A free trip to Ireland and a shot at headphones worth more than a car? I’m in.
Sennheiser is offering audiophiles the trip of a lifetime at its Audiophile Experience Center (AEC) in Tullamore.
Six lucky winners from the US, UK, France, and Germany will get an all-expenses-paid trip to Sennheiser’s factory. But, the cherry on top is you’ll get to listen to your favorite album on the legendary HE 1 headphones.
Contest Overview and Prize Details
The AEC, which opened on September 27, 2023, is Sennheiser’s way of inviting audiophiles into “inner sanctum” for a rare look into high-end audio production.
The contest runs until October 6, 2024, at 11:59 PM PST, and winners will be notified by October 9, 2024.
After that, they will be flown to Tullamore from November 19-21, 2024.
What’s on the itinerary? A tour of the facility, of course. But the real treat? A personal listening session with the HE1 headphones with your favorite album.
You’ll also get to peek behind the curtain and see the craftsmanship that goes into Sennheiser products.
But wait, there’s more! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
You’ll actually get to assemble a transducer under the watchful eye of the Tullamore team. And because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, they’re throwing in a visit to the Tullamore Dew distillery and a local pub so you can enjoy Irish culture.
The price package is valued at about $3,000 USD. This covers your round-trip economy flight to Dublin, a stay at the 4-star Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore (breakfast and dinner included), and rides between the hotel and the factory.
How to Enter
To join, you must be at least 18 years old and live in the contiguous United States, United Kingdom, France, or Germany.
However, some restrictions apply.
For one, Hawaii and Alaska residents are ineligible. The age requirements are also different in some states. Alabama and Nebraska residents must be at least 19 years old, while Mississippi residents need to be 21 or older.
The contest is hosted on three platforms: Reddit, Instagram, and HeadFi, each with specific entry requirements:
- Reddit: On the r/sennheiser subreddit, upvote the AEC contest post, follow the official Sennheiser account, and comment with your country, chosen album for the HE1 experience, and why you picked it.
- Instagram: Like the contest post, follow @sennheiser, share the post saying who you’d bring, and comment your album choice with a reason and your country.
- Head-Fi: Comment with your country, album choice for the HE1 experience, and why you chose it.
Two winners will be selected per platform based on creativity, style, and originality. They will be notified via direct message and must respond within 48 hours; otherwise, new winners will be chosen.
Of course, the November 19-21, 2024 dates for the Tullamore trip can’t be changed, so make sure you can go on those days before entering.
Why It’s a Huge Deal
One of the main draws of this contest (aside from the free trip) is the rare chance to experience the Sennheiser HE 1.
The Sennheiser HE 1 is the stuff of audiophile legend. Besides, we’re talking about headphones that retail for around $76,000! That price alone makes the Sennheiser HE 1 a dream headphones for thousands of audiophiles.
But, it’s not just that.
Each HE 1 unit is hand-assembled in the Tullamore factory. It takes about two weeks and 3,000 individual components to bring one to life. And, they even test these in a climatic chamber, simulating different temperatures and humidities to ensure durability.
Plus, the Tullamore factory itself is like a holy place for audio fans.
For over 30 years, this place has been where Sennheiser makes its best audio gear. In fact, it has been making parts and putting together headphones like the well-known HD 600 series since 1991.