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TCL looks to make headway in headphone sector after success with affordable TVs

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Electronics brand TCL has sprung up out of the weeds very quickly in recent years, making a name for itself as a very reputable manufacturer of great-looking and extremely affordable TVs.

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the company is looking to build on its success in the visual market with four new headphone lines for those looking to jam out on the go.

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“As America’s fastest-growing TV brand, we have successfully delivered a premium entertainment experience to homes across the nation, and we want to build on that momentum by interacting with consumers in more aspects of their daily life, beyond their living rooms,” said Chris Larson, TCL’s senior vice president, in a press release. “Our vision is to be a world-leading consumer electronics company that makes people’s lives better through smart products, no matter where they are. TCL’s long-running capabilities in audio combined with our vertical integration will enable us to bring similarly rich experiences with our headphones as we have with our televisions.”

The four new product lines include the in-ear SOCL and ACTV lines (in both wired and wireless iterations), as well as the in-ear and on-ear MTRO and over-ear ELIT models.

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The SOCL are designed to look pretty and offer a comfortable, noise-isolating fit, where the IPX4-rated 9for water resistance) ACTV are designed for those with workouts in mind. The MTRO are designed for those who want a comfortable and bass-laden listening experience, and the ACTV are active noise-canceling headphones that are designed to compete with more expensive models like Sony’s popular WH-1000xM3.

None of the headphones are game-changing devices in terms of features, but given the company’s penchant for creating great products at a more affordable price point, we expect they may bring great value to the headphone space. Prices will range from $10 for the most basic wired in-ear models to $100 for the active noise-canceling ACTV. The wired in-ear models will be available February 1, with the rest of the headphones set to appear on store shelves and online by this coming summer.

We’ll be sure to update this article as we learn more about TCL’s new headphone line.

Parker Hall
Parker Hall
Former Senior Writer, Home Theater/Music
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
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