Philips is to take an edgier approach to its headphones offering with the announcement at IFA 2010 that it has teamed up with O'Neill the surfing and boarding company, to launch a range of headphones.

The new "premium line" headphones will be joint branded and go with the slogan "Tested on animals" to suggest they are ideal for the more adventurous music fan rather than those who like, well, animal testing.

"The high performance Philips/O’Neill headphones were tested on the toughest O’Neill team riders and specifically designed around the demands of those who live life to the fullest", says Philips.

The Philips/O’Neill headphone collection features four different styles:

The Stretch headphones will be the toughest in the new line-up and promise to be both impact and high stress-crack resistant.

Made of TR55LX, an ultra durable and temperature-resistant material, the surface hardness is six times greater than the polycarbonate commonly used in many headphones, which becomes brittle and breaks in subzero temperatures. All this means they are good up to -25 degrees C.

The Snug headphones will be flat-folding, while those looking for in-ear can opt for The Covert. Finally, The Specked is a range of three striking coloured in-ear buds, with tough yet stylish tangle-free cords for longer listening experiences. 

The new Philips/O’Neill headphones will be available at retail stores throughout Europe and the US from September 2010.

Oh, and they sound great too.