Matt Scandora and Jatana Srain decided they were spending too much time untangling or searching for their headphones, and thought magnets could help keep them around their wrists. So they got to work.
Their first prototype was made with a pair of existing headphones, magnets, and Scotch Tape; it turned out better than they expected. Next, they substituted the Scotch Tape with Super Glue and worked to get the number and size of the magnets just right.
The end result −patent-pending Flux Headphones− has 78 small, lightweight magnets embedded along the length of the headphones to allow the cable to attract itself, allowing users to consolidate the length of cord they’re not using. The weight of the magnets (less than the weight of a single quarter) also helps keep the headphones in users’ ears.
The Flux team contacted dozens of headphone manufactures and had it narrowed down to two potential partners within a month.
“We received samples from both, and one month later we made our final decision,” says Scandora. “We decided to go with the company that believed most in our product and had the same vision for the future of Flux as we did.”
Scandora isn’t comfortable revealing the name of the manufacturer at this time, but he did say it is located in China and has been making headphones for more than 20 years.
The Flux team needs to make molds so its manufacturer can begin full-scale production, but first it needs $45,000.
For funding, the team has turned to Columbus-based crowdfunding platform, Fundable. To date, $5,000 has been pledged.
“I believe we will reach our [funding] goal,” Scandora says. “A few days into our campaign, we realized that people wanted a high-quality version of the Flux Headphones. We recently introduced this as an option and believe it will lead to more backers.”
He is referring to Flux’s new model with in-ear headphones that come with come with three removable gel earbuds. (Previously, only a model with standard iPhone earbuds was offered.)
Should the Flux team meet its fundraising goal, backers will receive a pair of Flux Headphones in white or black, as well as a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year replacement warranty.
To learn more about Flux Headphones, visit Fundable.com/flux-headphones.