How much is music worth to you? Cambridge Audio releases hi-spec pay-what-you-want earphones to raise money for national charity Youth Music.

Cambridge Audio, the UK's most passionate high quality hi-fi and home entertainment brand, have come up with a pioneering way to support the leading national music charity - by releasing their first ever earphones: the SE1 In Ear Monitors. From 10am on Monday 29th February 2016, a limited run of just 1,000 SE1 earphones will be available to buy fromwww.cambridgeaudio.com.

In a unique move for an audio brand, customers will be able to choose the price they pay for these high-spec earphones with the money going to a great cause. Estimated to have a market value of £150-£250, audiophiles can pick up a bargain and feel good too, with 100% of the net price paid going to Youth Music, the charity using music-making to change the lives of young people in challenging circumstances.

Although this is the first time an audio brand has used a pay-what-you-want scheme, Cambridge Audio took their inspiration from innovative rock band Radiohead, who launched their In Rainbows album by inviting fans to pay what they felt the music was worth. Cambridge Audio have added a twist to this scheme by pledging to donate all proceeds to charity.

Youth Music is a national charity investing in music-making projects for children and young people facing challenging circumstances. These challenges include disability, poverty, mental health issues, refugee status or being brought up in care. The charity invests in projects where they're really needed: for example, bringing opportunities for children to learn a new musical genre in a town where not much happens, or supporting a ground-breaking initiative in a deprived part of a city. But right now, the need for Youth Music's support greatly exceeds what they can afford to provide, so fundraising initiatives like this are vital.

Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music, says:

"We know the team at Cambridge Audio are all massive music fans, so they understand exactly how important music-making is for young people's personal and social development, as well as musical. Our projects really do change lives. I urge customers buying these fantastic earphones to give generously, remembering that every penny they choose to pay will help us to support young people in desperately tough circumstances."

Since 1968 Cambridge Audio has been driven by a simple belief; that music should always sound amazing. British-designed for an unparalleled sound that gets fans closer to their music than ever before, their products are innovative and sublimely engineered. Over recent years, profits from the sale of Cambridge Audio products have directly helped thousands of disadvantaged children and adults at home and abroad.

James Johnson-Flint, CEO of Cambridge Audio, says:

"This cause is something that we feel really deeply about, as we believe in the power of music to improve wellbeing and to make the world a happier, more connected place. Dominic Baker, our talented Technical Director, originally created these earphones as a personal "passion project" to share the Cambridge Audio sound with close friends and partners of our company. But when we heard about Youth Music's amazing work with thousands of children nationwide, we realised this was a chance to use what we have created to have some fun and make a real difference to people's lives."

The SE1 moniker comes from the postcode of Cambridge Audio's head office in London Bridge. Youth Music's national base is in the same neighbourhood, so the name was perfect for this local partnership.

The Cambridge Audio SE1 In Ear earphones use custom-made 8mm beryllium speaker drivers to achieve a balanced, hi-fi sound on the move and come with four sets of silicone tips and three sizes of premium Comply tips to ensure the perfect fit for any listener. These earphones will become available to purchase at www.cambridgeaudio.com from 10am Monday 29th February 2016. These earphones will not be made available in retail at a later date so this really is the only chance to get hold of a pair.

Technical Specifications

Driver8mm Beryllium

Jack plug3.5mm gold plated plug (4 pole)

Frequency response19Hz - 20 kHz

Impedance22 ohms

SPL102dB

Cable length1.2m

Wearing weight8.7g

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