Expressing sensitivity to the current global economic climes, Ultrasone is pricing their new Edition 8 headphones almost 17% lower than their previous limited edition phones, the Ultrasone Edition 9. That's right, the new Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones are only $1,499 US. How did Ultrasone afford such a dramatic price drop? They fired the one guy at the company who could count to ten.

Ultrasone is really proud of the Edition 8s, boldly claiming that "never before has such attention to detail been given to every aspect of a headphone design; every material and component used in the Edition 8 is second to none." Kinda makes you feel like a chump for buying those Edition 9s for $300 more, doesn't it? Here's more salt for your wounds, courtesy Ultrasone President Paul Taylor:

"This is the first pair of Edition headphones we have released that incorporates our newest S-Logic™ Plus technology. The Edition 8’s drivers provide immaculate detail but are also capable of delivering thunderous bass, the range of these headphones is staggering. I truly believe our engineers have created one of most sonically accurate and visually appealing headphones to date.”

Design-wise, the Edition 8's outer ear cups are covered in Ruthenium, a metal both beautiful and strong (like the Germanic peoples themselves). The interior ear cups are covered in fine Ethiopian sheepskin, just like the Edition 9s, which begs the question: does Ultrasone obsessively love or obsessively hate Ethiopian sheep? I'm guessing a little of both. The Edition 8's also contain MU-Metal shielding (ULE technology) that "reduce the amount of radiation directed to the listener by up to 98%, as compared to conventional headphones." This begs another question: RADIATION?!?!?!?!?

So, while $1,4999 MSPR may seem like a steep price tag for a pair of headphones, how much would you pay to keep from growing a second head?