Some headphones are pricey because they are covered in glittery doodads but the Edition 8 headphones from Ultrasone are a more understated form of luxe. The headphones use the company's S-Logic Plus technology to deliver a sound that gives the listener a better sense of "spacious tonal perception." The headphones are created for the "audio connoisseur" with tender ears, the interior ear cups are covered in Ethiopian sheepskin which is said to provide the most isolation. The outer ear cups get their shine from a heavy coat of ruthenium. Each pair comes in a leather case for storage and sells for $1,499.

Atomic Floyd released their latest high performance TwistJax headphones this month. Inspired by the style of high-end cars and watches they feature acoustic steel and high-tech innards that make for awesome sound, they look beautiful thanks to a mix of 24ct gold and titanium, and they feel great due to the Twist2Fit design that lets you spin the earbud around to the most comfortable position for your particular ears. Give the gift of music this year that not only sounds great, but looks great and feels great too. £80 - £120

Via Switched On Set

These sexy headphones are the result of a new collaboration between rap producer Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine, the Chairman of Interscope Geffen A & M Records and audio company Monster. The Beats by Dre headphones were in development for two years and are designed to offer clean sound with powerful deep bass. The headphones have a wide headband and hinged ear cups. They come in a carrying case with antimicrobial cleaning cloths a Monster headphone cable and Monster's iSonitalk, and a microphone/headphone adapter for an iPhone. They will be available this spring for $399.95.

[via Uncrate]

Apparently we all can't get enough of diamond earpieces for our mp3 players, because new ones keep popping up. One of the latest is the iDiamond Ear from Norwegian jeweler Heyerdahl Jewelers, and it's being marketed as "the world's most exclusive earphones for commercial sale." The iDiamond Ear is created by dipping Apple earbud headphones in 18k gold and covering them in 204 brilliant cut diamonds. There will be only 1,000 pairs created, which will be numbered and sold exclusively in the Heyerdahl store starting this upcoming February. $6,400


Via IDEX

There's always room for more bling in our lives, sometimes in the most unlikely of places. It's not that I haven't seen decked out USB drives before, but I guess I just figure if you're going to go there then do it right and go all out. The Phillips-Swarovski Active Crystal collection definitely goes there, squeezing as many Swarovski crystals as possible onto some very cute electronic gadgets. For USB drives there's the 1 GB "Heart Beat," a two-piece locket style, and the 1 GB "Lock-Out," and retractable padlock shaped one, both of which will sell for $179.

The collection also includes headphones and earbuds with large crystals embedded in each ear piece. Available in 4 different designs they will range in price from $79-$149. The entire line is scheduled to come out this August.

If your eyes are sensitive to light, you may want to pull on a pair of sunglasses before checking out Rasa Music's Swarovski-studded headphones. Designed by celebrity DJ Donna D'Cruz, the headphones come in a variety of colors so that you can coordinate with your outfit. They also have a pricetag that is impressive as their look: $2,500 per pair . Popular opinion seems to be that these will be fashion accessories for the likes of Paris Hilton and Tara Reid when they decide to take a turn at the DJ table for an hour at their current favorite nightclub.

Earphones are getting smaller and less obtrusive by the minute, sometimes at the expense of sound quality and comfort. The Panasonic RP-HTX7 Retro Piano Painted Headphones are the complete opposite. They are large, comfortable and some in eye-catching colors that go well with their vintage look. The sound quality is excellent, with clear definition of the notes and a powerful base. The cord is 1.2 meters long, so it will provide a wide range of motion with portable and stationary players, but a 2 meter extension cord is included for addition range. Price: $60.

[via uncrate]

The latest in earphones to replace the standard ones that came with your iPod or other MP3 player are the Vibe modaphones from V-MODA. The noise-isolating modaphone is metal with soft silicon fittings (in three sizes). They are hi-fideltity earphones that are designed to reduce outside noise and provide a rich base response. The Vibe headphones come in either black or chrome and sell for $101. They come in a gold leather pouch and purchasers also receive access to "V-MODA modcasts," music and other gear. They are attractive and cheaper than the Shure headphones I've been craving.

Some ski resorts that offer night skiing also play music over the slopes, giving the whole activity a completely different feel than daytime skiing. If you want to listen to music as you cruise down the mountain during the day, you'll have to wire your iPod up through your jacket or try to fit headphones under or around your hat and goggles. The Audex Ordinance Hat, from Motorola, is a padded hat with built-in Bluetooth headphones that can be set up to work with any wireless music device, allowing you to listen to music while participating in your favorite winter activities. Because they are wireless, there is no risk of getting anything caught up in a cord while you ski (or snowboard). They can be configured to answer calls and have a wind-resistant microphone built-in, too, so you won't have to take your gloves off on the slopes to search for your mobile phone in a pocket. It is available in black and white. Price: $180.

[via SciFi Tech]

We have lots of tiny headphones on Luxist because for many things, smaller seems better. This logic does not apply to everything, however, since some things are better when they're bigger, like limos, diamonds and estates. And in this case, headphones are better when they 're bigger, too. The Grado Statement Series GS1000 Headphones have nearly unbeatable sound quality and are certainly at the top of the line for personal headphones. The wooden housing and foam cushioning makes the headphones light and comfortable, but also "creates a "room" for the ears to sit in," which enhances the sounds even further. These signature headphones are also one of the most expensive models on the market today priced at £650 ($1,187).

Luxury means not having to hear other people talk, unless you actually want to and Bose's new QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones are the perfect way to do just that. They offer full-spectrum noise reduction, along with Bose's usual commitment to quality and performance, very much like their older models. Unlike those models, however, the QuietComfort 3 has a much smaller, sleeker headset design. In fact, they are nearly half the size of the QuietComfort 2! 

This also means that, since I have the QC2, the QC3 users might be talking about the size of my headphones behind my back - and not in a good way. Fortunately, the Bose headphones work so well that I won't be able to hear them.

If you want to upgrade your pair, the new headphones are $349.

I'm in the market for new headphones so the Cool Hunter's post on Sennheiser's Sport line caught my eye. The lime green headphones are sweat and water resistant (perfect for me since I lost a set of earbuds to a rainy jog). They also have magnets so that they can be clipped together. I'd be sold except that the cool metal look of the Style line (alas, not waterproof) is also appealing. The Street line offers more powerful bass due to the Sennheiser Basswind system. Overall there are 17 products in the three lines including several styles of headphones and accessories.  Looks from the other two lines after the jump.