What happens when a former Music Producer and an NFL Super Bowl Champion become close friends and business partners of a tech firm? A Game Changer!
Perhaps this is the best way to describe Dome Audio, which was recently featured in Forbes. The start-up is delivering the world’s first dual-fidelity bone and air conduction headphones, which provide open and closed-ear listening options to music lovers — including those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.
Dome Audio’s D4 OneSound® model uses a 4x-patented technology. According to the company, they are “the only headphones that produce a surreal-sound performance for all.”
Dome Audio Founder and IP Developer Ben White says, “Our D4 OneSound® headphones use a proprietary speaker placement design that actually blurs the lines between how those who hear and people who are DHOH enjoy music, the arts, gaming and entertainment.”
Tim Wright and Ben White. Courtesy Dome Audio
The Mind Behind the Intellectual Property
White created Dome Audio in 2017. The music industry veteran believes his decades as a professional musician, songwriter, producer and engineer afforded him invaluable knowledge about audio and sound fidelity.
“From my work in the music industry, I saw a huge need for headphones that would offer a more versatile listening experience. I began exploring how to expand the possibilities of headphone technology for music lovers,” says White. He went on to create his first prototype from scratch, right in his living room.
White points out that his focus was to produce a headphone that would deliver beautiful, high-fidelity music to everyone.
“My hope was that the innovation would bridge the gap between the worlds of those who can hear and those on the spectrum of deaf and hard-of-hearing,” he explains.
Delivering Technology With Intention
In 2018, NFL Super Bowl Champion Tim Wright joined Dome Audio as partner and chief strategic officer. Initially, the pair’s relationship began as friends. However, their bond deepened over a shared passion for technology and business. Wright, who is also a serial entrepreneur, recalls how he felt when he tried White’s first prototype, “I was completely blown away!”
“After winning the Super Bowl, it was important for me to use my influence and apply the business acumen I’d gained from the NFL to be of service and to fulfill my life’s purpose. For me, it’s a real honor to be instrumental in delivering a brand as impactful as Dome — and products as life-changing as our OneSound® headphones are — to the consumer market,” Wright explains.
The Future of Sound Has Arrived
The business partners illuminate how Dome Audio’s distinctive technology and design set them apart from other premium audio products on the market. Typically, headphones cover the ear canal, pushing sound vibrations through the air into the eardrum, where it is processed by the cochlea.
Dome’s OneSound® D4 Headphones rest on the outside of the ear. The head gear comes with interchangeable noise-isolation Dome Covers. Users can choose the open-ear mode — which allows ambient sounds — or enjoy the closed-ear mode for a more immersive sound experience.
White and Wright also note that their Dome Covers are a really special part of the product’s design: the fashion covers can be branded with logos.
“We are really excited about cultivating relationships with companies and celebrities who want this level of brand visibility,” remarks Wright.
Making Noise in the General Consumer and DHOH Markets
Hagerty, a luxury, exotic and collectible automotive lifestyle and membership company, recently hosted Dome Audio for an exclusive OneSound® VIP Experience for members.
Dome has also collaborated with Gallaudet University — the nation’s most prestigious institution for the Deaf. Since its soft launch, the tech company has garnered the attention of celebs and fans in the DHOH community.
For instance, Deaf Performer Warren “Wawa” Snipes, who signed at the 2022 NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show, attended a Dome Audio event last year. Wawa was so moved when he experienced a prototype of Dome’s OneSound® Headphones, he exclaimed, “This is it! You guys have to try this. I’m not playing, this is real! his has to be out there now!”