appropriate plastic case, make foam insert and here we go - premium hard case But it will add too much for shipping cost and kill al the idea of affordable audiophile planars.
4) Extra metal rings for more convenient pad rolling? - definitely yes.
5) Extra earpad? That's really interesting. I can make 2 sets of earpads with different shape.
6) Stand... Good idea, maybe as an extra. But read paragraph 3.

 

As much as I'd like my Verum headphone to be yellow I would have to agree that it's probably best to stick with one color/finish. MAAAYBE two if it's something you really really want to do.

 

2-3 color combinations isn't a problem at all. I mean 2-3 fixed combinations.

 

These look like they came from the game Prey. The new one, that is. Just dawned on me

 

I think I saw somewhere in this thread that you're using mini-xlr connectors? If that's the case, there's a healthy enough market for custom/balanced/whatever cables (LCD headphones and the like) that people can buy on their own.

Not to say that it wouldn't be convenient, but it sounds like more trouble than its worth on your part.

 

I use quality German-made 2.5 mm connectors in headphones. This is also a very wide selection of cables.

 

Forget everything I wrote above, extra pads and maybe filters to tune the sound would make these an even sweeter deal than it already is!

 

Yeah, some felt pads to tune the treble would be pretty cool

If you're making different pads, you should try some that are cloth/velour/microfiber on the inside and towards the face, with pleather or leather on the outside only. A true "hybrid pad", but with cloth on the inside too.

 

I've gotten a friend interested in this too, he wants me to tell him when the kickstarter goes live

I want to pitch you an idea once this kickstarter business is done

 

Yeah. Don't underestimate how much more of a challenge it is to make that many units with that degree of consistency. There will be many challenges that you never thought about before they pop up.

Limit the options, keep it simple, focus on quality control and sticking to the deadlines.

 

It's important to set the proper expectations with these extras. For example, boar scrotum is much more appropriate as headband material.

 

There are examples of companies that got through 1, 2, or more successful campaigns and even so they imploded. In the biggest/most serious examples it was about delays, products not delivered and/or control quality. Because of this i also would advise you to focus on doing things right by doing them simple and with quality.

All the foofoo crap can be sold on your future website or on a 2nd run. Think that first run will set the tone for the next one and so forth. If you sell 100 hps with quality you may got yourself 100 customers to buy the extras in the future.

So many here are giving you the same advice, not to echo each other but because we have seen companies and/or products fail miserably, from multiple ways and because of multiple reasons.

Remember that we want you to succeed. Your success means a win-win for you and for us, your future customers.

 

The most safe tiers are "put more of thr things you already made into the box" type things. Extra pads, metal rings, and felt pads are examples of these

 

Based on early impressions of the headphone vs the price,
assuming the quality will there in the series produced version
you already have given the customer more than any competing manufacturer.
Let the crazy modders, cable nuts and ''I can only use Schiit, when it's painted black!'' wieners worry about their part.
You can always offer the add-ons later as 'upgrades' or 'spare parts'.