They are being built to order.
Regarding predicting success/flop:
I wish I had a crystal ball to predict how exactly a product would do before it gets to the hands of customers, just by looking at the pictures. Electrostatic headphones make up for only a small fraction of headphones used by audio enthusiasts/audiophiles, the barrier of entry is also high, we realize that; so having realistic expectations is good.
We also realize that competing with the best electrostatic headphones is a huge mountain to climb. I can only hope (as someone who has been listening CRBN for several months now) that CRBN meets or exceeds expectations. Only time will tell, as more of you get to listen. For now, all we can hope for is less speculations; neither hyping nor dismissing a product unheard helps anybody. In the mean time we can try and answer questions the best we can.
(My personal opinion) Success, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, it need not always be financial:
- I don't think many were aware of the need for better headphones inside MRI scanners (most use pneumatic headphones, a technology used in airplanes from 1960s). These sound horrible and distorted. Imagine trying to calm down a child who is claustrophobic and instructing them not to move inside a MRI machine so the scans are good.
- I don't think anyone (other than a handful) have heard a electrostatic headphone that uses carbon nanotubes instead of metal deposits and how that changes the presentation and timbre.
- What we learnt from building a headphone for use in a very hostile environment., motivates us to apply it elsewhere.
- Exploring and pushing boundaries is a good thing, it ultimately makes technology more affordable and reach a wider audience.