Production Update: Audio Strap Shipments

We have successfully shipped thousands of Audio Straps to all customers who purchased an Audio Strap before October. We're now out of stock of the Bigscreen Beyond Audio Strap for a few weeks due to shipping delays. For anyone purchasing an Audio Strap now, we expect it will ship by November 8th.

We're trying to fulfill Audio Strap orders placed in the past few days, but they may be delayed until November 8th as well. Today, we're sharing behind-the-scenes details for transparency. 

The Bigscreen Beyond headset is still in stock, and ships within days of an order being placed. In fact, some customers who complete their face scan quickly are getting their custom-made headset shipped within the same day of placing an order. Same-day shipping for custom-made consumer electronics is an unbelievable feat of engineering and supply chain work, and we're proud of the team for pulling this off.

Shipment Disruptions

A shipping container full of Audio Straps was scheduled to ship from our manufacturer several weeks ago. Due to a logistics issue with the shippers, the container never left as planned. The shipper finally took possession of the pallets this week, resulting in a multi-week delay for our customers.

Normally, our shipments are consistent, with new units going out every week or every few weeks. This regular cadence allows us to provide short turnaround times after an order is placed. Unfortunately, a couple of factors led to this recent hiccup.

The Golden Week holiday in China causes regional disruptions for customs and shippers, leading to a backlog both before and after the holidays. On top of that, cargo diversions due to port shutdowns in the East Coast of the United States have further delayed our shipments.

These kinds of disruptions have affected us in the past, and, as a small manufacturer, we are more vulnerable to such issues compared to larger companies. Major shippers tend to prioritize larger companies while smaller operations like ours get "bumped" and we have to be patient. While larger companies may have the flexibility to reroute their logistics (for example, diverting shipments to a different port), we have fewer options.

Despite these challenges, we're optimistic that the next shipment will get us back on schedule, with consistent one-week shipping times for Audio Straps resuming in November as we will have sufficient inventory for the holiday season.

Rich Sound and Incredible Comfort

So far, nearly 60% of Bigscreen Beyond customers have purchased an Audio Strap, and feedback has been incredibly positive. The Audio Strap is our second product to successfully get into mass production.

We designed the Audio Strap for VR enthusiasts who demand the best in audio quality and comfort. The Koss-engineered on-ear speakers sit closer to your ears than off-ear headphones, providing a fuller, richer sound experience that's perfect for a booming cinema experience in the Bigscreen app.

While popular VR headsets can weigh more than 700 grams out of the box, our "Every Gram Matters" product philosophy led us to prioritize design elements and materials that would add just 160 grams to the Bigscreen Beyond's unmatched 127 gram form factor.

We wanted to genuinely enhance the entire user experience with a perfect counterbalanced design and many adjustable components to greatly enhance VR ergonomics. For example, the speaker arms can be rotated to help you position the speakers on your ear, and have an adjustment dial that lets you dial your preferred pressure. Low-end bass response and sound quality is best when you move the speakers closer to your ears. Or, adjust the dial to move the speakers further away from your ears for a more breathable and spatial experience. On the back of the Audio Strap, an adjustment dial makes putting on and taking off your Bigscreen Beyond at the bookends of an hours-long session in VR just a little bit nicer.

A common reaction to the Audio Strap is that it seems to make the Bigscreen Beyond "float in front of your face." We can't wait for more of you to experience it.

Other Production Updates

• Storage Can: We're currently out of stock of our Storage Can accessory as our supplier had a holiday shutdown. They are ramping back up now, and we hope to have it back in stock soon. The Storage Can has been a popular item—people love showing off that their Bigscreen Beyond headset fits in something as small as a soda can. The VRChat Storage Can remains in stock.

• Prescription Lenses: The Bigscreen Beyond prescription lens inserts still take up to four weeks to be custom-made to your prescription. Thank you for your patience while we manufacture, QC, and ship your prescription lenses. If you order both a headset and prescription lenses, they will ship together in the same box.

• Bigscreen Beyond Headset: We've been successfully shipping headsets within days of ordering for several weeks now, and some customers have received theirs just a day after placing their order. As we get closer to the holiday season, we can't guarantee this quick turnaround as we expect demand to rise significantly beyond our Los Angeles factory's capacity. If you're looking to ensure delivery before the holidays, we strongly recommend ordering soon.

If you're reading this and already received an Audio Strap we've shipped in recent weeks, be sure to check out the Audio Strap setup guide to learn how to adjust it for perfect fit.

Join us on the Bigscreen Beyond Discord server to share your experiences, ask questions about the Beyond and its accessories, and connect with fellow VR enthusiasts. Stay tuned for more updates!