Audio matters: Australia’s Audiofly enters Philippine market

MANILA, Philippines - Australian headphone brand Audiofly is introducing four premium in-ear headphones in the Philippine market – the AF33, AF45, AF56 and AF78 models, which will be available in all stores of the tech retail shop Digital Walker.

With price ranges hovering between P1,250 to P9,000, these are obviously for the well-versed in the sound department who shouldn’t or couldn’t miss the beat, though it’s not just for true audiophiles.

Matt Rowett, Audiofly’s territory sales manager, said it is for everybody who wants to hear differently.

“Our products are used by professional musicians and we design products that they could use on stage,” he said. “We want the technology to cross over to the consumer space where everyday headphone users could enjoy what professionals use for performance.”

Founded by a musician himself, Dave Thompson, Audiofly’s promise includes access to a broader spectrum of sound, craftsmanship, vintage styling, old-fashion attention to detail, especially the flagship model AF78, which is meant for audio enthusiasts and those seeking high-resolution audio.

Even its entry-level product, the AF33, has a 9mm dynamic driver with a frequency range of 20-20kHz, with the sensitivity of 116dB at 1kHz. The mid-range AF45 and AF56 have 11mm and 13mm dynamic drivers, respectively, and the same frequency range of 18-20kHz and sensitivity of 118dB at 1kHz. Meanwhile, the high-end AF78 has a 9mm dynamic driver and balanced armature, a frequency range of 18-20kHz, and sensitivity of 108dB at 1kHz.

“It’s actually a balance between frequency range and the driver and how sensitive speakers are to sound,” Rowett explained.

Despite the abundance of established brands of premium headphones in the market, Rowett believes that it is not too late for Audiofly.

“The Philippines has a really big growing middle class and this kind of market is exciting because people are excited about new products and new experiences,” he said. “As a premium brand, it means that the consumer can expect greater quality and experience as well.”

One of the brand’s advantages, he added, is its links to professional musicians, professional music, and professional products.

“We design those products to be used on stage and to be good enough to be used on stage and we use that same design principle to the consumer headphones and so a lot of these headphones adapt to the technology that is meant to make the product stand the rigors of performance,” he explained.

Audiofly launched its first headphones only in late 2011, but today it is in 19 countries, and Rowett is quick to add that Asia is its fastest-growing region to date.

Audiofly headphones are sold in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines, and will soon also be available in China and Japan.

Karen Lacheta, Audiofly’s marketing manager, said aside from the four premium in-ear headphones initially available in the country, Audiofly has other products such as in-ear monitors, over-ear headphones, and accessories, which they also hope to bring to the Philippines in the future.

It is hard to distinguish between good sound and better sound when you are surrounded by the harsh and competing noises of urban life, but try listening to a piano and violin duet of Camille Saint-Saëns “Danse Macabre” at near midnight when the house is still, the day’s work is done.

There are moments like this when audio really matters because you should never miss a beat.