Koss Striva Headphone Platform Brings Wi-Fi To The 'Buds

Wi-Fi in a PC? Yeah, common. Wi-Fi in a music player? Sure, no problem. But Wi-Fi in a headphone? What? Yep. Koss has just introduced the Strive headphone platform, with a new headphone and in-ear monitor system with Wi-Fi technology that is capable of receiving music directly from the Internet without wires. That's right -- music right to your headphones, with no middleman. The project started around four years ago, and when it was all said and done, three new technologies came out of it: Striva Core, MyKoss online and Striva Cap.

The Striva Core is a miniature battery-powered computer that functions as a web server coupled with an assortment of Wi-Fi components powerful enough to make any device wireless. It packs a Wi-Fi engine and microprocessor components, and it's built into all Striva products, including the Striva Pro headphones and in-ear Striva TAPs. The whole range is available now in the U.S., and you can dig into a few more details below.

STRIVA TAP in-ear monitors and STRIVA PRO full size headphones are the first STRIVA products being introduced by Koss.

STRIVA TAP is a tiny in-ear monitor measuring only 1.5 inches in length. Unlike other in-ear cordless solutions, each pair of stereo STRIVA TAPs does not require wires concealed in a headband to connect the left and right earpieces together. Instead, microprocessors in each earpiece continually synchronize the music to ensure quality stereo sound is recreated consistently in both ears.

STRIVA TAP allows users to control their listening experience using innovative capacitive touch controls on the face of the device. Its ultra-compact size and state-of-the-art design make it ideal for those on the go.

For those that prefer an over-the-ear headphone model, Koss has introduced STRIVA PRO, which combines superior sound quality with elegant design. STRIVA PRO features gesture-based controls on the ear cup, allowing listeners to manage both channel and volume preferences with the flick of a button or swipe of a finger. STRIVA PRO also folds flat for storage and portability.

Both STRIVA PRO and STRIVA TAP include a STRIVA CAP that plugs into any headphone jack. STRIVA CAP creates an additional local music channel for those who prefer listening to their own personal music libraries or music apps like Pandora or Spotify. The STRIVA CAP plugs into any smartphone, computer, radio or MP3 player with a headphone jack.

"We created the STRIVA system with a specific focus on personalization," Michael Koss said.
"We developed a platform that allows listeners to create their own music channels, based on their preferences, using MyKOSS options to filter music by genre, artist, or decade. Once the channel is set up, listeners can simply press a button or touch a sensor to send a thumbs up or thumbs down back to the MyKOSS server to remotely 'fine tune' the content delivered to their personalized channels. Both models feature a new capacitive touch control design that allows the listener to change volume, switch channels or jump streams with a simple swipe or tap."